HD Disc Format War Not Over By a Long Shot

[kennyt]

Originally Posted by Vinyl Rules!

Now here's another consideration: Do older people or younger people have more discretionary income? Right - older people do. But, how sharp is their vision?

I believe you are incorrect here, while yes, older people (I might @ 40 even fall into this category) have more money, the mass of younger folks actually spend more then the older folks do, so their spending is quite significant.

As for the evolutionary jump, I think the real benefit DVD offered over VHS was what CD offered over cassette tape, CONVENIENCE. This is the reason I have stood fast that while I own both HD DVD and BNLu-ray, and have had players oh, since the first day or week they both came out, and love the added picture and audio quality through and though and wouldn't give up either player (though I doubt I'll be buying another HD DVD player unless it's a steal or combo player) I feel they both (well HD DVD already lost the first battle) will lost to downloads.

Downloads offer convenience. I can add an Apple TV and conveniently download HD (720p) content NOW for $229 plus download fees, some films I can even buy. Once they get this stepped up to 1080p and maybe even HD audio formats, I will start using one in my reviews and daily life as routinely as Blu-ray and HD DVD.

I'm not trying to be a prophet of doom, but a few big HD's on my network for storing all my regular SD DVD's and a good HD download feed and I've got huge convenience.

That is what will win the war, quality won't dictate the winner. Convenience will. Hopefully we will get a good jump in quality as well.

[faberryman]

"I'm thinking that Blu-ray -- and high-definition optical disc ownership in general -- just isn't that appealing. I've watched Blu-ray movies on the best televisions money can buy in Circuit City, Best Buy and Tweeter, and while the picture looks terrific, it just doesn't have me reaching for my wallet the way DVDs did when they were first introduced. Maybe it's because it's an evolutionary improvement in video quality and not the revolutionary jump that occurred when DVDs overtook VHS tapes."

It is most likely because the players are connected to the displays with composite cables. Don't laugh. Check for yourself the next time you visit a big box store.

[DaViD Boulet]

It is most likely because the players are connected to the displays with composite cables. Don't laugh. Check for yourself the next time you visit a big box store.

I know what you mean!

I noticed last night that at my local BB they had the Transformers HD DVD playing hooked up to the TV that was their Blu-ray demo set... the irony I know. In any case, this was the rare exception to the rule with HDMI 1080p being used from the HD DVD player to the display. It was a 40" LCD screen.

The image was so clear and detailed from 2 screen widths back that random people kept stopping and staring. That included an elderly couple!

Of course, displays like this don't really let HD shine at the proper viewing angle... closer than 2 screen widths and the set revealed it's own video noise that hampered the image. But even from 2 screen widths away it was shockingly better than any 'DVD' out there... and even average passers by were impressed enough to stop and stare!

[MoosePond]

Originally Posted by kennyt

That is what will win the war, quality won't dictate the winner. Convenience will. Hopefully we will get a good jump in quality as well.

Ken has hit the proverbial nail squarely on the head!

[gstarr]

"Downloads offer convenience. I can add an Apple TV and conveniently download HD (720p) content NOW for $229 plus download fees, some films I can even buy. Once they get this stepped up to 1080p and maybe even HD audio formats, I will start using one in my reviews and daily life as routinely as Blu-ray and HD DVD."

Ken T-

Only about 50% of America has high speed downloading. And the 50% with high speed downloading don't have the best, such as fibre optic Fios-type connections. None of these downloads will have great audio codecs or the best 1080p video (except for a couple that have 1080p). I doubt that any downloads have the extra features, the directors and stars commentary tracks, and any interactivity.

I work all day and the last thing I want to do after being on the computer at work (among doing other things) is go back to my home computer and download movies. Maybe I will download a fave show I missed.

Netflix, Blockbuster, and all the other shippers of Blu Ray discs are far more convenient to me. I get the best codecs and video available and just have to put the disc in the player. Heck, I find ordering "keepers" online far easier than downloading. And you don't have to pay for multiple terabytes of storage. And how many downloading services allow you to copy the movie for permanent storage? Are there any? And if any do, I bet you can find the same disc online at a cheaper price, plus have all the added featuresets and best audio codecs.

Yes--a lot of people will use downloads, particularly the ones that want to watch shows and don't care about having the best rendition with all the bells and whistles. On movies I love, I totally enjoy listening to the director and actors talking about sundry subjects concerning the movie.

And lord knows what tinkering the studios will do with the digital downloads. They won't be anywhere near as good for quite a few years.

No doubt, many of the MP3 and iPOD crowd who download in lossy codecs and lossy videos probably don't care. To me it is much more fullfilling to OWN the disc and maybe later copy it to hard drive storage.

I know I will be ordering a lot of Blu Ray movies through Netflix and I will buy the ones that I want to watch again and keep in my permanent collection. Plus, having a permanent library of movies in pristine form allows me to have immediate entertainment for friends and dates --before we get down to anything more fun:-) It is also fun to turn people on to excellent movies they haven't seen before.

When I can download "The Full Monty" of featuresets and performance I will make the significant move to multi-terabyte storage. Currently, the quality of the audio and video will keep me in the rental and buying camp for the forseeable future.

Greg

[kloneman]

You bonehead. I wish I had admin rights so I could nuke you back to the stoneage for spamming this thread.