HD-DVD versus Blu-Ray

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

JackBurton

Lifer
Jul 18, 2000
15,993
14
81
Originally posted by: zinfamous
Originally posted by: JackBurton
Originally posted by: cubby1223
AVS has finally shut down there forums, can't say I'm surprised. Well, I'm actually surprised it took this long:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb...cement.php?f=152&a=116

It gets quite humorous over there when you have guys with total custom built dedicated home theater rooms (talking the full theater experience at home), being lectured about acceptable quality levels by someone with a 50" 720p display.
LOL.

good thing us at AT are too mature to fall into petty bickering about HD formats and the HD industry in general. ;)

Oh, I'm LOL because I think it's great. :) I'm sure the "debates" at avsforum were MUCH better than here at AT. :)
 

Eug

Lifer
Mar 11, 2000
24,176
1,816
126
Apparently, somebody got physically threatened, and the police got involved. Like WTF?!?!?

I didn't see the threads in question, but I did see a couple of publicly posted PMs. Very, very nasty.

 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,994
31,557
146
Originally posted by: JackBurton
Originally posted by: zinfamous
Originally posted by: JackBurton
Originally posted by: cubby1223
AVS has finally shut down there forums, can't say I'm surprised. Well, I'm actually surprised it took this long:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb...cement.php?f=152&a=116

It gets quite humorous over there when you have guys with total custom built dedicated home theater rooms (talking the full theater experience at home), being lectured about acceptable quality levels by someone with a 50" 720p display.
LOL.

good thing us at AT are too mature to fall into petty bickering about HD formats and the HD industry in general. ;)

Oh, I'm LOL because I think it's great. :) I'm sure the "debates" at avsforum were MUCH better than here at AT. :)

same here. I lurked on HighDef forum, but it's like sitting in the middle of a circle of kids debating which Pokemon is better. AVS is much better, only a few bad apples it seems. Although, they did mention that law enforcement was getting involved....which is quite sad. hopefully they get running again in the next few days--esp with the December releases approaching. Luckily, the HD niche here on AT is a small one
 

JackBurton

Lifer
Jul 18, 2000
15,993
14
81
Originally posted by: Eug
Apparently, somebody got physically threatened, and the police got involved. Like WTF?!?!?

I didn't see the threads in question, but I did see a couple of publicly posted PMs. Very, very nasty.

Yeah, that's crazy.
 

cubby1223

Lifer
May 24, 2004
13,518
42
86
Originally posted by: JackBurton
Oh, I'm LOL because I think it's great. :) I'm sure the "debates" at avsforum were MUCH better than here at AT. :)
The general section with such topics on the first page as "Dominos Pizza declares format neutrality!!!", a discussion that Blu-ray will fail because Guitar Hero 3 is popular, and the ever popular Sony pictures competes against Warner thus Warner wants Blu-ray to fail.

You have to really search for good information over there and filter out so much fanboy BS.

Whatever problems are going on with threats, AVS let the forum drag so far down over the past year without any real harsh moderation, not surprised in the least they were pretty much forced to shut down those forums.

I wonder too if some of the legal actions may be from corporations who get hammered with phone calls every time a rumor runs rampant on AVS, we just went through the last episode of the Warner rumors last week. Even KMart had to come out with a later statement about their involvement in the format war.
 

Genx87

Lifer
Apr 8, 2002
41,091
513
126
The level of sillyness was kicked up a bit in the last couple of days when it was apparent HD-DVD had quite a successful weekend and SpiderMan 3 only did so so.

 

PurdueRy

Lifer
Nov 12, 2004
13,837
4
0
Originally posted by: Genx87
The level of sillyness was kicked up a bit in the last couple of days when it was apparent HD-DVD had quite a successful weekend and SpiderMan 3 only did so so.

IMO the entire spiderman series was "so so" and none of the films deserved the hype they received. Same with Transformers. Neither of these films were groundbreaking in anyway.
 

jpeyton

Moderator in SFF, Notebooks, Pre-Built/Barebones
Moderator
Aug 23, 2003
25,375
142
116
Originally posted by: Genx87
It isnt impossible they push near 1 million for the whole holiday season.
It pretty much is. The discontinued A2 isn't coming back to Circuit City or Best Buy; they are stocking A3s now (at $299). Wal-Mart is the only retailer getting A2s, and their prices were varying between $99-$198, with the A3 at $298.

We'll see the A3 at $150 around Black Friday; Wal-Mart might have one more big shipment of A2s at $99. Between Black Friday and normal holiday buying, Toshiba will move about 350,000-400,000 units for the holidays (assuming everything above is true).
 

PurdueRy

Lifer
Nov 12, 2004
13,837
4
0
Originally posted by: jpeyton
Originally posted by: Genx87
It isnt impossible they push near 1 million for the whole holiday season.
It pretty much is. The discontinued A2 isn't coming back to Circuit City or Best Buy; they are stocking A3s now (at $299). Wal-Mart is the only retailer getting A2s, and their prices were varying between $99-$198, with the A3 at $298.

We'll see the A3 at $150 around Black Friday; Wal-Mart might have one more big shipment of A2s at $99. Between Black Friday and normal holiday buying, Toshiba will move about 350,000-400,000 units for the holidays (assuming everything above is true).

Unless you have the ability to predict the future I don't think anyone can say how many its possible to sell. This past surprise sale by Toshiba was not predicted by anyone. For all we know the A3 may be priced at $198 from Thanksgiving to xmas. Or it could stay at its current price. We just don't know. Anything else is speculation.

EDIT: And I can pretty much guarantee the A3 costs no more to make than the A2. So if Toshiba was willing to price the A2 at $98 to move them out, there is no telling what they will do further into the holiday season.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,994
31,557
146
Originally posted by: PurdueRy
Originally posted by: CMC79
The question is, will the studios make a decision based on moving 90,000 units? Even if every one of those owners went on a movie buying spree, the numbers of HD DVDs sold wouldn't compare to regular DVD. The big question is: who can sustain sales through Christmas? As I pointed out above, the edge in big releases between now and then is on BD's side. HD DVD needs Paramount/Dreamworks and Universal to start digging into their back catalogs to add some heft to the release line up. Gladiator and Braveheart would be two ideal titles to ready.

I would DEFINITELY be up for Gladiator

this can't be released soon enough. It looks pretty damn good in SD on a nice set....hoping they give it the special treatment.
 

cubby1223

Lifer
May 24, 2004
13,518
42
86
Originally posted by: Genx87
The level of sillyness was kicked up a bit in the last couple of days when it was apparent HD-DVD had quite a successful weekend and SpiderMan 3 only did so so.
There was a claim that Spider-man dvd sold 1/3rd of Transformers on the *first* day, with Sony also claiming that Spider-man has sold more Blu-ray copies than Casino Royale, which is at ~130k I think. But more crap is being known, like some of the bigger fanboys having multiple accounts switching between them to keep format bashing conversations going. I don't know, nobody likes HDM that much unless their paid to like it...

But the worst of it, to me, was when the group of fanboy supporters began insulting the works of a couple releases for no apparent reason only that they felt the content producer (who posts at AVS) supported one format over the other. Even the Microsoft employees started hammering the content producer, straight up calling the HD DVD release a bad product because they did not hire Microsoft to do the VC-1 encode.

It's crap over there, and I try to stay away, but sometimes the drama is just too much not to be intrigued.
 

cubby1223

Lifer
May 24, 2004
13,518
42
86
Originally posted by: zinfamous
Originally posted by: PurdueRy
I would DEFINITELY be up for Gladiator

this can't be released soon enough. It looks pretty damn good in SD on a nice set....hoping they give it the special treatment.
I've caught it a few times on TNT HD, looks amazing even on cable. This was actually the first HD movie I watched back in February, and forced me to start looking into a high definition player. :D
 

Ricochet

Diamond Member
Oct 31, 1999
6,390
19
81
Originally posted by: PurdueRy
Originally posted by: Genx87
The level of sillyness was kicked up a bit in the last couple of days when it was apparent HD-DVD had quite a successful weekend and SpiderMan 3 only did so so.

IMO the entire spiderman series was "so so" and none of the films deserved the hype they received. Same with Transformers. Neither of these films were groundbreaking in anyway.

I don't think most blockbuster movies are great movies by any stretch. Armaggedon and ID4 are examples that come to mind. They serve the purpose of entertainment by providing huge explosions, loud music, juvenile humor, and hot babes. Audiences don't need deep plots, originality, or oscar worthy acting. Why do think Michael Bay and Jerry Bruckheimer are so successful in this business?

That said, I think Spiderman 3 was a letdown for a lot of movie goers who enjoyed the 1st two installments. Most Spiderman fans will get it anyway just to complete the series.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,994
31,557
146
Originally posted by: ricochet
Originally posted by: PurdueRy
Originally posted by: Genx87
The level of sillyness was kicked up a bit in the last couple of days when it was apparent HD-DVD had quite a successful weekend and SpiderMan 3 only did so so.

IMO the entire spiderman series was "so so" and none of the films deserved the hype they received. Same with Transformers. Neither of these films were groundbreaking in anyway.

I don't think most blockbuster movies are great movies by any stretch. Armaggedon and ID4 are examples that come to mind. They serve the purpose of entertainment by providing huge explosions, loud music, juvenile humor, and hot babes. Audiences don't need deep plots, originality, or oscar worthy acting. Why do think Michael Bay and Jerry Bruckheimer are so successful in this business?

That said, I think Spiderman 3 was a letdown for a lot of movie goers who enjoyed the 1st two installments. Most Spiderman fans will get it anyway just to complete the series.

I never saw Spiderman 3 in the theater, but I got it with the Blu Ray pack last week. Yeah, it's garbage. Really disappointing, as I think SM2 was the overall best superhero movie to date. I never owned a copy of SM1 either, so I figured I'd up my collection of "Joe Six pack movies" to balance out my predominantly "elitist" collection that most people wouldn't want to see when they come over.

I wish someone would just put Bay/Bruckheimer out of our misery :(
 

destrekor

Lifer
Nov 18, 2005
28,799
359
126
Originally posted by: zinfamous
Originally posted by: ricochet
Originally posted by: PurdueRy
Originally posted by: Genx87
The level of sillyness was kicked up a bit in the last couple of days when it was apparent HD-DVD had quite a successful weekend and SpiderMan 3 only did so so.

IMO the entire spiderman series was "so so" and none of the films deserved the hype they received. Same with Transformers. Neither of these films were groundbreaking in anyway.

I don't think most blockbuster movies are great movies by any stretch. Armaggedon and ID4 are examples that come to mind. They serve the purpose of entertainment by providing huge explosions, loud music, juvenile humor, and hot babes. Audiences don't need deep plots, originality, or oscar worthy acting. Why do think Michael Bay and Jerry Bruckheimer are so successful in this business?

That said, I think Spiderman 3 was a letdown for a lot of movie goers who enjoyed the 1st two installments. Most Spiderman fans will get it anyway just to complete the series.

I never saw Spiderman 3 in the theater, but I got it with the Blu Ray pack last week. Yeah, it's garbage. Really disappointing, as I think SM2 was the overall best superhero movie to date. I never owned a copy of SM1 either, so I figured I'd up my collection of "Joe Six pack movies" to balance out my predominantly "elitist" collection that most people wouldn't want to see when they come over.

I wish someone would just put Bay/Bruckheimer out of our misery :(

Aww, why? Bruckheimer brings greats out, like PotC. And Bay, well.. you either like or hate his movies. I personally love Transformers, The Island, and The Rock. The Rock kicks a lot of ass. :D
 

cmdrdredd

Lifer
Dec 12, 2001
27,052
357
126
Originally posted by: destrekor
Originally posted by: zinfamous
Originally posted by: ricochet
Originally posted by: PurdueRy
Originally posted by: Genx87
The level of sillyness was kicked up a bit in the last couple of days when it was apparent HD-DVD had quite a successful weekend and SpiderMan 3 only did so so.

IMO the entire spiderman series was "so so" and none of the films deserved the hype they received. Same with Transformers. Neither of these films were groundbreaking in anyway.

I don't think most blockbuster movies are great movies by any stretch. Armaggedon and ID4 are examples that come to mind. They serve the purpose of entertainment by providing huge explosions, loud music, juvenile humor, and hot babes. Audiences don't need deep plots, originality, or oscar worthy acting. Why do think Michael Bay and Jerry Bruckheimer are so successful in this business?

That said, I think Spiderman 3 was a letdown for a lot of movie goers who enjoyed the 1st two installments. Most Spiderman fans will get it anyway just to complete the series.

I never saw Spiderman 3 in the theater, but I got it with the Blu Ray pack last week. Yeah, it's garbage. Really disappointing, as I think SM2 was the overall best superhero movie to date. I never owned a copy of SM1 either, so I figured I'd up my collection of "Joe Six pack movies" to balance out my predominantly "elitist" collection that most people wouldn't want to see when they come over.

I wish someone would just put Bay/Bruckheimer out of our misery :(

Aww, why? Bruckheimer brings greats out, like PotC. And Bay, well.. you either like or hate his movies. I personally love Transformers, The Island, and The Rock. The Rock kicks a lot of ass. :D

I liked The Rock too. Although I think Spiderman 3 and the whole series is well done. I don't really see what people disliked about them. I was never a comic book fan so I suppose maybe certain people were and feel it doesn't have the same heart?
 

michaels

Banned
Nov 30, 2005
4,329
0
0
http://www.engadget.com/2007/1...war-gets-more-warlike/
Not since the infamous PS3 crime wave of late 2006 have we seen anything like this. According to a notice posted on the heavily trafficked AVS Forum, the HD DVD and Blu-ray sections are being closed to new posts "for a short time," and the reasoning behind such a severe action may shock you. Apparently, a number of hot-headed posters have not only been dissin' supporters of (insert rival format here), but some have lashed out at other members with "physical threats that have involved police and possible legal action." While it's not exactly clear what pushed these extremists to the edge, there's no denying that the recent price drops on standalone HD DVD players have given the HD community as a whole a lot more to yap about, and we guess some folks just didn't know where to draw the line. The format war just took on a whole new meaning, and it's not one to be proud of.
 

Shawn

Lifer
Apr 20, 2003
32,236
53
91
Originally posted by: Genx87
I bet the A3 is cheaper to manufacture than the A2.

It is. Most of the changes between the A2 and the A3 are cost saving changes. No real change in functionality.
 

Eug

Lifer
Mar 11, 2000
24,176
1,816
126
Originally posted by: PurdueRy
Originally posted by: Genx87
The level of sillyness was kicked up a bit in the last couple of days when it was apparent HD-DVD had quite a successful weekend and SpiderMan 3 only did so so.
IMO the entire spiderman series was "so so" and none of the films deserved the hype they received. Same with Transformers. Neither of these films were groundbreaking in anyway.
Well, I really enjoyed Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2. I thought Spider-Man 3 sucked royally though. Just as bad as The Hulk IMO, but at least The Hulk had some interesting dramatic scenes.

I thought Transformers would suck too, and so much so that I didn't even bother going to see it in the theatre. However, all my friends raved about it so I picked it up on HD DVD. It rocked IMO. :) Yeah it was stupid, but it knew it was stupid and made fun of itself, and it was a wicked ride.

That said, overall, the reviews for Spider-Man 3 and Transformers were in a similar ballpark in terms of positives. Both were in the 60s for positive reviews at Rotten Tomatoes, which means passable, but not great.


Originally posted by: Shawn
Originally posted by: Genx87
I bet the A3 is cheaper to manufacture than the A2.
It is. Most of the changes between the A2 and the A3 are cost saving changes. No real change in functionality.
I would imagine so, but do you what specifically has changed?
 

Shawn

Lifer
Apr 20, 2003
32,236
53
91
Originally posted by: Eug
Originally posted by: Shawn
Originally posted by: Genx87
I bet the A3 is cheaper to manufacture than the A2.
It is. Most of the changes between the A2 and the A3 are cost saving changes. No real change in functionality.
I would imagine so, but do you what specifically has changed?

I think just more specialized hardware. The A3's processor is no longer Intel based.
 

Queasy

Moderator<br>Console Gaming
Aug 24, 2001
31,796
2
0
Link - AnyDVD busts BD+

6.1.9.6 2007 11 07

* New (Blu-ray): AnyDVD ripper copies BD+ titles
* New (Blu-ray): Removed "BD+ not supported" warning, as all available BD+ titles can be copied with AnyDVD ripper, or can be watched on HTPC without HDCP using PowerDVD 3104 and AnyDVD. Reports indicate, that burned BD+ titles work on PS3 and standalone players as well.
* Note to Twentieth Century Fox: As you can see, BD+ didn't offer you any advanced security, it just annoyed some of your customers with older players. So could you please cut this crap and start publishing your titles on HD DVD? There are thousands of people willing to give you money.
* Note to people considering to invest in HD media: Please buy HD DVD instead of Blu-ray. HD DVD is much more consumer friendly (e.g., no region coding, AACS not mandatory). Don't give your money to people, who throw your fair-use rights out of the window.
* New (HD DVD & Blu-ray): Support for more MKBv4 titles
* Some minor fixes and improvements
* Updated languages

:laugh:
 

cubby1223

Lifer
May 24, 2004
13,518
42
86
I don't like to see that BD+ is possibly fully cracked, just because there is nothing that says the studios have to support either of these new formats, and with the format war possibly approaching a niche stalemate...

It's nice to know the breakers of copy protection whole-heartily endorse HD DVD.
 

abaez

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2000
7,155
1
81
The A3 also downsamples to 640k Dolby instead of 1.5k DTS? Something like that. They didn't want to pay the fee for the DTS.