shepjk01 Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 Uncompressed audio from either format requires one of two items. The first is an receiver/pre pro with multichannel inputs which would also require a hd dvd or bluray player with analog outputs. There are a few players that have the outputs. The next and best choice is to upgrade your receiver/ pre pro to one of the latest models that accepts hdmi audio either pcm or bitstream. Myself I bought an onkyo 875 and have not looked back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor.Ham.Slap Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 Forgive me since I have not read the whole thread but in order to take full advantage of the uncompressed sound of the Blue-Ray and HD-DVD wouldn't you have to upgrade your receiver or AV Pre/Pro as well to support it or will it work equally as well with the current decoders? Not necessarily. If your player supports analogue 5.1 discreet outputs like the Toshiba HD-XA2, Samsung BDP-1200 etc, then you can still get all the advantages of DD+ and DD TrueHD. Also if your receiver supports HDMI audio, the player will process the bitstream and send PCM to your receiver which they all can do. Even if you had a receiver with advanced audio support, very rarely would it ever get the actual bitstream path because Advanced Authoring flags will force audio processing in the player. *EDIT*: Also keep in mind that if you're looking to upgrade receivers, make sure you look for HDMI Audio processing as a feature somewhere because not all receivers with HDMI will accept HDMI audio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikekid Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 An interesting read: http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Joshua_Zyber/High-Def_FAQ/High-Def_FAQ:_Is_HDMI_1.3_Really_Necessary/853 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen Traveler Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 ...And with my DVD player upconverting to 720p and 1080p (if I were to buy a set capable of displaying 1080p), and existing DVDs being available for a fraction of the price for HD disks that (at least in the classics segment that I value most) are simply upconverted DVDs, why should I rush out and buy an HD player until the price point falls? There just isn't a compelling reason. And there are just too few movies shot in HD worth having (Lord of the Rings aside). And the thought of buying an Adam Sandler movie in HD makes my stomach quesy... While my DVD player only upconverts to 720P and 1080i, I agree with mas. Right now I am listening to my Seal DVD-A in 7.1 through my Denonlink and I have not found either High Definition format enticing enough for me to buy into yet. I am going to purchase the remaining DVD-A's and SA-CD's that I don't have and be content on great quality music and watching the way-too-many concert DVD's I own. [8] [Y] Insofar as Movies are concerned, I still am content/impressed with DVD's on my TV and will wait to "upgrade," the whole shebang when the time comes. [~] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falcon20x Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 I see your point. But in my case I had to replace my DVD player since it has the tendency to lock up I just got a toshiba HD DVD player for $100.99, I just could not justify to spend $300 to $ 400 dollar for a DVD player when I can get a HD DVD palyer for a quarter of the price Regarless, I don't see myself paying $35.00 dollars for Adam Sandler's movies either for that matter I'm not sure I would spent that much for any movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest srobak Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 With yesterday and today's sales, plus regular pricing having broken the magic $200 mark... the end is drawing near... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbsl Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 I don't know if anyone else feels like this but when I have seen HD DVD or BlueRay DVD on HD tvs it looks like they set the sharpness on ultra high and then did it again. To me it looks unatural it is toooooooooooooo sharp of a picture. Pirates of the Carabean just looked wrong! When I looked at Pirates and then looked around the room Pirates had a sharper picture than real life, unnaturally sharp. Now the HD tvs may allow you to turn down the sharpness and that may help me like the pict better but even then I'm not sure I would like it. I am really thinking about getting a projector instead of a HD tv. I don't have cable and don't watch tv(at all for the last 3 years) so all I watch is movies. The best HD pic I have seen so far is on a 100 inch projector 1080P I think with a blue ray player playing King kong and that is the best home theater picture I have seen!! It looked exactly like it does at the movie theaters. What was so good about it was it was detailed, sharp but not unnatrually sharp, it is the closest looking to real life I have seen so far. In another year or two when I'm ready to buy a projector the prices of really good ones will be even cheaper. My friend bought a model that was last years so they were selling it for $1700 to make room for this years model. He had a $8000 Sony that may have had a better picture but from memory the $1700 looked as good. I have over 200 regular dvds and don't want to replace them. I read a review of a Toshiba HD dvd player that would play standard dvds and the reviewer said they looked better thru the Toshiba and HD tv than regular tvs/dvd players. So if I do get a HD tv then any player I get will have to be able to play plain old dvds. Not that it matters can't afford it for another 2 years anyway and maybe by then they will just sell both HD and blue ray dvds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 jbsl: Too sharp? You have been playing with too many rattle snakes and maybe one of them took a bite out of you. JJK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbsl Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 JJKIZAK wrote: "Too sharp? You have been playing with too many rattle snakes and maybe one of them took a bite out of you. JJK" Just because some people like the sharpness set to ultra extreme does not mean I have to. That is the only problem I have seen with the HD tv with HD/Blueray player combo is the picture looks like sharpness on steriods. Like I said it looks unatural to me but this is at the store so they may have the setting wrong but I just don't like the sharpness turned up to a billion. Now I don't own a HD tv so maybe after adusting the sharpness I would like it better. But what I see at the stores I don't like the way it looks. Projector and HD/Blueray player looks great the best picture outside a movie theater and most lifelike picture. This combo to me looks much better and more lifelike. I've seen people say similar things about not liking digital pictures compared to using a camera with regular film. I guess it is also similar to the vinyl lovers not liking cd because they do not sound as good, no I don't own any vinyl. I'm not bashing people who bought or want to buy HD tvs just stating I think the projector/HD/Blueray player combo looks better to me. Having choices for cars, speakers, tvs, and everything in life is whats great. So no I have not been playing with rattle snakes just have my own opinion that's all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 Just because some people like the sharpness set to ultra extreme does not mean I have to. That is the only problem I have seen with the HD tv with HD/Blueray player combo is the picture looks like sharpness on steriods. Anyone with a HD display of any sort owes it to themselves to have an ISF calibratiion done. The new sets and projectors are so good, it's ashame not to get the best picture that they're capable of producing. You get to see the content as it's meant to bee seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest srobak Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 Yes the high def formats are incredibly sharp... best example I have seen so far is the Eagles Farewell Concert in HD that I bought along with my Toshiba the other day. Looks as 3-D as you could get out of a 2-D display... *extremely* lifelike... as though the performers are going to just walk right off the screen. The depth, colors, etc - so amazingly pure. Can't wait to see some movies that were actually filmed in HD - I am sure they will be just as impressive. Too sharp? No... not for my eyes anyhow. Remember that while the disc might say HD - if it wasn't recorded with HD cameras (or animation) - it's just an upscale or transfer. Planet Earth would be a good HD-DVD to take a look at too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kde Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 What is the approximate cost for an ISF calibration? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jzoz01 Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 What is the approximate cost for an ISF calibration? I had my Elite PRO-520 calibrated when I got it and it was north of $400, but that was also 4 or 5 years ago. Geeze can't believe it was that long ago, I still love that TV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 . Planet Earth would be a good HD-DVD to take a look at too. Planet Earth was the first HDDVD I purchased and warched on my XA2. We skipped dinner that night in awe of what we were watching. What an incredible undertaking, to make such a set of discs. There are too many visually stunning scenes to single one out, but Angel Falls has to be right up at the top as one of my favorites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 What is the approximate cost for an ISF calibration? I don't know where abouts you are in TX, but there's an ISF calibrator out of Sugarland (Houston area) that does great work. His name is Jeff Meyer and his business is called Accucal. He also does calibration tours across the country several times a year if you're not in the immediate area. Highly recommended (not affiliated). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.4knee Posted November 9, 2007 Author Share Posted November 9, 2007 Sony CEO's take: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21706778/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest srobak Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 Obviously that was before the numbers from the Toshiba Blowout were compiled and presented, along with the purchases of HD-DVD media, to display what the overall impact to BR was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCHout Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 I must chime in as I follow this format war on a daily basis. In my opinion regardless of the Toshiba sale (which was a 1080i player only with limited audio outputs) there is no way HD-DVD will win the format war. The best that they can do is make it a stalemate which causes these HD discs to be a niche product like lazerdisc. On the other hand, in my opinion, Blu-ray can win the format war. It is technically superior (although I will say the picture should look the same, but it has the edge for audio due to disc size and bitrate. It also has a majority of the studio support and overwhelming success overseas. The organization of home theater installers here in the U.S. selected Blu-ray exclusively. There is only one manufacturer of HD-DVD stand alone players but many for Blu-ray. You will also see Blu-ray prices begin to drop on the players (I bet before Christmas you can find one for $300- and it will be much better than the A2) and the movies are about $5 cheaper than HD-DVD if you don't count Fox. Despite the lower prices on Toshiba players, Blu-ray still leads almost 3:1 in software sales. If you are one the fence I would say get a Blu-ray or get both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest srobak Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 with limited audio outputs How is that limited exactly? A half dozen formats over optical alone, plus the full gamut via the HDMI, not to mention the analogs... what "limits" are you referring to exactly? which causes these HD discs to be a niche product like lazerdisc. Niche product??? Today - yes, but LD was the ruling quality format for a decade and every major and minor studio produced them. That is hardly "niche". Today it isn't even that - more like a collectors format, kinda like non-DJ vinyl. Blu-ray can {...] has a majority of the studio support False. They are about equal. Read up on who supports what format and get back to us. The organization of home theater installers here in the U.S. selected Blu-ray exclusively. What organization is this, exactly? There is absolutely no exclusivity by ANY installers here, or anywhere else aside from a communist country. Installers will install whatever the customer wants. If I call 10 regional installers and tell them to install 3/4in U-matic - guess what? They will install 3/4in U-matic. Where are you getting this information? I thought you said you follow this whole format war daily? You might want to try to pay some closer attention, then. There is only one manufacturer of HD-DVD stand alone players Also false... Toshiba, LG and RCA all make them - and there are several others which are not as widely imported to the US. You will also see Blu-ray prices begin to drop on the players (I bet before Christmas you can find one for $300 Which will be about 100 to 150 too expensive. Considering most BR decks are still 450+, I don't anticipate them bring under 300 at all. and the movies are about $5 cheaper than HD-DVD if you don't count Fox. Strike three - yer out! Most BR discs are about $5 MORE expensive than HD-DVD, not counting Fox Studios. Universal's routinely cost less than even Fox's. And why are you discounting a studio in your comparison? They count just as much as anyone else... randomly disqualifying aspects doesn't justify or solidify your argument any, sorry. Despite the lower prices on Toshiba players, Blu-ray still leads almost 3:1 Not after last weekend. Wait until the numbers are compiled... most HD-DVD media shelves were BARE come Monday. If you are one the fence I would say get a Blu-ray or get both. I will CONSIDER getting a BR deck once they quit jacking around all the format changes, and the prices break the $200 barrier... just like everyone else. Until then - BR will not see a weekend in which 90,000 units are sold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor.Ham.Slap Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 There is only one manufacturer of HD-DVD stand alone players but many for Blu-ray. I didn't realize LG, Samsung, Onkyo, RCA and Rockford Fosgate (car system only) were all owned by Toshiba... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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