Will you be rushing into the new Hi-Def formats in 2006? (1 Viewer)

[Marko Berg]

I'm wiping drool from my monitor right now because of the images of Blu-ray 1080p titles that have surfaced in the past two days.

However, 2007 is the absolute earliest I will even consider buying a player. It's DVD only for me in 2006.

 

[FrancisP]

I will wait as well since I am concerned about DRM issues. Bringing in a device that I do not have total control over is not something I am interested in. I look at the potential mischief they could cause and what they are trying to do in Congress and I come to one conclusion. Hi-def will lead to an assault on my wallet with charges for the things that I do for free now.

I also read a paper by the developers of one of blu-ray's copy protection schemes. It supports developing a means for shutting down hi-def players for recorded material. Given that I have a large library of recorded material that is not currently available on dvd, that is another reason I will shy away.

If Congress would pass a bill that would grant us the same rights we had under the fair use doctrine that we had with analog video then I would bite. However I have no intention of replacing every dvd I currently have with hi-def.

 

[Frank_T]

normally i would sit this year out on hi-def video, but since the PS3 is to include a BD-Rom player, I'll end up with one anyway.

 

[John H Ross]

No chance. Not yet.

Year 1/2 will be single-layer Blu-Ray discs that may or may not play properly on the experimental first-generation players.

Then we'll get those same titles re-issued across two layers, when the technology is ready, and the picture/sound will be hailed as "ultimate". And there better hadn't be a noticable layer-change or else! I'm delighted with my Denon 2900 and it's (mostly) invisible layer changes.

And then, of course, you'll get your special editions with oodles of extras, and your extended unrated/unplugged/uncorked/whatever versions... and so it will continue.

Anybody expecting to buy these movies just "once" more is sadly deluded.

Anybody expecting the first batch of films to be of superior quality compared to later editions is also sadly deluded.

I'm going to save, and when the time is right...

John

 

[Dave>h]

Count me in as one of those who will sit this initial round out.

I sat out the early days of DVD as well but that was more situational than anything else. However, once I made the plunge, I never looked back and got right into the whole home theater obsession.

I am now very happy with my set up and while the HD content I have seen is good, and my 61" Samsung supports HD through DVI, it is not so good as to make me want to run out and get a new dvd player.

The only thing that will make me take the plunge is significantly better sound and appreciably better video along with content that I actually care about. That is what DVD brought to the table. If HD DVD and or Blu Ray do not bring the same significant increase in quality and sound to the table, I see no need to change.

Dave

 

[MattHR]

"blu-ray-fo-me-but-no-mo-do" :frowning: (sung to the tune of "Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do").

So I'll wait until the war is over and player prices drop (and improve)...something I didn't do with DVD.

 

[Sam Posten]

I will have a PS3 on day 1 regardless of any factor. Will I have a PC Blu ray drive or a stand alone BluRay component deck on day 1? Depends on how restrictive the DRM crap is. If its not so bad, I will own all 3 on day one.

Will I ever have a HD-DVD drive? At this point I have not seen one compelling reason why I should. Movie exclusives? DIVX proved those can be broken.

The ONLY possible reason why I wouldnt go Blu ray is if the DRM issues dork it up. I WILL NOT LET MY MOVIES FRICKING PHONE HOME TO ASK IF I AM ALLOWED TO WATCH THEM.

Sam

 

[Mike Frezon]

I'll be on the sidelines.

I picked Beta over VHS in 1984.

Let me also note I have an HDTV. But no HDMI or DVI cables...only component.

 

[ChrisMatson]

Blu-ray via PS3.

 

[CraigF]

I presume all the people who are getting PS3's for BR have an HDMI (or DVI at least) connection to their main display device? Or will they be watching in a lower res? Or on a tiny display? If it's an LCD display, they're hardly of overall hi def quality right now regardless of claimed res, maybe when the motion etc. artifacts are largely minimised and the pixels are smaller (and all there), but not now. IOW, are the PS3's going to be used where there's not much benefit to a fully hi def picture, but more disc room for "other" content is the tangible benefit.

Curious, as I'm not a gamer and know nothing about it. If I was, having to choose between a MS or Sony product would be very scary. To me. [Disclaimer: All my display devices here are Sony, but I'd never buy anything else from them, especially not at Canadian prices.]

 

[David_Rivshin]

I voted to abstain for 2006, but...

Things that will make me really want a Blu-Ray player:
1) 1080i output over component. My 2002 32" HD-Ready CRT only has component inputs, so that's a hard requirement.
2) Lack of horrible DRM and related abuses of consumer trust.
3) Player with built in decoders for the new audio encodings, as well as good bass management and time alignment. Otherwise I'd probably be better off with normal DD or DTS.
4) A much better than DVD quality LOTR release. Matrix, Batman Begins, etc, would really sweeten the pot too.
5) Price that I can justify. Let's say under $300 for the player.

I'm gonna guess that number 4 has a pretty decent chance of happening by the holiday season, or perhaps by mid next year. Number 5 might even happen in that time frame, anything is possible. Number 3 is a crap-shoot, judging by the horrible state of BM and TA on current SACD and DVD-A players. Although some of the players sound like they have some DSP power to spare, and no pre/pro or receiver on the market today supports the new codecs, so you never know. Number 1 and 2 are somewhat long shots, but we can always hope.

If my wishlist is fulfilled by some miracle, then you might just find me buying a shiny new BR player come next December. Otherwise, I'll be much more interested in upgrading my receiver to a new pre/pro and amp, or perhaps a digital projector if the 1080p models end up being cheaper than expected. Then maybe in 2007 all the stars will align.


At this time I don't believe I have any interest in HD-DVD, mostly because of it's lower disc capacity compared to Blu-Ray.

-- Dave

 

[Rob Tomlin]

I want my HD movies and I want them NOW.

I will definitely be an early adopter here, despite knowing the risks. My 123" screen will show a marked difference in quality between SD DVD's and the new HD version. So, I will buy a player early in this game, even if it is only a PS3 to begin with.

I must say that this poll does not bode well for either format. All the more reason to reach an agreement so the format war can be avoided.

 

[Steve Kuester]

Maybe I see the world a little too simply here, but I just don't think DRM is going to be an issue.

I'm guessing maybe 10% of all U.S. households have an HD display, right? The studios, manufacturers, etc want these formats to succeed, and they already know how small of a market they actually have as far as consumers who understand and can benefit from HD on disc. I just can't imagine that they would make their market even smaller by requiring anything more than plugging the player into an AC outlet and running the audio/video to a TV/receiver.

In my opinion, they've just GOT to know this. They may wish they could do more, but if it's going to be any more complicated than a current DVD player, the whole thing just isn't going to fly with anyone, let alone the techies on this board.

 

[Qui-Gon John]

Alex-A and Jason-V on page 1 pretty much summed up my POV, (along with a few others here).

For my viewing pleasure, SD-DVD is just find. Can you find a poor Pict Qual SD-DVD, sure, but they are relatively far and few between, and in my humble opinion, the quality of releases continues to get better. I also feel the majority of consumers, Joe Six-Packs and non-Joe Six Packs, are not going to feel it worth their money to invest in new Players, some cases Displays, as well as replacing their favorite titles, just to get a "better" PQ.

For those who just can't live without HD (BR), I do hope a standard develops and they can indulge themselves. I just hope it remains a niche market, as Laserdisc basically was before DVD, back when most consumers were satisfied with VHS.

 

[mattCR]

I'll get a playstation 3, which will be Blueray, from everything everyone says. Does that count?

 

[Jesse Blacklow]

Actually, that article was poorly researched, and easily debunked by someone who's actually working on the chips both formats are using for playback (see here).

Me, I'm planning on Blu-Ray, unless every studio and some of the bigger manufacturers jump ship. I might not go for the very first models to hit, but I'll certainly be looking in 9 months or so. I think this is something the Blu-Ray camp is counting on. HD DVD gave up a huge leadtime, possibly losing exclusive support from Warner and Paramount, and that made all the difference.

 

[Ali B]

I think it'll be an interesting proposition in Europe. Widescreen (non-HD) TVs are relatively common in homes, although they are starting to occupy less and less space in retail outlets now as LCD, and to a smaller extent Plasma, have started selling well. You still can't get an HDMI enabled display here in the UK for less than £1,200, and I would expect that the majority of LCDs sold over the Xmas period will not be HDMI enabled as a result. I imagine this will be the format's biggest stumbling block, especially as lots of panels are being marketed as 'HD ready' when they don't have an HDMI connector.

Due to my financial situation since the launch of DVD here in the UK (I've been a student), I've stuck it out with a 28" 4:3 display and (good) 2.0 sound. This year is the first time I expect to have the money to buy a new display, but even with that my film tastes (mainly world cinema) dictate that realisticly there's not going to be much content I'm actually going to want to watch in HD.

ali

 

[Daniel-M]

Won't jump on the Hid-Def bandwagone before:
1. One format
2. Affordable player, TV and discs.
3. Until i have seen the improvement from DVD
4. All James Bond- films are released

 

[Jay Taylor]

I will purchase a Blue-Ray DVD player in 2006, show the movies to my friends & relatives, and hope that they do the same. This is an important format war and I plan to support Blue-Ray rather than sit it out and whine about the results.

I would be very disappointed in myself if HD DVD won because other Blue-Ray fans and I failed to become early adopters.

 

[Eric_Connelly]

I have not read all the threads but here is what I think.

Hidef video on one format or the other will have a way faster adoption rate than most of us think.

Look at the number of people you know with HD TV's that don't have HD.

I just gave a buddy of mine my old Samsung HD931. He has an HD plasma, a Panasonic high end unit no less. A "nicer" TV than my 60" LCD. He came by and saw my 60" 2 year old LCD WG playing a regular DVD title and was amazed at the PQ just playing a regular DVD via my upscaling Yamaha.

How many other people do you know like this? I know quite a few. My wife's uncle has a HD TV, with COAX going from his HD cable box...and talks about how good the picture is.

You start to see these articles all over the place how people just don't get HD. They don't get component, HDMI, DVI, upscaling, OTA, etc...

So they dropped 2,500 to 5 grand on a TV that is honestly no better than the one they replaced except for in size.

They walk into BB or CC, can buy a single box, plug it in, and voila, their investment is now worth something.

No having to understand the 'complication' of current HD setups.

Most people are dumb when it comes to this stuff. One cable and push play.

Prices will push down faster than you will think and adoption rate will be faster. It'll match the adoption rate of current HD TV's.

You should see how hard I have to convince people that OTA is better than the so-so feed they get via cable or sat.

I prefer the idea of Blu Ray although I don't care for the 5 inch disc. I wish they could have gone with the normal size.

My biggest reason to hold off on buying is waiting for a unit that does everything. HD-DVD, Blu Ray, DVD-A, SACD, etc...