I'll bet greater.....much greater.... and with pretty limited software to boot.
Mort
Mort
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HD DVD - Late 2005
Toshiba moving to new-format DVDs
What's the target launch price of the new HD-DVD players? Greater or less than $250?
-J
What's the target launch price of the new HD-DVD players? Greater or less than $250?
-J
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Toshiba's basic DVD player in March of 97 (first time available) was $650-$700 (forgot the exact amount). I would guess that they will be around $1000 MSRP for a basic model and such limited software that you would have cash to burn to justify the purchase.
This transition from standard DVD to HD resolution DVD (as it stands today) will not be a slam dunk. Format wars and lack of studio support. DO NOT expect to be discussing which $300 HD player to get next Christmas
This transition from standard DVD to HD resolution DVD (as it stands today) will not be a slam dunk. Format wars and lack of studio support. DO NOT expect to be discussing which $300 HD player to get next Christmas
Quote:
I picked up that player about a year later at a store closing sale. What a steal at that time for $350! I also received a goodie pack (t-shirt, calibration disc, demo material disc) when I registered the player. The HD version will be way more than 350, however. Anyways, I love Toshi!
| Originally posted by rboster Toshiba's basic DVD player in March of 97 (first time available) was $650-$700 (forgot the exact amount). I would guess that they will be around $1000 MSRP for a basic model and such limited software that you would have cash to burn to justify the purchase. |
I think I saw somewhere that the Sony HD-DVD (Blu-Ray) was selling for the equivalent price of $3,800.00 in Japan. It should be a while before the price drops to $300.00. Then you have to wait for Hollywood to put out the movies.
Of course it is possible to record and play back from writeable DVD's today using existing red-laser technology and a HTPC. I did publish a basic tutorial on how to do this:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=458141
The cost to add this capability to a PC are not terribly extravagant:
MyHD HDTV tuner card - $239.
HP DVD-630i DVD burner - $129.
BTC 16X DVD-ROM - $20.
Total $388. This assumes you have a modest PC (800Mhz Pentium 3, 128MB memory) with space for two optical drives on the front panel and an open PCI slot for the HDTV tuner. If you must get your HD material from cable or satellite, the necessary Firewire card is $200 less than the HDTV tuner above.
Using quality certified DVD media you can record HDTV for $1.60 an hour. Or $.60 an hour if you want to use inexpensive uncertified bulk media.
I mention this because I think it will be 5 years before HD-DVD playback is affordable, and perhaps twice as long before HD-DVD recorders are within reason. Realize that it's not just the technology we are waiting on, these things must happen first:
1) The installed base of HD-capable displays must surpass today's base of SD displays to create a rental market.
2) Movie studios must respond to demand by producing whatever format of HD-DVD prevails more or less at the same time as the standard DVD. (Because it has to be one impressive movie before I'll wait to rent or buy an HD version of a film I've seen once in standard DVD.)
3) The retail video rental places like Blockbuster and Hollywood Video have to get onboard to acquire HD-DVD inventory for rental. Firstly they have to believe the HD business is viable, of course.
I actually think it's a 50-50 proposition whether this ever happens. Meanwhile there is nothing to prevent you from starting your own collection of HD video using the HTPC.
Gary
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=458141
The cost to add this capability to a PC are not terribly extravagant:
MyHD HDTV tuner card - $239.
HP DVD-630i DVD burner - $129.
BTC 16X DVD-ROM - $20.
Total $388. This assumes you have a modest PC (800Mhz Pentium 3, 128MB memory) with space for two optical drives on the front panel and an open PCI slot for the HDTV tuner. If you must get your HD material from cable or satellite, the necessary Firewire card is $200 less than the HDTV tuner above.
Using quality certified DVD media you can record HDTV for $1.60 an hour. Or $.60 an hour if you want to use inexpensive uncertified bulk media.
I mention this because I think it will be 5 years before HD-DVD playback is affordable, and perhaps twice as long before HD-DVD recorders are within reason. Realize that it's not just the technology we are waiting on, these things must happen first:
1) The installed base of HD-capable displays must surpass today's base of SD displays to create a rental market.
2) Movie studios must respond to demand by producing whatever format of HD-DVD prevails more or less at the same time as the standard DVD. (Because it has to be one impressive movie before I'll wait to rent or buy an HD version of a film I've seen once in standard DVD.)
3) The retail video rental places like Blockbuster and Hollywood Video have to get onboard to acquire HD-DVD inventory for rental. Firstly they have to believe the HD business is viable, of course.
I actually think it's a 50-50 proposition whether this ever happens. Meanwhile there is nothing to prevent you from starting your own collection of HD video using the HTPC.
Gary
Standard DVD's didn't take off until the player cost declined below $200.
People with HD-capable displays will be somewhat less price-sensitive but it could take YEARS before enough HD-capable displays exist to develop a rental market.
Gary
People with HD-capable displays will be somewhat less price-sensitive but it could take YEARS before enough HD-capable displays exist to develop a rental market.
Gary
Considering that the next generation XBOX and PlayStation will likely ship at competitive prices ($300 or less) - could this be a relavent data point?
Certainly the video sources and the costs for these matter. But the huge problem impeding the increase in market share for HD versus SD is the display cost. Bigscreen RPTV HD-ready monitors cost $1200 and up, and most direct-view small/medium screens are $800-$1000. This is at least 3X the cost of a similar-sized SD display, and that is a huge handicap.
Then the potential HD customer finds out that he must spend hundreds more for the video source, and must choose between a bewildering variety of video interfaces, and understand analog vs. digital. Then you mention the 5C copy protection and why you should understand it and buy 5C-compliant gear.....bottom line: many of those interested get scared away.
I know a local basketball coach who just got an HD-ready LCD screen and HD DirecTV, who still doesn't understand why he can't get Monday Night Football in HD.
It's gonna be a long time before the madness ends.
Gary
Then the potential HD customer finds out that he must spend hundreds more for the video source, and must choose between a bewildering variety of video interfaces, and understand analog vs. digital. Then you mention the 5C copy protection and why you should understand it and buy 5C-compliant gear.....bottom line: many of those interested get scared away.
I know a local basketball coach who just got an HD-ready LCD screen and HD DirecTV, who still doesn't understand why he can't get Monday Night Football in HD.
It's gonna be a long time before the madness ends.
Gary
I understand that the sound (DD and DTS) will be augmented for HD DVD and Bu-Ray.
Anyone know what the new DD+ and DTS+ formats will require on the processor part???
All will be higher it rate, but can most of today's processors handle it??
Anyone know what the new DD+ and DTS+ formats will require on the processor part???
All will be higher it rate, but can most of today's processors handle it??
The combined uncompressed bitrate of both audio and video is 20X or so the available bitrate on today's PC busses. That is why the only way to manipulate the ATSC programming is in the form of compressed transport streams. It will be a long time before this is overcome and Microsoft is in bed with the MPAA and other groups and is promoting digital rights management. This means that when it actually becomes easy to do using a Microsoft OS, you will have no choice but to obey the rules.
The only hope for freedom to do as we please is via Linux and open-source A/V applications. Even then, you can't buy PC HD tuners or other non-compliant gear past June 2005. Looks like they will win.
Gary
The only hope for freedom to do as we please is via Linux and open-source A/V applications. Even then, you can't buy PC HD tuners or other non-compliant gear past June 2005. Looks like they will win.
Gary
Jeff: the news releases I read a while back seemed to indicate that the newer iterations of DD and DTS were backward compatible with current decoders, and I can only assume that this was very important to maintain in the design of the codecs.
Newer processor will probably be needed to take full advantage of the higher bitrates and perhaps more channels that they may provide, though.
Newer processor will probably be needed to take full advantage of the higher bitrates and perhaps more channels that they may provide, though.
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