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Eug · Jun 7, 2007, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by Oversoul

If it were a material fact, then I'd call for full disclosure. But I see haven't seen The Digital Bits or Greg Suarez taking money from the BDA for Bill Hunt to write his column or Greg to write his defense. Is Greg acting in anything but a personal and non-pecuniary interest? The latter is certainly the feel of his defense as I read it.

Not really. I agree with the mods at AVS. Basically nobody knew who Greg was, yet he didn't volunteer that he was one of the group at the Bits. At best, it's extremely bad netiquette, to say it politely. That thread was immediately closed when the mods found out he was a Bits guy, as it should have been.

Originally Posted by starman

Beta
Minidisc
UMD
Memory Stick

All failed. This isn't JUST about Beta. Sony has a terrible way of marketing their proprietary stuff, and Blu is no different. So many titles are now cancelled/delayed that the future of BR is in serious doubt.

Blu-ray isn't actually proprietary to Sony.

icruise · Jun 7, 2007, 02:08 PM

Does it really make any sense to say that because a flash memory or portable audio format "failed" that a totally unrelated HD video format will also fail? What do the two formats, markets, and technologies have in common? Very little, except Sony itself. You might as well say that because Apple backed the Pippin, the Newton, and eWorld, that the iPhone will be a flop.

Originally Posted by starman

So many titles are now cancelled/delayed that the future of BR is in serious doubt.

You're kidding, right?

starman · 02:28 PM

What relates them is they were formats that Sony made, thinking that people will buy them in droves. They didn't.

I'm still not convinced that Blu-Ray will win. I see NOTHING that shows this. Studios can be swayed at any moment so that argument doesn't hold up. I'm very apprehensive on the Fox and Disney delays. We've seen with Beta that better doesn't always win the war. Sure, BR has higher capacity but that doesn't mean that something silly can't push HD-DVD. Cost is a big, BIG factor with HD now. TVs are dropping in price but not to the point where people aren't pushing their wallets to buy them. With BR at TWICE the cost of HD-DVD for the hardware, it's a compelling reason to go with HD-DVD.

I bought the HD-DVD and BR versions of Superman Returns and there's no difference between them (as other reviewers have stated). Since the BR and HD-DVD formats are just TRANSPORTS for the same stream on some titles, there shouldn't be a difference anyway.

So what's left? Features? Size? Price? Studio support? NONE of them are the single factor to push BR or it would have crushed HD-DVD last summer.

Oh, and if BR is so badass, why aren't studios pushing the discs out the door? Where's Predator? Star Trek? Die Hard? Bond (older)? Star Wars? You can only watch crap like "50 First Dates" so often.

EDIT: I just thought of one major advantage HD-DVD has over BR: No region coding.

Eug · 02:40 PM

The Sony BDP300 is $425 at Tech Depot. That's $75 off MSRP. That's a pretty good deal for a player with 1080p support and 6-channel analogue audio outputs.

However, it's still too high for entry level. I'm not sure if it supports Blu-ray Profile 1.1 either.

Originally Posted by starman

I just thought of one major advantage HD-DVD has over BR: No region coding.

Yeah, it's pretty nice. I just picked up a couple of HD DVDs from the UK. Plus, some of the Blu-ray exclusives are on HD DVD in Europe so some of the American HD DVD guys get their fill that way, without having to resort to getting dual players.

I'm still hoping for that $299 dual-format player though.

Oversoul · Jun 7, 2007, 04:21 PM

Unfortunately, there's some doubt as to whether the BDP-S300 will have 5.1 analogue out. Specifications on SonyStyle's product page show:

Analog Audio Output(s)
2 ch; 1 (Rear)

SonyStyle

Eug · Jun 7, 2007, 10:33 PM

In truth, I personally don't give a damn about 5.1 analogue outputs.

However, it seems many of the people looking forward to this sub $500 Blu-ray player were looking forward to those. They won't be happy. Without the 5.1 analogue out, it becomes a lot less interesting to many in this price range.

Eug · Jun 8, 2007, 12:06 AM

Gizmodo Video: Problems With Blu-ray's BD-J Spec Causes Headaches For Early Adopters

Remember when we talked about inconsistent Blu-ray BD-Java implementation and how it would cause problems for users? This video illustrates what we mean. A guy recorded himself updating the firmware of his Sony Blu-ray player, then attempting to go and play the Liar's Dice game in Pirates of the Caribbean 2. The end result is comical.

jokell82 · Jun 8, 2007, 07:37 AM

Originally Posted by Eug

In truth, I personally don't give a damn about 5.1 analogue outputs.

However, it seems many of the people looking forward to this sub $500 Blu-ray player were looking forward to those. They won't be happy. Without the 5.1 analogue out, it becomes a lot less interesting to many in this price range.

Why is anyone looking for 5.1 analog out? Would the DAC on the player be better than a standalone receiver? Methinks not on a sub-$500 player...

Eug · Jun 8, 2007, 09:01 AM

Originally Posted by jokell82

Why is anyone looking for 5.1 analog out? Would the DAC on the player be better than a standalone receiver? Methinks not on a sub-$500 player...

Because lots of people have analogue inputs. Not everyone has a receiver that is capable of dealing with high-bandwidth 6-channel HDMI audio.

P.S. I'm guessing the DAC on the Sony is actually quite reasonable.

Dakarʒ · Jun 8, 2007, 09:03 AM

I have a 5.1 analog out. I have to say I've liked it better than the optical out.

Edit: on reg DVDs

Montezuma58 · Jun 8, 2007, 09:10 AM

Originally Posted by jokell82

Why is anyone looking for 5.1 analog out? Would the DAC on the player be better than a standalone receiver? Methinks not on a sub-$500 player...

The point of analog outputs is that you won't have to upgrade your audio system. You'd be able to take advantage of uncompressed or loss-less compressed audio if you have an audio system with multi channel analog in and without HDMI inputs.

Eug · Jun 10, 2007, 11:58 AM

Crutchfield has the Toshiba HD-A2 for $199.99, with $10.99 shipping in the US.

analogue SPRINKLES · Jun 10, 2007, 12:17 PM

Workaround Found for Toshiba HD-XA2 Low Bass Issues | High-Def Digest

Montezuma58 · Jun 10, 2007, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by Eug

Crutchfield has the Toshiba HD-A2 for $199.99, with $10.99 shipping in the US.

HHGregg is giving a free HD-A2 with the purchase of a TV of $999 or more.

Eug · Jun 10, 2007, 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by Montezuma58

HHGregg is giving a free HD-A2 with the purchase of a TV of $999 or more.

I was predicting this would happen on Black Friday, with Chinese HD DVD players.

I guess I was wrong on both counts.

jokell82 · Jun 10, 2007, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by Eug

Crutchfield has the Toshiba HD-A2 for $199.99, with $10.99 shipping in the US.

Holy crap! I knew my $249 deal would eventually be beat, but I didn't think it'd be this fast!

Veltliner · Jun 10, 2007, 09:19 PM

Originally Posted by starman

I just thought of one major advantage HD-DVD has over BR: No region coding.

Absolutely! I hate companies restricting their customers where to buy and play their discs.

Region coding prevents me to send movies as presents to Europe, and locks me out of all regional releases of European movies that do not reach the USA.

The region coding made sense for film studios at the time when movies first came out in the USA, and only later (often months later) in other parts of the world. Today they have the same roll-out dates world-wide (possibly in order to prevent word of mouth, what garbage the latest blockbuster was). But today region coding is just customer kicking.