New forum sections?

[Baldrick]

Portable Video Players
psp,ipod,mobile video players...


HD
something...

[zoobie]

dunno...
maybe an online video section with flash, wmv, mov, etc subsections

[lordsmurf]

Portable video players just use standard MPEG-4 style video. Not sure why it'd need a section to itself unless it was for the hardware.

HD ... would that not be Digital TV ?

[Baldrick]

yes, a portable hardware subforum.

hddvd, bluray...or maybe wait until they are available...

[smearbrick1]

How about a hardware tech forum for analog sources? (SVHS, BETA, VHS) A whole forum based on Q & A resulting from deading/dying/serviceable analog video hardware.

Might be good...

[joeg04]

I propose a section for streaming clients like "Pinnacle ShowCenter 200". They are connected to the TV set and controlled via a remote. They have a WLAN connection to a PC running a streaming service in the background. They can playback VOB files, MP3 files, and other media files. The "Pinnacle ShowCenter 200" can also be connected directly to a HDD via USB2.0 and playback it's media files.

[offline]

A suggestion?

change DVD Recorders to:

DVD/HDVD/Blu-Ray Recorders
Everything about DVD,HDVD,BLU-RAY standalone desktop Recorders,including hard drive recorders like TIVO & PVR. Includes older CD-R recording technology.

change DVD Players to:

DVD/HDDVD/Blu-Ray Players
Everything about standalone DVD,HDVD,BLU-RAY Players. Region free, macrovision and DRM hacks. Also issues regarding standalone music players, and playing video on game consoles. Includes older CD/CDR technology.

Add

Portable Video Technology
All about hand held video devices,Ipods,Mobile Phones,PSP and other portable consoles. Includes capturing, playback, conversion, issues and features. But no DVD related conversions or DV Camcorders here.

Add

Media Center PC
Everything about Home Theatre PC's (HTPC), streaming media technology, hardware and software. Includes HD Video playback requirements and issues. But no general computer questions, DVB or MAC related issues here.

change DV to:

HDV and DV
Everything about HDV/DV/miniDV, Digital-8, DVD and other camcorders. HDV & DV hardware and production methods, lighting, lenses, shooting tips, HDV & DV capturing,copying, editing. No analog capturing here.

[lordsmurf]

I like that offline.


Not to change topic, but....
I still say we need a new LIST for various video hardware like VCRs, detailer, proc amps, TBCs, etc. Put down "device type" and have a drop-down list of choices, list out TBC, VCR, etc. Then brand, then model. Let users add hardware, leave reviews and share tips. No other forum online has such a list, it would be a great addition. I'm sure there are 2-3 of us in the restoration forum that would help maintain moderating duties over such a list.

[redwudz]

I agree in principle, offline. Seems like a good division.

[offline]

A hardware video editing and restoration list would be very nice. Average users are starting to buy this equipment to make their results more professional; and experts are always looking for something new. Good idea LS.

[Baldrick]

It sounds very very good offline. thanks!


Now new lists,

hddvd bluray players

hddvd bluray recorders

hddvd bluray writers

portable players (maybe, not sure yet..)

hardware restoration

[joeg04]

Why not media center PCs and streaming clients? And why only maybe portable players?

I think many consumers don't want to store only 1 film on 1 medium. They want to store their whole collection of audio/video on 1 high capacity medium, like USB-HDD or HVD (holographic versatile disk). And they want to use the internet as distribution channel for downloading HDTV content and in the future also seeing it by internet streaming, controlled by their remote.

I think BluRay and HD-DVD will soon disappear from the market again because they have much lower storage capacity than HDD or HVD.

[offline]

joeg04: I think BluRay and HD-DVD will soon disappear from the market again because they have much lower storage capacity than HDD or HVD.

First of all, HDD and Streaming boxes have less capacity because with HDVD and Blu-Ray you can have a collection of discs. With the other technology you are limited to the capacity built into the machine and any hard drives you might want to waste for storage on your computer.

2nd, how are you going to watch new movie releases in Hi-Def?

In the end we will have streaming enabled Media Centers with HDD, Blu-Ray and HDDVD capability.

[joeg04]

1) A good quality standard definition 2 hour film (MPEG2 compressed) has a size of about 4 GB. A good quality HDTV 2 hour film (MPEG4 compressed) has a size of about 8 GB. So, on an external USB-HDD with 400 GB you can store 100 standard definition films or 50 HDTV films (each 2 hours). And HDDs will become bigger soon. I think, if your complete A/V collection is stored in 1 file system, it is easier to organize and find/select films. In the worst case you would have to add a 2nd or 3rd external USB-HDD to your media collection.

2a) New movies:
In Germany you can currently get DSL connections with 6 MBit/s. The German ISP T-Online offers a Video-on-demand service over the internet. They plan to offer HDTV film downloads. Download time for a 2 hour HDTV film: 8 GB / 6 MBit * s * 8 bits/Byte * h/3600s= 3 hours.

T-Online zeigt auf der CeBIT den Download von HDTV-Produktionen, für die DSL-Anschlüsse mit einer Bandbreite von 6 MBit/s notwendig sind.

See:
http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/57145

A problem is DRM. Currently T-Online allows viewing a download only for 24 hours. But I guess also sevices will come, that allow storing without such a limitation.

2b) Old movies: Just record from a DVB-S TV card onto your external USB-HDD.

The Pinnacle Show Center 200 for example can playback (non-DRM) HDTV files and output a HDTV video signal.

[offline]

But are these latest release movies? We have Video on Demand in Australia but it's fourth in line after pay-tv.

Cinema Release: (supply time chain)
- DVD Sales - DVD hire - PayTV - VOD & free to air.

You also can't share HDD material easily, nor keep VOD material.

[Baldrick]

Streaming media is the future...no media at all, just search for the movie on imdb and click to play in 1920x1080p on your media center....but we all need ~100mbit connections then...

joeg04: a media center list sounds like a good idea.

[offline]

Brain implants are the real future. No need for a list for them just yet.

[Baldrick]

[joeg04]

But are these latest release movies?

I don't think that it's currently the case, but that may change in the future.

Apple offers some videos for download, that you can't get anywhere else.
http://www.apple.com/itunes/videos/
You can keep the videos from Apple on your HDD and watch them as many times as you want.

You also can't share HDD material easily

If you borrow an external USB-HDD or HVD (holographic versatile disk) to a friend, you can share your hole A/V collection at once.

A 300 GB version of HVD will be available in 2006, an 800 GB version in 2008. See:
http://www.golem.de/0511/41816.html

[joeg04]

....but we all need ~100mbit connections then.

In Germany, 50 Mbit/s DSL will be available for 3 million households in 2007. I think that data rate should be sufficient for HDTV streaming.
http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/63475

[joeg04]

Brain implants are the real future. No need for a list for them just yet.

Sony invented already a brain interface without implants.
http://www.virtualworldlets.net/Archive/IndividualNews.php?News=966

[Supreme2k]

Brain implants are the real future. No need for a list for them just yet.

I've actually deal with people on a daily basis who could use a brain implant...