Can't Stomach Blu-Ray

[Hober Mallow]

Watch 2001 in 1080p with Dolby TrueHD and tell me it's not a vast improvement. If you do, you're either lying, partially sighted, or just plain stupid.

Last week I watched 2001 and it looked so pretty it almost made me weep.

My first blu-ray purchase. It's like seeing the movie for the first time. Since getting a blu-ray I'm much more interested in old movies and TV shows like trek than I am in any new stuff.

Older movies aren't going to have that certain "pop" that you'd get with Transformers, Pirates of the Caribbean or whatever, but some studios really don't put a whole lot of effort into cleaning up older titles (Universal threw a lot of crap onto HD-DVD like Mobsters, while Field of Dreams was bad on HD-DVD and they made no effort to fix it for Blu-ray), and when they try to, the digital noise reduction actually makes it worse. For an "older" title, Blade Runner would be my example of doing it as best as possible).

Like you say, it depends on the movie. So far, the clearest most amazing movies I've seen in HD on blu-ray are 2001, Patton, and Casablanca (abso-freaking-lutely stunning). Robert Wise's "The Sand Pebbles" looks pretty sweet, too.

What's really amazing about the added detail is how much of a sense of depth it adds to the picture. It makes watching older movies a whole new experience. Standard definition looks flat by comparison.

 

[Bad Bishop]

I love Blu-Ray, the increase in resolution can be astonishing.

No kidding. I watched a Blu-ray of No Reservations (starring Catherine Zeta-Jones) on a large screen. I was amazed at how many flaws in her skin were visible. She's less than perfect!

 

[zakkrusz]

I also feel that Blue-Ray is not a sufficient enough technological advancement to adopt. It's not all that revolutionary like DVD was.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

“In 2012, you’ll see entry-level Blu-ray pricing at $50. At that point, Blu-ray will become mass market.”

-Alison Casey, Futuresource head of global content.

ESCA: Blu-ray will be 50% of market by 2012
6/24/2009
http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6667297.html?industryid=47213

It's the consumer electronics industry but it is a startling prediction that prices will drop that much in 4 years.

I understand that many posters on this thread do not support this format. I'm just posting a timely news quote from last week.

 

[Trubinator]

I'm not sure how accurate that prediction is, but the general momentum seems to be going toward Blu-ray. I look forward to much cheaper players in the near future...

 

[Stone_Cold_Sisko]

If you get a DVD player with component cables, the difference becomes even less dramatic on all but the largest screens. I mean clearly blu-ray looks better, but you almost have to do a direct comparison to see how much.

It really isn't a big enough leap to become a mass format. Seems like we are reaching diminishing returns. We're getting closer and closer to the point where our eyes won't be able to tell the difference. Kind of like the video game industry. It took doing something "unique and casual" with lesser graphics, Rock Band, Wii, etc to become successful this iteration.

I think downloadable Blu-Ray-Resolution movies will probably be the next step. I think it's too dramatic to ask everybody to get new HDTV sets AND a new player AND buy new formats of movies.

 

[Trubinator]

Not to sound condescending or anything, but there are two mistakes with your second point:

1. Consoles cannot be used to judge graphics by any stretch because they lag behind PC
2. If you're judging graphics based on PC games, you probably haven't upgraded your machine in about 10 years.

I can see both sides of the Blu-ray argument though. That point is well taken.

 

[Jim Steele]

It took doing something "unique and casual" with lesser graphics, Rock Band, Wii, etc to become successful this iteration.

Right, because the 360 hasn't been successful at all.

If you get a DVD player with component cables, the difference becomes even less dramatic

I'll go one better. Watching DVDs via HDMI, upscaled on a decent bluray player. Pretty much the best you're going to get out of a DVD, and still obviously much lower resolution than bluray. That's on a 37" 1080p tv.

 

[Trubinator]

Upscaling does help, but I agree the case is way overstated. The main problem is the upscaled video can't look better than the original source. It just pulls extra pixels out of the frame from random areas ... ends up adding no new information though. Also, I'm not sure you even need fancy upscaling equipment, as new HDTVs have built-in capabilities to do so.

 

[Jim Steele]

DVDs, especially well authored ones, can look really nice upscaled but yeah, there's simply no getting around the fact that we are at best comparing an anamorphically stretched 720x576 image to a razor sharp 1920x1080 one.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

Blu-ray or Internet distribution for 1080p movies?

Netflix's chief executive officer, Reed Hastings, thinks his core business is doomed.
As soon as four years from now, he predicts, the business that generates most of Netflix's revenue today will begin to decline, as DVDs delivered by mail steadily lose ground to movies sent straight over the Internet.

It is coming faster.

Vudu streams 1080p

VUDU’s Streaming Movie Service Transforms HDTVs into Movie-On-Demand Video Stores
LG Electronics will ship new HDTVs that include the new VUDU service.

July 29, 2009
http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/07/29/vudu-drops-to-plan-b-offers-1080p-streaming-on-lg-tvs/

 

[schatenjager]

My local Best Buy's Blu-Ray disc selection is now bigger than the DVD selection is. I don't have a Blu-Ray player, don't have an HDTV, and won't be getting either one for a very long time (no HD until my current television breaks) and if that means I can't watch new movies, well, whatever.

I've been to see the demos they have in the stores where they show two movies next to each other and i'll admit, when looking at two still frames, there's a noticeable difference but I honestly can't see any difference at all between moving images in HD or not, Blu-Ray or not, etc. I don't see the point.

 

[Captain Craig]

I say this everytime this topic comes up and I'll say it again.

I'm skipping on Blu-Ray.

Let me know when the next format change happens that significantly increases sound&picture. The marginal increase on the existing disc format does not inspire me to get on board.

 

[Arrqh]

The marginal increase on the existing disc format does not inspire me to get on board.

If you say so! The difference in pixel density in 480p and 1080p is a lot more then marginal. If it personally isn't worth it to you, then sure, but the increase in resolution is comparable... from 375x250 (approx) in VHS to 720x480 for DVD to 1920x1080 for Blu-Ray. DVD is a little under 4 times the pixel density of VHS and Blu-Ray is a little over 4 times the pixel density of DVD. With good hardware, the difference between all three of these formats should be obvious.

 

[Aragorn]

Funny. "Marginal" is how I felt about Terminator Salvation.

 

[Hober Mallow]

It really isn't a big enough leap to become a mass format.

Yes, it is. And it's happening right now. Go into any Blockbuster or Hollywood and watch as their blu-ray section gets larger and larger, week after week. Six months ago when I got my blu-ray there were almost no movies available for rent -- Hollywood has like two shelves. Now you can rent hundreds of movies. I don't recall DVDs growing this fast.

Seems like we are reaching diminishing returns. We're getting closer and closer to the point where our eyes won't be able to tell the difference.

True, but if your eyes can't tell the difference between 420 and 1080 resolution, you need your eyes checked.

I think downloadable Blu-Ray-Resolution movies will probably be the next step.

I think X-Box already does that, doesn't it? In any case, you're right, this is what we're moving towards. But we're a long way from that being the mass movie format.

I think it's too dramatic to ask everybody to get new HDTV sets AND a new player AND buy new formats of movies.

]
You can think that all you want, but all broadcast television is going to be in 1080, so eventually people aren't going to have a choice. Do you think a large enough majority of people are going to keep buying standard def televisions at thrift stores every time their TVs break down? Because that's what it's going to take to keep HDTV and blu-ray from becoming the standard. Even if they do that, they won't be able to use their standard definition televisions, because there won't be anything in standard def to watch.

Still, the great thing about blu-ray is that you don't have to replace all your old DVDs. They'll still work on your blu-ray. I've still got my DVD collection, and the only movie I've rebought on blu-ray is 2001.

 

[Pindar]

I am sold on Blu-Ray I have a player I still don't have my hi-def tv yet.

I am going to buy one today. It's got to be one of the most confusing purchases I have ever made.

There is a huge range of TV's all with different capabilities.

I have narrowed my choice down to either a Sony KDL40W550 or a Samsung LE40B640.

If anyone here has one of these sets I would appreciate an owners opinion.

 

[DiSiLLUSiON]

^ Yeah, Star Trek XI will be my first BluRay purchase, followed by a major BluRay purchase, i.e, the player.

Seconded.

 

[Icemizer]

All broadcast tv will NOT be in 1080. The stations that are already using 720p as their standard are not going to change any time soon(ABC, FOX). 1080p is not an approved FCC broadcast standard and probably never will be. No doubt they will leap beyond 1080p for whatever comes next.

 

[Captain Craig]

The marginal increase on the existing disc format does not inspire me to get on board.

If you say so! The difference in pixel density in 480p and 1080p is a lot more then marginal. If it personally isn't worth it to you, then sure, but the increase in resolution is comparable... from 375x250 (approx) in VHS to 720x480 for DVD to 1920x1080 for Blu-Ray. DVD is a little under 4 times the pixel density of VHS and Blu-Ray is a little over 4 times the pixel density of DVD. With good hardware, the difference between all three of these formats should be obvious.

I'm not a tech hound so your numbers mean nothing to me.
I do say its marginal so thank you for agreeing with me.

Call me when the next format change happens where I can really see that big leap.