[low-def.]

I am a DUAL format owner and I was just noticing all of the combo disc pre-orders available soon to order.

Now personally I hate combo's. I think they look cheap and nasty and yet often the price is a little higher than the BD version.

If there is a HD DVD I want and it is a combo, i'll get the BD version (if available).

Why do they keep releasing them ? Do the public really want them ?

And there is always reported play back issues with combo's too on the tosh players. i.e The Good Shepherd & Smoking Aces to name a few.

Me personally I will buy the UK non combo disc if it is available before the US release. i.e The Bourne films.

We have (all US discs):

1) Eastern Promises
2) The Brave One
3) The Invasion
4) The Bourne Ultimatum
5) The Kingdom
6) Oceans 13
7) Knocked Up
8) I now pronounce you chuck and larry
9) No reservations
10) Balls of fury.

Because of these combo's I'll probably only order Eastern Promises and the Kingdom on HD DVD. I'll get the BD version of Oceans 13, The Brave One and The Invasion

[google]

I would think that most people buy combo discs not for the SD but for the HD. The fact that it may cost more to buy a combo disc than the HD-DVD disc on it's own is the issue.

I would have no use for the SD version of the film on the combo disc.

The distributors just see it as a way of getting a bit more money out of us.

Scott

[Ettepet]

The main thing combo discs 'did' for me was to show how good HD-quality could remain on a severely limited size disc. Happy Feet (US combo) still looks and sounds amazingly well!

[Rom]

I actually like them. I have had no problems with any combo on my HD-E1 and I can still play the other side in my car/bedroom SD player. As to the 'looks cheap' comment... Huh? I see the disc art for maybe 5 seconds, whilst taking the disc out of the box to put in the player

Pricewise though, I do think they are just an excuse to rip off, it doesn't cost that much more to put the SD on the other side, surely?

[Rasczak]

I am a big fan of combo discs - I find them useful to use in my own legacy equipment - in particular PC should I want to copy to my mobile media player and bedroom DVD players. Like the poster above I have not experienced any problems playing them nor do I have any trouble handling them. Price of the discs is irrelevant to me - therefore the more we see the better IMHO.

I think, in due course, HD DVD/DVD combis could be instrumental in ensuring high def adoption. We have already seen it in Star Trek but hopefully we'll see it extended to other boxsets where the price premium and packing issues are not important.

[Pecker]

Ditto.

I think most of the problems attributed to combos are rubbish.

The problems attributed to them have all been fixed by firmware upgrades.

Anyone who thinks firmware can fix problems caused by faulty glue needs their bumps feeling.

SD combos (known as 'flippers') have been around for years without problem and, as I understand it, use exactly the same process.

Anyone moaning about artwork is...well, let's just say I can't see it as a problem.

On 99% of discs the artwork is simply a reproduction of the front cover, only with a hole in the middle. 99% of the time you can't see it because it's in the case. 0.99% of the time you can't see it because it's in the player.

As for the writing being too small to read - if your eyesight is that bad, what benefit are you getting from high def?

I've never had a problem with combos. But on the other hand I have gained benefit from being able to lend to mates with SD players, or watch elsewhere in the house.

And from the latest Warner news, it looks like they're now going to be the same price as BDs.

Steve W

[Starburst]

There are times the combo discussion gets as nasty as the HD DVD/Blu-ray discussions when it comes to what others believe and how it influences their purchases

Now I don't like combos a fact I have mentioned a few times and their use has stopped me buying some releases, there is no doubt that the combo format has meant lost sales but I have yet to see any real genuine sales figures or marketing reports that DVD owners are buying HD DVD combos in expectation of a future HD DVD player purchase.
If someone has such a link perhaps from Warner then it would make interesting reading.

Now I respect all the posters who like combos as it suits there needs but all I really want is to be given a choice, release a combo by all means but back it up with a HD DVD only with the same content (minus the DVD only stuff of course).

[Nic Rhodes]

another combo fan. There is much more potential we can see here.

[Adam_uk]

I hate them.

I think they look cheap and nasty, they remind me of those discs where you had to flip them mid film.

I find the loss of disc art a loss to be fair- while you dont spend hours gazing at it, I find it a good think to have.

What benefit do they offer? The SD film? Well surely you want the HD version. That it may lead to increased adoption (which I highly doubt to be true) that gives you no personal benefit.

They just make the HD DVD version look inferior to the BD version- an inferior product.

[Rasczak]

Originally Posted by Starburst

I have yet to see any real genuine sales figures or marketing reports that DVD owners are buying HD DVD combos in expectation of a future HD DVD player purchase. If someone has such a link perhaps from Warner then it would make interesting reading.

I would like to see some figures as well - I would guess given that sales of 300 on HD DVD/DVD were less than that of Blu-ray the answer is not many at present. But what we don't know is how this will change as the formats raise their profile. For this reason we are all watching Star Trek: First Season Remastered very closely.

all I really want is to be given a choice, release a combo by all means but back it up with a HD DVD only with the same content (minus the DVD only stuff of course).

You are probably aware already but this can normally be achieved by buying UK releases. Sometimes the UK releases loses something (Bourne Ultimatium losing it's TrueHD track) but normally the releases are nigh on identical standfast release dates.

[Spidey987]

I really don't mind them, though if I could buy a non-combo version for a little cheaper, I always would. So in that respect, I'd like some choice.

[Noggin1980]

I don't like paying more for something I will probably never use, but since the practice of chargeing more seems to be disapearing I'm really not bothered either way weather its a combo or not.

I didn't vote.

[Mad Mr H]

I am not a fan of the increased price for an item I dont need......

For me I'm HD only.

[Moosh]

I don't mind buying combos if it means that I'll be getting the film a few weeks or months earlier than a non-combo release.

Also, on a side note, I've never had any problems with any combos that I've bought.

Cheers
Moosh

[Starburst]

Originally Posted by Rasczak

You are probably aware already but this can normally be achieved by buying UK releases. Sometimes the UK releases loses something (Bourne Ultimatium losing it's TrueHD track) but normally the releases are nigh on identical standfast release dates.

Yep, had to wait a while for the UK Hot Fuzz and 300 versions for non-combo, shame the Trek series isn't non-combo in the UK as well.

[Pecker]

Is someone diddling the voting here?

Every time I've looked in it's been a dead heat: 5-5, 8-8, 11-11, and now 12-12.

Steve W

[HugoFJH]

Originally Posted by Pecker

As for the writing being too small to read - if your eyesight is that bad, what benefit are you getting from high def?


Steve W

Because its alot easier seeing an 40 inch image with fine detail than usually tiny white/black writing (with thin lettering/ not bold) on a silver disc

[Jeff]

I like combos, the DVD side can be really useful. My wife never watches films in the dedicated room so it means she can watch the movie too. The other use for the DVD side is to convert it for use on an Ipod. Also I plan to put all my DVDs on a media server and stream them to TVs around the house on demand. The only company to price the combo differently was Warner and now they have stopped this practice we get the DVD side for free.

[Pecker]

Originally Posted by HugoFJH

Because its alot easier seeing an 40 inch image with fine detail than usually tiny white/black writing (with thin lettering/ not bold) on a silver disc

I wasn't being funny - I think it's a serious point.

A 40" image, yes, but we're talking about the difference between high def and upscaled SD.

On my 43" plasma the difference between the two is not hige - you occasionally need to flick between SD & HD in an A/B comparison to tell the difference (different kettle of fish on the projector, obviously).

I've never had to do an A/B comparison to read the difference between 'HD DVD' and 'DVD'.

Steve W

[the_pauley]

Originally Posted by Starburst

...there is no doubt that the combo format has meant lost sales...

Really? I was buying combos discs before I took the plunge and decided to buy a HD DVD player. I know three friends who still have a "wait and see" attitude towards HD, but all have a fair few combos discs in their collections.

So I'm sure combos also account for increased sales that would normally be lost to standard DVD.

[HugoFJH]

Originally Posted by Pecker

I wasn't being funny - I think it's a serious point.

A 40" image, yes, but we're talking about the difference between high def and upscaled SD.

On my 43" plasma the difference between the two is not hige - you occasionally need to flick between SD & HD in an A/B comparison to tell the difference (different kettle of fish on the projector, obviously).

I've never had to do an A/B comparison to read the difference between 'HD DVD' and 'DVD'.

Steve W

Well I can tell you (as I do have a problem with my eyes with text - even roadsigns and specific types of typeface) that I can see an image in enough detail to easily tell a well encoded film on BR/HD-DVD to a standard DVD

(yes admittedly some comedies etc dont make any difference) but The Rock, Descent, Top Gun, Xmen 3 to name just a few are easily identifyable as HD compared to their SD releases

Admittedly its a rare eye complaint, totally unlike short-sightedness etc in that it CANT be aided by lenses of any kind (either glasses or contacts) and only rare, expensive and 50/50 success rate laser treatment can "cure" it - which could blind me in the process

So yes I believe there is still a reason for some decent print on one side of a disc - but again I dont see why they cant press some text / basic image or artwork into the SD burnt side of a disc (if they could do it for vinyl why not for cd/ dvd/ hd discs?)

[Pecker]

I'm very sorry to hear about your eye problems.

I consider myself quite lucky - whilst being bloody useless without any correction, I'm 20/20 with my glasses & contacts, and my prescription has changed little over the last 25 years.

All the best for the future.

I agree it'd be nice to have something burned onto the surface. I have some CDs which are completely black!

Maybe the new 3-layered hybrids will solve the problem. Two layers of high def, one of standard def.

Steve W

[Adam_uk]

How far off are these, I know they can do a single sided HD DVD 15GB/ DVD 4.9GB on a single side.

A triple layer HD DVD30/ DVD would be fab- but I assume would not work in many players.

As a result of combos Blu Ray is now getting all my business for there new dual format titles

[Pecker]

Originally Posted by Adam_uk

How far off are these, I know they can do a single sided HD DVD 15GB/ DVD 4.9GB on a single side.

A triple layer HD DVD30/ DVD would be fab- but I assume would not work in many players.

It's one of the uses of triple-layered discs, all of which will work on all current HD DVD players.

And presumably SD DVD players, which will simply not see the HD layers, in the same way that normal CD players can't see an SACD layer on CD/SACD hybrid discs.

Steve W

[Starburst]

Originally Posted by the_pauley

Really? I was buying combos discs before I took the plunge and decided to buy a HD DVD player. I know three friends who still have a "wait and see" attitude towards HD, but all have a fair few combos discs in their collections.

People have refused to buy combos and I am more than happy to acknowledge that some people have bought a combo when only owning a DVD player with or without a firm intention to buy into the HD DVD format.
That said what is important is the overall ratio, has the combo format been good for HD DVD or bad for HD DVD and there are no official figures or marketing reports to clarify either way.

How many dual owners bough Blu-ray 300 because it was cheaper despite the interactive stuff and the combo HD DVD offered, how many HD DVD owners simply didn't buy it from the US( the US market being far more important than the UK sales).

I think the fact some disks are being re-issued speaks volumes, the market for non-combo releases must be there even when the combo release has been freely available for quite a while.

So I'm sure combos also account for increased sales that would normally be lost to standard DVD.

I'd agree, if no DVD owner was buying combos then what a total that would be but has that meant enough revenue to cover lost DVD and HD DVD sales when measured separately and how has it affected the perception of HD DVD thanks to the early failures of the format (largely fixed judging from recent threads on the forum)?


Nothing will convince me (even my thoughts are considered pointless, rubbish or irrelevant by others) that the combo has had overall a positive effect on HD DVD market penetration.

[HugoFJH]

Originally Posted by Pecker

snip

Steve W

No worries at all

appologies if I appeared to "snap"

[JamesL]

If there is an option to buy a combo over a non-combo HD or BR release I go for the combo. I think they're great: my home cinema may be HD DVD enabled but my laptop isn't and neither is my bedroom DVD player.

[Trent.]

Originally Posted by JamesL

If there is an option to buy a combo over a non-combo HD or BR release I go for the combo. I think they're great: my home cinema may be HD DVD enabled but my laptop isn't and neither is my bedroom DVD player.

Same here!

I have no problem at all with combo discs.