Do you think standard DVDs are just fine and that HD discs are overated?

Question

I have a Home Theater PC and love it. Best thing I ever put together. I watch online content from netflix... youtube videos like Red vs blue ... and of course upscaled DVDs in ISO format(500+). I am moving my collection to Hard drives for convenience and to clear up space. I have thought about upgrading to HD DVD or Bluray for the better part of a year now, but I really don't feel any need to at this point. Do I get the bug.. yes every now and then, but I talk myself out of it because of the little bang for the buck I have seen.

I have the comcast with HD on demand. I have watched the first five minutes of many movies to see the difference in PQ and I am not saying there isn't, but I don't think it is all that it is made out to be. DVD quality still looks just fine to me. If I were watching a slow moving still film, I may notice the difference more, but differences are less noticeable in moving scenes (Do I really want to see acne on Jessica Alba in F4?)

I have a 720p projector at 92". I love my projector for live HD like sports and the occasional show, but I am not really ready to upgrade to HD for my HTPC until they are more reasonable in price (<$100 is my price point) I would have to get a new chip for my mobo, new graphics card and of course a drive... then cross my fingers and hope the HDCP protection doesn't go nuts apparrently. I can't imagine trying to store those in ISO at this point. You could fill up a 1/2 TB hard drive with <20 movies.

I keep reading how once you go HD you don't watch films anymore. I think that is justs people talking out their .....

So don't think you are the only one not upgrading at this point. Besides, Do you really want to make the mistake of having your collection in Beta? LOL. Knowing Murphy's law, whichever format you side with will be the one that becomes obsolete.

In the back of my mind, I also wonder how long it will be before they start offering HD online content through netflix.... Can't be that far off I would think. Nobody thought MP3s would ever really replace CDs. When is the last time you actually bought a CD?

to sir bob, 480 lines was not 1940's tech. it was 240 lines interlaced with 240 lines that created a virtual 480 line. 480 is late 90s turn of the century tech in 480 progressive which what DVD is.

most AV experts rate the following in increasing levels of high def

1080p
720p
1080i
480p
480i

interlaced has motion problems which is why 720p is preferred in sports broadcast as it is progressive. 1080 would be, but the bandwidth is to high to broadcast at this point even over cable.

to sir bob, 480 lines was not 1940's tech. it was 240 lines interlaced with 240 lines that created a virtual 480 line. 480 is late 90s turn of the century tech in 480 progressive which what DVD is.

most AV experts rate the following in increasing levels of high def

1080p
720p
1080i
480p
480i

interlaced has motion problems which is why 720p is preferred in sports broadcast as it is progressive. 1080 would be, but the bandwidth is to high to broadcast at this point even over cable.

Answer 1

There *can* be an enormous difference between standard DVD and Bluray/HDDVD... there isn't *always* a difference at all...

It depends on how well the discs were (re)mastered.

The Fifth Element is a perfect example of a great DVD, but no benefit for going to Bluray - they didn't pick up much in the remaster...

Underworld Evolution is a perfect example of a stunning Bluray disc - there is nothing that DVD can do to compete with seeing this film in 1080p on my 120" screen.

When I first got my 1080p projector, I did hours and hours of video tests... I was running uncompressed ultra-high resolution masters (over 2000 lines of resolution) downcoverted to 480, 720, and 1080. The biggest difference was going from 480 to 720, but the difference from 720 to 1080 was huge.

The key to my test was that there was no compression, and the 1080 portion was really 1080.

The benefits depend on your rig, but I am an HD 1080p believer. DVD was great. DVD is dead. Long live HD.

Answer 2

I'm with you for now. Standard DVDs do the job. Unless a movie is shot with HD in mind, there is virtually no difference to my little eyes. Rocky balboa had some true HD scenes during the fight boxing scenes which were awesome, and i think Once upon a time in Mexico was all HD. But our movie collections everyone has at home were not shot with HD TVs in mind. And most movies coming out are not shot with HD in mind

I do agree that once you go HD you don't go back but ONLY for Sports and educational programing like on the History channel or national geographic. As far as movies, i can slightly tell, but not enought to justify paying over 200 bucks. But i do hope that blu ray wins the battle, as i hope to get a ps3 in the next 9 months when they finally get some games on the market and after i win the lottery so i can afford one!

Answer 3

I have to say that I have a great TV (Panasonic Viera) and my HD source is a PS3. Since getting the PS3 I have always said that I am impressed with the Blu-Ray aspect but would have been mightily p*ssed off if I had spent £800 on a standalone BD player as the jump from DVD to HD just isn't THAT great.

So in short, yep, I agree

Answer 4

once I moved to HD-DVD, I do nothing but watch films :)
its gorgeous. I have a 1080p projector.
There is nothing wrong with DVD.
Regular DVD's still look better on the 1080p projector.
but HD movies are definitly a step up.

I'd say that if you are into drama and comedies... then don't bother with the upgrade.

But if you like more visual movies.... action, fantasy, sci-fi or games... then its worth it.

Answer 5

Interesting question.

First let me say I would love an all HD video and audio world. I watch HD satellite TV and own an HD DVD player and a HD projector and a 110" screen and a dedicated Home Theatre. BUT, while HDM (Blu-ray and HD DVD disks) is an improvement over DVD, I've concluded the benefit is not sufficient to justify the cost, and for a whole host of reasons laid out below HD DVD and Blu-ray will never be more than a niche format (at best). HD DVD and Blu-ray are analogous to SACD and DVD-A in the audio world (but without the advantage of universal players!).

See the links to discussions at AVS Forum where even the true fans are starting to conclude the war is almost over and neither format will win.

The reasons are fairly obvious.

- Less than 20% of consumers can benefit from HDM (partly due to low penetration of HDTVs, but also because the majority of them are too small or they are viewed from too far away to even see the difference HDM makes)

- A growing proportion of those who CAN benefit are sticking with DVD as "good enough". HD is about wow and big bangs, not about enjoying the movie. In fact if you are "into" a movie you are not noticing a slightly sharper picture.

- Consumer preference is for convenience and simplicity over quality (Think CD (=DVD) and the attempt to sell SACD and DVD-A (=HDM) and the victory of MP3 (=downloadable movies)). DVD sales are bottoming out, but HDM sales are not compensating, and interest in download servicxes is increasing (Sure I know the arguments that bandwidth doesn't allow true HD downloads, but first consumers don't care if its "low-HD", and second improvements to codecs and new wireless technology is likely)

- Only a handful of HDM titles sell more than 2-3000 copies ... not enough for profits. It's only a matter of time until studios stop trying to price compete with DVDs and take the Criterium approach (high prices for the small number of disks they can sell to true videophiles).

- The vast majority of movies are not visually compelling enough to justify HDM, and all too few of the ones that are produced are mastered to a high enough standard to be visually or aurally compelling alternatives to the DVD (read the HD disk reviews .. how many are top notch? Very few). Maybe if the price were the same, but not when it's 2-3 times the price (new HDM vs previewed rental).

- The list of issues that cumulatively alienate a large fraction of consumers ... and seal HDM's fate goes on ... the problems of DRM (e.g. BD+, HDCP/HDMI (not just a HDM issue), the complexity of the whole HD environment, high cost of HDM (vs DVDs), limited rental options, arrogance of the Blu-ray manufacturers in selling crippled players and not warning consumers they won't play extra features (a law suit waiting to happen), the realities of trying to sell HDM (and new receivers, HDTVs, expensive cables, etc) in a time of increasing concern over the economy, etc., etc.

Anyway .. I tried HD DVD and am satisfied to use the player as an upscaler for DVDs which, thank you very much, look just fine to me. I can afford to move to 1080p but I, frankly, just don't see enough benefit to justify the price ... all so I can watch 10-15 movies that justify true HD.

Maybe the industry will get it right when they try again with 1440p, or 3D HD, or ?? ... and maybe then I'll upgrade.

Answer 6

480 lines of video was the limit of technology in 1940's.

Standard DVD's - are 480 lines of video to be backwards compatible.

We have come a long way with technology since then, why would I want to be a "Luddite"?

Answer 7

Do what you want. If you have to be into the technology to impress someone, then do so. I know some people who still watch laser disc videos and listen to wax cylinders on a grammaphone.

Answer 8

Both of the HD formats are just not mature enough for me to switch to them either. I think I will wait until one of them loses the war, and then I will probably start to get them. Until then however it is just too early to risk spending hundreds of dollars on a soon to die format.

Not that I have an HDTV to watch them on...

Answer 9

buy a upgrading dvd player it enhances dvd's to near hd quality. try to see the difference (not much) true hd is 1080i or 1080p.

Answer 10

normal dvd`s are great blue-disc`s are very overratted