HD-DVD officially dead (finally!)

[GUTS]

This is good news, now studios can focus on one format and get all the classics out on Blu-ray like Alien/Aliens and the Indiana Jones trilogy.  I have a hard time watching regular DVDs now since I've been spoiled by blu-ray, even the best DVD transfers look like shit compared to blu-ray.

[FM-77]

Too bad they cant HD-ify old movies like Indiana Jones... It would be neat to see it in real 1080p. Or higher.

[Necromancer]

Too bad they cant HD-ify old movies like Indiana Jones... It would be neat to see it in real 1080p. Or higher.

What makes you think that they can't?  Nearly every HD-DVD and Blu-Ray title currently available was originally shot on 35mm.  The only reason that Indiana Jones isn't on one of these formats is because Lucas is slow to adopt new mediums (look how long it took for Indiana Jones and Star Wars to be put on DVD).

[guyjin]

poop. I guess people who own HDTVs at this point would want to pay more for their high def discs. 

[FM-77]

Too bad they cant HD-ify old movies like Indiana Jones... It would be neat to see it in real 1080p. Or higher.

What makes you think that they can't?  Nearly every HD-DVD and Blu-Ray title currently available was originally shot on 35mm.  The only reason that Indiana Jones isn't on one of these formats is because Lucas is slow to adopt new mediums (look how long it took for Indiana Jones and Star Wars to be put on DVD).

No, I meant since it is such an old movie... the picture quality won't be as good. At I guess it would be like that. I'm no expert in movie stuff/filming. All I know is that some of the old movies that have come out on HD formats haven't looked much better than a DVD.

[Joe Redifer]

If they took care of the old negatives/answer prints/show prints then they can get a better HD version than movies shot today on 2K digital like Apacalypto.  You may see film grain in a movie like Raiders of the Lost Ark, but grain isn't a bad thing unless it is excessive like in Ghostbusters.

[Dark Fact]

The PS3 rules.  Buy one now.  It's probably the best current Blu-Ray player on the market.

First of all, I will only buy a PS3 when the console finally puts out an attractive game library and second, I buy game consoles to play games, not watch movies.  Give me the meat, not the f*cking potatoes!

This is good news, now studios can focus on one format and get all the classics out on Blu-ray like Alien/Aliens and the Indiana Jones trilogy.  I have a hard time watching regular DVDs now since I've been spoiled by blu-ray, even the best DVD transfers look like shit compared to blu-ray.

The biggest gripe I'm having with Blu-Ray players right now is that movie studios and distributors are deliberately shafting regular DVD players with inferior materials just so they can put out brand new prints and better quality on Blu-Ray.  The irony is that we can get this same kind of quality on our regular DVD players but movie studios don't want to do it just so they can get quality whores to pony up for the newer product.  It's a dirty marketing tactic.

[Necromancer]

The PS3 rules.  Buy one now.  It's probably the best current Blu-Ray player on the market.

Sure it's a great Blu-Ray player, but isn't the 40gb version missing backwards compatibility?  It kinda sucks, but I guess that it's worth an extra Benjamin to be able to play more than a handful of 'good' games.

[Dark Fact]

Sony has been putting out so many different GB models of the PS3 that I've lost track on what's available and what's been cancelled.  Anyone care to clear the air?

[FM-77]

There's only one single PS3 model available. The 40 GB one.

You can play PS1 games of the same region as the system on it. No PS2 games.

[quoth09]

This sucks. Not good news at all. I was honestly hoping for HD-DVD to stay a lot longer, or pull through everything. But I guess consumers are stupid (not surprising). All the stupid marketing hype, and this is what happens. People are attracted more to a blue color than red, and to me, that is the equivalent of a caveman. I don't really give a f*ck what color discs I have.

If I ever end up buying BluRay anything, it won't be anytime soon. I will download EVERYTHING once this happens. I download quite a bit now, and have bought the majority that I wanted on standard DVD over the last 7 years, but I have slowly stopped buying DVD's in the last year, because of all of the changeover, not to mention lack of stuff I care to buy anymore. I don't even have an HDTV, aside from my 19" CRT monitor that does 1920x1440, which I have had for about 5 years.

Some of you are probably asking, why am I so against BluRay? I have one word for you.
SONY.

They are nothing but a huge monopoly, and have been for years. Their CEOs are full of themselves (especially the one in charge of PlayStation), they were previously in debt (and probably still are), and were selling off their movie studio due to their stupid decisions, not to mention the result of their rotted Laserdiscs is reason enough for me to be completely opposed to any kind of disc based format that they are behind. While they do make descent electronics most of the time, BluRay is a media format, not a piece of electronic hardware. Not to mention, history repeats itself, as I have already heard of more than 1 BluRay disc rotting. Also, where are UMDs now? Mostly in the clearance bins of any store that still carries them, or marked down to half price. Charging the same amount for a inferior resolution version of something when you can buy the same thing on DVD for cheaper, and convert it over yourself...? Smart move there Sony. Also, both the Wii and the X-Box 360 are beating the PS3 in sales, and have been since inception.

Now don't get me wrong. I own a PlayStation 1, and a PlayStation 2. I have bought plenty of games for both. I have no reason at this time to buy a PlayStation 3, not to mention the games I have seen, are unimpressive, and run like shit (Heavenly Sword is just one good example of ass). Not to mention the whole multiple models crap and issues with each has driven me away from it. Very few games on the console for me at this point. I also have a Sony VCR, I previously had a Sony WEGA 36" CRT TV, that I only got rid of because it weighed almost 250lbs., and it became too much to move.


So for me right now, BluRay is not an option for me. Downloading is. I'm tired of wasting my money because these stupid studios want to release multiple format versions of things, not to mention they want to play games with myself and other consumers. I don't find it funny, and they aren't getting any of my money until they stop f*cking around.

If or when I get into the format, and only because it is the only thing on the market, I will buy Japanese releases most likely. Sure, they will be a little bit more pricey, but guess what? Far less Japanese laserdiscs by Sony have rotted to this day, not to mention they always get better packaging and usually better usage of audio and video. I will also end up buying a dual-format player, that plays HD-DVDs, because at that point, HD-DVDs will have dropped down because the rest of the world has deemed them inferior (either that or they will be considered collectors items). I also hope that the price of HD-DVD recordable media and PC drives continue coming down in price, because if they do, and they at least care to support them as a viable PC format, I will buy it and use it. They will eventually hit Dual-Layer HD-DVD if it keeps up on PC.

If the rest of you think that this is great and all the world is well, good for you. Keep on pouring money into the Sony pot. I won't be.

[GUTS]

Yeah but I've watched older movies like Bullit and Unforgiven and they looked way, way better than a DVD, especially Bullit.  Just watched Basic Instinct too and it looked really good, so old movies can look just as awesome as the newer ones on blu-ray.

[quoth09]

The biggest gripe I'm having with Blu-Ray players right now is that movie studios and distributors are deliberately shafting regular DVD players with inferior materials just so they can put out brand new prints and better quality on Blu-Ray.  The irony is that we can get this same kind of quality on our regular DVD players but movie studios don't want to do it just so they can get quality whores to pony up for the newer product.  It's a dirty marketing tactic.

Exactly...if you look at the back of these HD/BD releases, they specifically state (extra features at 480p).
That is DVD resolution. No reason for them to not put it on standard DVD in the form of at least a special edition.

[Joe Redifer]

The biggest gripe I'm having with Blu-Ray players right now is that movie studios and distributors are deliberately shafting regular DVD players with inferior materials just so they can put out brand new prints and better quality on Blu-Ray.  The irony is that we can get this same kind of quality on our regular DVD players but movie studios don't want to do it just so they can get quality whores to pony up for the newer product.  It's a dirty marketing tactic.

Are you trying to say that regular DVD's can do Blu-Ray quality "if the studios wanted to"?  I really, really hope not, as that would not be a smart and informed thing to say.

[Necromancer]

There's only one single PS3 model available. The 40 GB one.

What about the 80gb Motorstorm pack?  Amazon, Toys R Us, Sears, and K-Mart's respective web sites all claim to have it in stock and ready to ship.  Did it recently get the ax and these stores are just clearing out old stock?  If so, Sony better have plans to add a new model with PS2 compatibility or add it to the 40gb version, or their sales will suck even more than they already do.