argh923

I'm getting my first flat-panel widescreen HDTV tomorrow...I was wondering what some of the movies that I own that would be the most impressive on this new set would be.

http://www.intervocative.com/dvdcollection.aspx/abrg923

Anyone care to pick out what I watch first?

speedyray

Just grab a Toshiba A1 while your picking it up and any HD-DVD and you will be set. Otherwise I would go with the Matrix collection.

darkside

Its hard for me to be impressed anymore after seeing "real" HD content on my HDTV, but the LOTR trilogy looks pretty good on a quality upscalling player. Animation like the Pixar movies seem to fair the best upscaled.

I really have to second the suggestion to buy an HD DVD player. You will be blown away by the quality.

Harold Wazzu

Star Wars Episode II

argh923

No interest at all in buying into a next-generation format, so that's out.

bboisvert

I'm obviously biased (as an HD DVD owner), but let me ask you:
What's your current DVD player?

Because you can get an Toshiba A1 for less than $400. And it does an amazing job of upconverting your existing collection. Personally, having owned one for a month now, I think it was worth the price just for what it does with standard DVDs alone. And I had a very good (Momitsu) upconverting player to start with.

And, obviously, you also have the advantage of being able to view actual HD content (stuff like Batman Begins, King Kong, the Hulk, all kinds of great stuff).


If you're not considering HD, that's that. But with the low entry price and the fact that it makes a noticeable, obvious improvement to your ~900 existing DVD titles, I think it's worth taking a peek.

(Having said that, I'd 2nd the recommendation for LotR, Pixar, or Episode II).

Jim

Any of the Pixars, especially Toy Story 1 & 2 and Finding Nemo (because they have objects were familiar with in the real world).

For live-action, Cast Away is one you have that I particularly like. The Bourne Identity is another one I like to use to help dial in my picture settings (in combination with a calibration disc such as Digital Video Essentials).

bookcase3

I don't know your reasoning, but I'm with you -- I don't have huge sums of money to throw at both HD-DVD and Blu-ray (the format or the players), so until one format wins or a compromise is reached, and prices come down, I don't see the reason in moving away from regular ol' DVDs, which are great to my eyes.

Brian Shannon

Good call! I agree!

Try any of the LoTR series or SW 1-3!

speedyray

I don't consider $400 a huge sum of money, its not pocket change, but you all are acting like those of us that are buying in are rich and trust me, my wife and I are anything but rich. I said to get a Toshiba A-1 for multiple reasons. It is a HD-DVD player, but you do not have to run out and buy a bunch of HD-DVD - rent them. Also, it is one of the best upconverting DVD players on the market. My SD-DVD look much improved on this player than the very expensive regualar progressive scan DVD player it replaced.

Not buying either does nothing to end the format war. All discussion seems to point out that it could be like Beta/VHS and drag on for several years. Most of us do not want to wait 3-4 years to start watching HD content. That is why we have HDTV, and if someone is going to invest in an HDTV they ought to at least look into all the HD content available. Oh, and trust me, once you watch an HD-DVD at home on your set so that you can directly compare it to what you watch day in and day out, regular old DVD will not look just fine to your eyes. Don't get me wrong, I have not forsaken my 1300+ DVD, the HD-DVD just supplements it. I watch far more DVD on my Toshiba than HD-DVD.

A few months ago I was posting the same, no interest in upgrading and waiting out the format war stuff but then I made one of the best home theater decision of my life and picked up the Toshiba. You all ought to at least look into and give the new formats a shot since from the tone of your post you are not.

Iron_Giant

Best of All Video:
1. Toy Story 1 and 2 10th Anniversary Editions

Best for Live action (Not in any order)
-Passion of the Christ (Stunning Detail in Clothes and Dark sceens are no-grainy, except for the Open sceen which had Film Grain in it per the director's choice)
-Fifth Element Superbit Edition (Detail and Color are off the chart)
-Zorro Superbit (Same as Above)
-Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith
-Lord of the Rings EE Versions (4 disk version: movie is spread out over 2 disk with a very high bit rate. One disk version of Movie is Very Good, but not as GREAT as the EE Versions)

Drexl

I think that's exactly what they're afraid of.