3 Reasons to Avoid Blu-ray (For Now)

[MJM]

3 Reasons to Avoid Blu-ray (For Now)

Blu-ray has established itself as the high-def wave of the present and future, but here's why it might not be right for you - right now.

Jun. 10, 2008 — by Jeff Winston

Blu-ray supporters let out a collective sigh of relief following the format war victory several months ago, but manufacturers have yet to reap the benefits. Turns out consumers are reluctant to give up their now-pedestrian DVD players. In a recent poll, only nine percent plan to buy a Blu-ray player within the next year. All things considered, you might do well to wait awhile.

It’s true that a Blu-ray disc can hold up to 25GB on a side (compared to 4.7GB for a regular DVD), and can hold high-definition TV formats (720p, 1080i, 1080p) vs. the 480p of a regular DVD. But still, is that sufficient reason to upgrade? The answer really depends on your taste in movies, the size of your wallet, and your tolerance for changing technology.

Not-so-great HD
Most movies made over the last 60 years were not filmed with HD formats in mind. It’s possible to re-process a film into HD resolution, and the studios are doing so with many movies. However, it’s a manual process, and the results for older or less popular films are mixed. So, before you run out and buy a player, read some unbiased reviews for the titles you plan to re-purchase. Also, keep track of which of your favorite TV shows were recorded in HD, as there’s little benefit to buying the Blu-ray version of a show shot in standard-def!
[/quote]

[Woody]

Very old article. Been discussed.

[Terjyn]

To really see the improved quality of Blu-ray, you need to make your entire signal chain 1080p-compatible.

Such bull. To maximize it you need 1080p, but to just see it? Any HDTV will see the difference.

[gaeljet]

thanks for the infos but no thanks..

[daly]

i love the blu worth the few extra$$

[pflieger]

Some truth to the article, but also a little simplistic and doesn't address all of the pros and even some of the cons.

We as a group are early adopters so naturally some of it doesn't pertain to us, the biggest problem is that this kind of article is read by the J6P type of consumer and it delays his adoption of the format and if the format doesn't grow sufficiently enough for the investors (studios and CE companies) they will cut back on spending the funds to support and enlarge the base of films converted over and research and development of improved players.

That is the real danger for the format, people already hesitant to accept change from something they've grown use to and have a large supply of previously purchased DVDs, if enough negative articles circulate then it could very make Blu-Ray a forever niche market the could die out over time.

Something I for one do not want to happen.

[dadkins]

From the computer standpoint, Blu-ray rocks!
Media is down to $8.42:
http://www.amazon.com/Verbatim-BD-R-.../dp/B000HGGEZM
...for a 25GB blank - 1 BD sure makes system backups less painfull than a stack of DVD-Rs

The whole laptop computer standpoint makes it even more of a perk!
A portable BD playback device with HDMI output for those times when someone has a HDTV and only cable or Sat HD service.

Priceless!

Hell, I bought a second VAIO laptop with a BD drive.

[bluflu]

Yeah, I'm waiting for Toshiba's SUCker technology.

[dadkins]

Originally Posted by bluflu

Yeah, I'm waiting for Toshiba's SUCker technology.

[cobwebb]

Real brave Phase3 for posting this in a forum with these guys. They'll eat you alive.

[quexos]

Originally Posted by Phase3

Not-so-great HD
Most movies made over the last 60 years were not filmed with HD formats in mind. It’s possible to re-process a film into HD resolution, and the studios are doing so with many movies. However, it’s a manual process, and the results for older or less popular films are mixed. So, before you run out and buy a player, read some unbiased reviews for the titles you plan to re-purchase. Also, keep track of which of your favorite TV shows were recorded in HD, as there’s little benefit to buying the Blu-ray version of a show shot in standard-def!

I agree with you, I don't plan to get a player now, I planned to get it a year ago my PS3

as for the movies made in the last 60 years they are in cinema format which is way beyond HD. From them they made the poor VHS then the better DVD's.
and now the HD on Bluray. later in the future they will make Higher Def scans. but the original film will always be higher in Definition. Try to blow up a bluray picture on a screen the size of a cinema screen and the pixels will be so horrendously huge that you'll see right away why the actual cinema format is the highest definition there is

[tarik]

dunno how it is over in the states but here in the UK we can pick up some pretty decent deals where we get a free blu ray player with a tv. sharp have had promos runnin like this for ages and samsung have just introduced one too! i think this will help people.

[RichiPuppy]

I thought dvd's only did 480i and had to be scaled to 480p.

[SDG]

I can give you 1080 reasons to get Blu-Ray.

[Chris60119]

not good enough reasons for me.

[Marine Mike]

Originally Posted by Phase3

In a recent poll, only nine percent plan to buy a Blu-ray player within the next year.

I'm apart of that 91% as I'm not going to buy a Blu-Ray player within the next year.



I already own one!

[Seiko1]

Originally Posted by RichiPuppy

I thought dvd's only did 480i and had to be scaled to 480p.

My Projector always reads out 576p when playing a DVD and the specs for the old Sony DVD Player Read's (DVD Video output limited to 576p!)
and a partidge in a pear tree!!!!

[GORT]

1. HD-DUD Lost Get Over It
2. Downloads Will Never Replace Actual Disc Media Get Over It
3. Prices Of Players Will Drop
4. Blu Ray Holds 50GB Not 25GB How Can You Trust an Artical That Has False Statments
5. Phase3 Why Post Another Stupid Don't Buy Blu Ray Artical On Blu-Ray.com

[Yeha-Noha]

I think the adoption curve and learning curve are progressing normally. Fairly often changes in populations follow an exponential growth curve. It will seem quite sluggish and slow at first. Be patient and give it time, and it will follow a similar rate of adoption as did DVD.

As for old cinema, I flatly disagree. If you haven't done so already, buy or rent 2001: A Space Odyssey. It was filmed 40 years ago. The BD transfer is exceptional and ranks among the finest transfers obtained so far. It will knock your socks off. However not even this 1080/24p BD comes close to the original resolution of that old celluloid film. I was just a young boy when I saw it for the first time on the huge curved panoramic screen that has gone the way of dodo bird these days. I was so awed by the 3D effect and it seem like I was literally floating in space during those breathtaking space shots. No current BDP + HDTV can even come close to reproducing what I experienced 40 years ago. Oh yes, those were the days... the good ol' days.

[Bobby Henderson]

Most movies made over the last 60 years were not filmed with HD formats in mind.

Jeff Winston proved himself to be nothing more than an ignorant tool with regards to film and home theater with that comment. It's at the height of dumb-ass doofus-ness. Completely brain-dead stupid.