Alcibiades
Member
Ok, so I know most people are waiting out for their PS3 or crossing their fingers for a cheap add-on for the 360 before jumping in to Hi-Def, but I'm sure there are some of us that can't wait.
Well anyway, here is the info (used thedigitalbits.com, videobusiness.com, crutchfield.com & avsforum.com - poster Grubert)
Logo:
The launch HD-A1 player (499.99 List price):
Specs:
» plays HD DVD high-definition discs (selectable 720p/1080i output available through HDMI output only HDMI cable included)
» plays DVD-Video, DVD-R & DVD-RW, and DVD-RAM
» plays CD, audio CD-R & CD-RW, and MP3 and WMA CD-R & CD-RW
» selectable 720p/1080i video upconversion for DVD (upconverted video available through HDMI output only)
» built-in audio decoding for Dolby® Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD lossless (2-ch.), DTS® and DTS-HD lossless
» HDMI digital output (combines video and multichannel audio with HDCP copy protection)
» 1 set of A/V outputs (composite video, S-video, and component video)
» stereo and 5.1-channel audio outputs
» coaxial and optical digital audio outputs
» Ethernet port for access to Internet-based content
» two front-panel USB ports
» remote control (multibrand for TV)
» 216MHz/11-bit video D/A converter
» multichannel 192kHz/24-bit audio D/A converters
» 17"W x 4"H x 14"D
» warranty: 1 year parts, 90 days labor
Announced and available to pre-order launch window HD-DVD's:
04/18
Last Samurai (Warner)
Million Dollar Baby (Warner)
Phantom of the Opera (Warner)
Serenity (Universal)
04/25
Apollo 13 (Universal)
Chronos (R & B Films)
Doom (Universal)
05/09
Cinderella Man (Universal)
Jarhead (Universal)
05/23
Bourne Supremacy (Universal)
Chronicles of Riddick (Universal)
U-571 (Universal)
Van Helsing (Universal)
Warner releases post 4/18 (around May and June according to press statements):
*17 titles in coming weeks including the following
Batman Begins
Constantine
Training Day
The Matrix
Dukes of Hazzard
Lethal Weapon
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Pricing:
Universal - 34.99 List
Warner - 28.99 Catalog, 34.99 New Release, 39.99 Hybrid New Release
some random additional info:
-discs sizes include 15 GB for single layer, and 30 GB for dual layer (it seems at least Last Samurai is dual-layer)
-HD-DVD Hybrid Discs are either single-sided dual layer (one HD-DVD layer and one DVD layer) or double-sided (HD-DVD layer on one side and DVD layer on the other), and can be played on your standard old DVD player, so these discs are backwards compatible
-Batman Begins, The Dukes of Hazzard, Constantine and other select titles will carry HD DVD-specific bonus features that have not appeared on standard DVD versions.
-Hybrid discs will be reserved for Warners newest films, which few consumers would already own on standard definition.
-amazon.com has Warner's titles available for about $20, and Universal's for about $25, not bad if you ask me
-King Kong is rumored to be a surpise HD-DVD title to be released in the near future, if not launch window
Now for my personal take on the matter:
That said, I really want to jump right into this because my frothing demand for HD Content has increased to a level of frustration with what is available right now (expensive cable/satellite, an on-air channel or two, and "HD" upconverted players).
I bought myself a 27 in. Westinghouse HDTV (yeah, not exactly cream of the crop) LCD and Yamaha 5.1 receiver/JBL speaker set on Black Friday with a total savings of $600. In addition, I delayed my decision on an upconversion DVD player long enough that when a $500 HD-DVD player was announced at CES, I even more thought of waiting a few months.
So here I am, with some good equipment, money not spent on an upconversion (the launch HD-DVD player also upconverts regular DVD's so I'm covered there), and awaiting any sort of easily accessible HD content like crazy. Yeah there is XBox 360, but no thanks for now. I'm hoping Microsoft releases one with an HD movie player built-in at some point in the future (probably not this year) and I'll have 2 HD-DVD players at that point.
Have I considered that the odds are super-stacked against HD-DVD at the moment (their support falls far behind Blu-Ray on the number of CE companies, computer companies, and Hollywood studios and a looming PS3 monster)? Yeah, but I figure at worst I'm gonna have a good number (Toshiba says 200 by the end of the year) of movies to choose from and an upconverting DVD player which I wanted anyway, and of course access to HD-DVD content way before Blu-Ray becomes affordable (PS3 or similarly priced player).
So anyway, I'm wondering how many other GAFFERs and/or their families are jumping into this. HD-DVD is surely not right for most it seems, but considering I've stopped buying DVD's since a long time ago (last major purchases were Batman Begins/90's Collection and Revenge of the Sith) and haven't bought any game-related stuff in forever as well (I think Toys 'R US 3-for-2 deal was it), I feel semi-justified in a purchase as large as this...
Ok, so I know most people are waiting out for their PS3 or crossing their fingers on a cheap add-on for the 360 before jumping in to Hi-Def, but I'm sure there are some of us that can't wait.
For-sure initial buys:
-The Last Samurai (don't own)
-Serenity (don't own, and even borrowed Firefly DVDs so I could watch the whole series before buying this)
-Batman Begins (own but good enough to buy again)
-Chronicles of Riddick (don't own)
-Apollo 13 (don't own)
-The Matrix (own on DVD but never watched my copy, either way good enough to buy again)
Probably buys:
-Jarhead (don't own)
-Million Dollar Baby (don't own)
-Constantine (don't own)
-Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (don't own)
-Lethal Weapon (don't own)
-Bourne Supremacy (don't own)
Maybe buys:
-Cinderella Man (don't own)
-Doom (don't own)
-U-571 (don't own)
-Phantom of the Opera (don't own)
I made the decision quite a while ago to cut down on DVD buys (even those tempting 2 for $20 sales, and even returned some good deals I bought on Black Friday and such) to just the essentials (Batman collection, Batman Begins, Revenge of the Sith is really all the stands out from the past year), so it's not like I'm doing myself too bad by going into this with a strong buy-list. I'd be making most of these purchases slowly of course, and in increments as I sell off games and such on half.com, but more or less these are my planned initial buys. If some truly awesome titles are announced for mid-to-late summer though, I might hold back and collect up for those, whatever they may be.
I'm going to be buying my HD-DVD player from crutchfield.com, since I have a $25 gift card plus they have a coupon for $50 off, bringing the price to $425. I have a $25 gift card to Target and a $45 or so gift card to Circuit City, so I'll probably be making some purchases there if the price is right, otherwise I'll go for my first few from amazon.com.
I know a lot of people are gonna think I'm throwing my money away on a soon-to-be dead format, but even so, I'll enjoy this "gamble" for what it is, with whatever selection I find through it's lifetime...
Well anyway, here is the info (used thedigitalbits.com, videobusiness.com, crutchfield.com & avsforum.com - poster Grubert)
Logo:
The launch HD-A1 player (499.99 List price):
Specs:
» plays HD DVD high-definition discs (selectable 720p/1080i output available through HDMI output only HDMI cable included)
» plays DVD-Video, DVD-R & DVD-RW, and DVD-RAM
» plays CD, audio CD-R & CD-RW, and MP3 and WMA CD-R & CD-RW
» selectable 720p/1080i video upconversion for DVD (upconverted video available through HDMI output only)
» built-in audio decoding for Dolby® Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD lossless (2-ch.), DTS® and DTS-HD lossless
» HDMI digital output (combines video and multichannel audio with HDCP copy protection)
» 1 set of A/V outputs (composite video, S-video, and component video)
» stereo and 5.1-channel audio outputs
» coaxial and optical digital audio outputs
» Ethernet port for access to Internet-based content
» two front-panel USB ports
» remote control (multibrand for TV)
» 216MHz/11-bit video D/A converter
» multichannel 192kHz/24-bit audio D/A converters
» 17"W x 4"H x 14"D
» warranty: 1 year parts, 90 days labor
Announced and available to pre-order launch window HD-DVD's:
04/18
Last Samurai (Warner)
Million Dollar Baby (Warner)
Phantom of the Opera (Warner)
Serenity (Universal)
04/25
Apollo 13 (Universal)
Chronos (R & B Films)
Doom (Universal)
05/09
Cinderella Man (Universal)
Jarhead (Universal)
05/23
Bourne Supremacy (Universal)
Chronicles of Riddick (Universal)
U-571 (Universal)
Van Helsing (Universal)
Warner releases post 4/18 (around May and June according to press statements):
*17 titles in coming weeks including the following
Batman Begins
Constantine
Training Day
The Matrix
Dukes of Hazzard
Lethal Weapon
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Pricing:
Universal - 34.99 List
Warner - 28.99 Catalog, 34.99 New Release, 39.99 Hybrid New Release
some random additional info:
-discs sizes include 15 GB for single layer, and 30 GB for dual layer (it seems at least Last Samurai is dual-layer)
-HD-DVD Hybrid Discs are either single-sided dual layer (one HD-DVD layer and one DVD layer) or double-sided (HD-DVD layer on one side and DVD layer on the other), and can be played on your standard old DVD player, so these discs are backwards compatible
-Batman Begins, The Dukes of Hazzard, Constantine and other select titles will carry HD DVD-specific bonus features that have not appeared on standard DVD versions.
-Hybrid discs will be reserved for Warners newest films, which few consumers would already own on standard definition.
-amazon.com has Warner's titles available for about $20, and Universal's for about $25, not bad if you ask me
-King Kong is rumored to be a surpise HD-DVD title to be released in the near future, if not launch window
Now for my personal take on the matter:
That said, I really want to jump right into this because my frothing demand for HD Content has increased to a level of frustration with what is available right now (expensive cable/satellite, an on-air channel or two, and "HD" upconverted players).
I bought myself a 27 in. Westinghouse HDTV (yeah, not exactly cream of the crop) LCD and Yamaha 5.1 receiver/JBL speaker set on Black Friday with a total savings of $600. In addition, I delayed my decision on an upconversion DVD player long enough that when a $500 HD-DVD player was announced at CES, I even more thought of waiting a few months.
So here I am, with some good equipment, money not spent on an upconversion (the launch HD-DVD player also upconverts regular DVD's so I'm covered there), and awaiting any sort of easily accessible HD content like crazy. Yeah there is XBox 360, but no thanks for now. I'm hoping Microsoft releases one with an HD movie player built-in at some point in the future (probably not this year) and I'll have 2 HD-DVD players at that point.
Have I considered that the odds are super-stacked against HD-DVD at the moment (their support falls far behind Blu-Ray on the number of CE companies, computer companies, and Hollywood studios and a looming PS3 monster)? Yeah, but I figure at worst I'm gonna have a good number (Toshiba says 200 by the end of the year) of movies to choose from and an upconverting DVD player which I wanted anyway, and of course access to HD-DVD content way before Blu-Ray becomes affordable (PS3 or similarly priced player).
So anyway, I'm wondering how many other GAFFERs and/or their families are jumping into this. HD-DVD is surely not right for most it seems, but considering I've stopped buying DVD's since a long time ago (last major purchases were Batman Begins/90's Collection and Revenge of the Sith) and haven't bought any game-related stuff in forever as well (I think Toys 'R US 3-for-2 deal was it), I feel semi-justified in a purchase as large as this...
Ok, so I know most people are waiting out for their PS3 or crossing their fingers on a cheap add-on for the 360 before jumping in to Hi-Def, but I'm sure there are some of us that can't wait.
For-sure initial buys:
-The Last Samurai (don't own)
-Serenity (don't own, and even borrowed Firefly DVDs so I could watch the whole series before buying this)
-Batman Begins (own but good enough to buy again)
-Chronicles of Riddick (don't own)
-Apollo 13 (don't own)
-The Matrix (own on DVD but never watched my copy, either way good enough to buy again)
Probably buys:
-Jarhead (don't own)
-Million Dollar Baby (don't own)
-Constantine (don't own)
-Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (don't own)
-Lethal Weapon (don't own)
-Bourne Supremacy (don't own)
Maybe buys:
-Cinderella Man (don't own)
-Doom (don't own)
-U-571 (don't own)
-Phantom of the Opera (don't own)
I made the decision quite a while ago to cut down on DVD buys (even those tempting 2 for $20 sales, and even returned some good deals I bought on Black Friday and such) to just the essentials (Batman collection, Batman Begins, Revenge of the Sith is really all the stands out from the past year), so it's not like I'm doing myself too bad by going into this with a strong buy-list. I'd be making most of these purchases slowly of course, and in increments as I sell off games and such on half.com, but more or less these are my planned initial buys. If some truly awesome titles are announced for mid-to-late summer though, I might hold back and collect up for those, whatever they may be.
I'm going to be buying my HD-DVD player from crutchfield.com, since I have a $25 gift card plus they have a coupon for $50 off, bringing the price to $425. I have a $25 gift card to Target and a $45 or so gift card to Circuit City, so I'll probably be making some purchases there if the price is right, otherwise I'll go for my first few from amazon.com.
I know a lot of people are gonna think I'm throwing my money away on a soon-to-be dead format, but even so, I'll enjoy this "gamble" for what it is, with whatever selection I find through it's lifetime...