After HDTV, I'm disapointed with DVD's (1 Viewer)

[Dave Scarpa]

Yep AOTC is the best DVD I've ever seen shown on my set.

 

[Phil Kim]

Doug, if you think AOTC on dvd is below average you need to see a tv repair man as soon as possible. Also, to all you HD fans out there you are jumping ship way too soon!

Compared to movies on HBO-HD, even the best DVDs look soft and slightly out of focus, including AOTC. 6 times more pixel count can't be ignored (2 million for 1080i HDTV vs. 350,000 for DVD). True, 1080i broadcast is often plagued with compression artifacts (such as recent Muppets special on NBC) and interlace "shimmering" (common when watching PBS demo loop), but the images look more detailed and cinematic than any DVDs.

Since getting an HDTV-ready TV, I've been watching DVDs (via progressive DVD player) on it for about a year before adding an HDTV receiver. Aftermath? I have yet to mutter "wow" on any DVDs ever since.

 

[Norm]

Would you guys buy a HD-DVD movie if it came on more than one disc?

Also how are Football games in HD? Do you get to see more of the football field?

 

[Paul W]

Also how are Football games in HD? Do you get to see more of the football field?

When properly doen, the results are incredible (which pretty much rules out fox and their misleading enhanced resolution).

First, the grass looks like grass. The texture is much better (especially with the higher color gamut)

Second, you can actually tell the team uniforms apart.

Third, with the widescreen ratio, you can actually see what is going on in the secondary in the wide shots. I think this makes it feel like you are really there (well, more than with 4:3 aspect anyway).

 

[Christopher a]

Satallite HD has way to many movies that are cropped to fill the screen. HBO is a big offender of this. Showtime should be commended that they support OAR. I do not care for a format that crops films like this. You wouldn't except this type of thing on dvd so I don't know why people are willing to accept it on HD.

Yes, I have become somewhat of a D-VHS spokeman around here lately so I apologize if I sound like a broken record. D-VHS suppports OAR and doesn't pull the crap that HBO does. If I get an HD satellite, it will only be to record and watch movies that are not cropped. I can't believe no one else is pissed about this?!?!?!?

Chris

 

[Lee_eel]

Well, i love dvd and will continue to love it, faults and all!

 

[Phil Kim]

Also how are Football games in HD? Do you get to see more of the football field?

Check it out for yourself here:
The Definition of High Definition - CBS Sports
Click on the images to see them in 1920x1080 glory.

 

[Norm]

Thanx

 

[Chad V]

I have a SONY 51" HDTV READY TV. What more to I need to get HDTV Broadcast?

 

[Reginald Trent]

You have to get a decoder that can recieve and decode HD signals. You can get one that decodes over the air (OTA) signals or one that recieves both OTA or DirecTV. You can do the same if you choose Dish Network.

 

[Anthony R]

Brian--

I had the same first impression as well when I purchased a Hitachi 51" 16x9. The DVD image just didn't look as clear and crisp as DVD had on 4x3 sets.

However, I did notice that it made a big difference (at least on my set) when the TV's picture mode was set to MOVIES, as opposed to SPORTS, which made the DVD look significantly worse.

Many DVD players also have different picture modes (Cinema 1, Cinema 2, etc.)-- you might try fiddling with those as well.

Tony

 

[Dave Mack]

You should call your cable company. They might be capable of HDTV, Time Warner usually is for example...
You will rent a box that decodes some hdtv. HBO, SHO, A few of the networks. Call and ask. An external, purchased decoder box will not work with Cable sgnals as far as I know.
You will also Save alot of dough!
D

 

[Derek.Dixon]

I noticed this from the very begining I been with DVD since it came out and I noticed tons of artifacts on my old analog Panasonic but it still looked good for the TV then when I switched to HDTV my Mits enhanced everything on the disc every defect, fault, nook and cranny, and plenty more that I didnt see all came out of the woodwork, what it comes down to is DVDs are OUTDATED because the TVs they were made to maximize on are outdated, now I dont know anything about which tv's are outselling what as far as analog VS digital television is concerned, but we all know who's going the way of the dinosaur it's analog and the current DVD technology was made for those analog TVs along with thier S-video and composite RCA connections (yes I know they also are in component video thats not the point),for this reason I slowed down my DVD purchases because eventually I dont wanna have to buy these when they come back out on D-VHS or Blue laser HD-DVD.

By the way I thought AOTC was a pretty poor transfer too although It was the first time a movie taped in HD was transfered to a disc I'm sure the HD home version will be incredible.

 

[Dave Mack]

Actually, the Psychological thriller, "Session 9" was shot using the SAME camera (24fps HD format) as AOTC and was released quite a while before it. Looks pretty decent. Obviously, they didn't have the $$$ for Post production the way Lucas has.
D

 

[Patrick Sun]

I'm now on the HDTV bandwagon every since I got my HDTV set and STB just recently.

I've made this observation before, but HDTV makes even Jay Leno watchable on the Tonight Show, where the color palatte of the studio/set gives a good taste of what HDTV offers in terms of vivid colors with picture quality that is very lifelike and crisp.

I can't wait to watch the Packers-Falcons game tomorrow night (even if the Falcons will be crushed by the Pack in the cold environment of Lambeau field) because ABC is broadcasting it in HDTV. Too back ABC isn't doing the same with the Fiesta Bowl tonight.

Even when the source isn't HDTV, the picture quality on the HDTV channels of syndicated shows or 1st run shows is better than anything I've seen on broadcast or cable TV, the colors are truer and the picture quality is just cleaner (provided your reception strength is good). I thought last night's ER on NBC looked very good, though it was not shot in HD.

Last night I caught some of "Election" on Fox in their 480p EDTV broadcast, and the picture quality was okay, but I found it just a step under DVD picture quality. But it's still better than normal NTSC broadcast quality.

I watched AOTC on my new setup, and to me, the CGI just didn't blend seamlessly with the human actors anymore in its digital film source integration. The CGI just popped out more to my eyes after watching it critically. But as with most things, YMMV. I was okay with the look of digital animated films (Final Fantasy and Antz) being transfered to film and then the film print being the source because it lent a film like quality to the final picture quality from the DVD. But I will have to watch Toy Story I and II, and Monsters, Inc to see how good the CGI looks on the new set.

 

[Jim Ferguson]

Hi Patrick,

Unfortunately, ABC won't be doing any HD before the SuperBowl itself this year. CBS will be doing the AFC playoffs, but not the wildcard games this weekend.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Boo! to ABC this weekend! But I still enjoyed watching the Fiesta Bowl in SD that was broadcast on their HD subchannel last night, it was a lot better looking than my cable TV feed.

 

[Norm]

Then the the SB will be in HD?

 

[Marque D]

Then the the SB will be in HD?

Here's a press release that was previously on espn.com


Wednesday, September 25, 2002
ABC to broadcast Super Bowl and NBA Finals in HDTV

ABC Television Network president Alex Wallau announced on Sept. 25 that the most-watched and highest-profile sporting events of the year, including the Super Bowl, games of the National Basketball Association finals and the Stanley Cup, will be broadcast in HDTV on ABC this season. In addition ABC announced that it will broadcast the 2003-2004 season of "Monday Night Football" in HDTV.

"Live sporting events provide the best platform to showcase the dramatic benefits of high definition television," said Mr. Wallau. "We're delighted to broadcast these sporting events in HDTV, including the most-watched television event of the year, the Super Bowl."

ABC currently broadcasts the majority of its primetime schedule, including all of its scripted dramas, comedies and theatrical movies, in HDTV. The 2002-03 primetime HDTV broadcasts, sponsored by Zenith Electronics Corporation, include the new programs "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter," "Life with Bonnie," "Push, Nevada," "MDs," "That Was Then" and "Less Than Perfect." These programs join such ABC stalwarts as "NYPD Blue" and "The Practice" in high definition, bringing the Network's total HDTV primetime broadcasts to more than 13 hours per week.

ABC was the first major network to broadcast in HDTV, beginning in November 1998, and it is the only major broadcast network currently airing its HD programming in Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround sound. All of ABC's programs will use 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format.

In September 2001 ABC made a major commitment to HDTV programming when it began broadcasting the majority of its schedule in HDTV, including all of its scripted primetime comedy and drama series, as well as all theatrical movies. For the 2001-02 broadcast season, ABC broadcast more than 260 hours of HDTV programming, and the Network plans to broadcast even more hours in HD this season.

ABC began broadcasting high-definition television, including Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround sound, beginning on November 1, 1998, with the theatrical presentation of "The Wonderful World of Disney: 101 Dalmatians." Since then ABC has broadcast many other theatricals in HDTV, as well as numerous sporting events. Those include the first live, regularly scheduled HDTV sporting event in primetime, the 1999-2000 season of "Monday Night Football." ABC has also broadcast "Super Bowl XXXIV" and the "2000 National Hockey League All-Star Game" in HDTV. Currently 64 of ABC's owned and affiliated stations are broadcasting digital TV, covering 63% of the nation, with 48 of those stations broadcasting in HDTV.

ABC will air Super Bowl XXXVII on January 26, 2003, from San Diego, Calif. The NBA finals are scheduled for June 4-18, 2003, and the Stanley Cup for May 31-June 9, 2003.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

My 2cents:

HDNet or the rare video based HD on other channels is very noticeably better than progressive scan dvd.

Films on HBOHD and Showtime HD look a little better than dvd, providing the dvd is a good anamorphic transfer. Gladiator and Shrek on dvd look almost as good as HD. I've seen some movies on HBOHD or Showtime HD that do look very much better than their dvd counterparts, however. These are usually films that came out on dvd fairly early on and don't have the best transfer.

I only get one ota HD channel, my local ABC affilliate whose 720p is converted to 1080i by my stb. Some of the Disney movies they run on Sunday night, especially animated ones like Emperor's New Groove or Beauty and the Beast look quite a bit better than the dvd.

I'm not about to quit buying dvds in favor of waiting for the same film to come on one of the HD channels. The increase in pic quality isn't enough to make me forgo the non-pq related advantages of dvd, like special features, commentaries, and DTSES or DDEX sound.