andrew markworthy

Newbie question - any good HD demo discs?

I should immediately preface this by saying I mean demo discs that are just that - demo discs. I don't mean movies with great visuals/sound that can be used for demos. I've got some of these (e.g. 2001, Planet Earth, Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, and I'll probably sucker myself into getting Shrek 3, though it's a pale imitation of the first two in the series).

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Mike Frezon

Re: Newbie question - any good HD demo discs?

Andrew: Haven't heard of any per se. I'm curious about this line of discs by HDScape. But reviews seem mixed. I've ordered one and have another back-ordered...but haven't yet had a chance to see what they look like.

Oh. And if you are hesitant to purchase Shrek the Third and are only looking for demo-material animation...go, instead, with Ratatouille or Cars. Unless, of course, you are not format neutral...then that suggestion doesn't fly.

There's Jessie the yodeling cowgirl. Bullseye, he's Woody's horse. Pete the old prospector. And, Woody, the man himself. Of course, it's time for Woody's RoundUp. He's the very best! He's the rootinest, tootinest cowboy in the wild, wild west!

andrew markworthy

Re: Newbie question - any good HD demo discs?

Mike, thanks for that. Curiously enough, just before I came on here I bought the HDscape sampler on a whim. Alas, haven't got Blu-Ray, so cannot do Pixar. I deliberately bought a cheap Toshiba HD machine to see if I like the format. I was going to hold out for a dual machine, but the first gen look likely not to include SACD and DVD-A, both of which are essentials. So I figured I'd get a cheap HD player to play alongside my (other than HD) all-singing all-dancing Denon, see how it pans out, and then when the dual machines start becoming genuinely multi-format, buy in, and have a supply of HD discs already (plus, at the moment the US HD discs are region-free and I may as well take advantage of the exchange rate!). In any case, my son's Playstation 2 is on its last legs, so I may buy a Playstation 3 to replace it and get Blu Ray anyway.

Charles_Y

Re: Newbie question - any good HD demo discs?

Andrew, I was going to suggest the HD DVD sampler my self. Not sure what format you're using. I got it for under $5 at Amazon.

I bought the Toshiba HD-A35 last month and wanted something to demo the player first. Well, it sure is great!! It would have been nice to have sequences with people in them with close-ups maybe to see how it handles skin tones etc. but it only has landscapes.

That caveat aside I would say it's worth the little money it costs. I definitely wouldn't buy the inidividual titles themselves unless you like nature scenes ad infinitum of a particular location (seas, deserts). I think they go for $25 or more. Your choice.

Charles_Y

Re: Newbie question - any good HD demo discs?

Sorry, I was looking at your first post. I can see it's HD DVD for you or as I like to call it HDD or HDVD - easier on the tongue!

andrew markworthy

Re: Newbie question - any good HD demo discs?

Thanks for the further input, guys. There is a sequel to all this as I now have a Blu-Ray player as well ...

As you may know, the Playstation 3 comes in 40GB and 60GB versions. Only the 60GB plays Playstation 2 discs. Sony have announced that once current 60GB stocks are exhausted, no more will be supplied to Europe. This has caused something of a little panic over here, and 60GB machines are already fetching over $1000 on ebay in the UK. I only found out about this today and as our Playstation 2 is on its last legs (it was bought literally the day the model came out and has been played almost daily since) I didn't want to run the risk of an unplayable games situation in the future (especially for my son, who plays it by far the most). To cut a long story short, I spent an eternity today looking for one and eventually tracked one down on the Web(unbelievably, from a major retailer who is usually the first to sell out of anything like this, and even more incredibly, at reduced price). It arrives guaranteed delivery next Monday. I've just spent the evening ordering little extras like a good quality HDMI switching box, etc, so that everything can be accommodated into the TV. When we got our TV cabinet a year or so ago, I said at the time it looked a bit big. My wife turned to me and said 'don't worry, you'll find ways to fill it up soon enough'. How right she was ...

Mike Frezon

Re: Newbie question - any good HD demo discs?

They always are.

There's Jessie the yodeling cowgirl. Bullseye, he's Woody's horse. Pete the old prospector. And, Woody, the man himself. Of course, it's time for Woody's RoundUp. He's the very best! He's the rootinest, tootinest cowboy in the wild, wild west!

TonyD

Re: Newbie question - any good HD demo discs?

ok since you are now blu too, i suggest Cars and Ratattouie

What Did He Say?