HD-DVD Death = Prolonged life for DVD

[Mdvalenz]

We just got an HD-DVD player a couple weeks ago. The main point for us was price. We were also looking at upres dvd players and the reviews showed the cheap ones didn't do that great a job so we were looking at ones closer to 100$. Then the sale for the HD-A3 came and we were able to get 10 free HD-DVDs with it and decided. We won't be getting a blu-ray player since they are way to expensive and the copy protection is already causing problems with several current releases, and the features on blu-ray are not as good as on HD-DVD.
We will still buy HD-DVDs when they come down in price, or have a BOGO offer, or Ebay now that people are getting rid of theirs. But for other movies, the upconversion looks great, not as good as HD but close enough that we can't justify 30-40$ movies and a 300$ player.
As for the sound quality, we have an old receiver that is only 5.1. It doesn't even decode DTS. While the sound does seam a bit better than on the DVDs, it isn't that noticeable for us, and we don't plan on buying a new receiver anytime soon, and if we did it wouldn't be a 7.1 system anyway.

 

[NightRyder]

Did any of you guys that gripe about prices look at the 4-5 year market share(bda ces event) on vhs vs dvd and the projected dvd vs bd. They are alike.

DVD came out in 1997, I paid $399 for a player in 2000. BOOOOOO, HISSSSSSSS, dvd is gonna die

I paid over $300 for my 1st CD player and $299 for my 1st DVD player, but it's not the same. CD's were revolutionary, DVD's were revolutionary, High Def Discs are evolutionary. Yes they are superior to SD DVD's but nowhere near the magnitude of CD vs Vinyl or DVD vs VHS. I agree with the OP, Sony just bought regular DVD's several more years of life.

NightRyder

 

[gadgtfreek]

Blah blah blah.

If youd rather watch upconverts than HDM, I have nothing more to say about it.

 

[akodoreign]

Blah blah blah.

If youd rather watch upconverts than HDM, I have nothing more to say about it.

Getting a little bit crabby there brosif.

It's just their choice. Got to remember that

 

[NightRyder]

Blah blah blah.

If youd rather watch upconverts than HDM, I have nothing more to say about it.

Hey I like HDM . If Panny will sell me a BR player equivalent to my A3 with 10 free movies for $159 I'm all over it.

NightRyder

 

[navychop]

And face it, the prices will come down. We all know it. They'll try to recoup their investments and make a few bucks, but the prices will come down. A burst of interest in HD may occur after OTA goes digital in 2/09. There will probably be a lot of publicity around then to get people thinking about it. There will be a lot more large screen HDTVs in people's homes by then. And I'll bet, $200 Blu-ray players.

Endlessly repeating the PS3 is a failed game console doesn't make it true. Wishing harder doesn't make it come true. It is selling in it's 13th month more than the Xbox 360 did in it's 13th month. And I've read that it started outselling the 360 in December. Certainly, PS3 sales have surged strongly. Hardly failed. But hold on to your dream as long as you can. Just expect fewer and fewer people to believe the claim when the press is reporting otherwise.

 

[Mdvalenz]

I think that by the time OTA goes digital in '09, digital downloads will be what everyone is going to look at.

 

[diogen]

I agree with the OP, Sony just bought regular DVD's several more years of life.

Several more with a total of how much?

I believe DVD has (and had a month ago) a very prosperos life in front of it. Some 8-10 years...
Unless studios decide to stop releasing in anything but BD. But I don't think they are that stupid...

Diogen.

 

[allargon]

Blah blah blah.

If youd rather watch upconverts than HDM, I have nothing more to say about it.

Honestly, on a anything under 60" with a typical >10 feet viewing distance upconverts are fine. What I've noticed about going back to SD DVD is the sound difference. Even having my A2 convert Dolby Digital Plus and TrueHD to full-bit rate DTS is a big step up from the typical low-bitrate Dolby Digital found on most SD DVD's. I watched Pirates 2 the other night upconverted on a 32" 768P LCD on my A2. It looked fine. However, the sound was not as rich.

 

[navychop]

I think that by the time OTA goes digital in '09, digital downloads will be what everyone is going to look at.

How? Fat broadband pipes are going to magically appear in most people's homes, and connect themselves to TVs and DVRs?

Don't fall into lock step behind M$, chanting their slogan of the week.

The current internet in the U.S. cannot remotely support a huge increase in HD video downloads, much less deliver it at speeds far greater than are common today.

 

[r.jones1116]

There's other ways to do it, not just broadband. You got to start thinking outside the box.

 

[Zookster]

How? Fat broadband pipes are going to magically appear in most people's homes, and connect themselves to TVs and DVRs?

Don't fall into lock step behind M$, chanting their slogan of the week.

The current internet in the U.S. cannot remotely support a huge increase in HD video downloads, much less deliver it at speeds far greater than are common today.

Not to mention the fact that ISPs have been lobbying to charge extra for "heavy" users. May never happen/get approved... but how else can you limit the surge of hundreds of thousands of people downloading an HD movie on a rainy Saturday or Sunday night (assuming it doesn't take more than 5-10 hours for the download.)

 

[JoeSp]

You guys are spoiled. Say goodbye to free movies when you buy a player. Say goodbye to BOGOS ever other week. Say goodbye to being cheap.

If you want a player that is the fastest HDM player on the market get a PS3 (already 1.1). I you want a player that does not have any problems playing any BD media -- get a PS3 (I have over 110 titles and I have not had problem one). If you are waiting for a 2.0 player get a PS3 (will be upgraded within 30 days of the first BD 2.0 player on the market - the Panney BD 50). Want a player that will decode both DolbyTrueHD and DTSHD-Master get the PS3 (will be upgraded after the BD 50 hits the market).

And all you have to pay for it is $399. If that is too much -- stop eating out for lunch two days a week, save the money and in two months you will have the money to buy the PS3.

If you don't like the PS3 just wait, by fall their will be plenty of sub $400 2.0 players on the market or if you are not interested in internet interaction during the movie -- plenty of sub $300 1.1 players that will play all BD-Java enabled features - just no live-on-line-action.

If that does not tickle your funny bone -- then please -- kept grousing - by all means.

 

[Jim S.]

It demonstrates how out of touch with reality the movie companies are when they'll choose to release only in a format with the more expensive players rather than the less expensive ones.

 

[allargon]

It demonstrates how out of touch with reality the movie companies are when they'll choose to release only in a format with the more expensive players rather than the less expensive ones.

That wasn't why. They (Disney and Fox) went with Blu-Ray because of the extra DRM and the PS3 factor. Paramount (first) and (soon after) Warner originally went neutral because of the PS3.

Despite Joe and Bill Hunt calling us cheapwads--Blu-Ray (same for HD-DVD) is not revolutionary. It needs evolutionary--not revolutionary pricing if it is to succeed DVD rather than just be HDM laserdisc. They really need BD-Live for the interactivity--better PQ and AQ won't be enough to sway the average user.

 

[Mike0616]

Blah blah blah.

If youd rather watch upconverts than HDM, I have nothing more to say about it.

Hopefully that is a PROMISE and not just a THREAT!

 

[JoeSp]

That wasn't why. They (Disney and Fox) went with Blu-Ray because of the extra DRM and the PS3 factor. Paramount (first) and (soon after) Warner originally went neutral because of the PS3.

Despite Joe and Bill Hunt calling us cheapwads--Blu-Ray (same for HD-DVD) is not revolutionary. It needs evolutionary--not revolutionary pricing if it is to succeed DVD rather than just be HDM laserdisc. They really need BD-Live for the interactivity--better PQ and AQ won't be enough to sway the average user.

I agree with that but it was not too long ago when new DVD's were selling for aroung $30. Heck I waited 3 years for 'The Rock' Vista Series to drop below $34! Most of the BD movies I have purchase are in the $21 to $24 dollar range from either the internet (Amazon.com) or from Walmart. And Walmarts titles were usually not more the 1 or 2 dollars more then Amazon.com.

I expect that to continue. This wailing about $40 titles is nothing but FUD being spread by a bunch of sore losers. And yes some of those new 2.0 BD players are going to be high compared to what you were paying for those susidized HD-DVD players. But, I paid $1000 for my Denon3910 just 18 months ago and it is still one of the better upconverting players and has a ton of adjustments. Price is a very selective and so is features.

I am willing to bet that there will be plenty of sub $300 1.1 profile players and J6p will just naturally gravitate towards them just like when the DVD players without upconversion gravitated below $300. The market is what it is and the price of the HDM's will go the same way as the players. Given time the prices will come down and folks will buy the movies on BD.

 

[SKrueger]

I think you may be right. As for now there is only ONE BD player than can do profile 2.0 which would be equivalent to HD-DVD specs and that is the Panasonic but the price seems to be omitted. Probably 500 or so but that's just too high.

When Toshiba first demoed the players in stores I told the guys you HAVE to start at $300.....

That's my biggest complaint about BD. First there was profile 1.0, then 1.1 but most of the 1.0 players were not upgradeable and therefore could not access the additional features. Now there is profile 2.0 and the 1.1 players are not upgradeable since its a hardware option and not software. Who knows, is there a profile 3.0, 4.0, ... in the works but not being talked about.

 

[JoeSp]

That's my biggest complaint about BD. First there was profile 1.0, then 1.1 but most of the 1.0 players were not upgradeable and therefore could not access the additional features. Now there is profile 2.0 and the 1.1 players are not upgradeable since its a hardware option and not software. Who knows, is there a profile 3.0, 4.0, ... in the works but not being talked about.

There is no 3.0 nor 4.0. As for 1.1 players not being able to be upgraded to 2.0 that depends. First on if the player has an ethernet connection. Second, if that player has 1mg of memory on board (or if it can be added with say a SD card).

I personally believe that most 1.1 players will satisfy most everyone's needs. As for being able to interact over the internet during the movie, I am not personally interested in that but I am sure there are those that are. So you have two choices -- a $399 PS3 or a $699 Panney BD50 right now. More 2.0 players coming and you have to know that they are not all going to be over $400.

Here is an idea, if Toshiba is so great a making a HD-DVD player cheap, lets see how much their 1st BD player costs?

 

[ONUOsFan]

One thing no one has mentioned while we're talking about all of this "DVD players used to cost $300" stuff, is that we're living in a different world now. When DVD came out, most people hooked it up to the good old 27" tube TV they'd had for 5 years... or if they bought a new one it cost what, $300? That's not the world of entertainment anymore. People are getting used to spending $1000 or more for a TV, and in many cases the players are getting thrown in for free or at a big discount if they buy them together.

I'm not saying it's going to magically make sales go through the roof or anything, but you have to admit that the average consumer will spend a lot more to set up their TV viewing experience today than they would have 10 years ago. If you're going to spend 3-5x more on the TV, why not spend twice as much on a player to go with it?

And yes, I also realize that most people cannot tell the difference in PQ (sad, but true), but if they're making the leap to trust that salesperson telling them that the TV is that much better, and they've obviously bought into the idea of HD, even if they don't understand it, what's to say they don't take the leap one step further into an HD player?