SasquatchHunter

Hi guys and gals. This is my first post on these forums. Looking forward to chatting about this great hobby we all enjoy.

I'm going to ask you people what you think of thw whole hi-def movie thing. The format war, the pros and cons of each hi-def format. What you'd like to see done or done differently.

I am a former owner of HD DVD and have now bought into Blu-ray instead. There are pros and cons to each. Overall though I must say that I STILL think standard dvd is tough to beat and I'll probably be sticking with it until one of the hi-def formats becomes drastically more mainstream.

Here's my rational why:

1)There is no format war if you just pick standard dvd.
2)Even though HD DVD and BD look mind blowing standard dvd still looks and sounds REALLY good.
3)movie prices of hi-def titles are a bit steep compared to dvd.
4)hi-def movies are hard to find instore to buy quite often and online becomes the only way, guess that means the credit card isn't getting paid off as fast then.


I own about 14 BDs and 200 dvds.

zombiezilla

Your points are excellent, and I completely agree with them. And standard DVD is good enough, so good that it'll take 3-d holographic projection to get me to update now, and re-buy a whole collection.

TGM

Ugh, again?

OK, the reason why the high-def format war will rage on is this.

1. There is simply no demand for a format winner at this point. Both are struggling to break-out. Why? Because unlike the jump from VHS to DVD, there is not enough of a visual/audio difference FOR JOE-PUBLIC to appreciate and thus warrant upgrading.
2. There will be many movies that will never be released either on HD-DVD or BR disc, thus keeping SD DVD alive and well.
3. A good number of people own HD TV's, yet only pay for SD programming. They aren't educated enough in the subject to know that buying the HD-TV doesn't do it.
4. There will be some greater awareness in February 2009 for obvious reasons.

I own about 1000 SD DVDs, 10 HD-DVD's, and once a decent BluRay player drops below $325 I will also join the ranks of the "format neutral" society.

haleyxvader

I wouldnt be too sure, since it only effects those with rabbit ears (analog signal) and to be honest who still uses that anyway. It doesnt really make a difference to Joe Blow who gets his cable from a local provider, most people already have digital set top boxes and even if you get your cable straight from the wall it wont matter as long as your getting it from the cable company. My point being that there wont be much more education on the subject as of that deadline, and I honestly think most people know that having an HDTV isnt enough, that you have to have a source that outputs it as well.

As for the format war, like many others Im patiently waiting, I jumped to DVD early (granted I was 13 or 14 at the time) and it has served me well, and continues to do so since Ive recently purchased an upconvert player.

mzupeman2

The format war when first starting out used to flat out enrage me. I have my opinions on which format hardware-wise is the better one, but I'll leave all that out of this discussion as it's been done to death. I would like to become format neutral as I only own one of the formats now. Bottom line is, I can't see every movie I want on just one of the formats in high def. Eventually when the other format is cheaper, I'll probably get that one as well. But I won't be purchasing every disc, just the movies I truly feel deserves to be seen in high def.

The format war doesn't bother me too much because again I don't buy every title in high def. I'll buy the SD-DVD versions too, so that my DVD collection remains intact in case any of the HD formats go belly up. Because as said, DVD is not going anywhere for a very, very long time. My DVD collection is complete-ish and I intend to keep it that way and hold onto it forever. If both HD formats die (they probably won't but there's always the 'if' factor), DVD players will be around most likely for as far as we can look out, and digital media will most likely always be catered to be able to play DVD's, such as DVD players can play VCD and CD's, that sort of thing.

I wish there was a standard HD format for all the studios but, what can you do? I'll just sit back and take it in and enjoy fantastic looking titles, such as Transformers And Pan's Labyrinth in December

Also as said, DVD serves me well enough for now and for some time considering the encoding on discs now look pretty fantastic and with an upconverting capable player? Definitely good enough to hold me over. Even with some of the titles that may not look close enough to HD, they retain sort of that 'film' like quality from watching things in the theater.

Jason

My problem with Blu-ray is artificially inflated cost and semi-propritary nature of the hardware. This is typical for Sony products and should come as no surprise to anyone. I would love to start transferring HD video I've shot onto a recordable HD format disc, but I'm not spending penny one until there's a universal standard. If a single standard had been decided on from the beginning, we'd be seeing $199 players and $399 recorders this christmas, and there would twice as many titles on the shelves.

I have no problem with being an early adopter, and I have no problem spending money. I bought a DVD player in 1998 and have had an HDV video camera for two years. Both were relatively new standards, but they were standards. My HD video masters can sit on tape and the hard drive for a few more years if necessary, and I can continue to enjoy standard definition DVD for a loooooong time.

tylergfoster

I dunno, I think all this Joe Blow has to do is step in front of a 1080p Blu-Ray/HD-DVD display at any electronics store (assuming it's set up correctly) and they will very easily see the vast difference in picture quality (mainly the colors and then the clarity). I work at a Best Buy and I know I always stop to glance at the demos, even though they're the same demos we've had forever, just because they look so damn good.

Now, I'm not saying non-technophiles/rich people are going to give two damns, but I think we underestimate how clearly the quality levels in Blu-Ray/HD-DVD are apparent on a properly set up hi-def system. People can tell, it's just gotta be affordable.

cisman

I agree to a point. I don't think either format will take off until the price is right for the average consumer.

Why mess with it unless it's pretty close to DVD prices. The only thing that is pusing Hi Def is bigger TV sets.

Upconverted DVD's on my 42" Plasma look awesome but the quality gets worse downstairs on my 65" set.

That is a main reason on jumped on the HDDVD wagon. However, price (See Above) had a huge impact on my decision. I was holding out until I found I could get a HDDVD player for about what I bought my last OPPO DVD player for.

And the fact they upconvert DVD's really well.

As far as the prices of movies. I've personally have recently changed my movie habits. I don't buy every title I want to watch anymore. Just those great movies I saw in the Theater that I had to see and must own. (ex. Transformers - Released Today )

I'm not going to pay $25-$35 for any old movie. I currently own about 6 (soon 7) HD DVD's and that's not changing much. Most I got for cheap online.

BUT, renting is where it's at. I use Netflix and for no additional charge they will send me HDDVD movies instead of DVD if it's available.

So it was worth it to me to buy the player just to enjoy my rentals in HD

To me it's worth as I see a difference on my TV and hear a difference from my sound system. And when BR comes down I'll probably jump on board as well.

DVD is here to stay for a very long while unless the hi def formats get a lot cheaper.

The main thing that will push it is TV sets getting bigger as they come down in price.

dadaluholla

On a scale of 1 to 10, my interest in hi-def is currently around a 2.

RichC2

I wasn't interested til I got the HD projector, now it is a must.

So, sadly, in this HD battle I'm simultaneously the winner and loser.

Defiant1

I think high-def is just too complicated for the average consumer to comprehend. The majority of HDTV owners don't even subscribe to HD digital cable. Hell, I'll bet that the majority of SD-DVD owners use the red, white, and yellow cables that came with the player instead of component. The thought of component, HDMI, and/or optical cables would confuse them. And forget about the ethernet connection and downloading updates and so on.

Then add on the fact that their new HD player can't play Pirates or the Caribbean or BD can't play Transformers and it all gets very bewildering.

Fok

Haven't got an HD TV, so SDVD are still working fine for me

Darkgod

I just got my HD TV in august and currently, I only have HD cable. For christmas Im probally getting xbox 360 ( with hdmi) and I plan on buying the HD dvd add on. Next spring I plan on getting a PS3, which then would be my BR player. I don't want to commit, because I don't want to be the guy holding the beta max player. This way I get both players, but they are there for another reason. Then if the winner emerges, not only do I have a passable option for the loser, but I can go out and buy a device of the winners design

slop101

If any format takes over from dvd, it won't be anything we have now, but something more convenient. Think about it - every winning format hasn't necessarily been the better quality format, but the more convenient one. Look at audio: cassettes sounded way worse than vinyl, but they were more convenient. Fortunately, CD are both more convenient/durable and sound better than cassettes. MP3s, however are taking over from CDs, and they sound worse, but are more convenient.

These new HD formats are no more convenient than dvds. In fact, they are less so because of the gear you need to take full advantage of it all. I hate to break it you guys, but a surprisingly large majority of people are fine with watching the new blockbusters on their tiny little iPod screens. Since that's the case, I don't see this new format taking off at all, war or not.

madcougar

I jumped on board DVD about a year after its debut. That was pretty damn early for the most part. I was the first person I knew to have a DVD player in fact. I still remember the days of Best Buy getting just a dozen copies of a new release in fact.

With that said, I'm just waiting around for a clear favorite (winner?) in the format war. If it weren't for exclusives (movies available in only one format) I'd jump in and get a PS3. As it is, I'll be waiting on the sidelines.

Honestly movies like Transformers make me get all itchy to get on the HD bandwagon.

mzupeman2

How is it any less conveniant than regular DVD's if there was a home with HD equipment already... because that's who these players are marketed to. Digital media is popular but comparing movies to music is a little out there. Music is portable. The draw for this equipment at home is the home movie theater exprience.

The Bus

The big plus to this war is that aside from having two machines instead of one, the prices are ridiculously low for such great hardware. For $599, you can watch both formats. And whichever one "loses" you've got a great upconverting DVD player and/or a game machine left over, along with your movies (which will still work). It's not like DIVX servers going down...

slop101

And my point was that very few people care about (or can fully afford) that "draw". Most people just want to see a movie at their convenience and couldn't give a toss as to it's presentation. And if that means watching it on their iPod, so be it.

HD formats are less convenient than regular dvds in that you can't rip them onto your PC/ipod as easily, or watch them in your family van during long commutes. Or take them over to a friend's house who just has a regular old dvd player, or heaven forfend, a regular 4:3 tube TV. In these cases regular dvds are most certainly more convenient. Not to mention, the HD discs are more expensive than SD-dvds. A major reason dvds caught on were because, at first, they were generally cheaper or comparable to VHS prices. But that's not even my point - my point is that it's definitely no more convenient than SD-dvds: they're both the same size discs that have the same durability and portability and neither needs rewinding - convenience-wise, it's nothing new. And that's why it won't take over.

PopcornTreeCt

Even if both formats lose and some convenient format with lesser quality wins, I'll still know that I'm watching movies that look better than what everyone in the rest of the country is watching.

nateman

SasquatchHunter,

First off, welcome to DVD Talk & if a few people complain about this thread, don’t worry, it’s not personal; it’s just that there’s been about five billion threads about the ‘format war’. However, you’ve made you’re points very clear on why you are NOT, buying into the new format currently.

You’re five points pretty much fit my reason why I’m not buying into the new formats currently as well & it really all boils down to, Standard Definition DVDs are good enough.

One of the main reasons I’m not supporting HD DVD or Blu-Ray, besides the fact that these new formats aren’t a big leap like VHS to DVD was, is that I’m a big TV on DVD collector & basically no TV series are being released on HD DVD or Blu-Ray & I don’t they’ll get to the point were they’re releasing a lot of different shows & popping out seasons for a long time to come.

The price is a factor, but since I spent most of my income on entertainment related things, it’s not as big of a problem as it might be to say, someone with a wife & children.

I don’t actually own a HDTV currently & I think when I do decide to finally get one, I’m going to wait ti’ll this ‘format war’ is finished (which will take along time) & if they both go down & SD DVDs are still the ‘main’ format, I probably won’t bother.

Eddie W

I'm holding out because I don't want to end up watching a bunch of crappy movies just because they're in HD. When I first got a DVD player back in '98, I'd watch ANYTHING just because it was on DVD. Nope, not going there again. Give me a wide & universal selection of software & I'll hop right on.

Also, every time I upgrade something, it becomes 'normal' after a brief adjustment period. And eventually stops so much being perceptively better as the old stuff looks horribly worse. So I'm afraid that DVD's will begin to look like bad VHS after my eye gets used to an HD DVD format. Rendering my entire collection not obsolete, but something much worse....undesirable.

And lastly, when I can walk in Target and not see such a wide price gap between the HD and the SD version. $30 vs $15 is the difference between an impulse buy and a guilt purchase.

chente

I'm very interested. I own 60+ HDDVDs right now.

mzupeman2

Ugh, I know what you mean. I tried watching the standard def Transformers today, and I just couldn't do it knowing my HD-DVD was on the way.

Benjamin H.

I've watched both HD-DVDs and Blu-Rays on HDTVs with surround sound before. The a/v quality is phenomenal, much greater than DVD.

That said, I have absolutely no interest in upgrading anytime in the foreseeable future. DVDs have suited me perfectly fine since I got into the format, and just because there are two new hi-def formats out now doesn't make DVD any less fine in my eyes. It may not be as good as hi-def, but it's had me 100% satisfied for the past six years or so. Why pay something more when what I have already has me 100% satisfied?

I'm especially not buying into all this "format war" bullshit. It's silly. There are movies getting released on HD-DVD but not on Blu-Ray and vice versa, while DVD has everything there to choose from. Plus, the prices of HD-DVDs and Blu-Rays right now are ridiculous, and I'm especially not going to dish out that kind of dough when you know they'll drop in price eventually (if either format even lasts). Hell, VHS tapes went for over $100 apiece when they first came about, now you can get 10 for a dollar at your local mom-and-pop video store (not that I have any interest in VHS, but the point remains). What's more, the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray formats have only just started, and from what I hear a lot of these early release titles for both formats have been less than satisfactory. Remember that the whole first decade or so of DVD releases were often hit-or-miss, and the vast majority of the early DVD titles ended up being double- and even triple-dipped or more down the road. If either of these hi-def formats do last in the years to come, chances are that the majority of titles that are out right now will end up looking quite inferior compared to double-dip releases later on. For me, there's just no logical reason from a financial standpoint to invest in either format right now, or even for a good long while, if at all. Honestly, the only reason I would upgrade in the foreseeable future would be if I didn't have to pay a cent for it.

One thing that I am loving about this whole hi-def format nonsense is that regular DVDs are just getting cheaper and cheaper. No complaints by me there.

PopcornTreeCt

I agree with you on the selection of movies. It's kinda ridiculous how these studios are releasing stuff like Scary Movie 4 and Timecop.

I've watched several HD-DVDs and Blu-rays and have no problem watching DVDs and I've been watching movies from the 30s and 40s and still greatly enjoy them. I don't think it takes anything away from enjoying DVDs.