BD Live FAQ
A lot of our readers have written us to ask, what exactly is BD-Live? As defined on the Bluraydisc.com website, we get the following:
“BD-Live players combine the features available in other Blu-ray disc players – breathtaking video and audio playback, interactive features and the Picture-in-Picture (PiP) and secondary audio mixing of BonusView players – with an internet connection that allows viewers of BD-Live titles to enjoy special benefits and features such as extra download-able content, on-line bonus features and live transactions. In addition, some BD-Live players can also be updated or upgraded using the BD-Live connection.”
This technology seems to be in its infancy stage for the most part by the major studios. However several studios have stepped up to the plate to take advantage of this technology and offered several titles utilizing BD-Live. Those studios I speak of are Fox, Universal, Disney and Sony.
For example, Fox recently released its first BD-Live title, The X-Files I Want To Believe. With this title, viewers can select the The X-Files Dossier: Agent Dakota Whitney Files option for the Special Features and create their own Special Agent avatar profile to browse through 5 X-Files case files on clairvoyance; users can also participate in several online forensic challenges with Agent Drummy.
Popular BD-Live FAQ’s Courtesy Of Entertainme.com:
What equipment do I need to access BD-Live?
In addition to your normal Blu-ray player setup (i.e, HDTV with a Blu-ray player or PlayStation 3), your Blu-ray player must have an Ethernet port (currently available on select models) and be connected to the internet. You will also need to be using a Blu-ray Disc that is enabled with BD-Live functionality.
Do all Blu-ray player models support BD-Live?
Not all Blu-ray players have a network connection. Please refer to your player’s instruction manual or website for further details.
How do I access BD-Live?
Select the BD-Live button on the Blu-ray Disc menu to connect to the internet and initiate the BD-Live application.
What happens when I select the BD-Live button?
When you select the BD-Live button and your player is properly connected to the internet, the player will access the BD-Live site and start downloading the latest version of the BD-Live application. When everything is up to date, the player will launch the BD-Live menu.
What will happen if I play a BD-Live enabled disc on a player which does not support BD-Live and/or the network connection is not correct?
If your player is not connected to the internet or does not support BD-Live, the BD-Live button on the menu will be “grayed out” (inactive). If selected, a message will appear and explain that BD-Live is not available due to one of the circumstances listed above. Please refer to your player’s instruction manual or website for more details on setting up your internet connection. This will not affect your ability to watch the film or any of the special features that are located on the Blu-ray Disc itself.
What will I see when I access BD-Live?
When connected to BD-Live, you will first see the BD-Live home page menu. The look of the BD-Live menu may vary from title to title. Various features available to you will be listed on the home page menu when you access BD-Live.
How do I move around the BD-Live home page?
You can move around the home page and all other menus within BD-Live by using your Blu-ray player’s directional keys or color buttons on the remote control or by using your PlayStation 3‘s Sixaxis controller (PS3 only). No separate equipment is required to navigate the menu systems or to access content.
How do I start downloading the previews?
From the home page menu, you can use your remote to select either “HD” (High Definition) or “SD” (Standard Definition) located under the thumbnail still of each preview. Once the resolution quality is selected, the preview will start downloading. A timeline will appear under the thumbnail to indicate the download’s progress. When the download is complete, a “Play” button will appear on the thumbnail to start playback. Use your remote to select the “Play” button and the preview will begin to play. You can then rewind, fast-forward or stop the playback as necessary.
Can I download more than one piece of content and/or preview at a time?
Yes, you can download more than one piece of content at a time (regardless of the resolution).
How many pieces of content can I download?
The amount of content you can download at any given time is based on how much local storage capacity your player has. When your player’s local storage capacity is filled, downloads will be stopped or not started because of the storage capacity limitation. It will be necessary to delete content from your local storage before downloading more content. Please refer to your player’s instruction manual or website for more information on the player’s storage capabilities and accessing and deleting items from the player’s local storage.
Can I access BD-Live without my Blu-ray Disc?
You can not access the BD-Live server without a Blu-ray Disc that is enabled with BD-Live functionality. The disc is the key to accessing BD-Live and the online content.
Can I go back to the disc to watch the movie or special features while downloading new previews and/or extras?
It is not currently possible to access the film or the other special features on the Blu-ray Disc itself while downloading from BD-Live, but you are able to start watching already downloaded previews and/or enjoy special features on the BD-Live homepage during the downloading process.
How do I cancel a download in progress?
You can cancel your download by selecting the [X] button on the timeline bar under the content or preview you are downloading.
How do I delete a download?
To delete a downloaded item from your player, access the player’s local storage and delete your selected contents. Please refer to your player’s instruction manual or website for more information on accessing and deleting items from the player’s local storage.
Where does my download go?
The downloaded content will be stored on your player’s local storage. Some player models have an embedded storage device inside, while other players need memory cards or external storage devices to be attached. Please refer to your player’s instruction manual or website for more detail on the player’s storage capabilities.
For how long will my downloaded content be available to watch?
The downloaded content is now stored on your player’s local storage, so it may be played until it is deleted from the local storage by the user or until the BD-Live homepage application finds a newer list of downloadable contents which replace the older content list on display. It is not necessary to reconnect to BD-Live in order to watch your downloaded content, but those downloads can only be played with the specific disc which enabled the content download.
Where can I find a list of all of the downloads on my player?
The BD-Live homepage provides the list of downloads which can be played with the currently-inserted disc. The list on display may be different from disc to disc. Also, the Blu-ray Disc player may have a function to show the list of files on local storage, but those downloads can only be played with the specific disc which enabled the content download.
How can I find out when the BD-Live application is updated?
When you select BD-Live from the main menu on any given disc, the disc will access the internet to check for the latest version of the BD-Live application and will then indicate that it is updating the application. Once this process is complete, it will then show the most updated BD-Live homepage with the latest BD-Live content.
How can I find out when new material has been added to BD-Live?
Once BD-Live has been accessed from the disc’s main menu and has connected to the server, the latest list of content will automatically appear on the BD-Live homepage under “My Downloads.”
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