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JsMum

HD/BLUE RAY

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Anyone know what is going on with the issues with HD, are they really phasing out already and bringing in blueray, what does it mean for HD and anyone who has a new HD Techno.

 

The only comparrason I have from someone is that its similair to the problems when Betamax was introduced and then Video came out, is HD and Blueray a similair issue.

 

JsMum

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Haven't heard one is 'out' and one is 'in' at all, but then I'm terrible for keeping up with the news!

 

Basically, they're two different formats (as you said - like betamax/vhs) of very similar products...

HD (high definition) is (i think) Phillips version, and has lots of support in the market... (high spec versions of The 360 have HD drives/capabilities)

Blu-Ray is Sony's and has lots of support in the market! (it's also built into the PS3 which is sony's way of trying to make sure they win the format war)

 

Some manufacturers are getting round the problem by making 'dual compatability' players, but if there ever is an overall winner that'll disappear on new models pretty sharpish, so anyone who invests in the wrong one will probably still find themselves caught with their trousers down next time they upgrade...

 

Personally, I decided to wait and see - DVD does me for now, and the prices on both are gonna drop dramatically over the next year or so (think that you can now by a DVD player for less than twenty quid and equate that to the price five years ago!)...

 

If you have a ps3 or 360 elite go with that format for now and use that as your player - if you aint, you pays your money and takes your choice! You've got a fifty fifty chanch either way :)

 

L&P

 

BD :D

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Haven't heard one is 'out' and one is 'in' at all, but then I'm terrible for keeping up with the news!

 

Basically, they're two different formats (as you said - like betamax/vhs) of very similar products...

HD (high definition) is (i think) Phillips version, and has lots of support in the market... (high spec versions of The 360 have HD drives/capabilities)

Blu-Ray is Sony's and has lots of support in the market! (it's also built into the PS3 which is sony's way of trying to make sure they win the format war)

 

Some manufacturers are getting round the problem by making 'dual compatability' players, but if there ever is an overall winner that'll disappear on new models pretty sharpish, so anyone who invests in the wrong one will probably still find themselves caught with their trousers down next time they upgrade...

 

Personally, I decided to wait and see - DVD does me for now, and the prices on both are gonna drop dramatically over the next year or so (think that you can now by a DVD player for less than twenty quid and equate that to the price five years ago!)...

 

If you have a ps3 or 360 elite go with that format for now and use that as your player - if you aint, you pays your money and takes your choice! You've got a fifty fifty chanch either way :)

 

L&P

 

BD :D

 

Ahhh ... just had a mung through the news sites and one of the major studios has switched to backing BluRay, so that's looking slightly ahead of the game at the mo, but it's a long way from a down deal!

 

BD :)

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Some places are declaring HD dead but that has happened 3 or 4 time already over the past year or so. Yes they are facing another set back but they still have support. Also one of the companies is soon to release a disk that contains the movie in both the blu ray format and HD DVD format. Technically the two formats are basically identical. A lot of the disks which have been released on both have exactly the same version of the movie on them. There is a slight difference when it comes to audio but that is more to do with the names they are using than what the audio is. So far HD DVD has been better for interactivity but blu ray should be getting all those features soon. I have access to both HD formats (PS3 and the 360s HD DVD addon) and personally prefer HD DVD. HD is going to have it tough for a while but if they are sensible with their marketing it could still recover. It would be easy to flood the market with cheap HD players (the technology is far cheaper than blu ray as it is really just a slight advancement on DVD). If they did this they could easily recover. I can't see support been dropped for the format for a while yet. Still fingers crossed the better format wins through in the end. The main problem for HD DVD is the fact the PS3 is a blu ray player which means that there is a larger install base. The asian HD DVD players though are about to invade. :D

 

EDIT: BD your not quite right about the 360. None of the versions have a HD DVD drive built in. You can only buy it as an optional extra for about �120. This makes it a cheap way to get the HD DVD player if you have a 360. The HD DVD addon is a USB2 drive so will also work with a PC (needs to be fairly high spec) as long as you have a software player that supports the format.

Edited by David Matthew Baker

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HD-DVD and Blu-Ray are competing attempts to make the successor to the DVD.

 

The good news is that you don't need to worry about either yet. Players cost hundreds and the discs are around �30 each but the costs will drop dramatically whichever format wins, so there no reason at all to invest in the technology for now. Enjoy what you already have already and revisit the issue in 18-24 months time.

 

Simon

Edited by mossgrove

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HD-DVD and Blu-Ray are competing attempts to make the successor to the DVD.

 

The good news is that you don't need to worry about either yet. Players cost hundreds and the discs are around �30 each but the costs will drop dramatically whichever format wins, so there no reason at all to invest in the technology for now. Enjoy what you already have already and revisit the issue in 18-24 months time.

 

Simon

 

You can pick up disks more in the �15-20 range if you shop around. We have a few of both but have only purchased films that give us a lot of extras. Blu rays in particular have been a bit bare so far with not much included on them. HD DVDs have been better and often have included all the special edition DVD extras on the HD DVDs. Price wise I've been picking them up for a little more than a full price special edition DVD so haven't been doing too badly. As to which format will probably win out in the end I'd probably go with the stance of neither. I think Microsoft (they back HD DVD but have said this for a long while) have it right when they say it will probably all go over to digital downloads. Already some films are available on xbox live marketplace to download (as rentals) in high definition (though only at 720P not 1080P) and as the internet keeps getting faster this will become more convenient.

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I never buy DVDs at anything like full price, there's no way you would catch me paying �15.

 

Unless you must have the latest technology (and you sound like on of those people!) there really isn't anything to gain from diving in until things are a lot cheaper across the board.

 

Simon

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I'm not getting the full advantage out of it to be honest. The TV isn't large enough for you to be able to tell there is a drastic difference even though it is a 1080P set. It is a little sharper and clearer but you have to be close to see that and my sound equipment is beginning to age. It's not even Dolby Digital EX certified so whilst it can play back the tracks and you can notice a small different it is nothing drastic. The only discs I've got I'd say you can easily notice a significant difference are the CGI ones such as Polar Express and Happy Feet. You can also see the difference in Planet Earth but that is only because the amount going on in some of those shots. The main reason I got a player was for Planet Earth. I decided I could afford �100 (I brought my addon second hand) for that show. I did think at the time it would look impressive projected onto a schools whiteboard. Problem is since then I've realised the school projectors go no where near the resolution I'd need. There is a difference but I wouldn't suggest to anyone that they should go out and buy one. It is just too unstable. I expect it will end up more like SACD and DVD Audio. Neither has ever really caught on and just appeal to the enthusiast market. In many ways they make a bigger difference than DVD to one of the high definition formats does. In some ways if the HD DVD does fail it might be good for me in one way. I might pick up some more disks at sensible prices. The last disk we had arrive (my bro got it second hand on a well know auction site for �10) was Chronicles of Riddick. It's one of the films where in some ways HD makes it look worse because the CGI in it is so jarring. No I'd wait for the downloads. The only reason we have a PS3 is my bro wanted a full version (rather than the cut down one they just brought in) for when the decent games arrive. He likes things such as Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts. Can't see either of those games been released on 360.

 

EDIT: Biggest joke in our house at the moment keeps been about the Star Trek HD DVD / DVD combo they just brough out of the first season of the original series. Would love to know who will pick that up at around �120. Maybe we'll consider it when it's down around �30.

Edited by David Matthew Baker

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My brothers an 'HD' buff...

He has a telly the size of my front room and speakers festooned at every angle and all of this fired through the PS3 (BluRay) and a HD/SS amp with more cables coming out of the back of it than a nasa control console...

I point out to him that his eyesight and hearing are both naff - so any perceived benefit is negated by the missing frequency and occular receptors - and that if I want the walls to wobble when I watch the latest blockbuster I can achieve the effect with three big glasses of red wine :)

Wonder why he doesn't invite us round any more :lol::lol:

Another good one is to tell him one of the surround sound speakers is 'out of balance - it's phasing a little and sounds a bit sibilent'... He'll spend two days on hand and knees looking for the 'faulty' interconnect or (better still if i'm in the market for any second-hand equipment) junk the lot and start again from scratch! :lol::devil:

 

Is he rich? I hear you cry... no, just stupid in that 'boys toys/latest gadgets' way... Ooer - wonder if he's upgraded his phone this week - ben needs one ;)

 

L&P

 

BD :D

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As to which format will probably win out in the end I'd probably go with the stance of neither.

 

Interesting you say this. Remember the format war in the 1990s between Digital Compact Cassette and MiniDisc? I predicted they would kill each other and a new format win over both. This sort of happened because Digital Compact Cassette is dead, and MiniDisc never made much impact outside of Japan. A thought has run through my mind that both Blu Ray and HD DVD will never become popular formats and will be replaced by the next generation of video media.

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somebody was predicting something similar...

basically, HD streaming media/sattelite broadcasting and portable memory...

seems unlikely now, but in five years time???

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