The Official Blu-ray/HD DVD Discussion Thread

Besides my player's balkiness about changing resolutions, which has ceased, the only problem I've had was one bad disc. I got one of the bad copies of Full Metal Jacket. It frooze 3 players at chapter 14. Stuff you've heard about freezing is way more often disc related, not player related. When about 10,000 people get a new player at nearly the same time, there surely will be some lemons in the basket. There were. When you have runs of a brand new format, there's proably a little higher deffective rate on the media. I have one defective disc out of 21, although 3 are unwatched as of yet.

So far, this format has proved to me it can deliver the goods. The things that I'm not pleased about in the audio section are the same in the Blu-way. I'm not pleased that Dolby + has been restricted to HDMI or the player's analog out's. I think Dolby + = the Dolby hi-rate that came out of D-VHS decks optical out. Like I said, this has been imposed on both formats.

I usually like Sony ergonomics and features. I may like the Blu-ray players in some ways more than than Toshiba's...? The Toshiba's performance has made me wonder if we really need higher priced players with more capacity to just watch movies....? We'll see? Samsung & Sony are gearing up for a big push, it appears, from a chat I had with a couple of Circus City employees who'd recieved the Samsung BD sales training recently.

BTW, I get more impressed on each release day. Yesterday's ex-tree large 'bout of amazination was set off by Blazing Saddles. Today's fare was U-571, boom, boom!

This format war is full of wasser baums!

 

I've watched all 21 HD-DVD's out after last night's vision-quest. I watched Van Helsing last night. It's a title that's apparently had more than a few defective discs from the chatter I've taken in this week. My copy played flawlessly. BTW, the disc is an absolute revelation compared to the DVD. The movie didn't get any better but the reproduction sure did.

Chronicles Of Riddick was last night's first feature of the Creature Double Feature en mi teatro del casero! It, too, was heads above my DVD that's for sale, incidently! I kind'a like this film despite it's trite dialog. It's got a consistent kind of dumb going on....

Some others thoughts on defective discs. The pits are even smaller on Blu-ray than HD-DVD's. Yes, both are smaller than DVD's. I kind'a suspect when the blu-wave comes they'll have quite a few defective discs too. I've read quite a few news bits describing the troubles they're having getting good yields out of Blu-ray test runs. We've all become accustomed to a very low defective rate for DVD's. It's gonna be higher for these formats for atleast a while, I believe. I've just had the one, Full Metal Jacket, and the replacement was purr-fect.

People are so quick to blame the players for freezes, it's mostly been bad discs with HD-DVD, IMO. I suspect some of the same for Blu-way when it comes out of it's holding pattern and lands.

I wish I had another 21 HD-DVD's to watch! That's about a 48 hour supply....

 

Sounds good.

I may try that XBOX 360 add-on for HD-DVD when it comes out.

 

I noticed that Netflix started having HD-DVD's for rent:

http://www.netflix.com/Genre?sgid=2442&lnkctr=LhcGenre2442
also, Blu Ray:
http://www.netflix.com/Genre?sgid=2444&lnkctr=LhcGenre2444

 

I'm going to wait some more until the dust settles or a universal player is created. Prices will go down as will technical kinks. I paid $550 for one of the first progressive scan DVD players and within 1 year those were selling between $200-$300 with more features like DVD-A.

 

There's no titles coming out this week. I'm gonna watch some DVD' and D-VHS tapes. I actually have 2 D-Theater tapes I've never watched, besides I wanna a fresh taste of D-Theater audio as compared to HD-DVD's. I have tapes of Evolution and Fight Club begging to be played. I might pull out U-571 since I just watched it on HD-DVD...?

I'm gonna switch my XA1 back to HDMI from component for the DVD's. I think I like HD-DVD best on component on my CRT RP. I'm convinced it has a better, darker, more accurate black level. The 1080i upconversion for DVD's I wanna try some more of though.

 

I had some player freeze issues, but with a laser lens cleaner, it seems to have cleared up. On a 100" screen the difference is plain, even though I have an excellent scaler, and DVD can look very good. It makes the HD lite from cable look like poorly upscaled DVD.

 

I compared U-571 on D-Theater tape and HD-DVD this week. The video looks pretty much identical. The audio was my real intrest. It was D-Theater's 576 kps Dolby processed by my Marantz AV9000 pre versus the Toshiba player's internal decoder's Dolby +, that's "up to 640 kps. Note, that the rates don't necessarily compare too closely because Dolby + is some different and cannot be processed in today's processors.. I wasn't too scientific about it but I did use a Radio Shack meter to approximatelly match levels.

The D-Theater sound won in my judgement. It did have the advantage, IMO, of being prrocessed in my Marantz AV9000 pre. The Toshiba's audio processor is of questionable lineage. It was a close horse race though. Dolby + might be well win with a better audio device than the Toshiba? It lost this time.

I really ignored the big boom effects for comparing the sound. I did use the film's initial wasser bombes, deapth charges that is, for level matching. I think it's easier to compare effects on littler things like the sound of water, or bulkheads stressing or collapsing. I got centred on Harvey Keitel's voice on some scenes. His dialog in his deep voice seemed much better on D-VHS. The dialog was just better with D-VHS I thought.

I wish HD-DVD's Dolby was the elder variety at a higher rate, 576-640 kps would do nicely. Using Dolby + now and having it transcoded in the player, and if it goes out one of the traditional digital out's, then, gets transcoded again to 1500 kps DTS. The DTS seems OK but IMO, 576 Dolby is better. This has been my experience with D-VHS. About a third of my Tapes include 1500 DTS.

I wish Dolby + had been put off for awhile and it stille could be? The Perfect Storm is scheduled for Dolby EX...?

 

I just ran the Toshiba update disc on my A1 and load time went from 70 seconds to 45 to the FBI warning. Eject time went from about 30 seconds to less than 10. I'm gonna switch back to HDMI later, from component, and see if the black/white performance has improved.

Since the last time I posted, I've been thrilled with the looks of every title I've bought....all of 'em except The Rundown. I'm livin' in a 1080i fairytale.... I only wish titles would come faster.

 

Hi, Rachael. Glad to hear everything is sailing smoothly thus far for you. I was curious if you've seen The Perfect Storm on HD-DVD yet. DVDReview gave the transfer a thumbs down, and I was wondering if you saw the same things. Thanks.

 

I'm pleased even with the 3 Warner film's that are alleged to have come from subpar elements, TPS, The Fugitive, and Full Metal Jacket. Everybody sez that TPS is too soft. I saw it in the theater and on DVD. I'm not so sure that's not how it's supposed to look.

I'm more open to the criticism of The Fugitive and FMJ. I noticed some lines wiggle in Fugitive that clued me in that it was from an older, less detailed master. I never had the DVD of this one. I went from the LD to the HD-DVD and if it lacks some, I'm not so bothered. If this is an example of bad HD, ain't that a bitch! I find it very darn watchable!

FMJ, I'm not so sure what to make of. Kubrick was such a disident filmaker. He loved narrow aspects and filmstocks that show grain. This one shows alott'a grain. Is it a really mediocre transfer, maybe? Is it so detailed in 1080i that it will always show alott'a grain, maybe? I'm not a big fan of this film. I've never bought it before. My brother-in-law gave me a DVD of it for Christmas a few years back and this "poor" HD-DVD trounces it. I can live with this disc!

Warner is a very conscientious studio and I believe they'll excel in the long run. Some of these discs may have been printed before the players were even for sale yet? We don't know in what order they were actually manufactured. Warner did really, really well on Blazing Saddles , the oldest film out yet.

I'm not suprised at all that Universal has been a bit stronger out of the gate. Tthey had D-Theater experience, along with Fox, Dreamworks, and Anchor Bay, BTW. They've mostly done new-ish films but the more aged Happy Gilmore and Apollo 13 came out well.

I think we're gonna see mostly new-ish films on HD formats until the installed, base of players gets bigger. Then the studios will have the motivation to make 4000 x 4000 HD masters for more films. There will be exceptions, especially with Warner. They'll be the first ones to put out an Academy Ratio film in HD, in all likelyhood....Adventures Of Robin Hood perhaps??? They have plenty more old films they've given serious restoration work....

I'm pleased with even the few less, well done discs and the others are booty-ful! I've seen nearly all of what's out. The Rundown I skipped because I have the D-VHS. I got U-571, also a former D-VHS tape, to compare to the tape. I'm going to get more selective from here on in. I've already traded away Constantine, which was amazing looking but du-uuuu-mb beyond reason. I decided I didn't need it, well, couldn't take it anymore. I even bought Doom but only because my nephew wanted to see it.

Overall, I'm just impressed.

 

I can't help myself either.....

 

Are you going in early on blu-ray as well? Should be a player out by the end of the month, and apparently, you can already get a disc or two to look at.

 

No, I saw the Samsung player monday eve. I saw part of The Filth Element too... $1000 for a Samsung player, no way! Come to think of it I don't wanna pay $1000 for a Sony player either. I'm wait and see on Blu-way. There's a Blu-slump going on and the Sony consortium is going to have to perk up.

No matter what ultimately happens, you gotta' love Toshiba for raising the bar. I'm so sure Sony would shlock everything without the competition. Their crap-ola TFE disc is a good indicator of that in some respects, I think. If Blu-way has a chance, it's gonna have to show it's best cards soon. Suppourt for Toshiba is building and the discs continue to impress!

If Sony loses, I hope they don't drag it out in vain....same for Toshiba, I suppose. The war is good for us consumers up to a point.

 

Rachel Bee,

Please understand, as a fellow Tennesseean (and former Knoxvillian) I mean this in only the best of senses: You truly are a freak of nature.

doug

 

I'm a self confessed audio-vidiot for sure.

 

What was crapola about the TFE you saw?

 

The print was covered with dirt and scratches and I mean covered. There was no choice on what disc. That was the only one they'd open. I wanted to see how a brand new film like 50 First Dates looked. Blu-ray may end up a good format but Sony should be ashamed of their TFE release! It showed passable resolution but the print was a wreck. I need more data.

I'll proably try Blu-ray at some point unless their slump becomes permanent. I ordered a copy of T1 from Amazon for $11.98. When or if I try Blu-ray, I'd want the Sony or Pioneer players, I'd imagine. I wouldn't pay what they say they're going to ask...so, it may be some while? Plus, the software would have to make some strides. Fox and Dreamworks have D-Theater experience. Maybe they can show Sony how to do it? In a nutshell, Blu-way has something to prove to me, well lots.

 

OH, it's not just that--your the GRANDE DAME OF AUDIO as well!


doug

 

I was looking at a forum last night, discussing the new player and Blu-ray titles. First off, this forum was not moderated, and it was BRUTAL (and easily tiring, love this place), but there was a lot of gun jumping and mis-information. People were taking the bad TFE to mean that Blu-Ray sucked, whereas several people reported that the 3 other discs were very good looking. The Digital Bits reported that something was way off on the Samsungs HDMI out, that analog component looked much better. I didn't early adopt CD or DVD, so I think I must have missed out on these type of hiccups as those technologies got started, but these technologies seem kinda half cooked. I do remember the first time I saw DVD playback, it was crawling with compression artifacts, but I hardly notice these things now. These things take time, and there will always be some great, some duds and plenty of pretty goods.

 

I would have gladly jumped on the HD wagon if their was one format but no....they have to have a war.

So even though the reports here are for HD-DVD, I'll wait awhile for this war to settle.

 

I suppose it's fortunate for me that I don't have HD anything right now. By the time I jump in, HDMI should carry audio and video and be bug free, either one format or the other will dominate or universals will be reliable, good and relatively inexpensive. That's what I hope, anyway. My concern is almost non-existent, though my curiosity is up. I still haven't watched all of the standard DVD's that I own.

 

HD is wonderful. I have a HD cable box and plenty of HDMI hookups but this war sucks. Someone like me would be the perfect person for HD-DVD etc. but a format war once again is just not worth putting up with again.

 

By December, maybe the war will shake out some? Blu-way is planning a big November media blitz. By then we'll know if Sony & associates can make a comeback. Will Sony purr-fec 25g discs. They seem to be having a hard time even doing this. Will the 50g discs ever pan out? Will Blu-way drop mpeg2 video in favour of VC-1 and/or mpeg4? Can Sony get their stand-alone player to market by then? Surely!

All the same, it looks like Blu-ray is a work in progress. It may never hit the potential Sony has proclaimed it to possess? The bloody software is the problem. I'm not too tech literate but from discussions I've followed at AVS recently that the present Blu releases may only be 21-22g...? Maybe they'll never get 25g on a layer? If they ever get two layers, will it be 45g or less? IMO, Blu-ray isn't ready for the market particularly using mpeg2 that uses more capaciy than VC1, plus, the pcm audio is gobbling up more than DD or DTS. Maybe they anticipated having dual-layered disc by now? Proably?

Blu-way has potential but that's just it. Toshiba's technology is easier, an extension of present day DVD technology. It works just fine and is proably fairly close to it's visual potential already. I'm partial to it unless Blu-way makes an amazing comeback and falls down in price.

I'm glad there's a format war. Otherwise, Blu-way might just be imposed on us in Sony's usual manner, sloppy and lackadaisical style. Super-butt's later... Toshiba has raised the bar!