To All HTF Members: The "HD-DVD ONE FORMAT ONLY!" campaign begins...with YOUR help! (1 Viewer)

[Sean Bryan]

HD-DVD will not "take off as well as DVD did" because the target market is clearly different. When DVD came out, it was a product that could be used with just about any TV and the improved picture quality was obvious. For years and years to come, the best picture that can be displayed on most TVs out there will be available on good old standard DVD. HD-DVD is a product for people with front projectors or HDTVs. This market continues to grow, but it is and will be a smaller marker for some time to come.
HD-DVD WILL be successful because there will be a good market for it: hometheater enthusiasts and any future HDTV owners. This means, however, that it will clearly be a niche market product for the foreseeable future. Laserdisc was a niche product and it did just fine. HD-DVD will certainly be a larger market than laserdisc, but to think that it is going to step in and "replace" standard DVD (and, therefore, need to cater to the lowest common denominator) is silly. HD-DVD doesn't need to be something that replaces DVD by being some kind of hybrid HD/SD-DVD as some people seem to think it needs to be. It should be its own thing. HD-DVD should be new product that delivers pre-recorded high definition movies to people whose equipment can display HD, separate from NTSC DVD. Those who can't display HD already have a format that delivers outstanding picture quality to their TVs, DVD.
It will appeal to the studios because it will be a market that will start out bigger than laserdisc ever was and will continue to grow from there (as more HDTVs are purchased). Will it be a market as large as the current DVD market? Of course not. It will be a long, long time before it could appeal to a market the size of the DVD market.
Making the HD-DVD PLAYERS able to play standard DVD would be nice. However, the HD-disc/format itself should in no way be compromised to appeal to people who are already perfectly happy with DVD. Letve HD-DVD be its own cool niche product that doesn't have to worry about whether "Grandma will want it." It's not targeted for "Grandma" in the first place. Unless she's a hometheater nut.

Why should grandma buy a HD-DVD player for her B&W TV?

Why would anyone think "grandma" should want a HD-DVD player? Why would "grandma" even buy a standard DVD player?
Why should the opinion of grandma or Joe six-pack have any bearing on the shape of the future ultra-high quality videophile format?

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Agreed.

If the studios felt they could profit with laserdisc...which they clearly did...there's no reason why they'd shy away from HD-DVD. HD-DVD stands to appeal to a larger audience than laserdiscs and ultimately be cheaper to replicate than laserdiscs ever were. Actually, I'd look forward to it being more of a niche-market item that delivers high-quality content to those who value good picture and sound.

 

[Eric F]

Remember, most people purchase HDTV/Widescreen sets to watch DVDs, and probably have never even seen HDTV. They're selling fairly well too. Next thing they have to do is mandate that every TV has a digital tuner built in.

Anyways, in this case a HD-DVD format might do better than expected considering big projection sets are selling well, even if HD tuners aren't.

 

[Jeff Jacobson]

The beauty of an top-notch HD format is that the disc contains all the fidelity (both picture and sound) one could hope for, and the HD-DVD player can deliver that to the guru with the $$$ system, but can just as easily downconvert the whole deal to 480 interlaced with analog stereo outputs for his TV.

I currently do not own an HDTV or a projector, but I am still interested in HD-DVD. I currently just have a standard definition TV and listen to the sound through the TV's built-in speakers, but I plan on upgrading someday. So I would like to buy movies on HD-DVD to get the best picture and sound qualilty possible.

(Also, I'm guessing that there would probably be HD-DVD ROM drives, so I could use my computer's monitor to play movies as well.)

 

[Sean Bryan]

I currently do not own an HDTV or a projector, but I am still interested in HD-DVD. I currently just have a standard definition TV and listen to the sound through the TV's built-in speakers, but I plan on upgrading someday. So I would like to buy movies on HD-DVD to get the best picture and sound qualilty possible.

Well sure. It would be a good idea if HD-DVD players can downconvert so that the HD-DVDs can be played on standard TVs for those who are planing to upgrade to HDTV in the foreseeable future. Definitely a good idea. Letting the HD-DVD player do this is the right idea. But the software should not be a "hybrid" in any form. My point was that there is no reason to try to have one single new DVD format that covers both HD-DVD and standard DVD. That's crazy. They should be two different, separate formats (although it would be nice if the new HD-DVD players play both). For those who are perfectly happy with standard DVD (it is excellent) and have no intention of buying a HDTV in the foreseeable future, regular DVD already exists and doesn't need to be messed with. HD-DVD should be given the same respect (as its own thing) and not compromised to appeal to the average consumer.

 

[Grady Hollums]

HD-DVD should be given the same respect (as its own thing) and not compromised to appeal to the average consumer.

Why does there have to be an elitist idea of the HD-DVD format. I really would much rather buy one DVD player that played all my DVDs + the HD-DVDs, instead of having
another HD-DVD player in my video rack.

The only reason I would want their to be a dedicated HD-DVD player is if the player would be cheaper if it was not backward compatible.

Then I might be OK with it.

(I already have a VCR, Xbox, and DVD player, I won't have room for another HD-DVD player (although I am sure I would find room for it, heh):b

 

[Jeff Jacobson]

Grady:


He was opposed to hybrid DVD+HD-DVD discs, not backward compatible players. I agree with this, BTW.

If you are planning to upgrade to HDTV in the future, then you could get an HD-DVD player and have the signal downconverted to your current TV. As others have stated, the HD-DVD discs should contain the best image and sound quality possible. The movie, tv show (or whatever kind of program is on the HD-DVD) should be in its original aspect ratio, frame rate, and original audio track (dialogue, language, music, etc.). The PLAYER should do all of the downconverting.

 

[Grady Hollums]

I already have an HDTV. I am just wanting to be able to play an Hd signal on my TV some day and right now I am worried about the politics and if my component inputs on my HDTV will even accept the new players or HD Satellite dishes?

 

[Patrick G]

I'm ready! I just sold all 236 of my DVDs on eBay (separately) because I could no longer see growing a collection of standard definition DVDs when HD-DVD is on the horizon. I'm saving $150 a month now that I'm not buying DVDs anymore, but at the same time I can't wait to start buying HD-DVDs.

 

[Todd Hochard]

I'm ready! I just sold all 236 of my DVDs on eBay (separately) because I could no longer see growing a collection of standard definition DVDs when HD-DVD is on the horizon. I'm saving $150 a month now that I'm not buying DVDs anymore, but at the same time I can't wait to start buying HD-DVDs.

Are you kidding? I think you might have jumped the gun.
If it's Blu-Ray, I'm guessing 2005, at the earliest. I could be mistaken, but I doubt it.

Todd

 

[Jon_Are]

Why should the opinion of grandma or Joe six-pack have any bearing...

Grandma Six-Pack! I love it!!! Link Removed
Jon

 

[Todd H]

I may get crucified for this, but I'd like to see an improved version of on-the-fly pan and scan added to the HD-DVD spec. Plus I'd like it to be mandatory that all HD-DVDs contain the necessary flags for it. I know, I know. You're probably asking yourself "Why would we need this, since Joe 6-packs won't be buying HD-DVD players anytime soon?" You're right, they won't initially. But I just have that feeling that eventually they will. And they'll probably still be using their old TV's to show a downconverted signal. Let's go ahead and save the hassle of dual releases while we have the chance. I'm done. Flame away!