Michael Osadciw

This is somewhat software related...

I don't know how a company like Toshiba could tout their horn about HD-DVD so quickly. I was "with" Toshiba tonight and saw their recent HD-DVD demo. While the image looked great on their 60" DLP 1080p xHD4 (still the 960x1080 xHD3 chip with a little more light cranked out - so they say) and a model with an HD3 chip, I couldn't help to notice that the audio went out of sync once in a while. Someone beat me to it and asked about it and the representative said:

"The player tends to do that once in a while. We're still working the bugs out."

Hmmm...for a company that's trying to get an early release on this format, that doesn't sound very good. To me that sounds rushed especially when I asked him when he expected the player to become available. He said early Nov-Dec. I told him I heard there was a delay until Jan or beyond...he said that's possible in that "I didn't want to tell you that" kind of way...

Why the delay? Rumour has been circulating that it's the software problem...he confirmed that. The studios aren't willing to release anything on HD-DVD yet. They've delayed the titles but wouldn't tell me why. This guy also was reluctant to talk about Blu-Ray. He didn't want to admit there was another format causing their problems. Toshiba was taking the "we have it, lets sell it" approach to their format...which is fine in a business sense. But he just wanted Blu-Ray to go away. Hmmmm...

These guys better get their act together. I have to tell you that if/when a combined format happens and these titles hit retail - I believe HD on disc will fly off the shelf. From what I've seen tonight, the differences between SD-DVD and HD-DVD are so dramatic that I think anyone owning an HD set will give up their regular DVDs in a second.

Yes. It is that good.

I've seen Blu-Ray as well. While that was projected on a 25' screen, it held its own blown up more than what I think it was intended to.

I can't wait, but like everyone else I'm not buying two formats. If there is a war I'll be siding with FOX to deliver you reviews of the titles once available.

Once you see HD (and I'm not talking about that highly compressed less-than-stellar stuff you see on satellite and cable) - you can't look back.

Mike

wally

Humm. Sounds like HD-DVDs leg up, (first to the shelf) might be slipping to a foot or toe up. If the media/electronic companies can’t play nice, maybe the market will kill one of these formats. Quickly this time please.

As the new owner of a HD set, I’ll be watching this more closely.

Cameron Yee

Thanks Micheal. Interesting to see how things are playing out "in the trenches." I'm still marveling over that Blu-Ray demo too.

Anyone who isn't confused really doesn't understand the situation. - Edward R. Murrow

Paul.S

So it's perhaps not just AACS/copy protection issues that are causing delays.

Interesting. What was the occassion for the demo, Michael?

Disconcerting that there would be such a problem at such an arguably late stage.

-p

Aaron_Brez

Perhaps he was at the Digital Hollywood conference? That's where Bill Hunt said he was going yesterday.

Hearing rumors that the sound is glitchy is not that big a deal; some stuff can be corrected reasonably in software (unless it's a fundamental issue with the hardware pickup: then it needs extra error correction and potentially additional data caching).

Hearing factually that the sound was so glitchy they couldn't have it fixed in time for this marketing opportunity, two months before he claims units will go out the door, and that the content providers are still reluctant to release titles...? Not boding well for HD-DVD availability anytime this year.