Quit complaining about no cover art on the dual-discs, you can't see it when the disc is playing anyway.
cover art is very usefull if you try to keep dvd's seperated from one another!
And the dual-disc format that Warners and Paramount have announced will not cost any more than the current Blu-Ray or HD-DVD format discs do.
Yeh but it does not seem more efficient to me... now having to print two sides instead of one would take a longer process, I think. And it is just silly! Knowing that HD is the lesser of two evils, it should give up! I know they wont, cause of economic reasons, but it does not make the market any better.
The dual discs that Warner will be doing might be a little more. Kind of like the HD-DVD/DVD combo discs cost more.
Anyway I hope the LG comes in under $1000, but everything I have heard says $1199. Which is too much since it is missing features that the non combo players have. I just hope more companies jump on the combo player bandwagon. I would love to see a true end to this format war.
Personally I don't like the looks of these cases. They really should have stuck with the current HD-DVD/Blu-ray cases, and maybe make them a different color.
Disney doesn't have to do anything that they don't think is in their best interest. That is why they went with Blu-Ray, and in my opinion, they will jump on the Dual-Disc bandwagon with Warner Bros. and Paramount.
This new LG Dual-Format player is the cat's meow. It will satisfy each of the people who like either Blu-Ray or HD-DVD.
I still don't understand why everyone thinks that Blu-Ray is so bad. I have owned both, and I will stick with Blu-Ray.
The only way to watch movies - Original Aspect Ratio!!!!
I LOVE my Blu-Ray Disc Player!
Okay. Just kidding. Seriously, who would want to watch pr0n in high def?
TLK
Er. . . there's actually some merit to that. . . I've read several articles on how it's driven the home video industry in other formats. Um, I have a strange fascination for format wars, pr0n itself is boring.
And personally, I'm happy enough with DVD's. I don't really care to upgrade to yet another format already.
Funny about the porn, there was a comment about that yesterday by Bill Hunt of TheDigitalBits...
Then there's this: A few readers have e-mailed us today about the news that some of the leading porn companies, like Digital Underground and Wicked Pictures, have decided to back HD-DVD for cost and ease of production reasons (see story here at ABC News)."Porn decided the VHS vs. Betamax format war, so it'll decide the HD format war too." is the typical comment. Here's why I doubt it: Back in the days of the VHS vs. Beta format war, the only way to watch porn was to visit a seedy adult movie theater or to spool up a Super-8 film. So when cheap, convenient porn on tape finally arrived, it was a HUGE deal, demand was massive and it benefited VHS greatly. The difference today is, cheap porn is already available EVERYWHERE on the Internet and particularly on good old standard DVD. Also, have any of you actually seen naked people in high-definition? Let me tell you, it's often a much better idea in theory than in reality. Porn stars may look sexy as all get out in standard definition, but... well, maybe not so much in HD. You can't hide those plastic surgery scars, stretch marks and a__-pimples in high-def. I'm just saying. Bottom line: Porn companies backing HD-DVD is not insignificant, but I doubt very much that porn will decide this format war.
Escapay
WIST #60:
AwallaceUNC: Would you prefer Substi-Blu-tiary Locomotion?
WIST #61:
TheSequelOfDisney: Damn, did Lin-Manuel Miranda go and murder all your families?
Its actually because Blu Ray is refusing to duplicate Porn discs. Now, I'm not bothered about porn, but this is an interesting stand for the BD Forum to take. It means already they are dictacting what can and cannot be shown on their format.
I know some people here will praise the BD forum for their ethics in refusing porn, but I think they're being a little two-faced. Personally, I'd be a lot more offended by a film like Saw and its sequels than seeing Porn. Yet the BD forum have no problems with allowing these explotation movies to be pressed and released on Blu Ray. There's reports of people fainting and/or throwing up in cinemas in the UK for Saw 3 its so graphically explicit. I don't understand why wanton gore and violence is classed as being okay, while sex isn't.
But more importantly, if I was a major Hollywood studio, I'd be concerned about what dictates the BD Forum may put in place once they "win" the format war and are the only option. They could easily raise licencing fees - and the studios would have to pay, the only other option would be not releasing their films to the home video market. I do find it worrying that even when no clear cut winner is in place, the BD Forum are confident enough to issue demands and vetos already.
2099net wrote:I know some people here will praise the BD forum for their ethics in refusing porn, but I think they're being a little two-faced. Personally, I'd be a lot more offended by a film like Saw and its sequels than seeing Porn. Yet the BD forum have no problems with allowing these explotation movies to be pressed and released on Blu Ray. There's reports of people fainting and/or throwing up in cinemas in the UK for Saw 3 its so graphically explicit. I don't understand why wanton gore and violence is classed as being okay, while sex isn't.
Hear hear! I couldn't have said it any better myself, netty.
Its actually because Blu Ray is refusing to duplicate Porn discs. Now, I'm not bothered about porn, but this is an interesting stand for the BD Forum to take. It means already they are dictacting what can and cannot be shown on their format.
I know some people here will praise the BD forum for their ethics in refusing porn, but I think they're being a little two-faced. Personally, I'd be a lot more offended by a film like Saw and its sequels than seeing Porn. Yet the BD forum have no problems with allowing these explotation movies to be pressed and released on Blu Ray. There's reports of people fainting and/or throwing up in cinemas in the UK for Saw 3 its so graphically explicit. I don't understand why wanton gore and violence is classed as being okay, while sex isn't.
But more importantly, if I was a major Hollywood studio, I'd be concerned about what dictates the BD Forum may put in place once they "win" the format war and are the only option. They could easily raise licencing fees - and the studios would have to pay, the only other option would be not releasing their films to the home video market. I do find it worrying that even when no clear cut winner is in place, the BD Forum are confident enough to issue demands and vetos already.
I completely agree.
This is going to hurt Blu-ray in the long run. While I don't care about high def porn, it is a huge business. Dictating what can and can not be on your format will hurt them.
If they do this to some major Hollywood studios I can see them going over to HD-DVD in a heartbeat.
From the Digital Bits, it is well worth a read, and boy am I glad I chose Blu-ray!
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Walt Disney World Trips: 1999, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2016, ~Dec 2018~, ~Apr 2019~
Favorite Disney Movies: Peter Pan, 101 Dalmatians, Tangled, The Princess and the Frog, Enchanted, FROZEN
I have to say I agree with Bill Hunt of the Digital Bits about hi-def and porn. It won't be the deciding factor in the HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray war, for the very reasons he points out.
I remember seeing an HDTV demo at a Best Buy about a year or so ago, and they were showing some movie premiere, and Owen Wilson showed up on camera, and my reaction was "Ew, I can see the capillaries under the skin on his face. Is that a booger in his nose? He's so shiny. Hey, wait a minute, he's pink. I see his pores. Eww!" And that was just his face. One can only imagine what will be visible on people who are nude.
Compare this to theatrical films and live concerts shot on video, which can definitely benefit from the hi-def quality (films especially).
By the way, thanks kbehm for posting that article. I haven't made the switch yet, but I hadn't been aware until now that Blu-Ray was indeed backwards compatible with SD-DVD. Now that I know that it is, I can relax and get a Blu-Ray player once I'm ready and the prices have come down some more.
DarthPrime wrote:I didn't read all that article, but Blu-ray is far from winning in my opinion.
Well....what's your opinion now?
AP: Blockbuster to favor Blu-ray HD disc
By GARY GENTILE
AP Business Writer
Technology Video
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Blockbuster Inc. will rent high-definition DVDs only in the Blu-ray format in 1,450 stores when it expands its high-def offerings next month, dealing a major blow to the rival HD DVD format.
The move, being announced Monday, could be the first step in resolving a format war that has kept confused consumers from rushing to buy new DVD players until they can determine which format will dominate the market.
Blockbuster has been renting both Blu-ray and HD DVD titles in 250 stores since late last year and found that consumers were choosing Blu-ray titles more than 70 percent of the time.
"The consumers are sending us a message. I can't ignore what I'm seeing," Matthew Smith, senior vice president of merchandising at Blockbuster, told The Associated Press.
Blockbuster will continue to rent HD DVD titles in the original 250 locations and online, the Dallas-based company said.
The decision was helped in large part by the lopsided availability of titles in Blu-ray, Smith said. All major studios except one are releasing films in Blu-ray, with several, including The Walt Disney Co., releasing exclusively in Blu-ray. Only Universal Studios, which is owned by General Electric Co., exclusively supports HD DVD.
Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc., and Paramount Pictures, which is owned by Viacom Inc., release films in both formats.
"When you walk into a store and see all this product available in Blu-ray and there is less available on HD DVD, I think the consumer gets that," Smith said.
The rollout of Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 3 game console, which comes standard with a Blu-ray drive, also helped give the format momentum, Smith said.
Blockbuster's decision, while significant on it's own, could boost Blu-ray even more if other retailers follow suit.
"It will help shift the balance toward Blu-ray, clearly," said Richard Doherty, president of The Envisioneering Group, a research company.
The North American HD DVD Promotional Group said Blockbuster's decision was shortsighted and skewed by the success of films released by Blu-ray studios in the first three months of the year. The group said HD DVD has since gained momentum, selling more players and popular titles such as "The 40-Year Old Virgin" and "The Matrix" trilogy.
"I think trying to make a format decision using such a short time period is really not measuring what the consumer is saying," said Ken Graffeo, co-president of the group.
The two formats have been battling it out since they both hit the market last year. Studios hope the high-definition discs, with their sharper picture and more room for interactive special features and games, will replace standard definition DVDs.
The formats are incompatible and neither will play on standard DVD players, although standard DVDs can be viewed with either a Blu-ray or HD DVD player.
The Blu-ray camp has been helped by the release of such huge hits as "Casino Royale," "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Spider-Man" coming out exclusively in its format.
As the battle has unfolded, the price of the high-definition players needed to show the movies has plummeted. Toshiba Corp., the major supporter of HD DVD, is selling its player for $299 with a rebate, down from $499 when it first went on sale.
Sony, which is pushing Blu-ray, recently slashed the price of its player by more than half to $499. The player retailed for $1,000 when it first was introduced.
Disneyland Trips: 1983, 1992, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, Aug 2018
Walt Disney World Trips: 1999, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2016, ~Dec 2018~, ~Apr 2019~
Favorite Disney Movies: Peter Pan, 101 Dalmatians, Tangled, The Princess and the Frog, Enchanted, FROZEN
DarthPrime wrote:I didn't read all that article, but Blu-ray is far from winning in my opinion.
Well....what's your opinion now?
AP: Blockbuster to favor Blu-ray HD disc
By GARY GENTILE
AP Business Writer
Technology Video
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Blockbuster Inc. will rent high-definition DVDs only in the Blu-ray format in 1,450 stores when it expands its high-def offerings next month, dealing a major blow to the rival HD DVD format.
The move, being announced Monday, could be the first step in resolving a format war that has kept confused consumers from rushing to buy new DVD players until they can determine which format will dominate the market.
Blockbuster has been renting both Blu-ray and HD DVD titles in 250 stores since late last year and found that consumers were choosing Blu-ray titles more than 70 percent of the time.
"The consumers are sending us a message. I can't ignore what I'm seeing," Matthew Smith, senior vice president of merchandising at Blockbuster, told The Associated Press.
Blockbuster will continue to rent HD DVD titles in the original 250 locations and online, the Dallas-based company said.
The decision was helped in large part by the lopsided availability of titles in Blu-ray, Smith said. All major studios except one are releasing films in Blu-ray, with several, including The Walt Disney Co., releasing exclusively in Blu-ray. Only Universal Studios, which is owned by General Electric Co., exclusively supports HD DVD.
Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc., and Paramount Pictures, which is owned by Viacom Inc., release films in both formats.
"When you walk into a store and see all this product available in Blu-ray and there is less available on HD DVD, I think the consumer gets that," Smith said.
The rollout of Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 3 game console, which comes standard with a Blu-ray drive, also helped give the format momentum, Smith said.
Blockbuster's decision, while significant on it's own, could boost Blu-ray even more if other retailers follow suit.
"It will help shift the balance toward Blu-ray, clearly," said Richard Doherty, president of The Envisioneering Group, a research company.
The North American HD DVD Promotional Group said Blockbuster's decision was shortsighted and skewed by the success of films released by Blu-ray studios in the first three months of the year. The group said HD DVD has since gained momentum, selling more players and popular titles such as "The 40-Year Old Virgin" and "The Matrix" trilogy.
"I think trying to make a format decision using such a short time period is really not measuring what the consumer is saying," said Ken Graffeo, co-president of the group.
The two formats have been battling it out since they both hit the market last year. Studios hope the high-definition discs, with their sharper picture and more room for interactive special features and games, will replace standard definition DVDs.
The formats are incompatible and neither will play on standard DVD players, although standard DVDs can be viewed with either a Blu-ray or HD DVD player.
The Blu-ray camp has been helped by the release of such huge hits as "Casino Royale," "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Spider-Man" coming out exclusively in its format.
As the battle has unfolded, the price of the high-definition players needed to show the movies has plummeted. Toshiba Corp., the major supporter of HD DVD, is selling its player for $299 with a rebate, down from $499 when it first went on sale.
Sony, which is pushing Blu-ray, recently slashed the price of its player by more than half to $499. The player retailed for $1,000 when it first was introduced.
Still far from winning. Although the Blockbuster deal is a major plus for Blu-ray. If other retailers continue to follow suit it will help Blu-ray even more. Although keep in mind they are still going to rent HD DVD, online only though. Online rentals are quickly replacing in store rentals.
The only way I see HD DVD dying off right now is if they loose Universal. That would be game over, but so far Universal has backed HD DVD, and have members on the HD DVD board. So I don't see them leaving anytime soon.
The sales of both formats is terrible compared to DVD. Although Blu-ray is selling better than HD DVD. I think both are going to be around for awhile.
