Okay, sue me.

[suprmallet]

I broke down and ordered the Toshiba HD-DVD player. I got it plus three movies (Goodfellas, Unforgiven, Chronicles of Riddick) for $496 shipped from Amazon. I'm still hoping Blu-ray can deliver, but I'm sick of waiting for cool HD content.

[zombie]

Originally Posted by suprmallet

I'm still hoping Blu-ray can deliver, but I'm sick of waiting for cool HD content.

That is the very reason why I broke down and bought the Toshiba A1 as well. I know BD will deliver eventually but in the meantime I'm enjoying great HD transfers on HD DVD. Always nice to hear of someone who bought GoodFellas. That's my favorite film and for me, the icing on the cake with HD DVD. Doesn't hurt that with HD DVD we can enjoy Universal films now rather later either. Enjoy your purchase. Make sure you download the firmware upgrade when you receive it because without it a lot of players are glitchy.

[suprmallet]

Yeah, I've already got instructions on how to download the firmware to CD-R. I'm also going to have to program my universal remote, according to most accounts.

Goodfellas is an amazing movie. That and Unforgiven are two of my favorites, so that made it easy. Also, I know the moment Batman Begins and Superman Returns come out on HD-DVD, I would have to buy a player, so might as well just go for it now. I would find myself looking at DVDs and then putting them back on the shelf, opting to wait for the HD-DVD or Blu-ray instead. But then I couldn't buy the HD version because I had no player. So enough was enough.

I'm still looking forward to what Blu-ray can do. Down the line, I will buy one of the inevitable combo players so I don't have to rebuy any of the movies I pick up for my Toshiba.

[hmurchison]

To me it's all about the movies. I'm a little distressed the HOFD isn't looking so hot. I'm going ot have to wait until a special edition is done in higher quality. To me it makes no sense to become partisan if you don't have to.

[suprmallet]

Ahh, yes, House of Flying Daggers. I had that on pre-order at one point, but dropped it after I saw the bad reviews. And I agree, no need to become partisan. That is why I'm looking forward to a good combo player from Pioneer or Denon.

[zombie]

Originally Posted by suprmallet

I'm looking forward to a good combo player from Pioneer or Denon.

Count me in! I'd love a combo player from Pioneer or Denon, rather than the on again off again rumors of a Samsung and/or LG combo.

[JTK]

Originally Posted by nyg

Count me in! I'd love a combo player from Pioneer or Denon, rather than the on again off again rumors of a Samsung and/or LG combo.

Or Onkyo/Intregra. Or any other leading, A list CE company.

[Psiweaver]

yeah a combo would be nice or blu ray luring all the studios to its camp =D

[suprmallet]

The latter would only be good if BD prices dropped, DL discs became the norm, and they used VC-1 for encoding.

[marzetta7]

Originally Posted by suprmallet

The latter would only be good if BD prices dropped, DL discs became the norm, and they used VC-1 for encoding.

Please, we are still in an early adoption market, it appears a lot of persons are forgetting this. Prices will come down eventually, especially if Toshiba continues to subsidize their player. DL discs will become the norm, which we should see in the fall.

Furthermore, I'd sure hope they used H.264 for encoding, and not VC-1.

[hmurchison]

Originally Posted by marzetta7

Please, we are still in an early adoption market, it appears a lot of persons are forgetting this. Prices will come down eventually, especially if Toshiba continues to subsidize their player. DL discs will become the norm, which we should see in the fall.

Furthermore, I'd sure hope they used H.264 for encoding, and not VC-1.

LOL WTF does THAT mean? Early Adopters don't like crap. Everything Suprmallet stated makes sense. DL50GB discs are Blu-Rays coupe de grace, VC-1 is a must if DL discs aren't available and the pricing could always be better.

You don't have to counter everyones opinion just because they're slightly negative about Blu-Ray. Many of us wouldn't be here if we had no plans of buying Blu-Ray but we also want great movies at a decent price.

[Psiweaver]

We shall see how things shake out but blu rays storage capicity does help its fight to win.

[zombie]

Originally Posted by hmurchison

Early Adopters don't like crap. Everything Suprmallet stated makes sense. DL50GB discs are Blu-Rays coupe de grace, VC-1 is a must if DL discs aren't available and the pricing could always be better.

I agree. I planned on owning Blu-ray on launch day but when I saw firsthand how bad the picture quality was and read the numerous negative reviews of other discs I made the smart decision to wait. I still believe this format war is Blu-ray's to lose. Until we get either BD50 and/or VC-1, Blu-ray is likely to remain inferior to HD DVD. Once either or both of those specs become the norm Blu-ray will have the ability to take us "Beyond High Definition." As it stands now though, I'm a bit ticked that Sony would release such poor discs to begin with. How could they think they wouldn't be held accountable for that? I returned my player the same day I bought it. No thanks Sony. I'll wait for what was promised before I return to the world of Blu-ray.

[Psiweaver]

Sony was worried that if they didn't put something to market then they would miss out completely on the hd disc market.

[zombie]

Originally Posted by Psiweaver

Sony was worried that if they didn't put something to market then they would miss out completely on the hd disc market.

Releases crappy looking discs was better than waiting till they could release quality product? I disagree. If anything they've just turned more people away from Blu-ray.

[Psiweaver]

I'm not saying that what they did was good by any means. I'm more of the type of delay it and then come out with a product that compleatly destroys the competition, but I think that sony felt that they might miss the boat by not having anything out there for the early adopters and that toshiba would take all the early adopters who push your format along. Now that being said I think sony will have a large launch around christmas time this year when all the other players come out and we will get to see blu ray shine.

[tron3]

Originally Posted by suprmallet

I broke down and ordered the Toshiba HD-DVD player. I got it plus three movies (Goodfellas, Unforgiven, Chronicles of Riddick) for $496 shipped from Amazon. I'm still hoping Blu-ray can deliver, but I'm sick of waiting for cool HD content.

Glad you have money to throw away. You are taking a big chance.

If the IEEE standards commitee steps in, both ends may end up at the drawing board. I'm kind of upset they didn't step in and is looking the other way in all of this.

It were me, I'd just tell Toshiba to suck it up because blu-ray is the way to go. Then I've have blu-ray give them a fair licensing agreement. HD-DVD has the manufactures edge for disc production, but how far do we remain backwards compatible?

Allow me to illustrate with a real world example. Someone had said the space program is held back by the ass end of two horses. Why? Well, when mining carts were invented to ride on tracks, they used the exising carts sizes. They were based on having 2 horses side by side pulling these carts. So, the tracks were based on the backsides of 2 horses. When trains came around, you guessed it...that standard track width remained.

Now the shipping of space shuttle parts depends on what a train can haul, and it can't be wider than the train that was based on the miners carts, that was based on the backsides of horses.

[marzetta7]

Originally Posted by hmurchison

LOL WTF does THAT mean? Early Adopters don't like crap. Everything Suprmallet stated makes sense. DL50GB discs are Blu-Rays coupe de grace, VC-1 is a must if DL discs aren't available and the pricing could always be better.

You don't have to counter everyones opinion just because they're slightly negative about Blu-Ray. Many of us wouldn't be here if we had no plans of buying Blu-Ray but we also want great movies at a decent price.

Easy there Maaaahhhht Daaaamon, I'll explain it to you. Agreed, early adopters don't like crap, and I agreed with most of what Supermallet stated, except for a little reminder from me about the part of his statement that was in regards to it being good if all the studios go to Blu-ray only if BD costs go down. I just simply reminded him and others that Samsung's Blu-ray player has been officially on the market all of two days, and some are already griping about cost. Get used to it, because fact is is we are in an early adoption market, and prices will be higher, that is unless you subsidize like Toshiba and with Sony's PS3. That is all I'm saying.

In regards to 50 GB DL discs, yes I totally agree with supermallet that those will definitely be needed for higher quality. In regards to the codec, I simply gave my opinion that I'd rather see the studios using H.264 aka MPEG4 rather than using VC-1 which you consider a must. It most certainly is not a must, as H.264 ought to work just as well.

Price will go down eventually here, but to embellish the cost factor as you have is in a word,...premature. So, in other words, give it a rest.

[Psiweaver]

cost is only a factor in the short term.