So what happens now? HD-DVD ponderings (1 Viewer)

[Jari K]

It just doesn´t make a whole lot of business sense, if e.g. Warner would be selling their HD DVD-titles in $5 in every bargain bin (=go on, take these, since we don´t want them!), and then trying to promote Blu-ray-releases (THE format that´s alive from the two formats, I might add) of those same films in $15-20. It just doesn´t work like that.

The prices that you´re now having in some of the HD DVD-releases ($9.98/$12.30/$15.73..) will probably be the lowest that they´re going to go. Sure, some of the "second hand"-stores, smaller stores and Ebay can sell these even in a lower price, but generally this is it. IMO.

I don´t fully see why people still "debate" about these issues and still using this "fanboy"-tone when they respond/post? HD DVD as a format is officially "dead" and after summer there won´t be any new releases or new players. What you have is what you get.

You can pick up some nice looking releases in a cheap price and most of the players still work for the years to come. I´ve been doing that also (in some degree, probably not getting anymore HD DVD-releases now - I´m also considering selling my player now when I could get at least something "back" from it) and I´m sure there are many others (with HD DVD-player). Cheap is cheap, of course.

But, it´s also good to start "looking ahead" now instead of "looking back", since at least I would invest my hard earned cash to the (HD)-format that´s still alive and wouldn´t worry about the "back-up HD DVD players" and such. With a little more patience (granted, this "patience" has been stretched recently), you probably get a good 1.1/2.0 Blu-ray player for a decent price during this year (hell, at least in the Xmas season). Not an ideal situation, I fully agree (we should have roughly $300 1.1/2.0 BD-players in the stores NOW), but things still aren't as bad as some people make them to be..

And since this still seems to be under debate here: There´s nothing wrong with the actual Blu-ray-RELEASES, when it comes to profile 1.1/2.0-issues. IF there are some compatibility issues (mainly that some of the new 1.1/20-profile EXTRAS doesn´t work with "profile 1.0"-only players), the reason is in the PLAYER(S). So let´s not spread any false info for the newcomers that might read threads like this one, shall we.

(If these companies are planning to re-release some of their BD-titles, it´s because they want to add some new 1.1/2.0-extras - not because the original releases won´t suddenly "work" anymore.)

 

[FrancisP]

Looking forward, I see two things associated with hd-dvd.

Toshiba will look to incorporate some of the hd-dvd technology into dvd technology as well as other means of delivering content. You could have something that is measurably better than dvd but less than full 1080p. There are some reports of this happening now. Some on this forum have dissed the reports but I tend to believe it because it makes too much sense.

I also do not think that there will be only one hd standard. There is a real possibility that there could be several hd standards in the world. My odds on favorite, if a second emerges, is ch-dvd which is based on hd-dvd. Ch-dvd would be my odds on favorite to win yhe China market at least. If it does that then where it goes next is anybody's guess.

 

[Jari K]

New "HD and SD DVD upconversion"-hybrid and Chinese CH-DVD will take over? Keep the faith my brother..

Would it be simpler just to buy Blu-ray? I mean, seriously?

 

[FrankT]

Haha!

 

[Jesse Blacklow]

You mean the CH DVD standard that hasn't been launched yet and isn't expected to for some time? The one without studio support? The one with players that are expected to be more expensive (and thus less affordable) for Americans, let alone a worse-off China? The one in a country that's at least 3-5 years behind the US in HD adoption and is the largest producer of pirated material?

Hahahahahahaha!

 

[Hartwig Hanser]

This thread brings back memories from 1997-1999, when I bought a lot of Laserdiscs for cheap due to the switch to DVD, because I was not sure if DVD was here to stay (in April 99 I relented and bought a DVD player). While I had a lot of fun then with those LDs, in retrospect I wish I would have kept the money for my later DVD purchases. I certainly will not make the mistake again to trade short term gratification with long term contentment.

 

[Jari K]

Valid point. While HD DVD is not entirely the same thing as LD (at least HD DVD was much "cheaper" etc), there are certain similarities for sure.

I´ve personally bought some cheap HD DVDs now when the war is over, but if the BD-version is also available, I´ll get that. Even if it costs me some more..

While it´s true that DVD, HD DVD, Blu-ray etc software is not very good "investment" (since these new SEs, Dir.Cut, Unrated etc-versions are coming all the time) and hardly never "future proof" (since double-dipping is inevitable for the fans like us), but I feel that since Blu-ray is now the "format of choice" when it comes to HD, why not get my films in that format..

 

[Cees Alons]

If you mean: replace HD DVDs you already own, then at the moment I'm not doing that. It's questionable if the HD DVD wouldn't last as long as the new BD, but if it wouldn't there will be a possibility to buy a new BD any time after all.
Apart from the question what the preferred format will be in, say, ten years. Perhaps a 4k-HDM!


Cees

 

[Chuck Anstey]

Well there is a big difference between LD->DVD and HD-DVD->Bluray. DVD was superior to LD in video quality, even if many of the first DVDs were quite poor and used the previous LD transfer. HD-DVD is equal to Bluray and HDM as a whole has the experience of DVD in how to make quality transfers and encoding. Sure there will be improvements in the quality of Bluray encodes in the future but not of the level of DVD with non-enhanced composite LD transfer to 16x9 enhanced DVD encoded from an HD master. That also doesn't include the superior form-factor of DVD over LD, which HD-DVD and Bluray are again equal.

I agree that going crazy and buying HD-DVD movies that are "on sale" may not be the best choice. I am very selective and the movie must be one I will watch several times and be $12 or less and cheaper than the Bluray version by a bit. Of course my HDM buying has been much more selective from the beginning after lessons learned from buying DVDs and only buy what I know I will watch at least 4 or 5 times in the next few years. Now if there was a true firesale and every HD-DVD left was $5, I would buy everything I don't own and would want to watch at least once since that is the cost of a Blu rental anyway.

 

[Jerome Grate]

Well as far as HD-DVDs are concerned with me, my location of two CCs has run completely dry. Two more places to try closer to home over the weekend. But I did speak to three Walmart employees and two didn't know about the status of their HD-DVDs and one indicated that Walmart is going to switch over officially in June, therefore expect a sale on HD-DVDs in May. Maybe this will be my chance to get the ones I want other than Amazon. I'm suprise Walmart hasn't jumped on the bandwagon to get rid of HD-DVDs yet, but it may be worth the wait.

 

[Rich Allen]

They've been removed from my local Walmarts a while back so I seriously doubt I'll see any sales here.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Funny; my Wal*Marts (I'm fairly local to 4) had discounted Uni and Paramount titles.