Blu-ray: VC1 content releasing today + MPEG2 proves 'em all wrong ;)

[Titanio]

There are a couple of interesting developments for those watching the whole Blu-ray codec debate etc. First is that the first ever Blu-ray VC1 releases are due out today in the US, courtesy of Warner, which should be on par with their HD-DVD counterparts in terms of picture quality. The titles are Blazing Saddles, Firewall and Lethal Weapon. (Full Metal Jacket is also out today from Warner, but apparently it's MPEG2).

However, coming completely out of leftfield is this: Sony's Tears of the Sun release due out in two weeks apparently carries some of the best HD picture quality around, rivally anything on VC1 on HD-DVD. Here's a review:

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/tearsofthesun.html

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment presents 'Tears of the Sun' in 2.40:1 widescreen and 1080p video, as per usual on Blu-ray. However, while the format has suffered its share of critical slings and arrows ever since its launch earlier this summer (and I've been among some of the most vocal), I can honestly say this is the first transfer I've seen on the format that has totally and unequivocally blew me away. Maybe it is just because my expectations were unfairly lowered these past weeks, but I really thought this is among the best high-def I've yet seen, and frame-per-frame, it is certainly an equal with anything I've yet reviewed on HD DVD.

This is a BD25, MPEG2 release (2+ hours of movie). Hopefully this will prove to be an important turning point for MPEG2 quality on the format. I've always thought there was no reason MPEG2 can't offer a stunning picture (even if it is less efficient) - seems to me it comes down to implementation and the source material. Glad to see Sony apparently waking up, hopefully they'll continue to surprise with their releases.

 

[timothySon]

The problem is brand acceptance. Bluray and HD-DVD are just a visual jump over DVD while DVD was a visual + feature jump over VHS. Bluray using BDjava is going to be a pain and iHD has not shown its true colors yet. I would think less than 30% of US TV owners are HD-DVD owners and more than 95% of US TV owners are DVD owners, It will take 5-6 years for HDTV to be accpted by 60-70% of US TV owners let alone world TV owners and by that time iptv + Docsis 3.0 Hispeed internet will allow streaming content to be saved on HDD on the fly.

 

[Titanio]

The problem is brand acceptance. Bluray and HD-DVD are just a visual jump over DVD while DVD was a visual + feature jump over VHS. Bluray using BDjava is going to be a pain and iHD has not shown its true colors yet. I would think less than 30% of US TV owners are HD-DVD owners and more than 95% of US TV owners are DVD owners, It will take 5-6 years for HDTV to be accpted by 60-70% of US TV owners let alone world TV owners and by that time iptv + Docsis 3.0 Hispeed internet will allow streaming content to be saved on HDD on the fly.

Err..I'm sure you can find any number of "Will HD movies take off?" type threads to regurgitate these arguments in, as has been done previously umpteen times by others. This thread is very specifically about recent codec advances on Blu-ray, if you wanna talk about that, this is the right place, if you want to talk more fundamentally about market acceptance etc. etc. it's not.

 

[London Geezer]

The problem is brand acceptance. Bluray and HD-DVD are just a visual jump over DVD while DVD was a visual + feature jump over VHS. Bluray using BDjava is going to be a pain and iHD has not shown its true colors yet.

... The thread was never meant to prove how Bluray and HDDVD will magically start sellingmore than DVD. As we discussed hundreds of times, that won't happen for years.

I would think less than 30% of US TV owners are HD-DVD owners and more than 95% of US TV owners are DVD owners,

Sorry WHAT? 30% of US TV owners are HDDVD owners?! That must be a typo, cause those few thousands HDDVD players sold really don't make up 30% of the US TV market... So yes, LESS than 30% are HDDVD owners. But i think it's more accurate to say that less than 0.001% are HDDVD owners...

 

[Arwin]

So, basically, with the titles that Fox announced and will support MP4/AVC, we are really getting movies in all 3 supported codecs ... (and Java games and features to boot)

 

[timothySon]

... The thread was never meant to prove how Bluray and HDDVD will magically start sellingmore than DVD. As we discussed hundreds of times, that won't happen for years.




Sorry WHAT? 30% of US TV owners are HDDVD owners?! That must be a typo, cause those few thousands HDDVD players sold really don't make up 30% of the US TV market... So yes, LESS than 30% are HDDVD owners. But i think it's more accurate to say that less than 0.001% are HDDVD owners...

i meant HD-TV

 

[London Geezer]

So, basically, with the titles that Fox announced and will support MP4/AVC, we are really getting movies in all 3 supported codecs ... (and Java games and features to boot)

Yep. It will be a good thing, especially for the hundreds of real geeks who will start comparing each transfer on each format, comparing pixel by pixel which is the best one...

 

[Simon F]

This is a BD25, MPEG2 release (2+ hours of movie). Hopefully this will prove to be an important turning point for MPEG2 quality on the format. I've always thought there was no reason MPEG2 can't offer a stunning picture (even if it is less efficient) - seems to me it comes down to implementation and the source material.

Naturally, it all depends on the target bit rate of the compressed material. I don't suppose anyone knows what that actually is.

 

[bobthebub]

on a vaguely related topic -did anyone see the details of Toshiba's European HD-DVD Launch

http://http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5311728.stm

The 599 euro (£400) HD-E1 will be released two days before rival Blu-ray players, which are available within Sony's new PlayStation 3 console.

About the same price as the HDMi PS3, I know some AV snobs could never contemplate using a console to watch movies on but could be interesting when PS3 BD reviews start.

Toshiba says it has already sold 50,000 players in the US and Japan, and aims to sell 200,000 by the end of the year

When did HD-DVD launch? may? that sounds like a stretch target.

Speaking at the IFA electronics show in Berlin, the company's vice-president of its European DVD division said 10,000 HD-DVD players would be shipped to Europe for the November launch.
Any subsequent shipments would depend on consumer interest, Masaki Kimura said.

So assuming they sell all of those and resupply a couple of times before Christmas they could have 30,000 units in the EU - Assuming PS3 production targets are met and they sell out and and Eu gets a 1/3rd of total production there could be 1.3 Million BD players in EU by Christmas. Pick your statistic as to how many of those PS3 buyers are going to buy BD discs but surely BD will dwarf HD-DVD in EU very very quickly.

I know this sounds like trolling but if I was a Toshiba shareholder I would be asking questions as to why they haven't abandoned HD-DVD yet.

 

[Geo]

The last numbers I saw were predicting 25% US HDTV ownership by the end of 2006. Which of course includes the ever-popular holiday buying season.

 

[sharangad]

on a vaguely related topic -did anyone see the details of Toshiba's European HD-DVD Launch

http://http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5311728.stm

About the same price as the HDMi PS3, I know some AV snobs could never contemplate using a console to watch movies on but could be interesting when PS3 BD reviews start.

Wait until you see the UK Blu-Ray prices:

http://www.play.com/Electronics/Ele...ung_BD_P1000_Blu_ray_Disc_Player/Product.html

£999.99 for the Sammy.

 

[bobthebub]

Wait until you see the UK Blu-Ray prices:

http://www.play.com/Electronics/Ele...ung_BD_P1000_Blu_ray_Disc_Player/Product.html

£999.99 for the Sammy.

And the Sammy hardly has the greatest repution out there either, BD is depending on PS3 for market penetration which leaves the dedicated player manufacturers in a fairly good position, they make a profit on each player - I don't think the same can be said for the Toshiba players.

 

[SPM]

Bluray and HD-DVD drives cost about the same to manufacture - they use the same components. The pricing disparity is due to Sony and Toshiba pricing at cost or to sell at a loss to push their respect formats. Hence PS3 at $499 and Tosbiba player at $400. The others are pricing according to supply and demand - supply is virually nil, and so they can sell all their players at inflated early adopter prices.

Bluray disks will be more expensive intitally because HD-DVD leverages existing DVD manufacturing plant, but should be similar in the long run.

 

[trinibwoy]

Round 2 - FIGHT !

http://www.highdefdigest.com/feature_blurayvshddvd_roundtwo.html

 

[Geo]

Round 2 - FIGHT !

http://www.highdefdigest.com/feature_blurayvshddvd_roundtwo.html

Well, I think most of us were expecting the BRD camp to get their IQ house in order, and probably even before the end of the year. But it's nice to see actual evidence it is happening.

 

[mashie]

Any news when the HD-DVD and BD drives for PCs will be released in Europe?