Is Blu-ray worth it if I only have a 720p HDTV?

[Chordata]

I failed and did not get a 1080p HDTV when I got my HDTV.

Is it even worth it to switch to Blu-ray now? Will I notice any difference at all?

[jasontkelley1746]

yes very much so. I would eventually switch to 1080p for the full experience. but the improvement over dvd on your current set will still be an extreme difference. Also if you have a home theatre set up the Audio is also a huge plus for blu-ray over dvd.

[Another_Dude]

Yes.

I'm currently watching on a 32" 720p Samsung LCD and it looks great, but picture quality isn't the only thing that Blu brings to the table...don't forget about the amazing audio.

[Chordata]

I guess I didn't realize the audio is that much better. Isn't it still 5.1? What's the big difference between the two?

(Please don't hesitate to direct to some FAQs or a thread that answers these novice questions.)

Thanks!

[jasontkelley1746]

the difference is with blu-ray it is uncompressed audio, there was not enough room on dvd for uncompressed audio so it was always compressed.

[Another_Dude]

Originally Posted by O_V_N

I guess I didn't realize the audio is that much better. Isn't it still 5.1? What's the big difference between the two?

(Please don't hesitate to direct to some FAQs or a thread that answers these novice questions.)

Thanks!

Think of the difference between going to see a live band or listening to a low bitrate mp3 of the performance.

Most movies are 5.1 but there are quite a few that are 7.1 as well.

[Blu-Benny]

i also have a 32" Samsung LCD to tide me over till i get my HT built. the pq is amazing over my old 27", esp. on movies like Sleeping Beauty and Cars.

[Avond]

Originally Posted by Another_Dude

Yes.

I'm currently watching on a 32" 720p Samsung LCD and it looks great, but picture quality isn't the only thing that Blu brings to the table...don't forget about the amazing audio.

+1

I have a 32" 720P LCD as well and the difference is obvious. If you're like me, I enjoy what I have fo rnow, but it also sets you up for the future when you can get a larger TV and HT, etc. and enjoy it even more!

[Chordata]

Can I reap the benefits of this TrueHD if I only have a 5.1 receiver?

[jasontkelley1746]

to get the tru hd your reciever must have a hdmi input.

[BIslander]

Originally Posted by O_V_N

Can I reap the benefits of this TrueHD if I only have a 5.1 receiver?

Originally Posted by jasontkelley1746

to get the tru hd your reciever must have a hdmi input.

Or, you can get a player that decodes the HD formats and has multichannel analog outputs. That's a perfectly fine approach for those of us with older non-HDMI receivers.

As for 5.1 vs. 7.1, the value of high resolution audio is the quality of output, not the number of channels. Movies are almost always mixed for 5.1 theatrical release and there aren't many that get 7.1 treatment for home viewing.

[Jmobie]

Originally Posted by O_V_N

Can I reap the benefits of this TrueHD if I only have a 5.1 receiver?

If you want to get a player right away, go with the Sony BDP-S550 or Panasonic DMP-BD55K. They have 7.1 analog out and both decode TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. With your receiver, the player will basically be doing all the work. I have the same setup with the S550.

If you wait, you can get the newer Panasonic 2009 model - DMP-BD80. It's the updated version of the BD55K.

[My_Two_Cents]

Originally Posted by Jmobie

If you want to get a player right away, go with the Sony BDP-S550 or Panasonic DMP-BD55K. They have 7.1 analog out and both decode TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. With your receiver, the player will basically be doing all the work. I have the same setup with the S550.

If you wait, you can get the newer Panasonic 2009 model - DMP-BD80. It's the updated version of the BD55K.

How can you advise this without knowing the OP's AVR? He may not have 7.1 analog inputs, and therefore will be needlessly spending extra $$ for analog outs on those units. Did I miss him giving the AVR make/model?

[JackHunt]

I think Beta Man pretty much handled the question with pics, but thought I'd chime in.

You definitely won't regret it. I don't have a 720p set, but have seen them and they look good enough. In the future, when you're ready upgrade, but for now it's worth checking it out.

[Canada]

Hell yes I have 720p. People seem to be forgetting that before Blu Ray HDTV was only either 1080i or 720p.

[Blu Man]

Huge diffrence. Like and mind blowing diffrence.

[matt2009]

yes bluray looks great at 720p a big step up from dvd

[sheedoe]

Originally Posted by O_V_N

I failed and did not get a 1080p HDTV when I got my HDTV.

Is it even worth it to switch to Blu-ray now? Will I notice any difference at all?

Thats a definite YES! The difference between DVD and blu-ray is huge. However, the difference between 720P and 1080P is relatively small. If you have recently purchased the TV, I wouldn't worry about getting it replaced with a 1080P set soon, as you will enjoy 720P blu-ray quite a bit over DVD.

[JimShaw]

Originally Posted by O_V_N

I failed and did not get a 1080p HDTV when I got my HDTV.

Is it even worth it to switch to Blu-ray now? Will I notice any difference at all?

To me it was worth it and I do not have an HDTV, not even a 720p

[hendra]

I can see the difference and I don't even have TV. I rely on my 16.4" notebook with a resolution less than 1080p. If you can see the difference with a 16.4" monitor, you certainly can see even bigger difference with big screen HDTV, even if the resolution is less than 1080p.