AfterDawn: News

'Iron Man' BD-Live servers could not handle demand

Iron Man, the Paramount blockbuster, has been selling very well on both standard DVD and Blu-ray since its release on September 30th but many Blu-ray buyers have been having problems over the last two days when trying to access the BD-Live features of the disc.

Paramount has issued a statement however, and it seems that the demand was higher than the studio had anticipated and the servers had been overloaded.



"The Iron Man Blu-ray went on sale Tuesday and due to the overwhelming popularity of the release an unprecedented demand was placed on the BD-Live connection. The disc represents a truly state-of-the art Blu-ray presentation with a first of its kind BD-Live application. As such, the heavy amount of traffic strained the servers due to so many people heading to the same destination. The bandwidth capacity was increased in preparation for the release but the demand exceeded all expectations so capacity was expanded dramatically last night and local servers were established worldwide to accommodate all the fans. The issue should be completely resolved but if anyone experiences a brief traffic jam, we have provided consumers with a menu option during disc startup that allows them to go directly to the movie main menu or continue to download the BD-Live features."

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 2 Oct 2008 14:54

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• 32 comments

• iluvendo

  Just wondering what the actual sale numbers will be ?

  2.10.2008 15:04 #1

• SProdigy

  Quote:The bandwidth capacity was increased in preparation for the release but the demand exceeded all expectations so capacity was expanded dramatically last night and local servers were established worldwide to accommodate all the fans.That's a joke right? They OBVIOUSLY pressed enough discs to meet fan expectations, but cheaped out on the server bandwidth?

  2.10.2008 15:11 #2

• juankerr

  Originally posted by iluvendo: Just wondering what the actual sale numbers will be ?Conservative estimate = 200K - 250K for the first week but could easily get to 450K - 500K copies based on how the servers were overwhelmed. The BD version had a higher sales ranking than the regular 2-disc DVD version over at amazon for the weeks leading up to the release.
  
  Quote:They OBVIOUSLY pressed enough discs to meet fan expectations, but cheaped out on the server bandwidth? They obviously dropped the ball on that one but at least it took them less than 48 hours to do something about it. I'll bet Warner will take a cue from Paramount and get their BD-Live servers up to snuff before TDK comes out.

  2.10.2008 15:31 #3

• sp3cops70

  When?? Doesn't sony drop the ball......Always does....lololool.

  2.10.2008 17:04 #4

• Finnisher

  I'm really hoping they won't decide to charge any extra for that BD-live on ANY release, because since the content resides on the servers, it's basically same as DRM servers and thus, again, only on lease for the consumer and not really bought at all.

  2.10.2008 17:05 #5

• juankerr

  Originally posted by sp3cops70: When?? Doesn't sony drop the ball......Always does....lololool.Sony had nothing to do with Iron Man.
  
  Paramount dropped the ball in this case. They were responsible for the BD-Live content on the disc and for maintaining the BD-Live servers.
  
  Quote:I'm really hoping they won't decide to charge any extra for that BD-live on ANY release, because since the content resides on the servers, it's basically same as DRM servers and thus, again, only on lease for the consumer and not really bought at all. They don't. All downloadable content is free. The only time you have to pay for anything is if you order from an online store - like the recycled toilet paper they sold on the U-Shop on the Evan Almighty HD DVD.

  2.10.2008 17:14 #6

• 5fdpfan

  The whole BD Live concept is retarded to me. Those discs have a large enough capacity. There's no reason why they can't just put all the extras they want on the disc along with the movie. I guess it's just the studio's way of trying to make sure you have the real thing and not a copy of a movie. What ever the reason, I couldn't give to you know what's about downloading extra content for m movies. If ths studios can't or are unwiling to put them on the disc I'm watching then I guess I'll just be missing out. Am I wrong in thinking this way. I mean, what goodies am I really missing?

  2.10.2008 18:41 #7

• ripxrush

  Quote:The disc represents a truly state-of-the art Blu-ray presentation with a first of its kind BD-Live application.hummm... i seem to remember some of my 30 HD-DVD's have the same features with the first releases! not an after the fact add on to the spec! it wasn't anything extra it was just called HD-DVD oh wait something coming out correctly the 1st time! still what a shame!

  3.10.2008 02:53 #8

• kyo28

  Originally posted by sp3cops70: When?? Doesn't sony drop the ball......Always does....lololool.This site is just getting worse and worse. It only took 4 posts until someone came along and said:
  "SONY DROPPED THE BALL!!!"
  Even though Sony isn't involved at all in this matter. Not that I'm a rabbid fan of Sony, but we have to keep things real a little.
  
  On another note, glad to see Iron Man doing well. I'm hoping my order will come in next week. Also happy to see that for new releases BD is outselling DVD.
  
  As far as BD-Live is concerned, it's not some DRM kind of thing. Basically, you access it online, download it once and then you can keep using the downloaded content forever. It's stored locally on your BD-player.
  
  Another neat thing about BD-Live is that this allows you to keep getting HD trailers of new BD-released movies as well as theatrical trailers. I know BD's have enough space to store the extra content, but sometimes that content is not available at press time of the BD. Thanks to BD-Live, you can get that content afterwards. So in that sense, I do feel BD-Live is useful, even if it's just to get new trailers and interviews that weren't ready at press time.

  3.10.2008 05:41 #9

• hendrix04

  Quote:Quote:The bandwidth capacity was increased in preparation for the release but the demand exceeded all expectations so capacity was expanded dramatically last night and local servers were established worldwide to accommodate all the fans.That's a joke right? They OBVIOUSLY pressed enough discs to meet fan expectations, but cheaped out on the server bandwidth?Obviously the underestimated the amount of people that had a 2.0 bluray player...

  3.10.2008 07:57 #10

• glassd

  Quote:Quote:The disc represents a truly state-of-the art Blu-ray presentation with a first of its kind BD-Live application.hummm... i seem to remember some of my 30 HD-DVD's have the same features with the first releases! not an after the fact add on to the spec! it wasn't anything extra it was just called HD-DVD oh wait something coming out correctly the 1st time! still what a shame!I seam to remember something called HD-DVD to. Wasn't that the Loosing format.
  
  Thankfully, Wednesday morning Paramont made a fix that allows you to chose if you want to use the BD-Live or Not. It would be a Not for me as BD-Live does not serve much purpose for ME.

  3.10.2008 09:43 #11

• varnull

  They added an option to skip the "live download features".. What if they hadn't? Would lots of people still now be sitting waiting for them to shake their ass, or would wal-mart and places have queues of angry disk buyers lined up to demand a refund of the "broken by design" disk they have just shelled out for?
  
  Paramount have just experienced the learning curve that all drm vendors go through. Next will be when the servers shut down.. with the next "blockbuster" release that outsells dvd.. which by the way, I don't believe for one minute that this title has sold more on BD than on dvd.
  
  Ahhh.. a glimpse of the future.. "Sorry you will have to wait to watch your purchased movie... our servers are too busy right now"... "connection error... your IP <the wrong one> is already downloading the key/content OR another IP with your disk key is ahead of you.. please wait while we verify your media".....

  3.10.2008 10:01 #12

• juankerr

  BD-Live has nothing to do with DRM. According to bluraystats.com and other sites Iron Man is Region-Free and has no has NO BD+ DRM.
  
  You can still enjoy the movie without being connected to the internet as those with 1.0 and 1.1 players will attest to. Those with PS3's likely had their BD-Live settings on [ALLOW] instead of [CONFIRM] that's why the servers were overwhelmed. This is just a sign of the movie's popularity and how much a single title can move a format forward.

  3.10.2008 10:26 #13

• varnull

  That's very likely, but it does serve as an illustration of how the function could be used in the future to lock disks to hardware with the main movie as the download content ;)
  
  Waiting to see the kinds of numbers Bond shifts when it comes out.. That will be a good benchmark for the format.. here they still aren't stocked because of no demand.
  

  
  
  Free open source software = made by end users who want an application to work. The flower of carnage-shura no hana

  3.10.2008 10:39 #14

• glassd

  Originally posted by varnull: That's very likely, but it does serve as an illustration of how the function could be used in the future to lock disks to hardware with the main movie as the download content ;)
  
  Waiting to see the kinds of numbers Bond shifts when it comes out.. That will be a good benchmark for the format.. here they still aren't stocked because of no demand.No it doesn't. What experience have you had with your Blu-Ray player that lead you to come up with this?
  The main Movie as the download content?? Where do you come up with this stuff?
  None of this had anything to do with DRM. Why did you make that statement?

  3.10.2008 11:25 #15

• glassd

  I guess the DRM could put out an ultrasonic signal like on League of Extraordinary Gentleman and detonate devices secretly placed in you home by Sony (who else) if you try to play it on a unauthorized device. Does this sound Stupid? If so, I know exactly how you feel when I read the DRM post over and over and over and over and over.

  3.10.2008 11:35 #16

• varnull

  I see the BD specifications, and I have enough about me to see how it could be used in future. Unlike fanboys I have a memory of the main objections to the BD-live features and proposals when they were announced some time ago. These (which you seem to have forgotten) included disk to hardware locks and region not-free by IP idiocy which though the disks may not have it yet, the servers no doubt will have at some time in the near future.
  
  So it is fine for a piece of hardware in your house to contact places unknown on the internet to get content for viewing.. that;s fine in principle if that is the only thing that is happening... BUT.. along with that goes a time and date log of what film you played, and where you are.. possibly along with your router mac and hardware player serial number. Most people just accept this happening.. in fact the server overload was likely (as nicely pointed out above) caused by people having "accept and download" as the default setting on the player.
  
  Now then.. case 2.. How large was this downloaded content? With the proposed capping from lots of ISP's how could this impact on limits and all other internet traffic? Will my paid for bandwidth and speed suffer because of people running live content BD films in the future, and what rights do I have to complain if this paid for content gets preference over my paid for bandwidth as ISP's are increasingly in the business of selling online entertainment, not internet access?
  
  I think we want answers rather than fanboy style personal bashing (at which, I have no need to remind you, I am a proven expert)
  
  These questions are important, maybe not to the casual user, but somebody who has a monthly bandwidth cap and is concerned about the access hardware devices have to external points unknown down the wire will be more than a little concerned with the future possibilities to which this technology may be put..
  
  case 3.. so you buy a bargain bin copy 2 years from now.. will the live content still be available? will you have to trawl around the internet to find out how to disable the default "accept and download" settings of your hardware to watch the film because the servers have moved on to Rocky 77?
  
  I see everything is still rosy in BD world ;)
  

  
  
  Free open source software = made by end users who want an application to work. The flower of carnage-shura no hana

  3.10.2008 11:51 #17

• juankerr

  The memory requirement for BD-Live certification is a measly 1 Gigabyte. At this time BD-Live content is still in its infancy and could hardly be considered bandwidth hoggers.
  
  The concern about ISP bandwidth caps should be directed more towards those who have video download or video-on-demand services. Imagine the traffic when people start streaming 1080p content at 30 to 50 Gigs per movie. With Bluray the main movie is on the disc. Any traffic from BD-Live will be minuscule compared to those delivery systems where the movies are originally on a server somewhere.

  3.10.2008 12:07 #18

• varnull

  That's good.. I was just wondering if anybody knows the actual size of the downloaded content for this movie. How many MB's through the wire :)
  

  
  
  Free open source software = made by end users who want an application to work. The flower of carnage-shura no hana

  3.10.2008 12:13 #19

• glassd

  All is Rosy in my Blu World. Thanks for caring. I think the DL content was 600M. I believe most of the World could care less about all of the "what if's". Should we all just stay in bed with our eyes closed because "what if". And yes, I am a fanboy (fanman) and you are a fanboy (fanwoman) as well. I am excited about the new Technology and enjoy it. You enjoy putting it down. I live in the real and enjoy what I have. You live in the "what if" or "they could start".

  3.10.2008 12:20 #20

• juankerr

  Originally posted by varnull: That's good.. I was just wondering if anybody knows the actual size of the downloaded content for this movie. How many MB's through the wire :)I have the Panasonic BD30 which is profile 1.1. The movie plays just fine on my machine but I can't access the BD-Live content. However according to HDD...
  
  http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/1571/ironman2008.html
  
  ...the BD-Live content on the Iron Man disc is the "Iron Man IQ" interactive quiz. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but this is probably a small javascript program similar to other interactive content on the web. I doubt if the size of this download is more than a gig. The high-def trailers on other BD-Live titles would probably take up more space than this.
  
  Those with 2.0 machines please chime in.

  3.10.2008 12:25 #21

• glassd

  @600M

  3.10.2008 12:44 #22

• juankerr

  Originally posted by glassd: @600MThanks.
  
  600MB - Like I said, hardly a bandwidth hog.

  3.10.2008 13:08 #23

• juankerr

  Originally posted by iluvendo: Just wondering what the actual sale numbers will be ?It's possible my initial estimates may still be too low:
  
  http://formatwarcentral.com/index.php/20...-sales-records/
  http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/10/03/iro...lu-ray-records/

  3.10.2008 13:35 #24

• JRude

  Never fear. The Extortion Bill, The Pork Version, passed by the House and Senate has provisions for the Movie & TV industry to get tax credits for distribution costs. We subsidize them. Perhaps they can upgrade their servers. DOH! Vote em ALL out!

  3.10.2008 15:21 #25

• windsong

  Seems like they are trying to turn TVs into computers..where endusers have to upgrade every year. sort of like how the new hdtvs of a few years ago only did 1080i and didnt have hdmi inputs

  3.10.2008 17:07 #26

• JRude

  Control is the goal. DRM cables, hardware, software, content. Flags. Limits. Pay per view/play. it's almost here. KEEP your old hardware, discs and software.

  3.10.2008 23:57 #27

• ThePastor

  "BD-Live has nothing to do with DRM. According to bluraystats.com and other sites Iron Man is Region-Free and has no has NO BD+ DRM."
  
  Yeah, and they can't track the GPS in your Cell Phone either...
  
  5 years from now BD or HD or DVD will all be a thing of the past. The only question will be, "will we get to control our downloads or will they?"
  
  Personally, I'll stick with a fully configurable COMPUTER, and not some pre-configured DRM machine that might play what I bought.

  6.10.2008 17:27 #28

• glassd

  A PC. Thats right. Every thing that I try to do with my Vista PC works fine and nothing that I do can be tracked. Right??

  7.10.2008 11:55 #29

• Toshibot

  Iron Man blasts out on Blu-ray
  
  Quote:OCT. 7 | Iron Man is enjoying superhero Blu-ray Disc strength, tracking as the top format debut to date at Best Buy and other retailers.
  
  An average of about 20% of Iron Man’s total unit sales are on Blu-ray, according to retail sources, though in some instances, its share goes as high as 50%. By comparison, the Blu-ray portion for many recent popular titles, including I Am Legend, logged about 9% of sales in the format, according to Adams Media Research.
  
  One industry source said Iron Man Blu-ray sales range from 10% to 30% of the title’s total sales, varying by retailer. In some isolated cases, including at retailers Amazon.com and DeepDiscount.com, Iron Man’s Blu-ray version is selling more briskly than one or more of the film’s standard DVD SKUs.

  7.10.2008 21:16 #30

• ThePastor

  Quote:A PC. Thats right. Every thing that I try to do with my Vista PC works fine and nothing that I do can be tracked. Right??Why would anyone who is semi-informed ever install this?

  8.10.2008 18:43 #31

• glassd

  I knew that I had the option to down grade to XP. Did not know that XP would not work worth a crap on a (once) Vista PC.

  9.10.2008 07:35 #32