Will current DVDs look better if a HD-DVD player is backwards compatible? (1 Viewer)

[StephenA]

I was just wondering if and when they release a HD-DVD player, and is backwards compatible, will it make current discs look better? I know it probably won't be a huge improvement, but I was thinking that there might be a slight improvement.

So will there be one at all, none at all, or so slight that some will notice it and others won't?

I know I won't be replacing all my discs if the player is backwards compatible, probably just the movies I love most.

 

[derek]

More than likely HD-DVD players will offer only progressive scan output for digitally equipped sets that can handle the resolution/scan rate. That being said, current DVDs will be line-doubled/scaled to a higher resolution. So the answer is yes...mostly because you will be viewing on a better display device (much like people are doing now with HDTV sets/projectors etc.)

 

[MickeS]

Yeah, one can hope that the HD-DVD players will upconvert the 480p signal to 720p or 1080i, and that should give a slightly better picture.

But maybe they won't.

/Mike

 

[Jeff Kleist]

I would prefer upconversion to be optional. More likely HD-DVD players, especially considering they are 10-15 years down the line will have advanced filtering to help take out things like Screen door effect and artifacting

 

[MickeS]

Why would it take them 15 years to get it into production?

I don't see it becoming as widespread as DVD is, but I would think that within 5 years there will be HD-DVD titles on the market.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

That's what D-VHS is for, to fill the niche until they're ready to do HD-DVD

They will not sabotage the DVD market 5 years or even 10 years into it with another format designed for the mass market

This has been discussed ad-nauseum before. Believe me or not, but you're not going to see HD-DVD before 50% of America has an HDTV, roughly about 2012-2015

 

[Dave H]

Believe me or not, but you're not going to see HD-DVD before 50% of America has an HDTV, roughly about 2012-2015

Very good point.