Blu-Ray Struggling Except On PS3

[ejai]

The majority of people I know care very little about HD quality video. I personally enjoy the benefits of high-def but find that at times I don't really see much of an advantage when I upconvert some of my dvd titles.

I own a 36" LG HD TV and a Samsung 60" DLP and I definately see the difference, but not enough to go out and purchase a BR player. I do own a HD-DVD player and I have seen the difference, yet I didn't feel any desire to purchase more HD movies.

When prices are reduced then maybe I can see a need to upgrade. I don't look at HD as a newer version of DVD, I see it as an upgrade.

[Colindale]

Blu-ray (and HD DVD for that matter) are clearly superior to DVD in every way... but the difference is really only noticeable on larger 1920x1080 native resolution screens. That's one of the big problems facing the HD disc format. Many HDTV owners have 720p native screens (1366x768 or 1280x720 native), or they have 1080i CRT's (that can only actually resolve about 900x600 or less in real world use), or they have 1080p screens that are relatively small for their viewing distance. So, the difference between a 1920x1080 source and upscaled standard DVD is not that noticeable for most people that currently own HDTV's. I have a 62" 1080p DLP, so the difference is obvious to me. But I am probably in the minority of HDTV owners having a full resolution 1920x1080 screen that large (or larger).

Like others have mentioned... the only Blu-ray and HD DVD discs I own I got for free with mail in rebates. I rent them from Netflix. They're too expensive to invest in right now.

I have heard no mention of the improved SOUND that Blu ray media put out, if you have the latest HDMI receiver
and a 1080P HDTV, the experience in picture and surround sound is mind blowing!.

[FulciLives]

I like Blu-Ray image quality but I'm a stereo guy myself ... I find surround sound to be gimmicky and annoying.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Midzuki]

I have heard no mention of the improved SOUND that Blu ray media put out, if you have the latest HDMI receiver
and a 1080P HDTV, the experience in picture and surround sound is mind blowing!.

Should I assume you have the luck of living in a big house, and you
watch your HD-stuff in a large room, and your speaker system is
very-decent and correctly-positioned

[Colindale]

I have heard no mention of the improved SOUND that Blu ray media put out, if you have the latest HDMI receiver
and a 1080P HDTV, the experience in picture and surround sound is mind blowing!.

Should I assume you have the luck of living in a big house, and you
watch your HD-stuff in a large room, and your speaker system is
very-decent and correctly-positioned

No, small house, and considerate neighbours.

Surround sound a gimmick, thou joketh.

[isapc]

has anyone noticed DVD rips are alot smaller, I dont think there even using dual layer DVDS.And therfore of poorer quality these days.No wonder people are starting to see a diference between bluray and dvd.At first you couldnt

[Xylob the Destroyer]

Should I assume you have the luck of living in a big house, and you
watch your HD-stuff in a large room, and your speaker system is
very-decent and correctly-positioned

Yes, thanks. But "luck" has nothing to do with it.
In the past 2 weeks I've been shocked to learn that so many members of this forum are still living in their parents basements! Either there are a lot of 15 year olds here, or a lot of folks should change their name to Jeff Albertson...

has anyone noticed DVD rips are alot smaller, I dont think there even using dual layer DVDS.And therfore of poorer quality these days.No wonder people are starting to see a diference between bluray and dvd.At first you couldnt

Yes. This is on purpose, particularly for films that Sony owns or has a hand in, but especially for films from Sony studios that receive a simultaneous DVD and BD release.
Dumb down the quality on the DVD and make it look worse than it would if you were only doing a DVD release, and now the BD release looks that much better - therefore that much more appealing.

[jagabo]

has anyone noticed DVD rips are alot smaller

A lot of this is because they include 4 hours of extras with a 2 hour movie to give the impression that you're getting your money's worth.

[Midzuki]

Should I assume you have the luck of living in a big house, and you
watch your HD-stuff in a large room, and your speaker system is
very-decent and correctly-positioned

Yes, thanks. But "luck" has nothing to do with it.

Correct. "Buck" has.

[cal_tony]

The question I have is the popularity of the PS3 based on it's ability to play games as well as play Movies or is it just that it's a better movie player? I bought the PS3 because on this site, I was told it was just a better movie player and surprisingly it wouldn't cost any more than a standard player.
Playing games had nothing to do with it.

Tony

[orsetto]

Probably 85% of PS3 sales are simply because its the latest and greatest PlayStation: it is bought primarily as a game console. The fact that it is actually also the only worthwhile BluRay video player available is lost on most consumers, unless they are members of an AV Forum that gives them that tipoff . I'm guessing no more than 10-15% of PS3 buyers picked it up primarily as a movie player, but this may change soon since there is increasing media coverage in the standard press promoting the PS3 as an excellent video deck. Sony's high-risk PS3 "stealth" strategy may finally pay off after all, though its taking much longer than they'd hoped.

[Midzuki]

As "everybody" knows, the Dynamic Duo SACD&&DVD-Audio has not
managed to make the olde and goode CDDA "obsolete". In a similar way,
Blu-Ray remains unable to make most people want to leave DVD-Video behind.
I don't see this as a "problem", nor I intend to try to find a "solution" for it.

[Seeker47]

Apparently all the little extras on DVD were a compelling novelty for the mass market in the late '90s because they could finally see what the tiny LaserDisc fan base got to see, but now the thrill is gone and special features are just a drain on studio resources with no marketing value. Going forward, expect to see hardly any extras on standard DVD and limited implementation on BluRay.

If that comes to pass, it would seem to be the end for the marketing paradigm we have known -- of successive, supposedly more complete or more deluxe releases of the same film: the 2-disc, the 3-disc, the 4 or more disc set, with more or "better" elements, starting with the remastered etc. print. There are abundant examples. We've even seen different so-called "Director's Cut" versions, apparently because the director kept changing his mind about what the ultimate version should be, and a distributor was willing to indulge him in this -- which would probably not have happened if the economics of it made no sense. (Granted, we are not talking about most run-of-the-mill movies here . . . but still a lot of films.)

Most "bonus material" on DVDs is not that great, but the stuff that's good can be amazing. One of the best examples is Douglas Trumbull's 1972 sci-fi flick "Silent Running", a cheap catalog DVD from Universal and one of my "cult faves". The movie itself runs 90 mins, but the extras clock in at something like 8 hours! All of it is fascinating behind-the-scenes coverage made at the time of the film, which was a studio-sponsored experiment in "guerilla filmmaking". Would all of this intriguing historical material been put on a $13 DVD if Universal had research proving it had no compelling sales value? Probably not
. . . .
And who knows what will go missing from Blu-Ray: with its extra storage it could hold tons of extra material, but it looks like the studios probably won't bother now.

Also with a Trumbull connection, the several behind-the-scenes documentary shorts on the "Blade Runner" multi-disc sets (there were a few different packagings, with either 4 or 5 discs, but I don't know about the BR version) are among the best "making of" materials I've ever seen. Not just for the "How" but for the development history and the "Why." It would be a terrible shame if things like this would not be done any more. I have to think that at least the Criterion releases will have to keep doing this, if for no other reason than to remain special and to justify their higher cost.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

indeed...
How many times has Lucas sold us "new" versions of his Star Wars films?
I've lost count.
Doesn't matter though, cuz you know I'll be right there in line when he releases HD versions!

[mpack]

the several behind-the-scenes documentary shorts on the "Blade Runner" multi-disc sets are among the best "making of" materials I've ever seen.

I assume you mean the "Blade Runner - Final Cut" releases, and I agree. I have to say that the similar materials that came with the Star Wars box set were pretty good as well.

And to Xylob - yes there have been many Star Wars releases, but I'm still waiting for the box set of digitally remastered original movies!

[orsetto]

(...) yes there have been many Star Wars releases, but I'm still waiting for the box set of digitally remastered original movies!

Well, we can dream, but don't hold your breath. Lucas has his head so far up his ass his entire worldview consists of the wall of his colon. It really is staggering the degree to which he's dug in his heels and insisted he has a "divine right" to tamper with his films after they're finished and passed into history: the more we protest, the more pissed-off and vindictive he gets. It took YEARS for him to grudgingly release the original versions on DVD, and when he did he crippled them on purpose just to be a prick about it. Is it obvious I find the idea of "redoing" films like this appalling ? The original three had a charm that is totally lacking in the crappy recent sequels, his misguided attempts to try and make all six films look alike with the same tedious CGI effects is disgusting. It also "inspires" other fools to tamper with their films: witness Paramounts stupidity in allowing the senile Robert Wise to completely wreck the first "Star Trek" film (love it or hate it, it was a product of its time, the "updates" and re-editing serve only to mess with the heads of Trekkers who remember it fondly). And the "Wrath of Khan"- no masterpiece, but still: leave it alone fer chrissakes!

The scariest one of all has to be the now-really-creepy Steven Spielberg with his absurd temptation to completely re-edit the ending of "Close Encounters". If I have to hear his inane speech one more time... you know, the one that goes "I was a young irresponsible fool when I made CE3K, now that I'm an egotistical adult with countless real and adopted children, I'm *appalled* to have made a film showing a father abandoning his family to get on an alien spaceship! I would *never* make that movie today, I'm horrified I did it and hope in the future to re-film an ending that reunites Roy Neary with his family and shows that nasty mothership imploding upon liftoff."

Spielberg needs a reality check- badly. The entire point of that movie for most viewers was the notion of escaping your stultifying middle-class life to investigate something phenomenal. Nine out ten "real" Roy Nearys would have jumped on that spacecraft without a backward glance. Spielberg forgets he has a dozen nannies and the funds to send all his kids to Harvard- its easy to be moralistic when you're $loaded$. The rest of us enjoy the fantasy of a noble escape- don't take it away from us. Its only a *movie*, after all.

And yes, clearly I have issues .

[MJPollard]

And yes, clearly I have issues .

You don't just have issues. You have entire subscriptions.

[robertazimmerman]

robertaz wrote,
"someone else stated, Blu-Ray does not look that great on large screens (65"+)"...
Why don't you go to your local BB or CC and see for yourself...
Lets face it, HD is here and we might as well get on the train,else be left back at the station waiting for the stagecoach,hoping to catch up..JMHO!...

Silly assumption...... Of course I've seen Blu-ray on large screens! That's why I said what I did.

True HD is NOT here. Blu-Ray movies provide a compressed version of "uncompressed" film. 4k recordings are the standard for archiving film, so why not use that as the home/professional standard? It's going to happen, and probably sooner than we think. JVC, Panasonic et al are making 4k TVs (JVC HAS MADE 8k TV prototypes!), so let's have a standard that equals film resolution and skip lossy Blu-Ray.

Roberta

[t0nee1]

Why is it silly? that's not what you said...you wrote,
"someone else stated, Blu-Ray does not look that great on large screens (65"+)."
key words, "someone else" .....Do you not have your "own" opinion on the matter?

[Ai Haibara]

t0nee1, you're taking robertazimmerman's quote slightly out of context. The original quote:

As someone else stated, Blu-Ray does not look that great on large screens (65"+). Let's skip this interim format and go directly to 4k. This is the standard that Hollywood is using to archive its celluloid films and, if we want true lossless video reproduction, is the only way to go.

Note the 'as.' robertazimmerman is saying that her opinion (and experience?) agrees with that statement.

Other than that, I'll be staying out of this.

[t0nee1]

Good ,stay out of it then!..Are we to assume everything we read means something else?Write what you mean,and mean what you write....
I'm done with this... I mean, I think I'm done with this,or ahh maybe I'm done with this uhh, never mind,assume what you want.....

[Seeker47]

How many times has Lucas sold us "new" versions of his Star Wars films?
I've lost count.

Sadly, I find myself in total agreement with this piece:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2008/08/indy-5-say-it-a.html

I had been hoping he might actually follow through on his oft-professed intent to make some small, "experimental" films that -- admittedly -- few would be interested to see (though I would be one of them), just for his own creative satisfaction. When you have the kind of resources at his disposal, why not ? There is little to lose. He could do a lot worse that some work like the one he apprenticed on for Coppola, "The Rain People." No matter how they turned out, I can't see it tarnishing his "film legacy." I think you'd have to give him plaudits, just for rolling the dice in that way.

[PuzZLeR]

In the past 2 weeks I've been shocked to learn that so many members of this forum are still living in their parents basements!

This forum too? The other one is quite obvious in their socially inept qualities, but geez, do I have to stop coming here too?

Yeah, I'm arrogant. Sue me.

[SatStorm]

Xylob the Destroyer, you probably don't know the economical situation in many parts of this world. Especially in the so called "West World".

At the time being, if you are less than 35 years old, the choices of you life probably are the following:

1 - To be with your parents. You sell your personal freedom for food, sleep, a very nice room and once a year vacations. So, you get stoned or drunk all the time, so not to dare to dream for your future and keep yourself in a teenager mode.

2 - Try to stand on your own, just to find out - the hard way - that everything is already taken by various sons and daughters (of other fathers and mothers, not yours of course...). Then, you get stoned and drunk all the time. At least that way, you don't have to think in general and you became familiar with the fact that you never gonna be like your father but like that foreigner next door, which few years back, served well inside your family, as an example of failure and not to end up.

3 - You migrate (the option that I consider myself those days). Then, you find out, that you are not a good foreigner, because you have a western knowledge of this world and you dare asking for something called "quality of life". You learn that the opportunities rise only on those that don't have this western knowledge education. So, you get stoned and drunk all the time, because you are away from home and you miss it. Also, because you can't accept the fact, that you are not considered a human being with rights any more.

4 - Became an active part of any minority (true, made up or fake) in your own country, and start bombing or terrorize the rest. Sponsored of course, by the "G" Big One with an interest in the area. So, you get stoned and drunk all the time, so not to think what you are doing.

5 - Waiting for this world to became better. Meanwhile, you get stoned and drunk all the time, so the time to pass faster.

6 - Became a male of female prostitute. You get stoned and drunk all the time, because you hate yourself


In case you say "this is off topic" or "politic", I say it is not: You see, the "new" and "better" technology, is strongly focus on the young people, the new consumer generations. The older, already adapted all the technology they can. That why you hear very often things like: DVD is more than OK, the "big flat widescreen" TV I got 6 years ago it is still amazing and Win98SE are enough for my PC needs.

The new generations don't have the money, the space and the time for the new technology. Those that have all that, are the older generations, which adapt slowly if at all. And that's the problem with the industry nowdays.

Our forum, videohelp, is a technology forum. 10 years ago, when it started, I was here. It was full of young people, from all over the world. Today it is dominated by middle age people, mostly from English speaking countries. Exactly like the industry: 10 years ago, the young people adapted PCs, DVDs, DVB broadcasts, etc. Today, the same middle age (now) people, are called to adapt the "new technology". Those things are not easy.

Where are the new people? Probably in their parents basements. With their mind far away any technology related.

I visited west Europe (Holland, Germany, England) and east Europe (Poland, Romania, Bulgaria) a lot the last 3 years, and I saw many stoned and drunk young people. My country (Greece) follows close. I don't think they gonna be technology consumers anytime soon....

[pepegot1]

Long live SD DVD!!

[ViRaL1]

Long live SD DVD!!

Bring back the 386!

[orsetto]

Amen, SatStorm, amen. Best post I've read all month. Sad, but true.

[orsetto]

For those who are stalling their decision on Blu-Ray, yesterday Toshiba stirred the pot and surprised everyone by announcing availability of their "new improved, exclusive" upconverting SD players ahead of schedule. Not sure if this means they will have more elaborate versions down the road, but the soon-arriving $149 (list) XD-E500 sounds promising. Per the announcement its an up-scaling DVD player "with an added layer of enhancement" that brings picture quality "closer to HD," however, "is not meant to replace, kill or compete with Blu-ray". Apparently the XDE features include user-controllable enhancement of sharpness, color and contrast at a level of sophistication not previously possible, although only two of the three enhancements can be activated at any given time. These are described as tracking the image detail more closely than typical upscalers, with improved on-the-fly processing.

This probably won't have any significant impact on BluRay sales, but for those of us with large standard-def collections it is welcome news, if only for ushering in a new breed of affordable upscaler. The early reviews should make interesting reading when they appear.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

Well, as I do live in the "west world", I'm quite aware of the current economic situation here.
Also, being right in that "middle aged" group you describe, I've got to call "bullshit" on your tear jerker sob story...

Life's a bitch. Get used to it. I own my own house, 2 cars (clear and free, MINE!), and I've got a good job.
All on a High School degree.
If I can do it, anybody else here can too.
Too many people are just ******* lazy and want everything handed to them.
Having also spent a fair amount of time being homeless (literally starving and living on the streets) in my late teens/early 20s, I know that the vast majority of "destitude" poeple in this country are in that situation due 100% to their own poor choices -- just like I was. It was totally my own fault that I was in such a shitty situation, and the same was true for all the other homeless I met & knew at the time.
If you don't care enough to do what needs to be done to get your life on track, why the hell should anybody else care about your 'situation'?
I've got no ******* sympathy AT ALL. If I can clean my act up and get my shit together, so can they.
And I did it without every begging or taking hand-outs.
Ever heard of the concept known as personal accountability?
If you're 35 and still living in your ******* parents basement, you're a loser. If that statement hurts your feelings, get over it -- you're ******* 35 for gods sake, not 7. Hurt feelings are for babies, not adults. Move on with your life.


Boy has this thread gone wildly off topic.
I say bring back LaserDisc!

[ViRaL1]

On a side note, I've heard vinyl may be making a comeback.