Blu Ray / HD DVD combo player and disc

[Buckle-meister]

Regular DVD isn't going away for many, many, many years. Most people will stick with that is my guess. Remember, you and I aren't "average Joes". We are A/V enthusiasts. Go ask 5 random people what they know about Blu-ray and HD-DVD. When 3 or 4 of them can give you an intelligent answer, then you will know that these formats will succeed. We are a long way from that day arriving.

I absolutely agree!

You need to sit down to watch a movie, not so with audio. Families just don't sit down to listen to 5.1 DVD-a/SACD as they do movies.

It's interesting though that trying to recreate sound in your head from a silent movie cannot be achieved with anything like the realism that recreating a picture in your head from audio only (such as radio) can be.

I've said it before; people have no idea just how important they consider audio to be to them.

TV is going HD, mandated. Do you really want to watch lo-def video on it?

Well, I wouldn't say lo-def...just, not so hi-def.

 

[j_garcia]

With more broadcast going HD (slowly though for sure...) I think one or both of the high def formats will be around to stay. It is more likely to catch on than SACD/DVD-A, since many people STILL don't know what they are. I asked for a specific SACD from an employee at Best Buy and she said "what's an SACD?" Personally, the main thing about the new digital displays pretty much comes down to weight and physical size. I currently use a CRT (34" 16:9). I could have bought a slightly larger digital display for just a little more, but looking at the quality of the two, the CRT was easily the better picture and I don't regret that at all except when we recently had to MOVE all 220lbs of that TV down from the third floor Now that I have an even larger room than before, I may need to step up in size a bit, and LCD is likely where I will be headed (waiting for LED backlight).

 

[captain_tinker]

Folks,
I just had a thought on this format war and whether or not the HD Discs on either side will ever really get off the ground. I remember when DVD's were just coming out. I think there was a lot of the same kind of wondering if this would take off or not. If I remember correctly, and please correct me if I am wrong, I think that what happened was that the companies began to mass produce the content and rental stores began to carry the new DVD more than the old VHS tapes, and stores began to offer the DVD's instead of the VHS tapes, and VCR's were quickly removed from store shelves, so it pretty much jumpstarted the DVD revolution, didn't it? I would think that if the people in charge really wanted for the HD discs to become ubiquitous and "take off" as we keep saying, that's probably all they need to do is to flood the market with one thing and force stores to remove the old DVD's, and everyone would think, "Oh, DVD's are so last decade... let's upgrade everything, the same way we did with our VHS."

I dunno, what do you think?

-capT

 

[stratman]

Market forces Capt', market forces,

We're seeing it right now with plasmas, 24 months ago "they" were saying that plasmas was for the "rich folks" lo and behold everywhere you go today someone has a plasma or an lcd.

 

[racquetman]

Folks,
I just had a thought on this format war and whether or not the HD Discs on either side will ever really get off the ground. I remember when DVD's were just coming out. I think there was a lot of the same kind of wondering if this would take off or not. If I remember correctly, and please correct me if I am wrong, I think that what happened was that the companies began to mass produce the content and rental stores began to carry the new DVD more than the old VHS tapes, and stores began to offer the DVD's instead of the VHS tapes, and VCR's were quickly removed from store shelves, so it pretty much jumpstarted the DVD revolution, didn't it? I would think that if the people in charge really wanted for the HD discs to become ubiquitous and "take off" as we keep saying, that's probably all they need to do is to flood the market with one thing and force stores to remove the old DVD's, and everyone would think, "Oh, DVD's are so last decade... let's upgrade everything, the same way we did with our VHS."

I dunno, what do you think?

-capT

I would say DVD took off because of the major improvement in video quality over VHS along with the cool surround sound factor. People love surround sound. That was and continues to be a huge factor why people are buying DVDs. Look at the crazy number of HTIBs that are selling like hot cakes.

High def formats don't have that advantage. As we know, people, in general, don't care about sound quality. If the high def formats advertise their "superior sound" they won't attract too many new buyers.

What is the advice everyone keeps giving about these new formats? I keep hearing, "wait until a clear winner emerges before you buy one of the formats". Well, if a combo player comes along there may not be a clear winner for a very long time if at all.

DVD took years to catch on. I remember buying a player in 1999. It was 2 or 3 years after that before it really started catching on big time. Don't expect high def to be any faster.

I would love it if these formats took off!! The higher the quality the more enjoyable the viewing experience as far as I'm concerned. I'm just not going to get my hopes up. I believe I understand the average consumer quite well, and I don't see much progress in the near future for high def DVDs.

The one exception that could get the ball rolling (in my opinion) is if next holiday season there is no new cool item to buy and someone decides that a high def DVD player is the toy that everyone must have. Since we don't have to worry about any new video game systems for Christmas 2007, I'm hoping this scenario takes place. We'll see.

 

[j_garcia]

I agree, DVD was not just a marginal improvement over VHS, it was a HUGE one in both audio and video. Going from ProLogic to Dolby Digital was massive. There was no questioning it. I bought my first DVD player in 98 when there were only 2 places that carried DVDs and there were very few titles available, but those titles were WORTH it to own.

With the new formats, I think people hold off because the difference, while there, is not so dramatic that the average person is willing to fork over the cash. Not to mention the selection of titles has really kept me out of it too. Most of what is on BD just aren't something I need to own when I can get any of them for less on DVD and still be happy with them. When Disney starts releasing the Pixar movies and Disney Classics on BD, THEN things will start picking up....

Nobody can deny that PORN also drove DVD sales considerably.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Folks,
I just had a thought on this format war and whether or not the HD Discs on either side will ever really get off the ground. I remember when DVD's were just coming out. I think there was a lot of the same kind of wondering if this would take off or not. If I remember correctly, and please correct me if I am wrong, I think that what happened was that the companies began to mass produce the content and rental stores began to carry the new DVD more than the old VHS tapes, and stores began to offer the DVD's instead of the VHS tapes, and VCR's were quickly removed from store shelves, so it pretty much jumpstarted the DVD revolution, didn't it? I would think that if the people in charge really wanted for the HD discs to become ubiquitous and "take off" as we keep saying, that's probably all they need to do is to flood the market with one thing and force stores to remove the old DVD's, and everyone would think, "Oh, DVD's are so last decade... let's upgrade everything, the same way we did with our VHS."

I dunno, what do you think?

-capT

When DVDs came out, the war that I saw was not between it and VHS but with the 12" laser discs. You should have seen some of the message boards

While DVDs will be around for a while, as was the laser disc was, it will be history in time giving way to HD and after that to some more convenient system, a chip? A crystal?

 

[mtrycrafts]

I agree, DVD was not just a marginal improvement over VHS, it was a HUGE one in both audio and video. Going from ProLogic to Dolby Digital was massive. There was no questioning it. I bought my first DVD player in 98 when there were only 2 places that carried DVDs and there were very few titles available, but those titles were WORTH it to own.

With the new formats, I think people hold off because the difference, while there, is not so dramatic that the average person is willing to fork over the cash. Not to mention the selection of titles has really kept me out of it too. Most of what is on BD just aren't something I need to own when I can get any of them for less on DVD and still be happy with them. When Disney starts releasing the Pixar movies and Disney Classics on BD, THEN things will start picking up....

Nobody can deny that PORN also drove DVD sales considerably.

Yes, but LD was out with DVD equivalent quality and DD surround. Its size was an issue that DVD had an advantage.
However, when the market saturates with the HD TV sets, the DVD will be thought of the same as VHS was, low quality.

DVD had the same issue when it came out, not enough titles, a chicken or the egg issue
With a universal player, we don't have to get both unlike choose one and forgo the other labels. Sure, it will not be a rocket ship takeoff but certainly a bigger increase than where it is now. And, with production quantity, prices will drop as the the DVD players over time did too.

 

[HookedOnSound]

Is anybody not confused?

This dual format technology is great but there comes a point when too many choices are distracting and confusing.

HDMI protocols being revised almost yearly isn't helping the matter either. Imho, this will force people to do "forklift" upgrades to their systems in order to achieve some "half-loose" compatibility standards to make sure everything inter-operates properly at the expense of compromising with budgets and features.

HD will be adopted but not before unfuriating some early-adopters and certainly not at the pace that research analyst had initially anticipated.

Just my 2 cents.

Happy New Year!

 

[racquetman]

However, when the market saturates with the HD TV sets, the DVD will be thought of the same as VHS was, low quality.

That's going to be completely up to the studios I think. If they stay greedy (which you know they will), you can bet a lot of the older movies won't get digitally "cleaned up" like they should to make them shine in HD.

 

[stratman]

That's going to be completely up to the studios I think. If they stay greedy (which you know they will), you can bet a lot of the older movies won't get digitally "cleaned up" like they should to make them shine in HD.

I don't know, they're doing the oldies, for instance Forbidden Planet, both in hi-def and restored and upgraded to 5.1. They're giving consumers more reasons to double dip. Or in some cases triple-dip.

 

[mtrycrafts]

That's going to be completely up to the studios I think. If they stay greedy (which you know they will), you can bet a lot of the older movies won't get digitally "cleaned up" like they should to make them shine in HD.

Yes again, but, as time marches on, all the new movies will be on some hi def format. and the diehards will just suffer through some of those oldies but goodies video on low def

 

[mtrycrafts]

I want it now !!!

LG Combo player

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/Engnews/20070104/660000000020070104110044E0.html

http://blogs.pcworld.com/staffblog/archives/003408.html

Warner combo discs

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/04/technology/04video.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin

woohoo!

Was able to check the pj with one of those game boxes with ext HD-DVD attachment, T3, wow, even with a 1080p deinterlace and back to 1080p, I cannot wait for it, got to have it.

 

[mike c]

pics and price ... I'll let you read the article to discover the price ... guess they were reading my mind.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/07/live-coverage-of-lgs-press-event/

 

[stratman]

Hey Mike,

Thanks!! Man, like I said before this is the proverbial nail on the casket of the format "war." You know LG will license the tech to other manufacturers, it makes sense investment wise. And wait till China gets a hold of one...I give the format "war" till end of summer!

 

[mtrycrafts]

pics and price ... I'll let you read the article to discover the price ... guess they were reading my mind.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/07/live-coverage-of-lgs-press-event/

That is interesting indeed. A bit pricey, but cheaper than 2, or missing out on one whole segment of the DVD software

Did I miss the coax out for DD? Only optical?

 

[dpnaugle]

I for one don't really care who wins or if in fact there is ever a winner. As long as my HD A2 plays CD's, DVD's and HD DVD for the next 2 or 3 years with out breaking I'll be happy. By then I'm sure the next new thing will have captured the envy of all of us.

DN

 

[mike c]

maybe to the left of the HDMI for optical ... dunno blurry pic
or is the orange RCA coaxial?

 

[mtrycrafts]

maybe to the left of the HDMI for optical ... dunno blurry pic
or is the orange RCA coaxial?

Could be. Don't follow all those color codes, except the component
But, I think I will wait a bit longer

 

[mtrycrafts]

By then I'm sure the next new thing will have captured the envy of all of us.

DN

The video standard is set and don't see TV video increasing beyond 1080p anytime soon, or in my lifetime
So, the only thing I see is software storage changes from that Cd size disc.

What will you do with movies that are only on blu-ray? Just be satisfied with its lo-def DVD counterpart?