what's a good hd-dvd player?

[gibby]

Some of the main reasons why Betamax died was that it was very limited to how much it can hold...only 1 hour's worth of video. With that fault alone, movie publishers couldn't fit a full featured film on one tape. This declared the VHS the obvious winner in that department. That is not true with Blu Ray vs. HD DVD. In fact, it's the other way around now where Blu Ray disks hold more than HD DVD disks. As is, content providers are almost reaching the maximum storage capacity of HD DVD with just the movie alone...no extras included.

Another reason, as funny as it may sound, is that the porn industry embraced the VHS! The end! Whether or not Sony will allow the porn industry to use their storage medium remains to be seen. However, I've heard that in Japan, the UMD is already being used for porn. However, I must admit, I would never pay full price for a UMD movie...but I will buy discounted movies from ebay.

Am I a sony fanboi...uuuuh. No. I own both a PS3 and a 360, and every other console out there. But it all comes down to pricing. Pricing will enable the masses to finally buy into the next gen when they realize that they aren't taking advantage of the full potential of their new HDTV. I also don't believe that people who buy HDTVs are completely ignorant of what it can do. I'm sure the sales person who sold them the TV made sure to educate the buyer with all the accessories: stable power strip, hd cables, surround sound options, etc. It's just a matter of time until people buy into the next gen stuff.

The difference between the next gen DVDs and current DVDs is noticable. When I first got my PS3(using HDMI cable), I popped in Superman Returns and my girlfriend(who isn't tech savy) noticed a huge difference in picture quality. Last night, my gf and I popped in Miami Vice in our DVD player and right away, she commented on the graininess of the picture quality. I was a bit surprised as she's never been the kind to comment on things like that.

I think the inclusion of the Blu Ray player in the PS3 is also a smart move. Although Sony is getting a lot of heat right now, when PS3s become more abundant, and people actually see the difference, that $500 or $600 price tag starts to seem more like a bargain. You get a next gen gaming and a next gen movie player, along with other features I'm discovering with my PS3 all in one.

I might buy a HD DVD player for my 360 but a part of me thinks it's not needed at the time. It's just a hassle buying an add-on...not to mention it taking up more space on my tv stand.

[Steelrat]

As far as downloading, most people have no idea how to do it. Do a random survey of the non technical people that you know and ask them to name a specific program and location that they can use to download music, ,movies, and software. Ask them how they would even copy a DVD from Blockbuster so they could watch it again.

JMHO.

I'm not talking about the overall number of people who download. I'm talking about the percentage of people who intentionally defeat the copy protection and use the ripped copies to distribute via file sharing, OR make copies to sell. I would guess that the number who use it for illegitimate reasons are higher than those using it like you do.


Keep in mind that there is also some question about whether even copying your own DVDs for personal use is legal. The very act of breaking the encrytion may be illegal.

[Steelrat]

Some of the main reasons why Betamax died was that it was very limited to how much it can hold...only 1 hour's worth of video. With that fault alone, movie publishers couldn't fit a full featured film on one tape. This declared the VHS the obvious winner in that department. That is not true with Blu Ray vs. HD DVD. In fact, it's the other way around now where Blu Ray disks hold more than HD DVD disks. As is, content providers are almost reaching the maximum storage capacity of HD DVD with just the movie alone...no extras included.

Another reason, as funny as it may sound, is that the porn industry embraced the VHS! The end! Whether or not Sony will allow the porn industry to use their storage medium remains to be seen. However, I've heard that in Japan, the UMD is already being used for porn. However, I must admit, I would never pay full price for a UMD movie...but I will buy discounted movies from ebay.

Am I a sony fanboi...uuuuh. No. I own both a PS3 and a 360, and every other console out there. But it all comes down to pricing. Pricing will enable the masses to finally buy into the next gen when they realize that they aren't taking advantage of the full potential of their new HDTV. I also don't believe that people who buy HDTVs are completely ignorant of what it can do. I'm sure the sales person who sold them the TV made sure to educate the buyer with all the accessories: stable power strip, hd cables, surround sound options, etc. It's just a matter of time until people buy into the next gen stuff.

The difference between the next gen DVDs and current DVDs is noticable. When I first got my PS3(using HDMI cable), I popped in Superman Returns and my girlfriend(who isn't tech savy) noticed a huge difference in picture quality. Last night, my gf and I popped in Miami Vice in our DVD player and right away, she commented on the graininess of the picture quality. I was a bit surprised as she's never been the kind to comment on things like that.

I think the inclusion of the Blu Ray player in the PS3 is also a smart move. Although Sony is getting a lot of heat right now, when PS3s become more abundant, and people actually see the difference, that $500 or $600 price tag starts to seem more like a bargain. You get a next gen gaming and a next gen movie player, along with other features I'm discovering with my PS3 all in one.

I might buy a HD DVD player for my 360 but a part of me thinks it's not needed at the time. It's just a hassle buying an add-on...not to mention it taking up more space on my tv stand.

Biggest problem in the PS3 is the lack of support for 1080i. That's just a huge mistake, in my opinion, since many HD sets (my basement one included) don't do 720p or 1080p, just 480p and 1080i.

EDIT: And for Bluray users, the PS3 IS a bargain, since the stand-alones run about $1000. But I don't see a lot of users necessarily being bluray watchers.

I read an interesting analysis of the PS3 recently. It's common knowledge that the GPU on the 360 wastes the one on the PS3. But a comparison of the cell and the 360's CPU showed that while the 360's was superior for most gaming applications, the Cell was much, MUCH better at handling video applications. Why that is, we can only guess. It's just interesting to note that, despite Sony's claims that the PS3 is the most powerful gaming console, it's becoming clear that compromises were made in it's design for unknown reasons.

[robnix]

Biggest problem in the PS3 is the lack of support for 1080i. That's just a huge mistake, in my opinion, since many HD sets (my basement one included) don't do 720p or 1080p, just 480p and 1080i.

Most of those though, will upconvert a 720p signal to 1080i. The only exeception I can think of offhand is older Sony's which downconvert the signal to 480p.

[Steelrat]

Most of those though, will upconvert a 720p signal to 1080i. The only exeception I can think of offhand is older Sony's which downconvert the signal to 480p.

A lot of the older TVs did not include scalers. Mines a 3 year old Toshiba, and it sure as heck doesn't upconvert. It was hubris on Sony's part, pure and simple. It's a cheap part, and it's included in every Xbox 360.

[kosmo]

Copy protection is gay. Until I can throw high def movies on my media server, both formats can piss off.

[Steelrat]

Copy protection is gay. Until I can throw high def movies on my media server, both formats can piss off.

Blame the people ripping stuff and sharing it on bittorrent, kazaa, and the like. There wouldn't be copy protection if there wasn't a need.

[Thordic]

Sony would be toast if it wasn't for the playstation. The profits from the PS line are the only things keeping them afloat.

Say what? Their consumer electronics (stereos, tvs, computers, etc) sell pretty well. I doubt playstation is the only thing keeping Sony afloat. They are a HUGE electronics company, who generally puts out a quality product that is affordable to the general public.

As for UMD, they price them too high. At $10 a movie, they would sell like hotcakes. Charging the same price as a DVD is stupid, though. Thats why UMD is tanking. Which sucks, because I have a PSP and love the UMD format. I get to watch Family Guy on the train

[Steelrat]

Say what? Their consumer electronics (stereos, tvs, computers, etc) sell pretty well. I doubt playstation is the only thing keeping Sony afloat. They are a HUGE electronics company, who generally puts out a quality product that is affordable to the general public.

Sony's electronics division generates about 2/3 of Sony's revenues, and has been taking a beating for the past few years, with the only bright spot being the videgame unit, though the PS3 has destroyed profitability there, too. I think the movie and music divisions might be doing okay now, but a few years back they were looking crappy too.

Last fiscal year, games made up only 10% of Sony's $60 billion in sales but accounted for around 38% of the company's operating profit of $560 million. If Kutaragi can come up with another hit console, Stringer & Co. might feel comfortable handing him a bigger role in shaping Sony's future.

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/feb2006/tc20060209_293907.htm

[Thordic]

I don't see PS floating the Sony empire. They may have their issues but they have a massive market share.

[Steelrat]

I don't see PS floating the Sony empire. They may have their issues but they have a massive market share.

Check my edit above. 38% of their profit, only 10% of sales. And profit of only $560 million. Market share means little if they can't make a profit. Now, with the PS3 sucking up all kinds of money, imagine what will happen to the profits.

[robnix]

A lot of the older TVs did not include scalers. Mines a 3 year old Toshiba, and it sure as heck doesn't upconvert. It was hubris on Sony's part, pure and simple. It's a cheap part, and it's included in every Xbox 360.

interesting, We had a Toshiba 42h83 for awhile. It scaled 720p to 1080i.

[kosmo]

Blame the people ripping stuff and sharing it on bittorrent, kazaa, and the like. There wouldn't be copy protection if there wasn't a need.

There isnt a need. Hollywood is blaming their shrinking profits on piracy, when everyone and their mother knows full well that its because almost every movie that has come out in the past 5 years sucks butt.

[Steelrat]

interesting, We had a Toshiba 42h83 for awhile. It scaled 720p to 1080i.

I have a toshiba 42" rear-projection, not sure of the full model number. It definately does not do 720p, a trait it shares with a lot of older HD sets. If you check the PS3 forums, this seems to be a common complaint. Who wants to watch their awesome new PS3 in 420p?

If only my wife would let me hook it up to the 60" sony wega

[robnix]

I have a toshiba 42" rear-projection, not sure of the full model number. It definately does not do 720p, a trait it shares with a lot of older HD sets. If you check the PS3 forums, this seems to be a common complaint. Who wants to watch their awesome new PS3 in 420p?

If only my wife would let me hook it up to the 60" sony wega

If it's three years old, it's most likely the exact TV I had then. Almost RPTV's don't display content in 720p, they crossconvert it to 1080i. I just had a PS3 hooked up to my three year old Sony RPTV, which unfortunately was one of the last RPTV models that doesn't crossconvert 720p to 1080i, it downconverts, and saw this firsthand this past weekend. Talladega Nights looked as good as any HD broadcast I've seen, while Fall of Man was less than impressive.

The issue with the PS3 is also only for game content apparently. Blu-Ray movies will display in 1080i, games get downconverted to 480p if your PS3 is set for 1080i.