Do Blu-ray discs have both HD and SD content?

[vehder]

I've read that HD-DVD discs have both a HD version and standard versions of the films on the same disc. Is this true of Blu-ray? Specifically I wanted to buy POTC 3 in Blu-ray, but don't plan on buying a Blu-ray player until sometime next year.

[GregBlu5]

Originally Posted by vehder

I've read that HD-DVD discs have both a HD version and standard versions of the films on the same disc. Is this true of Blu-ray? Specifically I wanted to buy POTC 3 in Blu-ray, but don't plan on buying a Blu-ray player until sometime next year.

No. Only HD has the HD/SD disk combos.

Many of us here either buy no SDs or buy very few (such as TV series).

[phastm3]

No, only the high def version is available on blu ray discs.

[nhaase]

HD DVD "combo" discs have the HD version on one side and the SD version on the flip side. There are no Blu-ray flipper discs, so no, you will not have the HD and SD versions of the film on one Blu-ray disc. The main issue w/ those combo discs is costs, they cost more than a version w/ just HD on there.

[mystiksuicide]

Originally Posted by GregBlu5

No. Only HD has the HD/SD disk combos.

Many of us here either buy no SDs or buy very few (such as TV series).

And we all know LOST is coming out on blu Dec 11. lol Shameless plug for my favorite show I know.

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Originally Posted by nhaase

HD DVD "combo" discs have the HD version on one side and the SD version on the flip side. There are no Blu-ray flipper discs, so no, you will not have the HD and SD versions of the film on one Blu-ray disc. The main issue w/ those combo discs is costs, they cost more than a version w/ just HD on there.

And don't forget that the combo discs also put sever limitations on the already limited quality of the HD DVD content because it has to take up a chunk of the space available on the disc!

[scook]

I would hate combo discs, I like the disc art and like others have said previously, I too don't buy SD discs anymore. Of course this is my oppinion.

[milou6]

BD has the technical ability to do "flipper" discs, but so far there is little to no interest. It would cost more (to make and buy) and of course no art or label. I *think* the BD version would not cause the BD side to lose a layer like HD-DVD (BD layers are very close to the surface) -- please correct me if I am wrong.

Last thought on "flippers": there are people (me included) who *in theory* like the idea of a combo so we can play it on all of our existing equipment (minivan, bedroom, buddy's house, etc) and not be limited to our home theaters.

PS welcome Vehder!

[w_tanoto]

not blu-ray.... but it can downgrade the picture for SDTV. I used to use PS3 in SDTV, it worked fine with BD. Some of BD extras are in SD (480/576p)

[mgonzo2u]

Originally Posted by vehder

I've read that HD-DVD discs have both a HD version and standard versions of the films on the same disc. Is this true of Blu-ray? Specifically I wanted to buy POTC 3 in Blu-ray, but don't plan on buying a Blu-ray player until sometime next year.

Good subject question.

Some of my BD movies show it contains "Video 480i".

That has led me to believe that it could play in a standard DVD player but never tried it since I am all set up with a blu player.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by mgonzo2u

Good subject question.

Some of my BD movies show it contains "Video 480i".

Usually for the bonus features (docs, featurette, trailer)--
They're not going to waste 1080p on upgrading the same actor-interviews they already mastered for the SD release, when you're probably only going to watch them once.

(Although some of the upgraded versions of two-disk SD sets managed to have room to cram ALL the Disk 2 SD content onto the same one BD disk, in addition to the BD movie. That's cool.)

[tru_to_blu]

I agree I dont buy standard dvds no more, the only one I am getting is the Halloween remake Dec. 18th.

[miokti]

I don't follow the logic of HD/SD combo discs... why would I waste my time watching SD when I can watch the HD? Why would I waste my money getting a combo disc when I wouldn't waste my time watching the SD part of the disc? It's extra baggage... superfluous. If I'm going to watch a movie, I want it to be the best quality, nothing less... that's why I went with Blu. I'm fine with Blu not having combos coz the SD part is a waste.

[Kayne314]

Originally Posted by miokti

I don't follow the logic of HD/SD combo discs... why would I waste my time watching SD when I can watch the HD? Why would I waste my money getting a combo disc when I wouldn't waste my time watching the SD part of the disc? It's extra baggage... superfluous. If I'm going to watch a movie, I want it to be the best quality, nothing less... that's why I went with Blu. I'm fine with Blu not having combos coz the SD part is a waste.

The logic is pretty simple. You can watch HD movies on the big TV, and then you can take the movie with you in the car. Kids can take it to their room and not disturb the rest of the family. I get it.

Of the very few HD DVD combo disks I have, I have yet to use this feature. I cannot even watch an SD signal anymore. HIGH DEF OR NOTHING!

I could see kids movies befitting from this feature, but that's about it. The problem is, most of the HD DVD combo disks aren't kids movies (Shrek wasn't for example). So what's the point?

Blu-Ray does better to save the extra development cost, and just put out the High Definition version. If it is that big a deal to watch wherever, parents should buy the kids an SD DVD for just them, and Mommy and Daddy can have the HD to themselves.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Kayne314

The logic is pretty simple. You can watch HD movies on the big TV, and then you can take the movie with you in the car. Kids can take it to their room and not disturb the rest of the family. I get it.

Actually, the logic was more psychological, from fears of customers harboring old '99 birth-of-DVD fears about "replacing their library"--

The idea being, that you could watch the regular SD, and didn't have to rush out and buy the New Fancy Machine right away, so you didn't have to be afraid...
And then word got out that the New Fancy Machines could play the old disks anyway, and the bottom dropped out of the market for "security blankets".

(Not to mention, if you were buying a hi-def machine, 8 to 10 it was because you already had the HDTV screen to use it, so who would be watching the SD side?--
Buy the regular version for the car if you want one, it's cheap enough now!)

[Kristin Simard]

The flipper disc becomes obsolete as soon as you buy a high-def player. I really don't see the point in a flipper.

The only advantage I've ever heard came from the owner of a small independent seller and rental shop: The shop needs to buy fewer discs. For an independent owner, the purchase of discs represents a larger personal capital outlay compared to the mega-rental places like netflix and the chains. A flipper can go to owners of both standard and digh-def players.

Even this is only an interim advantage, as the industry is clearly going to high-def. The format war is only retarding high-def development as the industry standard.

[Whytewash]

combo discs are garbage... There is no disc art, they scratch easy, they have had mechanical issues, and when you have HD, why would you want standard def? New technology is meant to be a new technology. I will not buy new technology with the inferior right next to it. What garbage

[Kayne314]

Originally Posted by EricJ

Actually, the logic was more psychological, from fears of customers harboring old '99 birth-of-DVD fears about "replacing their library"--

The idea being, that you could watch the regular SD, and didn't have to rush out and buy the New Fancy Machine right away, so you didn't have to be afraid...
And then word got out that the New Fancy Machines could play the old disks anyway, and the bottom dropped out of the market for "security blankets".

(Not to mention, if you were buying a hi-def machine, 8 to 10 it was because you already had the HDTV screen to use it, so who would be watching the SD side?--
Buy the regular version for the car if you want one, it's cheap enough now!)

Interesting take on the flipper disk. I totally agree. For me it was a non issue. I've never used the SD side anyway, and I can't imagine anyone who would get much use out of it.

get an SD version for the kids. I don't want kids touching my Blu-Ray disks anyway. I'm just touchy that way.