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02-15-2008, 09:42 AM
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#1 | | Director
Name: George City: Oxford State: NC County: Granville Join Date: Jul 2005 Age: 69 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.84 over 180 days |
DVD? Blu-Ray? etc?
What is what? I just got comfortable with VHS when DVD came along. Got a DVD player about three years ago and now own, maybe, 3-4 DVD's (got the player mostly for granddaughter to play her DVD's on). Now the news that major studios and people like Netflix are going to Blu-Ray. Can I still play my DVD's on my DVD player?  Can I play Blu-Ray DVD's on my DVD player?  Can I play anything on anything anymore or do I need a separate player for each separate technology?
George
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02-15-2008, 09:54 AM
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#2 |
Name: Sandy City: Raleigh State: NC County: Wake Join Date: May 2007 Age: 31 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 5.60 over 180 days |
George,
No, HD DVD and Blu-Ray will not play on a regular DVD player...HD DVD and Blu-Ray are the two High Definition formats for DVDs. It looks like most companies are going to stop making HD DVD players, but I wouldn't go out and by a Blu-ray player quite yet. Once the format war is over you will more than likey see a huge price drop on the Blu-ray players - they run anywhere between $400 and $1000 right now. Plus, the only benefit in getting one of the High Definition players is if you are connecting it to a High Definition TV (plasma or LCD). Hope this helps. | |
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02-15-2008, 09:59 AM
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#3 | | Asst. Webmaster
Name: Bas City: Cary State: NC County: Wake Join Date: Aug 2007 Age: 35 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.96 over 180 days |
You can play standard DVDs on a high definition player (Blu-Ray or HD DVD). The reverse will not work. There are some high definition players that support both formats. Unless you're really into video, I wouldn't buy it - it's very expensive.
It looks like Blu-Ray is winning the war, but until that happens, prices will remain high. I'm waiting at least another year before I buy a high definition player.
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Bas.
I don't need it. I just want it.
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02-15-2008, 10:38 AM
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#4 |
Name: Chris Mathes City: Harrisburg State: NC County: Cabarrus Join Date: Oct 2005 Age: 37 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 2.41 over 180 days |
Personally, I would be surprised if prices drop after the casket is officially closed on HD-DVD. This is based on the fact that the blu-ray and hddvd were really duelling it out there for a while, and the prices remained high.
My LOML got me a blu-ray for Christmas and it is awesome on my 1080P TV. I love it! It was expensive, though, and if you don't really care, I would do one of the following....
1) Nothing, as they will continue to make standard format dvd's long after hd-dvd is no longer.
2) Nothing, as it is likely that we will have a huge library of movies distributed over an 'on demand' network (eg. internet/cable/etc.) in the higher resolutions (like blu-ray) before the prices become 'reasonable' for this technology. Then you won't need any new 'dvd specific' hardware
3) Get an 'up-converting' dvd player. These players do a surprisingly good job of playing a standard dvd and improving the resolution. There is still a difference between that and blu-ray, but it is relatively narrow. These dvd players are quite inexpensive, too.
....anyway, if you don't want to spend any money...don't...you'll be fine!
Cheers,
Chris
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Antiques made, while you wait...
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02-15-2008, 10:55 AM
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#5 | | Moderator
Advisory Panel
Name: Clay Lowman City: Willow Spring State: NC County: Wake Join Date: Oct 2005 Age: 36 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 5.83 over 180 days |
I know several people that are buying one of the new gaming consoles ( I think it is the PS3?) Because you can also play blu-ray discs on it. It's like buying a blu-ray player and getting a gaming console for free.
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02-15-2008, 03:15 PM
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#6 |
Name: Will Goodwin City: Raleigh State: NC County: Wake Join Date: Jan 2008 Age: 35 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 1.01 over 180 days |
Somebody correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that "Blu-Ray" is strictly SONY technology. They are trying to push it on the rest of the world. Sort of like the old VHS vs PAL (and has anyone any clue what PAL is?). The PS3 plays Blu-Ray discs because it is made by Sony! I'd wait to see if Sony wins the war before switching everything I own to their systems...unless you like Sony of course. 
Will | |
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02-15-2008, 03:17 PM
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#7 |
Name: Jerry City: Raleigh State: NC County: Wake Join Date: Nov 2006 Age: 47 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.96 over 180 days |
Didn't Sony try something like this before? VHS vs Beta?
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Jerry
If mistakes are opportunities to learn, then I must be in graduate school!
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02-15-2008, 03:43 PM
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#8 |
Name: Chris Mathes City: Harrisburg State: NC County: Cabarrus Join Date: Oct 2005 Age: 37 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 2.41 over 180 days |
Originally Posted by Will Goodwin  Somebody correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that "Blu-Ray" is strictly SONY technology. They are trying to push it on the rest of the world. Sort of like the old VHS vs PAL (and has anyone any clue what PAL is?). The PS3 plays Blu-Ray discs because it is made by Sony! I'd wait to see if Sony wins the war before switching everything I own to their systems...unless you like Sony of course.
Will Sony has pretty much won. The coup de grace came in January...when Warner Bros announced they were going only to Blu-Ray. With the clear majority of film companies going blu-ray only, the consumer base will shy away from HD-DVD. Paramount/Universal will be forced to switch, also, if that does happen or else they won't sell any movies. Rumor has it that Paramount/Universal's exclusive 'contract' with HD-DVD is nullable if WB goes blu-ray only. Since that has happened, rumors have been flying that they will be making a similar announcement soon.
Also, apparently, the Paramount/Universal films created by a guy named Steven Speilberg are controlled by him. He backs blu-ray and releases under that format.
Chris 
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Antiques made, while you wait...
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02-15-2008, 03:46 PM
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#9 |
Name: Trent Mason City: Wrightsville Beach State: NC County: New Hanover Join Date: Feb 2008 Age: 29 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.03 over 180 days |
So complicated! I'm switching back to VHS. 
__________________  "flight of the sea birds, scattered like lost words......"
The ability to do woodworking no longer available in Bud Light. 
"We should never separate the lives we live
from the words we speak."
— Paul Wellstone
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02-15-2008, 04:24 PM
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#10 | | Asst. Webmaster
Name: Bas City: Cary State: NC County: Wake Join Date: Aug 2007 Age: 35 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.96 over 180 days |
Originally Posted by Will Goodwin Somebody correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that "Blu-Ray" is strictly SONY technology. Sony is a major player, but Blu-Ray is developed and promoted by a whole consortium. Just like HD-DVD. The lines were drawn early on this one. Originally Posted by Will Goodwin They are trying to push it on the rest of the world. Of course. Just like Toshiba. And Microsoft. Google. It's much easier to make a profit that way. Originally Posted by Will Goodwin Sort of like the old VHS vs PAL (and has anyone any clue what PAL is?). Actually, it was VHS vs Betamax. Betamax was the superior technology, but VHS won the battle. Those who bought Betamax recorders ended up with museum pieces. Looks like this time the better technology is going to win, despite being more expensive.
PAL (Phase Alternating Line) is the encoding standard used for television in Europe and other parts of the world. Here in the US, the standard is NTSC (National Television System Committee), also known as "Never The Same Color". This is why DVDs and VHS tapes are usually coded by "region" - what works in one part of the world doesn't work in the other.
But yeah, all these differences are a pain in the *** for the consumer.
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Bas.
I don't need it. I just want it.
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02-15-2008, 04:41 PM
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#11 | | Director
Moderator
Name: Roger City: Durham State: NC County: Durham Join Date: Jul 2005 Age: 62 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.53 over 180 days |
Yep, the war has been won by Blu-ray. Some of the big consumer retailers, Best Buy for one, are "rearrranging" their shelfs to promote Blu-ray and instructing their sales people to push Blu-ray.
Bas recently referenced the High Def Forum in another thread. I've found it to be a good place to get a handle on what's going. 
Roger
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I ain't never had too much fun!
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02-15-2008, 07:03 PM
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#12 |
Name: Chris Mathes City: Harrisburg State: NC County: Cabarrus Join Date: Oct 2005 Age: 37 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 2.41 over 180 days |
How about this for timely news... Wal-Mart dumps HD DVDs to back Blu-ray http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080215/...walmart_dvd_dc
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Antiques made, while you wait...
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02-19-2008, 11:24 AM
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#13 |
Name: Chris Mathes City: Harrisburg State: NC County: Cabarrus Join Date: Oct 2005 Age: 37 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 2.41 over 180 days |
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080219/.../japan_toshiba
HD-DVD is officially ceasing production. Options remaining are to stay with standard DVD, upgrade to an up-conversion DVD player, or go to Blu-Ray (including PS3, as mentioned above).
I feel really bad for those who got HDDVD for Christmas...seems like the consumer really really got hosed....but I'm glad there is now a standard...
chris
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Antiques made, while you wait...
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02-19-2008, 11:38 AM
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#14 |
Name: Will Goodwin City: Raleigh State: NC County: Wake Join Date: Jan 2008 Age: 35 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 1.01 over 180 days |
They say they are ceasing production. As long as they make them, I'll continue to buy HD DVDs as I have a HD DVD player. We'll see if the demand of the consumers will spurn them to continue. I don't believe for a second that they will completely stop production. 
Will | |
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02-19-2008, 02:19 PM
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#15 | | Director
Moderator
Name: Roger City: Durham State: NC County: Durham Join Date: Jul 2005 Age: 62 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.53 over 180 days |
Blu-Ray has won the battle, but the war may not be over. New technologies arise and Blu-Ray may be superseded before the market takes off. Currently, Blu-Ray players are expensive and Blu-Ray recorders are extremely expensive. Factor in consumer confusion with the high cost and many folks are not ready to buy in. Upconverting DVD players/recorders are reliable, cheap, and give good quality. An upconverting DVD unit will be my next consumer electronics purchase.
Roger
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I ain't never had too much fun!
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