The Blu-ray and HDDVD thread

Zippy · Post by **Zippy** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 4:17 pm 0

I will only upgrade what I conscider to be classic films in my collection, and I will only do that if they havn't filled the discs with shi* instead of supplying the film I wanted in higher definition. This mistake happened with DVD, all they did was give you an average quality copy of the film and fill the extra space on the disk with rubbish and outakes you wern't interested in

Phineasfool · Post by **Phineasfool** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 5:16 pm 0

I recently got both a PS3 and the HD-DVD add-on for the 360. I just wish I had been able to snag the add-on a few weeks before when Best Buy were including the first season of Heroes on HD-DVD for free when you bought the add-on.

So far I think I prefer the PS3 as a player over the 360 add-on, although it isn't bad either. Just need some more movies on Blu-ray as I have 6 for HD-DVD and 3 for Blu-ray. Waiting on my 5 free movies from each side. Although the selection wasn't that great for the free movies, but guess I can't complain too much when they are free.

HGFB · Post by **HGFB** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:11 am 0

I don't know how highstreet shops dare complain that online is eating their business. I'm the sort of customer they want. The sort that will go out of my way to pay more if I can get something quicker. Especially when it's something that's already overpriced and hard to sell.

I went in HMV and Virgin this morning to buy a copy of Life of Brian on Blu-Ray. Not only did neither shop have any copies (It's out today) but neither even had it on order.

So it's off to Play.com for me.

Darkflame · Post by **Darkflame** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 2:09 pm 0

720p on my pc ver downloads is plenty good for me.
I then pay for any old discs just to make sure the creators get something.
That is all.

HGFB · Post by **HGFB** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 3:39 pm 0

Blu-ray seems to be winning in Europe

http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news. ... lion.phtml

These guys need to be gagged and shot through the throat though

Bob Chapek, worldwide president, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment:

"Blu-ray will inevitably prevail because Blu-ray delivers what consumers want: True High Definition picture without compromise, the best sound quality, the best choice in content, the most in special features, and of course the most disc storage capacity. No tradeoffs. No compromises."

Mike Dunn, worldwide president, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment:

"I think European consumers realize the future is 'Blu.' The certainty that Blu-ray will be the successor to DVD boils down to one simple truth: Blu-ray technology is just better. It was created as a new format with plenty of room ready to serve movies, music, gaming and computing - and sometimes all four at once. Having nearly 70 per cent more capacity on a Blu-ray disc, compared to a HD DVD disc, makes Blu-ray 'future proof' and allows for unbridled creativity as new interactive features evolve."

benedictw · Post by **benedictw** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 4:08 pm 0

I'm still unconvinced that either format will gain any traction. DVD is too strong and my belief is that HD-Discs (any flavour) will get snuffed out by digital distribution.

HGFB · Post by **HGFB** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 4:11 pm 0

I hope not. When it comes to movies and TV I'd much rather have the physical disk. Especially when most people in this country have bandwidth caps.

WiteWulf · Post by **WiteWulf** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 4:19 pm 0

Abso-fecking-lutely.....the cluesless tards in government are still convinced that the future of HDTV in the UK lies with the Internet. My guess is the people making these decisions are somehow lucky enough to have symmetrical, uncontended, high-bandwidth, low-latency Internet connections at home and don't understand the shit state that the non-academic Internet is in right now in the UK.

And don't even get me started on the waste if time, money and spectrum that is dvb-h

GBH · Post by **GBH** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 6:39 pm 0

I'm PRAYING Bluray will fail for so many reasons. The main ones being DRM (Bluray have region encoding and that god awful java interpreter shit) and the fact that Sony are pretty evil with their formats and fucking over consumers.

Sony's biggest problem in getting Bluray is that they're still losing money as Blueray is still damn expensive and Toshiba seems, for the moment, to have almost bottomless pockets for promoting HDDVD. It is rumoured Tosh paid Paramount almost $150 million to go HDDVD exclusive. They're also already starting to push out OEM boxes and I'd venture that by this time next year, you'll have sub Â£50 HDDVD boxes.

Anyway, who knows is the answer...

As for Freesat - don't forget Channel 4 have commited in HD and Five in SD as soon as their Sky contracts end. IF (and its a big if) they get Freesat out in the spring, I think finally Sky will start to get some serious competition. Even funnier is that you'll be able to use Sky dishes as they are and just swop the box over. My word I bet Sky are sore about that...

G

HGFB · Post by **HGFB** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 7:11 pm 0

When I sit down and watch disks like Blade Runner in glorious HD it makes me glad to be an early adopter. It's good. 2001 good.

pogo · Post by **pogo** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 7:27 pm 0

GBH wrote:I'm PRAYING Bluray will fail for so many reasons. The main ones being DRM (Bluray have region encoding and that god awful java interpreter shit) and the fact that Sony are pretty evil with their formats and fucking over consumers.

Sony's biggest problem in getting Bluray is that they're still losing money as Blueray is still damn expensive and Toshiba seems, for the moment, to have almost bottomless pockets for promoting HDDVD. It is rumoured Tosh paid Paramount almost $150 million to go HDDVD exclusive. They're also already starting to push out OEM boxes and I'd venture that by this time next year, you'll have sub Â£50 HDDVD boxes.

Region encoding and DRM didn't harm DVD - quite the opposite - so it won't harm Blu-Ray. As for the profitability of Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD, I doubt either company is making money on their players. Certainly Toshiba is taking a big hit offering their players for as little as $99 recently, while the $150 million, $300 for every HD-DVD player sold, hasn't reversed or even dented Blu-Ray's lead.

As for Freesat - don't forget Channel 4 have commited in HD and Five in SD as soon as their Sky contracts end. IF (and its a big if) they get Freesat out in the spring, I think finally Sky will start to get some serious competition. Even funnier is that you'll be able to use Sky dishes as they are and just swop the box over. My word I bet Sky are sore about that...

I don't think Shy have much to worry about. Their main draw is exclusive content, in particular sport, and those rights will only grow more valuable with HD. It's possible the government will one day break up the cartel of Premiership clubs selling TV rights, but until they do Sky will be unassailable. And they are profitable enough that they can buy up other rights, to shows like Lost, 24, BSG, to stop other channels becoming too attractive.

Arthur Ringworn · Post by **Arthur Ringworn** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 7:56 pm 0

Wow, I had no idea that HD Freesat was on the cards so soon, excellent news.
As for the disks, I'm more of a borrower than a collector, so it's not going to be an issue until my chums & colleagues upgrade to HD. I'm not going to hold by breath for that!

pogo · Post by **pogo** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:05 pm 0

Have to state my interest here. I'm sitting on the sidelines debating what to get, having neither sort of player or next-gen console, nor a PC that can play HD disks.

I need a new TV, so will probably get one in the new year. Then what sort of player I get depends on what's available then. Possibly one or both consoles eventually, but I'm hoping the market for standalone players will really take off in 2008, with the first announcements at CES. We may e.g. see the first cheap dual format players announced, so I can opt out of the format wars and get a Wii instead (I assume they will stop being in short supply next year).

Then there's Macworld, as I've been very surprised Apple haven't so far made any announcements, about HD disk playback and authoring. They already have the authoring software, sell Macs and screens with 1080p screens, and even have a HD-Ready set top box. So e.g. if they add a Blu-Ray drive to the hard-drive and Wifi capable Apple TV and I'll be one of the first in the line for one, while I don't need a new Mac but would be sorely tempted by a MacBook with HD drive and screen.

Dio · Post by **Dio** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:44 pm 0

pogo wrote:Region encoding and DRM didn't harm DVD - quite the opposite

I don't think the DRM did, but region encoding is just an idiotic speedhump.

One could argue it serves its purpose; anyone who really wants to can get round it, while most people don't even know it exists and don't care - but the whole thing smacks of control-freakery that I think proves counterproductive.

Too many people are learning to download movies simply because you can't buy them here yet - it might be better to encourage people not to be pirates in the first place.

They're in danger of doing the same thing with unskippable cutscenes, by making the download copy more attractive than the original. Friends of ours have a kids DVD with five minutes of unskippable shite on the beginning. By the time the film's started, the kids have lost interest. Ripping the bugger is the only solution.

Kamineko · Post by **Kamineko** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:50 pm 0

They should look at an alternative player, also.