HD DVD vs Blu-Ray...A Compromise on the horizon???

[Adidas410s]

LG Electronics unveils dual-format DVD player
Morio Koyama Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

South Korean major consumer electronics manufacturer LG Electronics Inc. announced Sunday it would release the world's first next generation, high definition DVD player compatible to both of the two competing formats--Blu-ray and HD-DVD--in the United States in early next month.

LG plans to begin selling the new "Super Multi Blue" player outside the United States by the end of this year.

The new dual-format player will be sold at 1,199 dollars or about 142,000 yen, about the same price as luxury models of the currently available single-format next generation DVD players.

According to the South Korean firm, an image processing semiconductor compatible to the two formats on the new player was developed by a U.S. firm. Its optical pick-up contains two kinds of lenses, each of which is compatible to each of Blu-ray and HD-DVD.

Next generation DVD players featuring high definition images have been sold since last year. However, due to the format war between Blu-ray and HD-DVD, which are incompatible, the players have failed to become popular.

Depending on sales of the LG's new player, other manufacturers may decide to produce a dual-format player, influencing the future of the format war.

(Jan. 9, 2007)

[Blastoderm55]

I'll wait til Samsung makes one comparable to LG's for about a third of the price, so I should be picking up my HD player around 2012. :D

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by Blastoderm55
I'll wait til Samsung makes on comparable to LG for about a third of the price, so I should be picking up my HD players in about 2012. :D
yep...Samsung loves creating medium-grade LG products! ;)

[texasjeremy]

I would hold off buying either one for now. Right now there is no clear leader. Sooner or later one will become the standard, while the other will become worthless.

[mwynn05]

isn't HD supposed to be like the only TV format by 2009 or something?

[g$$]

I don't like LG anything. I have had bad luck with their phones & so have many of my friends & family. Battery life stinks to be honest. I am waiting on this deal too until the market settles down.

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by g$$
I don't like LG anything. I have had bad luck with their phones & so have many of my friends & family. Battery life stinks to be honest. I am waiting on this deal too until the market settles down.

I would definitely stay away from their phones. In their defense, they do advertise a much lower battery life on their cell phones (up to 40% lower) than any other brand. I'll buy anything else that they make though. I have had great success with their plasma TV's, DVD players, and various other appliances. I wish I could afford their washer/dryer set. They make VERY good home appliances from what I've been told.

[Blastoderm55]

Their appliances are very nice, but the bells and whistles seem unnecessary for something as rudimentary as laundry. Most front-load sets will do just fine, while the agitator-free top-load sets are also suitable solutions.

[g$$]

Originally posted by Adidas410s
I would definitely stay away from their phones. In their defense, they do advertise a much lower battery life on their cell phones (up to 40% lower) than any other brand. I'll buy anything else that they make though. I have had great success with their plasma TV's, DVD players, and various other appliances. I wish I could afford their washer/dryer set. They make VERY good home appliances from what I've been told.

Good info. to know. I did not know they advertised lower battery life on the phones. Wish I had known that years ago!

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by g$$
Good info. to know. I did not know they advertised lower battery life on the phones. Wish I had known that years ago!

I don't know as much about their CDMA (Sprint, Verizon, etc) technology phones but the GSM models that Cingular carried all advertised between 2.5 and 3.5 hours of talk time. By comparison, virtually every other phone we carried (Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, SE, etc) tested to between 5 and 8 hours of talk time. The way that talk time is measured in testing is a phone is fully charged and then 1 call is started and they time how long it takes for the call to end due to the battery dying. Of course, multiple calls for shorter amounts of time will drain the battery at an accelerated rate.

[TMer25]

Warner Bros, also announced they will be releasing discs that are Blu Ray on one side, and HD DVD on the other.

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by TMer25
Warner Bros, also announced they will be releasing discs that are Blu Ray on one side, and HD DVD on the other.

you just HAD to have some cool "insider info" to share with us! ;) That should be interesting to see. How is the layering of the discs going to work?

[TMer25]

Originally posted by Adidas410s
you just HAD to have some cool "insider info" to share with us! ;) That should be interesting to see. How is the layering of the discs going to work?


Right now, you'll have dual layer Blu Ray on one side, and dual layer HD DVD on the other. So 50gb on the Blu side, and 30gb on the HD DVD side, for the time being. Toshiba last night at the HD DVD press event announced triple layer HD DVD discs, that have 50gb of room. So the storage aspect of the battle is back to even again.

[Blastoderm55]

Originally posted by TMer25
Right now, you'll have dual layer Blu Ray on one side, and dual layer HD DVD on the other. So 50gb on the Blu side, and 30gb on the HD DVD side, for the time being. Toshiba last night at the HD DVD press event announced triple layer HD DVD discs, that have 50gb of room. So the storage aspect of the battle is back to even again.

You at CES right now? I'll bet that's pretty amazing. :eek:

[spiveyrat]

Geaux Blu Ray!!! :cheerl:

[g$$]

Originally posted by TMer25
Right now, you'll have dual layer Blu Ray on one side, and dual layer HD DVD on the other. So 50gb on the Blu side, and 30gb on the HD DVD side, for the time being. Toshiba last night at the HD DVD press event announced triple layer HD DVD discs, that have 50gb of room. So the storage aspect of the battle is back to even again.

Y'all are out of my league! Confused just reading it. Thanks for the info. though, good stuff.

[Emerson1]

Originally posted by mwynn05
isn't HD supposed to be like the only TV format by 2009 or something?
All channels have to be digital, that doesn't mean they will be in HD.

[crzyjournalist03]

I've been thinking about getting an HDTV, but it seems to be pretty expensive just to get cables and subscription to HD programming.

Anybody have advice on good values? I've been looking at Vizio televisions, but don't know much about them.

[rundoe]

Originally posted by Blastoderm55
I'll wait til Samsung makes one comparable to LG's for about a third of the price, so I should be picking up my HD player around 2012. :D

Samsung makes most of the screen for ALL brands anyway. Plus remember the last time Sony did this, Beta lost!!

[rundoe]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
I've been thinking about getting an HDTV, but it seems to be pretty expensive just to get cables and subscription to HD programming.

Anybody have advice on good values? I've been looking at Vizio televisions, but don't know much about them.

Rear Projection is the cheapest, plus offers what LCD screens doesn't, the ability to see the screen from a 30% Viewing angle. Walk though the store and watch the LCD screens fade after a 30% angle viewing. Not really good for large rooms where you have a couch love seat and chairs.

Using HDTV you can't tell the difference between the two anyway. The down side is that you will have to replace two expensive bulbs on a rear screen after 10,000 to 20,000 of viewing. Upwards of 100.00 each.

DSS is supposed to offer more HDTV channels this year, should b complete by the end of the year.

[Pudlugger]

Have an LG washer and dryer and love them.

[rundoe]

Originally posted by TMer25
Warner Bros, also announced they will be releasing discs that are Blu Ray on one side, and HD DVD on the other.

And who do you think owns Warner Brothers.

[Emerson1]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
I've been thinking about getting an HDTV, but it seems to be pretty expensive just to get cables and subscription to HD programming.

Anybody have advice on good values? I've been looking at Vizio televisions, but don't know much about them.

DLP is what we have. It was only $1200 at circuit city, they usually have some kind of deal going. It's a 50" samsung.

What TV service do you have? It's costing us $18 more a month I think, and that included upgrading to digital cable, a HD DVR and HD channels.

Cables probably cost $50 total. That was for two HDMI and a digital optical audio cable. Then an extra $20 for a surge protector.

I have been reading alot about all this, so I deem myself knowledgeable about HDTVs. Just shoot me a PM

[ASUFrisbeeStud]

Originally posted by rundoe
Rear Projection is the cheapest, plus offers what LCD screens doesn't, the ability to see the screen from a 30% Viewing angle. Walk though the store and watch the LCD screens fade after a 30% angle viewing. Not really good for large rooms where you have a couch love seat and chairs.

Using HDTV you can't tell the difference between the two anyway. The down side is that you will have to replace two expensive bulbs on a rear screen after 10,000 to 20,000 of viewing. Upwards of 100.00 each.

DSS is supposed to offer more HDTV channels this year, should b complete by the end of the year.

I have a rear projection LCD, a 50" Sony Grand Wega, I think its the way to go. Awesome resolution and as far as cost goes its much more affordable than a plasma.

[rundoe]

63"rear projection Samsung. With the Bose 3 2 1 system. Now my entire stereo, TV, Am/Fm is all in one unit. DSS sat. system. Will upgrade to HDTV in the next couple of months.

So I can watch my new DVD of the entire LH/Celina Game!!!!!!

[rundoe]

Originally posted by ASUFrisbeeStud
I have a rear projection LCD, a 50" Sony Grand Wega, I think its the way to go. Awesome resolution and as far as cost goes its much more affordable than a plasma.

I sat for hours debating the Samsung vs The Grand Wega. Side by side. Went with the Samsung, couldn't tell any difference in resolution. was bigger and saved about 500.00.

[TMer25]

Originally posted by rundoe
And who do you think owns Warner Brothers.

Time Warner who was originally exclusively in the HD DVD camp and who saw the money in Blu Ray and released titles on both formats. But their HD DVD titles so far have had more features than their Blu Ray titles.

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by rundoe
Rear Projection is the cheapest, plus offers what LCD screens doesn't, the ability to see the screen from a 30% Viewing angle. Walk though the store and watch the LCD screens fade after a 30% angle viewing. Not really good for large rooms where you have a couch love seat and chairs.

Using HDTV you can't tell the difference between the two anyway. The down side is that you will have to replace two expensive bulbs on a rear screen after 10,000 to 20,000 of viewing. Upwards of 100.00 each.

DSS is supposed to offer more HDTV channels this year, should b complete by the end of the year.

Buy a plasma and your viewing angle will be MUCH better than anything that DLP and/or SXRD can produce! ;)

[Emerson1]

Originally posted by rundoe
Rear Projection is the cheapest, plus offers what LCD screens doesn't, the ability to see the screen from a 30% Viewing angle. Walk though the store and watch the LCD screens fade after a 30% angle viewing. Not really good for large rooms where you have a couch love seat and chairs.

Using HDTV you can't tell the difference between the two anyway. The down side is that you will have to replace two expensive bulbs on a rear screen after 10,000 to 20,000 of viewing. Upwards of 100.00 each.

DSS is supposed to offer more HDTV channels this year, should b complete by the end of the year.
Any warranty would cover the cost of a bulb.

and a bulb will last 80,000 hours


The gas in a plasma will start to burn out at 30,000 hours, and right now is impossible to refill

[rundoe]

Originally posted by Adidas410s
Buy a plasma and your viewing angle will be MUCH better than anything that DLP and/or SXRD can produce! ;)


Nope, still didn't show as well as the rear screen from deep side view.

and I did buy the extended warranty.

[big daddy russ]

As of RIGHT NOW, DLP's the way to go. But remember that everything can change in an instant.

The best way to test a hi-def TV is to buy the movie Pitch Black, stick it in, and see if you can actually watch it. LCD's have horrible 'black levels' (the ability to show different shades of black), but plasmas have come a ways in that respect.

Still, neither compares to a rear projection (either LCD projection or DLP... but DLP is a much better picture) as far as overall viewing experience. There's also a couple of new technologies out on the market like LCoS that I haven't checked out yet, but that you should keep your eyes on.

Oh, and I'd highly recommend Samsung DLP's. Great price, great picture (possibly the best in the business), and sharp-looking cabinets. And while I'm not a huge fan of Vizio's picture quality, they're definitely priced right considering what you get.

From everything I've heard:

-go with a Samsung or Mitsubishi for DLP rear projection. The Mitsubishi will cost a little more, but it's a very nice picture.
-go with Samsung for flat panel LCD's.
-go with a Pioneer or Panasonic for plasma TV's (depending on how much you're willing to shell out-- Pioneer's more expensive).


And also, sit down and watch any TV you're considering buying. If you go to an electronics shop, a sales associate will be more than happy to throw a movie on so that you can compare the TV's. Nobody carries Pitch Black on hand because they don't want to show the shortcomings of their TV's, but if you buy it (you can get it on Half.com for a couple of bucks) and bring it in they'll throw it in for you. See which one you like best. For all you know, spending all that extra money for the Pioneer plasma may not be worth it because you're just fine with a Vizio.

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by rundoe
Nope, still didn't show as well as the rear screen from deep side view.

and I did buy the extended warranty.

Plasmas have a MUCH better horizontal viewing angle. Each individual pixel is its own light and color source. Plasmas are evenly lit across the surface and have a nearly perfect 180° viewing angle.

When talking about the effective life of a plasma vs a DLP...consider this. The effective life of a plasma TV is 60,000 hours so the half-life would be 30,000 hours. That means that at 3 hrs/day it would take 27+ years for it to reach it's "half life." I seriously doubt that anybody is planning on keeping a TV for that long without replacing. Worries about "burn in" on the newer model plasmas are all but gone. It can still occur through neglect and misuse of a TV but I have the burn in that I have experienced has only lasted for a few minutes once I change the channel. The most frequent cause of burn in from my usage is watching sporting events and/or ESPN where a fixed image is somewhere along the borders of the picture.

[TMer25]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
As of RIGHT NOW, DLP's the way to go. But remember that everything can change in an instant.

The best way to test a hi-def TV is to buy the movie Pitch Black, stick it in, and see if you can actually watch it. LCD's have horrible 'black levels' (the ability to show different shades of black), but plasmas have come a ways in that respect.

Still, neither compares to a rear projection (either LCD projection or DLP... but DLP is a much better picture) as far as overall viewing experience. There's also a couple of new technologies out on the market like LCoS that I haven't checked out yet, but that you should keep your eyes on.

Oh, and I'd highly recommend Samsung DLP's. Great price, great picture (possibly the best in the business), and sharp-looking cabinets. And while I'm not a huge fan of Vizio's picture quality, they're definitely priced right considering what you get.

From everything I've heard:

-go with a Samsung or Mitsubishi for DLP rear projection. The Mitsubishi will cost a little more, but it's a very nice picture.
-go with Samsung for flat panel LCD's.
-go with a Pioneer or Panasonic for plasma TV's (depending on how much you're willing to shell out-- Pioneer's more expensive).


And also, sit down and watch any TV you're considering buying. If you go to an electronics shop, a sales associate will be more than happy to throw a movie on so that you can compare the TV's. Nobody carries Pitch Black on hand because they don't want to show the shortcomings of their TV's, but if you buy it (you can get it on Half.com for a couple of bucks) and bring it in they'll throw it in for you. See which one you like best. For all you know, spending all that extra money for the Pioneer plasma may not be worth it because you're just fine with a Vizio.


Mitsibushi definitely for DLP's. They added a Magenta LED to help with the color transitions. Other manufacturer's are still using just red, green and blue.

Vizio makes very good plasma's for the price, and they are having a very good showing at CES so far.

[TMer25]

Originally posted by Adidas410s
Plasmas have a MUCH better horizontal viewing angle. Each individual pixel is its own light and color source. Plasmas are evenly lit across the surface and have a nearly perfect 180° viewing angle.

When talking about the effective life of a plasma vs a DLP...consider this. The effective life of a plasma TV is 60,000 hours so the half-life would be 30,000 hours. That means that at 3 hrs/day it would take 27+ years for it to reach it's "half life." I seriously doubt that anybody is planning on keeping a TV for that long without replacing. Worries about "burn in" on the newer model plasmas are all but gone. It can still occur through neglect and misuse of a TV but I have the burn in that I have experienced has only lasted for a few minutes once I change the channel. The most frequent cause of burn in from my usage is watching sporting events and/or ESPN where a fixed image is somewhere along the borders of the picture.

Burn in definitely a non issue. The burn in your talking about is called "image retention". Will always be a slight problem with plasma technology, but it's really nothing more than an annoyance.