KABLAMMO! Bill Hunt responds to Harry Knowles/AICN!

[Josh]

I haven't been able to get onto DB for a few days now. Even through a proxy. Anyone else having trouble?

[JTK]

Originally Posted by Josh

I haven't been able to get onto DB for a few days now. Even through a proxy. Anyone else having trouble?

Just did it right now. Came up immediately.

[Josh]

Originally Posted by JTK

Just did it right now. Came up immediately.

Interesting. I've tried to back into the site every way I know, and nothing is coming up. Not even through proxy - which is really weird. I wonder if a DNS server went down? I even tried going through the IP address, but nothing came of that either - but it may be the wrong IP anyway.

[JTK]

Originally Posted by Josh

Interesting. I've tried to back into the site every way I know, and nothing is coming up. Not even through proxy - which is really weird. I wonder if a DNS server went down? I even tried going through the IP address, but nothing came of that either - but it may be the wrong IP anyway.

Now it's down for me. Must be intermittent issues on their end.

[Chad Varnadore]

I've already experienced a lot more playback problems with HD DVD discs, watching the movies themselves, than I ever have with DVD going all the way back to that formats inception in 1997. I think part of the problem is the fact that Toshiba is the only source for HD DVD playback. I don't think they have ever made a DVD player that was reliable or up to my standards of quality (the XA2 being only exception, but only as far as quality, it hasn't proven to be very reliable yet either) since inception, and I've used at least 7 of their players that I can remember, from a 200.00 dvd/vcr combo to one of their 2000.00 top of the line units. Their apparent business model is reflected in HD DVD itself, IMO.

Aside from select java features that the Panny won't support, the only problem I've had playing back BD movies was with Kingdom of Heaven, and only because I had been too busy to download an upgrade that had been available for about a week or two prior to the discs launch. How's that for proactive support? So I went online, burned an firmware disc and twenty minutes later I was reviewing the movie. The PS3 has been even more trouble free in BD playback and always handles java without a hitch. But, I mostly use it for games.

I don't fully buy that TL HD DVD is even real. I think it may be more smoke and mirrors from an obviously desparate and less than trustworthy HD DVD promotional group. The DVD forum already turned down 45GB discs. Why would 51 GB discs be any different. And if they have come up with a way to actually get more capacity to each layer, then why haven't they started doing such for single and double layer discs already. The fact that no new progress had been made months after it was reported at CES says something, as does the fact that we still haven't heard anything more about it and we're already in June. But even if it is real, which it's necessary for the survival of the format IMO, the implications of the trouble that such discs will assuredly cause should be frightening to HD DVD adopters and could end up hurting it more than helping.

[Matt X]

I "worked" w/Bill years ago during the Divx debacle (was an "inside source" reporting the underhanded tactics that CC was using to try to win THAT format battle), so I can tell you from experience that guy is a bulldog when it comes to getting the story right - he checks his sources, I'll tell ya.
I've always considered Harry Knowles a "fan of the people" - a guy who became an insider through his huge enthusiasm for movies, but he was just a regular fan, like the rest of us. It seems strange to me that a guy who loves movies that much isn't keeping up on the technology used to display those movies. The odd "baiting" kind of language in his article, plus the grossly inaccurate data he presented, seems to me that he either wasn't as objective as he wanted to let on, or that he really DOES have no clue and was just spouting crap that the salesman told him (which, having been in that area in the past, I'd be more likely to believe).

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by JTK

Now it's down for me. Must be intermittent issues on their end.

Or maybe a DOS attack?

Gary

[JTK]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

Or maybe a DOS attack?

Gary

LOL

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by Chad Varnadore

But even if it is real, which it's necessary for the survival of the format IMO, the implications of the trouble that such discs will assuredly cause should be frightening to HD DVD adopters and could end up hurting it more than helping.

HD DVD made several Osborne type blunders at CES. First, they announced the A20 several months before it would be available, pricing it only $100 more (at the time) and having it offer 1080p. Then Toshiba let it be known that there would be a major price reduction in the A2 to coincide with the A20 release.

All the TL talk did was push the damage further out, to the end of the year and beyond. Anyone hearing about TL plans would immediately wait to see which players would support it. Toshiba were smart to finally shut the heck up about it.

We're approaching half way through 2007. I wonder how Toshiba is doing with their stated target of 1.2 million players?

Gary

[Longshot]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

HD DVD made several Osborne type blunders at CES. First, they announced the A20 several months before it would be available, pricing it only $100 more (at the time) and having it offer 1080p. Then Toshiba let it be known that there would be a major price reduction in the A2 to coincide with the A20 release.

All the TL talk did was push the damage further out, to the end of the year and beyond. Anyone hearing about TL plans would immediately wait to see which players would support it. Toshiba were smart to finally shut the heck up about it.

We're approaching half way through 2007. I wonder how Toshiba is doing with their stated target of 1.2 million players?

Gary

The way their dopping prices I expect to see these players at Dollar General by Black Friday

[Chad Varnadore]

If they are even able to ship 1.2 million players this year - unlikely due to the diode shortages, not to mention Matsushita and Sony controlling most of the diode production, 1 million of those will be warehoused. They're just now surpassing the 100,000 mark and have likely already gone thru the majority of their potential market. How many people that held off investing earlier due to uncertainty in the market would do so now with even less chance of HD DVD winning?

[john_1958]

Originally Posted by maximus2323

Man, this has lots of emotion but a great few minutes of my life.

found it quite boring

[TJandBLU-RAY]

Originally Posted by john_1958

found it quite boring

[dialog_gvf]

The Digital Bits is up right now (for me) and they indicate they are having some issues.

Nice followup to the thread topic:

My Two Cents

Surprisingly (or maybe not), the overwhelming majority of the mail we got was in agreement with us, though some (having already chosen HD-DVD for reasons of their own) took exception. A small handful were personally offended by our "obviously biased rantings," and we got one or two rather juvenile posts along the lines of "FU Bits!" Such is the elevated state of dialogue in parts of the home theater/film enthusiast community these days. Thanks to the captains of Hollywood and consumer electronics, we have a format war that's bitterly divided the online enthusiast community in a way that it's never been before. Nice going, industry!

Actually, very little is going to change here at The Bits. We'll still review HD-DVDs as well as DVDs and Blu-ray Discs, and report release news for all three formats. The basic difference is that when anyone asks us what format they should buy or which we think is the smarter bet, our advice is generally going to be Blu-ray. We'll certainly keep an open mind and watch the situation closely. If the Blu-ray exclusive studios suddenly start flipping like poker chips, we'll let you know and revise our opinions accordingly. But you can't be afraid to stand up for what you believe. And we believe that of these two very good formats, Blu-ray has the far greater chance of succeeding long term. So there you go.

So, there ya go. He answered the HD DVD fans what they would do if the sky did start falling.

Gary

[JTK]

Works for me.

Must be some troll job going on here that has this thread rated so low. It was one star until I just voted 5.

You folks want to help that out a bit?

[Chris Beveridge]

Bill's said what I've said all along; make a choice and roll with it. I made my choice with BD very early on but report even handedly on both formats. I've got my first HD DVD review coming (w/internet connectivity, the first!) and there won't be any mention of BD in it other than to say the twin disc will read on a PS3 (or not).

Basically, have the balls to pick a horse and ride on it.

[marzetta7]

Great article by Bill. Absolutely enjoyed every word of it. Logical, to the point, and most of all as suttle as a brick to the face!

Blu-ray as most here have been reiterating, is and has been the safest bet for high-def.

[Sir Terrence]

My hat goes off to Bill for having the guts to write on his website what many of us who work for Blu-ray exclusive studios have been saying amoungst ourselves for months. Chad wrote a post as well that I totally agree with.

I got into HD on disc with the Toshiba A1, and while it upconverts SD DVD exceptionally well, and has played them back pretty flawlessly, the HD side of the equation hasn't done so well. What turned me off about HD DVD was the sorry and pitiful support for the first generation players, even when it was know that there were problems with clean, glitchless playback.

What sold be on Blu-ray was the exact opposite of my HD DVD experience. My PS3 has flawlessly played back ever one of the 80 Blu-ray disc I own. You get firmware updates pretty frequently, and after the last one, I was just smiling ear to ear. I have asked a few HD DVD fanboys "what good is IME, iHD, online downloads, and all of that other senseless crap that has nothing to do with the movie itself, if the player cannot get all the way through a movie without a hiccup?". Many claim they have not had the problems that I have, but I say that just makes everything worse. There is no quality control between players if that is the case.

Toshiba lost me, and will never get me back. They had their chance, but they decided my dollar was not all that important to them. I bought my last HD DVD about a month ago, and will not purchase another.

I applauded Sony when they compromised on a single format for DVD. They lost alot of money on that compromise, so I am applauding them again for not giving an inch to Toshiba this time around.

[shock_terminal]

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articl...oap060107.html

I found it rather refreshing.

[Longshot]

Where you out of the country last week?