• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Why I went with HD-DVD...

Shawn

Shawn

Lifer
PRICE!

I was originally holding off because both players were too expensive. However after doing a bit of reading I discovered that the xbox360 HD-DVD drive was USB and could be hooked up to a computer. PowerDVD 7 said my video card was compatible so I decided to give it a shot.

I bought a HD-DVD drive off ebay for $160 shipped and it works great. Compared to the cheapest Blu-ray drive that Newegg has ($509.99AR), $160 is a steal!

Even if Blu-ray somehow wins the format war it won't be for a while and there will still be plenty of HD-DVDs released. I got 4 movies from Amazon for $50 shipped and will probably pick up the Matrix trilogy, 2001: A Space Odyssey, the BBC Planet Earth series, BSG Season 1 as well as a few others once they are released.

Here are some blurry low res pics. Looks much better in person, obviously. 😛 PowerDVD wouldn't let me take actual screenshots.
PowerDVD 7.3
The Fugitive Intro
The Fugitive Intro 2


HD-DVD Interactive Menus:
Serenity Main Menu
The Fugitive Scene Selection

Pics of my setup:
Entertainment System
Loveseat + Rear Speakers
Desk
Another Angle
Rig + HD-DVD Drive
Bed 😛

Bonus:
Pic of my current HD-DVDs
 
ya..i paid only $100 for my drive, deff a good deal. though i have mind hooked up to my 360 😀
 
HD-DVD FTW!!!

I love my xbox 360 HD-DVD player.

I didnt think the difference would be worth $200 from an upconvert DVD player, but man was I wrong. I was blown away by the picture quality.

I hope HD-DVD comes out on top of BluRay. The only thing I regret about not getting a PS3 is that a lot of movies I like are on BluRay only.
 
Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
Are you using an HDCP video card connected via DVI/HDMI or are you using VGA?

How are you handling audio? (TOSLINK?)
Click to expand...

It's a HDCP video card but I have my HDTV connected via VGA since my cable box is using my HDMI connection. Strangely it works fine. It won't let me play the videos on my Dell monitor though which is hooked up via DVI.

I'm using Toslink for the audio.
 
Wow, I didn't know you could use the Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive with anything other than a 360. I'd get one, as I currently use a LCD computer monitor as my main TV, but I haven't bought a DVD movie in a long time.
 
Same reasoning you used led me to just buy both the XBox 360 w/HD-DVD player, and a PS3. Now I have both formats covered, plus two gaming systems for 1200 bucks.
A stand-alone Blu-Ray player at the time was a grand by itself.

And yeah, there's a huge difference between real HD and "upconvert" DVD. Upconverting DVD's haven't shown me anything worth even considering getting one, prior to my purchase of the gaming consoles.
 
Originally posted by: chuckywang
Is that a 37'' Olevia? I got the 237 model myself.
Click to expand...

It's the 32", 323H. I love it. I got it for $573 shipped in Nov. of last year so it was a good deal at the time.
 
Originally posted by: Shawn
Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
Are you using an HDCP video card connected via DVI/HDMI or are you using VGA?

How are you handling audio? (TOSLINK?)
Click to expand...

It's a HDCP video card but I have my HDTV connected via VGA since my cable box is using my HDMI connection. Strangely it works fine. It won't let me play the videos on my Dell monitor though which is hooked up via DVI.

I'm using Toslink for the audio.
Click to expand...

Isn't the protectiion thing for HD-DVD supposed to drop the movie to non HD resolutions when connected to a non HDCP display?
 
Originally posted by: Joony
Originally posted by: Shawn
Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
Are you using an HDCP video card connected via DVI/HDMI or are you using VGA?

How are you handling audio? (TOSLINK?)
Click to expand...

It's a HDCP video card but I have my HDTV connected via VGA since my cable box is using my HDMI connection. Strangely it works fine. It won't let me play the videos on my Dell monitor though which is hooked up via DVI.

I'm using Toslink for the audio.
Click to expand...

Isn't the protectiion thing for HD-DVD supposed to drop the movie to non HD resolutions when connected to a non HDCP display?
Click to expand...

No idea. For me though it either plays or it doesn't. If I try to play a movie on my Dell monitor connected via DVI it just gives me an error and refuses to play at all. PowerDVD doesn't seem to care over VGA I guess.
 
Originally posted by: Mike
Very inexpensive compared to blueray, but I just can't see HD DVD winning the format war.
Click to expand...

I really don't want to start another flame war about this, but I think price is precisely the factor that is going to win this "war."

Anyway, nice set up dude. My HD-DVD player is on the way.
 
Originally posted by: Joony
Isn't the protectiion thing for HD-DVD supposed to drop the movie to non HD resolutions when connected to a non HDCP display?
Click to expand...
It an option however I believe I read somewhere that content providers are going to hold off on implementing until 2009 at the earliest because HDCP is just starting to appear in most devices.
 
Originally posted by: Shawn
Originally posted by: Joony
Originally posted by: Shawn
Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
Are you using an HDCP video card connected via DVI/HDMI or are you using VGA?

How are you handling audio? (TOSLINK?)
Click to expand...

It's a HDCP video card but I have my HDTV connected via VGA since my cable box is using my HDMI connection. Strangely it works fine. It won't let me play the videos on my Dell monitor though which is hooked up via DVI.

I'm using Toslink for the audio.
Click to expand...

Isn't the protectiion thing for HD-DVD supposed to drop the movie to non HD resolutions when connected to a non HDCP display?
Click to expand...

No idea. For me though it either plays or it doesn't. If I try to play a movie on my Dell monitor connected via DVI it just gives me an error and refuses to play at all. PowerDVD doesn't seem to care over VGA I guess.
Click to expand...

Basically, the way it's supposed to work is that you're supposed to have an HDCP video card if you want transmission over DVI/HDMI and the Image Constraint Token (ICT) is set. If your digital display is not HDCP compliant, it's supposed to scale it to 540p.

What is actually happening, is that no one is using the ICT because there are way too many non-HDCP displays out there. However, the software players out now don't bother to check for the ICT and just refuse to pass a digital signal if any part of the chain is not HDCP compliant.

There are, however, ways around this; I can use my MacBook Pro (which has a non-HDCP ATI GPU) to output to my TV's HDMI in without problem.

BTW, your rear speakers should be facing the listeners, not the front of the room...
 
Nice desk! 😉 Got the same one from Wal-mart.

I really want an HD-DVD drive for my 360, but I'm still saving to buy a few other things first.
 
Originally posted by: bum
Originally posted by: Mike
Very inexpensive compared to blueray, but I just can't see HD DVD winning the format war.
Click to expand...

I really don't want to start another flame war about this, but I think price is precisely the factor that is going to win this "war."

Anyway, nice set up dude. My HD-DVD player is on the way.
Click to expand...

You don't think studio support makes a difference? What good is a cheap HD DVD player if you cant get Disney flicks for the kids? Imagine how pissed someone would be after buying an HD DVD player and then finding out they won't be able to watch any of the Pirate of the Caribean movies or Cars?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top