DVD vs Digital HD

[Jimmy Bro]

For the movies that have DVDs, but aren't on Blu-ray, but are still available in HD via Amazon or iTunes, which is better?

480/576 DVD
or
720/1080 Digital download

Which is better/do you prefer?

[echopulse]

Vudu HDX is better, and is also much cheaper you can upgrade a movie to HD for 2.00 if you, or a friend already own the DVD using their wonderful Disc to Digital program. I have upgraded hundreds of DVD's using the program.

http://www.vudu.com/in_home_disc_to_digital.html

[Evil]

The HD digital download because the picture quality is obviously going to be better.

[Jimmy Bro]

Originally Posted by Evil

The HD digital download because the picture quality is obviously going to be better.

But aren't they very compressed?

Is well compressed DVD not better than badly compressed HD digital?

[huskerbear]

Originally Posted by echopulse

Vudu HDX is better, and is also much cheaper you can upgrade a movie to HD for 2.00 if you, or a friend already own the DVD using their wonderful Disc to Digital program. I have upgraded hundreds of DVD's using the program.

http://www.vudu.com/in_home_disc_to_digital.html

+1

And if you have shakey internet, just download it first.

[Jumpsuit]

Let me put it to you this way.
I've gone back to re-sale shops to pick up dvd movies I got rid of just so I can convert them to HD using Vudu. That's how huge of a difference it is.

Now granted there are some movies that don't look all that great, but that's due to the studio's transfer...not the service.

But for the movies that do look good, they are pretty damn close to blu-ray quality or just as good. My only complaint about the HD streaming service is
1. Any interruption in service can totally ruin a great movie moment.
2. The sound down mix needs work. Some effects sound too damn loud while the dialogue is low. If you have 5.1 or better you should be fine.

But going back to what I was saying about HD streaming vs DVD - it's a total night and day difference if you have the speed and a good quality TV.

Just be careful when you go back and watch old movies. Sometimes the transfers are so good that they show too much detail and will ruin it. Airplane is one of those movies

[Jimmy Bro]

Vudu? What is that?

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Bro

Is well compressed DVD not better than badly compressed HD digital?

No

[echopulse]

Vudu is one of the most popular transactional video on demand streaming services. It works somewhat like netflix, in that you can stream movies over the web, or through an app on your xBox, PS3, Smart TV, Roku, and many other devices. You can purchase movies, or rent them for various price points. a typical new movie might be 14.99 to purchase, or 4.99 to rent for 48 hours. An older movie might be 9.99 to purchase and 2.99 to rent. They also have sales so movies are priced lower, such as 7.99. The SD versions are usually 2 or 3 dollars cheaper then the HD versions. But the image quality is very good. Once you have films in your library, you will be able to keep them forever, as long as the service exists. And I don't think it will be going away anytime soon. iTunes has been around for more than 10 years, and it's still going strong. You can also connect your vudu account to a UV account, and share your movie library with other vudu users. Just go to vudu.com and setup an account. They give you five free movies just to try it out.

[Dunk the Lunk]

Originally Posted by echopulse

Vudu is one of the most popular transactional video on demand streaming services. It works somewhat like netflix, in that you can stream movies over the web, or through an app on your xBox, PS3, Smart TV, Roku, and many other devices. You can purchase movies, or rent them for various price points. a typical new movie might be 14.99 to purchase, or 4.99 to rent for 48 hours. An older movie might be 9.99 to purchase and 2.99 to rent. They also have sales so movies are priced lower, such as 7.99. The SD versions are usually 2 or 3 dollars cheaper then the HD versions. But the image quality is very good. Once you have films in your library, you will be able to keep them forever, as long as the service exists. And I don't think it will be going away anytime soon. iTunes has been around for more than 10 years, and it's still going strong. You can also connect your vudu account to a UV account, and share your movie library with other vudu users. Just go to vudu.com and setup an account. They give you five free movies just to try it out.

Unless you live outside the USA.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Dunk the Lunk

Unless you live outside the USA.

They mustn't think the UK is a worthwhile market.

[Dunk the Lunk]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

They mustn't think the UK is a worthwhile market.

Or anywhere else! All the more surprising considering Walmart have a big presence in Canada and the UK, as well as smaller subsidiaries in South America, South Africa, and Asia.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Dunk the Lunk

Or anywhere else! All the more surprising considering Walmart have a big presence in Canada and the UK, as well as smaller subsidiaries in South America, South Africa, and Asia.

Walmart in the UK? Where mate?

[Dunk the Lunk]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Walmart in the UK? Where mate?

Asda

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Dunk the Lunk

Asda

Ah, right. I think I read there was some issue a while back. Don't think Asda will get Vudu.

[NetSpiker]

How can an SD movie on DVD be upgraded to HD? You can't add detail that isn't already there.

[Zu Nim]

Several UltraViolet retailers have disc-to-digital programs that allow you to purchase an HD version of a film you already own on DVD.

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by NetSpiker

How can an SD movie on DVD be upgraded to HD? You can't add detail that isn't already there.

We take the DVD into Walmart or use Vudu's software to do Disc to Digital which lets us upgrade the DVD to HD.

Simplified: showing or having proof of ownership for the 480p/576p DVD lets us buy the 1080p HDX Vudu Ultraviolet digital copy at $5. Although, using the Vudu software at home for 10 or more "upgrades" in one transaction has a 50% discount right now.

[Tube Bar]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Bro

But aren't they very compressed?

Is well compressed DVD not better than badly compressed HD digital?

You're comparing Apples with Oranges.

1. DVDs use MPEG2 compression, which is 25 years old and not very efficient. Most digital movies use h264 (though some use VC-1) which is much more efficient at compression. On average SD 1.5mps h264 is about the same as SD 3.5mps MPEG2.

2. Many older DVDs (not newer ones) still use interlaced video and anyone who knows that using your player to output progressive on-the-fly is never 100%, you will see interlaced artifacts. While most digital downloads use progressive (again some use VC-1 interlace like Amazon WMA for PC download).

So 480i MPEG2 @ 3.5mps VS. 1080p h264 @ 4.5mps (average bitrate used for 1080) is going to be far better in every aspect, even if you downscale to 480 it will still be better.

HD digital downloads may not be quite as crisp as Blu-ray but they are ten times better then DVD, when dealing with HD. As for digital SD it is about the same quality as DVD (minus interlace vs. progressive issues) no real big advantage except if they don't use AC-3 audio (a terrible compression sub-par even to mp3).