Officially format neutral today (1 Viewer)

[KurtEP]

I have only purchased one SD-DVD since I went format neutral at the beginning of the summer (The White Stripes Blackpool Lights), otherwise, all my SD viewing is courtesy of Netflix.



Who would have ever though that Enter the Dragon could look so good? The first copy I had looked like it was some sort of in-theater bootleg made with 8mm gear or something. I almost fell over when I saw the HD DVD version. Who says that old films can't look great in HD.

 

[TheBat]

wait until you see blade runner in digital.

Jacob

 

[drobbins]

Every party has a pooper, that’s why you invited me – the party pooper.

It seems like everyone is enjoying the HD party except me. I would like to join in the fun, but at this point I will sit quietly in the corner and watch. I will stay format neutral by not getting either. Here’s why:

• In my living room I have a 27” RCA that I sit 15’ from. I would like to get a bigger set but I won’t for these reasons.
  • My phone, internet and TV are packaged in one deal. I would cancel the phone and TV, but I can’t get any internet with out them. I know I could in addition get satellite, but I don’t want to increase my monthly bills that much.
  • My service does not provide any HD or any wide screen.
  • I do not want to spend 1-2k on a 16:9 set only to see black bars on each side.
  • I won’t use it for movies because that’s what the theater is for.
  • There are only a few TV shows that I watch anyway. I would just like to be able to see them across the room.
• I just finished my theater 6 months ago, so I don’t want the cost to replace all the equipment.
  • The projector is 720p so I won’t get the full HD benefit.
  • My DVD player converts to 1080P so the only benefit to getting a HD player will be only for the HD titles.
  • My receiver does not have HDMI inputs, so I will not get any benefit from the enhanced sound.
  • I think that eventually players will play both HD and blue ray so I don’t want to get one now.
  • I can purchase DVDs from blockbuster for $4-$5 each. That is far cheaper than the cost of HD DVDs. Their cost will down eventually.

Considering that 20 years ago I was still watching a black & white TV, I will sit back and enjoy what I have. Maybe stop reading about HD on the HTF. No video gifts under the tree this year. Maybe in the next few years the HD dust will settle, the TV provider will upgrade, and prices will drop some more.

Anyway, I dont want to highjack the thread either so, enjoy your party and don’t mind me sitting quietly in the corner.

 

[Dave Moritz]

Hello Dave,

I have both HD players in my HT setup and while my HDTV will accept 1080i it native resolution is only 720p. And even though I am not getting the full 1080p picture I still feel that one can still get enough benafits of HD even at 720p.


While SD-DVD' can be had for rock bottom prices now a days. DVD prices have hit rock bottom for the most part and do not make the studios the kind of money they used to. That is why IMHO many of the studios are willing to make HD titles at a loss or close to a loss. That is only because there are not enough consumers purchasing HD software yet. There are deals to be had with HD discs but do not look for them to fall to really low DVD prices anytime soon. The prices will come down a little but not as much as you think they might. Studios want to recoup there profit margin and HD will most likely retain a higher price tag over SD-DVD. Alot of the older titles that are hitting HD are allready selling at very good prices. There are numberous titles at the $19.99 mark even though there are some titles as high as $34.95 to a max of $40 each.


I do not blame you for wanting to have a dual format HD player but there is no guarentee that they will be cheap. I am sure there are many hear that would agree that even with a 720p native projector you would still benafit from HD. And if you where to get an HD player you could allways slowly upgrade your theater as you go. I am going to start upgrading my HT starting in January. I will replace my old 995 with the Denon AVR-3808ci and then I will upgrade my Sony BDP-S300 Blu-ray to a Denon DVD-2500BT Blu-ray transport. Then the next move is to get ether a Sony 70" SXRD 1080p HDTV or a 1080p Sony SXRD projector with Stewart Film Screen.

I would honestly say that all you need is to get a Blu-ray player or a dual format HD-DVD/Blu-ray player in begining of 2008. And you allready have all the gear you need to enjoy HD programing. I would seriously consider it over the next few weeks.

 

[Orlando]

I will be joining the club any day now. I am over a year into my HT Build and everything I bought was on credit cards.

Well thanks to the credit card miles gift cards I just ordered a A-35 for $30 dollars out of pocket from Amazon and am waiting on my Best Buy cards to purchase a Panny BD-30 for $45.

The kids have had a PS3 that I would hi-jack to watch Blu-ray stuff. But all this plugging and unplugging not to mention it always being where you have to go get it. Putting them both under the tree for me from Santa for the younger kids as they told me to ask Santa for my own player and stop taking thiers.

 

[brap]

Free at last! Just bought the Samsung BD-P1400. It's right next to my Toshiba A2. Now I can watch Transformers and Pirates in HiDef. What an odd concept. It's Just blows the mind. By the way, what's the name of the idiot who said "The consumers will choose"? I'd like to take whatever he's on that gives him his corporate idealism.

 

[Earl Simpson]

Me too! Price and quality talk. Everything else walks.