Blu-Ray versus DVD

[Golf4food]

We do not currently have an HDTV (gasp!). So we have no use for a BD player. However, having seen them in stores and at other people's houses I certainly look forward to the day when we get an HDTV and BD player. Probably won't buy all movies on BD, however, until the price comes down more and will instead save the BD for the "special" movies we truly love and stick with standard DVD due to price on all others and up-convert. I have little desire to spend $30 on a BD movie. They will have to lower the price before people will make a mass leap from DVD.

 

[DeluxePrincess]

Wasn't there a rumor that Blu Ray was taking over and soon most movies would only be available on Blu Ray? Who started that rumor? Blu Ray Makers?

Anyways, we have BD from the PS3 and the picture quality is better than DVD, but not enough better to take over the world at the moment.

 

[bicker]

Regarding streaming video: Even when they stream movies in HD, it seems that they are very seriously compressing the transmission, which generally results in a bit-starved end-product. Some folks feel that DVDs (which are not HD) look better than HD streaming video. It seems that cost and capacity limitations may conspire to "save" DVD and BD, at the expense of streaming video taking over completely. There was some serious concern about that a year or two ago, on the part of folks heavily invested in discs, but now that concern is moderated. No question that streaming video is going be a major player, but the general feeling, now, is that it won't replace discs. Rather, it will simply co-op the low-end of the market, the customers who don't really care too much about quality. I suspect that cartoons, kids' movies and such will be mostly streaming video, while an FX tour-de-force like 300 or even Harry Potter will probably still be distributed either via linear HD channels (HBO) or via disc (DVD or BD).

 

[ndelaware]

I only buy Blu-Ray and I never pay more than $25 for them.

I have a couple of hundred DVDs which will never get replaced with BR versions. I did however upgrade the POTC discs and am going to upgrade the Harry Potter DVDs to BR.

 

[soupy11]

Regarding streaming video: Even when they stream movies in HD, it seems that they are very seriously compressing the transmission, which generally results in a bit-starved end-product. Some folks feel that DVDs (which are not HD) look better than HD streaming video. It seems that cost and capacity limitations may conspire to "save" DVD and BD, at the expense of streaming video taking over completely. There was some serious concern about that a year or two ago, on the part of folks heavily invested in discs, but now that concern is moderated. No question that streaming video is going be a major player, but the general feeling, now, is that it won't replace discs. Rather, it will simply co-op the low-end of the market, the customers who don't really care too much about quality. I suspect that cartoons, kids' movies and such will be mostly streaming video, while an FX tour-de-force like 300 or even Harry Potter will probably still be distributed either via linear HD channels (HBO) or via disc (DVD or BD).

Moore's Law and the continual improvement to the infrastructure will catch up with the requirements to stream full HD in real time.

-I hope your right because I love the collecting aspect of it and I think a great deal of the population does as well. I am going to do my part and keep buying the discs!

 

[bicker]

Moore's Law and the continual improvement to the infrastructure will catch up with the requirements to stream full HD in real time.

Moore's Law doesn't apply because the technology and capacity already exist, but rather market-driven considerations are resulting in operational and pricing policy changes that effectively are reducing the support for this level of quality. Effectively, we've already had the effect of Moore's Law, and the rampant cost-cutting that typically follows long after adoption and deployment of a new technology, all before the technology is very popular.

 

[soupy11]

Moore's Law doesn't apply because the technology and capacity already exist, but rather market-driven considerations are resulting in operational and pricing policy changes that effectively are reducing the support for this level of quality. Effectively, we've already had the effect of Moore's Law, and the rampant cost-cutting that typically follows long after adoption and deployment of a new technology, all before the technology is very popular.

Well I was referring to bandwidth, which is the limit at this point for full bit high def in real time. Approx 15 MB/sec up to 28MB/sec for uncompressed signal, which is crazy fast. And what is really funny is that the pricing is now going up for high speed bandwidth....extra fees for exceeding download limits...I used to pay 39 for unlimited downloads...my last bill was 49.95 plus a 25.00 for excess. Argh.

But the bandwidth does not exist for everyone to be streaming uncompressed high def content...at least not everywhere....

 

[Claire L]

We now have HDTV in the lounge and our bedroom but so far only have a BD player in the lounge. The lounge tv is 40" and the bedroom tv 20" so the difference on the screen 4 times the size is muxh more noticable. I must say BD is so much clearer than even HD tv signal so will never go abck to just DVD player. I will also add that my new laptop that I purchased in April plays BD

We will/have bought some of our favourite films on BD that we had on DVD, but from now on if on BD then it is BD all the way

Claire

 

[mill4023]

Moore's Law and the continual improvement to the infrastructure will catch up with the requirements to stream full HD in real time.

-I hope your right because I love the collecting aspect of it and I think a great deal of the population does as well. I am going to do my part and keep buying the discs!

Seems to me that the business model of streaming is going to be more of a per use model. So like PPV, you will be paying to stream the movie and watch it, but not own it. It's the same way in the software world. MS seems to be pushing the model of paying a monthly fee to use software rather than buying it outright.

 

[JenM]

I bought a blu-rayer this week and I've been very impressed with it so far. I have 3 movies so far: Terminator 2, Hairspray, and Australia, and they all look amazing on it. I also was happy to see that even my standard DVDs look much better than they did on my old player.

I can also have Netflix movies streamed directly to the player, which I haven't hooked up yet, but I'm definitely going to do it.

I'm a movie nut so I buy DVDs all the time, and I've been holding out on blu-ray for awhile now. I figured with the money I was spending on standard DVDs would be better spent saving up for a blu-ray player. So far I'm glad I made the switch.