C
ctribble
Junior Audioholic
Does anybody know when DVD's will be offered with High Def? Am I going to need a special dvd player?
C>T
C>T
"Let our rigorous testing and reviews be your guidelines to A/V equipment – not marketing slogans"
M
Mort Corey
Senior Audioholic
No (supposedly by 12/05) and without a doubt 
Mort
Mort
D
djoxygen
Full Audioholic
To clarify,
there are 2 high-definition delivery systems schedulued for launch by the end of 2005. HD-DVD and Blu-Ray. The program material on them will be identical as they both support the same set of encoding/compression systems. The hardware part of both are similar, but Blu-Ray has higher data density, so BD-ROM discs can hold more of that program material than HD-DVD.
Despite the similarity in name (for HD-DVD) and appearance (both will be the same size as current CDs and DVDs) the physical properties of both formats is quite different from DVD. It is almost a certainty that HD-DVD and Blu-Ray players will support earlier formats (DVD, CD-Audio, etc...) and there's a small chance that someone will build a player to handle HD-DVD and Blu-Ray in the same box, but nothing currently available will play these future formats.
there are 2 high-definition delivery systems schedulued for launch by the end of 2005. HD-DVD and Blu-Ray. The program material on them will be identical as they both support the same set of encoding/compression systems. The hardware part of both are similar, but Blu-Ray has higher data density, so BD-ROM discs can hold more of that program material than HD-DVD.
Despite the similarity in name (for HD-DVD) and appearance (both will be the same size as current CDs and DVDs) the physical properties of both formats is quite different from DVD. It is almost a certainty that HD-DVD and Blu-Ray players will support earlier formats (DVD, CD-Audio, etc...) and there's a small chance that someone will build a player to handle HD-DVD and Blu-Ray in the same box, but nothing currently available will play these future formats.
Duffinator
Audioholic Field Marshall
Evertything I've read is saying HD-DVD for "Christmas 2005", whatever that means to you. BD-DVD (blu-ray disc) is scheduled for first quarter 2006. Both formats should look pretty much the same on a 1080P capable display but the BD machines use a more sophiscated blue laser (read more expensive). Both formats should be backwards compatible with current DVD and CD formats. This is going to be an ugly battle between the two camps that us consumers will pay for.
The HD format is more cost effective and should prove to be on the market sooner. While BD is more sophiscated technology and will cost more. I'm torn between the two formats. I'd like to see it as soon as possible and as affordable as possible which means HD. But I also want the best technology so it won't have to be upgraded in a few years so that means BD.
I believe the movie studios will ultimately decide the format and not the consumers or electronics manufacturers. They are pi55ing in their pants about how easy and cheaply people are able to copy the current format DVD's and are rushing to get the new format out as the encryption will be much harder to break. Having seen how easy it is to use DVD Shrink I can't say I blame them.
The HD format is more cost effective and should prove to be on the market sooner. While BD is more sophiscated technology and will cost more. I'm torn between the two formats. I'd like to see it as soon as possible and as affordable as possible which means HD. But I also want the best technology so it won't have to be upgraded in a few years so that means BD.
I believe the movie studios will ultimately decide the format and not the consumers or electronics manufacturers. They are pi55ing in their pants about how easy and cheaply people are able to copy the current format DVD's and are rushing to get the new format out as the encryption will be much harder to break. Having seen how easy it is to use DVD Shrink I can't say I blame them.
Vancouver
Full Audioholic
1080p Capible displayed? Man I feel a lot of people could launch a class action law suite against every futureshop, best buy etc out there. I have heard to many times that "HDTV" is the future and buying a current HD set will prepare you for the future. Well HDTV isnt even fully here yet (at least not in abundance) and already by end of 05 all the HDTV's out there will need to be upgraded to be compatible with 1080p.
Rob Babcock
Moderator
I don't think that's necessarily the case- the amount of 1080p material may be pretty limited. Your current HD set should be just fine.
I share you guys' concerns about the looming format war. I'm the quintessential early adopter, but I think I might just have to wait this one out. Normally I want the new stuff ASAP, but honestly I'm in no rush this time. Blu-ray seems to me to be the superior format, although the somewhat higher cost is an issue. Not so much for the hardware but for the media. I've read that the BR-D media will cost more. Since consumers are used to paying $10-20 for DVDs, any format with $30-40 discs won't have a prayer.
Whichever one survives has a very good chance of being the last optical format to be widely used, I think. Other technologies are nipping at laser/optical's heels. I sure do hope they get this one right.
I share you guys' concerns about the looming format war. I'm the quintessential early adopter, but I think I might just have to wait this one out. Normally I want the new stuff ASAP, but honestly I'm in no rush this time. Blu-ray seems to me to be the superior format, although the somewhat higher cost is an issue. Not so much for the hardware but for the media. I've read that the BR-D media will cost more. Since consumers are used to paying $10-20 for DVDs, any format with $30-40 discs won't have a prayer.
Whichever one survives has a very good chance of being the last optical format to be widely used, I think. Other technologies are nipping at laser/optical's heels. I sure do hope they get this one right.
Francious70
Senior Audioholic
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Grey Ghost
Audioholic Intern
You guys are forgeting this company www.nmen.net. HD players and disc up to 100 gig of storage off of RED laser technology. Blue light technology if I am correct reflects light differently than Red light meaning it can read a smaller pitch than Red light. This is NO way increases so called quality it just means you can put more information on a disc. With New Medium Enterprises new disc and drives they have figured out how to use Red light technology with multiple layers without cross talk. HD DVD and Blue Ray better watch their *** for this company. They are saying that HD players which will play all exsisting formats will only be $250 per player and the disc will be right at the same cost as a DVD today.....Will be out by the end of next year! Blue light step over RED LIGHT IS BACK! They are expected to launch a large media campain in January of 2005! Just around the corner!
Grey Ghost
Grey Ghost
Francious70
Senior Audioholic
But with more storage comes better quality, higher bit rate compressions and what not. Maybe no compression at all. That would be sweet.
Paul
Paul
Rob Babcock
Moderator
Not exactly true, Ghost. Blue lasers have a shorter wavelength- that's what enables them to read smaller pits. I don't know which format will ultimately win out, but I do think Blu-ray is technically superior to all the red laser formats. They mostly rely on more efficient data compression, ie cramming more data into less space. Blu-ray provides more disc space to begin with. But the winner won't necessarily be the one with the best engineering. The VHS vs Beta war showed us that. The winner will get to market early with a good product, a great selection of movies, and good marketing.
One nice thing about HD-DVD, aside from the lower cost, is that they've already adopted MLP as part of the audio standard. This means music video discs can have full quality Hi Def video alongside a full-res 24/96 soundtrack. Blu-ray technically could also use MLP, but somehow I don't see this happening, since Sony's DSD/SACD is a competitor of MLP. Sony has stated they're still deciding what the audio standards will be for Blu-ray but say it "may include" lossless codecs.
One nice thing about HD-DVD, aside from the lower cost, is that they've already adopted MLP as part of the audio standard. This means music video discs can have full quality Hi Def video alongside a full-res 24/96 soundtrack. Blu-ray technically could also use MLP, but somehow I don't see this happening, since Sony's DSD/SACD is a competitor of MLP. Sony has stated they're still deciding what the audio standards will be for Blu-ray but say it "may include" lossless codecs.
Duffinator
Audioholic Field Marshall
I thought 1080P was the standard of both formats? I'm sure they will output 1080i and 720P as well so current HDTV's should work fine. But if they only output the higher resolutions through HDMI or DVI then there will be a lot of us with older HDTV sets that won't be happy.Rob Babcock said:
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