Has Good DVD Upscaling Hurt HD?

[krizzz]

I confess that I am an HD Snob. Once you get your hands on HD, watching SD programming is painful. But I have to confess that a good upscaling DVD player (I have on Oppo DV971 and PS3) makes watching GOOD DVD TRANSFERS very enjoyable. Yes, I know all about interpolation and that the picture will never be AS GOOD as a proper Blu-Ray transfer, but the question is, is it GOOD ENOUGH? For videophiles, obviously only the best will do, but for the rest of us on a budget, I find it very hard to justify re-buying most DVDs on Blu-Ray (whereas upgrading crappy VHS tapes was a no brainer). What do you guys think?

[tntkain]

We never got into buying dvd's. pq & sound quality were never good enough(we used to watch laser discs). Not to mention the fact that anymore most dvd's are full screen. However since we bought our ps3 in July we now have 30 bluray movies. This is the first time in many years that we have enjoyed watching movies. So In my opinion dvd upscale is not good enough. I gotta have blu

[tiger roach]

Watching BDs has me jaded. Now when I watch an upscaled DVD it is disappointing.

I think the perception that upgraded DVDs are "just as good" could hurt HD though. IMO people that make that claim haven't seen what HD can really do, for one reason or another.

[GotToyota?]

It will only be good enough for those who haven't experience Blu Ray. Once they have, they will start considering their setup a thing of the past, they'll look towards Blu.
-Matt

[clyon]

I think it is a simple excuse that some people give when in real life it is cost &/or lack of movies they want, is way they don't get a BD player.

Most people don't have a good upscaling dvd player.

For re-buying dvd on BD, it depends on the movie, would you rather have a DVD of Star Wars or the BD???? I am Not going to replace everything on BD but maybe half & that cost would be spread out over years & years as things get released.

[dialog_gvf]

If people don't see the difference immediately, they will if they watch nothing but BD for several weeks and then go back and look at a DVD.

You grow accustomed to the detail and colour of a BD, and then DVDs look soft and washed out by comparison.

Gary

[DavePS3]

Your size of display makes a huge difference. With a Projo and 110" screen, the differences are massive. On a 42" and under, the differences you pick up are minimal.

[Teazle]

This is like one of those open-ended examination questions which, after a paragraph or so of some vaguely stated opinion, ends simply with "Discuss."

[tron3]

I'm "ok" with upconversion. But just "ok". BD is in no danger from souped up DVD than we were from HD DVD.

After watching some Disney titles and seeing the Amazing picture, even standard HDTV sometimes looks like crap.

[krizzz]

Originally Posted by GotToyota?

It will only be good enough for those who haven't experience Blu Ray. Once they have, they will start considering their setup a thing of the past, they'll look towards Blu.
-Matt

I have some gorgeous blu-ray transfers (3:10 to Yuma, Blade Runner, Pirates trilogy, Spidey trilogy, etc.) and I am watching on a Sony XBR2 1080P 60". I agree that I will not buy any NEW discs on DVD if there is a blu-ray transfer, but having watched over a dozen BD movies, I am not overwhelmed by the PQ difference between a good upscale (Underworld, Transformers, Fifth Element), and a good BD. However, I have not done a scene for scene comparison between a DVD and a BD of the same film...

[Zixxer]

now wait, so you are comparing High Definition Blu-ray to Standard definition dvd?!? upconverted dvds look no different than non-upconverted dvds(480p).

[SDon1969]

Originally Posted by krizzz

I confess that I am an HD Snob. Once you get your hands on HD, watching SD programming is painful. But I have to confess that a good upscaling DVD player (I have on Oppo DV971 and PS3) makes watching GOOD DVD TRANSFERS very enjoyable. Yes, I know all about interpolation and that the picture will never be AS GOOD as a proper Blu-Ray transfer, but the question is, is it GOOD ENOUGH? For videophiles, obviously only the best will do, but for the rest of us on a budget, I find it very hard to justify re-buying most DVDs on Blu-Ray (whereas upgrading crappy VHS tapes was a no brainer). What do you guys think?

Good question! I have only recently upgraded to the true HD world (I previously had a Sony fullscreen 32" CRT with only 480p and 1080i and no HDMI) with a PS3 and a Samsung 1080p 42-inch LCD. My enormous DVD collection had me worried about the need to replace those titles on blu-ray. I gotta say, they look a heck of a lot better, great, even. Sure BDs look even sweeter still, but I'm not replacing all 3,000 of these things when so many look so much better on the new tv with upconversion. I will hand pick many to replace, though (based on visual effects, sound and how much I like it).

[Blu-Ray Buckeye]

Originally Posted by tntkain

We never got into buying dvd's. pq & sound quality were never good enough(we used to watch laser discs). Not to mention the fact that anymore most dvd's are full screen. However since we bought our ps3 in July we now have 30 bluray movies. This is the first time in many years that we have enjoyed watching movies. So In my opinion dvd upscale is not good enough. I gotta have blu

Agree. I never collected DVDs and now have 80+ BDs.

PS - I don't think the success of HD has anything to do with people "re-buying" their DVD collection. As long as they buy new releases in HD that will be enough. Catalog sales ultimately are not meaningful outside of a few epic titles.