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#307563 - 22/02/2008 18:38 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: Waterman981]
tman
carpal tunnel

Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
I've got the Planet Earth Blu-ray boxed set now. Looks great.

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#307565 - 22/02/2008 20:04 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: tman]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31563
Loc: Seattle, WA
Okay *THAT* might possibly be worth a blu-ray player.

What's the US price?
_________________________
Tony Fabris

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#307566 - 22/02/2008 20:15 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: tfabris]
Waterman981
old hand

Registered: 14/02/2002
Posts: 804
Loc: Salt Lake City, UT
I've generally seen it around $60-70, but it looks like its only $55 at Amazon currently. The Discovery Store just blew out their HD DVD versions for $30.

The BBC version is considered the better of the two. The difference is the BBC version is voiced by David Attenborough, vs. the Discovery Channel version was voiced by Sigourney Weaver, and is 5-6 minutes shorter per episode. Also BBC is 1080p vs. 1080i for the Discovery version.

I have it on HD DVD (same encode as the Blu-Ray) and the picture on this is fantastic! Very cool series!
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-Michael

#040103696 on a shelf
Mk2a - 90 GB - Red - Illuminated buttons

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#307567 - 22/02/2008 20:31 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: Waterman981]
drakino
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/06/1999
Posts: 7868
Originally Posted By: Waterman981
I have it on HD DVD (same encode as the Blu-Ray) and the picture on this is fantastic! Very cool series!


Indeed. It was one of the few things I've bought while waiting for the format war to be decided. It also brings up a nice thing about the end of the war, the companies like the BBC who were producing releases on both formats can stop worrying about the lowest common denominator and produce some nice discs. Dual releases were usually encoded to fit the smaller HD DVD discs, and also usually stripped features to lower themselves to the Blu-Ray Profile 1.0 stuff.

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#307568 - 22/02/2008 20:36 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: Waterman981]
wfaulk
carpal tunnel

Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
Originally Posted By: Waterman981
The difference is the BBC version is voiced by David Attenborough, vs. the Discovery Channel version was voiced by Sigourney Weaver

That totally pushes me over the edge on that one. I hated her voiceover.

Okay, maybe "hated" is too strong a word.
_________________________
Bitt Faulk

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#307569 - 22/02/2008 20:38 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: drakino]
Waterman981
old hand

Registered: 14/02/2002
Posts: 804
Loc: Salt Lake City, UT
Originally Posted By: drakino
Dual releases were usually encoded to fit the smaller HD DVD discs, and also usually stripped features to lower themselves to the Blu-Ray Profile 1.0 stuff.

Yeah when Paramount originally released on both formats a year ago they would use different encodes for each format. All of Warner Brothers (who does distribute BBC titles) titles to date use the same encode for both versions. WB did however do separate special features for both profile 1.0 and HD DVD.

I'm personally waiting for a good profile 2.0 player before adding BD to my collection.
_________________________
-Michael

#040103696 on a shelf
Mk2a - 90 GB - Red - Illuminated buttons

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#307614 - 25/02/2008 07:17 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: Waterman981]
tman
carpal tunnel

Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
Originally Posted By: Waterman981
There is a rumor that the Xbox 360 HD DVD add on will drop to $49 in the next week.

Unsurprisingly, Microsoft are now discontinuing the HD-DVD addon.

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#307615 - 25/02/2008 08:12 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: tman]
Shonky
pooh-bah

Registered: 12/01/2002
Posts: 2009
Loc: Brisbane, Australia
Xbox HD DVD drive dropped to A$49 today (maybe yesterday) in Australia. At one online website it was even possible to get one for A$38 delivered with a coupon. They all sold very quickly.

I even bought myself a Toshiba XE1 player since it's a great upscaler for SD DVDs (with it's Reon chip) and I didn't have a regular SD DVD player. I'd been sitting on the fence but since it was about the same price as an Oppo regular DVD player, I figured I couldn't really lose.

Perhaps this is Toshiba's new "marketing" tactic? I don't think so but it would be nice if they hadn't totally given up. I preferred HD-DVD just for it's region free... All other things being reasonably equal IMO
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Christian
#40104192 120Gb (no longer in my E36 M3, won't fit the E46 M3)

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#307616 - 25/02/2008 08:25 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: Shonky]
tman
carpal tunnel

Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
One of the theories as to why Toshiba gave up totally is that it was part of another deal where Sony sold most of their Cell/RSX fabs to Toshiba.

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#307627 - 25/02/2008 14:17 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: tman]
drakino
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/06/1999
Posts: 7868
Originally Posted By: tman
One of the theories as to why Toshiba gave up totally is that it was part of another deal where Sony sold most of their Cell/RSX fabs to Toshiba.


Except that the deal for the fab was in the works well before Warner's announcement and the downfall of HD-DVD, and Toshiba has been working with Sony and IBM on the Cell for a long time.

It's funny that so many people keep coming up with wild speculation on why the format died, when for a solid year, Blu-ray outsold HD-DVD discs worldwide. Toshiba also probably looked at the Japanese sales numbers, where both movies and recordable media was heavily in favor of Blu-ray for a long time. But nah, it couldn't be that simple, there has to be "foul play" somewhere! Warner's announcement was likely due to their own sales numbers, as they released movies on both formats at the same time. When they did announce, it was simply the momentum needed to swing it in favor of one over the other.

I did find this cool.

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#307632 - 25/02/2008 16:47 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: drakino]
tman
carpal tunnel

Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
Originally Posted By: drakino
Except that the deal for the fab was in the works well before Warner's announcement and the downfall of HD-DVD, and Toshiba has been working with Sony and IBM on the Cell for a long time.

Ahh. I didn't read too much about it. Just heard that was one of the rumours.

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#307651 - 26/02/2008 02:57 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: drakino]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14472
Loc: Canada
It's pretty obvious why the format died -- "Blue Ray" is a *much* catchier (and easier to remember and say) name than "H-D-D-V-D" (has "committee" written all over it.. duh!).

Cheers

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#307653 - 26/02/2008 03:04 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: mlord]
wfaulk
carpal tunnel

Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
I had the exact opposite thought. Compare Beta vs VHS. DVD. CD. LP. MP3.

Honestly, I feel like an idiot saying "BluRay". I predict that in a year's time, people will be using a less trademark-y term for them.
_________________________
Bitt Faulk

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#307657 - 26/02/2008 04:58 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: wfaulk]
Dignan
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12318
Loc: Sterling, VA
Originally Posted By: wfaulk
I had the exact opposite thought.

As did I. Blu-Ray sounds ridiculous, and I assumed that the familiar association of HD + DVD would appeal to the average consumer.

Quote:
I predict that in a year's time, people will be using a less trademark-y term for them.

I predict that they'll be calling it "HDDVD"
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Matt

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#307661 - 26/02/2008 06:27 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: Dignan]
frog51
pooh-bah

Registered: 09/08/2000
Posts: 2091
Loc: Edinburgh, Scotland
But Blu-Ray says exactly what it is (although they missed the 'e' off as an Americanism!)
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Rory
MkIIa, blue lit buttons, memory upgrade, 1Tb in Subaru Forester STi
MkII, 240Gb in Mark Lord dock
MkII, 80Gb SSD in dock

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#307664 - 26/02/2008 06:37 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: wfaulk]
tman
carpal tunnel

Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
Originally Posted By: wfaulk
Honestly, I feel like an idiot saying "BluRay". I predict that in a year's time, people will be using a less trademark-y term for them.

Them thar new fangled moving picture discs?

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#307666 - 26/02/2008 06:43 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: Dignan]
tman
carpal tunnel

Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
Originally Posted By: Dignan
I predict that they'll be calling it "HDDVD"

Doubt it. Sony won't let that happen and besides, if you did start calling it "HD DVD" how are you going to differentiate it from the real HD DVD?

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#307668 - 26/02/2008 07:30 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: tman]
LittleBlueThing
addict

Registered: 11/01/2002
Posts: 612
Loc: Reading, UK
I reckon people will be calling them 'blueray', 'blurry' or, for old farts: 'new DVDs'...

I don't think it sounds ridiculous. Compared to say..... "Chicken McMuffin".
Never overestimate the intelligence of several million people.


I've noticed that normal plebs are quite happy to do the marketing department work by genericising brands:
* coke
* hoover
* google
* walkman (back then anyhow)
* jacuzzi
* frisbee
* jeep
* superglue
* ipod

Happily the brand owners hate this.
_________________________
LittleBlueThing Running twin 30's

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#307674 - 26/02/2008 14:07 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: Dignan]
drakino
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/06/1999
Posts: 7868
Originally Posted By: Dignan
and I assumed that the familiar association of HD + DVD would appeal to the average consumer.


Apparently this backfired a bit, with people buying HD-DVD discs thinking their normal DVD player would play them. Every store I've see that carries HD-DVD or Blu-ray has big disclaimers above the area stating you must have a new HD-DVD or Blu-ray player to play the discs now, but most didn't when they first started appearing. What also likely didn't help the confusion was the mix of DVD/HD-DVD hybrids in with the normal HD-DVDs. So some would play on a DVD player, while others wouldn't.

I don't see the name changing anytime soon. The Blu-ray association has spent a ton of money on brand recognition and the associated branding on players, movies, and so on. Imagine trying to change the name of the XBox 360 now, or the iPhone. And both of those have been known about for less time then Blu-ray.

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#307676 - 26/02/2008 14:19 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: drakino]
wfaulk
carpal tunnel

Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
Originally Posted By: Drakino
I don't see the name changing anytime soon. The Blu-ray association has spent a ton of money on brand recognition...

I'm not saying that the official name will change, just popular usage. I'm trying to imagine Mom (or really anyone) saying to me, "I'm going to the Blockbuster to rent a BluRay disc," the same way she might say, "I'm going to the Blockbuster to rent a DVD."

Maybe the change will just be in avoiding referring to them directly — "I'm going to the Blockbuster to rent a movie" — only using the term BluRay when distinguishing it from a different format. I wouldn't be surprised if people just kept calling them DVDs otherwise.

I guess what I'm getting at is that I believe that the term BluRay will not become part of commonplace parlance in the way that DVD has.
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Bitt Faulk

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#307678 - 26/02/2008 14:34 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: wfaulk]
Waterman981
old hand

Registered: 14/02/2002
Posts: 804
Loc: Salt Lake City, UT
I could see people using the term "BD". Like Bitt's example: "I'm going to Blockbuster to rent a BD."

Of course even less consumers have heard the term BD in reference to a Blu-Ray Disc.
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-Michael

#040103696 on a shelf
Mk2a - 90 GB - Red - Illuminated buttons

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#307679 - 26/02/2008 14:34 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: wfaulk]
andy
carpal tunnel

Registered: 10/06/1999
Posts: 5914
Loc: Wivenhoe, Essex, UK
Don't you mean a Digital Versatile Disc ?

wink
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Remind me to change my signature to something more interesting someday

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#307740 - 28/02/2008 15:34 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: andy]
DWallach
carpal tunnel

Registered: 30/04/2000
Posts: 3810
Until and unless BluRay players cost $50, DVD will continue to have the lion's share of the market, and I wouldn't expect much from Blockbuster. NetFlix, I presume, will get into it without any trouble.

In the end, I'm predicting that downloads will win, just like they did with audio, even though they're nowhere near the quality of Blu-Ray or HD-DVD.

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#307753 - 29/02/2008 08:44 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: wfaulk]
sn00p
addict

Registered: 24/07/2002
Posts: 618
Loc: South London
Originally Posted By: wfaulk
Originally Posted By: Drakino
I don't see the name changing anytime soon. The Blu-ray association has spent a ton of money on brand recognition...

I'm not saying that the official name will change, just popular usage. I'm trying to imagine Mom (or really anyone) saying to me, "I'm going to the Blockbuster to rent a BluRay disc," the same way she might say, "I'm going to the Blockbuster to rent a DVD."

Maybe the change will just be in avoiding referring to them directly — "I'm going to the Blockbuster to rent a movie" — only using the term BluRay when distinguishing it from a different format. I wouldn't be surprised if people just kept calling them DVDs otherwise.

I guess what I'm getting at is that I believe that the term BluRay will not become part of commonplace parlance in the way that DVD has.


Huh. I wonder what people actually say in this situation.

"I'm going to Blockbuster to rent a DVD"

or

"I'm going to Blockbuster to rent a movie"

...and back in time which of the following would you have said?

"I'm going to Blockbuster to rent a Betamax movie."

or

"I'm going to Blockbuster to rent a VHS movie."

or

"I'm going to Blockbuster to rent a movie."

I don't foresee any need to change the name (officially or "just on the street"), it's just the underlying technology.

Most people will be aware of the formats that they can play in their household so a "DVD/HD-DVD/BLURAY" disc is just a movie.

(imo!)


Edited by sn00p (29/02/2008 08:44)

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#307755 - 29/02/2008 13:14 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: sn00p]
LittleBlueThing
addict

Registered: 11/01/2002
Posts: 612
Loc: Reading, UK
People still "go rent a video" don't they?

When they were new it was "Wanna come and watch a DVD?" - now it's "watch a film" or "watch a video"

Syllables?
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LittleBlueThing Running twin 30's

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#307765 - 29/02/2008 15:45 Re: Blu-Ray and HD DVD [Re: LittleBlueThing]
canuckInOR
carpal tunnel

Registered: 13/02/2002
Posts: 3212
Loc: Portland, OR
Originally Posted By: LittleBlueThing
People still "go rent a video" don't they?

When they were new it was "Wanna come and watch a DVD?" - now it's "watch a film" or "watch a video"

Syllables?

Dee Vee Dee
Vid E O

I don't think it's syllables. DVD is rather unwieldly on the tongue, though.

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