I love high def video. It's not like high def audio, where I am not convinced that I will be able to hear the differences (SACD, DVD-audio DTS 96/24 et al.)

I can clearly see the better picture on some of my movies. I was less convinced on the Interpreter and Enter the Dragon. But on Sahara, for example, I am impressed.

I hate to pick on Sony, but they are one of the problems. As an investor in Blu-ray as well as a movie distributer, they are releasing titles in only Blu-ray. I was not able to buy Teladega Nights (don't laugh at me :)) in high def. Nor will I be able to buy the new Bond in high def.

Perhaps LG will have the answer with their dual format player.

Double edged sword... us Blu-ray fans don't get Universal movies either... so it isn't like we all get every movie... and if you want these movies so bad, why don't you just buy a Blu-Ray player? ;).

Thanks for your comments, Hunt. I am unwilling to pay $600 or more for a Blu-ray player. I am also frustrated by the current need to have more than one optical player.

More than one player takes up space, money and scarce HDMI inputs.

In the future I look forward to a true universal player, or better yet a changer:
Blu-ray
HD DVD
CD audio
CD MP3
DVD Audio
etc.

Speaking of Universal, what titles were available on HD DVD and not Blu-ray that you wanted? Just curious...

Get a ps3 $499. I'd pass on the universal players for now. As they lack HDi on HDDVD meaning all menus are created by the player and not the disc. Plus they sell for 1200 bucks. You can get a BD and HD-DVD player for 500 each (if you cound the PS3, otherwise its $799 for a standalone)

I think a real problem is the "who cares" sattitude from J6P. Or from the person who shells out a fortune for a TV and then has horrible calibration and setup to begin with and really does not care. PQ improvements etc are lost of those types of people.

Add to that upconverting - which looks pretty darned good to begin with - and you have a double whammy. For instance - we wathce Talledega Nights upconverted from the SD DVD and it looked great to me - I did not feel like I was "missing out." And I care a LOT about my setup - so what does that say for folks who really don't know how/care to calibrate their settings and are already happy with a $30 Bravo DVD player etc. etc?

I kow people who have 3k invested in very nice TV's and then have them hooked up to cheap DVD players via composite. When I point out what they "could do" to get a better pic I get "looks great to me...why should I change it." This is not helped when they learn it would possibly mean getting a new receiver, etc etc. Add to that the fact that most still watch SD TV which looks horrible and SD DVD looks great to them anyway. These same people when they are at my place like the PQ but when I talk about Avia discs, calibrating, what inputs to use, etc their eyes glass over and they just think I have too much time on my hands anyway. Very frustrating.

Point is - so many people are "just fine" with their current setups and SD DVD. Since getting my 360 add-on and trying to get people I know jazzed about this new format - the more I learn this FACT. When they learn the true cost of admission to HD DVD, which I consider very affordable, I get the "squinted eye" look. When I explain the cost of admission to the blur-ay format I have even gotten a few laughs out of people. And these are not poor folks either - most could really dive in if they wanted. They just don't see the benefits, even after seeing it in the store or anywhere else for that matter.

Thanks for your comments, Hunt. I am unwilling to pay $600 or more for a Blu-ray player. I am also frustrated by the current need to have more than one optical player.

More than one player takes up space, money and scarce HDMI inputs.

In the future I look forward to a true universal player, or better yet a changer:
Blu-ray
HD DVD
CD audio
CD MP3
DVD Audio
etc.

I think the point is, you "picked on Sony," when there is equal blame on both sides. IMO, BD owners that want Universal titles shouldn't blame Toshiba for fighting for what they believe is right?

Of course you can do whatever you want. It's a free country, but, to me it's just one of those things. Complaining to Sony about it is not going to get you the ability to play BD exclusive titles.

You have to play the hand your dealt. Either wait and hope that BD will fail, which, if it happens will be a long time coming, or get a BD player and enjoy your new capabilities.

Best of luck.

I kow people who have 3k invested in very nice TV's and then have them hooked up to cheap DVD players via composite. When I point out what they "could do" to get a better pic I get "looks great to me...why should I change it."

Your post was pretty right on, except for the "Blur-ay" comment. :mad:

:) :)

Though it hasn't worked on everyone, especially middle agers and up, I have taken the time to show people the difference between composite and component and most of them are pretty impressed.

In other words, take action. Bring over some component cables to your friends' houses. If they really have good displays like you said, the difference should be noticeable to most.

EDIT: I just realized that I'm a "middle ager" at 36. Yikes!!!

I mean more like the 50s crowd and up. Our parents and grandparetns.

And you called me "young one." ;)

Many of us hate the fact that media is split amongst the formats. However this is par for the course. DVD didn't have unfettered access to our homes either.

Many of us have chosen to support one player in the hopes that the studios that have chosen the "other" format come around. Some of us have chosen to support both players. Many have chosen to sit out and wait.

Consumers really shouldn't have to do this. I have cast my lot with HD DVD for the time being but the endgame is to have access to all movies. I'm hoping that by 2008 the situation will be clear. Either one format will be the default winner or we'll have a Universal product that obviates the need to make a platform choice.

Until then I can deal with not having all the movies. Hell most of these studios are going to make you double dip anyways on the good titles. May as well catch the new and improved version in a few years.

And you called me "young one." ;)

And I'm glad you took it in the all-in-good-fun, comment on your username way for which I intended.

I don't even want to tell you what "Samwise" is supposed to mean and I promise not to use this knowledge in any of our "discussions."

O.K., back to the topic.

Good day to you, Mr. Gamgee.

Your post was pretty right on, except for the "Blur-ay" comment. :mad:

:) :)

Though it hasn't worked on everyone, especially middle agers and up, I have taken the time to show people the difference between composite and component and most of them are pretty impressed.

In other words, take action. Bring over some component cables to your friends' houses. If they really have good displays like you said, the difference should be noticeable to most.



Oops, I put the "-" in the wrong place... ;)

Yeah I have offered to redo folks hookups.... but sometimes that is not met with much enthusiasm. In one case I was dismayed to discover that a friends DVD player didn't have compoent outputs anyway. He was not interested in another player anyway "until this one stops working..." I guess I could have crammed a PB&J into it and taken care of it for him. LOL!

:)