This week Best Buy has a sale, buy 3 get $20 off on BR movies. I am thinking about taking advantage of it and getting all 3 Superman movies, but I already own Returns on HD-DVD, but it is a combo. On the technical side, is there any reason I should pass on the BR version at the moment? Perhaps for a better version? I know the HD-DVD has TrueHD, but my receiver is too old for it, so that is something I don't consider important.

This week Best Buy has a sale, buy 3 get $20 off on BR movies. I am thinking about taking advantage of it and getting all 3 Superman movies, but I already own Returns on HD-DVD, but it is a combo. On the technical side, is there any reason I should pass on the BR version at the moment? Perhaps for a better version? I know the HD-DVD has TrueHD, but my receiver is too old for it, so that is something I don't consider important.

If you use the HD-A1 with the multi-channel outputs, it doesn't matter if your receiver is too old. Besides, NO receivers currently decode it anyway. Also, a good reason not to get Superman Returns on Blu-Ray is you ALREADY HAVE IT IN HD. It's the same transfer, just on a different disc format. Don't be silly and waste your money like that. Buy another great movie you don't already have!

That is what I was wondering. I'll probably just hold off until WB eventually releases a Special Edition on BR then.

If you use the HD-A1 with the multi-channel outputs, it doesn't matter if your receiver is too old. Besides, NO receivers currently decode it anyway.

Reciever's don't need have the ability to decode Dolby TrueHD. The players themselves decode it.

But it only comes out as DTS on my sound system. Same goes for PCM5.1, only that comes out as normal PCM.

I would hold off buying it in Blu-Ray and pick up another film on sale. If HD-DVD eventually folds, you can pick up Superman Returns hopefully at a cheaper price.

There is no difference between the discs for your setup. If you already own it on hd-dvd, I'd just hold onto it. No reason to spend more money. Besides, if blu-ray fails as a movie format, you just spent more money for nothing.

If you use the HD-A1 with the multi-channel outputs, it doesn't matter if your receiver is too old. Besides, NO receivers currently decode it anyway.


hd dvd players themselves decode the data, NOT the receivers. so what you are saying is irrelevant...

How does Superman and Superman II compare between versions?

But it only comes out as DTS on my sound system. Same goes for PCM5.1, only that comes out as normal PCM.

You can get TrueHD sound right now if you set the player to decode it and connect your HD DVD player with either analog 5.1 outputs or HDMI. Optical connections do not have the bandwidth to handle any high-res audio such as TrueHD and will downsample to DTS.

hd dvd players themselves decode the data, NOT the receivers. so what you are saying is irrelevant...

Actually, that's exactly what I was getting at; since A. the players decode it and B. no receiver can currently do so, then he should be able to use TrueHD anyway.


You can get TrueHD sound right now if you set the player to decode it and connect your HD DVD player with either analog 5.1 outputs or HDMI. Optical connections do not have the bandwidth to handle any high-res audio such as TrueHD and will downsample to DTS.

Actually, HDMI will not work, since no current receiver made will take TrueHD over HDMI.

Actually, HDMI will not work, since no current receiver made will take TrueHD over HDMI.

Actually, yes it does. People have been getting true-to-life TrueHD sound right now with HD DVD.

The receiver doesn't have to support TrueHD decoding if the player itself can decode it.

Actually, HDMI will not work, since no current receiver made will take TrueHD over HDMI.


sure it does. most hdmi receivers support hdmi 1.2, which is all you need to pass a truehd signal. the signal is converted by the player to pcm and sent to the receiver via hdmi...

http://www.dolby.com/consumer/technology/trueHD/AVRs/trueHD_avrs_2.html

Yes, it is identical. Unfortunately, much of this movie tries to look like Superman 1. It uses mostly a HDCAM, and I guess when you digitally process HDCAM footage to look like soft-filter film, there's a penalty to pay.

I would hold off buying it in Blu-Ray and pick up another film on sale. If HD-DVD eventually folds, you can pick up Superman Returns hopefully at a cheaper price.

What he said. I'm waiting at least a year before I even think about replacing HD DVDs with BDs. Unless you're itching to get rid of your HD DVD player, hold off and see if price drops or other great deals materialize.

That is what I was wondering. I'll probably just hold off until WB eventually releases a Special Edition on BR then.

Warner is not a studio that overindulges in double-dips unless they have a really compelling reason to re-release a title. The current disc is a direct-digital transfer and comes with a three-hour documentary that covers every single miniscule detail of the making of the movie. What would possibly lead you to expect they'll re-release it as a "Special Edition"?

When Warner unveiled their 'Total HD' disk, Superman Returns cover art was displayed. They may re-release as a Total HD disk, and in doing so perhaps they will add LPCM sound to the Blu-ray side.

This week Best Buy has a sale, buy 3 get $20 off on BR movies. I am thinking about taking advantage of it and getting all 3 Superman movies, but I already own Returns on HD-DVD, but it is a combo. On the technical side, is there any reason I should pass on the BR version at the moment? Perhaps for a better version? I know the HD-DVD has TrueHD, but my receiver is too old for it, so that is something I don't consider important.


Dude, its NOT JUS TON BLUE RAY MOVIES!!! It works on ALL HD movie titles, either or and both. For instance I went in on Monday and Picked up Superman the Movie (HD-DVD) Crank (Blue Ray) and The Prestiege(Blue Ray) and got $20 bucks off. My dad had done the same the day before on some other titles. Its 10 for any 2 HD movies, and 20 for any 3!!!! So get whatever you want on either format.

Actually, HDMI will not work, since no current receiver made will take TrueHD over HDMI.
That's not correct. HDMI 1.1 or higher is all that's needed to transport the decoded stream to the receiver. The players that have the decoders built-in will decode the DTHD track and send it over (full resolution) to an HDMI 1.1 (or above) receiver.

wait till your hd-dvd player breaks then buy the blu ray version of SR returns. The prices will have dropped by then. If u dont own Superman 1 and 2 (DC cut) go with the format you prefer. I have superman 1 and 2 on hd-dvd and superman returns on blu ray. I prefer blu ray to hd-dvd but I am not going to buy the blu ray versions untill my hd-dvd player breaks (i would like all of them in the same format but its a waste of money right now). My gut feeling is that blu ray will be around for a long time to come but as long as my hd player still works i really haven't lost anything yet. I haven't bought an hd-dvd movie in months- children of men will be the next one i buy and i will be pissed when i have to repurchase the movies over again if and when my player breaks and the format is dead. If blu ray fails not as big a deal for me because the ps3 will be around for a long time and i will be able to play these movies for the next 5-10 years till a newer format comes out. I wont repurchase any blu ray tittles if the format fails but i cant really see that happening anyway.

Dude, its NOT JUS TON BLUE RAY MOVIES!!! It works on ALL HD movie titles, either or and both. For instance I went in on Monday and Picked up Superman the Movie (HD-DVD) Crank (Blue Ray) and The Prestiege(Blue Ray) and got $20 bucks off. My dad had done the same the day before on some other titles. Its 10 for any 2 HD movies, and 20 for any 3!!!! So get whatever you want on either format.

I know that, but I already own every HD-DVD I want.

That's not correct. HDMI 1.1 or higher is all that's needed to transport the decoded stream to the receiver. The players that have the decoders built-in will decode the DTHD track and send it over (full resolution) to an HDMI 1.1 (or above) receiver.

So it converts it to the same "uncompressed PCM" that Blu-Ray uses, and does it. Huh. I was wondering what that setting was (PCM instead of Bitstream) for on the HD-A1. I figured it didn't work for TrueHD. I stand corrected (by three different people). So basically, there is no need whatsoever currently for either 1.2 or 1.3, since most/all SACD is done via PCM and TrueHD and DTS-HD can be converted.

Anyway, my original point still stands, though, that you do not need an HDMI receiver to pass a TrueHD signal if you have an HD-A1, D1, XA1, or XA2.

So it converts it to the same "uncompressed PCM" that Blu-Ray uses, and does it. Huh. I was wondering what that setting was (PCM instead of Bitstream) for on the HD-A1. I figured it didn't work for TrueHD. I stand corrected (by three different people). So basically, there is no need whatsoever currently for either 1.2 or 1.3, since most/all SACD is done via PCM and TrueHD and DTS-HD can be converted.

Anyway, my original point still stands, though, that you do not need an HDMI receiver to pass a TrueHD signal if you have an HD-A1, D1, XA1, or XA2.
I think you need HDMI 1.2 for SACD, but I could be mistaken. For everthing else, 1.1 is sufficient.