HD On-Demand??

[tolledesign]

Has anyone ever rented a movie on "On-Demand"? I have the option to rend an HD film, but wanted to know if it's really worth it? Is the resolution as good as blu-ray? Reason I'm asking is because I'm snowed in right now and can't get out to get a BD! Let me know...

[aqupunk]

Originally Posted by tolledesign

Has anyone ever rented a movie on "On-Demand"? I have the option to rend an HD film, but wanted to know if it's really worth it? Is the resolution as good as blu-ray? Reason I'm asking is because I'm snowed in right now and can't get out to get a BD! Let me know...

Not as good as blu ray resolution, and the audio is only 5.1 dd to. Ok for being snowed in but not all the time.

[blu-ballz]

Originally Posted by tolledesign

Has anyone ever rented a movie on "On-Demand"? I have the option to rend an HD film, but wanted to know if it's really worth it? Is the resolution as good as blu-ray? Reason I'm asking is because I'm snowed in right now and can't get out to get a BD! Let me know...

it is usually only 720p with about 1/2 the bitrate. No better than an upconverted standard DVD.

Even standard "HD" broadcasts at 1080i are better than the on-demand services from Comcast, DISH and Directv.

[tolledesign]

thanks for the quick response. quality better than dvd? im just tryin to see if its worth it

[rragland]

Originally Posted by tolledesign

Has anyone ever rented a movie on "On-Demand"? I have the option to rend an HD film, but wanted to know if it's really worth it? Is the resolution as good as blu-ray? Reason I'm asking is because I'm snowed in right now and can't get out to get a BD! Let me know...

I rented Mr. Brooks from Comcast On Demand for $4.99. It was definitely worth it because it never appeared on my statement. If you were able to go to Blockbuster, you would pay $4.99 for anything decent.

The resolution was 1080i so, no, it wasn't as good as Blu-ray. However, 1080i looks very good on my Pioneer Elite Kuro 50" 1080p plasma.

[rragland]

Originally Posted by tolledesign

thanks for the quick response. quality better than dvd? im just tryin to see if its worth it

Definitely better than DVD.

[tolledesign]

my TV outputs in 1080i - whats the difference in 1080p?

[Sporty]

Originally Posted by tolledesign

my TV outputs in 1080i - whats the difference in 1080p?

Lines of resolution.

Long story short 1080i is interlaced, drawing every other line then coming back to get the odd lines on the next sweep. 540 lines on the TV are used. 1080P sets actually draw 1080 lines of resolution each pass.

But back to your topic, even 1080i from cable on a 1080i set wouldn't look as good as a Blu-Ray on the same set at 1080i since Blu-Ray has far higher bit rates on sound and picture.

[rragland]

Originally Posted by tolledesign

my TV outputs in 1080i - whats the difference in 1080p?

1080i is a 1920x540 resolution signal where every other frame (actually called a field) is interlaced with the frame after it.

1080p is a 1920x1080 resolution signal with no interlacing, and every frame containes all the resolution, and thus all the detail.

A 1080p signal however uses twice the bandwidth since there is twice the information being transmitted.

[tolledesign]

mine looks great in my opinion, what does everyone else like/recommend? i have a sony wega TV and i am very pleased with its resolution. Just curious what everyone else likes??

[rragland]

Originally Posted by Sporty

Lines of resolution.

Long story short 1080i is interlaced, drawing every other line then coming back to get the odd lines on the next sweep. 540 lines on the TV are used. 1080P sets actually draw 1080 lines of resolution each pass.

But back to your topic, even 1080i from cable on a 1080i set wouldn't look as good as a Blu-Ray on the same set at 1080i since Blu-Ray has far higher bit rates on sound and picture.

You beat me to the post. Didn't mean to post duplicate information.

[Sporty]

Originally Posted by rragland

You beat me to the post. Didn't mean to post duplicate information.

No problem

I tried to dumb my answer down in laymens terms and you still got it done with less words and technically more accurate

[Sporty]

Originally Posted by tolledesign

mine looks great in my opinion, what does everyone else like/recommend? i have a sony wega TV and i am very pleased with its resolution. Just curious what everyone else likes??

I actually have 2 Wega's, one Sony Wega's 30" KV-30HS420. Was my first HDTV. It was like $800 when I bought it a few years ago. Then a 50" KDS-R50XBR1 replaced it as my main set.

I still need to pick up a 1080P, but other things seems to come up all the time.

Next set will be a 1080P 120hz.

[tolledesign]

I really enjoy mine...but when I can talk my wife into the upgrade - i will!