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Leading Experts Praise Superbit™ DVD Titles From Columbia TriStar
Home Entertainment
New Encoding and Reallocation Process Produces
Highest Quality Image And Sound Available On DVD-Video Format
Initial October 9th Releases Include The Fifth
Element, Air Force One, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Johnny Mnemonic
and Desperado
Culver City, Ca. (September 24, 2001) Leading
industry experts are acclaiming the initial Superbit™ DVD titles
from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment for setting a new standard in
DVD Video performance. The Superbit Collection utilizes a high bit
rate digital encoding process which optimizes video quality while
offering a choice of both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio.
By reallocating space on the disc normally used for
value-added content and multiple audio streams, Superbit DVDs can be
encoded at double their normal bit rate while offering full
compatibility with the DVD Video format. The result is picture quality
that provides outstanding detail which complements the performance of
the latest progressive DVD Video players.
According to Jonathan Valin, editor of The Perfect
Vision: "The new Superbit transfer of Luc Besson's pop classic
(The Fifth Element) is indeed superior to Sony's famous earlier
transfer of the same film... as a print made from a 4 x 5 negative is
to a print made from a 35mm negative -- you see that much more fine
detail, depth and trueness of color, and gradations of contrast... in
every scene...".
Mr. Valin continues: "If The Fifth Element is
representative of Sony's Superbit process, then we are in for a new
era of transfer excellence."
Additionally, Tom Norton, editor of Stereophile
Guide To Home Theater states: "True high definition on DVD is
still in the future, but Superbit is a tantalizing and rewarding step
in the right direction."
The first slate of Superbit titles includes the
Oscar winning masterpiece Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, along with
The Fifth Element, Air Force One, Johnny Mnemonic and Desperado. These
titles have been produced by a team of Sony Pictures Digital Studios
video, sound and mastering engineers and comes housed in a special
package complete with a 4 page booklet that contains technical
information on the Superbit process. Each carries a suggested list
price of $27.96.
A Superbit three-pack comprised of Crouching tiger
Hidden Dragon, Desperado and The Fifth Element will also be released
at the suggested list price of $73.95.
Benjamin S. Feingold, President of Columbia TriStar
Home Entertainment adds: "The new Superbit process was developed
by our outstanding group of engineers and technicians at the Sony
Digital Studios and was designed to give consumers a choice between
the highest quality audio and video transfer at a competitive price
versus our standard, rich package of value added features."
Mr. Feingold concludes: "We believe that DVD
enthusiasts will be thrilled with this exciting new concept."
Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment is a Sony
Pictures Entertainment company. Sony Pictures' global operations
encompass motion picture production and distribution, television
production and distribution, worldwide channel investments, home
entertainment acquisition and distribution, operation of studio
facilities, development of new entertainment products, services and
technologies, and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries
worldwide. The Columbia TriStar Home entertainment web address is www.CTHE.com.
Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at www.spe.sony.com.
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Source: Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment
Note: release date, disc specifications, and content are subject to
change by the studio.
Read our feature on the Superbit
DVDs.
For pre-ordering information, click
here.
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