How many people have Blu-ray?

[Jeff in Florida]

Anyone else here converted to Blu-ray? There is speculation out there that the format isnt going to make it and DVD is here to stay. I bought one and although I like it, most of my purchases continue to be in the DVD format as I am unwilling to pay the extra 10 bucks unless the movie as excellent special effects.

Personally I think the media format has great potential, but probably will fail due to the poor marketing (by pricing it to high) of the format. Anyone else have thoughts on this?

[scoobydoo]

I was an early adopter. . . I mean sucker to Blu-ray. Personally, I like watching movies in HD and it beats going to the theaters. As with any technology, the price will come down. On a weekly basis, Best Buy has been selling select movies between $15-$20. I think it will be around for a while.

[Mosco]

I've had a PS3 since its release, which has a Blu-Ray player capability, so I do have it - and I love it. Definitely beats going to theaters! And - new software comes out and it updates itself - you can't go wrong!

[Jimbits76]

I'm still using Betamax!

J

[Lion]

Nope, I'm not a member of the blue ray fraternity and I still do not have an HD TV!!!

[idk01]

Originally Posted by Jimbits76

I'm still using Betamax!

J

X2

[BigHat]

Yep. I'm much more into AV than watches.

Actually on my third player. Yes, it got off to a rocky start, my first player (Sony BDP-S1) had a few hiccups but I have to admit Sony constantly updated the software to improve functionality needed to take advantage of most new features incorporated in discs. I attribute that to the race for a toe-hold on the market against "brand x."

Had to go with a newer player though to take advantage of two of the higher res. audio codecs though. On a good display, 1080p video is pretty darn good and I highly recommend it. Nearly all of the players also upscale 480p DVDs and that can, at times, yield better results than those found from a convention DVD player.

[SWFLA1]

I'm in and love it

[sexner]

Nope.

HD DVD's on a plasma tv is fine for me.

I am much more of an audiophile.

[Omega_Precision]

I never converted.

I personally don't like Blu-Ray because when I was watching Batman The Dark Knight, it seemed like there were "focus" issues. Transformers and Incredible Hulk as well. It's very clear and the definition is great but some movies aren't shot with a HD camera and only with film. Transferring the movie on to Blu-ray is probably the cause of the problem.

[Goodwatch]

Yes, in the form of a PS3. A tip: Logitech has brought out an adapter that makes it possible to control a PS3 with a Logitech remote the way you would do with a regular BluRay player. It's 49 Euro over here.

[Watchdog]

I have the PS3. I'm not much of a tech guy, but I sure do enjoy watching movies on it. The picture quality, IMHO, is very nice.

[ocwatching]

I with Jeff...I was the early adapter as well with the PS3...but with the exception of some big summer blockbusters...I am still in the DVD camp...movies are throw away item for me...and I do most of my movie watching on iphone...

and with a baby..you don't have time to sit down for 2+ hours...

[theloxmyth]

Nope, not me.

No matter what type player one has, you can't beat Bose for surround sound, though!

[tjs3023]

Blu-ray is awsome. And the advanced audio on it is just as big an improvement as the picture (if you have all the correct audio gear to decode it).

[openwheelracing]

Blue-ray all the way. The best part is the uncompressed audio. You need good speakers/amp/processor to take advantage though. That's a different hobby of mine, and very costly too. :)

[Goodwatch]

Originally Posted by openwheelracing

Blue-ray all the way. The best part is the uncompressed audio. You need good speakers/amp/processor to take advantage though. That's a different hobby of mine, and very costly too. :)

Krell?

[vh_bu98]

I have a PS3 and usually just rent blu-ray movies from NetFlix.

[TheDude]

I have 2 players. The Panasonic DMP-BD10A (older) and a new Oppo BDP-83. Both are phenomenal, but the new Oppo is better than the Panny in every regard.

The sound of Bluray is where it really stands apart from simple HDTV from cable or sat. The visuals are a little better, but the lossless compression on the audio track is a huge improvement over DVD or broadcast HDTV.


As for special equipment, both of my players decode the lossless formats and can output them as analog 7.1 LPCM to my older receiver. As long as your player can decode, you don't need anything special other than the new Blueray player.

[TheDude]

Originally Posted by Omega_Precision

I never converted.

I personally don't like Blu-Ray because when I was watching Batman The Dark Knight, it seemed like there were "focus" issues. Transformers and Incredible Hulk as well. It's very clear and the definition is great but some movies aren't shot with a HD camera and only with film. Transferring the movie on to Blu-ray is probably the cause of the problem.

Funny. The Dark Knight had many of its scenes shot on IMAX film, which is monstrous. The scans were done at 8K as were the visual effects, which is a resolution of 7680x4320 pixels. Most 35mm film is scanned now at either 4K or 6K. Digital capture is now done largely with the RED One digital cinema camera @ 4K resolution for motion pictures that are shot without film.

Bluray has no downsides for picture quality. In fact, it uses more bits to make images than anything you can download or consume on a TV station. That means that 1080p on a Bluray will look better than 1080p you might find anywhere else. This is simply a storage and format issue.


Do you have a 120Hz or 240Hz display? Films that are heavy in CGI look really bad in 120Hz/240Hz mode and I'm thinking that perhaps that's the "focus" issue you're talking about.

[AWATCH]

Whats a blu-ray... seriously someone gave me a new home theater system last year and it never came out of the box, just recently gave it to the kids.

[BigHat]

Originally Posted by TheDude

Funny. The Dark Knight had many of its scenes shot on IMAX film, which is monstrous. The scans were done at 8K as were the visual effects, which is a resolution of 7680x4320 pixels. Most 35mm film is scanned now at either 4K or 6K. Digital capture is now done largely with the RED One digital cinema camera @ 4K resolution for motion pictures that are shot without film.

Bluray has no downsides for picture quality. In fact, it uses more bits to make images than anything you can download or consume on a TV station. That means that 1080p on a Bluray will look better than 1080p you might find anywhere else. This is simply a storage and format issue.


Do you have a 120Hz or 240Hz display? Films that are heavy in CGI look really bad in 120Hz/240Hz mode and I'm thinking that perhaps that's the "focus" issue you're talking about.

I agree completely, film transfers have been spotty ever since they started ...transfers. That's why it never hurts to read the reviews of the DVD or Blu-Ray prior to purchase. In regard to the Black Knight, it's considered an excellent transfer and not at all blurry.

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/1825/darkknight.html

Until Deepcolor material and monitors arrive on the scene Blu_Ray is about as good as it gets in the home for video. No movie soundtrack offers more than the latest codecs on Blu_ray and musical artists are starting to migrate over as well since DVD-A and SACD are on the verge of death.

Find a way to see Dave Matthews and Tim Reyolds Live at Radio City on a top-shelf display with lossless 5.1 24-bit/96kHz Dolby TrueHD enabled and then tell me Blu_Ray isn't the way to go.

[DanP]

I have 3 now. a ps3 and 2 pioneers.
prolly about 200 br disc's
and about 1000 or so regular dvd's before there was bluray

great info here great thread! thanks for the info and participating guys n gals

[mfer]

I'm waiting for the recession to end and bring the price of these bad boy's down.

I also want more media before I do the conversion over fully. I want a netflix/blockbuster deal that is blue ray with some choices. I'm finished buying movies, just renting from now on.

[BigHat]

Originally Posted by mfer

I'm waiting for the recession to end and bring the price of these bad boy's down.

I also want more media before I do the conversion over fully. I want a netflix/blockbuster deal that is blue ray with some choices. I'm finished buying movies, just renting from now on.

Almost everything new released on Blu_Ray seems to be on Netflix. It's my default setting and I get most new movies in that format now.

[Jeff in Florida]

I actually bought my blu-ray player at the same time Dark Knight was released, made the decision because of that movie. It was one of the few movies I thought was worth spending the extra cash on. I have never seen the DVD version, would be interesting to compare the two side by side. I have about 200 DVD's but only seven blu-rays.

A friend gave me a copy of the 80's movie The Road Warrior, can't say the Blu-ray version is any better than my DVD version.

[BigHat]

Originally Posted by Jeff in Florida

A friend gave me a copy of the 80's movie The Road Warrior, can't say the Blu-ray version is any better than my DVD version.

Again, if they don't have the data (resolution) to make it better, or don't care to make it better, then it isn't going to be better. Would you expect to see the pores in Brando's face, or hear some awesome surround sound info in the Blu-Ray version of Street Car...?

[bodybump]

Originally Posted by Mosco

I've had a PS3 since its release, which has a Blu-Ray player capability, so I do have it - and I love it. Definitely beats going to theaters! And - new software comes out and it updates itself - you can't go wrong!

X2!!!! Blu-Ray and Video games+ HDMI= AWESOME!!!!!

[gmh1013]

We bought a HD toshiba back in 07 and got 7 free HD movies with it... and then they pulled the plug in early 08? ....but until I need a new player and they drop to 100/125 bucks AND the movies drop in price...I will wait.
I think they will all go away over the next few years and download off the net to your
DVR or PC is the future or play on demand.
People will get sick of buying all new movies everytime they change formats and
I just leaned to work the VCR....in fact I still watching my VCR because most
movies I have are on VHS and Im to cheap to buy them over

[Ultraman]

PS3 + HDMI + blu ray movies + any 40" (and above) LCD/Plasma TV + bose speakers system = A very nice movie watching and gaming experience.