HD DVD needs us

[steve0]

I have been into gadgets for many years. I was one of the first people to import a dvd player also I imported a psone, PSP, DS and sky HD ect but nothing has given me more pleasure and surppased my expectations more than the Toshiba HD DVD player.

It really gets me mad when all the so called experts predict that Blue ray is the future even though the first reviews have been very negative for the new format.

I urge people who havent experienced HD DVD to buy a player on import or when its officially released, the picture and sound are amazing, It really is hard to explain why but when my partner and i sit down to watch a HD DVD it becomes an event rather than just watching TV.

It really would be sad if an inferior product like Blueray won because of hype and marketing.

Im not a fanboy I just support brilliant technology at a good price.

 

[Rasczak]

It really gets me mad when all the so called experts predict that Blue ray is the future even though the first reviews have been very negative for the new format.

TBH the reactions of a few on here amuses rather than annoys me. They pationately defend/praise BluRay yet they haven't invested in a BD player. They predict how it will rule the world, yet the don't even own a single title. Most of them haven't even seen a BD disk let alone a player.

It really would be sad if an inferior product like Blueray won because of hype and marketing

I wouldn't be too concerned - personally I believe both formats will live side by side and eventually we'll see dual players. HD DVD has a strong case: cheap players, Xbox 360 support, Vista support and a growing number of CE companies (NAD being the latest) supporting it. Support for BluRay isn't exactly enthusiastic at present either - look at this forums poll - so early adopters, as you would expect, are picking the best. All the time HD DVD offers the quality at the right price it has a good future!

 

[Nic Rhodes]

I think many of have been won over by the sheer quality of the Toshiba player, however it does not stop BD doing exactly the same some time in the future when they sort out their 'premature birth' teething problems. Two formats can both produce quality, it is just down to BD to do this, catch up and they will.

 

[rover2002]

I think many of have been won over by the sheer quality of the Toshiba player, however it does not stop BD doing exactly the same some time in the future when they sort out their 'premature birth' teething problems. Two formats can both produce quality, it is just down to BD to do this, catch up and they will.

Should be intresting come Jan 07 to see how things stand

 

[midknight]

I agree with all this - I too have been really impressed with HD DVD and am quite amazed at the amount of people who expect it to come second to Blu Ray. Personally I think Bly Ray will stand or fall on how well the PS3 does.

I would heartily recommend HD DVD to anyone who is thinking about it as it is fantastic!

 

[av addict]

well just joined the hd-dvd club today so looking forward to many years
of watching hddvds now

now wheres that projector forum

 

[Welwynnick]

It really gets me mad when all the so called experts predict that Blue ray is the future even though the first reviews have been very negative for the new format.

I really think you are confusing the players and discs with formats. There really is very little to chose between the formats.

Nick

 

[Avi]

I really think you are confusing the players and discs with formats. There really is very little to chose between the formats.

Nick

I think most are referring to how the respective formats have been executed to date versus the expectation set by each camp. I know some will say that BD hasn't really been launched yet but I wonder if the same people would say this if what has been released so far was a resounding success. I will continue to judge on what is available to see and hear in the real word rather than the world of hype.

At the end of the day I'm not interested in the technical hype I just want to watch movies with the best image and audio quailty at a reasonable price.

AVI

 

[Karma]

TBH the reactions of a few on here amuses rather than annoys me. They pationately defend/praise BluRay yet they haven't invested in a BD player. They predict how it will rule the world, yet the don't even own a single title. Most of them haven't even seen a BD disk let alone a player.

Why would anyone invest in either BluRay or HD-DVD until the format has been finalised? Players currently being rushed to market are still in 0.9 guise. Similar to early DVD players, it was two years before the sound format was finalised leaving a lot od very unhappy people. I will wait until one format or the other dominates (or both fail)

I wouldn't be too concerned - personally I believe both formats will live side by side and eventually we'll see dual players.

I agree there will be dual players (despite Sonys' protestation) Denon are currently working on one. However that is no guarantee either format will succeed. SACD / DVD-A being a case in point.

Sadly, us followers of quality are in the very small minority.

Most people are only interested in speed of download / cheapness or the ability to get it for free.

Quality comes a very poor secong. The audio industry is littered with good formats that fail because of convenience / marketing.

VHS v V2000 / Betamax. CD instead of AHD. mp3 v ...well almost anything.

K

 

[Rasczak]

Why would anyone invest in either BluRay or HD-DVD until the format has been finalised?

The formats HAVE been finalised. The core BD-Video and HD DVD-ROM specs are both set solid and will not change. Some interactive features may prove elusive to first generation machines but by the time that arrives it be several years down the line.

Investing in the new formats makes perfect sense - most of us have HDTVs and the new formats present the very best way to get your moneys worth out of them. Having a High Def TV and not having a decent High Def source is pointless. If you have a HDTV solely fro SkyHD you really don't know what your missing out on.

I agree there will be dual players (despite Sonys' protestation) Denon are currently working on one

Denon neither have the resources or the R&D capacity to create a dual player. They also lack the clout to get such a device licenced. What you have read is a comment that they would like dual players. Before Denon make one you'll see them arrive on PCs first: Liteon, LG (Hitachi-LG) or Samsung (TSST) are likely to be first.

 

[jsgreen89]

Part of the reason I'm importing an HD-A1 now is to give HD-DVD as much support as early as possible.

Hopefully the more people that buy players and discs early on, the more likely it'll be that studios lend their support to HD-DVD.

 

[Karma]

Denon neither have the resources or the R&D capacity to create a dual player. They also lack the clout to get such a device licenced. What you have read is a comment that they would like dual players. Before Denon make one you'll see them arrive on PCs first: Liteon, LG (Hitachi-LG) or Samsung (TSST) are likely to be first.

It is a little more than like.

"Sony are saying that it isn't possible to make a universal player even though Ricoh has announced a solution that can read both formats. It is rumoured that Denon may be first in line with a universal HD-DVD / BluRay player, which is one way of not getting caught in a VHS v Betamax war"

quoted from John Thompson - Hi Fi News.

Denon in fact have a history of solving universal player problems, along with Pioneer (except they have a foot in one camp, now)

K

 

[Welwynnick]

I agree there will be dual players ............... However that is no guarantee either format will succeed. SACD / DVD-A being a case in point.

Absolutely agree with that. Both formats surviving may be a likely outcome, but that parallel with HD audio discs may suggest that HD video discs will only succeed DVD if one, and only one, of them succeed.

If both formats continue without killing the other off, the public may never accept either. It would be interesting to hear how, say HD DVD is faring commercially compared with SACD at the same stage in it's life.

BR, Nick

 

[rover2002]

I think Nick that in 6 months the avarage consumer will avoid both, when he sees he/she can't play both BR/HD movies on one player.The best case i can see right now is BR becoming a niche product for the PS3 and HD replacing DVD.

 

[Rasczak]

"Sony are saying that it isn't possible to make a universal player even though Ricoh has announced a solution that can read both formats. It is rumoured that Denon may be first in line with a universal HD-DVD / BluRay player, which is one way of not getting caught in a VHS v Betamax war"

I have no doubt a dual format play is entirely possible. If you use Samsungs twin optical head approach you could even do it now. However that doesn't alter the fact that a 'dual' player will be developed by one of the major optical drive producers and not by a company like Denon.

Denon in fact have a history of solving universal player problems, along with Pioneer (except they have a foot in one camp, now)

Denon has developed universal solutions - it does not develop optical drives. For them to have a dual format player someone else needs to develop it first. And I can assure you when that happens they will not sell it to Denon first.

 

[Paulleahey]

I quite agree with you steve0 - we all need to get behind HD-DVD as much as possible and while I admit to waiting 3 months to see if things took off, i've now purchased my A1 from Movietyme and cannot wait for that big box to arrive!

I too imported the very first Toshiba DVD player back in 98 I think it was (and probably paid a lot more than £429 including 7 HD-DVDs!), imported my Sega Genesis and Jap Megadrive so i'm right behind you sir!

Main thing to do now is keep purchasing the high-quality discs and show the studios that HD-DVD is here to stay and we want the best from it!

Personally I'd love to see us here on AVForums do something similar to AVS and co-ordinate another "buying HD-DVD day!" - maybe [email protected] could sponsor us with another discount deal! lol

 

[Nivek TT]

I haven't stepped up to making a purchase yet but I'm very tempted by HD-DVD!

The idea of a hybrid HD-DVD / Bluray play concerns me simply because of the price of the thing. It seems HD-DVD is much cheaper than bluray but surely a hybrid drive would exceed the cost of even a bluray player!

I would much prefer to see HD-DVD win the war than see customers be expected to pay through the nose for a hybrid!

 

[Northerner76]

As someone who will shortly be buying a HD-A1 and now have a vested interest in HD-DVD over BRD - basically because I don't really want to hav eto buy a BRD player if HD-DVD goes t!ts up!!

Listening to Chris Moyles talk about his new HD-TV this morning, made me consider the missed PR opportunity for HD-DVD - namely Moyles and his annoying sidekick Aled were bemoaning the lack of HD content for their new screens...

Think of the headstart the HD-DVD could get if they gave the fatman a free HD-DVD - he likes to talk about his gadgets (especially his 360) and has a large listening base so doing this could yield benefits to the HD-DVD cause

My only concern would be the potential for misinformation and people ending up confused...

So then, who wants to give him a freebie

 

[flexiondotorg]

Although it was posted a little over a year ago, the comments from John Dawson (Arcam) in the post below are still a valid read especially regarding the development costs and format incompatibilties for potential universal players.

http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=212826