Blu-ray beware

aliEnRIK

buglawton wrote: »

I like to pick up DVDs when visiting other parts of the world, it's the only souvenir of interest to me. Hence I never buy a DVD player that cannot be de-regioned. This is the reason I'll never buy a Blu-ray.

There are 'chipped' panasonic players available now that play all regions

And there are already a lot of region free bluerays anyways

Domokun

Just to add: Pioneer announced recently a 400gb, 16 layer (rather sexy translucent) Blu-ray disk that is compatible with existing players, and the PS3. Surely nothing more can demonstrate that Blu-ray is, at the moment, a technology with rather more potential than it is given credit for.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/02/pioneer-shows-off-16-layer-400gb-blu-ray-disc-affirms-compatibi/

However, I am extremely reluctant to buy into the HD film scene (and it will be 'buying in', I have full intention of building a high-spec HTPC) while media that requires no moving parts is so expensive. SSDs, the love child of HDDs and flash Memory, is still in its high-street infancy.

BRD are fundamentally flawed as a live playback media.

As a method of transporting a film, or buying a film, then surely there is little better, short of buying it on Solid State memory, or downloading it legally, both of which would have serious piracy sideeffects.

Ripping a BRD onto a solid-state hard drive would solve the moving part/high definition conundrum, but it doesn't leave many pounds in the pocket, at least not yet.

buglawton

Hmm, as recently as October peeps are bemoaning the difficulty of getting a single box in the UK to play DVDs and Blu-Ray multi region As in this AV Forums Thread

Plus the hacks - "remote firmware hacks" are not the sort of thing I want to do on a new £300 piece of kit.

Till things radically change it's good 'ol upscaling DVDs for me.

bitterSTAR

You have to consider that a lot of consumerswill need to go out and buy a HD television as well as a Blu-ray player. When DVDs came out, all you needed was a new player and not a new television. Plus the pricing of films also contributes to the reason why it hasn't taken off as quick. Not many consumers want to pay double for what is the exact same movie just in a better resolution!

I have been thinking of getting a BD/HD-DVD Player for a while, and my local Gamesation is still selling HD-DVDs for 3.99 a film!!! Which I'm so tempted to get, just because they are so cheap!!!

Darth_Marty

Couldnt you argue that this is very similar to the cd (you physically have the disk and its superior quality) versus download (convenient, lesser quality) scenario?
Downloading certainly won that particular battle and again in my opinion thats the way the tv/movie industry will go.

bitterSTAR

Darth_Marty wrote: »

Couldnt you argue that this is very similar to the cd (you physically have the disk and its superior quality) versus download (convenient, lesser quality) scenario?
Downloading certainly won that particular battle and again in my opinion thats the way the tv/movie industry will go.

Personally if I buy music I'd always go for the CD over downloads as they both are around the same price depending on where you shop.

However, I'm not sure if downloading really won that battle, I still think the decline in CD sales is down to illegal downloads and not legitimate downloads. I still know lots of people who only buy CDs and don't purchase downloads at all.

Darth_Marty

Im not sure about the legit/illegal status but since i-tunes and others have offered the legal download service the sale of cds has plummeted.
We are a convenience society today and, unfortunately in my eyes, we dont look at the bigger picture. Cheap and now seems to be how it is.

bitterSTAR

Darth_Marty wrote: »

Im not sure about the legit/illegal status but since i-tunes and others have offered the legal download service the sale of cds has plummeted.
We are a convenience society today and, unfortunately in my eyes, we dont look at the bigger picture. Cheap and now seems to be how it is.

I still think CD sales have plummeted because of piracy, I know countless numbers of people who have downloaded their music illegally, but only 1 person who has even used iTunes and that is because he won an iTunes voucher. Saying that I still know lots of people who buy CDs too!

aliEnRIK

Domokun wrote: »

Just to add: Pioneer announced recently a 400gb, 16 layer (rather sexy translucent) Blu-ray disk that is compatible with existing players, and the PS3. Surely nothing more can demonstrate that Blu-ray is, at the moment, a technology with rather more potential than it is given credit for.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/02/pioneer-shows-off-16-layer-400gb-blu-ray-disc-affirms-compatibi/

However, I am extremely reluctant to buy into the HD film scene (and it will be 'buying in', I have full intention of building a high-spec HTPC) while media that requires no moving parts is so expensive. SSDs, the love child of HDDs and flash Memory, is still in its high-street infancy.

BRD are fundamentally flawed as a live playback media.

As a method of transporting a film, or buying a film, then surely there is little better, short of buying it on Solid State memory, or downloading it legally, both of which would have serious piracy sideeffects.

Ripping a BRD onto a solid-state hard drive would solve the moving part/high definition conundrum, but it doesn't leave many pounds in the pocket, at least not yet.

Interesting link. I heard Hitcahi had also managed a similar feat, BUT, the technology wasnt actually there (Meaning the laser wasnt 'fine' enough to actually read the data)
Makes me wonder how the Pioneer one differs.......

I also once heard of a hard drive with a fully rotating head that can read on angles that was being researched into. That ment they could have virtually unlimited storage space (One scientist was quoted as saying you could store EVERY dvd film in existence and it still wouldnt be anywhere near full!)

aliEnRIK

bitterSTAR wrote: »

Personally if I buy music I'd always go for the CD over downloads as they both are around the same price depending on where you shop.

However, I'm not sure if downloading really won that battle, I still think the decline in CD sales is down to illegal downloads and not legitimate downloads. I still know lots of people who only buy CDs and don't purchase downloads at all.

I buy cds as I have a really decent hifi cd player. Downloaded ones generally just dont cut the mustard.

As for illegal downloads ~ come this April (if memory serves correct), the government are supposed to be having a big crackdown if they deem that the service providers arnt doing enough to stop it.