Blu-Ray questions [newb alert]

[Maximus06]

Recently (with the unofficial "end" of the format wars) I've really become interested in High Definition. I viewed some quality comparisons of DVD vs HD (pictures HERE) and it looks amazing. Plus I imagine the sound difference is quite substantial as well.

So anyways, I have a few questions:

1)Do I need a special TV to view HD content? I have a 6 year old Sony 32" Tube TV. Do I need one of those HD TV's?

2) PC Monitors offer much better quality than TV screens...right? I have a 19" Dell Flatpanel (not glossy). Really sharp images....TV images are always "pixely" sort of. They aren't nearly as sharp. So, any monitor would display blu-ray correctly...or do you need a special HD monitor or something?

3) Do I need a special/high-end video card to enjoy blu-ray? I have a MacBook with an Intel Integrated X3100. Would this affect the quality of HD movies?

Any help is much appreciated!

[CptGreedle]

Originally Posted by Maximus06

Recently (with the unofficial "end" of the format wars) I've really become interested in High Definition. I viewed some quality comparisons of DVD vs HD (pictures HERE) and it looks amazing. Plus I imagine the sound difference is quite substantial as well.

So anyways, I have a few questions:

1)Do I need a special TV to view HD content? I have a 6 year old Sony 32" Tube TV. Do I need one of those HD TV's?

2) PC Monitors offer much better quality than TV screens...right? I have a 19" Dell Flatpanel (not glossy). Really sharp images....TV images are always "pixely" sort of. They aren't nearly as sharp. So, any monitor would display blu-ray correctly...or do you need a special HD monitor or something?

3) Do I need a special/high-end video card to enjoy blu-ray? I have a MacBook with an Intel Integrated X3100. Would this affect the quality of HD movies?

Any help is much appreciated!

1) You need an HDTV. Either 720p, or 1080i/1080p.

2) No. Many monitors are not high definition. As long as the resolution is 720 or greater and is wide screen (1080 is better), then you can see HD content on it. Most monitors can at least display 720 now a days, but full HD (1080) is a little harder to find (they tend to be bigger).

3) As long as your graphics card is HD compatible then you are ok. Yes there are several that can. Often they say HD on them, or their resolution is greater than 1920x1080. Be sure it can handle a signal like that though, it is most likely you will need to buy a new card that has "HD" in the name.

[Shaman]

1: Yes unless you have a Sony Vega KV32XBR400

2: True computer monitors have excellent picture but unless you have a great set of binoculars I'd buy a bigger HDTV

3: I don't believe that graphics card supports HD

[HDPerfection]

I think you should view your HD movies on a TV above 37 inches it seems to me a waste to watch it on a 19 inch screen but I have never seen HD on a monitor so what would I know.....The bigger the better your HD will look good on a large TV.....you could probably ask your local retailer what you will need to go HD(cables, recievers, players, surround)....Good luck

[Lord_Phan]

All pc monitors are High-Def. Any in the last 2 decades atleast. PC' monitors are not on the same standard as T.V. so don't look for 720p or 1080p, they'll have higher height as most widescreen Monitors are 16:10 rather than 16:9 HDTV's.

If you're thinking of buying a blu-ray drive, you'll eventually need a new monitor that is HDCP complaint. You'll definately need HDCP compliance if you connect to your monitor via DVI(HDMI is DVI with audio).

You'll also need a new graphics card. Integrated cards are designed to make the computer 'work'. IE: You can browse the web and read this. But you won't be gaming or displaying high-res in high frame-rate situations without extreme lag. ATI has some new cards that have HD in the name, and they should work. Nvidia I know more about, with them you'd either need a high-end 7 series card or any 8 series card. The card must also be HDCP complaint. Then you'll need software, but that will come(at least OEM version) with the drive.

For you T.V. you can watch blu-rays on a standard def t.v., but it'll be downressed like mad, and be like a DVD with better sound.

For a T.V. shop around and find a 1080p t.v. and that'll get you Blu-ray in all it's glory.

For a P.C. Monitor you'll have to start looking in the 24" range, and look for 1920*1200 resolution for the best quality out of your blu-ray drive.

Your current monitor may be able to play in 720p mode depending on it's resolution. If it's 1280*1024 then you have enough pixels for 720p, hook it up via analog and it should work until they crack down on analog connections.

[Lord_Phan]

Originally Posted by HDPerfection

I think you should view your HD movies on a TV above 37 inches it seems to me a waste to watch it on a 19 inch screen but I have never seen HD on a monitor so what would I know.....The bigger the better your HD will look good on a large TV.....you could probably ask your local retailer what you will need to go HD(cables, recievers, players, surround)....Good luck

I watch Blu-ray on a 24" Samsung Synchmaster, as long as you're not 20 feet away, it's perfection. P.C. monitors are technologically ahead of T.V.'s always have been always will. We gamers rule the techno world.


p.s. I was joking about the 20 feet away thing, I watch it from a maximum distance of 7-8 feet. But Usually closer.

[Maximus06]

hmm its too bad I need a new video card...I mean what for? All it does is read the data of the disc and display it. The video card is not performing any operations on it...at least thats what I thought. Damn. Hello external video card

EDIT: Actually I did some digging and found that the X3100 does work with HD Now I just gotta wait for the prices of external blu-ray drives to fall.

[Lord_Phan]

I looked it up, this is an integrated card for a laptop, ergo you have a laptop.

It seems to be a newer integrated card, with a few features I've never seen on an integrated card. BUT it's still an integrated card.

I see it is capable of HD content, and you might be able to get away with it but that card will offload all of the work to the CPU for decoding and processing. So you better have a DAMN good Processor(Hopefully more then one) to not get stutter.

But hey, try it, I'm not an expert on that card, I'd never touch one of those with a ten-foot pole. If it works it works, try it out and see, if it does, then you got it running cheap. If not, a cheaper 8 series card from Nvidia will do, and if you do upgrade get the 8 series since your ingrated card is made for DX10 so I assume you're running vista.

[Maximus06]

Originally Posted by Lord_Phan

I looked it up, this is an integrated card for a laptop, ergo you have a laptop.

It seems to be a newer integrated card, with a few features I've never seen on an integrated card. BUT it's still an integrated card.

I see it is capable of HD content, and you might be able to get away with it but that card will offload all of the work to the CPU for decoding and processing. So you better have a DAMN good Processor(Hopefully more then one) to not get stutter.

But hey, try it, I'm not an expert on that card, I'd never touch one of those with a ten-foot pole. If it works it works, try it out and see, if it does, then you got it running cheap. If not, a cheaper 8 series card from Nvidia will do, and if you do upgrade get the 8 series since your ingrated card is made for DX10 so I assume you're running vista.

Well yes it is a laptop (macbook). Supposedly it works...2.0 gHz Core 2 Duo. 2GB ram. Running os-x leopard (10.5.1). In other words, vista^10.

[Lord_Phan]

eck a mac, I'm a gamer so mac's are no good to me. I pretty much don't know anything about leopard.

First thing to do before you buy a blu-ray(assuming they have one for macs) is find out if there is actually software for it. The price point might be pretty high though.

You may just want to wait, get an HD-TV and a Standalone blu-ray player. Prices should drop soon when discount brands Sylvania and Daytek release their blu-ray players.