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HD DVD or BluRay

I'm one of them late adopter kinda guy. Basically, I wait until the technology is dirt cheap and old in the tooth before I buy it. Up until 18 months ago, I was still using a VCR for all of my movie viewing. I didn't jump on the DVD train until one came out that could play both MP3s and DIVX for less than $60. Also, none of my TVs are HD anything, and one of the TVs only has input for coax :) I'm sure that when I'm ready to buy one of these super DVD player, the standard will have been set and the price will be sub $75. I find that by being cheap with everything else, I can actually afford to buy cigars and still keep the kids in shoes.
 
I'm one of them late adopter kinda guy. Basically, I wait until the technology is dirt cheap and old in the tooth before I buy it. Up until 18 months ago, I was still using a VCR for all of my movie viewing. I didn't jump on the DVD train until one came out that could play both MP3s and DIVX for less than $60. Also, none of my TVs are HD anything, and one of the TVs only has input for coax :) I'm sure that when I'm ready to buy one of these super DVD player, the standard will have been set and the price will be sub $75. I find that by being cheap with everything else, I can actually afford to buy cigars and still keep the kids in shoes.

Sam,

I have you on my tickler. I'll give you a call about HiDef DVD players in 2009. :D

Wilkey
 
We ended up getting a Sony BDP S300 Blu-Ray player. All I can say is, WOW!
We bought "Night at the Museum" and it was so bright and clear, it hurt my eyes. :laugh:
It really does make our regular dvds look better too. The downside is that the discs are roughly about $10-$15 more than regular dvds, but on the plus side NetFlix carries a lot of Blu-Ray! :thumbs:

The cost of the HDMI cable on the other hand.... :whistling:


Bought "The Departed" too, damn, what a great movie!! And "300" gets released next Tuesday on all 3 formats! WOO-HOO!!
 
I am a serious AV geek (whadya think the AV in AVB is?) early adopter when it looks like something will survive and right now I'd say wait. I was buying CDs a year before they came out in the US, had DVDs before you could buy a player and run an SDI connection to a line quadrupler.....serious geek stuff. I try to stay up on this stuff. Not only is there a format war between Blu-ray and HDDVD, There are a myriad of problems associated with HDMI and it's inability to properly handshake between equipment. By 2009 things might have been fixed and there might be a better answer but right now don't be the electronics manufacturers or studios guinea pig while they fight it out.

This is not to say you shouldn't upgrade your display though. Broadcast 720P or 1080I looks fantastic on a well setup Plasma or LCD, Satellite and cable have a growing number of HD channels so you'll be able to get plenty of use out of it.
 
I'm not quite the techno geek I used to be, but with Blockbuster adopting Blu Ray, the war may be over in principle.
 
Blue Ray is going to win it, its the better technology. Everyone who owns a PS3 is going to push it and other company's are pushing into the market with the technology.
 
I read something about the porn industry going with hd-dvd was a huge hit to blu-ray. My dvd player is crapping out so Im looking at the hd-dvd add on for the xbox360.
 
As an FYI, a DVD player that upconverts is not HD-DVD.

Or it can be... the Toshiba HD-XA2, I beleive is one that does a great job of up-converting SD-DVDs and plays HD-DVDs. It is one of the HD-DVD I've been considering, partly because of its capability to up-convert SDs to HD.

AVB - what forum do you run?
 
I read something about the porn industry going with hd-dvd was a huge hit to blu-ray.

Yeah they are, although I don't know if you really would want that much detail.... all those stretch marks, scars & hairs.
 
I'm gonna brag and say I'm most likely the biggest Home Theater geek here. (I also run an HT board on the side) My advice is the same as Rob's......hold off for now, espscially if you don't have a display that can handle all that HD-DVD can offer, namely 1080P.

As an FYI, a DVD player that upconverts is not HD-DVD.


Can you send me a link to your board? I am getting into HT stuff right now!! :D
 
Its probably already been said, but I"ll just state it again: There's basically no difference between the two formats, aside from which production companies are signing with each format. I would hold off on purchasing either until there's a clear option between the two
 
As an FYI, a DVD player that upconverts is not HD-DVD.

Or it can be... the Toshiba HD-XA2, I beleive is one that does a great job of up-converting SD-DVDs and plays HD-DVDs. It is one of the HD-DVD I've been considering, partly because of its capability to up-convert SDs to HD.

AVB - what forum do you run?

You can't increase the inherent resolution of the DVD itself. The player may line double it but that isn't HD and if the source isn't HD to start with it doesn't matter what the output is, it won't be HD either. There are 19 official HD formats and resolutions but the DVD standard of 480i isn't one of them. Although upscaling standard DVDs is not the same as watching DVDs in true-high definition, as standard DVDs are not recorded in high definition, you will experience increased detail and color.


I'm gonna brag and say I'm most likely the biggest Home Theater geek here. (I also run an HT board on the side) My advice is the same as Rob's......hold off for now, espscially if you don't have a display that can handle all that HD-DVD can offer, namely 1080P.

As an FYI, a DVD player that upconverts is not HD-DVD.


Can you send me a link to your board? I am getting into HT stuff right now!! :D


I am no longer active with the HT forum since that post over a year ago. There are a number of good forums to goto such as AVS and Home Theater Forum among many others. I'll be happy to answer your questions if you want to PM me.
 
Get a PS3, they are amazing, I have my whole music collectionon mine, and you can search through it via the tv and play it through your stereo system, if it is hooked up. The PS3 is way more than just a gamer machine. Its a media center for everything from music to movies to pictures, to internet browser and a blu-ray player.
 
No, McK. Not yet.

I'm afraid I'll be waiting until I graduate from grad school in 2009.

The only thing that could speed that along might be the total termination of analog TV service that, last I heard, was due to take place in the spring of 2008. I'm assuming that deadline will be missed and we'll still be able to use our old Sony for another year after that.

Thanks for asking!

Wilkey
 
The players
HD DVD vs. Blu Ray

Where I would buy cables if I could do it again. Bought Monster component at first and now running HDMI cables from Monoprice. Don't let the inexpensive price fool you. The cables are very heavy and jacketed. They just feel pricey.
Cables

The HD forum I frequent
Forum

I have a 46" Sony WEGA 3LCD and use a Sony upconvert DVD player.

TV

DVD Player

DirectTV customer with Hi-Def package. Just waiting for the increased line up of channel offerings that have been promised.
 
Yowza, Jax. That's killer. They have the Sony WEGA LCDs at the BJ's and the picture is always amazing.

BTW, did you pay for a professional calibration?

Wilkey
 
I'm weighing in late here, but as someone who works in the industry, Blu-ray is the format most supported by the studios and the industry for now. I can't say that it will always be the case, but my money is on Blu-ray.
 
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