Warner's Total HD cripples HD DVD (temporarily) and Blu-ray (permanently) (1 Viewer)

[PeterTHX]

THD is a bad bad idea.
But I don't think Warner will use it when BD50 is called for, besides, they themselves said BD50 THD was the plan. Just because it's not scheduled doesn't mean it's being engineered, much like BD50 was at Blu-ray's launch.


I don't validate the Amazon figures, but I do the Videoscan numbers representing a much much broader selection of retailers and actual sales, not figures that can literally change minute to minute as they do on Amazon.

Bob Black leaves out the facts that
1: HD DVD and BD standalones are about even, despite the fact BD standalones cost twice as much or more.

2: The PS3 is being used more & more people for BD playback. And if he actually owned a PS3 he'd know that the rebate was for $10 off select titles, hardly half off and on titles people may or may not want.

3: Toshiba has been giving away HD DVDs since the beginning, last Christmas it was 3 and now they are up to FIVE!

 

[Tim Glover]

Peter, it will just derail the thread if I explain more on this.

The topic is/supposed to be Warner's Total HD stuff.

Sorry.

 

[Juan C]

No.

It's all on the OP

15/25 - June
30/25 - August

30/50 - no mention, no schedule (even tentative). Nothing. Nada. Zip.

 

[Cees Alons]

Most probably a typo. They always said they would do 50Gb as well, and the moment they go higher than 25Gb on the HD DVD side, they'll need that second layer on the BD side.

But at least let's agree that the article doesn't imply that the HD DVD side will be seriously crippled, in practice.
It's an overview of the technique as will be available and when it will be "ready for the market".
Not of how it's going to be used on actual releases.


Cees

 

[MarekM]

Thomas I agree with you on this I know, not many times but on this yup, you are right... and you know that selling of hd dvd have to make quite a jump to meet those projections.....

Marek

 

[MarekM]

Cees I hope you are right about TYPO hmm,
hey nobody is talking about crippling HD DVD side but they are seriously crippling BD side if the result will be 30GB HD DVD and 25GB BD

Marek

 

[Cees Alons]

Even if it wasn't a typo: all they said that it would be "ready for the market" then and then.

The very moment an actual production needs a >25Gb BD side, they will either delay the release (or switch to separate) if the technology isn't ready, or else use it if it is.

Come on, this is Warner Bros. we're talking about. One doesn't need to agree with them on each and every point to know that they DO care about released quality. They're not out to cripple anything.


Cees

 

[MarekM]

Marek

 

[DaViD Boulet]

This is a problem with WB and no one is really sure what's up with them regrading Dolby True HD on BD (their lack of support, that is). Even industry insiders have been scratching their heads or have been very coy about giving any clear answers.

As you say, since all BD players (whether they fully decode DTHD or not) extract the core just fine... it's an easy one-size-fits-all solution for both HD DVD and BD formats. I'm startig to suspect that the ommission of lossless tracks from the cooresponding BD title might be WB's way of helping give HD DVD some sort of "edge" for the time being though it seems inconsistent with their larger corporate strategy.

We're *all* looking for answers on this right now. There's no excuse.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

OT but great news that Sony may start using Dolby True HD lossless on some of their BD titles:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&#post10040688

 

[Rob Young]

haha yeah typical human mentality...discount something when it doesn't go the way you want then back it when it is in your favour.

I am format neutral and don't care about sales figures but it is clear that right now bluray is beating hd dvd in sales, at least at amazon and probably other places. Unlike some diehards I think there are many factors behind this and doesn't simply mean everyone just loves bluray and dislikes hd-dvd.

Anyone who actually has used both formats knows they are damn near identical so wtf is the point of taking sides like these digital formats are high school sports teams? I think many online simply need to just grow up (the debates about these formats make me think I'm 12 again) be happy with what they have and not trash those who prefer the other format or even trash the other format.

As for the THD, I don't care much for the idea other than the fact I know someone wiht a hd dvd player and my parents have a PS3 for bluray so at least with these I could buy them and both could borrow the discs off me. That's about the only positive I see in this disc FOR ME.

Oh and the harping on the initial discs being single layer only for hd dvd and acting like this will result in such crap quality...do people not remember the early combos from last year? Some of those combo discs looked/sounded damn good (kiss kiss bang bang to just name one) and were on 15GB layers so I think some just need to RELAX. Yes they were shorter in length but I highly doubt warner is going to be chucking LOTR length movies on these initial THDs.

Why is it people involved in these next gen formats are so quick to react and push the panic button at every damn piece of info? It's like the world is ending to some.

 

[Chris S]

Well... so far HD-DVD is getting more audio options than BD. So I'm still waiting on the equality/neutrality aspect before I'm concerned about potentially missing out on further features.

 

[Chris S]

Very true and I'm think we should all be giving them the benefit of the doubt given their track record. I want to see what titles they are releasing (i.e. running times) and how they plan to handle features on both sides. I'll be concerned when there is something to be concerned about. Until then I'll just consider myself cautiously optimistic.

 

[Cees Alons]

Hear, hear!


Cees

 

[Shawn Perron]

Does that mean we no longer have to listen to you preach doom and gloom about BD+ Cees, or that somehow the exception to this philosophy you are currently touting? :p

 

[Cees Alons]

There's a huge difference between "panic" and discussing harmful properties of a specific HT-related technology.
The latter should always be possible on a forum like this and certainly not be met by ostrich behaviour.

(There's also a huge difference between Warner and Sony. )


Cees

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Thank-god we're not all arguing about BD "vaporware" anymore. At least some areas of discussion about these format-war-woes have improved over time...

 

[Jim Stegbauer]

This article best expressed my concerns of THD:

http://www.emedialive.com/Articles/R...rticleID=12393

Say what you want, THD should never hit the light of day....

 

[Norman Matthews]

Yeah, I do -- not very difficult at all. This comment comes up time and time again with regard to flippers of all kinds and it always mystifies me. I have to wonder what people are doing with their discs or what kind of eight-thumbed sausage-hands they've been cursed with whenever I hear it. My flippers are all in as good condition as my single-sided discs.

There are arguments to be made, but this one never strikes me as a good one.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

I hate flippers. Not only bcs there's no "safe side" for resting it on the table or for fingers, but because it's always seems to require turning on the lights and getting out the near-sighted glasses to read the spine to make sure it's inserted to the right side in the disc tray.

However, in order to produce a single dual-format solution for HD consumers, I'm tolerant of THD. Whichever format may win or die (assuming one does win/die), consumers with THD HD copies will still be able to enjoy their software on a player of whatever the "other" format was that they might not have originally planned to purchase.

IMO this is especially good for current HD DVD-only consumers. If we take the assumption that HD DVD has a limited life expectancy (my opinion/prediction), then THD allows them to keep purchasing HD content to enjoy on their HD DVD player while they wait for BD players to come down in price and provide the kind of featureset that a AV enthusiast really wants (advanced audio decoding, interactive layer etc.).

-dave