PDA

View Full Version : BOOST FOR BLU-RAY! Warner Bros Will Release Exclusively In That Format


penguinz
01-04-2008, 05:16 PM
(January 4, 2008 – Burbank, CA) – In response to consumer demand, Warner Bros. Entertainment will release its high-definition DVD titles exclusively in the Blu-ray disc format beginning later this year, it was announced today by Barry Meyer, Chairman & CEO, Warner Bros. and Kevin Tsujihara, President, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.

“Warner Bros.’ move to exclusively release in the Blu-ray disc format is a strategic decision focused on the long term and the most direct way to give consumers what they want,” said Meyer. “The window of opportunity for high-definition DVD could be missed if format confusion continues to linger. We believe that exclusively distributing in Blu-ray will further the potential for mass market success and ultimately benefit retailers, producers, and most importantly, consumers.”

Warner Home Video will continue to release its titles in standard DVD format and Blu-ray. After a short window following their standard DVD and Blu-ray releases, all new titles will continue to be released in HD DVD until the end of May 2008.

“Warner Bros. has produced in both high-definition formats in an effort to provide consumer choice, foster mainstream adoption and drive down hardware prices,” said Jeff Bewkes, President and Chief Executive Officer, Time Warner Inc., the parent company of Warner Bros. Entertainment. “Today’s decision by Warner Bros. to distribute in a single format comes at the right time and is the best decision both for consumers and Time Warner.”

“A two-format landscape has led to consumer confusion and indifference toward high definition, which has kept the technology from reaching mass adoption and becoming the important revenue stream that it can be for the industry,” said Tsujihara. “Consumers have clearly chosen Blu-ray, and we believe that recognizing this preference is the right step in making this great home entertainment experience accessible to the widest possible audience. Warner Bros. has worked very closely with the Toshiba Corporation in promoting high definition media and we have enormous respect for their efforts. We look forward to working with them on other projects in the future.”

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/boost-for-blu-ray-warner-bros-will-release-high-def-titles-exclusively-in-that-format/

jidar
01-04-2008, 05:42 PM
*sigh*
I've really preferred HD-DVD due to the cheaper prices, but either way I wish they would get it over with.

CoMoChief
01-04-2008, 05:43 PM
god damnit

Silock
01-04-2008, 05:46 PM
Hybrid HD-DVD and Blu-Ray players are the only way this is going to get settled.

Extra Point
01-04-2008, 05:46 PM
Insert crummy BetaMax reference here.

L.A. Chieffan
01-04-2008, 05:53 PM
Is there a technical advantage either way as far as specs are concerned?

jiveturkey
01-04-2008, 06:04 PM
I continue to wait for a winner.

Deberg_1990
01-04-2008, 06:06 PM
Isnt Paramount already a Blue Ray exclusive as well?

OnTheWarpath15
01-04-2008, 06:07 PM
Warner Brothers: You chose....poorly.

unlurking
01-04-2008, 06:15 PM
Is there a technical advantage either way as far as specs are concerned?
I haven't read up on it in a long time, but if I remember right, Blu-Ray was supposed to have a higher data storage rate per disc. Unfortunately it is also more expensive.

Just go to local stores and look at the available selection for both formats though. Every where I've been, Blu-Ray has about 5 times the content of HD-DVD. Got the PS3 myself.

unlurking
01-04-2008, 06:16 PM
Isnt Paramount already a Blue Ray exclusive as well?
It seems like each one flip flops every 6 months.

Deberg_1990
01-04-2008, 06:25 PM
By the time these two quit dicking around and a winner emerges, it might be too late to mean anything.

I think we are in the waning days of physical media.

bowener
01-04-2008, 06:25 PM
Blu-ray uses a blue laser to read and encode data, which is a smaller wave length than its red headed step brother. So in short the blu ray holds near 50-55 GB per disc (dual layer), but it can have multilayers, so in the future the discs can hold up to 200GB possibly. HD DVD holds up to 30GB on dual layer, not sure if they can have more layers per disc than that. I know about the blu-ray because I want to buy a PS3 when I can afford the damn thing, so I researched it and realized that a year or 2 from now the games on PS3 will blow 360 away due to the amount of data that can be stored on it.

ceebz
01-04-2008, 06:26 PM
Add this announcement to Blu's dominance over the holidays and this format "war" is all but over.

WhitiE
01-04-2008, 06:32 PM
both formats use the blue laser. blu ray is going to win because it has more film and hardware companys backing it.

Simplex3
01-04-2008, 06:51 PM
blu ray is going to win because it has more film and hardware companys backing it.
If it wins it will be because Sony learned their lesson with the BetaMax and is bribing people to use it instead of just hoping it catches on.

WhitiE
01-04-2008, 07:05 PM
theres no if ands or buts about it, sony is going to win. toshiba just dosent have the support sony does.

jidar
01-04-2008, 07:16 PM
Blu-ray uses a blue laser to read and encode data, which is a smaller wave length than its red headed step brother. So in short the blu ray holds near 50-55 GB per disc (dual layer), but it can have multilayers, so in the future the discs can hold up to 200GB possibly. HD DVD holds up to 30GB on dual layer, not sure if they can have more layers per disc than that. I know about the blu-ray because I want to buy a PS3 when I can afford the damn thing, so I researched it and realized that a year or 2 from now the games on PS3 will blow 360 away due to the amount of data that can be stored on it.


wow.. yeah. That's a bit misinformed.

Both formats use a blue laser.

Blu-Ray is 25GB per layer and HD-DVD is 15GB per layer. HD-DVD supports triple layer right now for 45GB and Blu-Ray supports dual for 50GB.
Both are putting out mostly dual layer content right now anyway though and the majority of that isn't even being used for the movie, most of it goes unused and the rest is just fluff and extras like pictures of redrums mom.

HD DVD has faster seek rates and quicker boot times.
HD DVD has far cheaper players. Think $180 for HDDVD (Toshiba A2) compared to Blu-Rays $350 for the entry level stuff. It's simply too complex to make so they can't get the price down.
HD DVD has far cheaper media.
HD DVD movies are cheaper to make. It's just a modification to the existing DVD standard that is out now so DVD manufacturing lines can be converted to HD for cheap but a new Blu-Ray line costs millions.

Blu-Ray has the support of Sony though who put it into the PS3. As a consequence the vast majority of HD players in the market are PS3s and as such Blu-Ray has seen a lot more software sales. HD DVD hasn't managed to sell anywhere near the number of players Sony has.
Of course shoe horning that Blu-Ray drive into the PS3 is why you're having a such hard time affording one.

My personal feeling is that either HD wins soon or neither wins. Consumers simply aren't going to pay that premium price for Blu-Ray, they'll stick with standard Def dvds until the world is wired enough that everyone just streams movies from movie sites anyway (3-5 years from now maybe, not more than 10 years at the absolute most). At that point the quality will be a non-issue since it will be a simple matter for a person to pay for and select the higher quality stream if they so choose.

Fly O.T. McWall
01-04-2008, 07:16 PM
god damm nother ****ing ratbastart mother ****ign pieces of dog shit eating ****ing maggots!!!


**** **** **** **** **** **** **** ****!

Sure-Oz
01-04-2008, 07:18 PM
so should i sell my 12 hd dvds and hd player now? faaaack

jidar
01-04-2008, 07:18 PM
theres no if ands or buts about it, sony is going to win. toshiba just dosent have the support sony does.


let me put it this way, even if HD DVD didn't exist and Blu-Ray was the only game in town, people still wouldn't be buying it because $350 for the cheapest player is way more than people will spend for it. We saw this with laser disc in the 80s, everyone will just stick with standard DVDs.

Deberg_1990
01-04-2008, 07:21 PM
let me put it this way, even if HD DVD didn't exist and Blu-Ray was the only game in town, people still wouldn't be buying it because $350 for the cheapest player is way more than people will spend for it. We saw this with laser disc in the 80s, everyone will just stick with standard DVDs.

That and the picture you get with standard DVD is good enough for most people or the average mainstream home video watcher.

KcMizzou
01-04-2008, 07:26 PM
That and the picture you get with standard DVD is good enough for most people or the average mainstream home video watcher.I've got the $179 HD DVD add-on for thew XBOX 360.

Yeah, it's a higher quality picture, but it's not a huge difference.

For example... It's nothing close to the difference between watching football in standard def and HD.

The fancy menus and bonus features are kinda neat, but it's not really that big a deal. In all honesty, I'm glad I just got the add-on. If I had it to do over again, I don't know that I would.

2bikemike
01-04-2008, 07:28 PM
I have been sitting on the fence letting the High Def disc war play out.

What I would like to know since Blue Ray is the more expensive option and it does appear that they are getting a little more support if they do indeed win and start really mass producing will the price of its technology become cheaper?

ceebz
01-04-2008, 07:30 PM
let me put it this way, even if HD DVD didn't exist and Blu-Ray was the only game in town, people still wouldn't be buying it because $350 for the cheapest player is way more than people will spend for it. We saw this with laser disc in the 80s, everyone will just stick with standard DVDs.

Funny you say that because Blu kicked the crap out of HDDVD in holiday sales.

Also, the hardware price differences are exaggerated. Sure, if you want an HD-DVD player that only does 1080i, you can get one for ~$200. Want one that does 1080p? Then they're much closer to $350.

Everyone keeps harping on the price of Blu hardware but, the bottom line is, twice as many Blu titles are being sold when compared to HD-DVD. Why do you think Warner decided to go with Blu?

KcMizzou
01-04-2008, 07:31 PM
I have been sitting on the fence letting the High Def disc war play out.

What I would like to know since Blue Ray is the more expensive option and it does appear that they are getting a little more support if they do indeed win and start really mass producing will the price of its technology become cheaper?All technology does eventually.

I figure I'll get a hybrid player someday. I'm not really in any big hurry though.

(And I disagree that we're nearing the end of physical media. I suppose it could happen eventually, but I think that's a long way off. People like a collection they can touch.)

CHENZ A!
01-04-2008, 07:32 PM
LMAO figures, I just got a HD-DVD player for Christmas, haven't even taken it out of the box yet.

Mr. Flopnuts
01-04-2008, 07:33 PM
PS3 sucks.



PBJ PBJ PBJ PBJ PBJ PBJ PBJ PBJ PBJ PBJ

ceebz
01-04-2008, 07:34 PM
PS3 sucks.



PBJ PBJ PBJ PBJ PBJ PBJ PBJ PBJ PBJ PBJ

Well, the hardware is nice, unlike my 360, which has been replaced four times. But, yeah, the PS3 needs more games.

Mr. Flopnuts
01-04-2008, 07:41 PM
Well, the hardware is nice, unlike my 360, which has been replaced four times. But, yeah, the PS3 needs more games.


I agree. They're a year behind the 360. I'm confident they're coming. Now that the PS3 has become competitive with Xbox in regards to price, it's only a matter of time IMO that Sony reclaims the throne. Either way, there are plenty of games for me, I don't get to play too much. Movies however, are scarce. I hate the fact that there are exclusive contracts with studios, but am happy that at least this one is favorable to me.

jidar
01-04-2008, 07:46 PM
Funny you say that because Blu kicked the crap out of HDDVD in holiday sales.

Also, the hardware price differences are exaggerated. Sure, if you want an HD-DVD player that only does 1080i, you can get one for ~$200. Want one that does 1080p? Then they're much closer to $350.

Everyone keeps harping on the price of Blu hardware but, the bottom line is, twice as many Blu titles are being sold when compared to HD-DVD. Why do you think Warner decided to go with Blu?


The 1080p Toshiba A30 is $247 on Amazon right now, by summer it'll be $199.

Not that 1080p really matters to Joe user anyway who is going to buy the cheapest player and frankly he might as well since almost nobody can tell the difference (INCLUDING VIDEO PHILE TYPES) without a side by side comparison. Try it yourself, find a showroom with a 1080p tv that has a 1080p signal source, turn your back and have the guy randomly switch between 1080i and 1080p and see if you can tell the difference. You wont be able to, I've seen this done myself more than a few times and nobody I've ever met can get it 100%.

Much like the extra space on Blu-Ray disks, it's just another feature people don't need that is driving up prices.

Eleazar
01-04-2008, 07:47 PM
woot

ceebz
01-04-2008, 07:48 PM
I agree. They're a year behind the 360. I'm confident they're coming. Now that the PS3 has become competitive with Xbox in regards to price, it's only a matter of time IMO that Sony reclaims the throne. Either way, there are plenty of games for me, I don't get to play too much. Movies however, are scarce. I hate the fact that there are exclusive contracts with studios, but am happy that at least this one is favorable to me.

yeah, I'm in the camp of, I-don't-give-a-shit-who-wins-just-get-it-over-with-already... Both HD formats are technically viable, I just don't want to have to support both.

On the games side, the 360 had an amazing year. Bioshock, Orange Box, H3 and Mass Effect were all great games. (I was somewhat disappointed with ME though). Plus, we had great multiplats like CoD4, Rock Band, GH 2&3 and the Darkness. Great year to be a gamer.

KevB
01-04-2008, 07:48 PM
Funny you say that because Blu kicked the crap out of HDDVD in holiday sales.

Also, the hardware price differences are exaggerated. Sure, if you want an HD-DVD player that only does 1080i, you can get one for ~$200. Want one that does 1080p? Then they're much closer to $350.

Everyone keeps harping on the price of Blu hardware but, the bottom line is, twice as many Blu titles are being sold when compared to HD-DVD. Why do you think Warner decided to go with Blu?


The point is that any $350 blu-ray player (that only does movies) is a luxury many people won't be willing to pay for. The difference between SD TV to HD TV is MUCH more significant that SD DVD to HD DVD. I won't go HD DVD until players drop into the $100-$150 range, and I'm a gadget geek. Just can't justify it.

jidar
01-04-2008, 07:52 PM
yeah, I'm in the camp of, I-don't-give-a-shit-who-wins-just-get-it-over-with-already... Both HD formats are technically viable, I just don't want to have to support both.

On the games side, the 360 had an amazing year. Bioshock, Orange Box, H3 and Mass Effect were all great games. (I was somewhat disappointed with ME though). Plus, we had great multiplats like CoD4, Rock Band, GH 2&3 and the Darkness. Great year to be a gamer.

Preach on. Freaking banner year for gaming, my 360 saw a ton of use this year.

I'll get a PS3 when it has some games worth playing (Final Fantasy and Metal Gear? ), I'll also buy one if Blu-Ray wins the format war, but anyway.

KcMizzou
01-04-2008, 07:52 PM
The difference between SD TV to HD TV is MUCH more significant that SD DVD to HD DVD. QFT

CoMoChief
01-04-2008, 07:53 PM
I wonder when you will be able to start burning and decrypting HDDVD's/ blue ray?

ceebz
01-04-2008, 07:55 PM
The 1080p Toshiba A30 is $247 on Amazon right now, by summer it'll be $199.

Not that 1080p really matters to Joe user anyway who is going to buy the cheapest player and frankly he might as well since almost nobody can tell the difference (INCLUDING VIDEO PHILE TYPES) without a side by side comparison. Try it yourself, find a showroom with a 1080p tv that has a 1080p signal source, turn your back and have the guy randomly switch between 1080i and 1080p and see if you can tell the difference. You wont be able to, I've seen this done myself more than a few times and nobody I've ever met can get it 100%.

Much like the extra space on Blu-Ray disks, it's just another feature people don't need that is driving up prices.

And the Samsung BD-P1400 can be easily found for ~$270. really, hardware pricing is so exaggerated by the HD-DVD camp, it's hilarious.

What's driving up prices are box manufacturer's like Samsung, Sharp and Panasonic. They're on the BoD but, they don't have any media holdings and they want to be sure they can make money off their boxes.

WhitiE
01-04-2008, 07:55 PM
wow.. yeah. That's a bit misinformed.

Both formats use a blue laser.

Blu-Ray is 25GB per layer and HD-DVD is 15GB per layer. HD-DVD supports triple layer right now for 45GB and Blu-Ray supports dual for 50GB.
Both are putting out mostly dual layer content right now anyway though and the majority of that isn't even being used for the movie, most of it goes unused and the rest is just fluff and extras like pictures of redrums mom.

HD DVD has faster seek rates and quicker boot times.
HD DVD has far cheaper players. Think $180 for HDDVD (Toshiba A2) compared to Blu-Rays $350 for the entry level stuff. It's simply too complex to make so they can't get the price down.
HD DVD has far cheaper media.
HD DVD movies are cheaper to make. It's just a modification to the existing DVD standard that is out now so DVD manufacturing lines can be converted to HD for cheap but a new Blu-Ray line costs millions.

Blu-Ray has the support of Sony though who put it into the PS3. As a consequence the vast majority of HD players in the market are PS3s and as such Blu-Ray has seen a lot more software sales. HD DVD hasn't managed to sell anywhere near the number of players Sony has.
Of course shoe horning that Blu-Ray drive into the PS3 is why you're having a such hard time affording one.

My personal feeling is that either HD wins soon or neither wins. Consumers simply aren't going to pay that premium price for Blu-Ray, they'll stick with standard Def dvds until the world is wired enough that everyone just streams movies from movie sites anyway (3-5 years from now maybe, not more than 10 years at the absolute most). At that point the quality will be a non-issue since it will be a simple matter for a person to pay for and select the higher quality stream if they so choose.sony is blu-ray. i have the bh100 from lg it plays both. i like hd dvd i wish they would win, but my money is on blu-ray

jidar
01-04-2008, 07:57 PM
I wonder when you will be able to start burning and decrypting HDDVD's/ blue ray?

That's been going on for awhile, they tend to be about 15GB though so I don't think too many people are downloading them.

Mr. Flopnuts
01-04-2008, 07:58 PM
yeah, I'm in the camp of, I-don't-give-a-shit-who-wins-just-get-it-over-with-already... Both HD formats are technically viable, I just don't want to have to support both.

On the games side, the 360 had an amazing year. Bioshock, Orange Box, H3 and Mass Effect were all great games. (I was somewhat disappointed with ME though). Plus, we had great multiplats like CoD4, Rock Band, GH 2&3 and the Darkness. Great year to be a gamer.


Orange box was released on PS3 as well. It sucked not being able to get bioshock and Mass Effect, but I was never a Halo fan in the first place. As a matter of fact, I was able to trade my 360 straight up for a PS3 the day Halo 3 came out. I knew there would be a Halo sucker out there somewhere.

ceebz
01-04-2008, 07:59 PM
I wonder when you will be able to start burning and decrypting HDDVD's/ blue ray?

The capability is already out there.

KcMizzou
01-04-2008, 07:59 PM
Orange box was released on PS3 as well. It sucked not being able to get bioshock and Mass Effect, but I was never a Halo fan in the first place. As a matter of fact, I was able to trade my 360 straight up for a PS3 the day Halo 3 came out. I knew there would be a Halo sucker out there somewhere.Heh, I'm a 360 guy, and I've still never played any of the Halo games.

I'm just not an online FPS guy.

ceebz
01-04-2008, 08:00 PM
Orange box was released on PS3 as well. It sucked not being able to get bioshock and Mass Effect, but I was never a Halo fan in the first place. As a matter of fact, I was able to trade my 360 straight up for a PS3 the day Halo 3 came out. I knew there would be a Halo sucker out there somewhere.

yeah, but The Orange Box port for PS3 was horrible. Which is why I count it as an exclusive.

jidar
01-04-2008, 08:01 PM
And the Samsung BD-P1400 can be easily found for ~$270. really, hardware pricing is so exaggerated by the HD-DVD camp, it's hilarious.

What's driving up prices are box manufacturer's like Samsung, Sharp and Panasonic. They're on the BoD but, they don't have any media holdings and they want to be sure they can make money off their boxes.

Eh? Where can you get one for $270? I guess amazon has it for $299 which is close... Still that vs $199 for the Toshiba..

Also, why do you expect 3rd parties to take a hit selling their hardware to support Sony? They have to make money.

jidar
01-04-2008, 08:02 PM
Orange box was released on PS3 as well. It sucked not being able to get bioshock and Mass Effect, but I was never a Halo fan in the first place. As a matter of fact, I was able to trade my 360 straight up for a PS3 the day Halo 3 came out. I knew there would be a Halo sucker out there somewhere.


why the hell... So.. now what do you do to play games?

Mr. Flopnuts
01-04-2008, 08:03 PM
yeah, but The Orange Box port for PS3 was horrible. Which is why I count it as an exclusive.


Was it different? I don't understand.

jidar
01-04-2008, 08:04 PM
Heh, I'm a 360 guy, and I've still never played any of the Halo games.

I'm just not an online FPS guy.


I only ever did online FPS on pcs until CoD4. I play CoD4 online with the 360 and it's a total blast.

KcMizzou
01-04-2008, 08:04 PM
why the hell... So.. now what do you do to play games?"Lair", of course!

:D

ceebz
01-04-2008, 08:05 PM
Eh? Where can you get one for $270? I guess amazon has it for $299 which is close... Still that vs $199 for the Toshiba..

Also, why do you expect 3rd parties to take a hit selling their hardware to support Sony? They have to make money.

Shop.com has that model for $270.

And I don't expect them to take a hit, I just wonder how much money they're gouging out of us.


I also wonder how much $ Toshiba is losing by selling HD-DVD players for so cheap.

jidar
01-04-2008, 08:05 PM
Was it different? I don't understand.


lot of complaints of choppy framerate and long load times. This probably has to do with the slow seek time of Blu-Ray players. :)

Mr. Flopnuts
01-04-2008, 08:05 PM
why the hell... So.. now what do you do to play games?



Plenty of games for me. I get about 5-7 hours a week in my gaming system. I can spin Madden for that long. There are some good games for PS3 though. COD4, Assassins Creed, Godfather, etc. I'm mostly a sports gamer, and I hardly ever play online. It's a much more solid system than 360, and I prefer the controller. I'm very happy with the decision.

Mr. Flopnuts
01-04-2008, 08:06 PM
lot of complaints of choppy framerate and long load times. This probably has to do with the slow seek time of Blu-Ray players. :)


Couldn't have been worse than Saints Row on the 360.

ceebz
01-04-2008, 08:07 PM
Was it different? I don't understand.

My understanding is the PS3 version had lots of frame rate issues.

ceebz
01-04-2008, 08:09 PM
Plenty of games for me. I get about 5-7 hours a week in my gaming system. I can spin Madden for that long. There are some good games for PS3 though. COD4, Assassins Creed, Godfather, etc. I'm mostly a sports gamer, and I hardly ever play online. It's a much more solid system than 360, and I prefer the controller. I'm very happy with the decision.

Do you like shmups? There's a Robotron clone available in the PS Store and it kicks major amounts of ass. Super Stardust HD.

jidar
01-04-2008, 08:10 PM
Couldn't have been worse than Saints Row on the 360.


Uh.. actually, yeah. Far far worse.

http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/840/840505p3.html

Unfortunately, our complaints don't stop there. The remainder of our criticisms are to blame for the discrepancy in scores between the PlayStation 3 version of the game and the 360 version (the PS3 version, after all, wasn't handled entirely by Valve). The PlayStation 3 Orange Box performs far worse, and this fact just isn't up for debate. While framerate issues aren't as problematic in Half-Life 2 and Episode One, Episode Two suffers a great deal, especially during the episode's larger battles. We regret to say that some sections border on being unplayable because of the stutters, which often cause your aim to be thrown off and timing shots to be very difficult. The problem isn't persistent throughout, but when it hits, it hits hard.

More troubling still is the difference in load times. Almost all the PS3 load times are at least five seconds more than the 360, but loading a saved game/loading after death is particularly awful. These clock in at about two to three times as long as the 360 version, which slows down the gameplay considerably. Even though the PS3 Orange Box sports a quicksave feature, any benefit of this option is lost considering the overall abundance of loading.



PS, I own and completed Saints Row and I'm not sure what you mean anyway.. didn't notice any issues really...?

ceebz
01-04-2008, 08:13 PM
Uh.. actually, yeah. Far far worse.

http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/840/840505p3.html

Yeah, it was a horrible port. Valve should be ashamed.

jidar
01-04-2008, 08:18 PM
Uh.. actually, yeah. Far far worse.


PS, I own and completed Saints Row and I'm not sure what you mean anyway.. didn't notice any issues really...?


Oh .. nevermind, google said the Demo had framerate problems.
Full game doesn't.

alanm
01-04-2008, 08:36 PM
Funny you say that because Blu kicked the crap out of HDDVD in holiday sales.

Also, the hardware price differences are exaggerated. Sure, if you want an HD-DVD player that only does 1080i, you can get one for ~$200. Want one that does 1080p? Then they're much closer to $350.

Everyone keeps harping on the price of Blu hardware but, the bottom line is, twice as many Blu titles are being sold when compared to HD-DVD. Why do you think Warner decided to go with Blu?
$$$$$ it always comes down to the $$$$$

Eleazar
01-04-2008, 08:59 PM
"Lair", of course!

:D

Is that cool?

KcMizzou
01-04-2008, 09:02 PM
Is that cool?Nah, I was joking. It was heavily hyped, and just as heavily panned.

'Hamas' Jenkins
01-04-2008, 09:24 PM
The fact of the matter is that Blu-Ray has been supported by early adopters with lots of extra cash, the kind of people who will buy a Sony TV over a Samsung despite the fact that they use the same screens. Once John Q. Public has to decide between to equivalent pieces of hardware that carry a 100% difference in price, he will go with the cheaper unit 1 billion times out of 10.

Stryker
01-04-2008, 09:24 PM
From a consumer point of view, fugg HD and BLU Ray. I have well over 500 regular DVD's and am not about to start all over for either format that wins. It is ridiculis (sp). I will admit that the first time I saw Blu Ray demoed at a local CompUSA I was totally blown away - magnificent!

I am a geek and gamer by nature. When I watch a DVD I really care more about the sound than the video (its already there)- I have a HD big screen in the living room and a 42" Visio in the bedroom. To me, I get more enjoyment from football games in HD than I do worrying about movies being BETTER on DVD than they already are. I am a netflix member and have been copying DVDs for years - they work just fine.

For younger people starting out with nothing and building on it then Blu Ray is the obvious choice - hands down. Hell, I could buy the Xbox 360 add on and connect it to my Vista PC, throw in Power DVD HD and join the ranks but I choose not to worry about it. I am satisfied with normal DVD and will continue to do so.

As for the Xbox 360 vs. PS3 - I chose the Xbox 360. The PS3 will catch up and exceed but by that time the Xbox 360 games will be $20 a pop on eBay and I will be happy. Kinda back to the SD DVD vs. the HD Blu Ray war. People are jumping on the bandwagon for both formats and dumping all their regular DVDs for next to nothing! Fug paying that kind of cheese for the same damn movie you may watch what, 2 times a year? I do not think any of us just sit like hermets and watch movies all day - there are other things in life to do. Maybe those who want bragging rights can justify this.

Just my .02

'Hamas' Jenkins
01-04-2008, 09:32 PM
For younger people starting out with nothing and building on it then Blu Ray is the obvious choice - hands down.

Just my .02

:spock:

You are spending twice as much on a format that is not appreciably better. Do you really expect this momentum to continue once Wal-Mart starts selling HD-DVD players consistently at 99-150 bucks?

Why don't people realize that these new players also function as upconverting devices that make your traditional DVDs look better??


Life lesson: The better technology never beats the cheaper technology, especially when the "better" technology isn't any better than its direct competitor.

How did the technologically superior Betamax and Laserdisc formats do against VHS? How does Leopard do against Vista? How did the X-Box do against the PS2, and how are the 360 and PS3 doing against the Wii??

What about the Neo Geo? That thing could stomp the SNES's ass and probably sold about 1/1000 of the total units.

JBucc
01-04-2008, 09:41 PM
I never even got on the DVD bandwagon. I have exactly 4 DVDs. Fellowship of the Ring, Star Wars episodes 2 and 3, and a Bruce Lee collection.

L.A. Chieffan
01-04-2008, 09:42 PM
:spock:

You are spending twice as much on a format that is not appreciably better. Do you really expect this momentum to continue once Wal-Mart starts selling HD-DVD players consistently at 99-150 bucks?

Why don't people realize that these new players also function as upconverting devices that make your traditional DVDs look better??


Life lesson: The better technology never beats the cheaper technology, especially when the "better" technology isn't any better than its direct competitor.

How did the technologically superior Betamax and Laserdisc formats do against VHS? How does Leopard do against Vista? How did the X-Box do against the PS2, and how are the 360 and PS3 doing against the Wii??

What about the Neo Geo? That thing could stomp the SNES's ass and probably sold about 1/1000 of the total units.

While agree with you on the cheaper technology argument it's going to be tough if the majority of the big studios are releasing movies on an exclusive format.
Why would somebody in the next year or so pruchase a HD-DVD player, albeit at a lower cost, knowing that they can't watch some of their favorite movies on it. I could care less about price to be honest as long as I know that I chose the right one in the future.

'Hamas' Jenkins
01-04-2008, 09:47 PM
While agree with you on the cheaper technology argument it's going to be tough if the majority of the big studios are releasing movies on an exclusive format.
Why would somebody in the next year or so pruchase a HD-DVD player, albeit at a lower cost, knowing that they can't watch some of their favorite movies on it. I could care less about price to be honest as long as I know that I chose the right one in the future.

But you *can* watch your favorite movies on it, and since 99% of the population doesn't have a receiver or player that will decode DTS-MA DTHD, DD+, or any other of the lossless 7.1 formats, what are you really missing??

The answer is not much.

L.A. Chieffan
01-04-2008, 09:52 PM
But you *can* watch your favorite movies on it, and since 99% of the population doesn't have a receiver or player that will decode DTS-MA DTHD, DD+, or any other of the lossless 7.1 formats, what are you really missing??

The answer is not much.

You're probably right, I already have all the movies I like on DVD and I do own a nice surround sound system but I just wouldn't want HDDVD to turn into Betamax or DIVX because people panic and all buy bluray

Stryker
01-04-2008, 09:56 PM
:spock:

You are spending twice as much on a format that is not appreciably better. Do you really expect this momentum to continue once Wal-Mart starts selling HD-DVD players consistently at 99-150 bucks?

Why don't people realize that these new players also function as upconverting devices that make your traditional DVDs look better??


Life lesson: The better technology never beats the cheaper technology, especially when the "better" technology isn't any better than its direct competitor.

How did the technologically superior Betamax and Laserdisc formats do against VHS? How does Leopard do against Vista? How did the X-Box do against the PS2, and how are the 360 and PS3 doing against the Wii??

What about the Neo Geo? That thing could stomp the SNES's ass and probably sold about 1/1000 of the total units.

HJ Please! I do believe the picture quailty of Blu Ray vs. HD is better. Am I an advocate of either? Hell no! You can buy an upconverter for around $79 to $99 and get the same effect no? I can buy 100 blank DVDs for around $20. How many standard DVDs (which are not going away anytime soon) can I dupe for the price of one Blu Ray movie on the shelf at Wal-Mart or Best Buy? For what? A BETTER picture? Do I go out and buy Star Wars over AGAIN? Lord of the Rings? Any other movie of choice? The point is simple, in the LONG RUN perhaps it will become more feasible and economically sound to purchase whom ever the winner is betwixt the two formats but for NOW, it is outragious to consider.

Another example. Lets take PC games. I spent $500 last year upgrading my PC to be able to play Rainbow Six: Vegas. Since that sunken cost last year, mind you, I can play any game out currently fully maxed except one - Crysis. Do I go out and spend $1000 more because DirectX 10 is on the horizon? Or do I wait till July or August and spend maybe $400 and I am in the same boat again.

Just because its better does not mean its practical.

'Hamas' Jenkins
01-04-2008, 09:59 PM
HJ Please! I do believe the picture quailty of Blu Ray vs. HD is better. Am I an advocate of either? Hell no! You can buy an upconverter for around $79 to $99 and get the same effect no? I can buy 100 blank DVDs for around $20. How many standard DVDs (which are not going away anytime soon) can I dupe for the price of one Blu Ray movie on the shelf at Wal-Mart or Best Buy? For what? A BETTER picture? Do I go out and buy Star Wars over AGAIN? Lord of the Rings? Any other movie of choice? The point is simple, in the LONG RUN perhaps it will become more feasible and economically sound to purchase whom ever the winner is betwixt the two formats but for NOW, it is outragious to consider.

Another example. Lets take PC games. I spent $500 last year upgrading my PC to be able to play Rainbow Six: Vegas. Since that sunken cost last year, mind you, I can play any game out currently fully maxed except one - Crysis. Do I go out and spend $1000 more because DirectX 10 is on the horizon? Or do I wait till July or August and spend maybe $400 and I am in the same boat again.

Just because its better does not mean its practical.

Wow, you completely missed the point of my entire post.

dtebbe
01-04-2008, 09:59 PM
(January 4, 2008 – Burbank, CA) – In response to consumer demand, Warner Bros. Entertainment will release its high-definition DVD titles exclusively in the Blu-ray disc format beginning later this year, it was announced today by Barry Meyer, Chairman & CEO, Warner Bros. and Kevin Tsujihara, President, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.

“Warner Bros.’ move to exclusively release in the Blu-ray disc format is a strategic decision focused on the long term and the most direct way to give consumers what they want,” said Meyer.

In plain english ...... "Sony got out the checkbook"

DT

Simplex3
01-04-2008, 10:00 PM
Why do you think Warner decided to go with Blu?
Cash?

If Warner was really looking out for the consumer they would keep offering their movies in both formats. As much as corporations hate it, what consumers want is CHOICE.

'Hamas' Jenkins
01-04-2008, 10:04 PM
You're probably right, I already have all the movies I like on DVD and I do own a nice surround sound system but I just wouldn't want HDDVD to turn into Betamax or DIVX because people panic and all buy bluray

I look at it this way:

A really good upconverting DVD player (like an Oppo) will run you 150 bucks. (I said really good, FWIW).

I got an HD-DVD player for X-mas that will not only upconvert all of my DVDs so that they look crisper, but also came with 10 free movies for 200 bucks.

KcMizzou
01-04-2008, 10:05 PM
Cash?

If Warner was really looking out for the consumer they would keep offering their movies in both formats. As much as corporations hate it, what consumers want is CHOICE.:clap:

Stryker
01-04-2008, 10:06 PM
Wow, you completely missed the point of my entire post.

Actually HJ after reading your post again I got the point - my apology. Seems like we are on the same sheet of music - my bad.

OnTheWarpath15
01-04-2008, 10:07 PM
I look at it this way:

A really good upconverting DVD player (like an Oppo) will run you 150 bucks. (I said really good, FWIW).

I got an HD-DVD player for X-mas that will not only upconvert all of my DVDs so that they look crisper, but also came with 10 free movies for 200 bucks.

You happy with it so far?

My in-laws got the same deal for me for my birthday back in November.

I'll tell you that the distribution company is using the entire 10 weeks to get you your 5 freebies.

I called today (9 weeks) and they said my rebate was in final processing (?) and should ship any day.

KcMizzou
01-04-2008, 10:09 PM
You happy with it so far?

My in-laws got the same deal for me for my birthday back in November.

I'll tell you that the distribution company is using the entire 10 weeks to get you your 5 freebies.

I called today (9 weeks) and they said my rebate was in final processing (?) and should ship any day.Heh, oddly enough, I called to check on my 5 free HD DVDs today and got the same answer.

I want my HD Blazing Saddles, damnit! LMAO

KcMizzou
01-04-2008, 10:11 PM
To their credit though, I forgot to send my proof of purchase, and they sent me a letter asking for it.

I thought that was cool... they could have just told me to go get ****ed.

OnTheWarpath15
01-04-2008, 10:12 PM
Heh, oddly enough, I called to check on my 5 free HD DVDs today and got the same answer.

I want my HD Blazing Saddles, damnit! LMAO

Just curious, when did you send yours in?

'Hamas' Jenkins
01-04-2008, 10:14 PM
HJ Please! I do believe the picture quailty of Blu Ray vs. HD is better.

Oh, and just so you know, HD-DVDs use the VC-1 codec and MPEG 4 more than do Blu-Ray Discs, which is one of the reasons why they don't need raw storage sizes as large.

And I guaranf*ckingtee you that you would not notice a difference between the two players on the same television.

If Sony pays BB or CC or Target an assload for an endcap display, they'll use a higher end player with a good video processor in it (like a Faroudja chip). No one would be able to tell the difference between that and the HD-X series that use the same processor and scalar.

KcMizzou
01-04-2008, 10:14 PM
Just curious, when did you send yours in?Well, I sent the UPC a little before Christmas. I figured I couldn't complain about the delay since I screwed up, and they contacted me so I could fix it.

'Hamas' Jenkins
01-04-2008, 10:15 PM
You happy with it so far?

My in-laws got the same deal for me for my birthday back in November.

I'll tell you that the distribution company is using the entire 10 weeks to get you your 5 freebies.

I called today (9 weeks) and they said my rebate was in final processing (?) and should ship any day.

Yeah. I'm about to pop in Casino, cause I want to see Pesci get his skull crushed in full 1080p.

OnTheWarpath15
01-04-2008, 10:19 PM
Yeah. I'm about to pop in Casino, cause I want to see Pesci get his skull crushed in full 1080p.

Sweet.

I already have it in standard DVD, I'm looking forward to the better picture.

Watched Collateral earlier this evening.

Good flick, looks great in HD.

L.A. Chieffan
01-04-2008, 10:20 PM
Yeah. I'm about to pop in Casino, cause I want to see Pesci get his skull crushed in full 1080p.

(As Sharon Stone screams hysterically)

Alright, alright, be careful.

KcMizzou
01-04-2008, 10:21 PM
Casino rocks.

That's all I've got to say.

L.A. Chieffan
01-04-2008, 10:24 PM
Casino rocks.

That's all I've got to say.

An equal amount of blueberries in each muffin...

'Hamas' Jenkins
01-04-2008, 10:27 PM
Sweet.

I already have it in standard DVD, I'm looking forward to the better picture.

Watched Collateral earlier this evening.

Good flick, looks great in HD.

The club scene in Collateral is one of the best action sequences of any movie this decade. Very well done. Confusing, but understandably so, and not in a Bourne Supremacy, Steadicam the f*ck out of the audience sort of way. Michael Mann can do some really great shit when he puts his mind to it (bank robbery in "Heat", for one).

ceebz
01-04-2008, 10:29 PM
The fact of the matter is that Blu-Ray has been supported by early adopters with lots of extra cash, the kind of people who will buy a Sony TV over a Samsung despite the fact that they use the same screens. Once John Q. Public has to decide between to equivalent pieces of hardware that carry a 100% difference in price, he will go with the cheaper unit 1 billion times out of 10.

100% difference in price? :spock:

Really, could you exaggerate any more? :rolleyes:

Simplex3
01-04-2008, 10:33 PM
Sony and Toshiba LOVE you fanboi types that get personally invested in this s**t. You jump on the consumer electronics treadmill and they run you silly until your wallet collapses, it's last dollar hanging out like a panting tongue.

Enjoy buying $300 POS after $300 POS. I'll keep spinning my used DVD player until it breaks or I simply can't get DVDs any more. By that point physical media will be a thing of the past.

'Hamas' Jenkins
01-04-2008, 10:34 PM
100% difference in price? :spock:

Really, could you exaggerate any more? :rolleyes:


HD-A3
$179.98 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.

Samsung BD-1400
$334.80 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.

OnTheWarpath15
01-04-2008, 10:35 PM
The club scene in Collateral is one of the best action sequences of any movie this decade. Very well done. Confusing, but understandably so, and not in a Bourne Supremacy, Steadicam the f*ck out of the audience sort of way. Michael Mann can do some really great shit when he puts his mind to it (bank robbery in "Heat", for one).

Nothing like a Japanese version (I think) of Paul Oakenfold during that scene.

Funny you mentioned Heat, I told my wife that was another in our collection I'm looking forward to seeing upconverted.

OnTheWarpath15
01-04-2008, 10:36 PM
HD-A3
$179.98 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.

Samsung BD-1400
$334.80 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.

HATE when that happens.......

L.A. Chieffan
01-04-2008, 10:36 PM
Sony and Toshiba LOVE you fanboi types that get personally invested in this s**t. You jump on the consumer electronics treadmill and they run you silly until your wallet collapses, it's last dollar hanging out like a panting tongue.

Enjoy buying $300 POS after $300 POS. I'll keep spinning my used DVD player until it breaks or I simply can't get DVDs any more. By that point physical media will be a thing of the past.

You're so smart

Simplex3
01-04-2008, 10:37 PM
You're so smart
It could also be lack of desire, lazy, or unmotivated. Who know? Who cares?

ceebz
01-04-2008, 10:38 PM
HD-A3
$179.98 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.

Samsung BD-1400
$334.80 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.

Same player at shop.com for $275.

http://www.shop.com/Samsung_BD_P1400_Blu_ray_Disc_Player-46966433-p!.shtml?trk=6


Also, that Toshiba deck you listed is 1080i, while the BD player is 1080p.

Nice comparison there, bud.

ROFL

007
01-04-2008, 10:39 PM
damn this whole bluray vs hddvd crap. I hope downloadable wins this damn war.

'Hamas' Jenkins
01-04-2008, 10:39 PM
Sony and Toshiba LOVE you fanboi types that get personally invested in this s**t. You jump on the consumer electronics treadmill and they run you silly until your wallet collapses, it's last dollar hanging out like a panting tongue.

Enjoy buying $300 POS after $300 POS. I'll keep spinning my used DVD player until it breaks or I simply can't get DVDs any more. By that point physical media will be a thing of the past.

Fanboys spend 500 dollars to buy first generation players that are buggy as hell.

There's nothing fanboy about buying a player that offers you ten free movies for less than the price of a conventional DVD player circa 2000.

If Blu-Ray offered a reliable player that was 200 bucks and came with ten movies, I would have possibly went that route. Instead, I'm just going to buy a Blu-Ray drive for my HTPC in six months when I can get one for 140 bucks.

dtebbe
01-04-2008, 10:41 PM
The pron studios could put an end to this real quick, just like they did the last format war. Sony is the only one who can produce Bluray discs, and they won't do pron.

DT

007
01-04-2008, 10:41 PM
The price of the movies are insane too. I will stick with DVD's thank you very much.

OnTheWarpath15
01-04-2008, 10:42 PM
Sony and Toshiba LOVE you fanboi types that get personally invested in this s**t. You jump on the consumer electronics treadmill and they run you silly until your wallet collapses, it's last dollar hanging out like a panting tongue.

Enjoy buying $300 POS after $300 POS. I'll keep spinning my used DVD player until it breaks or I simply can't get DVDs any more. By that point physical media will be a thing of the past.

In my case, best of both worlds.

My old Sony (ironic) 5 disk DVD player shot craps a week before my birthday.

Wife calls inlaws, inlaws just happen to be at CC during a great promotion, and viola.

I have a new HD-DVD player and 10 movies, no money out of pocket.

Like Hamas pointed out, I would have spent $150 on a good upconvert anyway.

If BluRay wins out, so be it. I'll continue to watch the 100 or so standard DVD's I have and be happy about it.

Simplex3
01-04-2008, 10:42 PM
Fanboys spend 500 dollars to buy first generation players that are buggy as hell.

There's nothing fanboy about buying a player that offers you ten free movies for less than the price of a conventional DVD player circa 2000.

If Blu-Ray offered a reliable player that was 200 bucks and came with ten movies, I would have possibly went that route. Instead, I'm just going to buy a Blu-Ray drive for my HTPC in six months when I can get one for 140 bucks.
I didn't mean to imply that anyone in particular in this thread WAS a fanboy.

'Hamas' Jenkins
01-04-2008, 10:48 PM
Same player at shop.com for $275.

http://www.shop.com/Samsung_BD_P1400_Blu_ray_Disc_Player-46966433-p!.shtml?trk=6


Also, that Toshiba deck you listed is 1080i, while the BD player is 1080p.

Nice comparison there, bud.

ROFL

So, I'd be wise to buy it for 273 bucks from a store that has a rating of 3.5 stars and a player that has 3 stars??


What about the 15 bucks for shipping? Or the fact that it doesn't come with any movies?


To recap:

Samsung +15 Shipping +10 movies would run you about 415 dollars (assuming you got 5 free, and paid 24 bucks a pop for the movies and no shipping)


The Tosh would cost you 179.99, no shipping and would get you ten movies.


Are you actually a f*cking retard or do you just play one on a message board?

ceebz
01-04-2008, 11:18 PM
So, I'd be wise to buy it for 273 bucks from a store that has a rating of 3.5 stars and a player that has 3 stars??


What about the 15 bucks for shipping? Or the fact that it doesn't come with any movies?


To recap:

Samsung +15 Shipping +10 movies would run you about 415 dollars (assuming you got 5 free, and paid 24 bucks a pop for the movies and no shipping)


The Tosh would cost you 179.99, no shipping and would get you ten movies.


Are you actually a f*cking retard or do you just play one on a message board?


You're amazing. Nice work on actually trying to incorporate free dvd offers into the price of the hardware and totally ignoring the fact that that you're comparing the price of a 1080i player with a 1080p player.

Spin away, jackass. ROFL

Deberg_1990
01-04-2008, 11:20 PM
The club scene in Collateral is one of the best action sequences of any movie this decade. Very well done. Confusing, but understandably so, and not in a Bourne Supremacy, Steadicam the f*ck out of the audience sort of way. Michael Mann can do some really great shit when he puts his mind to it (bank robbery in "Heat", for one).

The bank robbery and shootout in HEAT might be the best action scene of all time.

Definately top 5.

Valiant
01-04-2008, 11:26 PM
Funny you say that because Blu kicked the crap out of HDDVD in holiday sales.

Also, the hardware price differences are exaggerated. Sure, if you want an HD-DVD player that only does 1080i, you can get one for ~$200. Want one that does 1080p? Then they're much closer to $350.

Everyone keeps harping on the price of Blu hardware but, the bottom line is, twice as many Blu titles are being sold when compared to HD-DVD. Why do you think Warner decided to go with Blu?


Its funny most people that are in electronic sales, said they are saling the hd over the bluray more for cost.. Of course would have to look at the date to see if they added ps3's or skewed it in some way to favor their side..

Of course each side does this also..

Valiant
01-04-2008, 11:33 PM
The pron studios could put an end to this real quick, just like they did the last format war. Sony is the only one who can produce Bluray discs, and they won't do pron.

DT



I think this answers most questions on which is better...

Eleazar
01-04-2008, 11:36 PM
Some info, from wikipedia but with a citation to Forbes, about porn and beta format:


Many theories regarding why Sony's Betamax failed have arisen over the years. One of the more amusing (and false) is that Sony refused to allow pornographic material on their system. A quick perusal of the Betamax library reveals that adult entertainment was readily available. For example, Playboy Industries released their videos in a dual format, both Betamax and VHS, for most of the 1970s and 80s (and can be confirmed with a quick search through eBay's adult section, or other used video markets). Second, the adult industry is too small to have any lasting impact on standards selection. According to Forbes.com, adult video income is approximately $1 billion. "The industry is tiny next to broadcast television ($32.3 billion in 1999), cable television ($45.5 billion), the newspaper business ($27.5 billion), Hollywood ($31 billion), even to professional and educational publishing ($14.8 billion). When one really examines the numbers, the porn industry — while a subject of fascination — is every bit as marginal as it seems at first glance."

ceebz
01-04-2008, 11:51 PM
Its funny most people that are in electronic sales, said they are saling the hd over the bluray more for cost.. Of course would have to look at the date to see if they added ps3's or skewed it in some way to favor their side..

Of course each side does this also..

A wife of one of my friends is a sales manager at a Best Buy and she sayd that BD sells 2-3 times as much as HD-DVD.

Also, to those speculating, Warner says there was no payoff for the move to Blu-Ray exclusivity.

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Warner/Warner:_No_Payoff_for_Move_to_Blu-ray/1327

Dallas Chief
01-05-2008, 12:05 AM
If it wins it will be because Sony learned their lesson with the BetaMax and is bribing people to use it instead of just hoping it catches on.
Really? Is that how it works?

Dallas Chief
01-05-2008, 12:09 AM
The 1080p Toshiba A30 is $247 on Amazon right now, by summer it'll be $199.

Not that 1080p really matters to Joe user anyway who is going to buy the cheapest player and frankly he might as well since almost nobody can tell the difference (INCLUDING VIDEO PHILE TYPES) without a side by side comparison. Try it yourself, find a showroom with a 1080p tv that has a 1080p signal source, turn your back and have the guy randomly switch between 1080i and 1080p and see if you can tell the difference. You wont be able to, I've seen this done myself more than a few times and nobody I've ever met can get it 100%.

Much like the extra space on Blu-Ray disks, it's just another feature people don't need that is driving up prices.

Your posts are funny... ROFL

Dallas Chief
01-05-2008, 12:22 AM
In plain english ...... "Sony got out the checkbook"

DT
Dude! C'mon. That's not even kinda true. The reason Warner jumped ship is that they didn't want to un-naturaly chase the price down the toilet with Toshiba. NOBODY wins when that happens. The technology would suffer, the content would suffer, etc, etc, etc. The software companies make TONS of cash on the sale of titles. It is in their best interest to keep that price buoyed as high as possible. One thing to consider is the cost of manufacturing is about $4 per disc. The software comopany then sells it to the retailer for $20 who then in turn sells it to the consumer for $30. The software companies make WAY more than the retailers in this business. The same can't be said for the hardware side though.

jjjayb
01-05-2008, 12:22 AM
The best thing Blu-ray has going for it is the name. Hd-dvd is just too boring a name.

I was really wishing that Sony would fall on it's face with Blu-ray just because I was one of the suckers who got stuck with a Beta. I wasn't happy to see Sony get involved in another format war.

BigMeatballDave
01-05-2008, 12:24 AM
I just wish one format would win out, already, so people can move on...

Dallas Chief
01-05-2008, 12:27 AM
Cash?

If Warner was really looking out for the consumer they would keep offering their movies in both formats. As much as corporations hate it, what consumers want is CHOICE.
They'd have to pay royalties to both BD and HDDVD if they did that. Why would they want to look out for the consumer if that's the case?

Dallas Chief
01-05-2008, 12:29 AM
I look at it this way:

A really good upconverting DVD player (like an Oppo) will run you 150 bucks. (I said really good, FWIW).

I got an HD-DVD player for X-mas that will not only upconvert all of my DVDs so that they look crisper, but also came with 10 free movies for 200 bucks.

The free promo's that both camps are running are sick. And it is only going to get sicker in the coming months as folks get desperate...

Mr. Flopnuts
01-05-2008, 12:32 AM
Uh.. actually, yeah. Far far worse.

http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/840/840505p3.html




PS, I own and completed Saints Row and I'm not sure what you mean anyway.. didn't notice any issues really...?

You didn't notice issues with the rendering? Gawd, it made that game unplayable for me. From the start.

Mr. Flopnuts
01-05-2008, 12:34 AM
Oh .. nevermind, google said the Demo had framerate problems.
Full game doesn't.


I bought the game the day it came out, I had multiple problems with framerate and rendering.

Dallas Chief
01-05-2008, 12:34 AM
Oh, and just so you know, HD-DVDs use the VC-1 codec and MPEG 4 more than do Blu-Ray Discs, which is one of the reasons why they don't need raw storage sizes as large.

And I guaranf*ckingtee you that you would not notice a difference between the two players on the same television.

If Sony pays BB or CC or Target an assload for an endcap display, they'll use a higher end player with a good video processor in it (like a Faroudja chip). No one would be able to tell the difference between that and the HD-X series that use the same processor and scalar.
The endaps do cost a fortune. It's funny, most stores don't even use the players as the source. Most use an "HD Generator" for the content. The players wouldn't last very long playing 16 hours a day 7 days a week.

Mr. Flopnuts
01-05-2008, 12:40 AM
HD-A3
$179.98 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.

Samsung BD-1400
$334.80 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.


For the players sure. How about for gamers? An xbox360 with 20gb hd for $350 + $100 for the hd player.

Or a 40gb PS3 with the bluray player installed already for $399?


Sony is gonna catch up, quickly. Warner just helped their cause.

Sure-Oz
01-05-2008, 09:30 AM
HD-A3
$179.98 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.

Samsung BD-1400
$334.80 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.
The price was the main reason i got an HD player, but it was a amazon screw up where i got like 5 movies for like $10 more. I do want a blu ray so i can have both, but id likely get a ps3 before a standalone player, unless of course i knew who wins the war.

So is HD DVD totally effed now?

ceebz
01-05-2008, 10:15 AM
So is HD DVD totally effed now?

Well, following Warner's announcement the HD DVD group cancelled their CES press conference.

Sure-Oz
01-05-2008, 10:22 AM
Well, following Warner's announcement the HD DVD group cancelled their CES press conference.
What is the CES PC??

Valiant
01-05-2008, 12:08 PM
I am sure HD DVD will fire back with something else.. Now way in hell microsoft is going to let Sony win and have to use Bluray in there next gen console in a couple years..

KcMizzou
01-05-2008, 12:11 PM
What is the CES PC??CES = Consumer Electronics Show

It's like E3 was for video games, only it covers all sorts of tech and gadgets.

ceebz
01-05-2008, 12:47 PM
I am sure HD DVD will fire back with something else.. Now way in hell microsoft is going to let Sony win and have to use Bluray in there next gen console in a couple years..

Well, what's left? Paramount's deal is up next year, I really don't see them staying exclusive to HD-DVD anymore. Then there's Universal, will they have any choice other than going BD, or, at the very least, supporting both formats?

I don't think HD-DVD supporters realize just how much of the HD market is now BD exclusive. Warner and New Line going BD effectively decided the format "war," IMO.

Simplex3
01-05-2008, 12:49 PM
Well, what's left? Paramount's deal is up next year, I really don't see them staying exclusive to HD-DVD anymore. Then there's Universal, will they have any choice other than going BD, or, at the very least, supporting both formats?

I don't think HD-DVD supporters realize just how much of the HD market is now BD exclusive. Warner and New Line going BD effectively decided the format "war," IMO.
You're assuming people don't just stop buying HD DVD *and* Blu Ray.

After 5.1 & 780p you're really staring down the point of diminishing returns. The average guy isn't going to be able to tell enough difference to warrant him tossing out all of his existing gear and replacing it with newer, more expensive versions.

ceebz
01-05-2008, 12:58 PM
You're assuming people don't just stop buying HD DVD *and* Blu Ray.

After 5.1 & 780p you're really staring down the point of diminishing returns. The average guy isn't going to be able to tell enough difference to warrant him tossing out all of his existing gear and replacing it with newer, more expensive versions.

After the HDDVD or BD box, what's there to replace?

Simplex3
01-05-2008, 01:02 PM
After the HDDVD or BD box, what's there to replace?
I believe a big part of the "upgrade" is 7.1 sound, correct? So there's a new receiver and a couple of new speakers. Add to that the fact that there are a lot of homes still without HD tv's...

'Hamas' Jenkins
01-05-2008, 01:11 PM
After the HDDVD or BD box, what's there to replace?

Everything else in the Home Theater.

The biggest difference is lossless 7.1 audio. The vast majority of your A/V receivers cannot decode the high end audio formats, and almost none of the sub $400 players can decode them and pass them as PCM, and even then some of the high end receivers can't decode 5.1 or 7.1 PCM.

You'll need an HDMI receiver just for that, as you can't pass anything more than 5.1 through optical or coax.

'Hamas' Jenkins
01-05-2008, 01:17 PM
You're amazing. Nice work on actually trying to incorporate free dvd offers into the price of the hardware and totally ignoring the fact that that you're comparing the price of a 1080i player with a 1080p player.

Spin away, jackass. ROFL

Once again, I refer to my prior posts. 95% percent of people won't be able to tell a difference. Should people who have a 1080i TV buy a 1080p player?? Sounds a little redundant?

What about the people who have a 1080p TV which automatically does the deinterlacing of the picture?

Again, this is like saying I should dump my entire collection of 320 Kbps MP3s because they are inferior in sound to CDs, because they don't contain all of the same RedHat audio info.

RINGLEADER
01-05-2008, 01:18 PM
seriously, how much better are the blu-ray/hd-dvd formats over normal dvds?

RINGLEADER
01-05-2008, 01:19 PM
I am sure HD DVD will fire back with something else.. Now way in hell microsoft is going to let Sony win and have to use Bluray in there next gen console in a couple years..

A very astute observation.

ceebz
01-05-2008, 01:56 PM
I believe a big part of the "upgrade" is 7.1 sound, correct? So there's a new receiver and a couple of new speakers. Add to that the fact that there are a lot of homes still without HD tv's...

Maybe 7.1 is a big feature to hardcore audiophiles, but, your average joe consumer will stick with their 5.1 system. As some people are arguing that you can't tell the difference between a 1080i signal and a 1080p signal, I doubt very many people will care about the difference between 5.1 and 7.1. I know my 5.1 system sounds amazing, upgrading to 7.1 is the least of my concerns.

Prices of HD sets have been plummeting the last two years. I expect that as prices keep falling, HD set adoption will keep growing.

I don't think anyone is really expecting an HD-Revolution. What we'll see will be more of an evolution and a single media format will only help speed up consumer adoption.

On a personal level, I don't care which format wins. I just want the format "war" to be over so that we can move on and not have to support two formats. Major kudos to Warner for putting the final nail in HD-DVD's coffin.

Third Eye
01-05-2008, 02:08 PM
seriously, how much better are the blu-ray/hd-dvd formats over normal dvds?
It depends what you are watching. Concert films or something like Planet Earth look incredible on bd/ hd dvd as compared to DVD even on a 1080i set, let alone a 1080p set. Many movies, however, won't look much better to the average viewer.

morphius
01-05-2008, 02:20 PM
eh, I figure that soon enough the drives will be cheap enough and support both formats. I know they already have some that can do both, tis only a matter of time before they are cheap.

Of course I'm guessing in a couple of years the movies will all be coming out on Solid State flash type drives.

Third Eye
01-05-2008, 02:59 PM
The pron studios could put an end to this real quick, just like they did the last format war. Sony is the only one who can produce Bluray discs, and they won't do pron.

DT
The problem with that is that the vaxt majority of pron comes from the internet these days. It doesn't have nearly the leverage it used to.

ChiefsFan4Life
01-08-2008, 07:26 AM
http://kotaku.com/341998/paramount-moving-to-blu+ray-hd+dvd-dead-can-we-all-just-get-on-with-our-lives-now

Wrasse
01-08-2008, 08:22 AM
With the WB move and the Paramount rumor...I think it's obvious that Blu wins.

I have a HD-A2 player that I got for 100 bucks from Wally world that'll be my upconverting player. I broke down and got a PS3 and, quite honestly, love the system so far.

I was a HD-DVD supporter but the recent changes and rumored changes seem overwhelming.

...and upconverted DVDs pale in comparison to hi-def movies on my 55 inch screen. I also notice a difference between 1080i and 1080p...but that's just me (and the disc could factor into the equation because not all HD media is created equal).

Anyway...I don't have the heart to break the news to my HD-DVD player. :)

Sure-Oz
01-09-2008, 01:53 PM
With the WB move and the Paramount rumor...I think it's obvious that Blu wins.

I have a HD-A2 player that I got for 100 bucks from Wally world that'll be my upconverting player. I broke down and got a PS3 and, quite honestly, love the system so far.

I was a HD-DVD supporter but the recent changes and rumored changes seem overwhelming.

...and upconverted DVDs pale in comparison to hi-def movies on my 55 inch screen. I also notice a difference between 1080i and 1080p...but that's just me (and the disc could factor into the equation because not all HD media is created equal).

Anyway...I don't have the heart to break the news to my HD-DVD player. :)
Yeah the HD DVD player will likely be my upconverted player now and i may within a year or so get a standalone BR player or a PS3, which is more likely. For now i have stopped buying HD DVDs unless there is a reduction in price or B1G1 free deal...I will likely RENT more often now until i get a BR player. i have over 500 regular dvds and 15 HD DVD's. Price was the major reason i got the HD one, since the player was $180 and 8 dvds along with that cost, 3 instant.

ChiefsFan4Life
01-10-2008, 10:55 AM
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=40816

Sure-Oz
01-10-2008, 10:58 AM
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=40816
I believe they always considered backing the 1 format that wins anyway so this could be down the line, when HD DVD dies or whatever.