The General HD Releases Thread!

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 04 Feb 2008, 20:49

gasteropod wrote:No, but it's your fault for actually expecting them to make something that doesn't suck

Why? LG are one of the bottom end of the market makes. Besides it's not as if we have any choice. Only Samsung and LG offer Combo Players. I'd rather buy a better make but I cannot.

Samsung are usually a very good make. The BH100 is especially bad, the BH200 isn't too bad but clearly it's not enough.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 04 Feb 2008, 20:54

just buy a blu-ray machine and be done with it.by the time they get a reliable combo out hd-dvd will probably be nearly history anyway unfortunately.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 04 Feb 2008, 20:58

Like I keep saying when the HD-DVD format fails there will still be thousands of HD-DVD discs out there. HD-DVD's need isn't going anywhere.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 04 Feb 2008, 21:03

bradavon wrote: thousands of HD-DVD discs out there.

how many are available now? maybe 500-600? with universal and paramount's release slate slowing to a crawl i very much doubt hd-dvd will have a back catalogue in the 1000's.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 04 Feb 2008, 21:11

Okay 500-600. That's still plenty.

Of all the titles I've bought and those I want it's roughly 50% BD and 50% HD-DVD.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 04 Feb 2008, 22:37

As soon as Universal and Paramount switch to Blu-Ray there will be no need for me to have an HD player. I've no HD titles so it would seem silly to start buying them now.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 04 Feb 2008, 22:47

Both have consistently said they'll continue to support HD-DVD.

I've no HD titles so it would seem silly to start buying them now.

Not really. It will take years to re-release them, maybe longer with release schedules being filled up by new releases.

I'd hate to lose out on all the fantastic films on HD-DVD just in the hope one day they get re-released. Nothing is confirmed on that front in the slightest.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 04 Feb 2008, 22:52

Maybe they will... but not exclusively if it loses them sales.

If they confirm that they will be exclusive to HD for another couple of years I'd consider a cheap HD player... but as I don't have the TV yet this is all future speculation on my part.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 04 Feb 2008, 22:55

Markgway wrote:Maybe they will... but not exclusively if it loses them sales.

The truth is right now both markets are so small it really doesn't matter which you pick. Neither are losing money and have enough buyers to sustain their niche markets.

Markgway wrote:If they confirm that they will be exclusive to HD for another couple of years I'd consider a cheap HD player... but as I don't have the TV yet this is all future speculation on my part.

What's holding you back getting a TV? I thought you were keen to get one.

I'm buying both HD-DVDs and BDs that are under £10 and for films I want (for the most part). I cannot see that changing and as such will continue to support both.

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 04 Feb 2008, 23:34

bradavon wrote:Both have consistently said they'll continue to support HD-DVD.

So did Warner up until shortly before they made their surprise announcement.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 04 Feb 2008, 23:48

True but both Paramount and Universal have recently said so.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 11 Feb 2008, 16:57

Ratatouille uk is region B locked.

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 11 Feb 2008, 19:48

I was just having a browse through the upcoming Blu-ray releases on hmv.co.uk, and was surprised to see Zodiac: Director's Cut! I didn't think it'd be coming out on Blu-ray, but according to hmv, Warner are releasing it on Blu-ray in the UK.

http://www.hmv.co.uk/hmvweb/displayProd ... sku=764647

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 11 Feb 2008, 19:54

No Country for Old Men coming to uk hd-dvd in may

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 11 Feb 2008, 20:01

gasteropod wrote:I was just having a browse through the upcoming Blu-ray releases on hmv.co.uk, and was surprised to see Zodiac: Director's Cut! I didn't think it'd be coming out on Blu-ray, but according to hmv, Warner are releasing it on Blu-ray in the UK.

Yep it's a Warner title in the UK.

Lets hope they've got all the extras off Paramount too.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 11 Feb 2008, 20:28

a few posters over at dvdforums reporting that the American Gangster hd-dvd transfer is pretty shoddy.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 11 Feb 2008, 21:19

Really. What a pity

I presume this is the thread in question:

http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=668766

How do you mean shoddy? The fact some cannot play it or some are saying it doesn't look too hot. I'll be picking up the USA Combo. For once I want the Combo to get both cuts.

Here is a comparison between the HD-DVD and DVD:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthre ... st13055498

And someone refuting what it says:

http://www.avforums.com/forums/showpost ... stcount=66

I suspect I'll be happy with it.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 12 Feb 2008, 16:58

Quotes from dvdforums

"Had trouble with the disc loading initially. You can't cancel the Web feature cookie download, if you do it crashes out to the main menu on the 360 drive. [Yes, I know. I'm getting a 'proper' player in 2 months...] Just have to sit there and let it do it. The cookie is 6mb.

After that the disc loaded fine. Tried it twice to make sure. Sat and watched 5 mins of the film and can't say the picture really jumped out at me, surprising for a Ridley Scott film. A bit murky, not much in the way of fine detail, not razor sharp in the slightest. Will have to watch the whole thing though, but thats just microcosmic impressions."

"I've just finished watching this, had no problems playing it. Great film but what a poor looking transfer. I missed this at the cinema so I don't know if it was Ridley Scott's intention but this just looks drab with none of the detail or colour you would expect from HD. It looks rather grey. Also I would have expected much more grain from an HD presentation, the lack of it makes it look more like an upscaled standard DVD. Haven't played the DVD side yet but I have a funny feeling that they probably will look pretty similar. Makes me wonder if Universal have given up on the format."

"Extras wise you get a commentary, a nearly five minute featurette on the real Frank Lucas, about ten minutes of deleted scenes and the picture in picture material, which is on about 75% of the chapters (although it doesn't always last the whole chapter, haven't watched it all so I can't say how long it is in total). On the SD side the only extra is the commentary (only on the theatrical version). The SD picture quality is noticebly poorer than the HD, so it looks like that's the way it was shot and that this film is just not going to look very good in HD."

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 12 Feb 2008, 17:15

Thanks Salty.

I thought you meant AV Forums.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 14 Feb 2008, 22:25

30 days of night despite saying region A on the back is definitely region-free.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 15 Feb 2008, 00:14

I hear that's decent, correct?

Godzooki · Post by **Godzooki** » 18 Feb 2008, 18:22

bradavon wrote:I hear that's decent, correct?

Yep, its a fab disc and an ace film too!! I love blood and snow!! :twisted:

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 18 Feb 2008, 22:01

They do go well together don't they

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 18 Feb 2008, 23:36

30 days is unusually gory for a studio pic. on a seperate note got the uk Run Lola Run BD the other day so will try and watch it this week.

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 18 Feb 2008, 23:40

saltysam wrote:on a seperate note got the uk Run Lola Run BD the other day so will try and watch it this week.

I watched it earlier, it's a nice upgrade from the DVD, with a solid bitrate and a pretty good sense of depth to the image. Mine came on Saturday, not bad considering it was only released today