HD is the 1080p worth the extra $$$

[oldglory]

I have a 720p right now. From what i have seen the 1080p is $800 to $1200 more for the same size of HDTV I have right now, is it worth it??

[Martin]

unless you're planning on getting another set right now, 720p should do just fine. the only material currently available in 1080p is hd-dvd and blue-ray movies. i wouldn't ditch a 720p set just to get 1080p.

if you are in the market for a new set, then 1080p is worth it only if you plan on getting an hd-dvd or blue-ray player in the future... otherwise, you'll never be taking full advantage of the set's capabilities. therefore if you're just going to watch hd television with the set, then i don't think it's worth the extra money.

-M

[oldglory]

What ones going to win out HD-DVD or Blue-Ray?

[Martin]

that's the $10 million dollar question. i think many people believe that blu-ray is going to win out because it currently has more studio support... if i were to buy a player today, it'd be that one. i think it's still too soon to tell for sure, though. -M

[CMSturgeon]

When referring to 1080p, you are of course going to buy this tv right?:




Oh yeah! 65" of kick a** entertainment!

[Easy180]

that's the $10 million dollar question. i think many people believe that blu-ray is going to win out because it currently has more studio support... if i were to buy a player today, it'd be that one. i think it's still too soon to tell for sure, though. -M

It appears (even though I haven't looked too closely) that Blu Ray is winning out on Netflix..Many of the new releases only have the dvd or Blu Ray options

Get a PS3...Great value when you factor in the Blu Ray player since they are about a grand on their own

[Martin]

i've thought about doing that, but was concerned that the picture quality wouldn't be quite as good on a ps3 as it would on a stand-alone player... but then again it's not a bad way to save $400. i hear that sony is coming out with a new model of blu-ray player that should be a bit cheaper than their initial offering. -M


edit: sony's bdp-s300 comes out this summer @ $600... Sony BDP-S300 Reviews. Video Players and Recorders Reviews by CNET.

[dismayed]

BLU-RAY

Backed-By: Sony, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Hitachi, LG Electronics, Matsu****a Electric Industrial (Panasonic), Mitsubishi Electric, Philips Electronics, Pioneer Electronics, Samsung Electronics, Sharp, TDK, and Thomson Multimedia.

Capacity: 25 GB single layer, 50 GB dual layer. Theoretical upper limit of 250 GB.

Advantages: Obviously the amount of storage. Think of all the extras you could cram on that DVD.

Disadvantages: Extremely slow seek time on these DVDs. A layer change takes forever. Currently only supports a crappy MPEG-2 codec (which is very low-tech), although Sony is moving frantically to incorporate MPEG-4. Format is totally new, which means DVD production facilities will have to throw out their printing press' and start over (which is costly). Sony has a death-grip on the proprietary standard, meaning Blu-Ray players are going to be expensive for a long time. Paystation 3 is not doing well, meaning its flagship roll-out platform is not rolling out the Blu-Rays as expected.

HD-DVD

Backed-By: Toshiba, NEC, Sanyo, Memory-Tech, and Microsoft.

Capacity: 15 GB single layer, 32 GB dual layer.

Advantages: Microsoft Windows Vista has native support for it. Supports MPEG-4 codec. Readers already have fast seek times. HD-DVD player is available in post-November Xbox 360's. HD-DVD is an upgrade to the DVD standard, meaning production facilities will only need to make minimal changes to their printing press'. In the last six months a method of encoding both DVD and HD-DVD content onto a single dual-layer HD-DVD has been devised, meaning the same disc will work in both a DVD player and an HD-DVD player (although no discs like this have been released yet).

Disadvantages: Capacity is a far cry from the Blu-Ray's. Not as many studios have exclusive rights contracts with HD-DVD.

DIGITAL DOWNLOADS

What will people be watching in 5 years? NO DISCS AT ALL. Digital content is about to take off and will change the way you view things. I can already log onto Amazon.com and either "rent" or "purchase" a movie or TV show that will automatically be downloaded to my TiVo that I can then watch on my living room big-screen TV. The movies I "purchase" remain on the TiVo hard drive indefinitally, and I have unlimited access to download the movie from my Amazon "vault" if I accidentally wipe it from the TiVo. This is the future, and is where we are headed.

[MadMonk]

I'm still staying out of the HD pool until prices come down and standards are more set in stone. I'm sure as soon as I jump in, the bottom will drop out of whatever technology I choose and I'll be stuck with the betamax of the HD world.

I'm willing to let all you "early adopters" bear the cost of working out standards.

[SoonerDave]

I'm still staying out of the HD pool until prices come down and standards are more set in stone.

Which standards, Monk, the DVD standards or the broadcast standards? If the latter, 1080i is the broadcast standard that's in stone and going to be for some time to come. There is no broadcast standard for 1080p right now, and everything I've read indicates there won't be anytime soon due to bandwidth limitations - there just isn't enough bandwidth or compression out there right now to push out a full 1080p signal over the air. And even if some mad scientist DID come up with a 1080P standard *today*, you wouldn't see OTA content for it of any great magnitude for *at least* five, and more realistically, ten years.

That said, if I'm buying a new HD set right now, I'm buying 1080P. I just DID buy 1080P. Consider it "future proofing," but the difference in my case for a year-old set that only did 1080i was not anywhere near $800; more like $200-$300. Remember that OTA signals are going to be an ever diminishing (albeit slowly) part of the overall "entertainment pie," and video games, personal computers, and hi-def DVD's are going to be providing content that will and are using 1080p.

The one caveat - screen size. The actual, tangible benefit to 1080p over 1080i is generally not discernible in screen sizes less than 50". That's why you don't see quite so many 1080p offerings in the relatively smaller LCD/plasms panels, or even in DLP (my personal technical favorite). As manfuacturing costs go down (theoretically) across all sizes, there will be less and less reason to perpetuate 1080i or anything lower, so eventually 1080p will be everywhere.

As far as the media wars go, both standards are going to persist, and you're going to find "combi" players very shortly. I believe it was LG that first introduced a dual-format hardware/chipset package, and that was within the last six months or so. I fully expect to see vendors overcome the format wars by creating dual-format players. Toshiba was pushing one format as a loss-leader a few months back, (losing something like $200 a unit) just to get their name in the arena for the high-end DVD world, but I haven't checked prices on it in a while.

For some reason, I get a warmer, fuzzier feeling about HD-DVD over BluRay, and perhaps that's because Sony had soooooo much trouble getting BluRay ramped up (and nearly forced the PS3 to fall on its own sword in the process with production delays and problems).

-soonerdave

[MadMonk]

The standards I was referring to was to the new HD DVDs, sorry about not being clear on that.

As for HD TV, I'm not in the market for a new TV right now and although it's pretty cool when you have it, the OTA availability of HD programming (even with additional HD satellite channels) is not compelling enough for me to go out and replace my not-too-old non-HD set at the moment. If I were in the market then I would surely buy an HD set.

I don't watch a lot of TV. I'm more of a DVD watcher, so a single HD movie standard would be a pretty good reason for me to begin looking at a new TV (although Battlestar Galactica in HD would be very nice too).

[allseeingeye]

I'm not going to buy a either Blu-Ray or HDDVD until we have a clear cut winner. If Blu-Ray wins I think they should change the name to DVDHD! It just sounds cool. Either way, buying either right now is a risk. I'll wait.

[allseeingeye]

DIGITAL DOWNLOADS

What will people be watching in 5 years? NO DISCS AT ALL. Digital content is about to take off and will change the way you view things. I can already log onto Amazon.com and either "rent" or "purchase" a movie or TV show that will automatically be downloaded to my TiVo that I can then watch on my living room big-screen TV. The movies I "purchase" remain on the TiVo hard drive indefinitally, and I have unlimited access to download the movie from my Amazon "vault" if I accidentally wipe it from the TiVo. This is the future, and is where we are headed.

EXACTLY!!! In a few years, digital downloads are going to completely eliminate DVD's altogether much like MP3's and IPODS have replaced the CD Player. How many of you really listen to CD's anymore??? I don't. Frankly, I think all these companies are just throwing away money by investing in High Definition DVD's. Instead, they should be investing in the development of HDDVR's that, when hooked to the internet, can link to a movie studios websites and download HD movies and shows. I'm still waiting for the day when HD TV sets have 1TB, or larger, hard drives and internet connection capabilities. Kind of like a built-in DVR. Then I can hit the menu button, go to Blockbuster or Netflix online, pick a movie, download it, and watch it. No need to get in the car and leave the house. The movies can be rented cheaper and could be encoded so that they automatically delete from your set's storage after, say, 3 days. If I want to buy the movie, I could choose that option and permanently store it on the TV's hard drive. The TV's could be hooked up to an external hard drive to backup your media in the event that you sell the TV or it gets damaged. Now that I think about it, I can't believe we don't have them now. The technology is certainly available.

[MadMonk]

Have you ever tried to download 9GB of data? I'm on a 1-Gigabit circuit at work and it takes a while to transfer that amound between servers, - even on the same network segment - at those speeds (and your home connection isn't even close to that speed). We are nowhere near where we need to be network-wise to be able to transfer those amounts of data in a reasonable time to your home.

You could always sacrifice quality by using compression (like with Amazon's service), but have you ever watched a compressed movie on an HD screen? It really shows the tradeoffs you incur. They don't offer movies in HD (yet). I'd say it's going to more than a few years down the road before we see what you are talking about on a widespread scale. I'm sure your HD-format DVD purchases today are safe for a long time to come. I'm not saying it's not going that way, but just not as soon as you might think. Plus, with a DVD disk, you can watch it wherever you are. You aren't limited to only watching it on a Tivo or whatever you download it to. I can trade movies with people, I can resell them if I want to. You can't do that with a digital download (unless you are into violating copywrites and if so, why not just get a torrent in the first place?)

[dismayed]

MadMonk, there are a few DVD players out there right now that can play DVD, HD-DVD, and Blu-Ray. Unfortunately these all-in-one players cost like $1000+ right now. But the price will eventually come down.

[Easy180]

Big factor in whether Blu Ray or HD wins out??...Never really thought about this, but now it does make sense...Looks like HD is getting a boost

In the battle over next generation DVDs, pornography could prove to be the XXX factor that helps determine a winner.

Thirty years ago, VHS toppled Betamax in part because of the adult film industry, and now some see blue movies playing a key role again as backers of HD-DVD and Blu-ray maneuver to make their formats the standard.

The stakes are high. As prices of high-definition televisions and DVD players fall, backers of the rival -- and incompatible -- formats are looking to tap a home and rental DVD market approaching $25 billion.

Yet so far, neither next-generation format has been able to land a knock-out blow.

James McQuivey, a principal analyst at technology research firm Forrester, said in the VHS-versus-Betamax war, porn provided a significant boost for the winning format.

He also noted the adult entertainment industry has often paved the way with new uses of technology -- such as streaming video on the Internet -- and said porn could help tip the scales in the current DVD format battle.

"If the porn industry wanted to break the logjam of HD-DVD and Blu-ray, it could," McQuivey said. "If they said 'We are going to go with HD-DVD' you would see a few million homes immediately go out and buy HD-DVD players. They have that power."

It is a potential weapon that one side, at least, has ignored. Instead, Blu-ray backer Sony Corp.(6758.T) blocked manufacturers from producing porn DVDs in that format -- a move that some say has pushed adult film studios into the camp of HD-DVD camp led by Toshiba Corp. (6502.T)

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

I've read where the porn industry would be the deciding factor, and every time it's brought up, the Betamax thing is as well.

But there's a new variable in the equation that I think somewhat mutes the influence of the porn industry.

And you're all using it right now.

The internet...Made it possible to get real porn...Even in Oklahoma...Even without paying for it.

That said, I'm pulling for HD over Bluray, simply because of the way Sony has been cramming proprietary crap down consumers throats for a couple of decades now.

Betamax
VAIO computers with impossible to replace components
No MP3 support in their MP3 players
The minidisc
Whatever format they were putting out movies on for the PSP
HiFD competed with the zip drives
Memory Sticks

And every one of these things cost more to the consumer than their non-proprietary competition.

I'm an IT guy...So you should see me get going on the rootkit debacle.

About the only things Sony has that made things better were the 3.5" floppy disk, and SACD. But even that particular format of sonic bliss comes with a price. SACD hardware costs more, and is more difficult to wire up. Worth it? To some. But not the average consumer.

Sony can just fade away as far as I'm concerned. They carry about 20x more evil-empire karma than WalMart.

[dismayed]

Totally agree Easy180. G4 Tech TV's Attack of the Show did a story segment on this very issue not long ago. They are convinced that Blu-Ray is doomed for a multitude of reasons, including this one.

[oldglory]

Samsung to Launch Dual Blu-ray HD DVD Player .........It sounds like its not going to cost that much

[Martin]

sony is dropping the price of their upcoming bd player to $499... at that price, i'm seriously thinking about taking the plunge.

sony cuts price on new blu-ray player

-M

[Midtowner]

I'm considering going the PS3 route. We have a pretty nice 1080p set hanging right above the fireplace (allowed us to reclaim probably 100 sq. ft. in our apartment which had been unusable due to the old CRT and related accessories.

For the money, the PS3 is one heckuva deal. I'm just holding off -- the only game I'd want to buy would be NCAA 2008.. and that's coming out on the Xbox360 anyhow. I won't buy the 360 right now because I'm waiting for them to start making them with the 65nm boards (run cooler, so they'll probably sound a lot less like a jet engine).

The 360 allows you to add a $150 HD-DVD component, which is nice. The trouble is that with Microsoft's penchant for quality, that HD-DVD player will probably scratch all of your disks.

In the war of the players, IMHO, the one that wins will be the one to first lower its prices to around DVD player level.

[Martin]

i'm not a really big gamer... though i'll be tempted to get a ps3 or xbox360 when gta4 comes out. that said, i'd rather have a solid movie player than a game machine that plays movies.

i've heard that the fan noise and controller setup makes ps3 a less-than ideal player setup and the idea of a peripheral hooked up to the 360 is even worse, imo.

-M

[Midtowner]

I'm fairly certain that whichever box I buy, I'll end up heavily modifying it.. I'll bet a new box with some silent 120mm fans would take care of that fan noise. Right now, I could probably get a PS3 and be money ahead after the mods as compared to most decent BR players.

I figure quality wise, they'll all be about the same -- sort of like DVD players. Can you honestly tell me that once you get a movie going, assuming you have the appropriate hookups, can you tell the difference between a Pioneer Elite DVD player and some clunky no-name.. let's say a "Craig"?

[Easy180]

Was just about to grab a PS3 a couple months ago, but decided to hold off awhile...Would love to have one in time for the new NCAA football, but my wife's addiction to Coach purses is killing my chances

Guess she feels the need to have a matching Coach for every outfit trumps my need to have a kicka** gaming system

With all that said I will still likely grab one in August b4 the season begins and maybe grab GTA4 after the season is over since I doubt I would put down the football game until then

When is GTA4 coming out?

[Matt]

When is GTA4 coming out?

October 16 for both the PS3 and 360. . .