My "Beyond High Definition" Experience

Matt Hetzler · 06-21-2006, 08:49 AM

So, I got a Blu-Ray player from Circuit City yesterday to go with my HD-A1 player. I figured, it couldn't be as bad as everyone was making it out to be, right? I had to see it for myself. So, I put in The Fith Element and prepared to be awed by the Blu-Ray experience that goes "beyond high definition"!

OH MY GOD. MY EYES!

To say it looked bad would be an understatement. It was horrible. What the heck was Sony thinking?? There were a couple fleeting moments where it looked like HD-DVD, but those were few and far between. Most of the time it looked only a slight bit better than regular DVD! Watching HD-DVD, it looks like you are "looking through a clear window" and it looks almost 3-D. Simply stunning. Watching Blu-Ray it looks like you are looking through a fogged-up window that is scratched to hell and has a lots of sand thrown on it.

I also viewed parts of Hitch, The Terminator and XXX. Out of all of those The Terminator looked the best...but it still wasn't anywhere near HD-DVD's class. To say I am upset would be an understatement. Oh and you get all this piss-poor video quality with pretty much no extras at all.

Just a horrible way to launch a format, Sony. This was launched way too early. MPEG-2 and 25GB discs are a disgrace. Either that or Sony just doesn't have any quality control on their mastering process for their films.

I'm returning my Blu-Ray player to Circuit City today.

Sam Davatchi · 06-21-2006, 09:52 AM

That's it! The nail in the coffin for me! I will definitely wait buying BD *software*. I was a supporter of BD but you know what, if BD fails to give quality products, I will gladly support and get HD-DVD. But of course I will wait. It's the quality that matters not the company

Ron-P · 06-21-2006, 01:12 PM

Your comments, Matt, are pretty much the same that I've been reading on other forums. I'm staying clear of BD for awhile, at least until prices drop and they get the PQ to match that of HD-DVDs.

I've got my A1 and could not be happier, BD can wait.

Dave Scarpa · 06-21-2006, 01:25 PM

It's typical Sony SOP to hype a Product based on paper Specs and then have the Product not live up to expectations. This has happened the the PS2 and it's "Emotion" Engine. The PS3 demoes, and now Blue Ray. I can't say I'm surprised.

Matt Hetzler · 06-21-2006, 01:31 PM

I have decided to keep mine until at least next week to check out the Lionsgate releases. I want to see if it really is the format that sucks, or just the mastering job done by Sony.

I am hoping that it's just a Sony screwup. If T2 and Lord of War look like junk as well though, back it goes.

**HTF Ads**

Steve Blair · 06-21-2006, 01:52 PM

See the digital bits, I think they're already reviewed there and still have the same problems...

Jay Taylor · 06-21-2006, 02:42 PM

My original plan was to buy Blue-ray software now and wait until a Blue-ray player better than Samsung was available for about two months before buying the player.

With this disgraceful release of Blue-ray software by Sony, I’ve changed my plan. I won’t buy any software or player until it’s clear that the Blue-ray format is not the “Format of Incompetence” that Sony is trying to make it.

Thank goodness that companies other than Sony may salvage this format. Otherwise we’re doomed to low capacity HD-DVD discs until the next generation of players comes out.

Chris Moreau · 06-22-2006, 02:54 PM

I said all along that I was going to play Switzerland, and stay totally neutral in this "war." I vowed to give both formats a chance. I bought the A1 early on, and have been totally thrilled with it. I picked up the Sammy on Tuesday afternoon, along with three titles, and played (with) them that night and all yesterday. This morning I returned the Sammy. To say that I was disappointed in the PQ of Blu-Ray's initial launch is truly an understatement.

I hope that when we see some DL discs and, perhaps, the use of the VC-1 codec that BD will offer some real competition to HD-DVD. That time is not here, though, and I fear may be a while yet to come; so, for now, BD is definitely not worth the 1K investment -- at least not to me.

I'm still trying to stay neutral, but, I sure am glad I have my A1 -- and, hey, I'm still hoping for that dual format player!

Michael D. Bunting · 06-22-2006, 05:11 PM

My Samsung BluRay player is gong back as well.

I also have HD DVD (RCA unit) and believe it to be better/what I want at the moment anyway.

I may give BluRay another chance down the road, but for now...I just can't justify the $1k price-tag on something like this, in it's current form anyway.

Eugene Esterly · 07-09-2006, 02:56 AM

I don't own a HD-DVD or Blu-Ray player but I read on many sites about the problems with Blu-Ray. Sony used MPEG-2 compression which is an older compression used mainly on DVD's while HD-DVD's use VC-1 (created my Microsoft) which is a newer compression geared toward HD video.

RaymondSteiner · 08-01-2006, 07:04 PM

Well it's really a shame that sony has showed this so bad discs. Everything was in place to let BluRay be the best of the formats, PS3, more space!.

But what we got?, bad quality films. I'm okay not being with Microsoft and not using VC-1 for the disks, but at least use mpg4 (the 264 algorithm). Also, with so little space available, they include a PCM track!

I'm pretty sure that using the right codes let a 25 GB disk looks astounding, even i prefer a one layer disk anytime (had some bad experiences with double layer DVD's)...

It will be very difficult to turn this situation "upside down"