MikeB said: @ redspear I think many people will prefer to own their favourite blockbuster game or movie on disc, I think both streaming/downloading can co-exist with disc formats (like PlayTV actually uses the PS3). With regard to competing, streaming will get faster and cheaper, but will every potential consumer be online with a good enough connection and interested in this. I think not. If pricing is a major concern, it should compete with DVD first as reaching that level of streaming quality is more easily achieved and a cheap mass market solution at this point. Full quality 7.1 lossless audio with 1080p Blu-Ray visual quality is much harder to achieve, HDTV TV broadcastings aren't even on par (1080i with lossy 5.1 audio).

 

 Well let em being by saying that 7.1 adaptation rate is far behind that of HDTVs. It is a nice option to have but the people I know who work with audio and set up conferences and concerts still prefer a good stereo signal. When McIntosh comes out with a 7.1 surrond system we can discuss lossless quality and playback(not that that is necessary for the consumer).

Audio is even worse then video lossless and lossy matters even less there especially at 96Khz.

 

DirectTV now does 1080P albeit heavily compressed. TBH even fewer people will recognize the diffence between 1080i and 1080P and most HDTVs being sold are still 720P so it is null point anyhow.

 

The issue of cheaper has to do with distribution and authoring and digital distrubition wins in that regard.

The general consumer is not a videophile(a point i was trying to make abotu the CRTs) is not an audiophile(a point I was trying to make about CDs and Mp3s). Do not know what 95% RGB color space means. They buy a TV put it on the wall and watch TV in stretched format nad are happy.

As time goes on they begin to realize little things that could make there picture better and as more HD programming becomes available and they watch more of it than they will crave more HD content and will be more willing ot pay for it.

 

Blockbusters will do well early adopters are always willing to spend more money on tech and tend to be the first to buy so BRs will more then likely have higher sales at first and larger drops where DVD sales will be more flat. They need to work on theirlicensing rules and they need to intergrate FCP studio into their plans..Adobe is already there.

@ redspear

1080p downscaled to 768 lines can make a good difference compared to 1080i being upscaled (540 lines per frame).

I have to know, how many of the people that say that Blu-Ray won't be big were supporting HD-DVD in the 1st place...

The Anarchyz said: I have to know, how many of the people that say that Blu-Ray won't be big were supporting HD-DVD in the 1st place...

I always thought these formats were a waste of money, at least for their prices until now.

I think Blu-Ray will take off when it's close in price to DVD. At that point there's pretty much no reason to not upgrade. At the current price DVD players still outsell Blu-Ray players.

 

@ redspear

That's why online services would have an easier job competing with DVD in terms of quality. But they are even less technophile, so that also poses a roadblock.

Still I think a majority of people can easily spot a major difference between the quality of Blu-Ray disc on an average HDTV compared to DVD on SDTV or HDTV upscaled.

The Anarchyz said: I have to know, how many of the people that say that Blu-Ray won't be big were supporting HD-DVD in the 1st place...

Most HD DVD backers were 360 fans, now Microsoft sees the light with digital distribution and many 360 fans went along with this.

Technically HD DVD was inferior, load times were aweful compared to Blu-Ray on the PS3, bitrates were lower, storage was smaller, scratch resistance wasn't mandatory, etc.

Commercially HD DVD was in a much weaker position, nearly all major electronics firms were behind Blu-Ray as well as the bulk of content providers. It was really a no win situation from the start. IMO only blind fanboys couldn't see this and kept hanging onto PR straws.

The Anarchyz said: I have to know, how many of the people that say that Blu-Ray won't be big were supporting HD-DVD in the 1st place...

 

 Or at least 360 or Wii owners who want Sony to fail at everything...

It's not hard to find out...just look at their profiles and view their posting history.  I think you'll find you're on the right track.

this was many pages back but someone wrote that HD-DVD would be MS' format for their next console. that's crazy considering there's no one manufacturing it anymore or doing development work on the format.

japan (sadly/apparently not crazy about HD gaming) sees BD beating out DVD in recorders (over 50% this year compared to 10% last year): http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=74197

the format isn't dead and it's gaining popularity. it's sacrifice play for the gaming market is questionable, but for home theatre it was a homerun.

Is it true that DVD is 720x576 in PAL territories? So if you've only got a 720p HD TV - you're only getting an extra 144p?

DVDs in NTSC are 720x480 will at least give you an added 240p (on a 720p TV).

I think some people could be in this boat and will wait until they get a full HDTV to get the full picture quality that Blu-ray offers.

@ mtofu

According to Famitsu the most anticipated game in Japan is a HD game, Final Fantasy XIII. I think things will change considerably with enough Japanese targeted content, sure the 360 has seen quite a few but the 360 just isn't popular as a console to own for the Japanese (bulky controller, bad advertising, bad reputation, no HD movie compatibility, etc).

Providing many PS3 JRPGs, a cheaper slimline PS3 model and I think high definition gaming for Japan is a winner.