HD: stick a fork in it....

[kenw]

don't tout supposed superiority: Beta was and so was the Edsel....

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...d0bfb0c25aa58d

[veritus]

Blu-Ray here I come!! lol Not really. I think I'm going to wait a few months before making a purchase. Glad to see that Sony may actually win this one. First it was the beta, then the mini-disc. It's about time that Sony prevails in the consumer market.

[darktiger]

I hope no one is surprised. I knew HDDVD was going to fail, but for different reasons. HD-DVD's now can be bought for like $5-10. I think the stores know it is going to fail...

[Detonate]

I'd like to hear your theory....

I think that if Xbox had included an internal HD-DVD player like Sony did with the PS3, HD-DVD would have won by a large margin....

However, I don't think it was in the best interest for Microsoft to do so.

HD-DVD's are clearly better than Blu-Ray discs in my opinion as an owner of both formats.

[veritus]

Originally Posted by Detonate

I'd like to hear your theory....

I think that if Xbox had included an internal HD-DVD player like Sony did with the PS3, HD-DVD would have won by a large margin....

However, I don't think it was in the best interest for Microsoft to do so.

HD-DVD's are clearly better than Blu-Ray discs in my opinion as an owner of both formats.

If you don't mind me asking, what brand are your players? I've been looking at a Blu-Ray player, but not sure which brand to look at.

[darktiger]

I just want BluRay for the storage aspect...

[Detonate]

Originally Posted by veritus

If you don't mind me asking, what brand are your players? I've been looking at a Blu-Ray player, but not sure which brand to look at.

I had a Toshiba A30, but returned it, and got the add-on for the Xbox 360, because you can take it and plug it into any PC or laptop, which is very nice.

For Blu-Ray player I got the PS3, but I'm not very happy with it.

The overly expensive, much hyped PS3, seems to have left out an IR port, meaning you can not program it to work with a universal remote. So much for it being the Home Entertainment hub they touted it as...

But the PS3 is the only Blu-Ray player that is pretty much guarenteed to support the ever changing Blu-Ray spec, that Sony can't seem to get right.

I just want BluRay for the storage aspect...

I hear that alot. Funny how Lost on Blu-Ray is only one disc less than it is on DVD...

I'm just glad it's going to be over. I got my HD-DVD player for a steal, and with all the movies now being marked down to up to 50% off I may buy a few.

Hopefully a blu-ray player that doesn't suck will come out soon, and hopefully not cost $500+...

The one good thing about me buying a PS3 as a Blu-Ray player, is that if something better does come out, I can easily sell a used game console.

[Collins]

Originally Posted by Detonate

I hear that alot. Funny how Lost on Blu-Ray is only one disc less than it is on DVD...

We are talking about HD vs 480p here....

[Detonate]

Doesn't matter. What matters is the compression and bitrate.

A full 1080p video compressed with H.264 can have a much much lower bitrate than a DVD video compressed with MPEG-2 and still be leaps and bounds higher quality.

Would it surprise you to know that a HDV camcorder that records to Mini-DV produces files the EXACT same size as Standard Def camcorders? They are both 25mbps. This is why a normal mini-dv tape records 60 minutes no matter if it's in a standard def camcorder or a high def one.

[JamesB]

Im still gonna wait to see how this battle plays out. Maybe next year I will get an itch to get what ever format comes out on top. Right now Im highly satisfied with my plane old DVD player

James

[Collins]

Originally Posted by Detonate

What matters is the compression and bitrate.

Exactly. While the compression can go to the levels you mentioned, they usually do not for Blu-Ray releases from the studios. And why should you compress it that far anyway? You *do* have the space so take advantage of it.

I'm willing to bet you that Lost had at least double the bitrate for the Blu-Ray disc as the DVD had.

I'll also tell you what doesn't matter: why they decided to use "a whole" 6 discs for Lost. Blu-Ray still has killer storage capacity--doesn't matter if people aren't using it. Especially for data, that's key.

[veritus]

Originally Posted by Detonate

Doesn't matter. What matters is the compression and bitrate.

A full 1080p video compressed with H.264 can have a much much lower bitrate than a DVD video compressed with MPEG-2 and still be leaps and bounds higher quality.

Would it surprise you to know that a HDV camcorder that records to Mini-DV produces files the EXACT same size as Standard Def camcorders? They are both 25mbps. This is why a normal mini-dv tape records 60 minutes no matter if it's in a standard def camcorder or a high def one.

This is a side note, but you seem knowledgeable so I'll ask. Which do you think delivers the best video/audio quality: Component video with optical audio or HDMI for video/audio. I'm looking at a Blu-Ray player and a new receiver and not sure how I want to connect them. I hope this wasn't too off topic.

*EDIT* Anyone else is also welcome to comment. MODs: If this needs to be in another thread let me know

[Roy]

Just got this email on five models that are under $500. I'm waiting on this one too though. My regular DVD's look pretty good on my big screen at 480P.

[Detonate]

Originally Posted by Collins

Exactly. While the compression can go to the levels you mentioned, they usually do not for Blu-Ray releases from the studios.

It's not the amount, it's the algorithm. MPEG 2 and MPEG 4 can not be compared bitrate to bitrate, or filesize to filesize.

I'm willing to bet you that Lost had at least double the bitrate for the Blu-Ray disc as the DVD had.

This is accurate. I looked it up, and the bittrate for Lost on Blu-Ray is in the "teens"... Which is very low for an HD title.

So double the bitrate on a format that supposedly has over 6 times the capacity???

Blu-Ray still has killer storage capacity--doesn't matter if people aren't using it.

LOL, that's the first time I've heard someone take that approach. The storage capacity is irrelavent in the format war for a media whose primary purpose will be movie delivery. The data storage medium is migrating towards solid state.

[srwatters]

WalMart today announced they are now BluRay only in the future. That along with the Toshiba rumor pretty much makes it a done deal IMHO.