It's TRUE: HD DVD supports 1080i via Component Video, not just HDMI

Steve Tannehill · 04-23-2006, 07:55 AM

Sorry, but the sticky thread titled "It's Official: HD-DVD Is HDMI Only: NEW UPDATE 7/23 POST 653" is woefully out-of-date to be stuck at the top of this forum. In case you are new here, do not be misled by that incorrect subject heading.

So far, all HD-DVD releases have supported full 1080i resolution via component video in addition to HDMI. I have personally verified this with the following titles:

The Last Samurai
The Phantom of the Opera
Serenity

Others have verified 1080i component video compatibility with:

Apollo 13
Doom
Million Dollar Baby

Just trying to keep it real...

- Steve

Ric Easton · 04-23-2006, 10:15 AM

Steve, thanks for the info. I was just going to ask if anyone knew if the recent titles were flagged for HDMI only. While I don't think were quite over a hurdle, at least that's a good sign. Let's hope Bluray follows suit.

Let's also hope that there is a clear winner when I am ready to jump in. I'm that guy that bought Beta.

David L · 04-23-2006, 12:06 PM

This is great news, I may actually be able to spend some money. I thought the HD-DVD and Blu Ray camps had left us early HDTV'ers out in the cold.

Or is this a marketing ploy to get us non-HDMI guys to buy and then they'll flag the software and then we're out of the game again?

Steve Tannehill · 04-23-2006, 12:41 PM

No one knows. But the movies out today are all just fine.

- Steve

DarvinG · 04-23-2006, 02:42 PM

I think this due to getting the most users to purchase this format early. As it stood 10 mill Early HD converts were not going to have access to HD-DVD.

Soon as it becomes more common, they will slam it back to HDMI.

**HTF Ads**

Steve Tannehill · 04-23-2006, 03:04 PM

That still makes the sticky thread at the top of this forum misleading.

- Steve

Mike Frezon · 04-23-2006, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ric Easton

Let's also hope that there is a clear winner when I am ready to jump in. I'm that guy that bought Beta.

I'm the other guy, Ric! I still have a Beta Hifi VCR hooked up to my HT!

Steve; thanks for trying to help compile this info here. I've been jumping around to different threads like crazy taking in all this information.

David L · 04-23-2006, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarvinG

I think this due to getting the most users to purchase this format early. As it stood 10 mill Early HD converts were not going to have access to HD-DVD.

Soon as it becomes more common, they will slam it back to HDMI.

This is what I'm afraid of. "Said the spider to the fly" kind of thing. I guess we'll see what BluRay does for the 10 mil early HD converts, if anything.

Early on, I told my wife unfortunately our HDTV is not compatible with the new formats and I explained why and the copy protection issues the studios have, etc, etc. My wife, the MBA that she is, said that the studios could put the street date disc out HDMI only full resolution and a few months later, when most standard dvds go to 9.99, then they put out the full 1080i via component. This way everyone has a chance to be happy and the studios get their money. I would miss getting the dvd's on release day, but I would definitely go this route for library building.

Ed St. Clair · 04-23-2006, 06:50 PM

Your thread title is WRONG!!!
Just joking.
Glad you started this thread. I was the one that keeped bumping the old 'HD-DVD DOES output HD over analog' thread to combat the sticky.
Can anyone tell me if component video can output 1080p?
Thanks, again.

Dave Moritz · 04-23-2006, 07:10 PM

Has anyone run across any HD-DVD titles with DTS on them yet? I really dont care to get into a format that has no DTS titles. We can go over the entire Dolby vs DTS thing, but this is not the thread. I would personally prefer to have DTS or DTS-HD option on my HD movies.

I saw three HD-DVD titles at my local best buys here in Phoenix. And the only HD-DVD player was sitting on the shelf not even hooked up to a TV. They had two other machines in the store but I was told they sold them quickly. It would be really nice if they keep the 1080i option open for the component outputs. But as they are freaked out about it being used for pirating HD-DVD discs, I would not be suprised if they change that soon! Only time will tell if they limit 1080i to hdmi or not but for now I am happy that it is available.

Has anyone experienced any problems with there player yet? Has there been any problems with resuming HD-DVD's once you pressed the stop button and then try to resume play again? I started out saying that I would only back Blu-ray and I would never consider HD-DVD. I have been thinking about that seriously for over a week now. I still would prefer to have a Blu-ray HD player and still believe that it is the best format. But I will not wait for Sony forever and am getting tired of the delays. Sony has a bad reputation for horrible marketing and not backing formats and making them successful. They did it with Beta, Mini Disc, SACD and now Blu-ray is looking like it may go down with what should have been a slam dunk! What is with Sony and there incompetent way of marketing? Do they or do they not want formats to succeed?

I am still not for HD-DVD especially after seeing the video where someone takes the unit apart. And all the player ends up being is a stealth pc with a P-4 Intel 2.4 GHz processor, 1 Gig of pc memory and a pc HD-DVD drive.

Granted if it works thats great, and if its reliable thats even better. Players have been working towards being more of a computer than they used to be. And I have no problem with players being built like pc's. What I do have a problem with is that most pc drives IMHO are lower quality and look cheaply built compaired to players built for the home market.

Depending on how this all goes down I may still end up buying into HD-DVD if Blu-ray HD dies and HD-DVD wins the war. If the performance and reliablity is there even HD-DVD's 1080i format is going to outperform SD-DVD. Sony has until January 2007 to have players and software on retailers shelves or my money may end up going to HD-DVD!