Next Gen DVD's

ndboarder

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Has anyone here bought into either HD DVD or Blu Ray yet?  I know jmanz has the built in Blu Ray on his PS3 these days I guess, but anyone else?  I was just discussing this with some coworkers the other day.  I really haven't researched either option much, as far as quality, price, etc. as I figured that one way or the other I wouldn't want to start looking at higher definition until one format won and became the clear standard, or at least not until there was a player that could do both formats.  This leads to the main point of this post.

First this a.m. I saw that LG plans to release a player which will do both Blu Ray and HDDVD formats.  No price information that I saw, but they plan to have it in stores by March. I lost the link strictly about this player, but the following link discusses LG's player as well as the new discs mentioned below. Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6230925.stm

Secondly, I just saw another article that Time Warner is planning to unveil yet another HD format called Total HD.  This format would allow the discs to contain both Blu-ray and HD-DVD content.  Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/04/technology/04video.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

I'm still wary of entering into any new format, as if one wins out, movies in the opposing format would eventually be useless as players get old and the losing format has been forgetten, but perhaps some of these developments will soon make it less of a worry to start purchasing movies in HD.

 
I am still waiting it out also. But i think blue-ray will come out on top. If not Sony is in a whole lot of trouble. lol
 
Has anyone been keeping an eye on this stuff, or have either an HDDVD or BluRay player.  I know the PS3 belonging to jmanz does bluray, but does he make use of it by purchasing bluray discs?

I've been getting more and more interested in this as I know HDDVD players have come down to 300-400 and BluRay actually isn't so far behind as I see sony now has a $500 player, and the PS3 of course.  There are also the hybrids that do both, although you could buy one of each for less than the hybrid.  I know BluRay is 1080p while HDDVD is only 720p/1080i, but my TV doesn't do p anyhow, and isn't near big enough (only 42") for the human eye to notice the difference between 'i' and 'p.'

What I haven't been paying attention to is what studios are strictly bluray, or strictly HDDVD and which still release movies in both formats.  At this point I don't know who will win, I'd still probably bet on BluRay, but I'd be more interested in which format currently has a bigger selection available and/or will have the movies I want to see coming to it.  My intrigue has been sparked by a few recent releases and the fact that if I wanted to go to an upconvert standard player i'd have to shell out 100+ for a decent one anyways.

 
I personally think blue-ray will come out on top, but thats just my opinion.
 
I personally think blue-ray will come out on top, but thats just my opinion.
I would agree.  I kinda consider myself a movie buff, at least I watch a lot of them, however I'm easily entertained so I am a horrible critic.  At any rate, I'd like to look into starting to purchase HD movies, I just wish someone would hurry up and win this damn feud as I don't really want to buy one of each player, or build a small and soon to be out dated library in the losing format, or spend the extra $$$ to get a player that does both plus get some in an "already-dead-but-don't-know-it" format

 
I personally think blue-ray will come out on top, but thats just my opinion.
I would agree.  I kinda consider myself a movie buff, at least I watch a lot of them, however I'm easily entertained so I am a horrible critic.  At any rate, I'd like to look into starting to purchase HD movies, I just wish someone would hurry up and win this damn feud as I don't really want to buy one of each player, or build a small and soon to be out dated library in the losing format, or spend the extra $$$ to get a player that does both plus get some in an "already-dead-but-don't-know-it" format
Ya once they decide on a format players prices will drop on the players and the movies.

 
I do put my money on BluRay, but HD DVD is doing a few things right.  First, the HDDVD players have gotten to a lower price first.  Secondly, I just found that apparently you can get what they call HD DVD and DVD combo discs.  One side of the disc is your standard DVD, and on the other is the HD version of the movie.  Kinda nice that if you went HD DVD you could begin to build an HD collection prior to purchasing the player... sort of anyhow.  I'd personally want to have the player first I think.  Unfortunately they dont' do this with all released movies, but it's still kinda neat they are doing it.
 
I do put my money on BluRay, but HD DVD is doing a few things right.  First, the HDDVD players have gotten to a lower price first.  Secondly, I just found that apparently you can get what they call HD DVD and DVD combo discs.  One side of the disc is your standard DVD, and on the other is the HD version of the movie.  Kinda nice that if you went HD DVD you could begin to build an HD collection prior to purchasing the player... sort of anyhow.  I'd personally want to have the player first I think.  Unfortunately they dont' do this with all released movies, but it's still kinda neat they are doing it.
Ya i didn't know that, that's really cool, kinda like an investment.

 
We need some input from jmanz in here and his take on the quality of BluRay.  I am being tempted by this terribly, but sadly almost toward the HD DVD even if it probably will eventually lose out.
 
Does jmanz have it hooked up to a HDTV to get the full effect?
 
Yeah, I don't recall the size of his LCD TV (32" I think maybe) which is hooked up over HDMI.  I think his may only do 1080i, but that is the same as HD DVD quality anyhow, so BluRay should be comparable at that resolution.  Let's hear it sir manz.    On another note, all PS3 controllers are wireless, but can be plugged in for charging.  jmanz did not realize he had wireless controllers for quite some time after his PS3 purchase.  :LOL:
 
Yeah, I don't recall the size of his LCD TV (32" I think maybe) which is hooked up over HDMI.  I think his may only do 1080i, but that is the same as HD DVD quality anyhow, so BluRay should be comparable at that resolution.  Let's hear it sir manz.    On another note, all PS3 controllers are wireless, but can be plugged in for charging.  jmanz did not realize he had wireless controllers for quite some time after his PS3 purchase.  :LOL:
Jmanz does not realize alot of things go on...

 
Is BluRay the next UMD?  Obviously it has better quality, and the PS3 is bound to do better than the PSP, plus they of course have exclusive deals with some studios, but in researching this and reasons Paramount and all subsidaries have now went HD DVD rather than supporting both I see arguments for possible HD DVD victory at some point.  What sucks is that now with Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Nickelodeon Movies and MTV Films being HD DVD exclusive and Weinstein supporting HD DVD, but not necessarily exclusive the battle will likely drag on longer than it would have.  I believe that now Warner Bros. is the only studio which isn't exclusive one way or the other and releasing in both formats.  BluRay has Sony Pictures, Disney, Fox, MGM and Lions Gate.

This blows.  Not only will the war wage on longer, but if one wants into the HD movies you'll have a limited selection of the movies you want to see, or you'll need to do both.  I don't know which of the studios I would be most happy with getting films from as they all have their hits and their bombs.  All I know is that with Paramount the first 3 movies being released exclusively HD were huge box office hits (Blades of Glory, Shrek 3, and Transformers).

 
Added a poll to try to generate some other interest/research into the topic.
 
Sorry boys, I hadn't looked at this thread until ndboarder mentioned it the other day on the phone.  Yeah 32 inch LCD hooked up over HDMI.  To be honest I haven't hardly taken advantage of the Blu Ray so much but the couple of BR movies I have watched on it look excellent.  I guess I don't purchase movies and the ones I rent aren't blu ray.  And yeah, the controller thing was ridiculous.
 
Another hit for HD-dvd...

Warner goes Blu-ray exclusive...

Source

 
I think Blu Ray is going to be the winner
 
Another ouch...

New Line Goes Blu-Ray.

 
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