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I have just bought a HD plasma screen TV and I am now looking to update my DVD player for when HD DVD's make their debut. However, I am really confused about the different formats such as blueray and others. Am I best to wait a while before updating so to see which format makes the biggest splash?

2007-04-15 04:57:48 · 10 answers · asked by maitreyauk 1 in Consumer Electronics Home Theater

10 answers

I just bought the Toshiba HD-DVD and it is awesome. I tested Batman Begins, Serenity and Payback and they are just incredible. For now I am using my small 27" Panasonic HDTV but eventually I will upgrade to a Samsung LCD 46".

Why HD and not Blu-Ray?

1. Every Sony proprietary invention since Betamax videocassettes have been a failure. Examples:

Betamax = dead - VHS wins
Mini-discs = dead - iPod wins
UMD discs = dead - DVD wins
Memory sticks = dead - USB thumbdrive wins
ATRAC3 format = dead - MP3 and M4A win
SDDS surround sound = dead - DTS and Dolby 7.1 surround win

Blu-ray discs will not win the format war. Sony's 20+ year losing streak in proprietary formats is almost guaranteed.

2. 1080i HD vs. 1080p Blu-ray is meaningless. The human eye cannot tell the difference unless you have an HDTV that is larger than 60". All marketing hype.

3. HD-DVD players are available for just over $300. Blu-rays are still in the $800-$1500 range. The PS3 is not exactly flying off the shelves either.

4. Who cares which studios are supporting which format. As soon as one format is supported as the clear winner, all the studios will jump to that side and start cranking out movies and leave the other in the dust.

5. Sony will not allow adult films to be released on Blu-ray. Toshiba has fully embraced the adult industry with open arms. Vivid already has over 100 HD titles ready to go, they just want to wait to see who the format winner is. I could care less for adult movies in HD but this is a sure fire sign on where the format war is going.

6. Marketing is perfect for HD-DVD. Everyone knows what HD is and everyone knows what DVD is. HD-DVD sounds like a natural evolution from DVD, just like how the old school Nintendo in the 80's became Super Nintendo in the early 90's or Xbox to Xbox 360, you get the point.

I could go on but I'm going back and finish up Serenity on HD - too sweet for words!!

2007-04-16 19:41:55 · answer #1 · answered by saintsantiago 3 · 0 0

Both HD DVD and Blu-Ray have been on the market for about a year or so now, but it might be in your best interest to wait it out for the prices to come down and to see where they both are going, if not just to wait until they have enough titles to really be able to browse.

In the meantime, I would recommend that you get a nice upconverting DVD player -either a 1080i or 1080p. I have the Oppo DV-981HD and it is fantastic for only a couple hundred bucks. Plus, you can play your current DVD collection at new resolutions that you will appreciate on your new HDTV set.

H a p p y
H o m e
T h e a t e r i n g !

Xe♫

2007-04-15 09:22:05 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

just to point out what saintsantiago said above, the reason vhs won over beta even though betamax was far supperior was due to the amount of adult films on vhs. I don't know how true the fact that blueray doesn't support it but it could play a major role. at the moment it is very unclear which format to go for and i am having the same problem as which to choose but having to wait at mo. I t might be easier to download hd films instead as the 360 is already offering this and will be in europe soon under the new iptv system. look into it

2007-04-17 11:05:27 · answer #3 · answered by Simon 3 · 0 0

Simple answer - yes!

At the moment, both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray are still very new and have some teething problems. The quality of the film releases is very variable and the only players available aren't actually that good for the money.

Wait a while, see which one wins the format war (remember VHS and Betamax?), the prices will drop and a wider selection of players will become available.

2007-04-15 06:04:55 · answer #4 · answered by Nightworks 7 · 0 0

ill try to break things down for you

there are two HD formats right now: blu ray hd dvd

Blu-ray

Advantages
Currently 50GB of space (working towards 200GB in the future)
Supported by more comapnies, dell and apple are already putting blu-ray drives into their computers
PS3 - PS3 uses blu-ray and even though you might not be a gamer its put 3 million blu-ray players out onto the market, which makes the success of blu-ray higher. In fact HD DVD was winning until PS3, last month blu-ray outsold HD DVD 9:2.
Supported by more movie companies, in fact all but one major one: universal.
Currently more movies are out on blu-ray
Plays movies in 1080p

Disadvantages: Its expensive

HD DVD
Advantages:

Its cheap you can pick one up for a little over 300 dollars.

Disadvantages:
30GB of space
Does not have the support levels from corporations and movie industry.
Microsoft backs it, but even they have already said they will support blu-ray if it wins (don't sound very confident).
Doesnt have Disney or 20th Century Fox support
Losing the war.
No players playing 1080p

Blu-ray is winning right now and its safer to go with blu-ray, however things could change. if you don't have a 1080p the picuture is next to the same. if you don't feel like you need this right away then wait to see a more clear victor. i have my $ on blu-ray and would recommend them if you want this now.

2007-04-15 06:14:40 · answer #5 · answered by trn88@sbcglobal.net 3 · 1 0

There are actually 3 competing formats now, but I would guess that blue-ray will win out because a lot of the major movie companies are supporting it.

If you can wait, I would suggest buying a good Up-converting DVD player until a clear winner is chosen

2007-04-15 09:20:26 · answer #6 · answered by el Stupido 2 · 1 0

i do not imagine they do lots. I truly have a Blu-ray participant and that i do not see how a "DVD Upscaler" can evaluate. What truly some human beings do not comprehend is your taking a common DVD format and attempting to rework it to a HD format. it really is not any longer going to look HD, subsequently why Blu-ray video clips are $25 a pop. Blu-rays are formatted for HD determination, a walmart upscaler received't get close to to it. My suggestion, keep your funds and do not waste it on some inexpensive "upscaler".

2016-12-04 01:48:24 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

I personally would wait for the price dropping to start which they will as at the moment hd movies are very new hense the large price tags. The more popular the demand comes the more variety of players will come on market at various prices. Hope that helps.

2007-04-15 10:29:57 · answer #8 · answered by geniejackie 1 · 1 0

yes i agree with everyone else, just wait, unless you REALLY REALLY want it.

THERE is a lg machine that will do both blu-ray and hd dvd £350.

Also if you want to make some use of the hd tv and want to wait to see what happens, just buy yourself an upscaler ( cheap ones, philips £45 ).

Hope this helps wg

2007-04-15 06:43:13 · answer #9 · answered by wondergeezer 6 · 1 0

i think that blu ray will do better than the hd dvd i would go with blu ray.

2007-04-15 06:06:46 · answer #10 · answered by dddd 2 · 0 1

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