Does the HD/BD Studio split promote SD piracy? (1 Viewer)

[Chris Dugger]

Question for debate.....

Does the fact that studios being spilt into 2 camps for the next gen HD DVD (HD/BD) promote people to turn to copies of SD DVD's?

The reason I ask is that with the great up-conversion of SD on these players, why would anyone go and buy the SD version of a film they want just because it is not available in HD or BD.


Dugger

 

[Jace_A]

I don't get the connection. You could just rent the film, instead.

 

[Clinton McClure]

I believe the vast majority of people who bootleg or buy bootlegs don't care about the presentation. Most are people who are too cheap to buy or rent and often pay a couple bucks to the white van speaker guys for a jittery digicam copy of a movie still in the theaters or a compressed downrezzed copy of a new release film, not a 1:1 backup. To most in the bootleg world, upconversion, 1080i/p, DD & DTS, anamorphic, and widescreen are not even in their vocabulary. For instance, at work I can bring up the subtle nuances of a movie displayed in 1080p as opposed to 480i during a video conversation and I get looks like I sprouted a third arm. Most don't understand or don't care about HD.

So, no I don't think piracy will gain from a HD/BD split.

 

[Ryan-G]

In a way yes, in a way no.

No, because most people don't yet know much about HD. HD is HD to them, 480p, 720p, 1080p, means nothing to them. So as far as they know, it looks better than normal DVD, but they need an HDTV and they don't have one yet. So they don't care.

Yes, in a psychological way. Psychologically, we've been trained that when something "New and better!" is released the old version suddenly become terrible and expendable(At least in America). If it's terrible and expendable and being replaced, then who cares if they aquire it for free? It's kinda like VCR tapes when DVD came out, 10 for $10, who cares if they're copied, they "suck" anyways! So to some extent it'll serve as a justification for some unknown number of people. "It doesn't matter, it's just regular DVD, not like it's one of the new High-Def ones."

Further complicating it is if the format war persists. If it persists past the point where adoption starts becoming mainstream, such as if PS3 succeeds, it'll potentially explode piracy. People will download "the other formats" exclusives in SD and burn them to "their format", because "That damn studio's on the wrong side and I want to see this movie!"

Alot of things can happen, increasing piracy is one possible outcome for the short-term should this format war not resolve. But I don't see that as being a problem, because video quality is comparable and cost should see parity inside of a year as budget models and new models get released, which leaves library as the deciding factor and unless things change HD-DVD's got a problem.

 

[Jim Peavy]

Are you asking why would anybody invest in a copy of a SD DVD when A) they're fairly easy to boot and B) the SD format's days are numbered?

I'm having a trouble with where the upconverting feature of the new HD players figure into this...

 

[Chris Dugger]

Yes....

That is my point.....

Example:
I am an HD-DVD owner.... CARS get released by a non-supporting studio....

I want it.... so.... I either buy the SD version now.... or I Netflix it and boot it.

The question is, does this promote those with the tools to dupe SD to do so because they can't get the films they want?

Dugger

 

[Michael TLV]

Greetings

No ... because they probably already are doing it anyway. Once you have the burning knowledge, it is hard to put it back into the bottle.

They will do it for HD and BD ... if the stuff is not day and date with the normal DVD.

Take V for Vendetta for instance ... DVD in August ... HD in Nov. Rent and burn in August and buy the real thing in Nov.

Ditto for Poseidon ...

Regards

 

[Lou Sytsma]