"Blu-ray Disc" vs. "HD DVD": Neither Is Winning

[Jerry Jones]

Here's a review of VUDU.com's "Vudu" device:

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/oct2007/tc2007104_097726.htm

I'll bet the Star Trek on HD DVD is great, but is it worth it?

I've decided to go with the APPLE downloads.

They're standard definition.

But they look quite good.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Jerry Jones]

My "Where No Man Has Gone Before" Star Trek episode from APPLE has the following file properties:

Protected MPEG-4 Video File (Video Codec H.264)
640 x 480 (resolution)
502.4MB (size)
1384 kbps (total bitrate)
Stereo, 44.100 kHz

The H.264 compression does a remarkable job.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Jerry Jones]

Exactly.

Actually, neither of the high definition formats will gain traction because "HD DVD" and "Blu-ray Disc" are as dead as disco.

And even if one of them emerges as a so-called "winner," it will have been in vain... way too late.

The downloading paradigm is upon us now.

It's really too bad they didn't lower prices sooner.

I guess the manufacturers of the high definition optical disc formats got a little greedy.

Now they've both lost.



Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

P.S. Old films look great with a low-cost upscaling standard definition DVD player.

Please read:

http://www.hdtvexpert.com/pages_b/ReallyNeed.html

Scaling DVD players offer great performance at a value price. In fact, the OPPO DV-980H and its predecessor, the DV-981H, work exceptionally well at what amounts to turning a sow’s ear into a silk purse. There’s only so much detail in a standard definition pressing of a DVD, and to have it scale so crisply to 1080p resolution takes some serious number crunching.

[Jerry Jones]

I've been using VHS players/recorders for about 20 or more years and I still get great use out of them. My Dad used to have an 8-track in his cars in the '70's and we loved to play those tapes. And jeez all through college the ONLY way I could make a music compilation was with compact cassette!!!.

And the manufacturers have kept you buying and buying and buying, right?

Mark, my point is simple.

The concept of consumer "media formats" is dead.

The advent of digital downloading and streaming is a major paradigm shift.

It means we won't have to buy the audio cassette, Laserdisc, 8-track, VHS, MiniDisc, Zip, Bernoulli, Jaz, Rev, HD DVD, Blu-ray Disc or any other "here today; gone tomorrow" storage technology.

This is good news, Mark.

Consumers who bought these technologies in the past had no choice.

But those days are over (thankfully).

Now we don't have to play that game anymore.

Eventually, you will accept the undeniable truth; "Blu-ray Disc" and "HD DVD" are as dead as disco.



Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Jerry Jones]

Can "HD DVD" or "Blu-ray Disc" possibly delay their inevitable demise?

I think it is almost hopeless.

But there might be one glimmer of hope.

APPLE could put a "Blu-ray Disc" or "HD DVD" drive into the APPLE TV and keep the price low.



Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Jerry Jones]

There are some disco tracks that I like quite a bit. "Boogie Oogie Oogie" "That's the Way I Like It" "Car Wash"

Well, when it comes to the high definition DVD formats, the disco tune that comes to my mind is "Everybody was kung fu fighting."

The day is coming when all will acknowledge that "HD DVD" and "Blu-ray Disc" are as dead as disco.



Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Mehen]

you keep bolding "apple" "star trek" and "dead as disco"
is this one of those tri-bond things? Cuz I definitely see the connection there.
I think your unconscious is working against you.

[Jerry Jones]

http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/34501/98/

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 11:50

Redmond (WA) - After several months of scant updates to the Xbox 360's video download store, Microsoft announced today it has increased its selection with more than 100 new shows.

The update includes family-friendly programming as a complement to the same-day release of a new Xbox 360 bundle targeted at mainstream, casual gamers. The new selection comes entirely from Warner Bros and Viacom's Nickelodeon division.

More than 50 episodes of classic Looney Tunes episodes are available on a download-to-own basis, according to Microsoft. The cartoons are available in HD. This is the first time that such a big selection has been made available on a digital download platform, and it is also the debut of Looney Tunes in a high definition format.

So... is it possible that even Microsoft knows that "Blu-ray Disc" and "HD DVD" are as dead as disco?

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Tjalfe]

doubt it.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=926698

Microsoft seems to toy with the idea of a new X box with build in HD DVD drive as standard.

[Hulk]

My "Where No Man Has Gone Before" Star Trek episode from APPLE has the following file properties:

Protected MPEG-4 Video File (Video Codec H.264)
640 x 480 (resolution)
502.4MB (size)
1384 kbps (total bitrate)
Stereo, 44.100 kHz

The H.264 compression does a remarkable job.

Jerry Jones
http://www.jonesgroup.net

Jerry,

So how much Apple gear do you own? Must be quite a bit for you to have such faith in it. For it would be quite naive to believe everything you read without first hand experience

I'm interested to hear about your first hand experience. Please do tell...

[Hulk]

Ouch! 740x480 resolution on that Star Trek episode. Worse than DVD actually.

How's it look on your family room TV? Oh wait you have no way to play it on your family room TV! I bet you're only playing it on your computer.

[Jerry Jones]

doubt it.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=926698

Microsoft seems to toy with the idea of a new X box with build in HD DVD drive as standard.

Sure looks to me like Microsoft is selling a lot of online HD content here now:

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live/marketplace/moviestv/

File-based.

Digital downloading.

High definition.

Love it.



Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Jerry Jones]

SONY to launch new digital downloads:

http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=17780

Sony chief executive Sir Howard Stringer is getting his company ready to turn the PlayStation Network into a full-fledged video and music downloads service. The PlayStation Network is expected to extend beyond PlayStation platforms...

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Tjalfe]

Bell Canada, one of the bigger ISP's around has introduced a 2GB/Month cap on downloads on all but their most expensive package. Rogers, the other big one in the greater Toronto area has a similar cap. Does not bode well for downloading 30GB HDTV movies, or even recompressed movies at 5-10GB.

[Jerry Jones]

LIMELIGHT NETWORKS to offer HD programming for the Internet:

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/AQTU13823102007-1.htm

http://www.limelightnetworks.com/

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net