If you had to buy HD or Blue Ray tommorow,which one

[majorloser]

If I had to buy HD-DVD or Blu-ray tomorrow, I would choose HD-DVD, because I already have Blu-ray in my PS3.

I wonder if Microsoft will bring out another version of the Xbox 360, with the HD-DVD drive built-in, and sell it for $499.00???

And bundle it with Halo 3........................

NOTE TO LOSERWIFE: add to my 2007 Christmas list if this comes true.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Not sure if you have a EB Games or Gamestop near your home, but if you buy online from EB Games you are allowed to return it to a B&M store that is near to you! Very cool of them to allow this. Kind of like buying from Circuit City online and returning your purchase to a local store.

I'm not sure what your setup is, but you can play PS3 in HD resolutions including 720p and 1080i via component video if you want. If you feel the need for HDMI then you can go with resolutions up to 1080p (if your TV supports it). Do you need a switcher? Not really. If you only have the PS3 as your HD source and only HDMI source, then just connect it straight to your display. Once you add more sources that use HDMI (or DVI) you may want to get at least a switcher (www.monoprice.com) Some point later down the road you may up the ante and get a HDMI 1.3 capable A/V receiver like the Denon products coming out later this year.

My projector is 1080p so this is why I might jump on the PS3 for BD as I am not a gamer otherwise. And, if I come upon a good deal for HD-DVD, don't want to miss out on their movies, then I'd need a switcher. Mono has a manual switcher that would serve me well.

Now I have a new question. Does the PS3 output 1080p24 frame? My pj would handle it by converting to 72, a simple multiplier, no 2:3 pulldown artifact issues.

 

[Tomorrow]

My projector is 1080p so this is why I might jump on the PS3 for BD as I am not a gamer otherwise. And, if I come upon a good deal for HD-DVD, don't want to miss out on their movies, then I'd need a switcher. Mono has a manual switcher that would serve me well.

Now I have a new question. Does the PS3 output 1080p24 frame? My pj would handle it by converting to 72, a simple multiplier, no 2:3 pulldown artifact issues.

Of course...one of each is the correct answer! Mtry...'tis said "he with the most toys wins". You're on the right track, lol.

 

[rgriffin25]

My projector is 1080p so this is why I might jump on the PS3 for BD as I am not a gamer otherwise. And, if I come upon a good deal for HD-DVD, don't want to miss out on their movies, then I'd need a switcher. Mono has a manual switcher that would serve me well.

Now I have a new question. Does the PS3 output 1080p24 frame? My pj would handle it by converting to 72, a simple multiplier, no 2:3 pulldown artifact issues.

No the PS3 does not output 1080p at 24fps.

I currently have both HD DVD with my xbox360 and the Sony Blu-Ray player. My biggest complaint is lack of movies for HD DVD. Every time I went to buy a movie I always saw several I wanted on blu-ray and maybe one on HD DVD. So I bought a Blu-Ray player. The picture and sound are amazing. I've become spoiled, regular DVDs look crappy now!

 

[Oguard]

Which?

Well, Sony has a remarkable track record in coming up with proprietary formats that fail in the market place.

Beta was arguably better than VHS but Sony kept it to themselves and lost the war. They even make VHS now.

Memory stick. Memory stuck.

Mini-disc. Mini failure.

Trinitron. Gone.

SACD. So long, fare well.

Blu-ray? Some day.

The war seems to be about numbers. So far only HD-DVD is close on the software capacity of actual discs in the field. BluRay has yet to perform to spec outside a lab.

More than enough storage for a typical theatrical release with all of the attendant information seems, to me, to be a waste of numbers.

HD-DVD is a natural progression of an existing format, BluRay seems to be trying to reinvent the wheel.

Merely my $0.02 worth.

Cheers.

 

[jonnythan]

Blu-Ray is not a Sony-specific format the way Beta, Memory Stick, and Minidisc were.

Trinitron wasn't a media format.. it was a wildly successful type of television.

 

[mtrycrafts]

No the PS3 does not output 1080p at 24fps.

I currently have both HD DVD with my xbox360 and the Sony Blu-Ray player. My biggest complaint is lack of movies for HD DVD. Every time I went to buy a movie I always saw several I wanted on blu-ray and maybe one on HD DVD. So I bought a Blu-Ray player. The picture and sound are amazing. I've become spoiled, regular DVDs look crappy now!

Well, some of the HD is also on Blu-Ray, not all and some the other way. Some will not be unless the company changes ways, so, for the time being, both are in.
As you indicated, the picture is most impressive. Had a chance to see the xbox in play on the projector. Even the 1080i from it was impressive, hence the dilemma of waiting or jumping on. But, I'd like to see the 24fps capability to eliminate the 3:2 conversion artifact possibility.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Now I have a new question. Does the PS3 output 1080p24 frame? My pj would handle it by converting to 72, a simple multiplier, no 2:3 pulldown artifact issues.

While it has already been said that PS3 does not do 1080p/24 - it should be added at the end: ...at this time.

It certainly isn't the processing that is holding it back from 1080p/24 output, but it will require a firmware upgrade. This is rumored to be part of a big firmware upgrade coming in March. Since I likely won't get a 1080p front projector until mid-year at the earliest, I'm not exactly hard pressed on when the firmware upgrade comes.

Or really if it comes at all. I realize that these first generation players, as good as they are, will be completely blown away by what we see in a few years for half or a quarter the price. I would bet that in 3 years we will see players which decode every major HD audio format, include both 1080p output formats, and cost 250 bucks or so.

Yep, technology is great, but this format war blows.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Well, Sony has a remarkable track record in coming up with proprietary formats that fail in the market place.

They also have quite a list of formats and technologies they have pushed quite far in the marketplace either on their own, or by going in with other companies. This includes portable music players, pushing video games forward, using LCoS, oh - and the DVD and CD formats.

Now let's look at the rest...

Beta was arguably better than VHS but Sony kept it to themselves and lost the war. They even make VHS now.

Unless you are a video professional - then you wonder what VHS is as Sony Beta has been used in the pro business for years with VHS nowhere to be seen. Yes, Sony got out of Beta for consumers very quickly, relatively speaking.

Memory stick. Memory stuck.

Flash media doesn't need to be a success overall to be a success to Sony. That is, if it is on their cameras (millions sold) and on their gaming systems (millions sold) then they are selling millions upon millions of their flash memory... which means millions of millions of dollars. What let that money go to Compact Flash, or SmartMedia, or XD? Not sure how a product that brings in millions of current revenue is a failure.

Mini-disc. Mini failure.

Yep, failure. My friend had it and loved his though. Said it worked great. I think mp3 players beat it out a bit quickly though. What else was there for portable music recording? CD-R? Yeah, maybe. But, mp3 really has blown it all away at 1/10th the size.

Trinitron. Gone.

As said, not a product, but a technology that was heavily utilized. Since Sony, along with everyone else, is getting out of the CRT market, their award winning, incredibly successful, Trinitron displays are going away. But, they are still in production.

SACD. So long, fare well.

And DVD-A is doing how well? Really, I don't collect HD audio formats, but I believe that SACD had more releases last year than any year prior. I just don't believe any HD audio format can really do that well. To niche.

Blu-ray? Some day.

Or is it HD DVD that will be HD dead? This is what it means to have a format war. It could easily go both ways, but the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) is comprised of almost every founding member of the DVD Consortium that created the DVD standard. HD DVD, in reality, only has 2 of the original DVD founding companies working with it.

The war seems to be about numbers. So far only HD-DVD is close on the software capacity of actual discs in the field. BluRay has yet to perform to spec outside a lab.

I'm not sure what this means... Blu-ray specifies 50GB discs to be available for movies and there are dozens of titles that are out that use 50GB discs right now. So... huh?

More than enough storage for a typical theatrical release with all of the attendant information seems, to me, to be a waste of numbers.

In this day and age, more storage is never bad, becuase someone will come along and find a good way to use it. Whether it is HD extras, HD audio, or something we haven't thought of yet, as these formats get rolling along there will be utilizations of the space available that may truly be fantastic. Maybe even something as simple as SuperBit HD Discs.

HD-DVD is a natural progression of an existing format, BluRay seems to be trying to reinvent the wheel.

If I'm paying $500 for one format, or $500 for another format, I want the one that is technologically superior. I want the new wheel. I really don't want the old wheel with a fresh coat of paint. Especially when most of the companies that invented the wheel also decided that a new wheel was in order.

Merely my $0.02 worth.

My $.02 in return.

 

[rgriffin25]

I think another important point is that this battle isn't Sony (Blu-ray) vs everyone else.

Blu-Ray
Sony
Panasonic
Pioneer
Samsung
Hitachi
LG
Philips
Apple

HD DVD
Toshiba
RCA
Onkyo
LG - kind of
Microsoft

I may be missing a few on either side, but the point is this is not another Sony battle.

mtrycrafts- my Sony player does have a setting in the set-up menu to output 1080p 24fps.

 

[rgriffin25]

Mini-disc. Mini failure.

Cheers.

I've heard that mini-disc is insanely popular outside the US. It is also widely used by musicians due to its versatility.

 

[Bigsilvs]

I would also like to point out that when the Playstation 2 came out in Japan it was the cheapest DVD player on the market there. It really helped jump start the DVD format much like what has happened with the Playstation 3 and the Blu-ray format in the last 2 months (at least in the U.S). Some purchased the Playstation 2 solely for a DVD player just like some purchased the Playstation 3 solely for a Blu-ray player. Not the same exact situation but similar.

 

[JackT]

Trinitron. Gone.

I think it is EXTREMELY inaccurate to cite the Trinitron as an example of a failed format, don't you?

 

[jonnythan]

I would also like to point out that when the Playstation 2 came out in Japan it was the cheapest DVD player on the market there. It really helped jump start the DVD format much like what has happened with the Playstation 3 and the Blu-ray format in the last 2 months (at least in the U.S). Some purchased the Playstation 2 solely for a DVD player just like some purchased the Playstation 3 solely for a Blu-ray player. Not the same exact situation but similar.

The PS2 debuted at $299, not $599.

DVD was a huge step forward for everyone who watched movies at home - non-degrading media, better video quality on any display, random access, no rewinding, etc etc. Blu-Ray is a step forward only for the small percentage of households with HDTVs.

 

[Seth=L]

The PS2 debuted at $299, not $599.

DVD was a huge step forward for everyone who watched movies at home - non-degrading media, better video quality on any display, random access, no rewinding, etc etc. Blu-Ray is a step forward only for the small percentage of households with HDTVs.

I would agree that Blu-Ray and HD-DVD won't likely reach the same ratio of success as DVD, at least not as quickly.

 

[stratman]

Eventually HD will be the norm. Like everything else the wheels keep turning, untill new tech emerges, then back to page one and the arguments and pleas as to which is superior and why. Should you or shouldn't you buy, which connection is better, resolution (and the beat goes on). You have to love this hobby.

Can't wait for holograms

 

[Bigsilvs]

Interesting site I found about HD DVD and Blu-ray

http://www.eproductwars.com/dvd/

 

[MACCA350]

Interesting site I found about HD DVD and Blu-ray

http://www.eproductwars.com/dvd/

Click on the 'SHOW ALL' button at the bottom of the graph.

cheers

 

[emorphien]

Can't wait for holograms

Some day soon... or far.


That chart is interesting. Really puts to rest the nonsense of BluRay outselling like everyone's been shouting lately. It's caught up nicely but it remains to be seen in a few months what the trends will be. Personally if I were investing now I wouldn't... I'd wait for a multiformat player to come down in price but if I had to pick I'd go HD-DVD.

I've heard that mini-disc is insanely popular outside the US. It is also widely used by musicians due to its versatility.

From what I understand you can buy singles and albums on them elsewhere. I had a player/recorder back before MP3 players got off the ground. I think it still works but I have no idea where it is. I really liked that thing and I really liked the minidisc. I would have loved to see it become a replacement for the floppy disc, in fact I'd still take it over CDs now.

 

[amanchester]

If I had to purchase either one tomorrow, it would be an HD-DVD player. You may laugh at my reasoning but this similar "format war" took place between VHS and Beta technologies as mentioned in a previous post in this discussion. There were many factors that played in VHS becoming the dominate technology but one factor mentioned rarely is the Adult Video Industry. This is a multi-billion dollar industry and it is not going away anytime soon. During the VHS/Beta wars, this industry adopted VHS format and turned the tide in VHS favor. Granted, it appears Sony is not going the Blu-Ray format alone but the fact the adult industry has adopted the HD-DVD format will be one of the unspoken factors that will come into play as to what format becomes the dominate player. For the price these players are going for, the last thing I want to do is pay $500 + for a player that could become obsolete in the near future.