[Scott D]

OK videophiles.....

Which HD format are you running & why? Which is better (pure technology, not necessarily based on availability of titles) in your opinion & why? If you have one, which do you have?



I bought a Toshiba HD DVD a few weeks ago and really liked it. I hadn't bought any HD DVD's yet, but it did a fantastic job of up-converting standards to 1080p on my 65" DLP. I can only imagine the quality of a true HD DVD... :drool:

However I returned it this weekend after seeing WB is going to drop the HD format and support Blu-Ray. This leaves only 1 major studio (that I've seen) - Universal - supporting the HD DVD format & Paramount I believe is neutral & supports both (for now). That means 5 of the 7 major studios support Blu-ray, and only 1 supports HD DVD exclusively. Humm.. I'm pretty good at math, and that doesn't seem to add up to a very bright future for HD DVD. But - I admittedly don't follow it very closely and could be wrong...

So, given the change and the fact 5 of the 7 studios back Blu-Ray, I'm thinking of getting a Blue-Ray. But what's your thoughts? Do you guys see Blu-Ray winning out soon? Do you see HD DVD being the David & defeating the Sony Goliath? how long before you think we'll have a winner or do you see dual format being the standard for a few years?

Let's hear your thoughts.. :thumbup1: :thumbup1:

 

[Birdman]

I think it will be dual for at least awhile. I bought an HD DVD player back around Thanksgiving, Toshiba A1 I think at WalMart for a rediculously low price of 98 dollars. I figured even if it doesn't win the battle it makes for a great up convert player. I bought the 3 pack of the Jason Bourne movies in HD and they were nice, but if you want to see what HD is capable of try Transformers, it looks awsome! Blu-Ray may win out but Son y better come down on price cause you can by an HD player for about half the price and talking to folks at places like CC and BB as well as others they will tell you they are selling many more HD than Blu-Ray. This is due to cost per unit.

 

[Dell Deaton]

Maximum playback resolution on my computer

Forgive me if this is a bit too far off topic--.

But I've been frustrated in my search for answers on what the maximum resolution I can get through my computer on playback of DVDs. Some have said that this is limited through hardware and/or software in an effort to prevent piracy. I guess at this point I'm no longer sure what question(s) to ask. :confused1:

What I do know is that I'm interested in playing back DVDs at the greatest possible resolution of the DVDs themselves, in order to (you guessed it), garner details of watches that appear in films. What information, for example, is available on the closeup of Sean Connery looking at his Rolex Submariner by light of his cigarette lighter in the pre-title sequence of Goldfinger? I've tried looking at these via the drive on my computer, but the "Ultimate" editions look little better here than on my TV.

Any advice?

Thanks!

 

[timefinder]

Reminds me of the VHS & Beta wars...

BTW, I was reading about this entire war, and I found it very interesting the one share of the market that has yet to make a decision that could shift the battle and declare a winner. Never even thought about it. They stated that the adult entertainment industry has yet to make a decision, and when they do, could be the final determination. Evidently, the adult entertainment industry does well over one billion dollars a year, and that financial clout could be the final factor in declaring a winnner.

 

[Scott D]

Forgive me if this is a bit too far off topic--.

But I've been frustrated in my search for answers on what the maximum resolution I can get through my computer on playback of DVDs. Some have said that this is limited through hardware and/or software in an effort to prevent piracy. I guess at this point I'm no longer sure what question(s) to ask. :confused1:

What I do know is that I'm interested in playing back DVDs at the greatest possible resolution of the DVDs themselves, in order to (you guessed it), garner details of watches that appear in films. What information, for example, is available on the closeup of Sean Connery looking at his Rolex Submariner by light of his cigarette lighter in the pre-title sequence of Goldfinger? I've tried looking at these via the drive on my computer, but the "Ultimate" editions look little better here than on my TV.

Any advice?

Thanks!

So for standard DVD's, on a computer 720p is the best you can do on resolution (1024x768 widescreen). Unless you have a HD DVD player on your PC, and a hi res monitor (then 1900ish x 1200ish is the best resolution).

The biggest issue will be 1) monitor size and 2) what's it capable of displaying. But for best detail, don't exceed the specs above & that should give you the best picture on a PC DVD.

 

[Scott D]

I think it will be dual for at least awhile. I bought an HD DVD player back around Thanksgiving, Toshiba A1 I think at WalMart for a rediculously low price of 98 dollars. I figured even if it doesn't win the battle it makes for a great up convert player. I bought the 3 pack of the Jason Bourne movies in HD and they were nice, but if you want to see what HD is capable of try Transformers, it looks awsome! Blu-Ray may win out but Son y better come down on price cause you can by an HD player for about half the price and talking to folks at places like CC and BB as well as others they will tell you they are selling many more HD than Blu-Ray. This is due to cost per unit.

Yea, that was the main reason I bought it too. The price was great (though it's now almost $100 less than when I bought it 2 weeks ago). I thought about keeping it too and if nothing else use it as an upconverter, but now that you can get a upconverting DVD for $50 I didn't want to spend the extra $$. Plus, I'd hate to start buying HD DVD"s only to have to change in 6 months & then have 3 formats....

 

[misfitx]

Blu-Ray!!!

 

[Dell Deaton]

Screen resolution and DVD player capabilities

So for standard DVD's, on a computer 720p is the best you can do on resolution (1024x768 widescreen). Unless you have a HD DVD player on your PC, and a hi res monitor (then 1900ish x 1200ish is the best resolution).

The biggest issue will be 1) monitor size and 2) what's it capable of displaying. But for best detail, don't exceed the specs above & that should give you the best picture on a PC DVD.

Thank you, very much. :thumbup1:

My monitor (SyncMaster 226bw) is capable and set at 1680x1050, but the DVD/CD-ROM drives on the computer are nothing to write home about. I may experiment w/ an external HD drive and will let you know how that works out. Meantime, any special software I should be looking for, or would the proverbial Windows Media Player, WinDVD, and/or QuickTime Players maximize this output? :huh:

 

[Steve]

The way technology scoots along, I think it's a little naive to think there won't be "the next great thing" within the next five years.

Personally, I don;t know anyone with Blu-Ray.

Anyone remember "laser discs"? They were touted as the "next best thing", and they lasted about a New York minute...

 

[delta]

Blu-ray. I don't think Sony will allow itself to get beat like it did with betamax. Oh, the ribbons of shame some must have been wearing...

 

[diver88]

I'm just using a regular DVD and that's fine untill the dust settles.

I would guess it's going to be something else all together...:blink:

diver88

 

[Scott D]

Really? You guys think something else will replace the Blu-Ray or HD DVD in 5 years or so? I know the technology will change, but the VHS was around for 20 years and the DVD's for about 10 already. I realize we may have Xtra HD or Super High Def or whatever, but I got to believe Blu-Ray or HD DVD would be the 'staple' of the media even in 5 years. I see video as a more steady technology as people have to buy the media vs. computers, cell phones, MP3 players & such that are more self sufficient & disposable to a new standard. Example, DVD is still the staple, and the HD units will play them. So I'd expect the next next best technology to still be backward compatible to the winner in the current battle. I know I won't be buying a new technology if the 200 current DVD & HD's I own won't work in them...

Thoughts???

 

[diver88]

well Scott,

I wouldn't know anything but I read recently that the CD/DVD was on the way out. that DVD might easily be replaced with an MP3 type device that would download movies from a satelite and store them. no need for a disk anymore.:confused1: sounds feasible to me..

diver88

 

[Scott D]

well Scott,

I wouldn't know anything but I read recently that the CD/DVD was on the way out. that DVD might easily be replaced with an MP3 type device that would download movies from a satelite and store them. no need for a disk anymore.:confused1: sounds feasible to me..

diver88

Man, just when I figured out a place to store my 200+ DVD's.. Now I gotta make a new media center.... :wink: :lol:

 

[Scott D]

Well, just thinking some more on new technologies and a few thoughts... Any new media is going to need to address 2 large obstacles.

1) backward compatibility to existing technology. Using Divers example, the download machine better have a DVD player in it as I'm not going to replace my current collection & I don't want another piece of equipment in my cabinet. I doubt others will want 2 machines either.

2) piracy issues. Whatever they use will have to be able to prevent someone from copying the download or new disc. My understanding is that is why a 1080p image requires a HDMI input. The 1080p output is locked from the component outputs as those can be connected to a recorder. Of course I also don't know of any HD / Blu Ray recorders either, but I'd guess they do exist. As far as I know, there aren't any DVD recorders currently that have an HDMI recording input. I also think that was one of the factors that slowed down the new HD formats. The studios didn't want HD content out there that could be copied.

 

[teddycook]

I have enjoyed the Blu-ray on my PS3 for a year now.....looks good!

 

[diver88]

hey Scott,

did I tell you I still have a Betamax? Hi-Fi no less:thumbup1:

diver88

 

[Revolution]

Scott,

I also bought an HD DVD player recently and decided to keep it. Toshiba has dropped the prices on these things to between $100 and $150 for a player that upconverts standard DVDs and will play a lot of HD titles. I'm on Netflix and so far, the pickings are pretty good. No way will I pay $300 for a Blue Ray player right now. In a couple of years when Sony decides to join the real world, I might buy in, but not for now. Right now, I'll support HD DVD until it is no longer possible to do so.

Toshiba may have an ace in their sleeve by dumping a ton of players on the market. Up to this point, Blue Ray had the advantage because of the Playstation, but there are a lot of people (myself included) that don't want a video game unit, but simply a nice inexpensive player. It should generate a lot more demand for HD titles, and the studios will eventually go where the demand is. Right now, you can go online and read the DVD review sites which all state that HD DVD is dead. Unfortunately, they represent mostly young white men, the exact market that the Playstation appeals to. So while they are all proclaiming that Blue Ray will rule the world (and they eventually may), I wouldn't count out Toshiba just yet.

 

[bullandvodka]

The blu-ray vs. hd dvd war shot them BOTH in the foot. The overwhelming majority of consumers have sat on the sidelines waiting for a winner. The winner will be Blu-Ray by virtue of Sony's PS3 and the fact they finally have all the studios supporting it.

However the victory will be Pyhrric. Sony has lost billions to be the winner and they're close, but not there yet. Had there been no war, LOTS of people would have bought these things over the last 3 years and the technology would be entrenched.

B&V predicts most people will skip the discs and just use portable hard drive (like iPods/Laptops) to move movies around. Why fumble with discs? Its not necessary and adds to the cost. I'm not an Apple fanboy, but what they are doing makes sense. An AppleTV box for the living room, and when traveling you have your iPod and laptop. Case closed. The discs however will stick around for the games and the old timers that want physical media enough to pay extra for it.

 

[foghorn]

I must be out of the loop 'cuz I got no clue what you guys are talking about!!