Do we care about HD-DVD... Blu-Ray

[edDV]

...
It seems apparent that HDTV should spank a DVD every time, but the HD DVDs were also noticeably better than a typical HD broadcast on satellite or cable. While I couldn't do an A/B comparison with any of the HD DVD titles, looking at a variety of movies and filmed shows made some differences obvious. While the broadcasts occasionally competed on overall detail, they, like the DVDs, offered less saturated colors and dynamic "punch" than the HD DVDs. And they were very often plagued by mosquito noise and other compression artifacts. There's an explanation: Most cable and satellite systems top out at bit rates around 8 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) for their HDTV transmissions. By comparison, HD DVDs pump out data at around 18 to 20 Mbps, with peaks that can hit 40 Mbps if the program demands it. The MPEG-4 or VC-1 compression schemes used for HD DVD are also more efficient at a given bit rate than the MPEG-2 used for broadcast and for most satellite and digital cable transmissions.

Well not exactly, it mostly come down to bitrate and the mastering process. MPeg4 is not yet in use.

Assuming they all use MPeg2 for now, HD DVD likes to say they can cram 4hrs HD into 15GB. That comes out to ~8Mb/s averarge or 16Mb/s average for 2 hours. That is worst to equal ATSC (12-19Mb/s) and way worse than upgraded cable which uses 20 or 25Mb/s for HD MPeg2. BluRay uses 25Mb/s.

Advantage still goes to HD DVD and Blu Ray for film sources because they use 1080p/24 fps progressive data where cable and broadcast use 1080i/29.97 or 720p/59.94 for a 20% disadvantage at the same bitrate. This DVD advantage only applies to 24fps film sources. Cable and ATSC also need to look good for action sports.

HD DVD and Blu Ray also have a closed mastering environment that allows them to hand fix issues that broadcasters just won't bother with. Broadcast has a long distribution path that may introduce transmission errors.

After all that, BluRay wins (25Mb/s). Cable and HD DVD come in next for film source (16-25Mb/s). ATSC broadcast is slightly worse @15 Mb/s (assuming a HD/SD multicast). They aren't that different when you consider the HD broadcast tape runs 100-144Mb/s and the network feeds to TV stations at 44Mb/s.

All this can vary program to program.

[yoda313]

They aren't that different when you consider the HD broadcast tape runs 100-144Mb/s and the network feeds to TV stations at 44Mb/s.

??!?!?!?!?!

My god thats a huge transmission pipeline!!! Will we ever see that on the consumer end??? I don't mean disc based I mean terrestial transmission - lines or OTA????

[edDV]

They aren't that different when you consider the HD broadcast tape runs 100-144Mb/s and the network feeds to TV stations at 44Mb/s.

??!?!?!?!?!

My god thats a huge transmission pipeline!!! Will we ever see that on the consumer end??? I don't mean disc based I mean terrestial transmission - lines or OTA????

Well, maybe for fiber to home.

[Nitemare]

"What if they threw a war and no one came?"

I voted "let them fight it out, then I'll choose", but it will honestly be years before I care enough to purchase one or the other. By the time I buy either they'll both be on the way out for the next great format.

I'll come right out and say it... I'm cheap. I've been using the same 21" TV for almost 20 years. When I replace it, I'll buy a larger CRT screen (IF they're still available) because they last for 20+ years. (Does HD even work on a CRT screen?) These new plasma/lcd/DISPOSABLE TV's with their outrageous prices don't impress me enough to make me want to throw my money away on one, and neither will BluRay or HD-DVD.

I realize I'm in the minority here ... especially here! ... but all I use my gear for anymore is home movies. I usually don't have enough footage to fill a single layer DVD. Sure, with Blu-Ray I could put many of my home movies on a single disc, but what kind of an idiot would put all of their eggs into one basket like that? Both technologies are overkill as far as I'm concerned. I never upgrade until I have to or until I'm forced to.

Regards,
Nitemare

[CrayonEater]

I never upgrade until I have to or until I'm forced to.

Unfortunately, you will be forced to, eventually. That's what pisses me off about all this, and why I will not adopt Blu-Ray/HD. At most, I might buy an upconverting DVD player and an HDTV, maaaaayybeeee. But I am trying to convince other consumers not to go along with what the entertainment industry and electronic's manufacturers are trying to force us to do.

[waheed]

I never upgrade until I have to or until I'm forced to.

Unfortunately, you will be forced to, eventually.

Not really. I know some people who are still using VHS and are still happy with it.

[terjeber]

I never upgrade until I have to or until I'm forced to.

Unfortunately, you will be forced to, eventually.

Not really. I know some people who are still using VHS and are still happy with it.

And I have heard there are people out there who wear animal skins and bang rocks together to make fire. If that is the way you want to live, good for you. I want a better quality of life (and TV/Video). That's why I am trying to make as much money as I can

[yoda313]

Does HD even work on a CRT screen

Yes there are crt tubes with hdtv support. Those were the first ones out if I'm not mistaken, before LCD and plasma.

[/quote="nitemare"]I never upgrade until I have to or until I'm forced to.

[/quote]

Well you can just get a hdtv converter box and keep your current tv if you want. It will downscale the hd signal for you.

[edDV]

Well you can just get a hdtv converter box and keep your current tv if you want. It will downscale the hd signal for you.

I can think of better ways to waste money

[yoda313]

Well you can just get a hdtv converter box and keep your current tv if you want. It will downscale the hd signal for you.

I can think of better ways to waste money

True but I was just mentioning that you don't have to junk your current tv if you don't want to.

[SatStorm]

IMO, the format that shall win, will be the one with the most backdoors.... (and less limitations - legal or not). And of course, the cost plays a role...