any info on the bdp-s2?

[vick vega]

Is there any legit info out on this up coming player will it have hdmi 1.3 and all the next gen audio decoders built in? Just wondering if I should just wait a few more months and get this if it has more goodies. When's it scheduled for release? Links?

[JimPullan]

Originally Posted by vick vega

Is there any legit info out on this up coming player will it have hdmi 1.3 and all the next gen audio decoders built in? Just wondering if I should just wait a few more months and get this if it has more goodies. When's it scheduled for release? Links?

Well Vick, here's what I have from my Sony intellegence source: The second generation BDP-S2 will be exhibited at CES and will include HDMI-1.3 along with Receivers that have HDMI-1.3 as well (Makes sense). Tentative release will be the end of the first quarter 2007, possibly as late as April or May.

Also watch for other manufacturers of Receivers and Pre-Amps to include HDMI-1.3 in their equipment, also exhibited at CES. The Toshiba X2A will also be out by then, offering 1080p along with HDMI-1.3 .

Jim

[Zinn]

But does not BDP-S1 have HDMI 1.3?

[JimPullan]

Originally Posted by Zinn

But does not BDP-S1 have HDMI 1.3?

NO it does not !!! [Jim]

[JTK]

Originally Posted by Zinn

But does not BDP-S1 have HDMI 1.3?

Only the PS3 does.

We won't see HDMI 1.3 products on the street for probably another year, give or take and we won't even get into the premium prices that they'll be commanding.

It's just not worth it, at least short term. HDMI 1.3 is one of the most overrated and overhyped things I've seen in consumer electronics in quite some time.

[Knight-Errant]

Originally Posted by JTK

Only the PS3 does.

We won't see HDMI 1.3 products on the street for probably another year, give or take and we won't even get into the premium prices that they'll be commanding.

It's just not worth it, at least short term. HDMI 1.3 is one of the most overrated and overhyped things I've seen in consumer electronics in quite some time.

I'd have to kinda agree with that.

1.3's still something for the future in my view. Eventually I'll get a receiver that can accept it, but right now my receiver doesn't even have HDMI at all! I use an HDMI >DVI for my front projector.

I'm all set to jump in with the Sony player (when I finally manage to get my hands on one lol) and leave worrying about HDMI 1.3 for when I next upgrade in a couple of years. Until then I'm sticking with the analogue outs for my HD audio.

[theknub]

Originally Posted by JTK

Only the PS3 does.

We won't see HDMI 1.3 products on the street for probably another year, give or take and we won't even get into the premium prices that they'll be commanding.

It's just not worth it, at least short term. HDMI 1.3 is one of the most overrated and overhyped things I've seen in consumer electronics in quite some time.

don't forget about hd-dvd

but seriously, i learned a lot about 1.3 recently thanks to JTK's sig and some links posted in another thread. all i can say is that it is completely unnecessary at this stage of the game.

[ay221]

Originally Posted by theknub

don't forget about hd-dvd

but seriously, i learned a lot about 1.3 recently thanks to JTK's sig and some links posted in another thread. all i can say is that it is completely unnecessary at this stage of the game.

So for one with a ps3 and a non hdmi receiver, do you recommend sticking with optical? Getting the 1.3 receivers when they come out and will they be around a grand? or getting an hdmi 1.2 receiver?

[Zinn]

Originally Posted by JTK

Only the PS3 does.

We won't see HDMI 1.3 products on the street for probably another year, give or take and we won't even get into the premium prices that they'll be commanding.

It's just not worth it, at least short term. HDMI 1.3 is one of the most overrated and overhyped things I've seen in consumer electronics in quite some time.

f*ck!

[JimPullan]

Originally Posted by JTK

HDMI 1.3 is one of the most overrated and overhyped things I've seen in consumer electronics in quite some time.

JTK, sometimes you really surprise me with your IMO statements, without investigating the details before commenting. Please take 10 minutes of your time, go to http://www.hdmi.org/# and take their training course (right side of screen about 1/2 way down). Once you read and understand just what HDMI 1.3 offers, you may want to revise your comment. There are many features of HDMI 1.3 you may be unaware of. Check it out !

Jim

[JTK]

Originally Posted by JimPullan

JTK, sometimes you really surprise me with your IMO statements, without investigating the details before commenting. Please take 10 minutes of your time, go to http://www.hdmi.org/# and take their training course (right side of screen about 1/2 way down). Once you read and understand just what HDMI 1.3 offers, you may want to revise your comment. There are many features of HDMI 1.3 you may be unaware of. Check it out !

Jim

http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/articles...i_versions.php

Read this.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...45#post9094545

post 652. The author of that piece responding to me directly. I think he cuts through the BS, don't you?




Might want to check these out, too:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=3894

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=3805

This entire topic has been coming up a lot lately. Good points being made all the way around. Dobyblue has written some great stuff in those.

FROM DOLBY'S DD+ / TRUE HD WHITEPAPER:



.....the fact that players will be mixing the audio internally means that it will no longer be possible to output the raw bitstreams from the player as is customary with DVD-Video. Instead, these players will decode and mix in standard PCM format, and therefore will have the option to output the PCM digital signal either directly, or through DACs as analog signals to the connected audio receiver. It should be mentioned that certain discs and players will indeed support the direct output of encoded audio bitstreams, but this option is the choice of the content maker.

.......

Many advanced A/V receivers and processors manufactured today have six (or even eight) channels of external analog audio input for high-resolution DVD-Audio or SACD playback; these will work equally well for multichannel analog-equipped HD disc players, and enable consumers to take advantage of the full-bandwidth audio performance available in next- generation formats without having to upgrade their A/V systems. A growing number of A/V receivers include HDMITM (1.1) inputs, providing a direct digital connection for the new optical disc players. This ensures not only that the full quality of the HD formats will be available, but that any digital postprocessing—such as bass management, room compensation, speaker equalization, Dolby Pro Logic® IIx processing, and others—can be performed in the A/V processor directly on the source audio without any extra analog and digital conversion steps along the way.

.............

One additional consequence of the above rapidly becomes apparent: there will be no particular reason or benefit to decoding native audio bitstreams in the A/V receiver. This means A/V receivers with HDMI digital inputs or analog-to-digital converters for their analog inputs will be able to use their DSP resources to postprocess full-bandwidth audio from the players, rather than being required to also handle core bitstream decoding duties. (Such postprocessing is often done at a sampling rate of 96 kHz, thereby demanding at least double the DSP horsepower of conventional postprocessing done at 48 kHz.)

BTW.. Roger Dressler of Dolby co-authored this paper.

No offense, but I'll take his word for it over a lot of other people.

It amazes me that more people don't see these new specs as a way for receiver and SSP manufacturers to sell you more, un-needed equipment becausse they haven't had anything new to sell for 1 or 2 years, and need to ignite that upgrade bug in all of us with disposable income...

Some salesmen are licking their chops over this even though the fencesitting is working against them now.



I know what HDMI 1.3 is ultimately supposed to offer and supposed to be, but does anyone really believe we're going to see much, if any of those benefits anytime for the foreseeable future?

Only if you're trying to sell it I guess.

I know exactly what HDMI 1.3 is, what it's supposed to be, and the rest of it, but there's no mistaking that there's a lot of hype and fluff around it as well.

People are asking "Do I NEED it" and the answer is no.

It will be quite some time before we see displays that take advantage of those supposed benefits. Audio will come sooner, probably in 07 with the advent of 1.3 receivers, but in the end, do you NEED it to enjoy LPCM and all the new audio codecs?

Nope.

But I know some folks that are selling this stuff and out to make money don't want people to know that come next year or even now.

Gotta move that gear! I know how the game works. The irony and double-edged sword is: The industry is working against itself. Planting this doubt on people to "wait for HDMI 1.3" is stifling sales now. There's some awfully nice gear that's brand new but people are fence sitting (mostly needlessly) because of this HDMI 1.3 spectre hanging in the air.

I'll believe it when I actually see it and hear it and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg to get it.

In summary:

HDMI 1.3 - Very cool with nice long term potential? Yes. If you can get it, you may as well. Why not?

Do you need it? For the forseeable future, no.


IMO



EDIT: You guys will love this.

This is from an insider that works for AVS in their sales department doing installs, tons of connections, goes to all the big shows...you get the idea:


http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=762745

Originally Posted by AVSRichard

Speculation at CEDIA was that we would see more HDMI 1.3 in 2008. But now there's talk of going straight to 1.4 and bypassing 1.3 (which still means you will get the specs in 1.3). The specs were ratified for 1.3, but most manufacturers did not have time to build it in to next years releases as shown at CEDIA for 2007.

There are several audio manufacturers who have stated they will quietly pull back their current product and give upgrades to the line, but I can't confirm anything yet.

I too am waiting for 1.3's audio advantages.

I am still hearing talk about HDMI 2.0 in 18-24 months as well, although it's very quiet and when it shows up on boards from insiders it disappears very fast.


All of the above is, of course as always, IMHO.

[Rob Tomlin]

Originally Posted by JimPullan

JTK, sometimes you really surprise me with your IMO statements, without investigating the details before commenting. Please take 10 minutes of your time, go to http://www.hdmi.org/# and take their training course (right side of screen about 1/2 way down). Once you read and understand just what HDMI 1.3 offers, you may want to revise your comment. There are many features of HDMI 1.3 you may be unaware of. Check it out !

Jim

Like he said, it is OVERHYPED!