Blu-ray’s Fuzzy Future

[David Matz]

Interesting article link below. The article suggests that Blu ray may be dead on arrival. People are going to the internet for high def movies. Vudu has 1400 high def titles, while blu ray has about 1100. Makes one hesitant to buy one.


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/05/technology/05bluray.html?_r=1

 

[RichTeer]

Don't hesitate. Blu-ray has much higher quality than those so-called hi def downloads. They're compressed less, resulting in a higher data bit rate, which in turn results in bigger files. Dunno about you, but the idea of downloading ~50GB of data just to watch a movie is about as appealing to me as a fart in a space suit. Give me one, robust, portable, disc, thank you!

Blu-ray sales this past Xmas season were relatively huge. I think Blu-ray has a bigger market penetration at this stage in its life cycle than DVD did. In other words, don't take the NY Times' word for stuff they presumably don't understand.

 

[DrJRapp]

Additionally, ISPs are starting to charge for so called "excess use" so the downloads may cost more than it appears.

 

[cstory]

I don't know about that.

For me, I like to have the disc in my hot little hands. There is something sastifying about holding the product. My wife and I are some of those strange people that actually will watch movies multiple times, I don't see downloading as ever being a viable option for that sort of thing. Also, my DSL connection would take forever to download an HD movie.

Yeah, in the future downloading may replace physical media, but in the short term, I still think Blu Ray has a future. Once you watch movies on Blu Ray, there is no going back to standard DVD.

Regards,

Chuck

PS3 with Sony VPL-VW60 projector, Stewart 92" Firehawk for movies.

 

[amey01]

Additionally, ISPs are starting to charge for so called "excess use" so the downloads may cost more than it appears.

Do you guys not get charged for "excess use" - we've been charged for it as long as I can remember. Every account from just about every company has a "usage allowance" on it.

 

[tonepub]

I never follow video. Is a blue ray player that expensive? Can't you get an OPPO for about 400 bucks?

Just curious.

 

[User211]

Well, if you have a PC connected to your telly like me, it's incredibly cheap. Around £60-70 for a drive.

My brother gave me one for Xmas + a copy of Batman - Dark Knight. But to be honest, that movie is so dark for the most part you can't tell how good / what difference Blu Ray makes. Apart from in some scenes.

The real clue to it's true quality for me so far is to freeeze frame - you can't see any compression artefacts like you can with satellite high def.

I need to get hold of a few more disks.

Anyway, the day I can download 30GBs worth of high def in less than one hour will be the day. In other words, it'll be a good few years yet for most people - forget the journalist BS. Sure, iTunes kids you your getting high def, but you ARE NOT getting Blu Ray quality high def. Far from it.

Journalism and reality can sometimes be two very different things.

BYW: don't take that the wrong way Jeff, I mean mainstream media...

 

[User211]

Do you guys not get charged for "excess use" - we've been charged for it as long as I can remember. Every account from just about every company has a "usage allowance" on it.

Unlimited for me at £5 a month. There are limited accounts here, though. It's getting quite common - and it never used to be.

 

[Craig]

I never follow video. Is a blue ray player that expensive? Can't you get an OPPO for about 400 bucks?

Just curious.

Sony makes a nice Blu-Ray player that decodes the high resolution audio formats and outputs through 7.1 analog RCA. This makes it compatible with any of the older Pre/Pros that have 5.1 or 7.1 inputs. It's the BDP-550S and retails for $400 or less.

Oppo is supposed to be coming out with a true universal BR player that decodes with analog out. Should be here soon. It would be very interesting to see an audio review of that Oppo.

Blu-Ray discs are a little pricey at around $35 each but can be rented near the cost of a DVD.

Blu-Ray is a great format for high resolution audio if they ever start producing BR audio/music discs. So far it just seems to be used mainly for movies.

 

[Craig]

Anyway, the day I can download 30GBs worth of high def in less than one hour will be the day.

I doubt that we'll ever see that day. The internet has limited bandwidth and is only becoming more crowded each day. In fact it could become gradually slower and slower as more people and more countries try to send huge files through the pipes.

 

[User211]

I doubt that we'll ever see that day. The internet has limited bandwidth and is only becoming more crowded each day. In fact it could become gradually slower and slower as more people and more countries try to send huge files through the pipes.

Top post and exactly what I have been thinking, Craig.

The best thing to do at the moment is rent the disks due to insane pricing, and buy a Terrabyte drive. Then makes "backups" with http://www.slysoft.com/en/anydvd.html

Also, BD has needed updates as it has changed over time, and may do so again, so if you don't have a PC based drive, buy a player that allows firmware updates. Or get screwed further down the line...

WOW - this thread has 11 views and 10 replies. AWESOME! Well, at least it did Then again the views statistic was probably just slow to update... moments later it had much more!

 

[RUR]

....don't take the NY Times' word for stuff they presumably don't understand.

Especially when they cite Rob Enderle as a source. His past "predictions" have been very far off the mark and he is, apparently, still on Toshiba's payroll.

 

[amey01]

Unlimited for me at £5 a month. There are limited accounts here, though. It's getting quite common - and it never used to be.

Five quid a month for unlimited! I pay $40 for 10GB limit! And it's not even very fast (3 meg).

 

[RichTeer]

Unlimited for me at £5 a month. There are limited accounts here, though. It's getting quite common - and it never used to be.

Check your contract's small print. There may be some sort of "anti-abuse" clause...

 

[RichTeer]

Blu-Ray discs are a little pricey at around $35 each but can be rented near the cost of a DVD.

I don't know many people paying $35 for their Blu-ray (not Blu-Ray) Discs! $20 - $30 seems to be about the norm at places like Amazon.com (which is where I do most of my BD shopping). Even up here in Canada they can be had for ~$25 at places like Futureshop.

But granted, some discs/studios are premium priced, even with discounts. But they should not be thought of as being representatively priced.

 

[RichTeer]

Especially when they cite Rob Enderle as a source. His past "predictions" have been very far off the mark and he is, apparently, still on Toshiba's payroll.

I didn't even bother to read the article, but yeah, citing Rob "The Knob" Enderle makes that article even less authorative in my book.

 

[JMAUSGP]

Yeah, I would love to see how long it would take to download a Blu-Ray quality movie with 1080P and 7.1 surround sound and all the extras that are included in a Blu-Ray movie that you can buy or rent now.

 

[FISH_MAN]

blue ray disc is da bomb! I have a ps3 and a bds350 both are greeeat I want to be able to bring a couple of disc over to a friends house and not hassle with downloads or IP problems of registered software and what not. besides the price will soon come way down and a blue ray pic/sound smokes anything comcast or other cable companies have nomatter what they advertise.
sinse the inception of the vinyl disc people want the media in there hands.

 

[amey01]

Yeah, I would love to see how long it would take to download a Blu-Ray quality movie with 1080P and 7.1 surround sound and all the extras that are included in a Blu-Ray movie that you can buy or rent now.

Why would you bother downloading the "extras"? I've never been able to understand this - "deleted scenes" are deleted for a reason - they're crap! Why do you want to sit through this?

 

[RichTeer]

Why would you bother downloading the "extras"? I've never been able to understand this - "deleted scenes" are deleted for a reason - they're crap! Why do you want to sit through this?

Deleted scenes aren't necessarily bad. For example, one might argue that the extended versions of the Lord of the Rings movies were basically the theatrical versions with the deleted scenes reinstated. And I know which version I'd prefer to see!