I know someone or many will say age has nothing to do with it, but I really don't agree and I will concede if someone has a real passion they should go for it no matter what their age. If you want to sail around the world for the rest of your life and you're 60 already, by all means by a boat and do it.
Now to my point concerning me. I love movies. I love going to the movies. I collected VHS when none of my friends did and when dvd came out I was in my early 30's with no kids and many fewer bills. I bought a player right away and have been buying ever since.
But I'm not the type who can come into this forum and understand a lot of the technical stuff. A good sound system isn't going to sound better to me than most great sound systems. While I concede HD looks "better" than standard dvd, I spent most of my life enjoying films with no complaints at the theater that looked worse than many of my standard dvds.
Now, I have over 700 standards dvds and I'm seeing the HD technology changing all the time and hearing rumors from my more "geeky" friends that it will keep getting better.
I'm a dad now with a hefty mortgage. I'm above what most people would now consider middle class, but only by a little bit. I have plenty of nice things, but unlike many of you I can't afford to update my HDTV very often, or buy $29 and up HD dvds. And then there's still the issue of which format to get and when I look at things, I wonder if there are people like me or think like me that maybe this HD thing is for those REALLY passionate about this and can make this expense and keeping up with all the changes a top priority and for the young who don't have much if anything already invested and have lots and lots of time to enjoy these things before they have a lot of other things that might change their finanicial priorities?
I mean, I don't want to be locked into checking forums and updating formats when I'm 50 and certainly not in my 60's. I want my home theater experience to just be one of many diversions in my life. Certainly, if I was loaded, I'd just buy stuff because that's what really rich people can do. They don't need to worry about formats or changes or understanding the technology or replacing their collections. They just have people set things up.
But there's still the format war, then there is my 700 dvds, many of which won't get released on any format for years and years and I just again wonder if anyone else feels like maybe buying the oppo (and then in the future any upcoverting dvd player that replaces it...I hear it's the best now because of some kind of fairuza chip or something) and just enjoying what I have and keeping it simple might be the best thing for someone my age who doesn't think he'll be spending loads and loads of time in front of the tv as he gets older?
I know I might not find a receptive audience in here, because you all are probably the most passionate of the home theater experience and want the best of the best, but have any of you, my age or any age, ever thought about this or is it possible for you to think of it from the position that I've written about?
It just seems more trouble that it may be worth, but then like all of you who have invested in HD already, I start wondering if I'm missing the boat or if I'll regret not getting it. Most of me says no, just enjoy the movies, but then again, I've never been able to see the future too well (or I would have done a lot more renting and a lot less buying knowing that something better than the standard dvd would come along-it never really did for the cd) and maybe 10 years from now standard dvd will be considered by the majority of people what vhs is thought of now. And it's not like I'm not materialistic to some degree and wonder if my peers 10 years from now will all be watching HD-dvds.
Finally, when they do finally set on one HD format or a player that can play any format that is really, really affordable, when I really want to see something in HD I will be able to rent them and since this is years out probably, all the more reason for someone in my situation to just consider being happy with the best upconverting can do and just keep it simple and stay with what I already understand, can afford, and have already collected in mass.
Try not to be too hard on me for asking the type of questions that probably don't get asked a lot in here.
Thanks.
Drexl
11-13-07, 02:48 AM
You could always wait to see how the format war shakes out. Prices will come down too. It's not as if this is a train that will leave. The longer you wait, the cheaper you should be able to get in on it.
What I would do, if you want a new player at all, is get an HD DVD player (and I'm only recommending that format because the player is much cheaper) for $200 or less. Rent some HD DVDs and see how you like them. If you find them not to be worth it, you'll still be able to use your player for upscaling DVDs, and you won't have spent much more than for the Oppo player. Just be aware that it's not region-free for DVD, so you would have to look elsewhere if you need that capability.
Brian Shannon
11-13-07, 07:51 AM
Wait it out.
Hardware and software will both be less expensive.
Jacoby Ellsbury
11-13-07, 10:15 AM
Another couple years all the tv programs will be broadcast in HD, maybe wait until then. Do you really want an old tube tv when everything is in HD. I havent made the leap myself yet. In the 1980s, My grandparents tv used to take 10 minutes to warm up before the picture would come on, you dont want to be the 2015 version of that.
Toad
11-13-07, 10:23 AM
Here's my recommendation (keep in mind I'm 29, and don't plan on jumping to HD-DVD anytime in the foreseeable future).
Make the jump to a nice HDTV, and get HDTV programming.
After watching HDTV programming on a nice TV, I can't imagine going back. But I also can't imagine upgrading ALL of my 250+ DVDs and getting a HD-DVD player when the movies already look great on the HDTV.
fumanstan
11-13-07, 11:15 AM
Here's my recommendation (keep in mind I'm 29, and don't plan on jumping to HD-DVD anytime in the foreseeable future).
Make the jump to a nice HDTV, and get HDTV programming.
After watching HDTV programming on a nice TV, I can't imagine going back. But I also can't imagine upgrading ALL of my 250+ DVDs and getting a HD-DVD player when the movies already look great on the HDTV.
That's where i'm at too. I have a 50" Plasma but don't plan on starting to buy HD-DVD or Blu-Ray anytime soon.
Mordred
11-13-07, 11:32 AM
Well I'm 31, my wife is 30. We just bought our first HDTV two weeks ago. I've been putting together my home theater system piecemeal for 5 years, and I'm glad I waited on the TV for as long as I did.
My wife wasn't completely sold on the whole TV idea, but once we got it plugged in, she was blown away. She even invited a couple we know over this weekend because she's trying to get THEM to get a HDTV and surround system. She loves it that much.
We don't currently have a HD player, although we'll be getting a PS3 soon. I've got to say that upconverted DVDs still look pretty darn good. There's definitely no reason to chuck your collection or even replace it. You'll definitely be happy with a decent HDTV and your DVDs while you wait for the format war to shake out.
FusionX
11-13-07, 11:55 AM
This is depressing stuff! My parents are in their mid 60s and have a huge DVD collection. They decided to go with HD in terms of television, so they watch movies in HD, they just aren't buying into HD-DVD or Blu-Ray.
I do disagree with those who say "you'll be happy with DVD," as there is no way I wouldn't upgrade when given the chance. If I had any option of HD vs. standard, I would dump standard 100% of the time. But I understand that video quality means more to some than others, I have friends who haven't replaced VHS titles with DVDs.
dolphinboy
11-13-07, 02:13 PM
Thanks for all the helpful and positive comments. I guess I spend too much time browsing the other and political forum and sometimes fear for my life when I ask a "non-traditional" kind of question.
First, I'm not going to quote everyone and respond to all comments, but, instead just make some general remarks.
Phew, was my first response that I'm not the only one who is waiting it out or at least concerned about what to do.
Second, I do have an HDTV, and that's why I conceded that, while I enjoy what I have plenty (although I've never seen them using an upcoverting dvd player) much, HDTV programming is definately better.
But I still don't think I've ever watched a standard dvd and felt during the viewing uhappy with what I have...and, again, I've yet to upconvert.
I already know that if I bought and HD-DVD player that I'd become the junkie to HD as I did for regular DVDs when they came out. You know, it's like I already know what I would want to do if I sat in and took a test drive of a Mercedes, but we aren't a Mercedes family. We're a VW family saving for our daughter's college tuition among other things.
And then, again, there's the whole price of the discs and then compounding that with the fact that you have to choose BR or HDDVD and can't even get the same movies on both formats in many cases. That all sounds crazy to me.
Add in all the things I've heard about still more changes and it just makes me wonder if maybe, I should not only hold out, but just consider keeping with the buying of the standard dvds. As mentioned, in 10 years, a lot of these movies will probably be able to be ordered or viewed regularly on an HDTV and I'll always have one or two of those.
As far as the poster that mentioned the parents being in their 60's. Again, it's a matter of money and passion. How much time do they plan on spending watching movies? Maybe, for them, it will be more than for me. Which would make it more important for them to have a better format possibly. Also, they may have more disposable income. They may not care about buying as much as renting. They may not care that if they choose BR or HDDVD right now, that there are some really good movies they won't be able to see. All of that has a bigger impact on me. I already get a stomachache from the double-dipping and complete tv series sets with extra bonus features that you didn't get for being a loyal fan and buying the seasons as they came out.
There's just so much more to keep track of with HDTV and I think my viewing of DVDs will decrease. Not a TON, but enough, as I get older. We'll want to travel and stuff that we don't get to do much now.
Honestly, I didn't come in here to convince myself what I already knew. I wanted to hear from other people. And it made a big difference in how I feel that several people said they were waiting for things to shake out. But if that takes in the neighborhood of 10 more years before there is 1 format and affordable players to play both formats and HD-DVDs being released of most of the 700 dvd releases I already own and movies that I like and don't want to not have because some studio idiot thinks a 10th version of the Princess Bride is more important than releasing all their catalog in HD as fast as they can when HD is finally affordable for all, well I'll be 50 then.
I just can't see myself at 50 having the same kind of desire to collect and watch dvds as I did at 30.
Finally, about just buying a HD player to just be able to have one now to try out and use for upconverting. I've read a lot and the consensus is, despite many people who disagree, that this fairuza chip (sp?) allows for the best upconverting available at this time. I've also heard that this chip is in the oppo and only also in BR. I know people will come in and say other players do just as well, but that goes to my point of how complicated this is when so many people can't even agree on upcoverting. My HDTV only does 1080i, so I don't know if that's an issue for now AND I don't really think I could choose between BR and HDDVD right now. I don't want the movies I can see dictated to me by this stupid HD format war and if the fairuza chip is all it's cracked up to be, then oppo seems like the best player for me to get when I'm really just interested in getting the most out of my HD-TV and my standard dvds.
Then again, even with this chip, I still wonder if I buy that player hook it up with HDMI, and pop in a SD DVD if I'll just sit there with my wife and say, "I don't know notice anything different about this at all."
Again, thanks for all the positive comments and ideas. If I'm not the only one waiting it out and still concerned and watching how things go, that makes me feel better. Especially when it's people on a forum like this who are still waiting.
I do plan to use the money that I'm not wasting on something that may end up in the scrap heap on an brand new sound system. So, that will be pretty good for now along with the oppo...I hope.
Mordred
11-13-07, 02:29 PM
The Faroudja chip you're referring to (although I wouldn't mind a Fairuza Balk chip :eyebrow: ) is one of the best. I think the cream of the crop now is the Realta HQV upconverter. They're good, but your TV is already upconverting your DVDs to it's native resolution. If your TV is more than a year or two old it probably doesn't have that great an upconverter in it though. Will you notice a difference between what your TV does and what your DVD player does? You won't know until you try, as no one has your equipment and more importantly your eyes/tolerances.
Best to buy from a place with a return policy and then try it out and see if you can actually tell the difference. You probably don't have this luxury with Oppo, but maybe they have a satisfaction guarantee as well.
kaze0
11-13-07, 02:39 PM
Your eyes can't see it. Too old.
dolphinboy
11-13-07, 04:10 PM
The Faroudja chip you're referring to (although I wouldn't mind a Fairuza Balk chip :eyebrow: ) is one of the best. I think the cream of the crop now is the Realta HQV upconverter. They're good, but your TV is already upconverting your DVDs to it's native resolution. If your TV is more than a year or two old it probably doesn't have that great an upconverter in it though. Will you notice a difference between what your TV does and what your DVD player does? You won't know until you try, as no one has your equipment and more importantly your eyes/tolerances.
Best to buy from a place with a return policy and then try it out and see if you can actually tell the difference. You probably don't have this luxury with Oppo, but maybe they have a satisfaction guarantee as well.
Can you please tell me more about this Realta upconverter? It is a player too, right?
After spending a month asking, annoying, and reading endlessly, it really seemed the general consensus is that the Fairuza Balk chip players were the best as of now.
Amazon sellls the Oppos, so I know they'd take them back.
Isn't there a good chance by the time that I'm 60, I will be able to have surgery done to my eyes that lets me see everything in HD anyway???
Again, I do say "oooh" and "aaah" sometimes when I see the HD players showing movies at the local BB, but I never watch a SD movie on my HDTV and think "this isn't very good" either.
Kind of the same thing I feel about some of the girls that I see at the gym and then how I feel about my wife when I get back home.
PopcornTreeCt
11-13-07, 05:16 PM
I'm sorry but if you still plan on buying Oppos there's no reason (other than region free capability) why you shouldn't get an HD-DVD player instead. I was firmly against HD, I voiced harsh criticism against both formats but I eventually gave in. It pretty much hit me when I realized my DVDs wouldn't be around forever. Part of me justified my 1100+ DVD collection by thinking they would be around when I retired. False. They won't be.
Back to the topic, upconverted DVDs vs. HD-DVDs and Blu-rays do not show a huge difference in quality, in my opinion, of course. However, I can't recommend sitting it out because I refuse to be one of those senior citizens that has no idea how to work my TV or a DVD player. Wait it out if you like, but don't skip the whole thing.
Patman
11-13-07, 05:32 PM
Given the OP's situation, I would simply replace the pieces (TV, player, etc) when they break (or near of their useless life), and by then, many of the decisions will be made for you by the marketplace.
FusionX
11-13-07, 05:32 PM
Kind of the same thing I feel about some of the girls that I see at the gym and then how I feel about my wife when I get back home.
This is the best post ever. Ever.
Mordred
11-13-07, 05:48 PM
Can you please tell me more about this Realta upconverter? It is a player too, right?
After spending a month asking, annoying, and reading endlessly, it really seemed the general consensus is that the Fairuza Balk chip players were the best as of now.
Amazon sellls the Oppos, so I know they'd take them back.Denon is the main company which sells products using the Silicon Optix Realta HQV upconverter. They have upconverting DVD players and upconverting HDMI receivers which include the chips. They are supposedly the cream of the crop, but you pay for it... in the neighborhood of $700-1000 I believe. If you want to spend that on a DVD player, be my guest... but the difference probably isn't that much greater over the Faroudja upconverters (which is what Denon uses in their lower priced models).
dolphinboy
11-13-07, 06:15 PM
Denon is the main company which sells products using the Silicon Optix Realta HQV upconverter. They have upconverting DVD players and upconverting HDMI receivers which include the chips. They are supposedly the cream of the crop, but you pay for it... in the neighborhood of $700-1000 I believe. If you want to spend that on a DVD player, be my guest... but the difference probably isn't that much greater over the Faroudja upconverters (which is what Denon uses in their lower priced models).
Thanks.
Yes, if I could pay that for upcoverting or HDMI receivers (I have no idea what they are, by the way...one of the many problems with these who issue), I would never had created this thread. I'd already be in the HD game, blowing my money left and right.
Getting an HD-DVD player doesn't make sense to me right now, when my current plan is to just keep buying standard dvds for long time.
Besides, the Denon's are more expensive than the oppo and I don't want to have to choose to BR and HD-DVD, which is yet another reason, along with price and titles and my current insane amount of SD dvds, that I find it more likely that I'll be sitting out the HD thing unless something changes really fast and really drastic.
Or I start getting younger. :)
DVD Polizei
11-13-07, 07:04 PM
Back to the topic, upconverted DVDs vs. HD-DVDs and Blu-rays do not show a huge difference in quality, in my opinion, of course. However, I can't recommend sitting it out because I refuse to be one of those senior citizens that has no idea how to work my TV or a DVD player. Wait it out if you like, but don't skip the whole thing.
If there isn't that much of a difference, then why spend so much on the HD media. I still don't understand what people are seeing in an SD DVD upconversion that I miss, because to me, it's just not there. In some cases, upconversion looks almost as good, but HD wins hands down most of the time.
I don't own an Oppo. However, I figure my XA2 does a pretty good job of upsampling (if not, maybe even better). I'd say the most important aspect of upconversion, is the size of the television. I have a 50" plasma and I notice a lot of difference between my upconverted DVD movies and their HD replacements.
Someone with a 32" LCD TV, saying HD and Oppo upconversions don't look much different, would probably be right but only because their television isn't capable of bringing out the differences due to the size.
I have nothing against Oppo, and think they're a great company, but I have to say ss long as we have companies who claim to magically transform a DVD collection to something "almost as good as" HD, is just making the consumer think there is no difference, and why go HD? Television size is directly related to how HD vs. DVD upsampling performs.
dolphinboy
11-13-07, 08:00 PM
If there isn't that much of a difference, then why spend so much on the HD media. I still don't understand what people are seeing in an SD DVD upconversion that I miss, because to me, it's just not there. In some cases, upconversion looks almost as good, but HD wins hands down most of the time.
I don't own an Oppo. However, I figure my XA2 does a pretty good job of upsampling (if not, maybe even better). I'd say the most important aspect of upconversion, is the size of the television. I have a 50" plasma and I notice a lot of difference between my upconverted DVD movies and their HD replacements.
Someone with a 32" LCD TV, saying HD and Oppo upconversions don't look much different, would probably be right but only because their television isn't capable of bringing out the differences due to the size.
I have nothing against Oppo, and think they're a great company, but I have to say ss long as we have companies who claim to magically transform a DVD collection to something "almost as good as" HD, is just making the consumer think there is no difference, and why go HD? Television size is directly related to how HD vs. DVD upsampling performs.
This ends up confusing me more.
It's not even about the oppo, but that "fairuza" chip. It either does make a big difference, the chip vs. not having the chip or it doesn't.
And you can only get it by spending a pretty penny and going with BR or with the oppo.
I have a 56" dlp and that chip is going to either give me a better upconverting experience than the X2 or it isn't. I've just heard from so many more sources that it does. Not that I haven't heard from many who say they that the X2 was best, but the large majority that I've read and heard and spoken with say that chip really makes a difference.
And if you're unsure about HD DVD for now, why not get the best other option to play your dvds? But now your post makes me, again, question whether this chip does anything or not, because you believe your player upcoverts as well as any other player would.
Oh, the pain! ;)
PS-I'm still also confused by those who suggest buying an HD-DVD player even if it's just to do my upconverting for now. First, there's a 50/50 chance that player will be the loser of the "war" and be worthless. Also, it will increase the odds of buying dvds that I can't really afford and we all know that just because we can't afford something doesn't mean that we won't be it if we're REALLY tempted to, but then I'd STILL be limited to BR or HD-DVD and certain movies and not certain movies, and the clincher that makes this suggestion suspect when it's being directed at me based on what I've written, is that no really cheap or relatively cheap HD-DVD player upconverts as well as the one with the "fairuza" chip. So even my upconversion needs wouldn't be met.
hdtv00
11-13-07, 09:05 PM
Man what more do you want , wal mart had $99 hd-dvd player the other day , and so did many retailers. 50/50 or not you bought 700 dvds, most you haven't touched in years.....is $99 really that big a deal lol.
Patman
11-13-07, 09:06 PM
Do you care about playing non region 1 DVDs and need PAL-2-NTSC conversion? If so, then get the Oppo.
As to why "bet" on one format over the other? Life's short, why not enjoy something (high def media) that has 4 times the video information than DVDs? Especially if you have a large enough display to show the differences in video quality.
dolphinboy
11-13-07, 09:20 PM
Man what more do you want , wal mart had $99 hd-dvd player the other day , and so did many retailers. 50/50 or not you bought 700 dvds, most you haven't touched in years.....is $99 really that big a deal lol.
Even if I went to HD-DVD for $99 and managed to keep myself from not buying and then getting addicted to something I can't afford (and we boys like our toys) and even if I didn't care that I wouldn't get to see all the BR exclusive dvds when I rented, I still lose if this player isn't the best upcoverter out there for about the low $200's or less.
Again, from the majority of people, that chip is the makes the oppo and several BR players that are out of my price range easily the best upconverting dvd players out there right now.
I'm still throwing away $99 if that player doesn't do what I will need it to do the most...upcovert the best.
dolphinboy
11-13-07, 09:27 PM
Do you care about playing non region 1 DVDs and need PAL-2-NTSC conversion? If so, then get the Oppo.
.
No, I don't need PAL conversion...just the best upcoverter out there in my price range of low 200's or less. Oppo seems to be the choice her too.
Trust me, I'd love to buy something for $99 that upcoverts as well as this chip is supposed to do. But there isn't...at least right now.
And if it does happen, I would be a BR player because I'm not sure that chip is in any of the HD-DVD players. And if I did lean one way for rentals of HD, it wouldn't be towards BR as much as HD-DVD.
I swear, I'm not trying to talk myself into the oppo. I'd rather get something for $99 than $220. But about 8 out of 10 people I've talked to said I'd probably not really notice much improvement unless I get a player with that "fairuza" chip.
mike7162
11-13-07, 10:02 PM
I'm 45 years old, and have grappled with the same issues as the OP. I bought an HDTV last year and could not be happier with the purchase. Movies will always be an important part of my life, at any age, and I will support whichever format they come in, as long as they are accessible and affordable. If there is a constant in home entertainment, it's that the media is always changing, as my room full of LPs, video tapes, Laserdiscs and CDs will attest. Keep up with the technology and indulge your interests with common sense.
Patman
11-13-07, 10:15 PM
Does your HDTV have HDMI inputs? If not, then you should stick with the Oppo.
BTW, it's spelled "Faroudja", the other is the first name of an actress.
dolphinboy
11-13-07, 10:31 PM
Does your HDTV have HDMI inputs? If not, then you should stick with the Oppo.
BTW, it's spelled "Faroudja", the other is the first name of an actress.
Yes, it does. So, then what would be better than the Oppo and under or around $200?
I'm told nothing. And since, again, my main use for a long time will be for the benefit of SD DVDS than even if it's a small margin, I want the player that's considered the best at upcoverting. The "fairuza" chip player from Oppo is the only thing choice if the large majority of people are to believe and the Denon's with that chip are out of my range.
I know that real name of the chip now. Someone posted it way back. I just think "fairuza" is a better name for it and that's why I always use the quotes. :)
Patman
11-13-07, 10:40 PM
At your price point, just get the Oppo. Until you get both units at your house and compare a $200 Toshiba A2 with the $200 Oppo for their SD DVD upconverting capabilities, you'll never consider the A2 (because it'll open you up to the temptation of buying into a format that has a 50/50 chance of being the loser in the HDM format war), so it's a pointless exercise.
People might take your situation more seriously if you used the proper term for the chip you supposedly are embracing for superior upconverting in a SD DVD player. Or maybe not.
dolphinboy
11-13-07, 11:18 PM
At your price point, just get the Oppo. Until you get both units at your house and compare a $200 Toshiba A2 with the $200 Oppo for their SD DVD upconverting capabilities, you'll never consider the A2 (because it'll open you up to the temptation of buying into a format that has a 50/50 chance of being the loser in the HDM format war), so it's a pointless exercise.
People might take your situation more seriously if you used the proper term for the chip you supposedly are embracing for superior upconverting in a SD DVD player. Or maybe not.
If people would not take my "situation" more seriously because I'm having fun with the name "fairuza" because I thought originally that was the name, but it turned out to, instead be the name of an actresss I really like, then they really need to lighten up and from the responses I've got so far, in a thread that's probably already run its course, I think people can see that I've been more than serious and have been given very helpful suggestions and info that I have thanked them for.
If having a little fun with the "proper term" for a silly chip is an issue for someone, I probably wouldn't trust their opinion anyway.
Not every word of every post needs to be taken so seriously. I come here mostly for much needed info on dvds, to post about tv, and, hopefully, interact with some really cool, fun, and relaxed people. I've found nothing but that in this thread, so I'm cool.
sniper308
11-17-07, 12:52 PM
If people would not take my "situation" more seriously because I'm having fun with the name "fairuza" because I thought originally that was the name, but it turned out to, instead be the name of an actresss I really like, then they really need to lighten up and from the responses I've got so far, in a thread that's probably already run its course, I think people can see that I've been more than serious and have been given very helpful suggestions and info that I have thanked them for.
If having a little fun with the "proper term" for a silly chip is an issue for someone, I probably wouldn't trust their opinion anyway.
Not every word of every post needs to be taken so seriously. I come here mostly for much needed info on dvds, to post about tv, and, hopefully, interact with some really cool, fun, and relaxed people. I've found nothing but that in this thread, so I'm cool.
Sounds like you've made your decision...
I'm somewhat similar in that I'm 37, highly cost aware, have young kids, and spending money on my "toys" is always a trade off of other things.
However, unlike your situation I don't have a huge DVD collection. I chose the A2 when it hit the $98 mark,to check out the new format/technology, etc as up to that point I wasn't considering HD players for many of the reasons you specified. I have a 32" Samsung LCD HDTV, so honestly the differences are probably not huge for me. However, I do intend to purchase a larger TV at some point, and as with all things I expect the HD-DVDs to drop in price. Especially with the push Toshiba is putting on the price point of the players to reach critical mass in the market.
I do intend to keep buying standard DVD's for the most part unless there is something that I have to have on HD-DVD and the price is competitive with the standard DVD version.
The main consideration with the HD-DVD player is that it does upconvert, and handles at least one of the new formats.
Purchasing an upconverting player does not even provide a chance to check out either new format, and costs you more (if you are buying an Oppo, etc).
If the main point of what you are doing is to watch your existing DVD's, upconverted then buy the Oppo.
Personally, I'd just stick with what you have and when something breaks replace it with the newer technology, which may be better developed, and cost less by then as well as be more established in the market place.
Oh, and by the way, I also picked up an A2 for my parents for Christmas (will be taking it to them at Thanksgiving, and connecting it, etc). I picked them up an HDMI cable from Monoprice. They have a fairly large projection HDTV, not sure of the specs, etc. Should be an upgrade from what they are using now (I'm pretty sure they are using a standard DVD player connected via S Video). I opened the player, made sure it worked and updated the firmware. Who knows how much difference they will see, but I try and pull them along on technology as I can. I had to convince them to start buying WideScreen DVD's when they got the new TV a while back :D Plus, even though we live multiple hours away I do sometimes borrow DVDs from one visit to the next, so if they start buying HD-DVD's I can borrow them, and they will also be aware of what HD-DVD's are, etc for any future gift purchases... so its a win/win :D
Terri
11-18-07, 08:52 PM
Is a DVD disc able register so wide a range of colors that it will make much of a difference watching it on a LCD HDTV, as compared to watching it on a non-LCD non-HDTV?
Spiky
11-18-07, 09:15 PM
Depends on the TVs in question. Probably will make a difference. Also depends on your definition of "much" as to whether that difference matters.
Terri
11-19-07, 12:16 PM
Well, I know that a DVD can present 720x480 pixes, compared to a HD disc 1920x1080. And that the DVD will look somewhat better in details on a HD TV than non-HD TV. But I know nothing about the comparison of ability in color registration between a DVD and HD disc.
I mean is there a lot of color grades registered a DVD that is missed when watching it on ordinary tube TVs, that don't have the new revolutionary LCD technique of "millions of colors"?
The Bus
11-19-07, 01:04 PM
Well, I know that a DVD can present 720x480 pixes, compared to a HD disc 1920x1080. And that the DVD will look somewhat better in details on a HD TV than non-HD TV. But I know nothing about the comparison of ability in color registration between a DVD and HD disc.
I mean is there a lot of color grades registered a DVD that is missed when watching it on ordinary tube TVs, that don't have the new revolutionary LCD technique of "millions of colors"?
TVs aside, HD as a format (wether HDTV, HD DVD, or BD) can display more colors than NTSC TV/DVD. Wether an older HDTV can take advantage of it, I honestly don't know. My guess is yes.
GreenMonkey
11-19-07, 11:31 PM
HD color accuracy is a lot of the improvement from DVD IMO.
The Faroudja chipped DVD players are like the budget excellent players. The Reons and other chips are a tiny bit better as far as upconversion but I've never been able to spend that much.
All the Faroudja chips do is a very good job deinterlacing. Their deinterlacing is vastly superior to cheap in-TV solutions. But I've never found much difference in upconversion vs the display upconverting. Frankly I find almost 0 difference on either of my displays whether I let the TV upconvert or the player - and my Olevia doesn't have a spectactularly good scaler in it. The proejctor on the other hand is a Faroudja FLI 2310 chipped device, so I guess it wouldn't help there.
I like a lot of people see it as pretty obvious that dual-format players are the future. Neither format is going to vanish any time soon. The format "war" has just resulted in great prices that much faster.
The real question is really how far are you sitting from your display? IMO the benefits of HD formats vs DVD is mainly based on how big your display is and how close you are to it.
BTW: I'm not paying $29+ for discs. I paid $22 for the 300 combo disc and that's as high as I've gone. The rest have been B2G1 or B1G1 or freebies or whatever that work out to about $13-$16 a disc.
Terri
11-20-07, 12:44 PM
HD color accuracy is a lot of the improvement from DVD IMO.
Do you by that specifically mean the HD disc? Or do you mean the HD TV (improving for both the HD disc and DVD disc)?
toddly6666
11-23-07, 09:19 PM
Dolphinboy,
from the overall tone of your original post, I would just stick with Standard DVD. Basically, standard DVD video quality with surround sound/subwoofer on a nice HDTV is home theater heaven. Heaven doesn't need an upgrade. Unless home theater technology advances to 3D holograms, surround sound speakers on the ceiling, smell-a-vision, and virtual reality, I would just stick with Standard DVD. I have a feeling that many people in here are getting more obsessed with buying DVDs rather than watching the movies. So stick with Standard DVD. Just like you said, I'm amazed when a store shows off their HD/Blu Ray DVDs on a nice HDTV with surround sound/subwoofer, but I'm just amazed when they show off a Standard DVD on a nice HDTV with surround sound/subwoofer. Personally when I go to the movie theater, as long as the picture is in focus and the surround sound is perfect, and no one is kicking my chair, i'm happy. I also enjoy the grain and the hairs and the little circles that pop up in the corner of the screen. This HD/Blu Ray technology is great if you want your movies to become pseudo-3D. The pleasure I get from watching a good movie in the theater has nothing to do with it being an HD projector or a regular old school projector. The buzz one gets from looking at HD/Blu Ray technology is the same high I got growing up when getting new glasses every 4 or so years - I thought my vision was already pretty good, but everytime I get a new lens, it was like putting on HD glasses - wow even more clear and crisp!. And before you know it, you keep on getting stronger perscription, and then, boom yer blind! (blind being symbolic of upgrading and upgrading to hundreds of DVDs and then before ya know it, you're stuck with hundreds of DVDs that you don't feel like watching anymore).
And like a previous poster said, just upgrade your technology when things get old or break.
Terri
11-28-07, 04:17 AM
I need to get a new DVD-player, because my old doesn't work with a new HDTV. But if I skip the DVD-player and buy a HD-player or BluRay-player instead, will this also play DVDs?
Spiky
11-28-07, 10:14 AM
First, your old one will certainly work with an HDTV. But yes, all the HD players play DVD.
Beery
11-28-07, 11:05 AM
I'm 45 years old and I just couldn't see sticking with a standard definition TV when all the TV programmes are going to switch to HDTV in the next year or two. So I bought me a 61" DLP TV and I'm getting a high definition DVD player this Christmas.
You're 40 - that's not old, and you probably have another 40+ years of TV viewing ahead of you. Heck, HDTV is too great and life's too short to put off seeing TV in high definition.
Drexl
11-28-07, 11:48 PM
Reading your original post again, it seems that you may be more concerned with being part of "the club" than buying something you'll enjoy. If that's the case, I'd stick with DVD for now. Just wait a year or two and see what happens. If you have to be convinced (or even talked out of it, as I suspect you want), maybe you're not ready. Perhaps later you'll be able to get a player and movies cheaper, and then you can decide what you want to do. It's not as if this is some limited window of opportunity, and the longer you wait the cheaper it will get.
Plus, that Oppo with the Fairuza chip may be worth keeping anyway since it's region free and does PAL->NTSC conversion.
ResIpsa
11-30-07, 04:32 AM
1. Become a member of Costco
2. Buy the HDM player of your choice from Costco
3. Wait for a decently priced dual-format player
4. Return Costco HDM player for full refund*
5. Buy decently priced dual-format player
6. Enjoy all those HD-DVD/Blu-Ray discs you bought during the BOGO sales
Works for this forty-something guy with kids....
* The new Costco 90-day return policy doesn't include HDM players, yet
juanmgonzalez
12-04-07, 09:46 AM
I need to get a new DVD-player, because my old doesn't work with a new HDTV. But if I skip the DVD-player and buy a HD-player or BluRay-player instead, will this also play DVDs?
Correct - both should play DVDs fine.
If you're looking for lowest cost HD player, you have to buy an HD DVD Player.
Buy: