The Real Enemy: DVD

[GregBlu5]

Originally Posted by Terjyn

Nobody has to convert to a high-def box.

You need to convert to *digital*, not High-Def.

There are a lot of cable providers which are already full on digital. Only a fraction of their channels are high-def.

Yes, but when *all* broadcasts are in Hi Def (if the U.S. gov. mandates Hi Def in 2009, say), if you do not wish, or cannot afford, to buy a Hi Def TV, you will *then* have to have a converter box that allows you to still watch cable on your regular TV because all of the broadcasts will be in Hi Def and your TV isn't equipped to handle Hi Def broadcasts. (If I understand what this eventual Hi Def broadcast mandated situation is all about.)

I mean, I went to Digital cable when I still had my regular large-screen TV, and I could still watch cable on my regular TV. But if all TV broadcasts, cable or dish, become Hi Def, then my regular TV--if I still had it--would *not* be able to handle those Hi Def broadcasts.

The big point right now is that I heard some months back that only 17 percent of American households even had Hi Def TVs, of any sort. (That figure may be up to 20-25% at this point, I dunno.) But those of us with Blu-ray and/or Dud players are in even more of a niche market than that Hi Def TV market. Until more households have Hi Def TVs, Hi Def players will remain in a niche. Even as DirecTV is going to have 100 Hi Def channels by the end of this year, that's going to be more of a driving force for people to buy Hi Def TVs. When more American households have Hi Def TVs, then the market for Blu or HD players will begin to increase far more significantly.

-Greg