are you going to buy an HD DVD player?

[king kahn]

i am on the edge of buying and hd dvd player and one reason being that transformers comes out on tues.

 

i told myself i wasnt going to but i can get the add on for my xbox 360 for 179.99

 

upside

 

glorious hd robot goodness

 

5 free hd movies due to a current promotion going on PLUS the king kong movie already packed in

 

 

 

 

downside

 

i enter the format war potentially stuck with a format that could win or lose

 

 

 

 

 

i just want to know if tf has made you make the switch

[cr0w]

Yeah, I bought an HD-DVD drive for my 360 a couple weeks ago when I finally invested in an HDTV. Honestly, the difference it makes can't be described. I was never fully convinced about HD until I watched an HD-DVD and I can't watch anything else now. The format will be around for the foreseeable future, so don't worry about it going under.

 

I am, however, going to buy a PS3 for the Blu-ray feature soon so I'll be able to buy any movie I want to see.

[Ccav]

i dont see a point, considering its coming out on regular DVD format.

but if you wanna spend 60$ instead of 20$.. then thats all on you! hope

you have a Real HDTV, and a set of actual surround sound Hidef speakers

otherwise its a pointless purchase.

[cr0w]

It's $29.95 MSRP, and probably on sale at most stores the day it comes out. I don't know where you go tthe $60 from. And if you'd watch a movie on HD-DVD with a good TV and setup, you'd know what the point is. It's 6x the resolution of a normal DVD. HDTVs run at a higher resolution than your computer monitor. It has lossless audio, which means the signal is pure and you'll hear absolutely everything. I'd say $10 more for the added quality, and it really is a huge jump, plus the exclusive special feature on the 2nd disc that allows you to interactively view the robot models in extreme detail is a bargain.

[boff123]

nope as i don't have an hdtv so even if i had the player & movie i couldn't watch it in all its glory.

[Mike]

I kinda want to get the HD DVD player for the xbox as well, its only like 200 bucks plus free movies PLUS I can just watch the movies in HD on the computer monitor we have hooked up to the 360, and never have to worry about getting a couple thousand dollar TV, just to get full potential of the HD DVD movies.

 

The format war between HDDVD and Blu-ray isn't going to end with a clear victor, despite what some people believe. Both will do well, right up untill the point where a third, better, format comes out.

 

So you might as well just pick one and go with it untill the next format comes out.

 

 

 

But anyways, for NOW... im just gonna rent the DVD for $3 bucks watch it once, and that'll be it for a while, like I do with any new release movie

[DPrime]

Both HD and Blu-Ray are going to be the Laserdisc of this generation. Let's face it - DVD quality is still pretty damn good. So if you're a real movie buff as well as a Transformer fan, maybe HD is the way to go. If you're worried about replacing your movie collection with the next standard format, I'd wait it out, because I don't think either will be. (Truthfully, the next standard format will be the one you just load onto your hard drive, but the companies don't want you to know that!)

[king kahn]

Both HD and Blu-Ray are going to be the Laserdisc of this generation. Let's face it - DVD quality is still pretty damn good. So if you're a real movie buff as well as a Transformer fan, maybe HD is the way to go. If you're worried about replacing your movie collection with the next standard format, I'd wait it out, because I don't think either will be. (Truthfully, the next standard format will be the one you just load onto your hard drive, but the companies don't want you to know that!)

 

yeah you are prob right about it being the laser disk of the new generation. however, i am a movie buff and a tranformers fan so i think i may make the plunge. even if it does go the way of the dino i am not out all that much.

[TheSlup]

Yeah I snagged the HD drive for my 360 when Best Buy accidentally had marked at $150. Since then I agree with cr0w, HD movies rock. Honestly unless you are on your way to the store to buy a drive right now, I would wait. The Bluray HDDVD war is still going on and will continue until more production companies choose sides. HDDVD has a lot going for it but it isn't as advertised as bluray which is what I feel is hurting it.

 

Transformers HD? Count me in.

[cr0w]

HD-DVD's quite advanced when compared to Blu-ray at this point in time. The interactive special features, menu accessibility without pausing the movie, etc. etc. aren't available with Blu-ray yet. When they are, next year, older Blu-ray players won't support it, so you'll have to upgrade the firmware or get a new player altogether.

 

DVD was once considered the new laserdisc, and a lot of people didn't adopt it until 5 or more years after it was introduced. Everything's going HD now, and with the federal mandated switch to HD in '09 assuring everyone will have to have an HDTV or not watch television period, the format will eventually take off. Just not as quickly as if there was a unified format with everything available on it. Many, many people who are knowledgeable about the formats support HD-DVD, not only because it offers better picture quality over Blu-ray, even if it's marginal, but because manufacturing HD-DVDs is much easier than Blu-ray. HD-DVDs can be manufactured at existed DVD factories because the technology is just modified DVD technology. Blu-ray requires its own, new facilities, which are proving more difficult to efficiently manufacture discs in. Plus, HD-DVD players will play standard DVDs and bump up the resolution, which makes them look much better. Blu-ray players can't do that.

[Ccav]

the real point, is the HD DVD is worthless without all the top products, that most people feel isnt worth the extra money, I HAVE a HD tv, and i know the difference, but when it comes to DVD, the only thing you get, is stupid extras..

 

put the HD TV with a regular DVD ran through optical line.. and set a HDTV with a HD DVD player

next to it, and you cant tell. its small gimmicks that sells HD DVD's.

Plus like i said, without at least a 6:1 Surround sound HD Stereo, your missing 40% of the

HD experience.

[cr0w]

You can't tell the difference? Are you serious? Standard DVDs are much blurrier when you compare them to HD-DVDs. Even the warning text before they play is in a drastically lower resolution. Colors are nowhere near as vibrant. You can see individual hairs in Leonidas' beard when you watch 300. You can see individual snowflakes on Bruce's back when you watch Batman Begins. You can see individual blades of grass in King Kong. You can see the almost microscopic S shields in Superman's suit when you watch Superman Returns. When you jump from 640x480 to 1920x1080, there's a tremendous difference. You might need to invest in some glasses or lenses or something. What sells HD-DVDs is enhanced picture and sound quality, not gimmicks. At least that's why I bought a player. I will only watch standard DVDs if I have to now. It's like watching cable.

 

Go here and roll your mouse over the pictures. It's a comparison of the standard DVDs of Fellowship of the Ring and an HD cable broadcast from TNT. HD cable is broadcast at 720p and upconverted to 1080i, for the most part. HD-DVDs are even sharper.

 

http://www.cornbread.org/FOTRCompare/index.html

[AMG]

Nope, I'm sticking with DVD for now.

[Mig]

I am not sold on the HD-DVD yet but, as always, prices will go down as they manufacture more DVD's and players and this may become the next standard but not in the near future. Could one of the HD formats (HD or Blueray) be the next betamax (if anyone remembers that!)? Only time will tell!

[cr0w]

A little fuel for anyone who might be on the fence about getting an HD player.

 

Screen from my DVD copy:

 

 

And from the HD-DVD copy:

 

[Mike]

and with the federal mandated switch to HD in '09 assuring everyone will have to have an HDTV or not watch television period

 

Not gonna happen, that's only 2 years away. How would they inforce something like that? Discovery Channel is broadcast in HD, but you can watch it on a regular TV.

 

heck, they JUST stopped producing VHS at the beginning of 2006. I picked up War Of the Worlds (with tom cruise) on VHS for 3 bucks a few weeks ago

[cr0w]

New technology will force changes for television reviewers under a mandate effective Feb. 17, 2009.

 

Television providers will be required to switch to digital television at that point and analog TVs will be essentially useless unless they are hooked to a converter box, said Rosemary Kimball, spokeswoman of the Federal Communications Commission.

 

In other words, times are changing and the burden of paying for and using an improved technology lies with viewers.

 

"To me, it's irritating because I'm older and I'm so used to having free TV," said Bob Collins, 65, owner of Chroma TV Furniture and Appliance in Connellsville. "Now they are forcing you to buy the box and a lot of poor people can't afford these things."

 

Each television set that an individual owns will have to have a separate converter box that will cost between $50-$70, Kimball said.

 

To alleviate the financial pressure, all households, regardless of income, will be able to apply for up to two $20 coupons, which must be redeemed within three months of receipt to go toward the purchase of a converter box, according to a program set up by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

 

The coupons can only be used for the purchase of a converter box and cannot be combined to purchase a single converter.

 

"It is estimated that 25 million television sets may need a converter when the switch is enforced," said Megan Pollock, spokeswoman for the Consumer Electronics Association.

 

The converter boxes will be available at retail stores in the beginning of 2008, she said.

 

"2009 will be similar to what we call Y2K in the electronics industry," said Barry Craig, owner of Craig's Appliance and Furniture in Connellsville. "Only this time we'll be prepared for the switch."

 

The good news for people who recently bought a new television set is that since February 2007 all manufacturers were mandated, by the FCC, to put digital tuners into every television set before they hit the market, Craig said.

 

Cable television companies are offering HDTV broadcasts as part of their digital broadcast service.

 

"There is not going to be any action needed on consumers' parts at all," said David Whittmann, director of cable marketing at Armstrong Cable. "If you're hooked up to our cable we'll take care of it (the cost) for you."

 

He said he does not anticipate rates to go up.

 

With cable companies switching to digital, there is an increase with consumers wanting to buy high-definition television sets, the best in digital technology.

 

More than 30 percent of homes across the U.S. have an HDTV and the numbers are rising, Pollock said.

 

HDTV is capable of theater-quality audio and visual. The colors will generally look more realistic because of greater bandwidth, and visual information can be up to five times clearer than analog.

 

Even video game systems, such as the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, can output an HD signal.

 

The increasing popularity of HDTV screens and projectors makes the limitations of conventional Standard Definition TV evident.

 

Collins said his supply of analog sets, which are much lower in cost than digital TV sets, continues to decrease.

 

He said as the electronic industry continues to evolve he plans to switch over to liquid crystal and plasma TV sets in 2009.

 

Although the improved picture quality has caused sales to go up, Craig said he predicts the price of digital televisions will drop by 2009.

 

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/dailycouri...s/s_529029.html

 

You can continue to watch analog television, but you'll need to buy a converter box, as stated in the article. My wording was wrong in the earlier post, so my apologies for that.

[Mike]

yeah, your wording was way wrong its all good

 

all that's talking about is finally putting analog TV out of its misery. Everyone I know up here has Digital Cable, even my grandparents who are 76 and 72 years old.

[king kahn]

well i broke down and bought one. i am SOOOO happy i did here is why

 

 

- as the screen caps show it had ISANE detail and sound which i love

 

- cost

this was a huge decider but ultimately was cheap and here is why

 

-i had a coupon for 10% off my entire purchase so that drops the player to about 162 PLUS it come with kong which is about 25-30

 

THEN i get my 5 free movies, roughly 125-150 in value

 

so in reality i have paid a few pennies for an amazing experience

 

 

 

 

so now i just wait till tf is released. those screen caps are a GREAT indication of the quality difference. i am watching batman begins and kong right now

[Mike]

yeah, those free movies really make it worth it to buy the HD player right now

[Ccav]

lol at those pics, and screen caps, the resolution was turned way down, i have never had a DVD on a HDtv look like those, that looks like a DVD on a Tube TV, vs. and HDTV.

 

seems like the sources must be nut hugging HD DVD players.

thats overly dramatic to the point its fake. thats so blurry is laughable.

that is not a good source for the argument over HD vs. standard.

[CkRtech]

Technically, high definition media can still appear to look better than standard definition on an SDTV. Mpeg2 is not without its flaws. All DVD players are not created equal just as all discs are not created equal. However, this discussion becomes irrelevant if someone simply uses composite video to hook up their DVD player.

 

If one has the desire to take their HD setup to the next level by purchasing a next gen media player, go ahead. I don't back the thought that buying HD media right now is future proofing oneself. If you don't have the equipment to truly support a high def disc and don't plan on buying it right now, then wait.

[cr0w]

lol at those pics, and screen caps, the resolution was turned way down, i have never had a DVD on a HDtv look like those, that looks like a DVD on a Tube TV, vs. and HDTV.

 

seems like the sources must be nut hugging HD DVD players.

thats overly dramatic to the point its fake. thats so blurry is laughable.

that is not a good source for the argument over HD vs. standard.

 

Actually, it was a DVD played through my DVD drive and captured via VLC Media Player right here off my trusty old computer. The HD-DVD cap was originally 1920x1080, but I saved them both at 1024x768 so I wouldn't break the h-scroll.

 

Do you just feel like arguing for no reason or are you legally blind? I'm curious.

[RC_rika]

Can't afford to switch at the moment... I'll wait til around the end of '08, before everything is switched over to HD. I WANT to get everything, but right now, my budget is tight... probably can't do anythign till March. Everyone's bdays and holidays and anniversaries all hit between Nov-March.

[king kahn]

the HD DVD set is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

got it today and am in love! whoot!!!