360 HD-DVD drive £130

[wozzaa]

I kind of worded my response wrong.

I meant HDMI is basically DVI with audio abilities built in. Theres very little difference and they should give the same visual quality.

Component / VGA should not really differ by much if at all if good cables are used. Bit like when you use decent RCA leads on a home stereo it does make a difference.

 

[McBunny]

yup your right wozzaa

 

[David]

Where are you getting all your 'facts' from guys? I've been lead to believe its in fact HD-DVD which has the most backing from the studios not blu-ray.

Personally i think HD-DVD will win, but i read a really good article on all the different scenarios that might come about during the format war one where both discs will be produced at the same time and eventualyl all players will play both formats anyway, just with blu-ray, you'll get more extras since it has a fair bit more capacity, but picture quality wise they're the same. Both 1080p....but saying that only top end TV's an i mean top end can actually view in 1080p....the standard high def signal is 780p... this is what everything will be based on. All the sky broadcasts etc.

I was also informed by a reliable source, not sure if this is true or not though, that a 1080 signal on any TV smaller than 42" will look identical to 720 anyway...and that we're years away from gaining a decent 1080p quality tv in anything under that size... the know for a fact that the only sony TV which supports 1080p is the X series as the moment, highest spec.

 

[Rasclart]

i thought HD-DVD had no regional encoding?

Thats what I thought as well. NO way of testing at the moment though.

Its all very well saying HDMI has more bandwidth etc etc etc.

But how many of you have tried a HD-DVD player on numerous TV's fairly decent ones over component and HDMI using several films and seen for yourself what the quality is like.

I am not doubting that HDMI has higher bandwidth, carrys sound (not important when u have 5.1) but the simple matter is there isnt a huge difference or any a normal person would see unless your super critical

 

[McBunny]

Where are you getting all your 'facts' from guys? I've been lead to believe its in fact HD-DVD which has the most backing from the studios not blu-ray.

Personally i think HD-DVD will win, but i read a really good article on all the different scenarios that might come about during the format war one where both discs will be produced at the same time and eventualyl all players will play both formats anyway, just with blu-ray, you'll get more extras since it has a fair bit more capacity, but picture quality wise they're the same. Both 1080p....but saying that only top end TV's an i mean top end can actually view in 1080p....the standard high def signal is 780p... this is what everything will be based on. All the sky broadcasts etc.

I was also informed by a reliable source, not sure if this is true or not though, that a 1080 signal on any TV smaller than 42" will look identical to 720 anyway...and that we're years away from gaining a decent 1080p quality tv in anything under that size... the know for a fact that the only sony TV which supports 1080p is the X series as the moment, highest spec.

its 720p not 780p

films are only produces in 1080p 25 and 30 well 24 and 29 too

and that is basically the same as 1080i 50 and 60 you have exactly the same info on screen as the display is progressive by nature it cant do interlaced. films will not be 1080p50 and 60 for a long long time if ever as the cameras physically cant record the format

 

[Clart]

i think everyone is getting carried away with all this talk about 1080i and 1080p. realistically I don't that true HD, 1080p for dvd's, games and HD TV are going to make much of an impact and be accessible for the home user for a good few years.

I heard the sky sports HD cameras couldn't even film in 720p yet...

 

[Rasclart]

The actual Res that cameras use and have been using for years is HUGE

Its just processing I think! Sky Sports HD has to be filmed in 720 or whatever they film in for it to be HD material.

 

[McBunny]

clart your right people are getting fixated on 1080p and it doesnt even matter !!

anyway hd is s**t the next big thing is uhdv running 7680 x 4320 !!!! but aparantly its too life like and made people feel sick lol

 

[Rasclart]

I for one think HD-DVD across 720p is a decent step up from Standard DVD's depending on what PSD player your used to.

BUT we arent talking about the same step up from VHS to DVD!

 

[zack40]

thers load of information about hd dvd +blueray here..http://www.avforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=245

 

[Clart]

will be much noticable difference going from standard upscaled dvds to HD-DVD

 

[thecremeegg]

There is now a disc that has 3 layers...it can hold DVD, HD-DVD and Blu Ray all together....if studios start producing films in different formats on one disc then everyones happy.Theres a link on the BBC website somewhere

Tom

 

[Rasclart]

will be much noticable difference going from standard upscaled dvds to HD-DVD

I still have a fairly pricey Denon upscaling player and to be honest yes you will.

Upscaling DVD players IMO were dissapointing to be be honest. You will defo notice a difference. But like said before not huge like VHS to DVD!

 

[Chris n nic]

When I was in Currys last they had some LCDs running a demo with a woman on a boat iirc..the quality was amazing and really showed what could be done...I assume this was HD tv?

Chris

 

[McBunny]

id imagine so

 

[Chris n nic]

If it was then IMO it was much better than dvd. The movement on screen seemed alot smoother and the difference in definition was a definate improvement. I`m just trying to get WMC on my pc so I can play some hd stuff thru it...there are some great vids on the microsoft site which a 2 min long clips from Imax vids..plus a HD version of Terminator 2 which looks awesome.

Chris

 

[gazzrenn]

Except one's 480p and the other is 1080p

More than double the resolution?

PAL DVD is 576p.

I have a Sony DVD upscaler which plays normal DVD's at 720p or 1080i. Works great on my HD LCD. It's not a HUGE difference, but not bad.


On the 360 thing, i read on TheRegister that MS were considering releasing a Mark II 360 Unit with a HD-DVD drive built in. Not sure how true that is though..

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/09/13/ms_internal_hd_dvd_xbox_drive/

 

[McBunny]

If it was then IMO it was much better than dvd. The movement on screen seemed alot smoother and the difference in definition was a definate improvement. I`m just trying to get WMC on my pc so I can play some hd stuff thru it...there are some great vids on the microsoft site which a 2 min long clips from Imax vids..plus a HD version of Terminator 2 which looks awesome.

Chris

i have the full version of the terminator 2 hd on dvd cant play it over here tho

 

[Chris n nic]

Whats the deal with that Mike.....is it on a normal dvd? How can it be HD.

Chris

 

[McBunny]

its not a normal dvd well it is but its a mix mode dvd with just t2 hd in wmv format on the disc but its drm protected to only play in the usa

 

[Chris n nic]

booo....My dvd plays WMV but I'd imagine it would be the same case...what a ball ache..that would great!

This is mine but I imagine the protection will work no matter which player you'd have...apart from a yank one lol

http://www.pricerunner.homecinematv.co.uk/showproduct.php?cda=showproduct&pid=SAM-HTXQ100

Chris

 

[McBunny]

it needs to be played from a pc as it contacts the internet for the license

 

[Rasclart]

DRM sucks ball bag

HD-DVD is where its at

I will enjoy my HD-DVD's while you stare at your Terminator disk