next generation dvd question????  

Discovery HD's content was shot in HD so its native resolution isn't too far off. Most of the detail and clarity is "right there." Film's resolution is (nearly) infinite, going way beyond the ability of current HD. Film can look really good in HD but it's full resolution isn't captured. If it was, HD would be lacking.

I think a less confusing answer would be to just say "film is soft, HD is edgier". Also, a lot of HD transfers aren't as good as they could be.

1. Movies and video usually have different frame rates. Also, movies usually are filmed under much more controlled lighting for effects and tends to be darker in many situations. I think people relate brighter pictures as being better quality such as a sporting event in HD.

2. Equipment along with the final image capuring device/media is also different on both so the end results are going to look different.

Because of this and much more, video looks different than film looks different than video looks different than film.

The next time you see a movie in HD, switch to a channel that shows movies in SD. Or even pop in a DVD. The HD version will always have more detail, color saturation etc than SD.

Other things matter too. Such as, is your set properly set up using the best connections that you can use? Is your set ISF calibrated and even if not, a few simple adjustments with a test disc can help get the most from your system.

shamus, I just sold my last 11 sealed dvhs 1080i tapes for more than I paid.....or rather E bay bidders bid them up higher than they listed for.

This is a dead format and people were paying up to 250.00-300.00 for certain rare movies after the studio support had stopped.

Now instead of having to deal with a s-vhs type tape, we will have a disc with better features to deal with.....Blu Ray.
I had owned 48 different movies on dvhs and every single one looked better than the dvd version, with a few like Man on Fire, X men 2 and I robot looking breathtakingly good.
A lot of these tapes had double bit rate audio on them as well, and it was easy to hear the difference in my H/T.
This format really had limited support with only about 100 major studio releases...and thats a big reason why I am supporting Blu Ray who will have by far, the greater studio support....as well as 1080p, and all those PS3 sales to back up the format..

I suspect you'd be better off holding onto the D-VHS titles for the next year or so, as if you plan on buying launch titles, to replace your D-VHS collection, you're more than likely going to be disappointed with the initial crop of launch titles.

Hopefully, a year or two down the road when Mpeg4 becomes the standard for transfers, and 50GB discs are more common, then we'll start seeing the true capabilities of the format.

I'd wager that from a launch title perspective, HD DVD may have better looking titles in the near term, at least for those studios releasing VC1 encoded content.

Actually.... B/R has the better looking release list when you consider that 90% of hd's list is/or will be on B/R also...with only Universal holding out on B/R.

I won't be worried about the actual launch list until I can purchase a B/R player anyway.
This lack of HD dvd studio support list is what people should be concerned with imo.

No support from
Sony Pictures
MGM
Miramax
Columbia Tri Star
Disney
Pixar
Fox
Lions Gate

Thats a lot of support in B/R's favor imo.

For the love of pete, if you're a BD supporter, at least use the proper acronym /:

With all the M/S guys here lately saying upconverting instead of the proper term ..up scaling....I thought anything goes was the theme..... but if B/R is too much for you to handle, I will try to remember to use BD ;) :D

It's more that the avid use of 'BR' reminds me too much of ******** /:

I think Blu-ray is short enough already. How about B-RD?

why? there is an acronym and it is on every BD thing and it is BD

BD ignores the ray in Blu-ray. Eh, forget it.

I don't work for MSFT, but the proper term *is* upconverting. As in upconvert/downconvert/crossconvert...this is the language used by the pros (e.g., ATSC, SMPTE, NAB, etc.) and found in pro/broadcast product literature.

You'll note that the 'r' is not capitalized in Blu-ray Disc, hence the BD. Also, BD-ROM is the coined term, probably because BR-ROM looks funny, and the market is used to CD ROM, DVD ROM.

Hey, a kindrid spirit! :D You're not alone in that observation, but it would appear we're very much in the minority, at least here. Related poll if you didn't see it:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=635127