The COMPLETE Blu Ray/HD-DvD thread

[m_burlock]

I apologise if this has been discussed before.

I recently got my hands on a pamphlet about Blu-ray and was relieved. Relieved, because it claims that the DVDs I currently have will play in a Blu-ray player.

Which do you prefer, HD-DVD or Blu-ray Disc and why? Which do you predict will win the format war and why?


m_burlock

[blk_flower]

I notcied that some titles like terminator 2 were being released on blu-ray. I was thinking, how could the picture be any better. I don't prefer either but maybe there'll be some huge difference if I rent one.

[m_burlock]

Originally posted by blk_flower
I notcied that some titles like terminator 2 were being released on blu-ray. I was thinking, how could the picture be any better. I don't prefer either but maybe there'll be some huge difference if I rent one.


You'll notice the difference only if you have both a Blu-ray player and (I believe) a "High Definision Ready" TV.


m_burlock

[TylerDurden182]

I've said it before and I'll say it again,

Fuck Blu-ray

[Cronos]

i say fuck them both

i really couldnt care less for either and will only move to either format when they only release films on them by which time i expect the format war will be over

[fbm2000]

Honestly I don't thinke either of the formats will take off to being the next big thing. If I had to pick one to come out on top it would probably be Blue-Ray. A Blue-Ray DVD drive will be included in the Playstation 3 coming out later this year. Those units will end up selling millions so that should help Blue-Ray. I'm not going for either until one day there is one format and the format is actually the it factor.

What I'm waiting for and what I think will be the next big thing is downloading. I'm not talking about the downloading the new Movielink offers. I'm taling about consumers owning servers in their homes were they can download HD Quality films (with all the bells and whistles) and then play it on either a TV, computer or projector. I know this would save me a lot of space.

[ElderPredator]

Movies from the past will be very difficult to try and convert into either format which is the reason that HD-DVD's are being delayed since it's taking longer to convert them than first anticipated. I'm very excited to see what the films look like in both formats but I am going to wait for the LG player which will support both Blu-Ray & HD-DVD since all my favourite movies are split up and that is bullshit. Could they take anymore of our money?

[m_burlock]

Originally posted by blk_flower
I notcied that some titles like terminator 2 were being released on blu-ray. I was thinking, how could the picture be any better. I don't prefer either but maybe there'll be some huge difference if I rent one.


Re. picture quality, according to the pamphlet I have DVDs can deliver 10 Mbps. HDTV broadcasts can reach 19 Mbps. But Blu-ray outshines them all with up to 48 Mbps.

m_burlock

[m_burlock]

This pamphlet I have also says that Blu-ray Discs have up to 5X the capacity of DVDs. Does this mean that what was a 4 disc DVD set would be a 1 discer in Blu-ray? If so, what would that mean as far as price goes? Would the price of the 1 Blu-ray disc with 4 DVDs of content on it be the same as the price of the 4 disc DVD set, or higher, or lower?

P.S.
The pamphlet further says that Blu-ray Discs will have up to 7.1 channels of surround sound and options for up to 32 streams of audio.

P.P.S.
A report in Sound & Vision magazine says Blu-ray Discs will cost 15-20% MORE than your average DVD!



m_burlock

[Lord2005]

I own a Mitsubishi - 65 Inch widescreen TV, My question is this - I'm gearing up to get into the next gen of DVDs and my TV has 720p & 1080i...But everything I've read in ref to the next gen DVDs are saying the best possible picture is going to be with a TV that's 1080p (True HD) Should I be worried?

[m_burlock]

No. You just won't be able to view the new discs under ideal conditions is all.

P.S.
The picture quality won't be as good as a T.V. with 1080p.

[MisterChristian]

Seriously just WAIT to see what happens with these new formats, before you sink a boatload of money into a player and rebuying all your favourite titles.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with DVDs and they'll be around for years to come... :)

[scubasteve]

Originally posted by MisterChristian
Seriously just WAIT to see what happens with these new formats, before you sink a boatload of money into a player and rebuying all your favourite titles.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with DVDs and they'll be around for years to come... :)
The only reason he needs to wait, is to see which company will come out on top. The new type of media that runs at 1080i or 1080p is here to stay and to still make the assumption that consumers aren't going to want the best means you haven't done your homework:) The HD-DVD player out now started at 800 dollars and can already be found for 500 on the internet. Which means that soon enough, prices are going to fall enough for everyday people to buy.

So the question is not "if" these formats are going to stick around but which company will end up coming out on tope.

[SamSanchez]

i have a feeling they may both just kill each other off in the battle, seeing as there really is no need for HDDVD or blu ray, DVDs are perfeclty fine. This whole new format seems extremely pointless

[scubasteve]

Originally posted by SamSanchez
i have a feeling they may both just kill each other off in the battle, seeing as there really is no need for HDDVD or blu ray, DVDs are perfeclty fine. This whole new format seems extremely pointless
OK so this can mean one of two things: You don't have an HD tv, or you have never seen a 1080i signal. 1080i kills 480p in every way, shape, and form. Uponverting helps but still nothing compared to 1080i. A true 1080p signal does not exist yet so I can't compare it, I've only seen 1080i upconvert to 1080p since my tv does that but seriously, to think that companies are going to say pshh forget 1080i, lets go back to being old school is dumb.

Besides both companies are encorporating backwards compatibility so its not like your old DVD's are never going to be used.

[Lord2005]

I think I will wait and see what happens...Thanks for the input.

[m_burlock]

Originally posted by scubasteve
The only reason he needs to wait, is to see which company will come out on top. The new type of media that runs at 1080i or 1080p is here to stay and to still make the assumption that consumers aren't going to want the best means you haven't done your homework:) The HD-DVD player out now started at 800 dollars and can already be found for 500 on the internet. Which means that soon enough, prices are going to fall enough for everyday people to buy.

So the question is not "if" these formats are going to stick around but which company will end up coming out on tope.


I read an article in Sound & Vision magazine that said that back when DVD came out the public was clamering for a new and better format but that this time around they are not . The article also said that the majority of the public is going to wait and see as to whether or not these 2 formats are going to go the way of Beta tapes. And it said that the majority of the public was reluctant to go to a new format just after having gotton used to and invested in DVD's. Note: Remember Beta tapes? They were a product that was better than VHS and yet which did the vast majority of the public go with...? VHS .

[HeavyFknMetal]

WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH OUR CURRENT DVDS

Why would I pay 25 bucks for an HD DVD when I can buy the same fucking dvd, not in high def, for 10 bucks. I have 2 widescreen tvs. 1 is a 62 inch in my living room, and the other is a 42 inch flat screen plasma in my den. ALL MY REGULAR DVDS LOOK FANTASTIC. And that's not just me, thats just about everyone, if not everyone, I've spoken with.

YAY!!!! I can now watch movies in HD. Granted they look beautiful, but thats it, and not many people think its a big deal. I hope this will fail, and I'm predicting it will.

[dellamorte dellamore]

I don't see this jump in technology resembling the jump that was experienced from Vhs to Dvd . A quick note , " dvd " had already existed in the form of laserdisc and it's subsequent cousin , Vcd , before the official Dvd standard became mainstream .


In light of that , i don't see either one of these formats , Hd Dvd or Blu Ray , becoming a solely videophile oddity , and i also don't see either one replacing the Mpeg 2 Dvd standard any time soon . It just doesn't seem to be that much of a tech evolution to get people excited about , like Dvd was as compared to Vhs .



Here's the thing though , at first , as with any technology , the obsessive movie freaks who have cash to burn or a charge card , will snatch up and embrace one of these formats , for a couple of reasons . It's not only because the image will be better ( i haven't seen it yet , so i can't confirm personally ) , but it will be more convenient , since apparently you can store the more info / data on each disc . No more 10 dvd boxsets for someone's fave show and such , and to me that means less pressing ( dvd pressing that is ) for the studios , which should reflect in a lower price and a better bargain for your money , once the prices come down a bit .

Also , some people may not know this , but movie soundtracks are getting way more sophisticated , sometimes i think there are 8 total channels at work . Now , Dvd in it's current form , cannot hold these soundtracks , at least they may not be able too without sacrificing image quality . Now , with the new formats , you can hear the film the way it was recorded or mastered in the studio , an almost exact replication of the same soundtrack you heard in the theater , without any compromise to the sound mix . Yes , some people are happy with two channel , or even watching with their tv speakers , but , i myself am frustrated at getting a watered down version of my fave films soundtracks . It's not entirely the studios fault , they simply have to re record and drop some of the soundtrack in order to fit it on a standard Dvd .


One big one , and i'm hesitant to say this because the memory of Beta is still fresh in my mind , is that i feel Sony has the inside track with regards to the new generation of Dvd technology . It's a diff time now , and they are dominating in the vidgame industry , they already have a built in audience , in the era of Vhs and Beta , they were simply a reliable consumer electronics entity . Now they have the foundation to make " Super Dvd " the next standard in not only personal home entertainment , but data storage and such . I feel the name alone gives them an edge , because it's easily recognizable and simplistic . Hd Dvd sounds so technogeek to me , Blu Ray should become a mainstream phrase once the Ps3 comes to market , dare i say it , it sounds " cooler " .



So , i don't think this new tech will fail , it will just take awhile for people to accept it , not as long as it took for people to get over their Vhs obsession , if you take into account Laserdisc , Videodisc , and Vcd .

[Cronos]

Originally posted by HeavyFknMetal
WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH OUR CURRENT DVDS

Why would I pay 25 bucks for an HD DVD when I can buy the same fucking dvd, not in high def, for 10 bucks.ALL MY REGULAR DVDS LOOK FANTASTIC. And that's not just me, thats just about everyone, if not everyone, I've spoken with.

YAY!!!! I can now watch movies in HD. Granted they look beautiful, but thats it, and not many people think its a big deal. I hope this will fail, and I'm predicting it will.

agreed

[JohnIan]

The following is an article from the May 11th online edition of The New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/11/technology/11pogue.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2). Article ("Why the World Doesn't Need Hi-Def DVD's") written by David Pogue.

I hate when I have to register to a site to read an article. So I thought I'd make this easier for others here. Enjoy.

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WHEN did you first become cynical about the electronics industry?

Was it when VHS went out of style, and you had to buy all your movies again on DVD? Was it the time(s) you never got the rebate you mailed away for? Or was it when your computer's 90-day warranty expired, and the thing croaked two days later?

Doesn't matter. As it turns out, you didn't even know the meaning of the word cynical. This month, Toshiba's HD-A1 high-definition DVD player hit store shelves. It's the first marketplace volley in an absurd and pointless format war among the titans of the movie, electronics and computer industries.

Just contemplating the rise of a new DVD format is enough to make you feel played. What's wrong with the original DVD format, anyway? It offers brilliant picture, thundering surround sound and bonus material. The catalog of DVD movies is immense and reasonably priced. And DVD players are so cheap, they practically fall out of magazines; 82 percent of American homes have at least one DVD player.

To electronics executives, all of this can mean only one thing: It's time to junk that format and start over.

Of course, the executives don't explain this decision by saying, "Because we've saturated the market for regular DVD players."

Instead, they talk about video and picture quality. A DVD picture offers much better color and clarity than regular TV, but not as good as high-definition TV. The new discs hold far more information, enough to display Hollywood's masterpieces in true high definition (if you have a high-definition TV, of course).

UNFORTUNATELY, this idea occurred simultaneously to both Sony and Toshiba. Each dreamed up its own format for a high-def DVD. Each then assembled an army of partners. Toshiba's format, called HD-DVD, has attracted Microsoft, Sanyo, NEC and movie studios like New Line and Universal. Sony's format, called Blu-ray, has in its camp Apple, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Pioneer, Dell and movie studios like Sony, 20th Century Fox and Disney. (Some companies, like HP, LG, Warner Brothers and Paramount, intend to create products for both formats.)

The new DVD players will play standard DVD's, but that's as far as the compatibility good news goes. Movies in Toshiba's format won't play in DVD players from Sony's side, and vice versa.

At first, pundits guessed that Sony's Blu-ray format might win, because it had signed up so many more movie studios, its discs have greater capacity, and the PlayStation 3, expected to top best-seller lists this fall, will double as a Blu-ray player.

But Toshiba has two aces up its sleeve. First, its first HD-DVD player is available now, giving it a head start; Blu-ray players aren't expected until the end of June. Second, this new player, the HD-A1, costs $500 — half the price of the cheapest Blu-ray deck.

The HD-A1 is a pretty big box: 17.7 by 13.3 by 4.3 inches, more like an early VCR than a sleek modern DVD player.

The $500 isn't the only price you pay for being an insanely early adopter; this baby is slow — really slow. It takes over a minute just to turn on; menus are sometimes slow to respond; and a newly inserted DVD takes 45 seconds just to get to the F.B.I. warning. (And no, even the brave new DVD format doesn't let you skip over that tiresome warning.)

The remote is a disaster; its buttons are identically shaped and illogically placed. Not only are they not illuminated, but their labels are painted on faintly and in what must be 4-point type. (A sibling model, the HD-XA1, adds minor goodies like a backlit remote — for $300 more.)

Finally, though, the movie begins — and your shield of cynicism begins to waver. As you watch the brilliant colors, super-black blacks and ridiculously sharp detail — up to six times the resolution of a standard DVD — you realize that you've never seen anything quite this cinematic-looking in your home before.

Even high-definition TV doesn't look this good; the amount of information HD-DVD pumps to your screen dwarfs what you get from high-def satellite or cable (36 megabits a second maximum, versus 19 or less).

You need a big screen to benefit from all this picture data, however. The impact of the extra detail begins to evaporate at screen sizes below, say, 35 inches.

Even on a small screen, though, you don't have to interrupt the movie to open the DVD menu (to get access to settings and extras); on a high-def DVD, the menu appears at the bottom or side of the screen as the movie continues to play.

That feature makes it quick and easy to turn on subtitles during a mumbled scene, for example, or to tune in the director's commentary track without losing your place. I watched six beautifully made HD-DVD movies from Warner and Universal, including the gut-churning "Training Day" and a spectacular "Apollo 13." (It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it.) I quickly concluded that the new on-screen menu system makes the old DVD-menu system look confusing and crude in comparison.

The new DVD generation is supposed to offer several other sophisticated features. For example, director and actor commentaries can now include video, not just audio (the director appears in a small picture-in-picture window). Similarly, the A1's built-in Ethernet jack is supposed to let you connect to the Internet for interactive features.

No movies in the first wave include any of these goodies, however. (Shades of the Camera Angle feature that was supposed to be available on movies in the original DVD format? You decide.)

On the videophile blogs, you can find several cautionary notes regarding the HD-A1's audio and video signal outputs — details that will cause average people's eyes to glaze over, but may alarm high-end movie buffs.

For example, don't buy this player if you're hoping to future-proof your home theater. As any geek can tell you, HDTV comes in several degrees of resolution: 720p, 1080i and 1080p. Weirdly, the Toshiba can't send out 1080p, which is the holy grail. (To be sure, this standard is still rare among TV sets, but it's the wave of the future.)

You should know, too, that you're guaranteed the sensational high-resolution HD-DVD picture only if your TV set has an HDMI connector (a slim, recently developed, all-digital jack that carries both sound and picture). If you use S-video or component cables instead, you may see only 25 percent of the resolution you're supposed to get — a maddening antipiracy feature that the studios can invoke at their option. (Most studios have said that they won't "down-res" those jacks, at least at first; they can begin doing so at any time, however.)

The fine print also includes cautions that the A1 contains a fan (though it's mercifully quiet), that your TV may require tweaking to tame the more intense HD-DVD colors, and that the DVD extras are not, generally speaking, in high definition.

Over all, though, the A1 does deliver the spectacular picture and sound promised by Toshiba. Should you buy one, then?

Not unless you're an early-adopter masochist with money to burn.

Reason 1: The average person can see the difference in picture quality, but only on a big, high-def screen, preferably side by side with a standard DVD signal. The leap forward is nowhere as great as it was from, say, VHS to DVD.

Reason 2: For a brand-new technology, the A1 is a reasonably priced razor — but it's got a serious blade shortage. Only 20 will be available by the end of this month, priced at $20 to $40, and only a couple of hundred are expected by year's end. (Tens of thousands are available in the traditional DVD format.)

Reason 3 (and this is the big one): You could be placing a very big bet on the wrong horse.

In fact, this might even be a race that neither horse wins; the public may well decide that regular DVD's are just fine as they are. (Remember SACD and DVD-Audio, two rival "high-definition audio" formats that also required new players and new discs? Didn't think so. Both are well on their way to the great eBay in the sky.)

You, and everyone else, have everything to gain by waiting until prices fall, the movie catalog grows and a single standard emerges. After all, how will you feel if you buy a player and a bunch of movies — and the one you picked turns out to be the Betamax of the new millennium?

Probably more cynical than ever.


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I for one hope they both fail. I've given my thoughts on this topic before in several different message boards. I'll repeat here. It all boils down to compact discs. When they were first introduced people began replacing their worn LPs for CDs. But come the late 1990s - collection converted. The newer releases are fabricated, not found talent (practically all of my CD purchases are independent artists, SEEK OUT - MorissonPoe). People bought less, then Napster surfaced.

Same difference with DVDs. People have converted their VHS libraries. Solution? Offer better titles and more special features? Nope. Have them BUY IT ALL OVER again. We're being screwed. This format war will have a third better player come the end of this year, the holographic memory. Can you imagine a movie on a credit card size and near thickness cartridge? If I have to switch, if I MUST switch. I'll go with that one. Which of course means all your DVDs become obsolete, period.

One last thing. I've read in other boards people bashing laser discs. Hey! Stop it. I was one of those collectors. LD offered when it was around the same special features DVDs currently have. In fact many of the early DVDs, their bonus materials were carry overs from their LD editions. It ticks me off. So some respect. Why did it fail. Pricing. Good deluxe editions cost about 80 - 100 bucks.

I know I paid 100 dollars for the three disc CAV edition of Aliens (my very first LD). Last year I bought the DVD for a friend. I went thought the supplementary area and I was very disappointed by the gallery. The laser disc box had them in full screen. The DVD has it framed, even on a 36 inch screen they're still hard to see. That sucks! *sigh*

[MisterChristian]

The only reason he needs to wait, is to see which company will come out on top. The new type of media that runs at 1080i or 1080p is here to stay and to still make the assumption that consumers aren't going to want the best means you haven't done your homework The HD-DVD player out now started at 800 dollars and can already be found for 500 on the internet. Which means that soon enough, prices are going to fall enough for everyday people to buy.

Dude, I've been in the industry since 1990 so I know what I'm talking about. It's not about "which company" will come out on top - it's a question of which FORMAT will and more importantly - WILL THE CONSUMER CARE? And frankly, I don't see that happening for years. There is simply way too much confusion about HD-DVD and Blu-ray and everyone involved has done a terrible done of educating the consumer. Even "early adopters" are holding off purchasing a player (for now...). That didn't happen with DVD (I remember running out and getting my first Toshiba back in 1997 for cost - $750)... My opinion may change when this "war" is over. Consumers didn't ask for yet another format so they don't have to switch. DVDs are perfectly fine - there's nothing wrong with them! Personally, I'm all for HIGH DEFINITION, but I'm forcing myself to wait and see what happens with this "format war" (I do love TV shows in HD though). This is VHS and Beta all over again. No thank you!

Software (ie. actual product) also DRIVES the format and so far, I'm not impressed with any studio's initial release titles for either HD-DVD or Blu-ray. Do I need another copy of TERMINATOR 2 in my collection? errr...no. :)

[Spoonard]

It was said by many a naysayer that they weren't gonna replace thier entire movie catalogue with DVD's because they had spent so much time and energy getting together thier collection of VHS tapes together. Now those same people are saying just that about thier own DVD collections. I found myself saying that same thing when I first heard of the new HD-DVD and Blu-Ray formats. Then it dawned on me that these players will likely be able to play our current generation DVD's as well as the newer much hyped HD and Blu-Ray formats. DVD players of course can't play VHS tapes. I guess i'm just wondering how long will it be until we all have a HD/Blu-Ray player? Will you wait until you have a hi-definition TV to play these movies on? WIll you get the player and some movies first while waiting to save up a giga-billion dollars for that dream screen TV? I personally plan on investing in a HD-DVD player as I think the cost will be lower and easily attainable. It's not looking so well over in the Sony camp, and by not good I mean pricey. Another question I have is are movie proces gonna shoot up to $25 a movie instead of the $20 or so now to help cover the costs of these 'new' technologies? I hope not, I want to continue my movie habit in the cheapest way possible! :confused:

[m_burlock]

Originally posted by Spoonard
It was said by many a naysayer that they weren't gonna replace thier entire movie catalogue with DVD's because they had spent so much time and energy getting together thier collection of VHS tapes together. Now those same people are saying just that about thier own DVD collections. I found myself saying that same thing when I first heard of the new HD-DVD and Blu-Ray formats. Then it dawned on me that these players will likely be able to play our current generation DVD's as well as the newer much hyped HD and Blu-Ray formats. DVD players of course can't play VHS tapes. I guess i'm just wondering how long will it be until we all have a HD/Blu-Ray player? Will you wait until you have a hi-definition TV to play these movies on? WIll you get the player and some movies first while waiting to save up a giga-billion dollars for that dream screen TV? I personally plan on investing in a HD-DVD player as I think the cost will be lower and easily attainable. It's not looking so well over in the Sony camp, and by not good I mean pricey. Another question I have is are movie proces gonna shoot up to $25 a movie instead of the $20 or so now to help cover the costs of these 'new' technologies? I hope not, I want to continue my movie habit in the cheapest way possible! :confused:


Only time will tell as to if we get a Blu-ray or HD-DVD player. Only time will tell. I don't know about you Spoonard, but I'm gonna do the wait and see thing before I do anything ! As to the price of your average HD-DVD or Blu-ray disc goes, Sound and Vision magazine says they'll cost 25% to 30% more than your average DVD. How's that for ya?! Cheap enough?!

[Spoonard]

Pfft....I say F that then! $25 - $30 is more than a single movie needs to cost. Unless it's a super-special-edition with 4 or 5 discs and all the extras. But I guess with the new formats they will be able to fit all that on a single disc. If they just come with the regular expected amount of content it's too much to pay for a movie. If they start packing so much stuff on the disc that $25 - $30 is worth it i'll indilge, just not as much as I did with my regular DVD collection...

[tejkohli]

What is high definition DVD?

High definition DVD will be more like an evolution of the DVD format, than an outright revolution. In terms of video and audio quality, high definition DVD will be what DVD was to VHS videotapes. Many television sets today are capable of displaying high definition pictures, and the move to a high definition home video format is the logical step in the evolution of home video.

To be more precise, high definition DVD will aim to offer 1080 lines of video resolution video (more on these technical details later), compared to the 576/480 lines offered by DVDs today.

Why should I want high definition DVD?

For the same reasons why you would want DVDs over video tapes. Apart from the high resolution video and audio, the increased capacity of high definition discs will hopefully mean an end to single movie multi-disc sets, and allow for more extra features to fit onto one disc. It may, for example, be possible to fit an entire season of a television show onto one disc.

What will happen to my existing DVDs?

Regardless of which high definition format you choose, they will most likely be compatible with existing DVDs meaning your DVD collection does not have to be replaced. Many DVD players today can upscale (increase the video resolution through digital manipulation) existing DVD movies to high definition, and I expect this feature will be present sooner or later on all the high definition DVD players once they are released. While upscaling won't offer the same kind of experience as "real" high definition movies, it will allow your DVDs to be show in the best possible manner without resolution loss being an issue.

Can my computer play back high definition DVDs?

At this moment, there are no commercially available computer systems available to play some of the sample high definition disc available. Once the hardware and software arrives, most 2.8 GHz or higher rated computers should be able to play back high definition content smoothly, although the highest video/audio resolution movies (e.g. 1080p with high definition multi-channel audio) may require a faster computer and/or dedicated au dio decoding hardware.
Cyberlink has announced that they will demonstrate Blu-ray disc playback at CEATEC (Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies) in Japan in early October 2005. The demonstration will be supported by Panasonic and the BDA (Blu-ray Disc Association).

What are the different formats for high definition DVD?

The two main competing formats are HD DVD (not to be confused with the more general term of High Definition DVD, which refers to any and all high definition DVD formats) and Blu-ray disc (or BD).
There are also formats mainly based in Asia, called EVD and FVD, and this FAQ covers them as well.

Look out tomorrow for “What is Blu-ray?”

[Cronos]

Originally posted by tejkohli
Why should I want high definition DVD?

i don't

[scubasteve]

this seriously make me mad, EVERYBODY will have either HD-DVD or Blue-Ray in the near future. If you think you're going to stick with your original DVD's for good, I'm laughing at you now.

[Cronos]

:D

then laugh all you want, you'll only make your face hurt

[APzombie]

The leap from DVD to HD / BLUE RAY is not at all as radical as the leap from VHS to DVD, hell not even as radical as the shift from VHS to LASERDISC. This is more in the area of the VHS to BETA. In my opinion there aint much to worry about right now.

[Taors]

I'll upgrade when they come out with holodecks and I can actually be inside the movie.

[fbm2000]

Originally posted by scubasteve
this seriously make me mad, EVERYBODY will have either HD-DVD or Blue-Ray in the near future. If you think you're going to stick with your original DVD's for good, I'm laughing at you now.

Doubt it. This will become nothing more than a Niche (I think I spelled that right) in which people like you will want. But why spend $20 more for a DVD when the picture is not really that much bettter. Also, do you really think the Studios are going to go back and release all those DVDs in HD DVD/Blue-Ray? Sorry, but my bet is on downloading being the next thing that will end up stomping HD/Blue-Ray, and I'm not talking about just viewing it on you computer.

[m_burlock]

I agree with fbm2000 and APzombie.

Beyond that, like I said in a previous thread that I created, I wasn't impressed with HD-DVD. It won't be as pervasive as DVD. It'll either become a niche like Laserdisc or DIE like Beta. Hopefully DIE !!:mad:

[cletus66]

For HD-DVD or Blu-ray to catch on the prices are going to have to come down to a level where they can compete with DVD's.
Most individuals arent going to go out and spend $500 on a new player and 25 -30 bucks on DVD's that at this point have minimal special features, according to the specs I have checked out for HD-DVD and Blu ray discs.

Another thing that is going to scare people away is the uncertainty of which format is going to win out. Once one format takes a commanding lead in the amount of movies available or drops their price signifigantly people will most likely stick with their current DVD's and players.

[scubasteve]

Originally posted by fbm2000
Doubt it. This will become nothing more than a Niche (I think I spelled that right) in which people like you will want. But why spend $20 more for a DVD when the picture is not really that much bettter. Also, do you really think the Studios are going to go back and release all those DVDs in HD DVD/Blue-Ray? Sorry, but my bet is on downloading being the next thing that will end up stomping HD/Blue-Ray, and I'm not talking about just viewing it on you computer.

Ok well there's a couple things with this statement. Everything thats new is more expensive, HD or Blueray will eventually be just as much money as the dvd's that are out now, and the dvd's out now will be even cheaper because they'll be outdated. Come on now, everybody knows this. It happens with ALL technology products. You can buy HD-DVD movies right now for 20 bucks.....compared to 14.99 regular dvd.

Then you ask, do you really think Studios are going to re-release their movies in the new format? OF COURSE! Why wouldn't they? Its the same reason VHS movies went to laserdisk, and laserdisk went to DVD. Its the same reason why they released movies on UMD. Its all an opportunity to make money. To think companies are going to say no to HD-DVD or Blueray because they don't "feel" like reproducing the movies anymore ruins all your credibility of doing your homework.

You also say that your bet is on downloading movies straight to your tv. Thats not a bad statement because who knows? That could very well happen and would make a lot of sense. This is not my argument. My argument is on the basis of what HD-DVD or BlueRay brings. From 480i/480p to true 1080i/1080p without any upconversion is a HUGE leap is picture quality. So if your statement proves true that downloading movies is the next best thing, you can guarantee you'll be downloading it in an HD picture.

[Bad_Feeling]

10 Reasons Why High Definition DVD Formats Have Already Failed

I’m not typically a doom and gloom kind of guy – really, I’m rather optimistic. But this pending format release/war is simply the most ridiculous thing I’ve seen in a long time. The hype machine is entirely enthusiast-created and since that day I realized Steve Jobs could sell a fart provided he sued a public Mac forum for talking about it before its release, I began to understand the power of public mania.

There are a number of reasons why the new high definition DVD formats have already failed and I’ll gladly go over some of them in this article. I am not a soothsayer, but I do study the industry – and at times, sit back and take assessment of what’s happening from both a consumer and manufacturer perspective.

Without any further ado, here are the reasons HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc will never turn into the dominant formats for digital media viewing:

Nobody likes false starts

With the debut of HD DVD at an underwhelming 720p/1080i, coupled with a buggy interface and a transport that makes boiling water seem like a speedy event, the entrance of high definition DVD into the mainstream came out of the starting gate lame and hobbled. For Toshiba to release a player that didn’t support true HD at 1080p (even though the software does), and with no lossless audio format to accompany the video track, the high definition wave was more of a ripple. Add to this the delay of HDMI 1.3, lack of market penetration and supply, and a dearth amount of software titles and you have a very unimpressive product launch.


Format Wars Don’t Sell Players

The only reason Sony’s Playstation, Microsoft’s Xbox and the Nintendo GameCube can sell so well simultaneously is because of the prevalence of excellent software titles. People want to buy the hardware just so they can play the software. This is not a format war – it is choice, just like Chevy and Ford (and just like the gaming systems, some people have one of each). The high definition DVD formats, however are really just the same source material packaged in two different wrappers- not to provide choice, mind you, but because the two camps simply are too greedy to combine forces, and not innovative enough to drive two truly separate products successfully. Take careful note – a format war is NOT competition, it is a hindrance and the bane of high definition DVDs.

HD DVD and Blu-ray are NOT Quantum Leaps in Technology

Consumers came over in droves when CDs were released back in 1982. The new format offered not only a new digital media, but also a way to instantly access tracks across an entire “album”. Convenience, not technology, drove this format to almost instant consumer adoption. Fast forward a bit to 1997 when the first DVD player was released. Again, convenience, not technology, drove people to the market en masse. Unlike VHS tapes, the new DVD format was smaller, easily navigated and would not wear down over time like existing tape-based formats. Heck, the concept of a shiny plastic disc was new – and quite frankly, it was the coolest thing to hit the technological shelf since solid state technology. In comparison, the high definition DVD formats, save the color of the business side of the disc, look exactly the same… and consumer confusion will surely follow.

What do the new high definition DVD formats offer consumers over DVD? Technology and more storage. Is this enough? Not on your life. Consumers, most of whom rarely know how to properly configure their players or home theater systems, are perfectly content with their current DVD players (and indeed some have just jumped on board to DVD in the last several years). While the potential for more extras and alternate endings exists due to increased storage on the new media, there is no compelling reason for consumers to migrate over to the new high definition DVD formats in large numbers.

Studios are Conservative, Greedy and Unmotivated

Studios are so conservative in their practices as to consistently miss out on market advances – even those that can make them money (ie. Why is a computer company running the world’s most successful online music store?) The studios are not jumping on board the high definition DVD bandwagon just yet – and you can see the lack of titles to prove it. If the movie studios decided that HD DVD or Blu-ray (or both) was to be the next dominant format, it need only to flood the market with software titles and present a plan to roll back on DVD production over the next 10 years. Even though this would grant them the secure format that they seem to want (HD DVDs and Blu-ray discs promise to be much harder to rip or duplicate) there is no indication in the industry that this is taking place or even in the works. The studios are making money hand over fist with DVD they cannot seem to bring themselves to seriously initiate a new, unproven technology – even if it saves them from some other copyright headaches.

Add to this the fact that new titles are coming out at $30 a pop (and this down from an initial $35/title) and you have a really hard sell for consumers who are used to $15 titles at Wal-mart and the large electronics chains.


Playstation3 Cannot Save the World

We have consistently heard it said that the Playstation3 will “jump start” the market by flooding it with millions of gaming systems capable of handling Blu-ray Disc software. The problem with this theory is that the PS3 is not being marketed as a home theater component and, if current installations prove the rule, most will not be situated in the average consumer’s living room. The result is that the PS3 will primarily be a *gasp* gaming system. Maybe I have a more traditional group of parents in my association of friends, but, taking into account #4 above, I do not think that Blu-ray will make any major leaps forward in market penetration as a home video format – at least not anytime soon.
History is bearing this out, as the HTPC market, though driven hard by such manufacturers as Microsoft, Dell and HP, has struggled to find a place in the living room. Nearly every gaming system of the past: PS2, Xbox, and even the legendary 3DO system have been touted as “set-top boxes” but in reality find themselves situated in more “gaming-centric” environments playing… you guessed it, games.


Those Who Ignore History…

For years we’ve heard about the evils of MP3 and illegal downloading. All the while the RIAA and music industry had two formats that could have prevented any illegal copying – at least for all but the most dedicated crackers: DVD-Audio and SACD. These formats proved to be higher quality than CD, presented much enhanced copy protection schemes and were easily used as alternative formats to CD. Yet both formats failed miserably to achieve any significant market penetration. Why? Without an artificial “shove” from the record industry – which never materialized – technology alone is never enough to push a new format into the hands of consumers. In terms of convenience and ease of use, DVD-Audio and SACD offered nothing to consumers. In fact, they made listening to music more complex, since most hardware was unable to correctly decode and provide adequate bass management for the new formats.

Could these formats have succeeded? Absolutely. If the recording industry had presented a plan to phase out CDs and the “format war” had been avoided (simply by the industry picking one format over the other) we would all be using DVD-Audio players and illegal downloadable music would be mostly confined to analogue rips or older music. Is this a stretch? Perhaps, but only because history shows us that corporate greed causes most companies to miss the long term economical gains over a short term loss of licensing revenues.

People Want Technology that’s 15 Minutes Ahead of Its Time

For many people, getting into HDTV is all about the widescreen and being able to see their DVDs with more clarity than ever before. When Billy Bob comes home with his new high definition 720p display, the difference between that and his older SD TV is amazing – at least when he’s watching DVDs. You see, that’s the problem – and it’s two-fold. While most consumers are still getting into the HDTV craze, they’re already impressed. And the difference between SD TV and HDTV is more amazing than the difference between 480p DVDs and 1080i downrezzed high definition discs.

The other side of the coin is the lack of HD content available on TV – and this is a biggie. While Billy Bob is impressed by his DVD player, he is dumbfounded by his cable TV – which actually looks worse than it did on his old set (mostly because it’s bigger). You see, nobody told Billy Bob that he’d have to get an antenna or subscribe to HD service from his cable/satellite provider. He was also not told that most of his favorite shows (Billy likes sitcoms and the Sci-Fi Channel) aren’t yet available in HD, regardless of technology or service provider. As a result, many Americans are underwhelmed or feel like they got burned by HDTV. The last thing they’re going to do is rush out and buy the next greatest thing.


Enthusiasts Are Getting Tired (and Smarter)

While some home theater audio- and videophiles have the money and inclination to rush out and buy the latest and greatest toys as soon as they are available, many more are becoming more cautious. Burned by 8-track, laserdisc, SACD, and DVD-Audio (and possibly soon non-HDCP HDTV) – these war-weary consumers are going to think long and hard before jumping onto any new technological bandwagons. This leaves a shrunken market of even the bleeding-edge consumers, and that means even less sales to early-adopters.

A Skeptical News Media Doesn’t Help

I’ll admit it, we’re part of the “problem” (though I’d like to think we’re saving consumers from making the next big mistake). An increasingly skeptical news media isn’t buying into the hype of HD DVD and Blu-ray, especially not after wasting millions of editorial words on DVD-Audio and SACD, only to watch the software and technology dwindle into obscurity. Even after almost 6 years, most consumers continue to proffer puzzled looks when these audio formats are mentioned. The new DVD formats are getting plenty of press, mind you, but with the Toshiba flop and lack of software, the fact that the Emperor has no clothes (at least not yet) is hard to avoid.

Broadband and IPTV to Compete?

With Verizon, AOL, Time Warner and others jumping to provide HD on-demand services for the consumer it is a very likely event that high definition DVD will be something that isn’t relevant in a service-directed marketplace. Add to this Apple Computer’s recent push for video downloads and we may find that consumers are far more interested in quantity, portability, and ease of use over high quality source material. Even with respect to high definition formats, downloadable files burned to consumer-supplied media may make data high definition DVDs more significant than the retail formats. This consumer model is being readied for testing in South Carolina’s head-end for Time Warner Cable this year.

So, while I certainly hope for the best, that’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it. High definition is headed for a niche market at best, not an industry takeover.

By Clint DeBoer

http://www.audioholics.com/news/editorials/10reasonsHDDVDsfailed.php

[Slim_JGE]

Bad_Feeling... right on bro. Great post! I agree with that 100%

[Dexter]

I agree with a good chunk of that post but not all. The PS3 will make a huge difference in the format war no matter what anybody says.

Blu-Ray can hold a ton of stuff, so forget all the deleted scenes, put a whole set of movies on one disc. I'd pay for that.

[Bad_Feeling]

I know that there's already a ton of topics on the subject matter of HD, but I thought it would be interesting to see what everyone feels about the HD formats at this point in the game.

Both HD-DVD & Blu-Ray have been out in a America for a few months now, and they're being released here in the UK in just a couple of weeks.

So, what are your feelings on HD media?

Are you planning on jumping onto the HD bang wagon?

How do you think HD is doing overall in America at this point?

And finally, do you see HD replacing DVD as the leading format any time soon (if ever)?

Thanks for your time :)

[damien22]

Neither the HD TV's nor the HD movies are worth the money IMO. I'm sticking with DVD.

[DareDevil]

Is there dif region's for HD and Blue Ray as well??

Never the less neither HD or Blue Ray will replace DVD's for me, they just aren't worth it and I love my dvd collection to much. Plus I love special edition DVD's, that's half of the reason i buy dvd's, so thats another reason these don't intrest me at all.

[Cronos]

there's no way i'll switch to HD or Blu-Ray unless it gets to the point where a film i want to own is only released on one of those formats. i'm perfectly happy with my DVDs and dont see the need to change

[m_burlock]

I just hope that the manufacterers mean what they say by "backwards compatibility" and that it's not just a bunch of hot air. As to taking over DVD, I don't think so. I don't think it ever will. The difference between DVD and HD-DVD/BluRay isn't as great as the difference between DVD and VHS was. Sound & Vision mag says that back then the public was clamering for a new format, but that right now the public isn't doing so. And they also said that given memories of the VHS vs. Beta war, most people are going to wait and see who wins before they invest.

[DarkKnight81]

I agree with Cronos, I'll keep buying DVDs until I have no choice but to choose a new format. The sad thing is I just happened to notice HDDVD's and Blu Rays at Wal Mart for the first time the other day. I had no clue they were even released yet. Great marketing!

[Shockwave]

Fuck them all. Im just really getting into starting my DVD collection.

If they start progressing this fast, jumping from format to format like everyone has $$$ to burn, im just gonna download my movies and be done with it.

[m_burlock]

Originally posted by Shockwave
im just gonna download my movies and be done with it.


Unfortuneitly I can't do that (or even spell right). :( (No computer of my own, that's why I can't download movies! :( )

[MrChaos]

HD-DVD, currently, is well worth the investment. With numerous amazing titles including this week's Tokyo Drift, Universal is the one company Blu-Ray is crying that they don't have the support of. And with companies like Lionsgate (previously Blu-Ray exclusive) considering the jump to HD-DVD as soon as the end of this year, Blu-Ray needs to bring out some killer titles (they're slowly starting).

These are my current titles:

http://www.dvdaficionado.com/dvds.html/cat=1&sub=HD-DVD&id=lotrrules

And here my reviews including a bunch for HD-DVD:

My Reviews: http://www.upcomingdiscs.com/review_list.php?rtype=authors&rcrit=Brendan

[DarkKnight81]

Originally posted by MrChaos
numerous amazing titles including this week's Tokyo Drift

Say wha? That sure as hell is not going to convince me to get HDDVD.

[DarkKnight81]

Originally posted by MrChaos
numerous amazing titles including this week's Tokyo Drift

Whats going on with Joblo.com? There are double, triple, and even quadruple posts going around. Including mine, lookout, here comes a triple post. WTF???

[DarkKnight81]

Originally posted by MrChaos
numerous amazing titles including this week's Tokyo Drift

Say wha? That sure as hell is not going to convince me to get HDDVD.

[DarkKnight81]

Originally posted by MrChaos
numerous amazing titles including this week's Tokyo Drift

Say wha? That sure as hell is not going to convince me to get HDDVD.

[MrChaos]

Tokyo Drift is simply amazing due to the sheer amount of interactivity that it has.

Other titles include:

Training Day
The Last Samurai
Troy
Seabiscuit

to name a few..

[Badbird]

The Blu-Ray is to the PS3 what the UMD was to the PSP.

I see Sony losing this battle... again

Beta, minidisc, UMD, etc. Though Beta was vastly superior to VHS.

[Shockwave]

DVDs have such great picture quality and features, i really do not need anything better. Who is screaming for this?

DVDs became so popular due to VHS really sucking, nowadays the picture/sound/extras on dvds are so exellent, i see no reason to invest in a worthless market.

[DareDevil]

^^ I agree so much, sometimes watching a DVD on my regualr old bigscreen at home and souround sound, i think that the picture and sound quality is better than my local small theatre. When i watch a dvd i never think Geez this would be alot more enjoyable if I had better picture quality!?!? On my liquid flatscreen samsung monitor (for comp) my dvd's look incredible, If i can avoid it I will never buy anything next to a dvd.

Plus i have never really had a problem with bad discs and discs getting scrathed and not playing right, and the few times i ever have I just returned them and got it replaced or a refund with no hassle.

[SamEagle]

Originally posted by Badbird
The Blu-Ray is to the PS3 what the UMD was to the PSP.

I see Sony losing this battle... again

Beta, minidisc, UMD, etc. Though Beta was vastly superior to VHS.
I'm not so sure about that. The launch of the PS3 will be a big boost for Blu-Ray IMHO, something that HD-DVD can't compete with. My reasoning, the PS3 will be able to not only play movies on Blu-Ray, but also play games in the format. The XBOX 360 does have an external HD-DVD drive due out soon, but it can only play HD-DVD movies and won't be able to play games on that format. Therefore, the PS3 will be able to play much higher quality games by utilizing the superior Blu-Ray storage capacity (an example would be the still-in-development Lair, which is already over 20GB without any cut-scenes!).

What also might provide a slight boost to both formats is that Target will be carrying both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD starting next week. The entertainment departments for Target chain-wide are going thru a transition starting next Monday and I've already seen some of the Blu-Ray titles waiting in the stockroom.

In any case, I feel the same as most others in that I see no reason to switch from standard DVD to either HD format, as I already consider the video & audio to be great.

[lilant2248]

My DVD movies looks find on my Xbox 360.

[Badbird]

At $500-600, the PS3 ain't exactly an impulse purchase and will still apeal to the harcore only set for some time. But if that's all Sony is banking on - that the PS3 will be their savior - then I think they're in a lot of trouble overall. A behemouth company like that shouldn't have all its eggs in such an expensive basket. Especially since it's not a slam dunk anymore: Very few games will be exclusive since they are so expensive. GTA 4 will be on Xbox day one. Meanwhile Xbox will have Halo 3, as well as a likely price drop for the system when the PS3 launches, and the Wii is already bargain bin priced.

Not only that, but HDTVs don't have much market penetration, so the Blu-Ray will be irrelivent to most people.

Besides, in the end I think HD-DVD will win out simply because it has the letters "HD" in the title and people are familiar/comfortable with that phrase.

[Shockwave]

Sometimes i wonder if sony thinks everyone has as much money as they do.

They plop out all this high-end shit that costs a quarter of the worlds bank account and thinks everyone and thier wal-mart shopping momma is gonna rush out and sell thier kids to buy it.

DVD sales arent exactly dwindling right now, i really dont think anyone CARES for this.:rolleyes:


..as for the PS3, theres no way in hell id get one the first year. Not with reports of many of them breaking down at trade shows.

[Badbird]

I was just thinking... Sony also made the Superbit DVD. Man, do those guys love inventing formats or what?

Fact is, it's foolhardy to introduce a brand new video format only 6 years after DVDs hit critical mass. And it's not like DVDs suck and look like shit. The general public won't understand/care.

I see the whole HD/Blu Ray being to DVD what Laserdisc was to VHS. A high end niche market that will never grow very big. I see both regular and HD formats being replaced by some new super-format in ten-fifteen years. And it will probably be an all digital format.

[AngelDust06]

Originally posted by Cronos
there's no way i'll switch to HD or Blu-Ray unless it gets to the point where a film i want to own is only released on one of those formats. i'm perfectly happy with my DVDs and dont see the need to change

I agree completely. I am going to stick with my **best carlos mencia impression ** D-V-D's

[Bad_Feeling]

I highly recommend that you guys check out the video clip on this page [just scroll down a little and you'll find it] :

http://thedigitalbits.com/#mytwocents

I agree with everything that Bill Hunt from thedigitalbits is saying.

[m_burlock]

Originally posted by Bad_Feeling
I highly recommend that you guys check out the video clip on this page [just scroll down a little and you'll find it] :

http://thedigitalbits.com/#mytwocents

I agree with everything that Bill Hunt from thedigitalbits is saying.


I tried to view it, when I clicked on the pic nothing happened.:(

[m_burlock]

Originally posted by Badbird
[B]I see Sony losing this battle... again


Poor Sony! :( NOT!

[m_burlock]

Originally posted by Badbird
I was just thinking... Sony also made the Superbit DVD. Man, do those guys love inventing formats or what?

Fact is, it's foolhardy to introduce a brand new video format only 6 years after DVDs hit critical mass. And it's not like DVDs suck and look like shit. The general public won't understand/care.

I see the whole HD/Blu Ray being to DVD what Laserdisc was to VHS. A high end niche market that will never grow very big. I see both regular and HD formats being replaced by some new super-format in ten-fifteen years. And it will probably be an all digital format.


Took the words right out of my mouth.

[m_burlock]

Originally posted by Badbird
The general public won't understand/care.


If there's anything I've learned about "The general public" it's that they're at the very least, ignorant . Therefore, they wouldn't (and don't) know what a good film is even if it came up and bit 'em on the ass! And further, being ignorant, they therefore "won't understand/care" about Blu-Ray or HD-DVD for that matter!

[NuclearMisfit]

Anyone buying into the HD DVD systems? Is there really a point in buying another form of home entertainment technology? Will HD DVD last without another better technology come along in the future?

Discuss.

[m_burlock]

Originally posted by NuclearMisfit
Anyone buying into the HD DVD systems? Is there really a point in buying another form of home entertainment technology? Will HD DVD last without another better technology come along in the future?

Discuss.


No. No. And no. All it'll be is a niche, nothing more. 'Nuff said.

[JackassFan]

I won't be buying it straight away. I'll wait till some people I know have bought it, get their opinions and then see what I think.

[NuclearMisfit]

I dont know why they come out with it now, ive probably spent alot of money just on dvds alone, why should i buy into this?

[JackassFan]

I agree, Nuclear. I'm not gonna get anything HD unless it's really, REALLY worth it. And I'm pretty sure it won't be.

We don't need it, and I don't particularly want it.

[DareDevil]

HD DVD/ Blue Ray both suck balls and are robbing people all over the world.

[RandalGraves]

I will one day when the prices go down...just like dvds and players did...

[blk_flower]

when dvds switch over to memory card like slots and can hold more space than dvd's I'll switch over devices. Dvd's look awesome on my yes non HD TV, I know there's a huge difference in quality between HD and anything else, but I don't have money for that stuff. In sometime future yeah, but what then. If lawrence of arabia aint on the HD DVD yet and I want to see it on my HD TV, what then?


dvds are fine for me, and still look incredible on my tv.http://pictures.partsearch.com/60b/60b509056f54467b86374d8ae0a60fe2.jpg

[Warlok]

Not worth the extra money to buy into either of these two systems.
There was a big difference and jump to go from VCR tapes to DVDs with many small tech changes in between which never caught on in a big way with the public (laserdisk, DigitalVCR, etc). DVDs had the majority of companie sin the business backing it and let's face it offered the consumer al ot more for their money. surround sound, better picture qualirty and additional extras made it an easier sell, but not too easy it still took a few years for them to catch on. HD-DVD and Blu-ray don't have the same sort of backing. Most companies will support one or the other and there's very little in the way of even more features. Picture quality is better but to the majority of consumers they may not notice too much of a difference to care and since you will bep[aying premium prices for these. I don't think either side will win out.

[DarkKnight81]

I guess when I buy a PS3 I will own a Blu-ray player but I still probably wont buy many, if any, Blu-ray disks. But hell no, I will never buy a standalone HDDVD or Bluray system.

[lilant2248]

I will add the HD on the Xbox 360.

[MrChaos]

I have both the Toshiba HD-A1 and Panasonic DMP-1000 units. Both units were worth every damn penny.

If you care to read an unbias opinion, my HD reviews can be found on upcomingdiscs.com and my Blu-Ray reviews can be found on dvdtalk.com

Name is Brendan.

[Cronos]

until it gets to the point where any of the film companies bother releasing any of the currently unreleased (on dvd that is) films that they have in their vaults (which i expect will be a long long long long long long time) there's no way i'll be upgrading to either format

[CletusHorniblow]

Only whenregular DVDs become obsolete. Hell, I dont even have an HD tv yet...

[MisterChristian]

I finally caved last week and grabbed the discontinued Toshiba HD-A1 (second generation players are on their way) and wow I'm very impressed. Batman Begins and V For Vendetta look fracking amazing in HD :D

I won't be getting Blu-Ray however. Sony can suck it. Hopefully the studios who only commit to BR will do both - please Fox I want Kingdom Of Heaven: Director's Cut and Sony I NEED Black Hawk Down on HD. Maybe one day.

[DareDevil]

Originally posted by CletusHorniblow
Only whenregular DVDs become obsolete. Hell, I dont even have an HD tv yet...

Most people don't.

[LeftyRuggiero]

i have no love for either format and the one thing i do like is the decline in DVD prices

[MisterChristian]

Decline? hahaha :D

DVD is so devalued now, it's not funny.

[J.Andrew Hosack]

Hey everyone, it's J. Andrew ex-Joblo DVD reviewer. I recently picked up the $200 HD DVD addon for the 360 just to experience the "hype" for myself. All I can say is that the jump IS big! Not only do you feel like your in the movie i.e. stroke the fibers of an actor's costume but you can aurally feel it too. I was just as skeptical as anyone but after watching King Kong, Batman Begins, and Mission Impossible III in HD, I honestly don't want to go back to DVD - thankfully, DVD still works though. HD/Blu-Ray is something you have to experience for yourself not read about.

Having said that, it sucks the big one that a unified format wasn't agreed upon. Also, if you don't have a newer HDTV, then DVD will suit you just fun. One last thing, don't blow a ton of $ just to get 1080p as the differences are almost nill betweem 1080p/i and sometimes 720p. Adios my friends!

[FT13TH Addict]

I am totally loving my Toshiba HD dvd player and new 42 inch LG HDTV. :cool: The image quality is just mind boggling!! The player will also play your normal dvds and upconvert them for the best picture possible. I have 92 HD DVDs in my collection.

[MisterChristian]

I have 92 HD DVDs in my collection.

Nice...but there seems to be a total of 100 releases right now - you've bought them all?

I just picked up Casablanca and King Kong last night...put on Kong for a few minutes and wow.

Christian

[Slim_JGE]

The jump from standard DVD to HD DVD is not as big or even close to as noticable as it was from VHS to DVD. Just get an upconversion DVD player, which are reasonably priced, and you can watch standard DVD at a true 720p... it looks great.

[DareDevil]

Originally posted by Slim_JGE
The jump from standard DVD to HD DVD is not as big or even close to as noticable as it was from VHS to DVD. Just get an upconversion DVD player, which are reasonably priced, and you can watch standard DVD at a true 720p... it looks great.

You my friend are right

[Country1969]

I think DVD's been around for 10 years. Why do we need another?
HD dvds are priced about $10.00 more than regular dvds. A few hundred dollars for the player. Come one give me a break. They are even changing the size and style of the dvd cases. Its all a scheme to make the rich people richer.

Just like Playstation 3. Then next year Playstation 4. Can't you people see, they are using us. If they can make the technology better ,than they could wait longer in between systems and get it better instead of doing a little bit and releasing 3 then 4 then 5 then Playstation 6. You guys know what I am talking about. Technology will keep changing.

If everyone goes out and buys Blu-Ray or HD dvds, then regular dvds will fade away. I'm not saying that HD-dvds are bad. But we don't need different formats from different companies. Improve the dvd to HD-DVD and leave it alone. Only thing about this HD-dvds, that you wont be able to loan out your dvds unless that person owns a hd-dvd player. I don't like that.

Now theres talk about downloading movies with a special box that hooks up to your tv, Thats the future, That dvds will fade away like VHS. That pisses me off. People like that I hear, but don''t realize that they will pay for the movies,nothing's free. Wake up people. I rather dvds and I have a hard copy of a movie that I bought.


One thing that was good over the years was digital cameras with memory cards. The best thing ever. You take pictures, keep what you wabt and then burn them to a cd. You don't have to print them out.
I took so many pictures from our vacations and I have them on cds. If I want a picture for a frame or some other use I get one printed at Target or Walmart for a few cents.

I will buy HD-dvds only when they stop making the regular ones.
But how many of you people that bought regualr dvds will update you collections with the same movies or will you just continue your collection with new hd dvds? I mean replace say Spiderman 2 with Spiderman2 HD-dvd.

[Tyler_Durden_208]

I'm actually considering picking up a couple HD-DVDs, mainly because Superman Returns and Miami Vice seem to lose a little bit of quality on standard DVD. I'll wait until after Christmas, of course, but still...

[m_burlock]

I feel sorry for film lovers with a low budget (like me :( ). When it comes to upgrading anything (film players, T.V.s, computers, vehicles, and cameras etc.) we have no choice but to wait for the price to come down to our level. :(

I agree with those who've in essence said that HD-DVD and Blu-Ray were introduced way too soon after DVD was.

I also agree with those who've said there should be ONE new format NOT two! :mad:

I can only wonder as to how soon will they stop releasing DVDs and only be releasing either HD-DVD or Blu-Ray discs. :mad:

[NuclearMisfit]

My question is will the blu ray or high def dvd players be able to play regular dvds, because id hate to see me waste all that time building a collection just to have the format become useless.

[Tyler_Durden_208]

To m_burlock, Samsung is working on a player (no release date yet though) that will play DVDs, HD-DVDs, and Blu-Ray discs, so you won't have to worry about format exclusivity.

And NuclearMisfit, I haven't seen an HD-DVD player yet that won't play standard DVDs. A great way I recommend to slowly slide into the format is the combo HD-DVDs. The two I mentioned above (Superman Returns and Miami Vice) and many others have the standard DVD on one side so you can still watch the movie while you work up the dough to get an HD-DVD player.

[MisterChristian]

I agree with those who've in essence said that HD-DVD and Blu-Ray were introduced way too soon after DVD was.


Hmmm....you do know that as of March or April 2007, DVD is a decade old and years in development before that. So it's probably 10-15 years old already. Wow.

Remember everything comes around every five/ten years - video game systems are like that...PS2 came out when? 2002 I think.


I also agree with those who've said there should be ONE new format NOT two!


Well I will agree with you there, but the blame lies with the studios and manufacturers, not consumers.


I can only wonder as to how soon will they stop releasing DVDs and only be releasing either HD-DVD or Blu-Ray discs.


DVD is the new VHS and will be around for years. VHS is "dead" so to speak after 30 years. Your collection is safe.

[DarkKnight81]

Alright so I've searched the forums, I've searched the rest of the internet, and I can't get a clear answer. Here's my situation, I have over 400 DVD's, a regular DVD player, and a 1080i HDTV. My DVD's look fairly shitty on the HDTV so I went out and bought component cables for my DVD player which made a barely noticable difference. I saw today for the first time today a new DVD player that plays your normal, non HD DVD's at up to 1080i. Best part of all its only $150. So sounds like I found my solution. Well with the new wave of media on the shelves, Blu-ray and HDDVD, I'm hesitant of the idea of buying a non HD/bluray player. My only other thought was since I've been seriously considering buying an XBox360 is to just buy the HDDVD add on as well. Yes, it is $200 and I'm not sold on either Bluray or HDDVD, but thats only $50 more than the HD converter player I mentioned earlier. I have researched but still have not found the answer I'm looking for, so maybe someone out there knows from personal experience. Will the XBox HDDVD player convert my regular DVD's to 1080i?

[InvaderZim]

I have a 50" DLP 1080i tv. my regular dvd's look like crap on the xbox but hd dvds look amazing on the add on. As far as the ps3 goes the movies look ok but the blue ray are stunning.

[DarkKnight81]

Originally posted by InvaderZim
I have a 50" DLP 1080i tv. my regular dvd's look like crap on the xbox but hd dvds look amazing on the add on. As far as the ps3 goes the movies look ok but the blue ray are stunning.

Have you tried playing your regualr DVD's on the HD add on instead of just in the console?

[MisterChristian]

I'm still trying to figure out why your DVDs look "shitty" on your HDTV - that makes no sense. Is it a widescreen television or a standard 4:3? What brand is your TV and DVD player? Something is telling me you perhaps have it hooked up incorrectly or set up wrong...let me know. I'll try and help you.

Personally, I think the upconverting DVD players are crap but that's me...just "bells and whistles" with a price tag.

Regardless, if you *have* a 360 then the $200 HD-DVD add on is a great way to jump into HD-DVDs...

[DareDevil]

My HD dilemma: I hate HD

:p :p

[MisterChristian]

Thanks for your brilliant social commentary DareDevil...

[DarkKnight81]

Originally posted by MisterChristian
I'm still trying to figure out why your DVDs look "shitty" on your HDTV - that makes no sense. Is it a widescreen television or a standard 4:3? What brand is your TV and DVD player? Something is telling me you perhaps have it hooked up incorrectly or set up wrong...let me know. I'll try and help you.

Personally, I think the upconverting DVD players are crap but that's me...just "bells and whistles" with a price tag.

Regardless, if you *have* a 360 then the $200 HD-DVD add on is a great way to jump into HD-DVDs...

TV is a Samsung 50" DLP, DVD player is a Pioneer 5 disk 5.1 surround sound. First off my HD cable looks amazing so I know its not the tv. I hooked the DVD player to the TV with just the standard A/V cables that came with it. The colors were faded and where there were supposed to be shadows or shading you could just see these huge pixelated bloches. So I went out and bought some component cables and now run the DVD player through the second components but it only looks slightly better. I pretty much decided not to get the upconverter, its not worth it. I mean my DVDs dont look totally like crap, they are watchable. I recently read that the XBox HDDVD player doesnt even use HDMI, so know I'm seriously doubting that route as well.

[DarkKnight81]

Originally posted by DareDevil
My HD dilemma: I hate HD

:p :p

I love tv in HD but I am pretty frustrated with this bluray/hddvd crap.

[OpT!Mu5]

If I were you I would get the player that up-converts your normal DVDs to HD-like picture quality. It's not true HD, but better than the 480p picture you're getting now. I personally am not touching HD or Blu Ray until one wins and the other dies, which may be never. Also the mere thought of re-buying my collection makes me want to kill someone.

And no, the XBOX 360 HD-DVD player will NOT up-convert your normal DVDs...kinda gay I know but what can you do?

[DareDevil]

Originally posted by MisterChristian
Thanks for your brilliant social commentary DareDevil...

no problem :)

Originally posted by OpT!Mu5
Also the mere thought of re-buying my collection makes me want to kill someone.

Couldn't have said it better.

[MisterChristian]

TV is a Samsung 50" DLP, DVD player is a Pioneer 5 disk 5.1 surround sound. First off my HD cable looks amazing so I know its not the tv. I hooked the DVD player to the TV with just the standard A/V cables that came with it. The colors were faded and where there were supposed to be shadows or shading you could just see these huge pixelated bloches. So I went out and bought some component cables and now run the DVD player through the second components but it only looks slightly better. I pretty much decided not to get the upconverter, its not worth it. I mean my DVDs dont look totally like crap, they are watchable. I recently read that the XBox HDDVD player doesnt even use HDMI, so know I'm seriously doubting that route as well.


Ok I assume the TV is a widescreen one and not 4:3

Are you using the component inputs on the back of the TV? (aka the blue, green and red cables)...toss the red, yellow and white crappy cables (aka the audio L/R and video) that come with the player.

If you say HD looks great, but DVDs don't, then there's something wrong with the output on the DVD player or the input on the TV. Try this. Unplug the cables that go into the TV from the HD box an plug them into your DVD player. I'm wondering if maybe your component cables are not very good.

[DarkKnight81]

Originally posted by MisterChristian
Ok I assume the TV is a widescreen one and not 4:3

Are you using the component inputs on the back of the TV? (aka the blue, green and red cables)...toss the red, yellow and white crappy cables (aka the audio L/R and video) that come with the player.

If you say HD looks great, but DVDs don't, then there's something wrong with the output on the DVD player or the input on the TV. Try this. Unplug the cables that go into the TV from the HD box an plug them into your DVD player. I'm wondering if maybe your component cables are not very good.

Well I tried switching the component cables but no luck. I guess I'm just going to have to deal with it. Confirmed that the XBox HD player doesnt convert, so my only choice would be the upconverter, could you explain further why you think they are crap? Have you seen it in person? There is one at Best Buy for $90 that is very tempting.

[willowpez]

I say go for the upconverter. If you're not satisfied with it, just return it. I'm pretty sure (though not positive) that Best Buy would take it back. Otherwise, I'd definitely wait on the HD-DVD/Blu-ray thing because they're just too expensive and too risky right now IMO.

[DarkKnight81]

Originally posted by willowpez
I say go for the upconverter. If you're not satisfied with it, just return it. I'm pretty sure (though not positive) that Best Buy would take it back. Otherwise, I'd definitely wait on the HD-DVD/Blu-ray thing because they're just too expensive and too risky right now IMO.

Looked at the upconverter today and found out it doesnt come with the HDMI cable which is about another $100 for a good one so that doubles the price. No thanks.

[rilocay]

Normal dvd's look crappy cuz of their compression and what not...like in comparison to 720p 1080p..im guessing thats what they mean. It sad when tv broadcasts better quality then dvd's (althought its diff today its not mainstream). Sucks for that. Nowadays illw atch the movie on tv instead of the dvd i have just for the better quiality it is lol.

[KcMsterpce]

Well, it could be a lot of things.
First of all, check out an 'Anamorphic Widescreen', 'Enhanced for 16:9', or 'Enhanced for Widescreen' DVD, which have better video quality. A lot of the older DVDs especially DO look like crap because they're compressed more than an anamorphic, which displays the screen on a NORMAL TV to look stretched vertically, but when played on a widescreen TV it takes a lot of the black bar space and creates more picture, and the TV will then 'squish' it back to fit onto the widescreen TV frame, giving a much better picture.

Also, check what your DVD player menu is set up for. Open your DVD tray and make sure there is no DVD inside, and THEN open the menu on the player. Look for the display settings, and there's probably a sub-menu allowing the option to tell the player what kind of TV you have (16:9 is the typical widescreen TV ratio). Make sure you have the player designated for widescreen TVs.
Some players need the tray to be open when fixing menu options, others just need to have no disc in the drive.

My opinion on upconverters is that it isn't worth it. A DVD player's resolution doesn't usually go above 720x480, so an upconverter won't do much to increase beyond the DVDs max video resolution anyways.

NOTE about "aspect ratios": When a screen is 16:9, it comes out to a 1:78 ratio. If a movie is 1:85 widescreen, then the black bars will be real small on the TV. If a movie is in 2:35 (typically called 'letterbox'), then the black bars will be more prominent. All this is is a ratio of the height of the frame divided by the length. A normal TV is typically 1:33 ratio, meaning that the width is 1.33 times more than the height. So, a 4:3 screen is 4 divided by 3 = 1:33 ratio. A non-widescreen TV. Just posting this is in case you didn't know. ;)
TRIVIA: The reason behind this is that in the olden days, all movies were in 1.33 aspect ratio, and then television was released, showing a big hit in box office receipts because less people went to the movies. This is when letterboxed movies became popularized, with huuuuge screens and epic films with a 2.40 ratio (such as Ben Hur and Spartacus) in efforts to get people off their TVs and back into the theaters.

[DarkKnight81]

Originally posted by KcMsterpce
Well, it could be a lot of things.
First of all, check out an 'Anamorphic Widescreen', 'Enhanced for 16:9', or 'Enhanced for Widescreen' DVD, which have better video quality. A lot of the older DVDs especially DO look like crap because they're compressed more than an anamorphic, which displays the screen on a NORMAL TV to look stretched vertically, but when played on a widescreen TV it takes a lot of the black bar space and creates more picture, and the TV will then 'squish' it back to fit onto the widescreen TV frame, giving a much better picture.

Also, check what your DVD player menu is set up for. Open your DVD tray and make sure there is no DVD inside, and THEN open the menu on the player. Look for the display settings, and there's probably a sub-menu allowing the option to tell the player what kind of TV you have (16:9 is the typical widescreen TV ratio). Make sure you have the player designated for widescreen TVs.
Some players need the tray to be open when fixing menu options, others just need to have no disc in the drive.

My opinion on upconverters is that it isn't worth it. A DVD player's resolution doesn't usually go above 720x480, so an upconverter won't do much to increase beyond the DVDs max video resolution anyways.

NOTE about "aspect ratios": When a screen is 16:9, it comes out to a 1:78 ratio. If a movie is 1:85 widescreen, then the black bars will be real small on the TV. If a movie is in 2:35 (typically called 'letterbox'), then the black bars will be more prominent. All this is is a ratio of the height of the frame divided by the length. A normal TV is typically 1:33 ratio, meaning that the width is 1.33 times more than the height. So, a 4:3 screen is 4 divided by 3 = 1:33 ratio. A non-widescreen TV. Just posting this is in case you didn't know. ;)
TRIVIA: The reason behind this is that in the olden days, all movies were in 1.33 aspect ratio, and then television was released, showing a big hit in box office receipts because less people went to the movies. This is when letterboxed movies became popularized, with huuuuge screens and epic films with a 2.40 ratio (such as Ben Hur and Spartacus) in efforts to get people off their TVs and back into the theaters.

Thanks for the tip Kc, much improved as you can see. I went to the DVD menu and it was in 4:3 so I switched to 16:9. The colors still arent great and its a little grainy but the picture takes up much more of the TV, very little black bars on the top and bottom and it really helps the overall picture. Thanks again for the money saving advice.

Before in 4:3
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m166/shanewilt/dvd2.jpg

After in 16:9
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m166/shanewilt/DVD1.jpg

[KcMsterpce]

Originally posted by DarkKnight81
Thanks for the tip Kc, much improved as you can see. I went to the DVD menu and it was in 4:3 so I switched to 16:9. The colors still arent great and its a little grainy but the picture takes up much more of the TV, very little black bars on the top and bottom and it really helps the overall picture. Thanks again for the money saving advice.


OMG dude the picture quality is A LOT better! Or, it could be you moved the camera for that first shot, and the second time the camera was stable rofl.
I really am surprised at the difference.
Also, your TV is a 50 inch. At that size, the faults of a video display can be much more apparent than if the screen was smaller (of course). Are you sitting a little ways away from the screen? It'll probably look better if you're more than 15 feet away hehehe

As for the colors... probably already attempted, but you'd be surprised how many people I know who DON'T do this:

Adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, and color on your TV. Also try to reduce sharpness - or perhaps change the TV's video mode ("Theater Mode" to like, "TV Mode" or "Game"... a lot of newer TVs have different auto-settings depending on what you're watching and the brightness of the room).

If anything, though, that screen is a lot crisper now.

[DarkKnight81]

Originally posted by KcMsterpce
OMG dude the picture quality is A LOT better! Or, it could be you moved the camera for that first shot, and the second time the camera was stable rofl.
I really am surprised at the difference.
Also, your TV is a 50 inch. At that size, the faults of a video display can be much more apparent than if the screen was smaller (of course). Are you sitting a little ways away from the screen? It'll probably look better if you're more than 15 feet away hehehe

As for the colors... probably already attempted, but you'd be surprised how many people I know who DON'T do this:

Adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, and color on your TV. Also try to reduce sharpness - or perhaps change the TV's video mode ("Theater Mode" to like, "TV Mode" or "Game"... a lot of newer TVs have different auto-settings depending on what you're watching and the brightness of the room).

If anything, though, that screen is a lot crisper now.

I didnt move the camera on purpose but you can tell by the Samsung sign on the bottom of the TV that it may have been a little unstable on the first shot, either way it does look much much better. My couch is about ten feet away from the tv but when I took the picture I was just close enough to get the screen in. I will try adjusting the display and see if I can rid of the dark blotches. But yeah, I'm happy with it now and I didnt have to spend a dime. Best part is that even though the picture is much larger and more clear, I didnt lose anything on the sides as you can see.

[uncle dennis]

a) what exactly makes this way so much better.
b) is this gonna be the new thing? as in will i need to go out and but a new dvd player for these new movies, or will my old school non blue ray dvd suffice the long run.

[Cronos]

blu-ray sucks

[InvaderZim]

well if you believe what the advertisements that come with the movies tell you, then standard DVD plays at about 300,000 pixels on the screen, while high definition DVDs play at close to 2 million.

Now I have the blue a player in the PlayStation 3, and I have the HD player in the Xbox 360. And from what I could tell on my 50 inch HDTV, while blue ray does look better than regular DVD. It doesn't look that much better. It has a lot more grain than HD does and the picture isn't quite as bright. Meanwhile, the HD player for my 360 is so crystal clear and beautiful. My only hope is that more companies get online with HD as it's a better format. Of course that's just my opinion and I'm sure somebody's got to come on here and trash it. But you asked, and so I told. If you're not interested in the PlayStation 3 or the Xbox 360, I recommend not spending the large amount of money it would take to buy a standalone player for each format. Unless of course you're rich and call me as I could use a new Corvette.

[blk_flower]

a lot of my dvds look fantastic on my tv so I'm not into the entire hd or blu ray stuff right now, if for some reason though I decide to move a bit into one of those directions I'll get the hd player for my 360.

[moviedude11]

personally im not buying either until this whole blu ray vs hd dvd stuff subsides

[DarkKnight81]

I own an 1080i HDTV and I've been told to stay away from blur-ray unless I upgrade to 1080p. No thanks, if I go with either it will be HDDVD.

[DareDevil]

Originally posted by Cronos
blu-ray sucks

Nailed it, as does HD.

[bourahioro]

okay... after searching for a half an hour for as many threads with Blu Ray in the title as far back as a year, I've merged them all, there's a thread stuck at the very top reminding people to do a search for thread titles if they think they may have already been posted about before - here's the link for a reminder.

Look before posting (http://www.joblo.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=107308)

[moviedude11]

Originally posted by DareDevil
Nailed it, as does HD.

honestly im starting to feel the same way because its not the price its the fact there cant be one, or at least support for both

[The Postmaster General]

...

[jaw2929]

While I don't think Blu-Ray sucks, I don't have any desire to upgrade my collection to them.

I will wait until DVD is completely obsolete to buy any, to be honest. I think DVD's still got a long way to go before it's phased out altogether.

Having said that, I will not be buying the same movies I've got on DVD on Blu-Ray. I've spend enough fucking money as it is! I will just pick up Blu-Ray's from there, once DVD is gone.

Unfortunately the future is headed toward streaming video. Being a collector myself, I don't particularly care for the concept honestly. So long as either DVD or Blu-Ray's are being released for new movies in the foreseeable future, that's all I am concerned with.

[oh-dae-su]

I don't completely buy Blu-Ray's selling point, the only reason I have a Blu-Ray player is because I had some REALLY bad surgery last April but before then, I happily owned a DVD/VHS 2 in 1 player. Hell, I even had a laser disc player (which I still use, thank you very much.) I have some Blu-Rays for the hell of it and I've boughten a couple of Blu-Ray sets (LOTR, Star Wars, Back to the Future etc.) but the fact is, I've been collecting DVD since there was a DVD and even if DVD becomes obsolete, I'll still be buying it because I would never see something like Monsters Crash the Pajama Party or Evil Ed on Blu-Ray. A leap in entertainment can apply to video games and home entertainment. I can play Final Fantasy III (6) on a cartridge, then I can play Final Fantasy 7 on a disc, there's a leap both in terms of the game, and hardware of the game, they jumped from a cartridge to a digital disc. I can watch Straw Dogs on a VHS and get some deterioration, or I can watch it on a nice compact disc with no deterioration. Here's how my collection currently stands for all platforms.

DVDS: 566
VHS: 32
LAZER-DISCS: 8
BLU-RAYS: 13

I'm not in the slightest rush to upgrade, fuck, I'm still buying new VHS' online.

As for if digital streaming, I don't think it'll be the future, people wanna own the hardware. A great example was the Star Wars Blu-Ray set. those things sold like hot cakes! I'd rather have the actual copy in my hand then look at it through a computer monitor. Isn't part of the fun of getting a Criterion the goodies inside? A nice big booklet to read and two or more discs in a nice big box, I'd rather do that than just look at the box.

I can't see the future but all I know is that my future for now is to not automatically jump onto whatever platform is new, current and hot, I ain't gonna stop collecting DVDs & VHSs until the day I die.

[jaw2929]

VHS's and Laser Discs eh?

You must go for the really rare shit on those formats, right? Or not... Just thought I'd ask!

[oh-dae-su]

VHS's and Laser Discs eh?

You must go for the really rare shit on those formats, right? Or not... Just thought I'd ask!

I wouldn't really consider either very rare, but I never originally intended to collect either. I was born in '89 and as a small child, I would just look at the covers for VHSs and Lazer-Discs. Of course, around early 90s-ish, Lazer-Disc was dead and VHS was the main choice. As I got older and was starting to become interested in movies, my dad basically gave me his VHS/Lazer-Disc collection. From there, I just started collected on my own but DVD was my own choice.

[jaw2929]

Right on, that's cool man. It's always nice to inherit or get a collection passed down. Gives ya more motivation to keep it going and add to it.

DVD's still got a long while to go before they're extinct, I feel. Blu-Ray's are very popular and are becoming more & more affordable -But- I don't believe the difference between DVD & Blu-Ray is equivalent to that of VHS to DVD. If you've got an upcaling DVD player hooked to an HDTV with an HDMI cord, the picture isn't a WHOLE lot different. The SOUND is where Blu-Ray beats DVD IMO.

But to me, if a movie is good - I won't give a shit that it looks that much more crisper on Blu-Ray as opposed to DVD. If a movie's acting/plot/director, etc. are interesting/good then I could care less about the difference between the two formats.

[oh-dae-su]

I'm glad Blu-Rays are becoming a lot cheaper (as cheap as $5) but as good as they look, I only notice it's quality when I first start watching the movie, from there, I'm not really focusing on how the movie looks as much as I'm just trying to watch the movie. But then again, the movies do look nice on my 1080p HD TV so, there is that. But at the same time, unless it's a movie I love, I don't feel the need to get a better edition that may just be new features and enhanced quality but again, they do look pretty damn good.