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[JimH]

These are very big downloads (100MB for 2 1/2 minutes of video), but they are really worth the trouble.  Spectacular quality.  

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/content_provider/film/ContentShowcase.aspx

You will need a fairly fast PC and video card to play them well.

[Alex B]

I tried a couple of those: Step Into Liquid 1080 and Robotica 1080.

I didn't see anything spectacular, because my maximum LCD screen resolution is 1280x1024 and my wide screen TV is limited to screen width 1024 (actually it works best at 800).

However I did except to hear true multichannel sound because that was mentioned there: "Play 1080p video with 5.1 surround sound". As far as I see there are only two audio channels, although the Dolby Pro Logic II decoder did spread them to 5.1. Or am I missing something?

I have made some DVD rips with true DD 5.1 sound. They work in MC with the AC3 Filter.

Last year I was amazed about the picture quality of the Matrix Reloaded Ultra trailer. (1000x514 Quick Time. Though not HD 1080, but better than DVD.)

http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com/
Direct link to the download: http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com/rl_cmp/trailer_final_dlwarn_pc2.html

[Rizlaw]

Spectacular quality.  

You will need a fairly fast PC and video card to play them well.

Thought I would add a comment about this, too. I download most of the HD clips and played them back on my PC (a 3Ghz P4 - Sony WD900 - 24" 16x10 CRT) at both 720P and 1080P. I found "Coral Sea Adventure" to be the most impressive of the bunch because it is the only clip that has the content to show off the impressive video capabilities of WMV9. I didn't see that much of a difference between 720P and 1080P on my computer CRT which has resolution up to 1920x1440.

I was so impress with "Coral Sea Adventure" that I purchased the DVD/WMV9 version, as well as the WMV9 version of "Terminator 2".

I must say, that the 40+ minute "Coral Sea Adventure", played back on my Panasonic HD 50" Plasma, is truly breathtaking at 720P. The difference between the film on the regular DVD and the WMV9 DVD is dramatic. This film, unlike "T2" below, plays back directly through Windows Media Player 9.  BTW, you must have XP Home/PRO and WMP9 to play any of these clips or films. They don't work with W2K or Win98.

"Terminator 2" was another story. I particularly don't like the fact that with "T2" you are forced to install and use the DVD software player that comes on the WMV9 DVD disc. You can't use anything else to play this disc. On top of that, you must provide a certain amount of info about yourself (which, it is claimed, is not used to identify you. You can lie and say you are under 13, in which case you don't have to provide any info). Either way, I find this unacceptable. The WMV9 version of "T2" is not dramatically better than the already excellent transfer of "T2" on the accompanying standard DVD (played back progressively at 480P).

Don't think of using your PC to play this material at 720P unless it has, at least a 2.4Ghz P4 or better and a very good video card.  At 1080P, if you don't want to see the film sutter every few seconds, you will surely need 3.0GHz cpu or better

WMD9 looks to be a very promising format.

BTW, "V,Inc." (www.vinc.com) is coming out with a "Bravo D3" DVD player which will natively support WMA and WMV9 in the very near future via a DVI output.  This should be a killer DVD player at around $300.00; their current "Bravo D1" is already a very highly regarded and inexpensive ($199.00) DVD player which upsamples 480i DVD to 720P through its DVI output.

[Bill S]

<snip>
However I did except to hear true multichannel sound because that was mentioned there: "Play 1080p video with 5.1 surround sound". As far as I see there are only two audio channels, although the Dolby Pro Logic II decoder did spread them to 5.1. Or am I missing something?
<snip>

From your description it sounds like perhaps you are sending audio out via S/PDIF to an external decoder (i.e., receiver)?  If so, since S/PDIF only carries either 2 ch (uncompressed PCM) or multichannel (lossy compressed DD/DTS) you are only getting 2ch since the source is WM9 audio, not DD or DTS audio.  Listening to all the audio of WM9 HD material requires connecting your analog lines to your receiver.

[Shady Bimmer]

"Terminator 2" was another story. I particularly don't like the fact that with "T2" you are forced to install and use the DVD software player that comes on the WMV9 DVD disc. You can't use anything else to play this disc.

There was/is a rather long thread over in AVS Forum on this DVD and its playback.  A few folks from Microsoft participated and actually were both interested and helpful.  Microsoft claims they've learned from this experience and hope that future releases will be smoother.

It is possible to use WMP9 to play these DVDs but it isn't easy.  The issue is entirely related to Digital Rights Management and the method used by the DVD publisher.  Some folks had luck allowing the Interactual Player to fetch the DRM license the first time, then using WMP9 to validate and play the DVD in HD.

The thread is fairly old but some searching should find it.  IIRC it was in the HTPC section.

[Rizlaw]

There was/is a rather long thread over in AVS Forum on this DVD and its playback.  A few folks from Microsoft participated and actually were both interested and helpful.  Microsoft claims they've learned from this experience and hope that future releases will be smoother.

It is possible to use WMP9 to play these DVDs but it isn't easy.  The issue is entirely related to Digital Rights Management and the method used by the DVD publisher.  Some folks had luck allowing the Interactual Player to fetch the DRM license the first time, then using WMP9 to validate and play the DVD in HD.

The thread is fairly old but some searching should find it.  IIRC it was in the HTPC section.

Shady,

I haven't been to the AVS Forum for the particular DVD, but thanks for the tip, I'll see if I can find the thread.

To be more specific about my installation issues with the WMV HD version of "T2"; so that other's on this forum are better informed than I was when I purchased the movie:

1. There is no pre-purchase warning on the DVD that you will have to install and use the movie distributor's software dvd player. Amazon's website (where I purchased it) had no warning either.

2. The InterActual dvd software didn't install easily and after it did install required me to get an update, which, in my particular case, was made nearly impossible because I don't have IE6 as my default browser. As soon as the IA player finished the initial install it said I needed an update to watch the movie; proceeded to open my default browser (Opera 7.23) and took me to a website to download the update. The website wouldn't download the update unless I made IE6 my default browser. Might as well ask me to dump MC10 in favor of WMP - ain't gona happen Bill. Anyway, I never installed the update and I still got the IA player to work.

3. Like alot of other software, InterActual's dvd player becomes your default dvd player, thank you NOT very much!

4. I already mentioned my dislike about being asked for any form of personal information. I won't even get into that.

5. I tried copying the files off the dvd and playing them in WMP9, but I wasn't successful. As Shady pointed out, it isn't easy.

6. I did get the DRM license OK - eventually, and I did play the movie, but I fully expect that if Microsoft is to succeed in this area, they had better make it as easy to play a feature film as they did to play "Coral Sea Adventure" (which isn't a mainstream Hollywood production).

In the meantime, my advice about this version of the movie is to skip it, and beware of any other Hollywood movies released on WMV HD. It seems to me that any WMV HD movie should be designed to simply insert in your XP PC's dvd drive and play. You shouldn't even have to be connected to the Internet. Any DRM mombo jumbo should take place between WMP9 and the encrypted data files on the DVD.

[DougHamm]

I tried a couple of those: Step Into Liquid 1080 and Robotica 1080.

I didn't see anything spectacular, because my maximum LCD screen resolution is 1280x1024 and my wide screen TV is limited to screen width 1024 (actually it works best at 800).

However I did except to hear true multichannel sound because that was mentioned there: "Play 1080p video with 5.1 surround sound". As far as I see there are only two audio channels, although the Dolby Pro Logic II decoder did spread them to 5.1. Or am I missing something?

I have made some DVD rips with true DD 5.1 sound. They work in MC with the AC3 Filter.

Last year I was amazed about the picture quality of the Matrix Reloaded Ultra trailer. (1000x514 Quick Time. Though not HD 1080, but better than DVD.)

http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com/
Direct link to the download: http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com/rl_cmp/trailer_final_dlwarn_pc2.html

If you're playing through MC10, you need to set it to use the Windows Media Player engine in order to get multichannel sound.  You lose aspect ratio controls but gain multichannel and DRM playback.

As someone else already noted, this is of course assuming you have multiple analogue cables running to your amp and are not using S/PDIF.
-Doug

[Alex B]

Thanks, I'll try that. I am using digital output, so I must first find some RCA cables. BTW, is there a control panel for multichannel Windows Media audio? Like the one in AC3 Filter.

[DougHamm]

Thanks, I'll try that. I am using digital output, so I must first find some RCA cables. BTW, is there a control panel for multichannel Windows Media audio? Like the one in AC3 Filter.

There isn't, but it appears that any audio settings you specify within Windows Media Player are obeyed by MC10 when it calls WMP.

-Doug

[xen-uno]

Anyone know off the top of their head what XP has that W2k doesn't in regards to playback of these files?

[Chris Shaw]

They playback on my w2k machines. They're pretty jerky since I only have a 1.8Ghz proc, but I don't see why they wouldn't be fine on a better machine.

[xen-uno]

10-4...MS marketing at work, I guess. I won't even bother DL'ing for my 700 MHz PIII.

[JimH]

xen, get with it.

[xen-uno]

I'm trying...really. I figure with a little of this and some more of that, I'll be with it...finally.

[JimH]

xen, I can see you're asking for help.  That's a good first step.

[Galley]

The recently released "Step Into Liquid" DVD comes with a second disc which has the entire film in WMV-HD.  There's no need to install any additional software, but it does seem to use a custom front-end to play it, though.