Just got my HD DVD player!!!

[DTV TiVo Dealer]

Nitehawk, thanks for your support and order!

-Robert

 

[teamerickson]

I ordered the new Toshiba HD DVD last week from Value Electronics.I called this morning and the next batch will go out this Friday,if not Monday.

I wish I had payed for upgraded shipping. Fedex ground took Monday to Monday.

 

[vurbano]

Does anyone know what bitrate these movies are playing at? What file sizes?

 

[Ilya]

Does anyone know what bitrate these movies are playing at? What file sizes?

Last Samurai has variable bit rate averaging 18 Mbps (24 Mbps max)
Phantom of the Opera has VBR 15 Mbps average (21 Mbps max)
Both are 1080p encoded with VC-1. (Note that VC-1 offers more efficient compression than MPEG-2)

 

[Nitehawk]

I just got my new Toshiba.I have hooked it up and played an SD DVD.The up conversion is awesome.Much better than I had expected.Value Electronics was pretty quick in getting it out to me.They used 2nd day shipping.Im very impressed with their great customer service.I also got "The Last Samurai" and will be getting another one shortly.The picture quality for HD DVD was perfect.Only one problem the sound going through the optical is a bit weak.I need to trouble shoot that some more.I'm glad I didn't wait for the blu ray.It will be interesting to see which format wins out.My money is on HD DVD...

Nitehawk

 

[gizzer777]

still going to wait <<RANT

I just got my new Toshiba.I have hooked it up and played an SD DVD.The up conversion is awesome.Much better than I had expected.Value Electronics was pretty quick in getting it out to me.They used 2nd day shipping.Im very impressed with their great customer service.I also got "The Last Samurai" and will be getting another one shortly.The picture quality for HD DVD was perfect.Only one problem the sound going through the optical is a bit weak.I need to trouble shoot that some more.I'm glad I didn't wait for the blu ray.It will be interesting to see which format wins out.My money is on HD DVD...

Nitehawk

from what I am reading there are a few issues with the new Toshibas. (they are actually selling the base model at over $650 + fgt on Ebay!!!

I still believe that which ever one Blockbuster goes with will be the winner unless there are dual format disks and players.

I still refuse to even consider buying anything with that *&^%%$ down conversion flag if you do not use HDMI. (NOT TO MENTION THE "NEW" hdmi" STANDARD COMING OUT! My Plasma has 1 hdmi input and my LCD Proj tv has 2. They are both 2006 models too!

Does not leave too much room for other devices does it. Luckily my HDD200 HD box has component outputs.

These manufacturers have never learned that no matter how much they spend on anti piracy...those guys always find ways.

And what about legimate backups for disks you purchase, for those of us with kids and dogs, that love to destroy the originals! (congressional fair use act) Personally I an sick and tired of the big corporations trying to dictate this stuff.

I still remember when cd's came out and they promissed that prices on the recordings would come down when more production capacity became available. <bull> THE PRICING ACTUALLY ENCOURAGES PIRACY! I also remember when DVD burners came out and a blank media cost $12 each! If HD media cost $15 (+ cost of a burner when they come out) and the movie cost $20...which would you buy? (obvious)

besides, my Pioneer Elite dv59i DVD (about $1000 LAST YEAR IS SIMPLY OUTRAGEOUS.

The unfortunate thing is that the public will wind up suffering!

 

[Ilya]

I also got "The Last Samurai" and will be getting another one shortly.The picture quality for HD DVD was perfect.Only one problem the sound going through the optical is a bit weak.I need to trouble shoot that some more.

This appears to be a problem with the first titles from Warner. Sound level on HD DVD's from Universal studios is normal.

 

[vurbano]

Note that VC-1 offers more efficient compression than MPEG-2

Thats another way to say it uses More compression than mpeg2. LOL. VC-1 is essentially the same thing as WMV9 which is crap from what Ive seen. Its ashame they dont use Mpeg2 on some sort of dual layer HD DVD. Bitrates look good for 720p or 1080i, but then again we are talking 1080p which probably requires a really high bitrate.

 

[Ilya]

Thats another way to say it uses More compression than mpeg2. LOL.

No. That's another way of saying that at the same bitrate VC-1 results in a much better PQ, than MPEG-2.

VC-1 is essentially the same thing as WMV9 which is crap from what Ive seen.

Have you seen WMV9 at 18Mbps? Where???

 

[jgantert]

Have you seen WMV9 at 18Mbps? Where???

I've seen it at about 1Mbps. Looks ok to me (itvn.com).

-John

 

[Bruce]

Have you seen WMV9 at 18Mbps? Where???

I saw it on that T-2 disc that came in HD ( could only play on the computer ) and thought it looked f'ing great and I believe it was only around 8-9 Mbps.

 

[goaliebob99]

Ok I made the plunge .... I went to best buy yeasterday and saw Apollo 13 in hd dvd and I fell in love with it.. After 2 hours of convising the wife. I placed my Order with robert. I got the Toshiba hd-xa1 with 4 movies.. It was shipped out today!!! Should be here on tuesday just in time for me not to play as the school week really starts.

 

[dfergie]

Congrats...I'm sticking with upconverts and have my 921 and 622 pretty full...

 

[vurbano]

I saw it on that T-2 disc that came in HD ( could only play on the computer ) and thought it looked f'ing great and I believe it was only around 8-9 Mbps.

What size was the screen?

 

[vurbano]

No. That's another way of saying that at the same bitrate VC-1 results in a much better PQ, than MPEG-2.

Have you seen WMV9 at 18Mbps? Where???

Apples and oranges. The VC-1 material is 1080p and 99% of everything anyone has seen under mpeg2 is 1080i or 720p. For 1080p VC-1 would probably look better at the same bitrate. Mpeg2 couldnt handle all of the picure information at 18 mbps. But why restrict the mpeg2 bitrate? My guess is, given sufficient bitrate on a Blu ray disk, Mpeg2 will beat VC-1 due to fact that less compression is used.

As for your second question, no but the majority cant view 1080p anyway on their 1080i sets.

 

[Bruce]

What size was the screen?

92"

HTPC to the projector.

 

[swade]

Rental via Netflix is now available

Did they have any movies?

As a Netflix member I wondered about this. They show about 6 to 8 titles available now. Fugitive, Phantom of the Opera, Training Day, The Shawshank Redemption: Special Edition, GoodFellas: Special Edition (1990), Cinderella Man,
The Matrix, Apollo 13, Blazing Saddles: Special Edition (1974), Full Metal Jacket, and Million Dollar Baby. Also they have Doom and as of Tuesday Rumer Has It.

I found all were available now if I wanted them.

It would be a better choice if it were only a univeral standard as Blue Ray will be alos on Netflix.

If anyone has one, I was curious about picture quality vs. Dish HD. Everything I have read is DVD vs DVDHD. If sound and picture not improved is it worth it locking in at one format. Dual format from Samsung due this year but I bet at twice the cost.

Also those new HD sound formats can they be used via AV receivers out now?:

 

[Ilya]

If anyone has one, I was curious about picture quality vs. Dish HD. Everything I have read is DVD vs DVDHD.

Checkout the following thread: Picture quality on HD DVD Movies Versus Televised HD Movies?

Also those new HD sound formats can they be used via AV receivers out now?:

Yes and No. Check the following thread for details: How to connect HD DVD player to your A/V receiver

 

[T2k]

Thats another way to say it uses More compression than mpeg2.

...while maintaining muchg better quality, yes.

LOL. VC-1 is essentially the same thing as WMV9 which is crap from what Ive seen.

Crap? You must have eye problems - a correctly encoded (and at half the bitrate of that MPEG2) - WM9 looks better than MPEG2.

Its ashame they dont use Mpeg2 on some sort of dual layer HD DVD. Bitrates look good for 720p or 1080i, but then again we are talking 1080p which probably requires a really high bitrate.

Thanks God they don't use that outdated old MPEG2 - the only reason Blu-Ray needed bigger capacity because they knew they'll use the old MPEG2.
It's pathetic when Blu-Ray stays with MEPG2 only to avoid the royalty fees of VC-1, developed by MS.

 

[T2k]

I saw it on that T-2 disc that came in HD ( could only play on the computer ) and thought it looked f'ing great and I believe it was only around 8-9 Mbps.

Correct. Usual WM9 movies around 7-10Mbit.