Audioholics bias towards HD DVD?

[stratman]

This is just another chapter in the glorious world of A/V! Hopefully for the early adopters it wont turn into 8-Track, Betamax, Vinyl, MiniDisc, LaserDisc, cassette, SACD and any other dead or dying format you can think of. As for the original post, Clint and company, from the begininng have stated that both formats are doomed and at best one will become a niche untill eaten by the next "big thing" coming down the pike. I happen to agree with this scenario and decide not to adopt, I was burned once by several of the formats mentioned above, so I refuse to early adopt any longer.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I was burned once ...

Hey, cosmetic surgery has come a long way since Betamax

I had a good collection of VHS LD, DVD, but, that is the price of participating in an ever changing market. I have also changed some of the clothing but now tend not to as much
Besides, cavemen have tough skins.

 

[Gasman]

How's this for bias. http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37344

Sony has always tried to get one over on the consumer.
With all the millions they have spent on security, yet the security has shown time after time, that it will be broken within a week.

 

[Alamar]

IMHO [that I've stated too often recently] both HD & the Blu camps haven't done customers any favors.

As for the AH staff seeming to favor HD or Blu I do think they lean that way too much BUT if that's their real opinion based on objective info then I'm all for the bias .... Why would I trust a review site that "loves everything"??????

 

[Geno]

Being a few years older than most on this forum, I've been burned several times (anyone wanna buy a Elcasette?). I presently own an awfully nice Standard-Def DVD player and about 200 discs. They look just great to me, even after seeing BD and HD-DVD. The Next Big Thing (after the BD/HDDVD debacle) is going to have to be a quantum leap over this one to make me pony up for the next format change.
Harrumph

 

[fmw]

I think it is all a matter of perspective. My early adoption of both formats was to allow me to watch the rented movies I wanted to watch in HD. I spent $700 on the two machines. My assumption was that I would buy the units, watch the movies I wanted to watch and sell the players for about half that or so. End of project. The net cost for the equipment should be equivalent to about a week and half's worth of groceries. So far so good. I've watched most of the ones that interested me and I can sell out any time I want.

Toys like consumer electronics aren't an investment. They represent a cost for a hobby. You just determine the cost and the benefit and decide if it fits your program. Worrying about who will win a war or how long you will find the equipment useful becomes pretty meaningless if you view it that way. We all want the best value for the money we spend. It is just a matter of defining the value for yourself.

I recently gave my last VHS machine to St. Vincent De Paul yesterday along with some other stuff. I got many years of use from a machine that I haven't used in years. What me, worry?

 

[GlocksRock]

I think fmw summed it up pretty well... and I agree.

 

[davidtwotrees]

I think fmw summed it up pretty well... and I agree.

I hadn't thought of it like that and Glocks is right that FMW put it just so. I like that philosophy......and will apply it to sacd/dvda, the only "format war" I have ever been involved in, or that mattered to me.

I think we all just want the best quality we can get for our systems and it is EXTREMLY frustrating that the general public always chooses price first, leaving those who care about quality high and dry.

 

[gus6464]

I am biased towards BD. But that's only because I own both players and BD discs are always cheaper. I would rather pay $200 more up front than $5 more over and over in the course of 10 years. But I guess no one takes into account that aspect of the war. That is of course taking into consideration that the prices between the two move the same way.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I told 5 different guys at work about the $99 Wal-Mart & Best Buy HD DVD sale last time, and none of them even cared. I wondered if they care if the prices were $50?

Let's face it. Most people are just not audio/videophiles. DVDs are good enough for them. I don't think the HD market/war will be determined by the majority at all. It is being determined by few audio/videophiles who are the only ones who even care.

That's why I think BD & HD DVD will co-exist, just like SACD & DVD-A, and X-Box & PS3.

 

[GlocksRock]

after watching the superbit Spiderman 2 upscaled on my HD DVD player, then watching the Bluray version of Spiderman 3 on my PS3, I thought the SB ver. of Spiderman 2 looked extremely good, almost HD... so after seeing that kind of quality, I can see why most people are satisfied with SD DVD, but then some discs look like total garbage. I have a copy of Days Of Thunder on DVD and it's the worst video I've ever seen, it's blurry as can be.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

after watching the superbit Spiderman 2 upscaled on my HD DVD player, then watching the Bluray version of Spiderman 3 on my PS3, I thought the SB ver. of Spiderman 2 looked extremely good, almost HD... so after seeing that kind of quality, I can see why most people are satisfied with SD DVD, but then some discs look like total garbage. I have a copy of Days Of Thunder on DVD and it's the worst video I've ever seen, it's blurry as can be.

(Standard) DVDs that look great show what the medium itself is capable of. Those that don't suffer from poor mastering, and wont look any better in high def unless they are remastered, which would greatly improve the standard version as well.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

after watching the superbit Spiderman 2 upscaled on my HD DVD player, then watching the Bluray version of Spiderman 3 on my PS3, I thought the SB ver. of Spiderman 2 looked extremely good, almost HD... so after seeing that kind of quality, I can see why most people are satisfied with SD DVD, but then some discs look like total garbage. I have a copy of Days Of Thunder on DVD and it's the worst video I've ever seen, it's blurry as can be.

You know what the reason is, don't you?
Practically all the new DVDs now are DOUBLE LAYER--a lot more bits compared to the older DVDs---2 hrs on 4 GB.
A prestine 2 hr movie on 8 GB looks great, especially upscaled to 1080.

 

[GlocksRock]

I've seen some good single layer movies... But the current SD medium is a still not bad if it's done right, and that is the problem, many studios don't take the time to do the job right the first time.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I recently gave my last VHS machine to St. Vincent De Paul yesterday along with some other stuff. I got many years of use from a machine that I haven't used in years. What me, worry?

That's about my feeling as well. I got rid of vinyl many years ago so somebody can enjoy them at least I also got rid of an open reel tape deck, my older Toyota Celica many years ago and on it goes. Now to get rid of the current car that gets 40mpg but is old I still use my VHS to record some programs. Plenty good for a 27" CRT but its days are numbered as well.
Unfortunately, things do have a life as these are not collectibles nor good antiques. What, me worry?

 

[mtrycrafts]

The Next Big Thing (after the BD/HDDVD debacle) is going to have to be a quantum leap over this one to make me pony up for the next format change.

Well, not sure what that might be as the resolutions are about at its limits for the size and distance of viewing them. Perhaps the storage medium going solid state plug in?

 

[mtrycrafts]

...and it is EXTREMLY frustrating that the general public always chooses price first, leaving those who care about quality high and dry.

Well, that is why they are the general public. But, if you can afford things beyond the 'general public' range, there should be a supplier to meet your needs. There are art pieces that the general public buys then are those who pay millions.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Okay, what was the original post again?
Ah, that we love HD DVD and hate blu-ray?
Well, I just want to go on record & say that I hate HD DVD & love Blu-ray.
I only watch HD DVD if the movie doesn't come available on blu-ray. There.

I know this is kind of weird, but I'm glad the public doesn't know or care much about blu-ray & HD DVD. I feel like I'm on this list of Elite HD group. I don't care about the mass market or general public's apathy for HD. As long as I have my blu-ray & hd dvd, I'm happy. The general public can watch SD DVD or VHS tapes for another 100 years for all I care.

 

[GlocksRock]

I hope more people jump on the HD bandwagon if for no other reason than it will create more demand. Once there is more demand, we can see some competition, then prices can fall even more.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I hope more people jump on the HD bandwagon if for no other reason than it will create more demand. Once there is more demand, we can see some competition, then prices can fall even more.

But don't you already own both blu-ray & HD DVD?

It would be nice if everyone jumped on the HD wagon, but I think I have given up on them.

Time to enjoy today, not wait.