What format should I take HD-DVD or Blue-Ray?

[squale]

Well I just got a new Samsung 50" DLP 1080p tv and I have this hooked up to a Media Center 2005 computer via VGA cable. I can run Microsoft Media Player WMV-HD movies through the computer at 1080p, but there is only a couple movies available in this Microsoft format. So I was going to get another 1080p player that had more movies, and that brings me to the big Blue-Ray versus HD-DVD choice.

Now a couple questions...

1.) What format has more movies now and more movies slated for the future?

2.) What format is cheaper for the movies and player?

3.) Being that I use a Microsoft Media Center pc, is there any way one of these formats can play through the computers DVD player?

Okay I think that's it for now, thanks!

[Rob100]

You'll have to decide which side of the fence to sit on for now. There's a lot of mixed opinion on this, but most forum members (Packetfront and BadAss excluded ) including myself favour HD-DVD at the moment for five main reasons:

1) Cheaper players
2) Cheaper discs
3) Better movies
4) No region restrictions on discs
5) Better PQ/AQ

Of course 3 is debatable depending on your tastes. I think Blurry has recently overtaken HD-DVD for the number of titles available.

Would forget the HTPC idea for now... I'm sure it will come in time, but stand-alone is the way to go at the moment (IMHO).

Rob.

[Rasczak]

1.) What format has more movies now and more movies slated for the future?

This is a difficult question to answer - in fact it's impossible. BluRay currently has more US studios onside, HD DVD currently has more European distributers onside. The BluRay portfolio is around 48,000 movies, the HD DVD one is around 40,000 - will the difference manifest itself anytime soon? Not really. Will studio support change? Probably. Will the whole 'format war' be defused by dual format? Almost definetly.

If your considering buying into a format now have a look at the titles released on HD DVD and have a look at the titles released on BluRay. Really whichever list suits you likes best is the one to go for IMHO.

2.) What format is cheaper for the movies and player?

HD DVD players are generally cheaper than the BD ones. But you can shop around to get a bargain for both formats. Disc prices are roughly the same.

3.) Being that I use a Microsoft Media Center pc, is there any way one of these formats can play through the computers DVD player?

No - you would need a new drive and playback software - and your PC needs to be quite 'beefy' to handle the new formats.

[welwynnick]

Originally Posted by squale

Well I just got a new Samsung 50" DLP 1080p tv

REALLY!?
Where did you get it from?
What country are you in?
Does the TV accept 1080p video over HDMI?
Will it accept it at 24, 50 or 60Hz (all pertinent points)?

BR, Nick

[MikeK]

Well I just got a new Samsung 50" DLP 1080p tv and I have this hooked up to a Media Center 2005 computer via VGA cable. I can run Microsoft Media Player WMV-HD movies through the computer at 1080p, but there is only a couple movies available in this Microsoft format. So I was going to get another 1080p player that had more movies, and that brings me to the big Blue-Ray versus HD-DVD choice.

Now a couple questions...

1.) What format has more movies now and more movies slated for the future?

Movies now is about the same - which catalogue you like best is a personal thing. In the future, it depends on which movies you like. BluRay has more support from the big movie studios, but some of the smaller indies have gone with HD-DVD.
No HD-DVD movie is currently region coded though, whereas some BluRays (but not all) are - which could limit choice if you like to import.

2.) What format is cheaper for the movies and player?

Movies - little difference overall
Player - depends where you source the player from, but if it's a UK model, then HD-DVD is cheaper at the moment.


3.) Being that I use a Microsoft Media Center pc, is there any way one of these formats can play through the computers DVD player?

No, but you could source yourself an XBOX360 HD-DVD add-on drive for £130 - add some playback software (the latest WinDVD or PowerDVD) for about £50 IIRC, and you are in business, with HD-DVD at least.
Given that you have a media centre PC already, this certainly looks the cheapest way in at the moment.

PS - as Racszak said - as long as your PC is beefy enough!

[ani4ani]

...to add, you can source PC BD ROM drives, they are now sub £350 and apparently a couple are going to be announced next week at CES. The same software listed above also plays Blu-ray. Don't be fooled that they can do it at the same time, despite what their sites say. I purchased it the other night and without thinking about it accepted the default install to find that I had the Blu-ray version. To make it work with HD DVD, you have to re-install it and select a custom install. However the 360 Add-on works OK with it.

The software does not work within MCE currently

[squale]

okay well my computer is pretty beefy at 3.2ghz 512mb ram, 128mb video card, mce2005. BUT, here is the other option I am considering, is it possible to just download 1080p WMV-HD movies? I downloaded some clips in 1080p and they played just fine through Windows Media Center, they didn't really hang at all. Only problem is, where do you find a big list of WMV-HD movies to download or buy?

The microsoft site says that you can buy a DVD disc that has 1080p WMV-HD movies on it and play the disc right through your regular dvd player on the computer and get full 1080p resolution. I guess the WMV-HD format is much more compressed than HD-DVD or Blue-ray thus it can fit on just a regular dvd disc.

[KingOfGondor]

edited

[Nielo TM]

You can get Xbox - HD-DVD drive and PowerDVD Ultra but you do need a HDCP enabled GFX and Display.

[squale]

instead of bogging down the computer (cause I also use it to record live tv) and I know it won't be able to record live tv while simulatenously playing an hd-dvd, so I think the better choice would be to just buy an xbox 360 with the addon hd-dvd drive, what do you think?

I think a standalone hd-dvd player costs about $500 anyhow, so an xbox ($300) plus the hd-dvd addon ($200) would be the same price and I get a gaming system this way.

Is there going to be an xbox 360 coming out with a built in hd-dvd player does anybody know?

[Rob100]

Originally Posted by squale

Is there going to be an xbox 360 coming out with a built in hd-dvd player does anybody know?

Don't know about built in HD-DVD drive, but this might be of interest regarding HDMI output.

The second Xbox 360 revealed: codename Zephyr (inc. HDMI output & 120GB HDD)

[Rasczak]

Originally Posted by squale

Is there going to be an xbox 360 coming out with a built in hd-dvd player does anybody know?

It's been rumoured but nothing more at present. Maybe we'll see something announced at CES? However surely any such machine would probably be released for the pre-Xmas 07 market - and as such I can't see it being announced yet.

[mjw1999]

Originally Posted by Rob100

You'll have to decide which side of the fence to sit on for now. There's a lot of mixed opinion on this, but most forum members (Packetfront and BadAss excluded ) including myself favour HD-DVD at the moment for five main reasons:

1) Cheaper players
2) Cheaper discs
3) Better movies
4) No region restrictions on discs
5) Better PQ/AQ

Of course 3 is debatable depending on your tastes. I think Blurry has recently overtaken HD-DVD for the number of titles available.

Would forget the HTPC idea for now... I'm sure it will come in time, but stand-alone is the way to go at the moment (IMHO).

Rob.

1) there is no 1080P hddvd player in the uk YET and will be around the same price os the 1080p samsung £550-£600
2)HMV today. all hddvd were £24.99 all bluray were 17.99
3)as far as i see the better films are going to be on bluray as they have most major studio support exclusives where as hddvd have 1 major exclusive.
4)this may be true for now but what would be better is having no need for it just like dvd . BTW not all bluray is RC.
5.PQ is identical on disc as both formats are capable of the same codecs. i'm sure the likes of pioneer will knock out some great players which will squeze out that extra bit of quality tosh wont match.

I have nither bluray or hddvd but do get sick of reading ignorant members threads defending there purchases because this is what they spent there money on.
I will buy when some second gen players arrive(3rd gen tosh as ex1 will be second gen) and then do some comparrisons in this order.
Quality
disc price
player price

[Rasczak]

Originally Posted by mjw1999

there is no 1080P hddvd player in the uk YET and will be around the same price os the 1080p samsung £550-£600

The Xbox is capable of 1080p now...

HMV today. all hddvd were £24.99 all bluray were 17.99

I think you'll find that both formats have discs priced at £24.99...I brought Ultraviolet BD at that price from HMV. Both also have discs that are cheaper...but you'd be mad to pay those premiums when you can get them online much cheaper.

as far as i see the better films are going to be on bluray as they have most major studio support exclusives where as hddvd have 1 major exclusive.

HD DVD also have Studio Canal and Weinstein and numerous other 'smaller' studios...the split of films isn't that different between the formats. Who knows how studio support will change?

PQ is identical on disc as both formats

(snip)

I have nither bluray or hddvd...

They may have the potential to use the same codecs but that doesn't mean PQ is necessarily the same. Full Metal Jacket is in MPEG2 on BluRay for example and VC1 on HD DVD. I don't think their is anyone who argues that the MPEG2 version is in the same league - let alone equal - to the VC1 version...

[Bald Monkey]

Originally Posted by mjw1999

2)HMV today. all hddvd were £24.99 all bluray were 17.99

Thats bizzare because I was looking at several HD-DVD's in HMV today for £19.99, although I decided non were worth it when imports were cheaper. Must admit I didn't look at the BR costs, but they did have plenty of those on the shelf as well.