Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems The one of MANY HD-DVD threads (No bashing Blu-Ray)

Have you verified that?

No, I'm still on v2.2.

It was reported in the Radiance beta forum: "Initial experience with audio [message #6159]"

Thanks, will take a look. Right now I no longer upgrade HD firmwares unless I have a disc that won't play and unless many other people have already done it and reported no problems...

Mark

For me it seems like a "Cheaper for the studios, cheaper for the manufacturers, same price for consumers" approach...???

From what I earlier saw locally, HD-DVD and BD were priced equally for more than 95% of the content. A few % actually had the HD-DVD content more expensive, due to a mandatory bundling with a DVD. Has that changed in the last months, so HD-DVD is generally sold at lower prices?

It will all come down to 'Cheaper Players'. IMHO

Joe sixpack may go for it if his worn out DVD player can be replaced for similar cash, with a machine that will play his Old DVD's along with HD.

If its too expensive he will go the 'Upsample' route. The marketers have been busy on this.

The enthusiasts are now almost irrelevant in the HD future as they have already bought there player/players and will continue to support their favoured format in a predictable way.

This level of film sales is not IMHO enough for either format to succeed.
Success requires Joe Sixpack, and he will go for the cheap option. He cant afford to do anything else.

He still wont be interested in the HD audio formats which are too complicated to understand, set up and get spousal approval for.
SWMBO will not allow it when she can have suedo surround from a neat looking speaker bar under the telly.

I know I sound a bit negative on this score, but in the USA Joe Sixpack can't even pay his morgage which has sent the stock markets into a frenzy.
Who ever would have thought it, Global finansial security threatened by the activities of Joe Sixpack? I would for one did!!
Its just the way the world works.

Cheers, Part of me hopes I am wrong about this, Chris

chris - I agree the player prices will have to come down for HD-disk to make ubiquitous status, ensuring long term survival. Probably in the $200-$300 range at least (most). Unfortunately, I don't think you could give the players away under the present format split, since that same customer has no confidence in the software purchases. And knows full well, that's the biggest part of his/her cost no matter what the player costs.

The enthusiast crowd is probably in good shape for a couple of years. At least we have that going...

tommy - I don't see any change - prices on average are virtually identical between the formats. (with the HD-DVD dual disk versions being a little higher)

ken

just a quick update- guys- I found Band of Brothers on HDDVD from CDJapan (disc 1) and YesAsia (discs 2-5). Its obviously a 5 disc set. I fired up disc 2 just as a test- the image and sound are very good, if not outstanding. This is one of my favorite titles, and if it is for you I would recommend it. Everything is in Japanese, menus etc, but you can disable the subtitles right from the remote's subtitle button, and most importantly the DTS soundtrack (I think its lossless) is in English. Btw- the discs took a few weeks to arrive.

best regards,
Jerry

I share similar feelings to Ken on the matter of cheap hardware.

In my mind, a $199 no named brand player, on sale when the so called Joe Six pack is going to see the movies they want priced at $25+ and split across two formats, is still not going to be low enough to ensure players sell in enormous quantities. More units will sell, of that there`s no question, but a low cost player is still going to be lumbered with the new format/format war “baggage.” The majority will see an upscaling DVD player from a brand name like Sony for $99 and take that instead.


The real reason I wanted to post here is to let owners know that the 24p firmware is now available for XA2 and A20 players. Additional updates applicable to those two models as well as the A2 are also part of the firmware (compatibility updates…etc).

http://www.tacp.toshiba.com/tacpassets-images/notices/hddvd2firmware.asp

Btw- I found this to be interesting reading a little while ago on the whole Paramount thing:

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Joshua_Zyber/Commentary:_A_War_of_Hype,_and_Paramounts_Big_Bombshell_/921

I think he raises some valid points.

best regards,
Jerry

Ive always found Josua Zyber's column one of the more reasonably argued . He doesnt interpret all statistics on your behalf but presents them and asks what do you think ? Unlike Mr.DigitalBits who returned to htf recently to try to defend and restate his position ( hilariously ! ) Kudos to him for trying , but some of his 'interpretations' are just nonsensical

Regards,

~M~

I havent been keeping up with Digital Bits (thats Bill Hunt- correct?) what is he saying? Is he arguing in favor of BRD? Ive always wondered about the argument HDDVD makes about its cheaper costs to the studios/ manufacturers- how much of this is true vs. hype. But if true, it could be a powerful argument and I think Paramounts move is very interesting.

best regards,
Jerry

I believe it's a fact that an HDDVD can be pressed at any existing DVD facility. Blu-Ray discs require completely new production hardware. There is also the question of yields as well, but I haven't been able to get past the propaganda on this one.