Vader
Supporting Actor
- Joined
- Mar 19, 1999
- Messages
- 811
- Real Name
- Derek
First, a disclaimer. This is nothing more than a commentary from my perspective, and not an invitation for flames, nor is it troll-swill. Comments are welcome; attacks are not. Mods, please delete if it degenerates into anything remotely resembling verbal warfare.
Let me state up-front: I am a Hi Def early adopter, by way of HD-DVD (yet something else I swore I would never do, but did). I went with HD-DVD instead of Blu Ray for two reasons. First, was the price to get into the game. $500 was much more in my budget for a player that would be replaced anyway once the technology matured. And second, the first reviews of Blu Ray software were somewhat "lackluster". To my pedestrian mind, the 20 GB capacity advantage was nullified by their use of a much more inefficient codec, and it still gave only average results (read: The Fifth Element). I don't know if BR requires an internet connection or not, but that would, by itself, completely disqualify BR. On the other side, HD-DVD has consistently given fantastic quality, and offered next-gen sound, and stuff like IME (which, to my understanding, is not even possible on BR, but I may be wrong here). Add to that the fact that Disney and Fox were two of the most ardent supporters of DIVX, and that Best Buy (obviously in bed with Sony, IMO) is behaving much like Circus City did (the main reason why I now patronize Amazon for my discs, HD and SD). And no internet connection required.
At this point, let me re-iterate that I am not flaming anyone, and that I welcome comments/corrections.
Now that Blu Ray has begun using more advanced codecs (Mpeg4, VC1), it has become a wash between the two PQ-wise, and only the AQ is still in HD-DVD's favor (which, I read is going to change as well come 2007, with Fox touting full DTS-HD…?). Yet, currently the additional 20GB is only being taken advantage of (it seems) when Mpeg2 is used; otherwise it is wasted. IMO, the ideal would be to utilize the best of both worlds (VC1, Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD, max out the rest with extras, never compromising the PQ of the feature).
My main concern is the movie itself, regardless of the format. Therefore, when a film is available on HD-DVD, I will get it that way. If not, I buy the SD-DVD version. I'm sure I will double-dip anyway if the title warrants it (future Sp Ed, etc), and I can enjoy the film until that happens. Note here that, even after watching several HD movies, I am still able to enjoy SD-DVD just fine – to me it still can look fantastic. I know that there are those who will scoff at that statement, especially since I am running a 65" Mitsu 65511 (component only – no upconversion), and Denon 1600 (for SD-DVDs). If that isn't enough to revoke my card as a "true HT enthusiast", I still watch my LD library (although, most titles have been replaced by DVD). And I am in the camp that a "true" HT is not necessarily defined by FP.
The bottom line is that I while enjoy HT immensely, and anticipate even more great things from HD, I see the HT community segregating into "clicks" (for lack of a better term). Each is waging war on the others, even as the format war intensifies. Nowhere is this more evident than in many threads, both here and on AVS (though considerably less here), that become literal blood-baths that amount to little more than "mine is better than yours, nya!" [third grade emphasis mine]. And many site owners/editors seem to be taking sides by reporting one and not the other (almost as if they are on one side's payroll).
Do these mental giants (both Sony and Toshiba) not realize that if they had swallowed their pride (and greed) and developed a single format, that many of us would have jumped in with both feet (and wallets)? Personally, my HD-DVD player allows me to watch HD on some titles for the time being, and I will be first in line for the inevitable hybrid players in '07. I am hoping that BR will completely abandon the Mpeg2 by then, and Dolby TruHD or DTS-HD will be standard. Only then will we have a level playing field. I am a fan of movies first, and the format comes second – always.
Let me state up-front: I am a Hi Def early adopter, by way of HD-DVD (yet something else I swore I would never do, but did). I went with HD-DVD instead of Blu Ray for two reasons. First, was the price to get into the game. $500 was much more in my budget for a player that would be replaced anyway once the technology matured. And second, the first reviews of Blu Ray software were somewhat "lackluster". To my pedestrian mind, the 20 GB capacity advantage was nullified by their use of a much more inefficient codec, and it still gave only average results (read: The Fifth Element). I don't know if BR requires an internet connection or not, but that would, by itself, completely disqualify BR. On the other side, HD-DVD has consistently given fantastic quality, and offered next-gen sound, and stuff like IME (which, to my understanding, is not even possible on BR, but I may be wrong here). Add to that the fact that Disney and Fox were two of the most ardent supporters of DIVX, and that Best Buy (obviously in bed with Sony, IMO) is behaving much like Circus City did (the main reason why I now patronize Amazon for my discs, HD and SD). And no internet connection required.
At this point, let me re-iterate that I am not flaming anyone, and that I welcome comments/corrections.
Now that Blu Ray has begun using more advanced codecs (Mpeg4, VC1), it has become a wash between the two PQ-wise, and only the AQ is still in HD-DVD's favor (which, I read is going to change as well come 2007, with Fox touting full DTS-HD…?). Yet, currently the additional 20GB is only being taken advantage of (it seems) when Mpeg2 is used; otherwise it is wasted. IMO, the ideal would be to utilize the best of both worlds (VC1, Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD, max out the rest with extras, never compromising the PQ of the feature).
My main concern is the movie itself, regardless of the format. Therefore, when a film is available on HD-DVD, I will get it that way. If not, I buy the SD-DVD version. I'm sure I will double-dip anyway if the title warrants it (future Sp Ed, etc), and I can enjoy the film until that happens. Note here that, even after watching several HD movies, I am still able to enjoy SD-DVD just fine – to me it still can look fantastic. I know that there are those who will scoff at that statement, especially since I am running a 65" Mitsu 65511 (component only – no upconversion), and Denon 1600 (for SD-DVDs). If that isn't enough to revoke my card as a "true HT enthusiast", I still watch my LD library (although, most titles have been replaced by DVD). And I am in the camp that a "true" HT is not necessarily defined by FP.
The bottom line is that I while enjoy HT immensely, and anticipate even more great things from HD, I see the HT community segregating into "clicks" (for lack of a better term). Each is waging war on the others, even as the format war intensifies. Nowhere is this more evident than in many threads, both here and on AVS (though considerably less here), that become literal blood-baths that amount to little more than "mine is better than yours, nya!" [third grade emphasis mine]. And many site owners/editors seem to be taking sides by reporting one and not the other (almost as if they are on one side's payroll).
Do these mental giants (both Sony and Toshiba) not realize that if they had swallowed their pride (and greed) and developed a single format, that many of us would have jumped in with both feet (and wallets)? Personally, my HD-DVD player allows me to watch HD on some titles for the time being, and I will be first in line for the inevitable hybrid players in '07. I am hoping that BR will completely abandon the Mpeg2 by then, and Dolby TruHD or DTS-HD will be standard. Only then will we have a level playing field. I am a fan of movies first, and the format comes second – always.
.
