[steve1]

ive just started to use my toshiba hd e1 dvd player again. after seeing the cost of cheap hd dvds.my question is. is it worth me selling this player to get a 1080p hd dvd player. as i have a 1080p tv would i notice the difference.in picture quality. must admit already owning a ps3 cant see much in 1080p or 720p or 1080i anyway. so maybe answered me own question

[simonblue]

Maybe if you can get one cheap enought,depend on screen size

[steve1]

my tv is a tosh 42z3030 any ideas where i can get life of brian hd dvd

[simonblue]

Hi dont think you will see much diff,if you feel like an upgrade and can get one at a cheap price,the XE1
Dont think you can get The Life of Brian on hd dvd, blu ray only.

[Alphathon]

You do realise that HD DVD is dead right? They don't make them any more. Also, as you already own a PS3 you already have an upscaling DVD player and Blu-Ray player, and a pretty good one at that, so I really don't see the point.

If you really want to see if you can tell the difference, try a Blu-ray! Bear in mind that not all blu-rays are created equal (and nor were hd dvds) so some look better than others. By the way, I would highly recommend the dark knight on blu-ray, absolutelly stunning! Even if you don't want to buy one, you could rent one.

If you just want to get it because its cheap, bear in mind that it'll be fine to do that for a while, but what if it fails a year two down the line? It'll be a lot more difficult to get hold of a new player then so you may be left with a library of useless disks.

[steve1]

some good advice there i think i should concentrate on bluerays and give my hd player the elbow

[Strocky]

Originally Posted by steve1

some good advice there i think i should concentrate on bluerays and give my hd player the elbow

Look at the HD-DVD library currently available and if you see 30-40 films that you like, you could easily save £300-£400 on the Bluray counterpart

[gixxerman]

Yeah, have to agree with Strocky.

You can build a very nice high definition movie collection for peanuts with HD DVD, so why pass up on that?
It's the same 1080p movie, the movie format is not dead only the disc media format so really, who cares if HD DVD is dead?

You can have both formats so why not just select the HD DVD version when you find there is a choice?
You will end up with the exact same thing (or so close as to be indistinguishable if you're going to be picky about the audio sometimes) for a fraction of the Blu-ray price.

If the thought of your HD DVD player failing bothers you then you can always pick up another for very little money to tuck away; I got my Xbox HD DVD add-on (to use as a PC ROM drive) for just £20.
No need to worry when prices are that tiny.

Fill your boots!

[steve1]

great advice. there i do actually like collecting the hd dvds .dont know why it seems a bit more exclusive than bluerays. any advice though on my original question though should i upgrade my hd e1 player for a 1080p player

[Bald Monkey]

Which player are you thinking of getting?

IMHO which player you get is more important than the output resolution alone.. If you were asking if I would recommend the XE1 as a player then definately yes!! If it was the EP30 instead of the E1 then it's not quite so clear cut IMHO..

[signs]

I have to say i'm selling/trading my Blu's that i can get on the cheaper HDDVD

[roman-r]

Originally Posted by Bald Monkey

Which player are you thinking of getting?

IMHO which player you get is more important than the output resolution alone.. If you were asking if I would recommend the XE1 as a player then definately yes!! If it was the EP30 instead of the E1 then it's not quite so clear cut IMHO..

I agree.

I had the E1 and it's a decent HD-DVD player as all Tosh's are.

I find my XE1 adds great improvement in sound. I used coaxal with both, XE1 was better than E1 and now I use 6 phono to get the HD codecs - another worthy step forward.

I also had an EP30 and the E1 definatetly sounded better comparing both via coax/optical.

I've only a 480p plasma but with a VP50 sitting inbetween so I can't comment on picture based on experience as I can'tmake use of 1080p. However, if you can move from 60htz to 24fps then 3:2 pulldown is removed so a small step forward in picture.

Hope that helps a little.

[roman-r]

Originally Posted by signs

I have to say i'm selling/trading my Blu's that i can get on the cheaper HDDVD

Of course, HD-DVD the "movie connisseur's" format of choice

[steve1]

very true hd dvds seem a bit more exclusive now. compared to bluerays. reminds me of the old days when i use to buy the superbit versions of standard dvds. any one remember superbit

[The Snake]

Just stick with what you've got steve, i've got a PS3, its over hyped cobblers, never use the damn thing, its gathering bust, perhaps great for a teenage kid in a bedroom who wants DVD/games and internet all in one.

Same applies with 1080p, might be someone with a massive TV thats into to it, us mortals in anything less than 50", its a bit useless. I'm more than happy with the EP30 kicking out 720p and buying cheap DVD's that I can upscale from HMV for £3 a pop.

[emthree]

Originally Posted by Strocky

Look at the HD-DVD library currently available and if you see 30-40 films that you like, you could easily save £300-£400 on the Bluray counterpart

With HD DVD, for some reason, you want sometimes even to go for the movies you 'don't' like. I just ordered Mr.Bean's Holiday. Don't know what came over me Maybe it had something to do with the £2.99 inc. price tag.

[steve1]

me to i love the price tag of these hd dvds cant moan at that.

[Spy]

Originally Posted by roman-r

Of course, HD-DVD the "movie connisseur's" format of choice

Why do "movie conniseurs" always go for obsolete formats

First betamax then laserdisc and now HD-DVD !

Surely Blu-ray is just as good as HD-DVD in terms of picture and audio quality

[rojgelf]

Originally Posted by Spy

Surely Blu-ray is just as good as HD-DVD in terms of picture and audio quality

Its the same PQ and AQ, but blu was slower to adopt PiP and web content etc - look at the profile 1.0 / 1.1 / 2.0 mess of early blu machines. If it wasn't for HD DVD blu might not have that now at all, competition is good.

I'd rather have my fully featured HD DVD player than a profile 1.0 blu player right now.

[roman-r]

Originally Posted by Spy

Why do "movie conniseurs" always go for obsolete formats

First betamax then laserdisc and now HD-DVD !

Surely Blu-ray is just as good as HD-DVD in terms of picture and audio quality

When they were competing, I found HD-DVD had the titles that suited me and although those titles are now appearing on BR they cost 2,3 or even 4 times the price that they can be picked up on HD-DVD.

Also I felt BR was a bit more comercialised/mainstream kind of product but I guess that was because of the films it kicked off with.

Also Discs are only as good as the effort put into them. So although both formats were identical in picture ability, reviews seemed to favour the efforts made on HD-DVDs more so than BR.

But most importantly, I just like being different

[BrianPK]

Originally Posted by Spy

Why do "movie conniseurs" always go for obsolete formats

First betamax then laserdisc and now HD-DVD !

Surely Blu-ray is just as good as HD-DVD in terms of picture and audio quality

There's just something special about HD DVD.The same applies to LP records in the HI-Fi world.They just refused to die and have a massive following/ ownership still. It's called cachet.There's enormous pride in ownership and quality of the product.......but there again, perhaps £3 a disc helps or it might even be the distinguished dark red colour of the plastic cover as against the common as muck blue colour of the rivals Either way,I just love the little devils and can't get enough of them.

[Getgaff]

Originally Posted by BrianPK

Either way,I just love the little devils and can't get enough of them.

Amen to that

[robcat101]

I think HD-DVD's tune into our desire to "collect" on a number of different levels.

1) It helps that there is only a finite number of items to collect (however misguided and insane buying every HD-DVD would be, it would be nice to think we could get them all - Blu-Ray as a live format makes this impossible).

2) The perceived rarity factor makes us treasure them more

3) Intitally a lot of the titles you want are relatively cheap i.e. £3 a disc so it sucks you into collecting more

Please note that 3) contradicts 1) & 2) because the fact than they are only worth £3 on the open market actually proves they are not really that rare or collectable!

I also find it ironic that once you get sucked in you then start having to pay more for a "rare" HD-DVD than it's Blu-Ray counterpart - but by then you're too far in to give up!

Similarly you end up buying movies that you wouldn't dream of buying even on DVD (the aforementioned Mr Bean movie being the classic example - BTW apologies to any fans of the movie). This goes against the fact that really you are a movie fan first and foremost so really you're meant to watch these things. Similarly when you are reluctant break the seal on a rare title, you have to question what you're really thinking.

I would also stick my neck out and state it's probably mainly (if not exclusively) men exhibiting this behaviour, women are too busy acting insane in different (but equally baffling) ways! (I feel I can say this with relative impunity since my wife really can't understand my HD-DVD obsession but then again she has about 40 different shades of nail varnish and 100 pairs of shoes! Go figure?)

[BrianPK]

Originally Posted by robcat101

I think HD-DVD's tune into our desire to "collect" on a number of different levels.

I would also stick my neck out and state it's probably mainly (if not exclusively) men exhibiting this behaviour, women are too busy acting insane in different (but equally baffling) ways! (I feel I can say this with relative impunity since my wife really can't understand my HD-DVD obsession but then again she has about 40 different shades of nail varnish and 100 pairs of shoes! Go figure?)

[Spy]

Really interesting responses to my post guys.

I can see many of the reasons you are all extolling for the popularity (at least here) with HD-DVD.

I like robcat's insight that it appeals to our desire to collect, whether it is football stickers or HD-DVD - the fact that you know there is a finite number probably helps us remember our childhood with football stickers or Planet of the Apes cards

[roman-r]

Originally Posted by BrianPK

or it might even be the distinguished dark red colour of the plastic cover as against the common as muck blue colour of the rivals

Forgot that point. I loathed the idea of having shelves of sky blue cases - I live in a Victorian Terrace House and my living room furniture is all dark wood so the blood red matches perfectly

[emthree]

Originally Posted by robcat101

Similarly you end up buying movies that you wouldn't dream of buying even on DVD (the aforementioned Mr Bean movie being the classic example - BTW apologies to any fans of the movie).

I am the one (of many I am sure), who got Mr. Bean's Holiday. But what happened after is even more intriguing. When it failed to play on my XE1 after three trials (yes, HMV gladly exchanged it for me three times), rather than returning it for money back, I bought an EP-35 to play this unwatchable movie. I justified it as a back up player, in case XE1 goes bust. I have however, developed a soft spot for the 'miming to opera' scene in the movie and have watched it a few times!

[robcat101]

Originally Posted by emthree

I am the one (of many I am sure), who got Mr. Bean's Holiday. But what happened after is even more intriguing. When it failed to play on my XE1 after three trials (yes, HMV gladly exchanged it for me three times), rather than returning it for money back, I bought an EP-35 to play this unwatchable movie. I justified it as a back up player, in case XE1 goes bust. I have however, developed a soft spot for the 'miming to opera' scene in the movie and have watched it a few times!

You've got it bad, man!

This brings up another related sickness. I always used to play my HD-DVD's on my PC but I figured that since I now have so many HD-DVD's I should have a stand-alone player - so I got a EP30 on ebay. I am now thinking I should also have a back-up player just in case there is a problem. I also think I should have got a EP35 instead (even though I only have a 2.1 setup).

Since there are only a finite number of models of HD-DVD player, would it not make sense to "collect the set" of HD-DVD players? (E1's are looking like good value for money at the moment)

[Spy]

Love it guys !!!

Funnily enough, I have had a similar thought regarding a back-up player in case my XA1 gives up the ghost !

[roman-r]

I've an XE1 and my old E1 is at my mums so the kids can watch our HD-DVDs when they're being baby sitted over there.

Did think about another XE1 as a backup but decided against based on the following calculation.

1) I only use my XE1 for HD-DVD

2) I will only ever own about 350 HD-DVDs of the 700+ available

3) I'll watch each one about 2.5 times on average

4) Don't really watch extras

So that means if each movie lasts an average of 2 hrs, I'm only going to be using my player for about 1,750 hrs so I'll be very unluck if my player can't manage that.

Even if I watch each movie 5 times still only 3,500 hrs of play.


Oh and lastly, Mr Beans Holiday is superb