Blue-Ray or HD DVD

[Jen]

I think I'm going to buy the A-30(it's the 1080P upgrade of the A-3 from what I can tell) at BB tonight and use it and return it tomorrow get the Amazon deal if I think it's worth it. It's a Christmas present for my dad but I need to "test" it out of course. His t.v. is 720p/1080i but I'll buy this for the future t.v. he'll get since it's such a great price on amazon and includes all of the movies.

I'm guessing even though it's 1080p it will still output in 1080i if 1080p isn't an option on the t.v. but 1080i is, correct?

That I don't know...but I would think so. Mine does 780p and 1080i and is backwards compatible with regular DVDs and it also says it's an upconverter...but so far when I have tried it it says the disc prohibits output of more than something like 480? Don't know. Still got to play around with it and I also don't have HDMI cables yet, just component...but I'll be picking some up later today.

 

[The ill Jedi]

...but so far when I have tried it it says the disc prohibits output of more than something like 480? Don't know. Still got to play around with it and I also don't have HDMI cables yet, just component...but I'll be picking some up later today.

The HDMI cable should immediately remedy that problem.

 

[Jen]

The HDMI cable should immediately remedy that problem.

Good to know...I was hoping that's all it was.

 

[Vader AL]

That I don't know...but I would think so. Mine does 780p and 1080i and is backwards compatible with regular DVDs and it also says it's an upconverter...but so far when I have tried it it says the disc prohibits output of more than something like 480? Don't know. Still got to play around with it and I also don't have HDMI cables yet, just component...but I'll be picking some up later today.

what Ill Jedi said. it only upconverts through the HDMI cables.

 

[Giant Chicken]

Just read this article talking about how HD-DVD is the "Little Engine that Could".

HD-DVD Article

 

[Giant Chicken]

I don't know if it's been posted.

HD-DVD Buy ONE get ONE FREE

Amazon

 

[Natrix]

I don't know if it's been posted.

HD-DVD Buy ONE get ONE FREE

Amazon

It has only been posted on each of the last 4 pages of the thread.....

Doesn't hurt to spread the word though.

 

[Vader AL]

Always nice looking at these comparison shots:

https://www.cornbread.org/FOTRCompare/index.html

 

[SSC_Nerd]

I remember watching them on TNT HD, but that channel always looked like crap, so the movie didn't look TOO good.

 

[Natrix]

I remember watching them on TNT HD, but that channel always looked like crap, so the movie didn't look TOO good.

I believe they use a 4:3 pan and scan version that is upconverted and stretched to 16:9 like most their movies are and why it looks like crap

 

[JGouse0498]

Both packages they sell now have the HDMI cable.

I just bought the 40 GB PS3 package with Spider-Man 3 on Blu-Ray, and I didn't get an HDMI cable with mine. I had to buy it separately.

I am completely sold on Blu-Ray now. From what I've personally seen, movies like Casino Royale and SM3 on Blu-Ray are far superior to DVDs whereas the HD-DVD demos I saw of Batman Begins and King Kong look really no better than a regular DVD.

Just my $0.02 of course.

 

[Kabukiman]

From what I've personally seen, movies like Casino Royale and SM3 on Blu-Ray are far superior to DVDs whereas the HD-DVD demos I saw of Batman Begins and King Kong look really no better than a regular DVD.

Unfortunately, that is comparing apples to oranges. How well the movie displays depends on the transfer performed by the studio rather than what media format they distribute on. From what I understand, the *only* way to compare Blu-Ray to HD-DVD is to compare identical transfers of the same movie.

 

[IrishJedi]

whereas the HD-DVD demos I saw of Batman Begins and King Kong look really no better than a regular DVD.

That's crazy. What kind of set up where you watching the demo on? Was it full 1080p? HD DVD blows standard DVD out of the water and its video fidelity is definitely on par with Blu Ray.

 

[mfoga]

I just bought the 40 GB PS3 package with Spider-Man 3 on Blu-Ray, and I didn't get an HDMI cable with mine. I had to buy it separately.

Oh when I read the specs it made it see, like they had the HDMI cable, guess not.

 

[Natrix]

I am completely sold on Blu-Ray now. From what I've personally seen, movies like Casino Royale and SM3 on Blu-Ray are far superior to DVDs whereas the HD-DVD demos I saw of Batman Begins and King Kong look really no better than a regular DVD.

Just my $0.02 of course.

King Kong in HD is a HUGE upgrade over the DVD...your two cents aren't even worth that much!

 

[tomandshell]

On a proper setup, take a few titles that are available on both formats like Happy Feet, Order of the Phoenix, Ocean's Thirteen, Troy: Director's Cut, etc. and do a comparison between them. If you did a blind test I don't think you could tell which format was which because they both offer beautiful 1080p picture quality on the right player and display.

I have 82 HD DVDs and 63 Blu-ray discs in my collection, and a 61" 1080p HDTV to watch them on. If I thought Blu-ray offered superior image quality over HD DVD based on all of those titles I have seen with my own eyes, I would come right out and say it. However, that hasn't been the case. Both formats look great. Each format has some great transfers and some weak ones. Taking any one or two individual titles/transfers/discs and having them represent the capabilities of the format itself is not fair. I can recommend plenty of awful looking Blu-ray titles, but I would never argue that because House of Flying Daggers looks like garbage or Transformers looks better than X-Men 3, that Blu-ray is the inferior format.

 

[bagelsncheesey]

I have 82 HD DVDs and 63 Blu-ray discs in my collection, and a 61" 1080p HDTV to watch them on.

Wow, that's a huge collection. I before you and pray for your wallet

 

[KitFisto]

Good grief Tom. I only have about 20 total..maybe 25 total between BR and HD DVD, but my TV is bigger at 65", but it's only a sad 1080i. The 1080p in my house is the 37" in the bedroom.

 

[tomandshell]

I really can't get a much bigger screen in the existing living room. I really should have stuck to 50" as it is, but I couldn't help myself...



But yes, my video budget has been eating into my collectible budget. Sad but true.

 

[Jair]

Unfortunately, that is comparing apples to oranges. How well the movie displays depends on the transfer performed by the studio rather than what media format they distribute on. From what I understand, the *only* way to compare Blu-Ray to HD-DVD is to compare identical transfers of the same movie.

problem there is many transfers are not created equal either, I've seen the transfer for Superman on HD DVD and Blue Ray using the same Sharp 1080p TV and the blueray version seems a bit crisper with sharper colors and vice versa the HD DVD version of Italian Job looked much better then the Blue Ray version, not sure how they do the ports to each HD version but I think there is quite a few discs I've heard of that are on both that have a very discernable difference.

I know I certainly don't have the sharpest eye either, some of the HD movies I've seen almost look the same upscaled at 1080i as they do to me at 1080p....go figure



Evan