High Definition DVD: What is Holding You Back? (1 Viewer)

[Tim Glover]

What is the HR club? And how can one join?

 

[Mark Oates]

Cost keeps me from investing in either format. In the last couple of weeks, I've seriously damaged my bank account by taking the plunge and buying an HD-Ready LCD TV (an LG 32LC2D, and a beaut it is.) I can now watch the meagre HD service offered by my local cable company, which although restricted to a few BBC programmes is a revelation to watch at 720p and anybody who cannot see the difference between SD and HD I'd suggest a visit to an optometrist. I can also watch all of my DVD collection upscaled through my excellent Sony player, so all in all I'm a happy clam.

There are, however, only a handful of next generation DVD machines available in the UK and prices are prohibitive unless one is in a seriously well-paid job and has a sizeable disposable income. HD-DVD machines (which are not as well supported by software in the UK as far as I can see) come in around £350-400 ($700-800 roughly) while Blu-Ray kit is between £500-1000. The cheapest Blu-Ray option is, of course, the PS3 at around £400, but that doesn't appear to be as well-featured (upscaling, etc apparently) as dedicated machines. PC drives are also at a premium - typically £550.

When DVD first came out in the UK, it was around two years before prices started to drop to mainstream levels - sub£200 for a player. I think a similar price drop will have to happen before I'll commit myself to either of the warring formats. That might be a pipe dream, as the major companies seem intent on keeping budget hardware out of the market, but until cheaper machines do appear I don't think either format will find its feet.

 

[ErichH]

I think the new Panasonic 10A just might tip the scale for me. The thought of access into the new Audio via 7.1 coax is compelling. Reports of the player's outstanding SD & DVDA performance are icing on the cake. 90% of my collection will be SD for some time. It will be interesting to see how many double and tripple dips I'm willing to make, just to see and hear an existing title in the new format.
There will be a few new titles coming this year that I really want in BD - Blade Runner FC is King of that list.

1000.00+ for a first gen player seemed Outrageous, but 5-600 is doable for the 2nd gen with the new audio in place. No new receiver, and for now, no new display.

Now, if I could just find the darn thing.

 

[DaveF]

$5 DVDs.

I'd like to go HD, but even ignoring the War on Formats, $30 hi-def material is be a hard sell with $5 DVDs commonly available.

Every Sunday I scan the ads for the $5 DVDs. For the cost of a rental, and about 18% the price of a new HD/BR disc, I can own not-too-old movies I've haven't seen yet. I've got 20+ unwatched discs from the sale bins waiting to be watched. And if I want to see a fresh movie, I go to the theater. (2 tix & snacks for the price of a HD/BR disc!)

I'd like to go HD. I think it would be fun. And yet, with an older HD CRT, with a DVI port, format uncertainty, and more expensive media, HD/BR has poor value proposition to me.

 

[Aurora Coast Productions]

Personally, I am ready to go HD, but I am waiting for Apple to put Blu Ray in their laptops, so I can take the flicks on the road.

Dave

 

[DaveF]

Well, the announcement of Close Encounters for Blu-Ray only drove home the need (to me) to not buy into an HD format until the format issue is resolved. My bias had been towards HD-DVD. Had I bought one two weeks ago when it was on sale, I'd have bought the wrong player -- or at least been unable to watch the new Close Encounters release. And if I buy BR, undoubtedly I'll lose out on various HD-DVD only releases. :frowning:

 

[Thomas Ehlers]

First off, if I may, I'd like to introduce myself as a new member of HTF; I'm glad to be here.

We just purchased our first hi-def set for the bedroom and switched to DirecTV for HD programming, and it's exciting, but I haven't been driven to purchase a hi-def DVD player yet for a mixed bag of reasons. For starters, it still appears, like for others who have posted, the cost of getting into it is overall still pretty high.

Also, I have a modest collection of regular DVDs that I'm hesitant to replace with discs of either format. I realize that there many people with amazing collections of films on multiple formats, but I would have a hard time justifying the expense, especially to my wife . Plus I find that upconversion of regular DVDs produces some pretty terrific results with a calibrated set.

We just recently watched The Guardian on our new set which has a built-in upconverting DVD player and were thrilled with the image quality.

What adds to my dilemma on this is that I have seen some A/B comparative displays at various electronics stores in our area and the regular DVD image appears more distorted than it should be, in my opinion.

So I think I'm going to hold off for a while longer and see how the market for high def DVDs matures.

 

[Jason Seaver]

Then don't. You're not the first I've seen this attitude from, but I don't quite get it - the players are backward compatible and some get great marks for upconversion. This line of reasoning seems to be a close relative of the frequent comment that if one format wins, everything in the other instantly becomes worthless.

 

[Thomas Ehlers]

Hi Jason--

Do the hi-def players do better with upconversion than others that upconvert via HDMI but don't play either hi-def format? If you can share some examples that would be helpful. Sony has an ES model that comes to mind which upconverts via HDMI but won't play HD or Blu-Ray. If they do a better upconversion job then I would certainly get one when it can be afforded. Eventually we will be putting a second hi-def set in the family room to which said player would be connected.

For me it doesn't matter if one format wins. If they both can sustain themselves in the marketplace and offer something to consumers, I wouldn't be against supporting them both and perhaps adding certain discs I don't already own. That being said, however, how can the market support the presence of two formats? Are there distinctions between them that can make coexistence a reality?

 

[Dave Moritz]

I now own both formats as I started out with the Toshiba HD-A1 and about 2 months ago purchased a Sony BDP-S300. I however have been buying alot more blu-ray titles than HD-DVD's and I will soon have more blu-ray titles than HD-DVD. I would love to see more people buy a blu-ray player but at least get into HD. Both formats look great and while I would like to see Blu-ray win. I just want the war to be over so one format can move forward. Like I said I would love for that to be Blu-ray especially since Denon announced they will be offering a high end Blu-ray player.

 

[Alf S]

Waiting for ONE single format to be the way of hi-def DVD..until then...upconverted SD if perfect for my needs.

 

[Cees Alons]

Dave, you should update your sig then.

I bought a HD DVD player rather quickly (assuming I would add a PS3 in March 2007). I'm really thrilled by the quality of HD DVD (and TrueHD audio) and also by the superb upconversion qualities of the Toshiba. Much better than many upconverting DVD players and (perhaps) only comparable with a few much more expensive players.

It protected my current SD DVD library, so to say.

I didn't buy the PS3 after all, for various reasons, but mainly because of the region coding that would make R1 BDs (of which I already own several) unplayable on a European PS3.

I'm now waiting for the Samsung combi-player and if the price is right (which several rumours say it will be), I will import one from the US.

Once you have a combo-player, the situation is exactly like there being one format only: you don't have to worry which format the specific release you're buying is.


Cees

 

[Dave Moritz]

Hey Cees, just updated it . I have alot of catching up to do on this site as I have not had internet access for the past 4 months. :frowning:

I have been very happy with the picture performance of my HD-DVD and have been impressed with Dolby True HD. In the past I have not been impressed with Dolby Digital but True HD is sweet.

Depending on what happens with HD-DVD after I upgrade my receiver and a few other components. I am considering upgrading my HD-DVD player to a actual 1080p player. But I am also keeping the new Denon Blu-ray in mind as well. It just depends on what way the war goes and both formats are very nice.

And there are some really nice blu-ray titles coming out in the next few months, I love it!

 

[TheBat]

I am also buying alot more bluray titles then HD DVD.. I must say that the up conversion on both the HD DVD player HDa2 and ps3 are amazing.. even if you don't buy HD titles, a least you have a much better up conversion dvd player.

Jacob