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[mrklaw]

Hey guys, everyone in this thread i s now talking almost exclusively about the other posters. That cannot be healthy. Any news on Fridayton?

well warner didn't say anything yesterday, and if they don't say anything today we can certainly make something up for friday

I just want to know what Warner are going to do. If they stay neutral or go bluray only, I'll stay bluray only. If they go HDDVD only, I'll go neutral.



The $100 player is a black friday special right? not that many units at that price? realistically how many will they sell?

 

[jjasper]

The sub 100 player is not a black Friday sale it is a "secret sale" this Friday.

 

[gkryhewy]

The sub 100 player is not a black Friday sale it is a "secret sale" this Friday.

I saw a TV ad as well, about a wife getting her husband an HD-DVD player for xmas, "a toshiba" - I think they must have a bunch of them.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

I saw a TV ad as well, about a wife getting her husband an HD-DVD player for xmas, "a toshiba" - I think they must have a bunch of them.

I saw that same commercial last night, and thought the same thing. At the time I didn't know anything about the $100 player.

 

[Wulfer]

Ookie's MIA because he's standing in line waiting for a player! :lol

 

[BoboBrazil]

Would buy it if it was 1080p. As it is not, I will not partake in this deal...

 

[gkryhewy]

EDIT nm - I don't want to contribute to this thread's console-oriented devolution, even in jest

 

[dallow_bg]

Would buy it if it was 1080p. As it is not, I will not partake in this deal...

1080p/i doesn't matter. It's the same thing on an HDTV.

What does matter (to me), is that it doesn't support 24fps.
I have to pass.

 

[mrklaw]

stop all this talk of $100 HDDVD players! You make me want to buy the new EP30 in the UK

 

[Days like these...]

So just how exactly did the Warner press conference rumor get started and by whom? I need a list of 'insiders' if at all possible so I can disregard anything from them in the future.

 

[StoOgE]

So just how exactly did the Warner press conference rumor get started and by whom? I need a list of 'insiders' if at all possible so I can disregard anything from them in the future.

just disregard all of them.

 

[jjasper]

just disregard all of them.

Pretty much. The only thing worth reading from insiders are street dates from unannounced titles.

 

[Wulfer]

So just how exactly did the Warner press conference rumor get started and by whom? I need a list of 'insiders' if at all possible so I can disregard anything from them in the future.

Yea Days, I got to agree until the ink hits the paper this thing is just too hot for insiders. Things can change so fast and money talks a lot!




Edit: the only thing they got right this week was the $98 HD DVD player and $14.95 movies to go with it!



Sorry Mrklaw couldn't resist! :lol

 

[plagiarize]

days like today make me really happy that i have the ability to play both. i can just sit back and enjoy the fireworks. honestly, whether toshiba bankrupt themselves over this, or push hd-dvd to start out selling blu-ray again i don't have to care.

if warner jump ship one way or the other, or not at all, i don't have to care.

and with hd-dvd players and blu-ray players reaching new lows, being neutral just got even cheaper.

 

[mrklaw]

days like today make me really happy that i have the ability to play both. i can just sit back and enjoy the fireworks. honestly, whether toshiba bankrupt themselves over this, or push hd-dvd to start out selling blu-ray again i don't have to care.

if warner jump ship one way or the other, or not at all, i don't have to care.

and with hd-dvd players and blu-ray players reaching new lows, being neutral just got even cheaper.

you aren't concerned about having a potentially obsolete stack of discs if one format does win out?

I must say I'm starting to feel the same though. even if one format did win overall, you'll still have players for the other format avaiable for some time (or will be able to rip to PC)

 

[VanMardigan]

Hey, it was a Walmart "insider" that reported the $98 HD DVD player as well as the $15 HD DVD movies for tomorrow. NOBODY thought he was right about the HD DVD price. I know I didn't.

btw, I talked to my sister and she's going to try one walmart at 8 am when the deal starts, then another one for her lunch hour if she doesn't find any stock in the first one. *crosses fingers*

She also said she might pick one up for Harry Potter, which she loves.

 

[White Man]

days like today make me really happy that i have the ability to play both. i can just sit back and enjoy the fireworks. honestly, whether toshiba bankrupt themselves over this, or push hd-dvd to start out selling blu-ray again i don't have to care.

Same here.

Plus I figured out how to take screenshots with my HD-DVD player connected to my PC. So I am firmly HD-DVD for the time being, since I can make awesome high resolution desktops for both my PCs and PS3. This is also an auto-win for HD-DVD on dual platform releases.

 

[jjasper]

:lol I sold my player for $200 in Sept and I could go buy the exact same model tomorrow for $98 and net me a profit of 102. I win.

 

[Stinkles]

you aren't concerned about having a potentially obsolete stack of discs if one format does win out?

If you have two kinds of discs and both players, what makes them obselete? The formats are effectively identical - both HD, both fit on the same shelf. I expect one format to win, but I organize my discs alphabetically, not by format. One format dying in five years won't stop me playing my "old" 1080p movies...

 

[White Man]

If one of the formats dies and I no longer desire to keep my old loser player around, I will probably just rip all my discs in the dead format for the sake of convenience. By the time this war is over, I'm sure the tech will be there.

 

[plagiarize]

you aren't concerned about having a potentially obsolete stack of discs if one format does win out?

I must say I'm starting to feel the same though. even if one format did win overall, you'll still have players for the other format avaiable for some time (or will be able to rip to PC)

are you going to come around my house and break the player that plays the format that lost?

 

[C4Lukins]

If you have two kinds of discs and both players, what makes them obselete? The formats are effectively identical - both HD, both fit on the same shelf. I expect one format to win, but I organize my discs alphabetically, not by format. One format dying in five years won't stop me playing my "old" 1080p movies...

Ooh, you mix the red and the blue together. That is disgusting and unethical. Bordering on bestiality.

 

[mrklaw]

are you going to come around my house and break the player that plays the format that lost?

if you like.

no, but it'll break eventually in a few years.

 

[dallow_bg]

are you going to come around my house and break the player that plays the format that lost?

I will, it takes up space!

 

[Solo]

Sorry to get OT but I watched Halloween BD last night and it is actually a pretty good transfer for a older movie. I really think the backlash against the white/blue tint has caused people to give it much lower scores than it deserves.

How is this off-topic? If we actually had more discussion about, you know, the actual quality of BRDs/HD DVDs themselves, this would actually be a decent thread. Instead of the pointless, repetitive, retarded format loyality flame wars that this thread encompasses.

So cheers, my good man. After watching Transformers as my first HD DVD, the King Kong HD DVD (a movie I detest and would never own had it not been packed in, yet one I figured would be a pretty good tech demo) didn't reallt wow me like it might have otherwise. 2001 is next, and Im just about crapping myself in anticipation.

 

[jjasper]

I was being sarcastic and implying that actually talking about movies in this movie thread was OT.

 

[captive]

How is this off-topic? If we actually had more discussion about, you know, the actual quality of BRDs/HD DVDs themselves, this would actually be a decent thread. Instead of the pointless, repetitive, retarded format loyality flame wars that this thread encompasses.

So cheers, my good man. After watching Transformers as my first HD DVD, the King Kong HD DVD (a movie I detest and would never own had it not been packed in, yet one I figured would be a pretty good tech demo) didn't reallt wow me like it might have otherwise. 2001 is next, and Im just about crapping myself in anticipation.

Myself and others have tried many times, but like i said many pages ago no one wants to talk about anything other than warner, which now has morphed in to fighting about ifs and buts now that nothing happened with warner, just like i said it would.

I just skimmed over the last few pages that i missed, what a shit fest.

 

[VanMardigan]

King Kong didn't wow you? That movie is pretty much reference quality video. Until I got Transformers, I'd use the T-Rex fight scene as my HD showcase. Plus, I saved a bookmark where I start the movie when they land on the island. Much more enjoyable that way.

 

[beerbelly]

Bestbuy is selling HD DVD players for 99.99$. Wal-mart too.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...hd-a2&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1158323325814

Is this a good deal?

 

[Solo]

King Kong didn't wow you? That movie is pretty much reference quality video. Until I got Transformers, I'd use the T-Rex fight scene as my HD showcase. Plus, I saved a bookmark where I start the movie when they land on the island. Much more enjoyable that way.

I think watching it directly after what is currently the best that HD has to offer probably lessoned the effect. My own fault :lol

 

[mollipen]

If you have two kinds of discs and both players, what makes them obselete?

Difference in looking at things, I guess. Personally, I won't buy a dedicated HD player at all, partially because I hate dedicated players (had a dedicated DVD player until the PS2, then never again), but also because I'd hate to spend money on one of the two players at this point in the chance that one or the other is killed off.

The only reason I have any Blu-ray movies at this point is because I have a PS3, and Blu-ray was a bonus to getting hardware I already would have purchased. I've actually spent money on three movies, during the $10 Fry's sale, but if HD-DVD comes out the victor, I'm going to hate myself for having done so. If HD-DVD is crowned the high-def media format of choice, then I want my ENTIRE library in HD-DVD - so, to me, those Blu-ray discs I already own are totally worthless.

I absolutely, positively do not want to have a situation where I have to use multiple pieces of hardware depending on what movie I want to watch. (I already have to do that every now and then when I play the odd import DVD that I own that isn't region free, and I despise it.) When I switched over to DVD, I completely dumped my VHS collection - I wanted nothing to do with it anymore. I'm not quite going to do the same for high-def media, because DVD will play in the same machine my HD media will, but otherwise I just won't go dual format. I can't stand the idea.

(Of course, it's funny, because I have all three of the current gaming systems, so obviously I don't feel that way about video games.)

 

[VanMardigan]

Bestbuy is selling HD DVD players for 99.99$. Wal-mart too.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...hd-a2&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1158323325814

Is this a good deal?

Sold out. I'll have to monitor this. If I can get it from here, I can tell my sister she doesn't have to bother.

 

[Tyrannical]

Bestbuy is selling HD DVD players for 99.99$. Wal-mart too.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...hd-a2&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1158323325814

Is this a good deal?

It was a good deal at $199.

$99 is just insane. Generally got decent reviews too.

If Toshiba can push players that cheap, I think the format war is over.

 

[plagiarize]

How is this off-topic? If we actually had more discussion about, you know, the actual quality of BRDs/HD DVDs themselves, this would actually be a decent thread. Instead of the pointless, repetitive, retarded format loyality flame wars that this thread encompasses.

So cheers, my good man. After watching Transformers as my first HD DVD, the King Kong HD DVD (a movie I detest and would never own had it not been packed in, yet one I figured would be a pretty good tech demo) didn't reallt wow me like it might have otherwise. 2001 is next, and Im just about crapping myself in anticipation.

my issue with king kong is that HD just makes the CGI in the movie look even worse. i mean, it's a great transfer, but that great transfer makes the difference between what's real and what isn't all the more apparent, and for me, distracting.

i couldn't get through the first fifteen minutes, and that was a year ago.

hopefully the more people that go neutral, the less bickering this thread will see about disc sizes and bitrate. i mean, when people can see for themselves that HD-DVD absolutely stands up next to blu-ray in the IQ and AQ departments... when less peoples are going to champion a studio like Paramount dropping blu-ray, because it really doesn't matter either way to them... this thread could be good.

i too watched halloween last night, and i have to concur with what is already said here. whether the night scenes are as blue as intended or not, the film looks a damn site better than it ever has. it certainly hasn't ruined the mood of those night scenes, and i doubt the film will ever look better.

 

[Solo]

Well said. Pretty much exactly how I feel.

 

[jjasper]

i too watched halloween last night, and i have to concur with what is already said here. whether the night scenes are as blue as intended or not, the film looks a damn site better than it ever has. it certainly hasn't ruined the mood of those night scenes, and i doubt the film will ever look better.

Glad to hear I am not the only one.

 

[White Man]

You have me tempted to nab Halloween, but I really feel ambivalent about paying 30+ bucks for a movie I have seen approximately 900 times.

 

[Solo]

Im sure its already been mentioned already, but if not - I was skipping through scenes in Transformers, and accidentally skipped right to the end of the disc, where I was pleasantly surprised to find the Iron Man trailer (plus two others), in glorious HD. In case anyone didnt know.

I hear that while 2001 and The Shining are both stunning, Clockwork doesnt fare as well. True?

 

[jjasper]

You have me tempted to nab Halloween, but I really feel ambivalent about paying 30+ bucks for a movie I have seen approximately 900 times.

I got it at Target for $19

 

[VanMardigan]

Im sure its already been mentioned already, but if not - I was skipping through scenes in Transformers, and accidentally skipped right to the end of the disc, where I was pleasantly surprised to find the Iron Man trailer (plus two others), in glorious HD. In case anyone didnt know.

Did NOT know that. I'll check that out.

Have you gotten a chance to mess with the HDi or the info widget you download?

 

[White Man]

2001 and The Shining were the only Kubricks sold out at my local store (unless they also released Barry Lyndon, then that, too).

I am gonna hit up a best buy this afternoon to see what I can scare up.

 

[Kolgar]

Kolgar's butt-hurt status confirmed.

Eh? At least add a smiley so I know you don't mean it!

I've decided this hobby is about fun. I'm tired of bitter fanboys bitching and whining because they bought a game console and think the whole damn world--studios, retailers, consumers--should just cave in and automatically support their platform.

Early adopters always take great risks, and just because your game console (not you specifically, Ignatz) came with a movie player, that doesn't grant you any special rights. I say, man up and buy into both formats or sit on the sidelines until the smoke clears. Format wars are not for the weak of heart.

That said, today I've been visiting AVS, and working, and visiting AVS when I should be working. :lol

So what's the thought on this Toshiba pricing blitz? I know it will move players, at least, to consumers who are halfway savvy about HD. But I wonder if HDM is ready for prime time, if there's really enough understanding and demand to capture the mass-market buyers Toshiba is targeting.

Then again, they've pretty much smashed through all the price barriers and made themselves an option for consumers of all kinds. Surely they haven't produced enough to satisfy all that potential demand?

Another thing. Retailers seem to be falling all over themselves with these prices. Wouldn't Wal-Mart be miffed by Best Buy suddenly matching its "Secret Friday" pricing? Maybe HD DVD will simply be the "loss-leader" to get people into stores so they buy Blu-ray! :lol

I dunno, I'm in uncharted waters here. Has any company ever pulled out all the stops like this? This kind of blitz seems nearly unprecedented. I wonder, will it work?

 

[Solo]

Have you gotten a chance to mess with the HDi or the info widget you download?

No I have not. What DID really impress me though, was how intuitive all the menus were. Like, being able to navigate set-up, extras, and scene selection menus, without leaving the movie (hell, without really obstructing the movie either, as they only take up a little bit of space on the bottom of the screen), was really great. I can tell that going back to older, more cumbersome DVD menus will be painful. Then again, King Kong didnt appear to have this feature, so perhaps its more of a disc-specific thing. If so, companies could learn a lot from what Paramount did with Transformers.

 

[distantmantra]

It was a good deal at $199.

$99 is just insane. Generally got decent reviews too.

If Toshiba can push players that cheap, I think the format war is over.

It's sold out at every single Best Buy in the greater Seattle/Western Washington area. I'd buy one if they had one. I refuse to shop at Wal-Mart, though, so that's out of the question.

I'm really wondering if this is just Toshiba clearancing out the A2.

 

[Mrbob]

What will the base line A3 cost?

Looks like an A2 inventory blowout more than anything.

 

[distantmantra]

Looks like an A2 inventory blowout more than anything.

It really does.

I just checked the Portland, OR stores, too. All sold out down there. Too bad, cause I've got a friend doing work down there this week. $99.99 with no sales tax would've been sweet.

 

[plagiarize]

You have me tempted to nab Halloween, but I really feel ambivalent about paying 30+ bucks for a movie I have seen approximately 900 times.

buy it next halloween then

 

[jjasper]

No I have not. What DID really impress me though, was how intuitive all the menus were. Like, being able to navigate set-up, extras, and scene selection menus, without leaving the movie (hell, without really obstructing the movie either, as they only take up a little bit of space on the bottom of the screen), was really great. I can tell that going back to older, more cumbersome DVD menus will be painful. Then again, King Kong didnt appear to have this feature, so perhaps its more of a disc-specific thing. If so, companies could learn a lot from what Paramount did with Transformers.

I thought all HD movies (HD and BD) had that.

 

[distantmantra]

I thought all HD movies (HD and BD) had that.

Every single Blu-ray movie I've watched has that feature.

 

[Solo]

I thought all HD movies (HD and BD) had that.

Maybe they do, Im new to these formats. I could have sworn KK didnt though. Perhaps Im losing it. If it is a standard, then that is great.