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some DVD info, but mostly about Blu-Ray


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Ironically, back in the day, it was Betamax (again from Sony) which was superior in picture quality, less video noise / distortion and better sound quality than VHS, but the inferior format won out due to JVC overglutting the market with cheap VHS players / recorders.

Wasn't it also that Sony wouldn't release the patent on Betamax so other mfg could produce?

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Natural progression of technology is HD and everything is moving that way. Blu-ray is the HD player of choice. The market and technology is set on it. Prices will come down and it will eventually take over. Doesnt matter how long it takes, its the direction its headed.

 

The future of media after blu-ray will be in the form of memory chips.

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Couldn't we just move this thread to TTL, as the official Blu-Ray thread with a tiny bit of Wilco DVD discussion? Any objections?

I was considering going through and moving all the non-BluRay posts to the other thread, but the more I think about it, that would be kind of a pain in the ass to do. Let's just move it!

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Ironically, back in the day, it was Betamax (again from Sony) which was superior in picture quality, less video noise / distortion and better sound quality than VHS, but the inferior format won out due to JVC overglutting the market with cheap VHS players / recorders.

 

That would have happened again as Toshiba flooded the market with sub $100 HD DVD players, but Sony bought out the studios for several hundred million. Still makes me shake my head because HD DVD quality was good, and the price was right. I guess I'm the betamax guy, cause I have a Toshiba HD-A2 (HD DVD player) and about 45 HD DVD movies. I just use the formats interchangably though - i can tell the difference between HD and DVD, but its not enough to fret too much about. To be honest, I care more about HD sports broadcasts than I do HD movies, unless the visuals or scale of a flick demand it.

 

The real issue is that instant/on demand delivery of content is gonna kill all fixed formats. I stream about 3 netflix movies per month, and would stream more, but the library is still small. Eventually though, on-demand digital content is gonna expand and kill off every form of tangible/portable media content.

 

But this is the wrong forum to make that argument too. I have still-shrink-wrapped Elliott Smith vinyl hanging on my wall, and scrap books of concert tickets and signed CDs and records. Music fans are collectors. We love "owning" the content. We'll be among the last holdouts.

 

Back on topic - I'm psyched about the release. Been living under a rock and didn't know about it.

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http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/123584

"To be sure, Blu-ray is growing -- up 250 percent since 2007 -- but it still represents less than 3.5 percent of the overall market. Analysts now wonder whether Blu-ray will be able to pick up steam fast enough -- or if the future has already been handed over to online downloading and streaming alternatives. With companies like Netflix rushing into streaming as quickly as possible, that certainly seems like a strong possibility."

 

Ouch! Hope you REALLY like those players, Blu-Ray fans! You're beyond a minority; you're in danger of becoming extinct!

 

Whirrrrrrrrrrrrr, rrrrrrrrrrrrr, rrrrrrrrrrrrr...

 

 

 

CLUNK!

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The real issue is that instant/on demand delivery of content is gonna kill all fixed formats. I stream about 3 netflix movies per month, and would stream more, but the library is still small. Eventually though, on-demand digital content is gonna expand and kill off every form of tangible/portable media content.

Probably so, but it's going to take a long while. While not everyone is as concerned with picture quality as I am, it would take a pretty massive file to equal the kind of picture quality you can get from a blu-ray disc (and a DVD as well, for that matter). The streaming netflix movies are watchable, but don't look "good" by any means when stretched out on my 42" HDTV. I don't mind using it for rentals, but if I'm going to purchase a movie, then I want a pristine copy of the film. The streaming/digital movies will end up looking just as good one of these days, I'm sure, but it's got a long way to go before that happens.

 

Some other pro-BD propaganda for anyone interested:

 

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-18438_7-10142913-82.html

 

I have no idea, really, how long BD will last, but I'm enjoying it while it does. I won't repurchase many of my current DVDs, but all future movie purchases will be BD...they simply look too good for me to pass up. It reminds me of being little and making the jump from atari to nintendo :P

 

Ok, maybe not quite THAT dramatic, but you get the idea...

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Ouch! Hope you REALLY like those players, Blu-Ray fans! You're beyond a minority; you're in danger of becoming extinct!

 

Whirrrrrrrrrrrrr, rrrrrrrrrrrrr, rrrrrrrrrrrrr...

 

 

 

CLUNK!

Dude, no one really cares.

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"To be sure, Blu-ray is growing -- up 250 percent since 2007 -- but it still represents less than 3.5 percent of the overall market. Analysts now wonder whether Blu-ray will be able to pick up steam fast enough -- or if the future has already been handed over to online downloading and streaming alternatives. With companies like Netflix rushing into streaming as quickly as possible, that certainly seems like a strong possibility."[/i]

 

People still will want some kind of physical media to have and carry around. What would you do if you want to go somewhere and want to take a movie, game, or any data with you? You cant have everything on the internet and have it downloaded at instant speeds.

 

Even in future sci-fi shows, they use some kind of memory format that gets carried around. Things will never be solely on the internet.

 

If anything is going to replace the blu-ray, its memory chips. The technology isnt there yet for the memory chip to replace the disc format, and in the meantime, blu-rays will slowly gain marketshare. On-line streaming/downloads will be big but people still will want some kind of instant physical media.

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http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/123584

"To be sure, Blu-ray is growing -- up 250 percent since 2007 -- but it still represents less than 3.5 percent of the overall market. Analysts now wonder whether Blu-ray will be able to pick up steam fast enough -- or if the future has already been handed over to online downloading and streaming alternatives. With companies like Netflix rushing into streaming as quickly as possible, that certainly seems like a strong possibility."

 

Ouch! Hope you REALLY like those players, Blu-Ray fans! You're beyond a minority; you're in danger of becoming extinct!

 

Whirrrrrrrrrrrrr, rrrrrrrrrrrrr, rrrrrrrrrrrrr...

 

 

 

CLUNK!

 

 

Interesting... so this guy is basically stating Blu-ray is a failure just because its extremely impressive gains aren't enough to make up for DVDs losses??? Makes sense. :unsure Maybe theMaker is just bitter he didnt find a PS3 under the tree.

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  • 4 weeks later...

OK so this is my first post on this forum, so go easy, but I wanted to share a couple things...

 

1. I emailed Tony Margherita Management (Wilco's mgt. co.) and got a response from a very nice lady: "Thanks so much for supporting Wilco and for your inquiry. We aren't offering Ashes of American Flags on Blu-Ray around the release date, but that's not to say it won't happen at some point in the future. The film was shot in HD and looks/sounds beautiful in my opinion, so I think you'll enjoy it no matter what format." I have no doubt she's right, but I replied with my request for a Blu-Ray version at some point anyway, and got this response: "I will bring this up with the powers that be for the future :) In the meantime, I just hope you have surround sound at home because you're going to want to crank it up!" So, I take this to mean that it has not been ruled out. Support for a Blu-Ray disc could certainly help, so I encourage you to email them at info@tmmchi.com

 

2. Blu-Ray's benefits are not merely limited to video resolution. The audio (which, for this application, would be far more important for me) is lightyears ahead of DVD audio. For those of you who have never heard DTS-Master Audio on a decent theater system, it's incredible. :music What most people don't realize is that CD Audio is compressed! When you thought you were listening to the pinnacle of sound quality with a CD, you weren't! Was it clearly superior to a cassette tape? Of course. But the audio on Blu-Ray has the potential to blow CD audio away - DTS Master Audio has the potential for lossless reproduction.

 

So the bottom line is that DVDs and CDs sound/look great, but Blu-Ray is better in every respect. For an extra ten or fifteen bucks, I would be happy to shell out the extra dough. If you're interested as well, please email the folks at Margherita using the link above. Thanks!

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  • 2 weeks later...
1. I emailed Tony Margherita Management (Wilco's mgt. co.) and got a response from a very nice lady: "Thanks so much for supporting Wilco and for your inquiry. We aren't offering Ashes of American Flags on Blu-Ray around the release date, but that's not to say it won't happen at some point in the future. The film was shot in HD and looks/sounds beautiful in my opinion, so I think you'll enjoy it no matter what format." I have no doubt she's right, but I replied with my request for a Blu-Ray version at some point anyway, and got this response: "I will bring this up with the powers that be for the future :) In the meantime, I just hope you have surround sound at home because you're going to want to crank it up!" So, I take this to mean that it has not been ruled out. Support for a Blu-Ray disc could certainly help, so I encourage you to email them at info@tmmchi.com

 

What's interesting is that they're marketing this DVD as being shot in HD, but be that as it may, unless it's on Blu-ray, it's not HD. Granted, I'm sure the down-converting from HD to SD will be performed well, and thus it will be a good quality DVD (video-wise), but it will not be as good as BR. Also, the fact that it's shot in HD leads me to believe that it will be available one day in BR, otherwise, what's the point of filming it in HD?

 

Another point, is the band being either hypocritical or ignorant here in that they're (or the filmmakers) marketing this film as being shot in HD, and thus misleading people, but they don't see the point of releasing "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" in BR?

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Another point, is the band being either hypocritical or ignorant here in that they're (or the filmmakers) marketing this film as being shot in HD, and thus misleading people, but they don't see the point of releasing "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" in BR?

They're apologising for it being shot in HD instead of real film.

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