As the XB360 thread (currently in the wrong forum) but for potential PS3 buyers. What are your intentions regards BRD movies?
PS3 Buyers : What are your film buying intentions?
- Thread starter Shifty Geezer
- Start date
Nothing MPEG-2 until BD50, only H.264/VC-1 BD25 or MPEG2 BD50. In other words, Sony's got a big problem. They better swallow the bullet and go with a better codec unless they want to lose the format war.
If you go to a store with BRD vs HD-DVD setting close by, HD-DVD is clearly superior, BRD demos I've seen have MPEG2 artifacts out the wazoo. $1000 BRD player with inferior MPEG-2 BD25 quality vs $500 HD-DVD player.
Sony needs to wake up.
If you go to a store with BRD vs HD-DVD setting close by, HD-DVD is clearly superior, BRD demos I've seen have MPEG2 artifacts out the wazoo. $1000 BRD player with inferior MPEG-2 BD25 quality vs $500 HD-DVD player.
Sony needs to wake up.
Sorry, I didn't mean BRD movie intentions overall, but for PS3 buyers how will they be buying BRD movies given that they've bought a BRD player? This is independent of standalone movie player prices etc.
I also think it's assumed that image quality will improve when whoever's producing the movies stops using 25 GB MPEG2s, though if that's an issue it would come under the wait-and-see category.
I also think it's assumed that image quality will improve when whoever's producing the movies stops using 25 GB MPEG2s, though if that's an issue it would come under the wait-and-see category.
I'm with DC here. While encode quality will undoubtedly go up, studios will only get so much free time on their old MPEG-2 investment before people start to really complain that their movies look like shit. Lots of disk space is no excuse to go with a cheaper (in so many ways) CODEC, if output quality is pants.DemoCoder said:
Movies (on both new formats) need to start looking sweet, sooner rather than later.
EDIT: Just as an aside, are folks expecting dual-format players any time soon, so that users don't have to care about disk format?
As an HDTV and HD DVD owner, I must say that when I buy a PS3 (which will probably be after the first or second price drop), I will buy a couple of movies. However, I must agree that BD50 needs to come soon, and even when it does they need to be using VC1/h.264. This will also give me time to see the reviews on how well the PS3 plays movies. For the most part I fall into the "would rather buy a standalone". The other plus hat HD DVD gives me at the moment is COMBO (HD DVD15/DVD9) discs, so BDR has some catchup to do but its not insurmountable, the technology is "technically" there but the implementation is suspect at the moment...
So longwinded story short I voted: Own/will buy
So longwinded story short I voted: Own/will buy
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So far the prices for the BD discs seem reasonable, and even if the content is MPEG2 it's still probably good enough for my future HDTV. I already know I won't buy a top of the line one early on, so I doubt I will be able to see the difference. I have a feeling that by the time I enter the HD era, most things will have sorted themselves out though ...
Voted "Own an HDTV, will buy BRD movies ", even though I don't yet own an HDTV, but will buy one in a month or two, before I buy the PS3.
I'll definitely buy a Blu-ray version of a movie (if available) even if it was more expensive.
Even €10 (I think it'll initially be at least that much more here) or so doesn't hurt too much with the 10 or so movies I buy a year.
I might become hesitant to buy DVD's though if there's a chance a Blu-ray version would be available later. Say a Spiderman 3 DVD was released next year, and a BD six months to year later, I'd have hard time deciding whether I'd invest in the DVD version.
I'll definitely buy a Blu-ray version of a movie (if available) even if it was more expensive.
Even €10 (I think it'll initially be at least that much more here) or so doesn't hurt too much with the 10 or so movies I buy a year.
I might become hesitant to buy DVD's though if there's a chance a Blu-ray version would be available later. Say a Spiderman 3 DVD was released next year, and a BD six months to year later, I'd have hard time deciding whether I'd invest in the DVD version.
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I dont own a HDTV atm, but plan to get one.
But, so long blue ray movies is of variable quality? i am not shure i care for GETTING blue ray movies, so long they use MPEG-2, and quality go up and down from release, to release.
In worst case, ill get a PS3, a HDTV, and use HD-DVD's on a separate player, if the blueray shows up to be totally crap to eternal time.
But, so long blue ray movies is of variable quality? i am not shure i care for GETTING blue ray movies, so long they use MPEG-2, and quality go up and down from release, to release.
In worst case, ill get a PS3, a HDTV, and use HD-DVD's on a separate player, if the blueray shows up to be totally crap to eternal time.
scooby_dooby
Legend
That's the major problem I see as well, no way in hell am I going to buy the current crop of BD movies, only to see a much better, higher quality version released later when they finally get BD50 or start using a modern codec. Buying any BR movies right now is basically a waste of money imo.
Ditto.
I would rent more and I've stopped buying DVDs even though there have been some good sales but I'd rather rent or buy the Blu-Ray version than the DVD version.
Also expect to get a 1080p display in the next few years, once those things settle down with things like HDMI 1.3, maybe 24/48/72 refresh rates.
A Broadcom guy who's working on their codec chips for players posted on AVS that it's erroneous to claim one codec is necessarily better or worse, in response to posts blaming MPEG2 as the culprit for the BD picture quality problems. He's done a lot of work on H.264 IIRC.
There's also been accounts that Samsung incorrectly configured some of their silicon to turn on noise reduction, which is supposedly causing a lot of the image problems. Samsung is suppose to have a firmware fix in September FWIW.
Supposedly, the studios have a lot of the MPEG2 infrastructure and MPEG2 is capable of real-time encoding. Panasonic has just started offering H.264 encoding services.
Beyond that, it appears MS has done a lot of handholding to get the first HD-DVD titles to look the best since it showcases VC-1 -- not to mention iHD. The question is, will MS do that for ALL HD-DVD titles or will they later leave HD-DVD studios with more automated processes which may not achieve the same results?
scooby_dooby
Legend
Why do we, as end consumers, care if they are capable of 'realtime encoding'? I couldn't care less if it takes the 20 hours to encode, as long as the quality is as good as possible.
Mpeg2 can be fine if used at a high bit rate. The problem is that you can't use 25GB and loseless PCM audio and still have the proper amount of space to give you the optimal bitrate that would provide the needed PQ.
If they were using 50GB instead of 25GB discs no one would care but the problem is BD50 is still vaporware and we're stuck with 25GB disc.
To save face, you'll see one or two 50GB titles out by the end of the year but the situation needs to be reserved. BD50 being the norm and BD25 the exception, if they choose to stick with Mpeg2.
MS had done the hand holding needed to get feedback necessary to improve the codec and train the compressionist on VC1 instead of dropping it off at the door and wishing them good luck. The former is a good thing). They're also working on automated dynamic muxing tools and other improvements.