**Official HTF HD Formats Ind./Retailer/Studio Support Thread-*SEE POST 3176, p. 106* - Page 61

Originally Posted by Sanjay Gupta

Yes, I have. Honestly, the experience was no different than watching a Blu-Ray disc. But I think you are missing the point. The issue is not so much that HD-DVD cannot deliver the same quality as Blu-Ray today, but rather will it be able to do so in the long run, if/when the capacity and bandwith limitations of HD-DVD become an issue. Anyhow, my logic is quite simple. When two foramts provide the same quality and functions today, but one of them has a higher capacity and bandwith than the other, it seems logical to go with the format that has the higher capacity & bandwith just in case that ever becomes an issue. In my assesment this will become an issue sooner than later, that is, if it is not already an issue, as rumored to be the case with some recent high profile HD-DVD release. If the only justification for choosing the format with lesser capacity and bandwith, is it's lower current cost, then it is a rather short sighted reason. Presumably the studio software pricing will be the same for both formats, thus the only difference in cost from the consumer's perspective, is the initial difference in price of hardware, which too for equivalent level of players is already quite similiar now. It is possible, however remote the chances might be, that HD-DVD might win this war. But that in itself would not mean that the right format won. The world after all has had to live with the follies of the US masses in the case of VHS. I just hope we are not saddled with a similiar situation because of the short sightedness shown due to a small difference in initial hardware pricing.


I am glad we can agree upon something atleast.

Originally Posted by Brandon Conway

Bill Hunt's position is rather simple and logical, even if his methodology of presentation is not.



2. Because Sony, Fox and Disney will never support an HDM format without Region Coding and higher disc security, they will never support HD-DVD.

3. Without those three companies, HD-DVD will never be the sole format.

Originally Posted by Brandon Conway

Bill Hunt's position is rather simple and logical, even if his methodology of presentation is not.

1. Consumers won't accept two formats.

2. Because Sony, Fox and Disney will never support an HDM format without Region Coding and higher disc security, they will never support HD-DVD.

3. Without those three companies, HD-DVD will never be the sole format.

4. If HD-DVD isn't the sole format, consumers will lose in the long run because they will not accept two formats.

5. The only way to get one format is to support Blu-ray Disc.

6. Blu-ray good, HD-DVD bad.

Originally Posted by Brandon Conway

That's the problem, though - there's no way HD-DVD can "win out" at this point. The sales numbers would have to be at least 4:1 in favor of HD-DVD. That's not happening anytime soon. The best they can hope for is a stalemate. And a stalemate won't give them Sony, Fox or Disney.

Originally Posted by Brandon Conway

That's the problem, though - there's no way HD-DVD can "win out" at this point. The sales numbers would have to be at least 4:1 in favor of HD-DVD. That's not happening anytime soon. The best they can hope for is a stalemate. And a stalemate won't give them Sony, Fox or Disney.

Originally Posted by Adam Gregorich

It is still way too early in the game. Sales numbers mean almost nothing at this point. Most titles have sold fewer that 15,000 copies, so 4:1 of nothing is nothing. BD is excited (rightfully so) that they just hit or are about to hit 3 million discs sold in almost two years. Transformers on DVD sold more than that in a week! It is still an early market and the sales numbers are 3:2. When a major release can move the YTD ratios you know that it is way to early to try to call a winner. Both formats still have cards to play, and surprises in store.

Originally Posted by Shane Martin

Troy is not at 24 bit though. That's the point.
[/font]

Originally Posted by Cees Alons

If you think you want 24 bits (instead of, say 20 bits), go take a look in the manual of your amplifiers.

If the Harmonic Distortion isn't better than 0.002% or the SNR > -96db, then you will never need more than 16 bits as long as you are using that machine.

Originally Posted by ReggieW

The major PS3 impact on the HD war has already come and gone imho..

Originally Posted by RobertR

It's interesting. Some of the "anything less than 24 bits is unacceptable" people are the same ones who rave about the glories of the sound of laserdiscs that had uncompressed sound. Uncompressed sound that was achieved using PCM audio.

Using 16 bits.

Originally Posted by Paul_Scott

Why would they need 4:1?

Originally Posted by Paul_Scott

1:1 is all they really need- if it is a fact that HD DVD production is considerably less expensive than Bd production (non subsidized on both sides of course).

Originally Posted by Paul_Scott

If each side appears to be moving the same number of units for similar titles, why would a studio want to undercut its bottom line by paying more to make a product? or worse, pay more to make it, yet have to discount it more heavily to move the same amount of units the other side does?

Originally Posted by Brandon Conway

Because they estimate higher losses by piracy.

Originally Posted by Jari K

"In your opinion" indeed. Not a fact by any means.

As an "early adopter" you probably forget, that many people are just starting to consider of buying that "HD-player" and PS3 will be definitely one option for them. My friend just bought PS3 week ago. And after PS3 price reductions, PS3 will have "impact" of the whole "format war". The "effect" is probably not as huge as Sony would like it to be, but it´s there in some degree.

I don´t also fully see where these "Toshiba is sooooo great HD-player but PS3 is not"-comments comes from? I mean Toshiba is very good HD-player and the quality is top notch, but the "functionality" is lacking. The HD DVD-side can be slow and there are other minor issues related to HD playback. .

Originally Posted by RobertR

Unless you know with absolute certainty that the ONLY difference between the two is the format (sound can be tweaked in MANY different ways), that proves nothing. Of course, the makers of SACD discs have no incentive to make such a comparison possible, since that would undermine the justification for the very existence of the format.