What title/release would "force" you to buy a HD-player or turn to "format neutral"? (1 Viewer)

[Douglas Monce]

Good choice. I put this one in at least once a month.

Doug

 

[Lyle_JP]

To make me get an HD-DVD player?

Jaws. With Original mono in PCM or some other uncompressed signal. And the entire documentary. And all the deleted scenes (preferably HD), and all the trailers (also HD).

That would do it. I'd go format-neutral right there.

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

I can't think of any one film that would do it anymore. There may be titles that would edge me closer, but most of the titles I was really looking forward to seeing decent presentations of are out on DVD. In looking at what is currently available on HD, I'm having a hard time finding enough content to warrant buying in, especially when the stuff I'd be interested in is on both formats.

 

[BrettV]

I already own a ps3 and had to buy HD-DVD player for transformers.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Lawrence of Arabia from 4K 65mm transfer.

 

[Jari K]

"Forbidden Planet" was basically my first HD DVD also (after I got Toshiba).

 

[Jim_K]

This situation would be past tense for me because I've been format free for the past 7 months but..............

Started with Blu-ray in January and what tempted me to go duel format in April wasn't just one film but the overall selection. Specifically titles like Forbidden Planet, Adventures of Robin Hood, Batman Begins, The Thing, Casablanca, 12 Monkeys, Casino, The Deer Hunter, Children of Men, King Kong, V For Vendetta, Excalibur to name some existing titles. Plus even though they never delivered on any of these - the prospect of Hitchcock and Spielberg titles, Scarface, Double Indemnity, Conan, Grindhouse, Kill Bill the Whole Bloody Affair, etc.

I've been through the frustration of only having one format and being pigeonholed with the available selections and wouldn't want to go through that again.

 

[bigluigi]

A BR player priced at

 

[Scott Jentsch]

On the media side,

• LOTR (w/ seamless branching for Theatrical and Ext. Editions)
• Dances with Wolves
• Alien & Aliens
• More Pixar/Disney movies (Toy Story 1/2, Finding Nemo)
• Star Wars 1-6 (w/ seamless branching for all 36 editions now available)

The recent release of Cars and Ratatouille really make me lament the absence of a Blu-ray player, but it all comes down the biggest factor of all that would get me to be format-neutral:

• A BD-Live / Profile 2.0 standalone player for less than $300.

If such a machine was available now, I'd probably pay more than $300, but no such machine exists at any price.

 

[ErichH]

Studio's need to go dual format - not us.
On this weekend of shopping insanity in the US, I can think of no better present.

 

[Danny_N]

I think the chances of winning the lottery are bigger than Sony releasing these. They haven't even released them on SD although they were remastered some time ago.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

The other thing that would make me make the leap is a dual format player for

 

[Alfonso_M]

No matter what movies they release I’m certainly not paying the exaggerated prices the Blu-Ray camp demands anytime soon..

Up-converted SD-DVD look better than ever now on my Toshiba A20/Hitachi RPTV combo, new titles (only) on HD-DVD are like icing on cake…......

 

[Manus]

" Studio's need to go dual format - not us "

How did you get in here ?? You're far too sensible
Unfortunately if ther were all too stupid to agree BEFORE they launched I can't see them suddenly becoming mature enough to do that anytime soon .

Agree that BD ( only) hardware is far too expensive for an unsettled spec as yet .

~M~

 

[RobertR]

I'd be willing to have the price be $150 more if it also decoded all the audio formats to at least 5.1 (and preferably 7.1) analog outputs. No sign of such a player yet, despite promises by some on here.

 

[Shane Martin]

I'm already neutral but Casino Royale did it for me. I'm a Bond fanatic.

 

[John H Ross]

Snap. A UK model player which is a) dual-format and b) region free. I'm not even looking at software until those two criteria are met.

And if it takes less than 5 minutes to load a disc, that would be a bonus!

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

Getting back to the titles concept, I am curious how many people really will watch things like Star Wars, Indy, Close Encounters etc. enough to warrant shelling out hundreds of dollars for a player (which may be a dead format) and rebuying the disc for the second to fifth time? I mean, I like these films, but I have seen most of them so many times that I would probably not miss it if I didn't see them for another five years, so a one time curiosity viewing for how they look in HD is not a factor for me. This goes for most of what is currently available on HD - they are films I've owned on DVD for years, but rarely get watched anymore.

 

[Walter Kittel]

The question is sort of a variant of the 'what is your favorite film / films' with the extra hurdle of acquiring hardware.

For myself, I purchased an HD-A1 in May of 2006 and was HD DVD exclusive for some time. Bd was released later and a combination of titles that did not interest me, and less than favorable reviews of some titles that did hold my interest kept me away. Finally, Casino Royale (and a few announced titles that were subsequently canceled :frowning: ) got me off of the fence with regards to Bd; along with price drops on the Samsung 1000 Bd player.

Would I purchase a player for one title? A few select titles might compel me to make that decision. Of course, the reality is that other titles that I would enjoy would be released, sort of making it a moot point.

A handful of titles that would hypothetically make me jump are: 2001: A Space Odyssey - which looks stunning, BTW., Chariots of Fire, Blade Runner - looking forward to next month, The Ten Commandments, Citizen Kane, Ben Hur, The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly and Once Upon A Time In The West.

When I first started viewing LD and DVDs via a front projector, the best experiences in some ways were the viewings of older favorites that I never had the opportunity to view theatrically, as front projection got me closer to that presentation. The same logic applies with HD media, with some of the films I listed above having never been viewed theatrically.

Edit: As a thought experiment, if I were informed that my player could only play one title and nothing else, I would still purchase it and the one title for 2001: A Space Odyssey. Fortunately I do not have to make that decision, so it's easy for me to make that statement.

- Walter.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Walter, that's why I said LoA would make me jump. There's something about well-done 70mm stuff that makes me willing to rebuy.