The "TRUTH" about Blu-ray

[Obiwan176]

OK, I feel that I really needed to post this because as of late there are a lot of people and articles stating that Blu-ray is already dead. Or is going to be dead within the next 4 years.

I can tell you, without a doubt that this is completey false and utterly stupid to even suggest and here is why......

HDTV's are now becoming mainstream and they have amazing technology to display full 1080P video. Now, here is where it gets to the point. DVD, when it was released, FINALLY used the capability of the TVs that had been out for a very long time. What BD does in contrast is use the FULL capablities of the "NEW" TVs.

Folks, that means it does not get any better. There is nothing else better and there won't be for a long time. A brand new display system would need to be created and with current technology becoming mainstream that won't happen for at a minium of 10 years. I guarantee it.

Blu-ray is a safe bet and the way to go. Downloads are starting to pick up but they won't be replacing discs for more than 10 years. Did iTunes kill the cd??? I really think people need to look at this whole thing in perspective and realize how great Blu-ray really is.

There are also reports that something else with greater disc capacity will replace BD soon. Like I said, this is a mute point as space does not give you better quality. It is simply more space. Again, 1080P is it. It can't get better than that in terms of quality.

Just my own 2 cents. Thoughts anyone?

[Todd]

I'm not sure which articles you refer too, but whatever they are saying is hyperbole.

The fact is as of next spring, analog broadcasts are history. I'm not sure how many people are sticking with their old set and a converter box, but I assure you those are the minority of the DVD market to begin with. (Case in point...my father)

The majority of TV viewers, which results in the majority of the current DVD market will be upgrading their TV. So what, you may say.

Well what's going to happen when people plug their new HD compatible sets into their cable, satellite, etc...whatever...

...they are suddently going to have access to the new HD local channels via their HD tuners. One day they'll just try it out...to see what the fuss is all about. Their reaction is simply going to be "Holy Crap! I can't believe what a difference HD makes!!!"

Soon they will be watching silly things on PBS HD just because the picture is so nice. Then a large part of the DVD market will finally see a benefit to BluRay and start to invest.

Now, after only a few weeks of HD television and BluRay, I get distracted watching one of my thousand DVDs in Standard Def. The image is just too soft.

This is what WILL happen.

My cousin just upgraded his old 55' DLP, that was actually quite pooey. His new 67" Samsung LED DLP blew his gord. Now he can watch HD for the first time, and even his wife sees a difference. At first she didn't see the difference between DVD & Blu and we did a comparison run with HP: Goblet of Fire. True the differences were not astounding as I was comparing upscaled DVD to 1080p...but you could see it in the detail and color balance...if you know what to look for.

[Stubblecat]

I was one of those Blu-Ray doubters only 6 months ago. I didn't see how there could be any big difference.

I was very, very wrong.

To be honest though, I still believe that some hard-drive iPod-style of buying HD movies is on the horizon within the next 5 years. But by then BD will be a completely viable and fully entrenched format with thousands of catalogue titles.

[AKmaro1]

I'm right in there with Todd's father, I have a old analog TV with rabbit ears in my bedroom (all the rest are hooked up to cable BTW), but I'm not going to spend the money on a converter box. I intend to get a smaller sized (19" or so) new LCD HDTV to take advantage of the free HDTV broadcasts out there, since I have to upgrade why not do it right.

The only thing I would add to Obiwan's statement, is that I thought I read an article a few years ago about how over in Japan they're working on a new high definition system that even makes the current one we have look crappy. It's supposed to be just like looking out your window. But I haven't read anything about it since though.

[CopyCat]

Yes all the hoopla is true about watching the new blue ray stuff, it is pretty much like looking threw
a window at the action... I remember the TV set we had when I was a kid, it had two big nobs on it
that would go click click when you turned them...And there was some kinda antenna on the roof of the house
that had a motor that would turn around to match the channels's signal... Yep we have come a long way baby...

[Obiwan176]

I really dig what everyone is saying and you are all making my exact point. MOST people have not had the pleasure of experiencing true HD yet and the whole 1080P thing is still new. People won't want to invest in anything better for a long time because it just does not exist. Blu-ray is the max and anything different will have to be a whole new technology.

On a side note, I read about the thing in Japan over 5 years ago. Yes, I did say 5 years ago. I have been a huge video nut for about 15 years now and I have seen everything transpire. The Japan thing won't be adopted here for more than 10 years. What we have is still way to new for most people and a new upgrade will out of the question.

We are all just now having too much fun with what is available. Most experiencing it for the first time. Look how long analog broadcasts were around.

Bottom line: IT IS 100% SAFE TO BUY INTO BLU-RAY. IT IS A SOUND INVESTMENT.

[spiderpig]

See my big problem with this entire HD/Blueray thing is cost. I am very upse tht government has decided for me and my fellow Americans we have to have HD capable TVs and have to pay for it, whether a new TV or a converter box ($10+ after the coupon). I don't spend on such things. I have a nice older TV and a slightly newer smaller model for the bedroom. Neither are HD but we have cable so we're exempt for the time being. I'd love to go drop the cost of my car on a new TV and Blu-ray player. But I need to pay off my car and pay the bills. Look at how many people still use rabbit ears. It could be decades before everyone converts to HD or Blu-ray.

[AKmaro1]

Yes I do agree the cost is still a bit too high for the masses right now, but like any other technology it will come down in price in a few years, we may even see a $200 Blu-ray player out around Christmas time. I've seen HDTV prices come way down over the last few years, give them a few more and then you'll see a lot more people come on board. Remember there was a time when even having one TV set was way too expensive for most families to afford, I remember my Mom telling me stories about how they would go to the neighbors house to watch theirs, now look at things..

[Stubblecat]

And don't forget that things don't last like they used to. Within the next 5 years, literally millions of people in America alone will be buying a new TV for one reason or another. Since they don't even make tube TVs anymore, people will be buying TVs that are at least 720P, which still looks mighty sharp.