So today I popped in my Gladiator Special Edition DVD into my Xbox 360 (connected to a Fujitsu 63" plasma via Component), dimmed the lights, and got ready to watch.
I've always been the biggest fan of high-definition. I have 500GB+ of HD movies from my cable box stored on my computer, have a 50" DLP, a 32" LCD, a 30" 2560x1600 monitor, and I'm always at my neighbors, watching their Fujitsu. I push HD to my friends and family like a politician, and I jumped on board the HD-DVD bandwagon the week after the HD-DVD player for 360 was released. I only watch HD channels on TV, and don't even bother checking the EPG for channels under 202 (where HD starts in my area).
That said, I was left impressed by the Gladiator disc. As I watched, I realized that DVD is good enough for the time being. Yeah, HD-DVD brings a new level of sharpness that wouldn't be able to be seen previously, but I was still awestruck with the level of detail that the disc provided, and didn't see how HD-DVD/Blu-Ray would be able to add to the experience of watching the movie. Let's face it, once you start watching a movie, details in PQ start to become less and less important, to the point where you don't really notice the difference between HD and DVD. It was just as pleasing to watch Gladiator on DVD then it would have been if there were an HD-DVD version out there. Yeah, I'm missing the extra sharpness, color richness, and detail, but the DVD version just looked damn good.
King Kong on HD-DVD was breathtaking, to say the least. However, my point is that the CE market just isn't ready for a new format, especially with a format war going on. Even 3 years down the line, once the war is settled, and prices have dropped to ~$200 (hopefully), I can't see the average consumer really caring to buy all new media/player for a format that brings almost nothing new to the table. Yeah, picture quality is nice, but I can't see more then 20% of households having a HDTV set 3 years from now (at least not big enough to make use of the HD resolution), and the sound quality is great; too bad there are no receivers out yet to even make use of the TrueHD format. DVD audio sounds damn good as it is, too.
I know that HD-DVD is the future. And I realize the improvements it brings to the table. So did SACD and DVD-A, though. I'm convinced that this format war will end up exactly as SACD and DVD-A did. Both are still around, and both are still for a limited market. Obviously, the technological improvements are there, but there's just not a big enough of a fan base for it ever to take off.
Well, at least that's my opinion
.
I've always been the biggest fan of high-definition. I have 500GB+ of HD movies from my cable box stored on my computer, have a 50" DLP, a 32" LCD, a 30" 2560x1600 monitor, and I'm always at my neighbors, watching their Fujitsu. I push HD to my friends and family like a politician, and I jumped on board the HD-DVD bandwagon the week after the HD-DVD player for 360 was released. I only watch HD channels on TV, and don't even bother checking the EPG for channels under 202 (where HD starts in my area).
That said, I was left impressed by the Gladiator disc. As I watched, I realized that DVD is good enough for the time being. Yeah, HD-DVD brings a new level of sharpness that wouldn't be able to be seen previously, but I was still awestruck with the level of detail that the disc provided, and didn't see how HD-DVD/Blu-Ray would be able to add to the experience of watching the movie. Let's face it, once you start watching a movie, details in PQ start to become less and less important, to the point where you don't really notice the difference between HD and DVD. It was just as pleasing to watch Gladiator on DVD then it would have been if there were an HD-DVD version out there. Yeah, I'm missing the extra sharpness, color richness, and detail, but the DVD version just looked damn good.
King Kong on HD-DVD was breathtaking, to say the least. However, my point is that the CE market just isn't ready for a new format, especially with a format war going on. Even 3 years down the line, once the war is settled, and prices have dropped to ~$200 (hopefully), I can't see the average consumer really caring to buy all new media/player for a format that brings almost nothing new to the table. Yeah, picture quality is nice, but I can't see more then 20% of households having a HDTV set 3 years from now (at least not big enough to make use of the HD resolution), and the sound quality is great; too bad there are no receivers out yet to even make use of the TrueHD format. DVD audio sounds damn good as it is, too.
I know that HD-DVD is the future. And I realize the improvements it brings to the table. So did SACD and DVD-A, though. I'm convinced that this format war will end up exactly as SACD and DVD-A did. Both are still around, and both are still for a limited market. Obviously, the technological improvements are there, but there's just not a big enough of a fan base for it ever to take off.
Well, at least that's my opinion
.
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