Hi-Def Movies on the way... however

**P-Dub** · 30 January 2002, 15:03 Wednesday

D-VHS, a stupid idea. There, now that I've got that out of the way.

What is the market for D-VHS? Well, for those that want to watch a movie in HD? Great, so how may HD sets are out? I read something like only 2 million. How many of those HD set owners have DVD? Probably all of them. How likely are they going to spend another $2,000 for a DVHS machine? I think a lot less than the 100,000 projection that JVC is hoping to sell.

The only selling point of D-VHS is it's ability to record HDTV signals, and to playback movies in 1080i. I have seen HDTV demo's and yes they look great, and a movie at that resolution would look pretty cool. So now I can record my favourite HDTV program for later viewing. Uh, are those that have HDTV sets, really watching that much broadcast material? or are they more likely watching DVDs? Probably a bit of both.

I'm also pretty sure that with copy protection, you couldn't bring your taped copy of program A to a friends and play it in his player. I could be wrong, as I don't know what kind of copy protection is being implemented.

I just can't get past the bulk of a VHS tape. I mean, really, that is really a step backwards. There is no way I'm replacing my DVD collection with tapes, even if it is HDTV resolutions. I just don't have the space. I'm waiting for HD-DVD, and I know it's coming, I don't for once think that the technology isn't there, it's the Studio's wanting to milk DVD for all it's worth before moving to HD-DVD.

What would an early adoptor of HDTV and DVD do with $2,000? That's a lot of DVDs that could go into my collection. I could get that new sub. I could look to upgrade to a FPTV, or maybe a HTPC. Maybe that new Outlaw Pre/Pro. Maybe outfit my system with some CATcables.

**P-Dub** · 30 January 2002, 15:43 Wednesday

Oh get this, new D-VHS movies could be priced from $30-$40 per cassette. :LOL:

**Lex** · 30 January 2002, 15:45 Wednesday

Hmm, let's see, we have a medium that decays with age, oh, and it degenerates every time you view it. And we are going to put HD material on it? Plllllease. A novel idea, but I will stick with DVD. VHS never was great, and even in HD not my idea of a great setup. What about digital audio? recorded like analog lasers or are you just without? Give me 5.1 or give me 2 channel music. There will be no current movies in DPL at my house.

Nice post Paul, and a good topic George.

Lex :LOL:

Cable Guy DVD Collection

**George Bellefontaine** · 30 January 2002, 15:55 Wednesday

Right on, Paul. I really think the whole thing is stupid, and another format is sure to confuse consumers even further, perhaps even slowing down the pace of DVD. Something better than DVD coming? Mr. and Mrs. Consumer asks, Gee, guess I better wait. Sheesh, dvd is confusing enough to some people as it is-- you know, those little black bars-- so we don't need further confusion in the market place.
However, I'm sure there's going to be HTers out there who will embrace the D- VHS thing because they want hi-def NOW.

BTW, I refer to D-VHS as S-VHS in error, but new setup wouldn't allow me to edit the message. It said I wasn't a moderator. Demoted again.

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**P-Dub** · 30 January 2002, 16:13 Wednesday

Like the majority of people can't even figure out how to program their VCR's. So let's introduce another VCR. If anything, the Tivo's are such a cool technology that I would love to get one. Instant access, skip commercials, pause live broadcasts. Now that's technology.

I think you'll still get DD 5.1 of D-VHS. They say it will record at 28 Mbps, HDTV is something like 17 Mbps, and I think DVD is max 10 Mbps. Oh you can also tape upto 50 hours of standard TV on one tape. Yeah, right. How long will it take me to rewind that thing?

Yeah, way to confuse the consumer even more.

George: I fixed your post.

**AndrewM** · 31 January 2002, 09:54 Thursday

The only selling point of D-VHS is it's ability to record HDTV signals, and to playback movies in 1080i. I have seen HDTV demo's and yes they look great, and a movie at that resolution would look pretty cool. So now I can record my favourite HDTV program for later viewing. Uh, are those that have HDTV sets, really watching that much broadcast material? or are they more likely watching DVDs? Probably a bit of both.

Well, I don't know about actual numbers. But I do know a fair amount of J6p'ers, maybe a little higher up the J6p scale, but every one of them that has bought an HDTV has bought it to watch HDTV and not DVD. I think that is turned around a little bit when you get into the enthusiasts market where you have more people buying HDTV's to just watch DVD's with. But with no good numbers, it's hard to say.

I'm also pretty sure that with copy protection, you couldn't bring your taped copy of program A to a friends and play it in his player. I could be wrong, as I don't know what kind of copy protection is being implemented.

I seriously doubt this. How would Blockbuster ever rent a tape? I doubt the studios are going to make a seperate version for Blockbuster and for consumers, and besides that I would be more worried about piracy from the rental side than from the buying side.

I'm waiting for HD-DVD, and I know it's coming, I don't for once think that the technology isn't there, it's the Studio's wanting to milk DVD for all it's worth before moving to HD-DVD.

You're going to be waiting a few more years. They have just within the last year made optical disks (that are small and consumer friendly) that will have enough storage capacity to hold a true HD signal. Maybe within another 4-5 years this will start getting into the mainstream.

Most of the cons you guys have listed for tape are all true, sorta. If this is going to be a digital medium, that means the ol' 1s and 0s thing, so there will be much better error correction built into the units. It will be sort of like running tape backups at work, and I still have tapes at home that have been run a few times a week for a lot of years (way more use than a DVHS tape would see) that are still holding data (although nothing important) and still able to read data. I don't think you will see all of the negatives you saw with analog VHS, very few of them in fact. The bulk side of it, well that's obviously true and nothing can be done about that and still make it backward compatible.

Andrew

**Bing Fung** · 02 February 2002, 19:36 Saturday

That's it!! 8O 8O

I'm dumping my DVDs and adopting this fantastic D-VHS!

More Here

Bing

**George Bellefontaine** · 04 February 2002, 12:14 Monday

Me too, Bing. Now if I can just find the $3000. Cdn to buy a player, and someone to take all these lousy dvds off my hands... :LOL:

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**P-Dub** · 04 February 2002, 15:22 Monday

No problem George, I'll take those lousy dvds off your hands, I know you won't be needing them anymore.

Paul

There are three kinds of people in this world; those that can count, and those that can't.

**George Bellefontaine** · 04 February 2002, 19:44 Monday

:LOL:

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**JonMarsh** · 05 February 2002, 07:59 Tuesday

Hi Andrew,

If you *buy* a D-VHS tape with the new standard, you'll be able to play it on any player that supports the standard with 5C firewire out.

If you record a tape off the air, it's locked to playback on the machine it was recorded on- just like these download music systems, and video, where you can only playback on the machine that "bought the license". Copy management.

Regards,

Jon

Earth First!
_______________________________
We'll screw up the other planets later....

Hi-Def Movies on the way... however

Hi-Def Movies on the way... however

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