BD 3-D Spec. We know it's here. But what is it?

[gonk]

Originally Posted by Blu-Dog

I have an HDMI 1.1 receiver (Pioneer Elite 84TXsi) connecting all my gear, and have no problem with what's supposed to be an HDMI 1.2 standard...there's a lot of voodoo going on with this stuff.

You don't need v1.2 or v1.3 for Blu-ray. You only need v1.3 if you want to bitstream audio to your receiver, but v1.1 will handle multichannel PCM and 1080p. A player that will decode internally and a v1.1 receiver will get you in the game. That's why Anthem rolled out their AVM40, AVM50, and Statement D2 processors years ago and were successful with them.

3D looks like it may be a different situation, and articles like this one are the first indication that v1.4 through the entire video signal path may be necessary for "optimal" 3D implementations. Frankly, though, we need a lot more information still. There's a ton of uncertainty at this point.

[Blu-Dog]

Originally Posted by gonk

You don't need v1.2 or v1.3 for Blu-ray. You only need v1.3 if you want to bitstream audio to your receiver, but v1.1 will handle multichannel PCM and 1080p. A player that will decode internally and a v1.1 receiver will get you in the game. That's why Anthem rolled out their AVM40, AVM50, and Statement D2 processors years ago and were successful with them.

I've been running Blu-Ray with HDMI 1.1 for about three years, without major issues. My first player was the Sony S-300, which was lossy until firmware upgrades allow Tru-HD to be internally decoded, and there were no problems there. My home theater PC has always been lossy; I haven't purchased an HDMI capable video/audio card yet, since they've just reached the market. (I have two Elite receivers of the same model).

Being suspicious of standards, I got the Sony S-550 to do internal decoding of both the Dolby and DTS HD audio standards, and also made sure it had external audio analog outputs - which I'm not using yet. So having a 1.1 receiver hasn't raised any issues, up to this point, where video is now an issue.

Originally Posted by gonk

3D looks like it may be a different situation, and articles like this one are the first indication that v1.4 through the entire video signal path may be necessary for "optimal" 3D implementations. Frankly, though, we need a lot more information still. There's a ton of uncertainty at this point.

This uncertainty stems from the rush job by the industry to implement a solution I think is half-baked. In an instant, they've made obsolete every television, every receiver, and every player that's been sold to date. I'd add that every cable or satellite box that is not HDMI 1.4 is also now dead weight.

Thinking of all the gear that has to be replaced to implement this "solution", along with expensive glasses, strikes me as being a complete misfire. Added to that, the uncertainty that you mention continues right into this CES rollout phase that just started - manufacturers are blithely spouting a new "3D Ready" line, totally different from the "3D Ready" equipment touted as recently as last summer, fall, and through the Christmas sales season.

I wonder how people who just purchased Sony's 400 disc player, or one of the new Oppo units, or someone considering purchasing Krell's new $15,000 player are feeling about this debacle.

Something needs to give. It's sure not going to be my wallet.

[Bluyoda]

Blu-Dog: I have just recently purchased the Oppo BDP-83SE, and before I did I went to see A Christmas Carol and Avatar in 3-D to make sure that I wouldn't regret it later.
I am fine with it, and I certainly don't want this feature at home.

Still, it's sad that the studios are kind of shooting in their own legs now, because finally Blu-ray is picking up mass adoption, finally players have 2.0 profile, and all the lossless audio codecs as standard features, and now they introduce a new HDMI 1.4 spec which makes every single TV and player out there obsolete, if you want full HD 3-D.

That's just stupid!

I just hope people will ignore this nonsense, and keep buying regular players, BDs and HDTVs, and not wait several years until this has matured into sth. remotely worthwhile. This could be a disaster for Blu-ray!!!
I hope it will work out alright though.

[whbinder]

Interesting, so it seems that all the evidence posted here implies that a HDMI 1.3 cable can in fact carry a full 3-D signal.

[Blu-Dog]

Originally Posted by whbinder

Interesting, so it seems that all the evidence posted here implies that a HDMI 1.3 cable can in fact carry a full 3-D signal.

I'm hard-pressed to accept that a 1.2 cable couldn't carry the signal. The real issue is switching, in the player, monitor, and whatever is doing the switching (receiver, manual switch, whatever).

If they make the standard for 1.4 a requirement, through some kind of wiring test, school is out - 1.4 will be the only choice.