Stand your ground!

[MooglePorn]

Originally Posted by dugpa

I wish Blu-ray had total support for lossless audio, but that's hardly the case. There are many discs that don't have a lossless track. And there are still no players that will decode or pass a DTS-MA track, until the Denon comes out later this year. Now, these things are all also true for HD-DVD, but lossless is certainly not something that's really an advantage for blu-ray.

I think he's saying a lot of BD versions of movies/shows have lossless tracks their HD DVD counterparts do not... Sopranos Season 6 is the only one that springs to mind, but I know there are others.

[Reaver]

Originally Posted by MooglePorn

And price is not a factor for you Reaver? I would think an HD DVD supporter would be annoyed that so many new releases are cheaper on BD.

If all things are equal, it is annoying to pay more for one format. But, if the HD-DVD has something the BD doesn't (such as being a combo disk) then I'm okay with it being a little extra. I don't mind paying for convenience.

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by MooglePorn

I think he's saying a lot of BD versions of movies/shows have lossless tracks their HD DVD counterparts do not... Sopranos Season 6 is the only one that springs to mind, but I know there are others.

When movies have been released on both formats, HD DVD has much more titles with higher bitrate sound than the BD versions. Most Paramount titles released to date have 1.5mbps DD+ on HD DVD versus 640kbps DD on Blu-Ray. Also, there are quite a few Warner titles that have lossless TrueHD on HD DVD and DD 640kbps on Blu-Ray. I can only think of like 3 titles where the BD version has a higher bitrate soundtrack, and one of those isn't even released yet.

[ganthc]

Originally Posted by MooglePorn

I think he's saying a lot of BD versions of movies/shows have lossless tracks their HD DVD counterparts do not... Sopranos Season 6 is the only one that springs to mind, but I know there are others.

I'm saying that bd exclusive studios Sony and Disney (and even Fox, though dts-hdma has yet to be decoded by ANY player) are all supporting lossless audio. Even Lionsgate has turned out reference audio in PCM. Universal doesn't, except for a few here and there. I think BD users have always commented on the disparity with Paramount and Warner, though it appears Paramount is finally going to amend that problem. It's definitely not a space issue as to why DD+ bitrates aren't equal for both formats. But as far as exclusive studios, the bd ones are fully in alignment with lossless audio.

[Derb]

If Paramount goes full lossless force for future releases like Sony & Disney that may entice Warner & Universal to get their act together. If ya think lossless doesn't benefit Universal, rent/buy End of Days.. Night & Day difference.. say again Night & Day difference..

I could care less about dts-HDMA. Fox has a deal with dts which is why there isn't any TrueHD nor LPCM tracks.

[Astrakan]

Originally Posted by MooglePorn

That's all that really matters to me in the end, and I can't believe it's not all that really matters to everyone...

Alternative... wait for the years it could take for BD to die so Sony/MGM switch, or suffer with two formats forever changing the industry and repulsing the casual consumer.

If I only had to pick one benefit, then yeah, studio support/movie selection does win out for me. Which is why I prefer HD DVD.

I buy quite a large percentage of my movies from outside North America, and with HD DVD being region free by default, my preference for that format really is a no brainer.

So yeah, I'd much prefer waiting several years for Blu-Ray to die, or living with two equally supported formats, to a world where Blu-Ray is the only HD format available.

The REAL tricky question is whether I'd prefer a Blu-Ray only world to the current situation...

And although far from as easy to answer, I think I've gotta say that I prefer the current situation. At least the way it is now, some of the foreign releases would be released on HD DVD, and I'd have flawless playback on my regular HD DVD player.

I'm sure I'd be able to get a region free Blu-Ray player at some point, but if regular DVD is any indication, it'd take a while and when they would finally be available the region free playback would leave a lot to be desired.

KM

[MooglePorn]

I'm pretty sure the percentage of people who consistently buy their movies from overseas is so pretty small. I know a good amount of people here have mentioned buying HD DVDs from overseas, but in the grand scheme of things that's an almost irrelevant portion of the market.

In any case, sorry Astrakan, but I would rather one format with all the studios I want right here on my store shelves and that won't be HD DVD for years, if ever, and it easily could be BD as soon as next year.

So... yeah. I gotta root for that.

[dugpa]

Originally Posted by MooglePorn

That's all that really matters to me in the end, and I can't believe it's not all that really matters to everyone.

Quality matters most to me, studio support is second. I'd be more willing to buy discs from two studios that look outstanding than discs from all the studios that look like shit. What's the point if the discs don't look good? Quality first, selection second. The odds are any studio will have some titles I want. I just want them to be the best quality possible. Thankfully quality issues are starting to even out so now so aside from the smaller studios, one can buy a HD disc with reasonable confidence the quality will be good.

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by dugpa

Quality matters most to me, studio support is second. I'd be more willing to buy discs from two studios that look outstanding than discs from all the studios that look like shit. What's the point if the discs don't look good? Quality first, selection second. The odds are any studio will have some titles I want. I just want them to be the best quality possible. Thankfully quality issues are starting to even out so now so aside from the smaller studios, one can buy a HD disc with reasonable confidence the quality will be good.

Wow, I'm actually surprised dugpa is the first to mention this: quality of product/format.

I haven't jump into the HD arena yet and I'm not sure when I will at this point.

Peace...

[Astrakan]

Originally Posted by MooglePorn

I'm pretty sure the percentage of people who consistently buy their movies from overseas is so pretty small.

Oh, I'm very well aware that I'm a minority. But that won't prevent me from refusing to go Blu-Ray unless I have to.

KM

[ganthc]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

Wow, I'm actually surprised dugpa is the first to mention this: quality of product/format.

I haven't jump into the HD arena yet and I'm not sure when I will at this point.

Peace...

I think this is because it's been determined that with proper encoding that both formats are equal in quality.

[MooglePorn]

Yeah, studios control the quality of the transfers... if anything BD has a leg up from larger storage size.

[sub780lime]

Originally Posted by Reaver

Joining both camps is not "chosing a side" and you know it. Stop being obtuse.

Yeah, no acting like Triangles in here....oh wait.


HD-DVD....but i think eventually I will be on both sides of the fence, but not until player prices come down considerable.

[snipsnapsappy]

I have both, but I only buy HD-DVD exclusives for that format. But I choose BD when it comes to all other titles.

I am not as passionate about the differences between the formats. To me, they both have the ability to look and sound excellent. Sound quality, however, is my biggest concern with every title, and BD is proving to be the leader there. I prefer the PCM soundtrack on 300 to the TrueHD, maybe I am crazy, but I do.

[No6PackJoe]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

I haven't jump into the HD arena yet and I'm not sure when I will at this point.

Peace...

How can you resist with the Matrix released, isn't this your all time favorite.

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by snipsnapsappy

Sound quality, however, is my biggest concern with every title, and BD is proving to be the leader there. I prefer the PCM soundtrack on 300 to the TrueHD, maybe I am crazy, but I do.

The soundtracks are bit for bit identical, so any perceived difference would have to be a placebo effect due to differing default master volume playback levels of the two codecs. (TrueHD's reference master volume level is about 4db lower than PCM's when dialnorm is enabled).