Will HD DVD win?

[ThomasW]

The movie is "Serenity"

Here's an interesting piece of hardware from NEC .....:wink:

http://www.nec-cebit.com/upload/pdfs/products/hd_dvd_e.pdf

[Shane Martin]

Geoff,
If you do see the movie Serenity, please see the TV show first(Firefly), as it will make the movie that much better. If I saw the movie only, I may not have liked it nearly as much as I did since I saw the series. It's only 14 episodes long before it got screwed by Fox and cancelled.

Sam's club here has it for $19.

[David Meek]

Oooooh. Ahhhhhh. I mean. . . .


Impressive. Most impressive. Evil Twin has chosen wisely. ;x(

[Hdale85]

Wonder how much that HD-DVD rom drive will run? if its cheap enough it may move HD-DVD a lot better when i say cheap enough id say at least 150 or less as i dont think id spend more then that on it.

[Chris D]

Wow, Evil Twin, are you kidding me? What is the material that those pictures are of?

[Evil Twin]

"Serenity", the movie follow up to the Joss Whedon TV Series "Firefly".

[KeithM]

It look likes someone already took one apart here

[CraigJ]

Dear Evil,

Yes, I was quite happy with my "Bose" system until you showed me those pictures. After the Arvos, I don't know if I want to see more of the Dark Side....

Young Padawan

[Vinny]

It look likes someone already took one apart here

Great link's there Keith! :T
The HTPC's concept seems got most of the newer player out there as it's easier to manipulate than constructing a whole new module now.

Yet the cost would block people who do not have a PC hooked up to a TV in order to watch these format in a lower cost(like $50 for an average player), and the sound quality is still a problem as it uses computer as there is no perfect unprocessed digital output for stand alone PC, yet.

[Hdale85]

Yes its very interesting. The HD-DVD rom in it would be nice to put in a pc but i dont think id spend 500 bucks on it to take the dvd rom out But still very interesting

[Shane Martin]

actualy they wont play at all.... i think you just missread the question though

I did partially but they are making HD DVD hybrid discs which are readable by current players

Here is the proof!

http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6328124.html?nid=2705

Warner announces first hybrid that will play on standard dvd players in SD and HD players in HD. MSRP is $39. This is also a day and date release with the standard dvd which is another big deal.

[Blindamood]

Here is the proof!

http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6328124.html?nid=2705

Ahhh...the killer app -- Jennifer Aniston in high-definition... :B

[Chris D]

Uh... excuse me? $39.99???? No thank you...

[pikers]

I don't much give a freakin' damn who wins the format war. I intend to wait it out. Stupid no good %$#@*&^ greedy corporations. :M

Wow, don't keel over... :rofl:

[ThomasW]

It's okay George, us early adopters will test the stuff for you ... :T

[George Bellefontaine]

It's okay George, us early adopters will test the stuff for you ... :T

Yeah, I used to be one of them there early adopters , but now that I'm retired I'll let you guys do the testing and save my money for the winner.

[H.Donald]

I'll be at the back of the line with you,George....

[aud19]

I'll bring the coffee/donuts :lol:

[JonMarsh]

Well, I'm going to have to join ThomasW further up in the line, as I got my review and incentive info back from HR, and it looks like I can treat myself in mid May to an HD-XA1! :dancenana:

We'll just have to see if we can live with the quirks and oddities, and the glacially slow interface response. There are some compensations.... :tv:

[Chris D]

:banana: Jon

[George Bellefontaine]

:dothewave: Jon !

[pikers]

When the dam breaks on combo units, this will be of course a moot issue. Plus, when you have OEM giants like LG informing everyone months in advance that this will happen, the industry has no choice but to comply.

[marco10]

IMO I think we will have to see which way the porn industry goes. I can bet that if they go with HD-DVD, then we have a winner!

[eddiem67]

Though the Emperor has noted the various opinions expressed on this thread with some amusement, no one should deceive themselves that sitting on the sidelines is an acceptable strategy.

The Emperor eagerly awaits the first example of this high resolution disk technology for use in his HT-Star theater- there is no question that the results will be most impressive.

Once I have completed the critical inspections and interface adjustements it will be ready for delivery to his redoubt in Coruscant. Er, Colorado.

DVD Porn in Hi-Def my fav!!!!!!!!

[drsiebling]

I'm not optimistic for HD-DVD. Lots of info is now surfacing regarding how unstable this initial Toshiba player is. I owned one for approximately 4 days and decided to return it. Hopefully, subsequent players and Blu-Ray will not suffer from these same stability issues.

Frankly, I think it bodes well for Blu-Ray that they aren't rushing the players to market and are, hopefully, working out the bugs...

-B

[ThomasW]

Mine works fine, but an 'appliance' it's not... I'm used to using a HTPC, and this isn't much different.

Nice thing about this first generation player is that most things that usually fail in any DVD player, can be replaced using off the shelf PC parts. This includes replacing the entire HD-DVD ROM assembly (aka all the moving parts including the laser) . That won't be be an option with later versions.....:wink:

[JonMarsh]

While in the Mall of America in Minnapolis for dinner tonight, I was going through Sears looking for a light jacket. Going through their AV section on the first floor, I thought I spied a familiar sight, and turned out it was a Tosh HD-A1 like ThomasW's. It was connected to a Toshiba Plasma display that, well, looked fairly dreadful, unless you like big pixels and bad color rendition. Having seen Serentiy in HD on more auspicious circumstances, I can only say that I doubt Sears will be selling many of these, as the DVD on a good display would give it quite a run for the money.

This will probably be the biggest stumbing block to HD-DVD and BD-Ray adoption- mediocre HD displays.

In related news, my Van Helsing and U571 HD-DVDs shipped from Amazon today. :B

If I hadn't indulged my desire for a new SACD player, maybe I'd be watching them sometime soon. For now, into the library.

...after all, I've got WAY WAY more SACDs that the expected combined title release of HD-DVD and BD-Ray this year!

[aud19]

That situation sounds suspicously familiar Jon.... Where have I read something similar to this before....? :scratchhead: :lol:

[JonMarsh]

Yeah, history repeats itself, or "parallel universes".

Man, most of the people selling this stuff at retail are pretty clueless. I think the whole entertainment electronics business is in a quagmire- not much margins, no attaction for someone that needs to make much of a living. Used to be you could even buy DVDs in most malls, but now with price competition Suncoast is going under, there just isn't enough margin even at their high prices. Of course, that's probably why I'm buying from Amazon so much lately- can't find titles locally! The only places to buy DVD's in the town I live in are Walmart and Target.

[Burke Strickland]

That won't be be an option with later versions.....

Assuming there ARE later versions. :>) Let's hope by the time the manufacturers get to the point that the players are not a kit assembled from obsolete computer parts, their overall reliability and ease-of-use will put them in the "useful appliance" class instead of the "finicky novelty" niche.

I also end up buying a lot of DVD titles online these days due to both selection (availabilty) and price. As for local sale of DVDs, it seems that Best Buy is cutting back more and more on the depth of catalog carried in the stores (a lot of titles available via their web site are "Unavailable" at their stores). And of course, their bargains are usually to be had either release week, or a year or more later on just a handful of titles (different every week -- makes NO sense to pay $19.99 for a title today that was specially priced last week for half that).

Fry's still stocks the biggest selection, although not always at a reasonable price and they do NOT match their own online price at the retail location if the site happens to have a special bargain price while the store is carrying the title near list. Circuit City does, if there is a difference, but their in-store selection is comparatively limited. They tend to repeat a lot of their bargain bin titles too (not in consecutive weeks, though).

I have only seen one in-store display of HD-DVD and it reminds me of the same kind of after-thought back-of-store non-promotion that DVD got in many stores eight or nine years ago, although it did actually have a sign letting people know that was what was on display, which is more than I can say for Best Buy's pathetic single-shelf remnant of a SACD/DVD-A display (had to ask three clerks before we were able to locate the few remaining SACDs heaped on a shelf behind a mobile ladder used to get stock from upper shelves).

Burke

[Hdale85]

Yea dvd's around here are upwards of 30 bucks all the time, the only place to get them is like Walmart, BB, CC I wont buy them at the mall here the prices are just rediculous.

[ThomasW]

Let's hope by the time the manufacturers get to the point that the players are not a kit assembled from obsolete computer parts, their overall reliability and ease-of-use will put them in the "useful appliance" class instead of the "finicky novelty" niche

I know what you mean. And to help with this situation I've written a comprehensive guide to assist people with their players. Here are the instructions....

1) Power up unit
2) Push open/close button to access tray
3) Place HD-DVD disc in tray
4) Press play
5) Watch movie

[JonMarsh]

I know what you mean. And to help with this situation I've written a comprehensive guide to assist people with their players. Here are the instructions....

1) Power up unit
2) Push open/close button to access tray
3) Place HD-DVD disc in tray
4) Press play
5) Watch movie

:agree:


:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[aud19]

F'ing comedians : :rofl: