Blue-ray?

[Azure]

Someone want to explain to me what this technology is going to help us with?

I know that the disks can hold much more info...but what the heck can you put on a DVD that is more then 4 gigs? Also...in the age of external hard-drives...I saw a 100gig for 100 bucks in Minnesota...whats the use of having DVD disks with so much space?

[ken0042]

A regular DVD can hold about 40 minutes of HD content. Blue Ray and HD-DVD are the two formats that allow for HD movies.

[Azure]

Ahhh...I knew I was missing something.

Thanks Ken.

[Hemi-Cuda]

i'm betting on HD-DVD to win the format wars. cheaper to make, more recognizeable and marketable name, and they're making dual format disks that hold both the regular and HD versions of a movie that can be played in either a regular DVD player or an HD-DVD one. that and looking at Sony's past experience with proprietary formats (betamax, minidisc, UMD, etc) they don't inspire much confidence

but of course it will all come down to whatever format the porn industry chooses to go with

[ken0042]

Of course, there is also some debate about how much better HD or Blue Ray is over an upconverted regular DVD.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

and looking at Sony's past experience with proprietary formats (betamax, minidisc, UMD, etc) they don't inspire much confidence

Well, I still stand behind my decision to buy my Laserdisc.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Well, I still stand behind my decision to buy my Laserdisc.

I've read the laser disk version of Star Wars is still considered the definitive version.

[MrMastodonFarm]

basically great technology that isn't going to catch on with the public at large.

[Draug]

One of the formats will catch on. It is only a matter of time.

I propose that many people arent impressed with the quality gain because they still see DVD video as good quality. And, when compared to SD TV it is.

But, I expect that once most people have HD programming, and are used to watching it, they will not like the quality downgrade to normal DVD's. The only choice then is Blu-Ray or HD-DVD.

[Draug]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Of course, there is also some debate about how much better HD or Blue Ray is over an upconverted regular DVD.

I would say quite a bit better. I did some A/B testing last night, and even on my Panasonic EDTV, you could see a marked improvement in detail and color quality with Blu-Ray compared to normal DVD. Some compression artifacts were still visible, when looking frame by frame, but far less than DVD.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Another cool thing about blue ray or HDDVD is that you can fit entire seasons of whatever show on 1 disk. So no more 5 disk season series box sets.

[Kerplunk]

I really hope that Blue-ray wins out over HD-DVD, for a few reasons:

1) It holds almost twice as much data.
- Companies that have huge databases will be able to store more in a disk, making backup and archival easier. With the rate data is being stored and transfered a smaller size will become a problem sooner rather than later.
- Applications like computer games can start to put in better textures with a disk. This is one of the reasons Sony went with the Blue-ray in the PS3.
- Who doesn't need more space? My personal backups can probably top 100 GB easily, and thats without extra media like movies and music.

2) HD-DVD is backed by Microsoft.

However, the cost of converting existing plants to use Blue-ray may be prohibative; HD-DVD can use current technology.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Kerplunk

I really hope that Blue-ray wins out over HD-DVD, for a few reasons:

1) It holds almost twice as much data.
- Companies that have huge databases will be able to store more in a disk, making backup and archival easier. With the rate data is being stored and transfered a smaller size will become a problem sooner rather than later.
- Applications like computer games can start to put in better textures with a disk. This is one of the reasons Sony went with the Blue-ray in the PS3.
- Who doesn't need more space? My personal backups can probably top 100 GB easily, and thats without extra media like movies and music.

2) HD-DVD is backed by Microsoft.

However, the cost of converting existing plants to use Blue-ray may be prohibative; HD-DVD can use current technology.

well right now they can't even make blu-ray discs that hold as much data as was promised, currently they're about even with HD-DVD. plus HD-DVD is a brand new format, there's likely to be revisions in the future that add more space (compare first generation DVD's to todays). and looking at how Microsoft is handling the Xbox 360 vs. Sony and the PS3, i'm much more willing to trust Microsoft at this point

[Kerplunk]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

well right now they can't even make blu-ray discs that hold as much data as was promised, currently they're about even with HD-DVD. plus HD-DVD is a brand new format, there's likely to be revisions in the future that add more space (compare first generation DVD's to todays). and looking at how Microsoft is handling the Xbox 360 vs. Sony and the PS3, i'm much more willing to trust Microsoft at this point

That's odd, because I've seen reports of Sony starting to ramp up production of the 50GB discs (single layed is 25GB). The theoretical max for HD-DVD is 30GB (dual layered), so I'd say that Sony is getting on top of that. I'd also think that any changes to format will be data compression, since any changes to the laser configuration could make backwards compatability a pain, or addition of layers to the disc (possible for both).

You also have to be careful with Xbox vs PS3 comparisons, since the two systems were release so far apart, use different technologies and have different initial target area's.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Kerplunk

That's odd, because I've seen reports of Sony starting to ramp up production of the 50GB discs (single layed is 25GB). The theoretical max for HD-DVD is 30GB (dual layered), so I'd say that Sony is getting on top of that. I'd also think that any changes to format will be data compression, since any changes to the laser configuration could make backwards compatability a pain, or addition of layers to the disc (possible for both).

You also have to be careful with Xbox vs PS3 comparisons, since the two systems were release so far apart, use different technologies and have different initial target area's.

i'm not comparing the systems themselves, but rather how Microsoft and Sony went about with the launch of their respective consoles. and Sony has done virtually everything to screw up the launch of the PS3 and underdeliver on their promises. meanwhile Microsoft's launch went fairly smoothly and now a year later with the additions they've made to Xbox Live it makes Sony's online offering pale in comparison

and both Sony and Microsoft are targeting the same areas, namely the young male 15-25 demographic. Nintendo seems to be the only different one in targeting areas on either side by going for young kids and older adults looking for a throwback to the NES/SNES days

[Bobblehead]

Both are encumbered with AACS & ICT digital rights systems, but in addition Blu-Ray has BD+ & BD-ROM Mark DRM (and there have been nasty reports obout those). After the Sony root-kit debacle I have no trust in Sony to protect the consumer from getting screwed.

(ps - for people looking up info; it is Blu-ray; no 'e' in the name )

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

Another cool thing about blue ray or HDDVD is that you can fit entire seasons of whatever show on 1 disk. So no more 5 disk season series box sets.

Which will hopefully bring the price down.

I hate paying 60 bucks for one season of 24.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Azure

Which will hopefully bring the price down.

I hate paying 60 bucks for one season of 24.

You'll still pay that. The media and pressing is cheap.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Azure

Which will hopefully bring the price down.

I hate paying 60 bucks for one season of 24.

That price won't come down. You're paying 60 bucks for a 24 hour movie basically. I really wouldn't complain about that.

[Winsor_Pilates]

I think the Microsoft backing HDDVD is a little misleading. From what I've heard, they like blue-ray but didn't back it up because they don't think it a good financial move at this time.
It's not because they think HDDVD is a better product then blueray