HD DVD released

[discopotato]

today or a few days ago the first HD DVD players were released, the toshiba HD-A1 was released with a price of $499.99. the players oddly only support 720p and 1080i when the discs have 1080p encoding. in addition to that all players require HDCP which makes many HDTVs incompatible with these new players.

arstechnica's article: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060418-6621.html

IGN's article: http://gear.ign.com/articles/702/702256p1.html

 

[TB]

Or you could just throw down and pick up this sucker. I think I'll wait and see which one wins - HD DVD or Blu-Ray DVD. I've got my money on BR.

 

[Danoff]

My guess is that neither one does well. DVDs already look great, even on HD sets. The only way you're hurting for one of these is if you're blowing the image up on a HUGE screen.

 

[G.T]

Well, if it doesn't work on many HDTVs, our 3 year old plasma may not stand a chance then... Maybe sometime before we move onto HD if that's the case.

 

[Danoff]

Well, if it doesn't work on many HDTVs, our 3 year old plasma may not stand a chance then... Maybe sometime before we move onto HD if that's the case.

Looks to me like it has a component connection, so it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Jondot]

I haven't read into them, but i know argos have been selling samsung HD players and recorders for a little while. I think all they've done is stuck an HDMI connection in their standard ones, though.

 

[TurboSmoke]

i have heard there are about 4 different HD DVDs soon to come out, all needing thier own players and incompatible with each other and current systems...

i think i'll just dig out my old vhs...

 

[Pako]

If you're looking to getting a player, remember that the PS3 will be compatible with BD-Video! Sony has some pretty large companies backing up the technology that I don't see how Blue-ray won't come out on top.... Then again, Beta was a superior product over VHS and look who won that challenge.

 

[livemusic]

My guess is that neither one does well. DVDs already look great, even on HD sets. The only way you're hurting for one of these is if you're blowing the image up on a HUGE screen.

I don't think a DVD disk can hold much data in HD form, so one of these will have to replace it. My bet is on BD.

 

[Danoff]

I don't think a DVD disk can hold much data in HD form, so one of these will have to replace it. My bet is on BD.

Yea, but standard def DVDs look great anyway, so HD isn't such a big deal.

 

[Pako]

Yea, but standard def DVDs look great anyway, so HD isn't such a big deal.

I can definately tell the difference between HD and DVD quality. I am really excited about HD quality on Disc, however, I'm sure it will be a few years before they can be rented from the local video store.

It's like anything else, it IS a better quality but it can only be recognized as 'better' if you have equipment that can produce the additional lines of resolution and depth of color that DVD's can never produce.

Mono radio is just as good as stereo radio if you only have one speaker.

 

[livemusic]

Yea, but standard def DVDs look great anyway, so HD isn't such a big deal.

There's a big difference from 480i (or 480p in progressive scan) to 1080p in my opinion.

Of course the TVs will have to support those resolutions too to work, but that will be the standard in the near future.

 

[Danoff]

I can definately tell the difference between HD and DVD quality. I am really excited about HD quality on Disc, however, I'm sure it will be a few years before they can be rented from the local video store.

It's like anything else, it IS a better quality but it can only be recognized as 'better' if you have equipment that can produce the additional lines of resolution and depth of color that DVD's can never produce.

Mono radio is just as good as stereo radio if you only have one speaker.

My TV is fully capable of displaying HD in all of it's glory. I can tell a difference between HD and current DVD quality, but it's no where NEAR the difference between HD and standard def broadcasts. That's why I think HD DVDs will be slow to catch on. I can tell a difference, but it isn't enough to get me running to the store.

 

[Pako]

My TV is fully capable of displaying HD in all of it's glory. I can tell a difference between HD and current DVD quality, but it's no where NEAR the difference between HD and standard def broadcasts. That's why I think HD DVDs will be slow to catch on. I can tell a difference, but it isn't enough to get me running to the store.

I have 3 SACD's and an ever growing collecting as you can see.... clearly a superior product over standard CD's but the cost of the technology outweighed the performance. Perhaps HD-DVD/BluRay-Disc will have the same fate, but what these formats have to offer is the large storage capabilities. To me, video quality is a secondary benefit to this technology, but we'll wait and see what Sony brings to the table with their PS3.

 

[Danoff]

I have 3 SACD's and an ever growing collecting as you can see.... clearly a superior product over standard CD's but the cost of the technology outweighed the performance. Perhaps HD-DVD/BluRay-Disc will have the same fate, but what these formats have to offer is the large storage capabilities. To me, video quality is a secondary benefit to this technology, but we'll wait and see what Sony brings to the table with their PS3.

That might be the case. The storage capacity for games and data DVDs will be very useful and could help them catch on. But most movies come on one disc, so it's not a reason for the everyday joe to go buy an HD DVD player for his TV. I would have preferred that the extended edition of LOTR had come on one disc per movie though.

 

[TB]

Just be happy Laserdisc's didn't catch on. I remember watching Star Wars at Sears sometime in the '90's and I had to flip over the movie partway through.