Blu-ray for everyone

[Don]

With Youtube and other streaming services available on the newer players, you really can't go wrong.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/200 ... -everyone/

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has added a weapon to its home-video arsenal that will appeal to those who unwrapped a Blu-ray player Friday morning - or are considering picking up one at an after-Christmas sale. Beginning early next year, Warner Bros. will offer its entire slate of new releases in combo Blu-ray/DVD/digital copy sets for the same price as standard DVD releases.

This means that with one purchase, a family can enjoy a title in three formats: on the home-theater HDTV, in the sport utility vehicle's DVD player for the kiddies during long drives, and on portable devices such as laptops and smart phones.

Though Pixar and Disney have released similar packages in the past, Warner Bros. seems to be the studio most committed to making the Blu-ray format accessible to the average customer.

This is slightly surprising because Warner Bros. backed the wrong horse early on in the high-definition home-entertainment format war of the midaughts, throwing its weight behind Toshiba and HD-DVD.

Though that format was on the market first and more cheaply than the competing systems, Blu-ray impressed customers and studios alike with its more powerful technical specifications and had built-in advantages - such as being the native format for the PlayStation 3, Sony's follow-up to the PlayStation 2, which was arguably the most popular video-game system of all time.

But Warner Home Entertainment hasn't held a grudge; it even has created a variety of initiatives intended to woo customers to the new format.

First came the Red 2 Blu program, Warner's offer to accept trade-ins of now-obsolete HD-DVDs in exchange for the same title on Blu-ray. For $4.95 per disc (plus the cost of shipping), customers who had chosen the wrong side in the Second Great Format War could upgrade to a high-definition disc.

It was a savvy move for the studio, one that enabled it to squeeze a little extra profit out of customers - estimates vary, but the manufacturing cost of a Blu-ray disc and its packaging hovers around $1 - while maintaining a veneer of caring about the early adopters who had fallen on the wrong side of the high-definition divide.

Picking up on the success of that program, Warner then announced a similar deal on standard-definition DVDs. DVD 2 Blu, as this program was christened, offered customers the chance to upgrade from DVD to Blu-ray for $7.95 or $9.95.

Though a less impressive deal than Red 2 Blu - some of the titles, such as "2001: A Space Odyssey," can be had for roughly the same price at shops such as Amazon.com - it once again signified that Warner Bros. was serious about making high-definition inroads into homes.

These inroads are incredibly important, given Blu-ray's standing in the marketplace. Though it delivers a superior picture and upgrades standard-definition DVDs to near-HD quality through a process known as upscaling (or upconversion), stand-alone Blu-ray players are estimated to be in just 7 percent of households.

That number doesn't include Sony's PlayStation 3, which plays Blu-ray discs and has sold 11.4 million units in the United States since its launch in 2006. When both are considered, industry analysts point out that Blu-ray is ahead of DVD in terms of market penetration at the same point in their existence.

With players dropping below $100 for the first time this Christmas season and numbers of both discs and players sold up across the board, Blu-ray's time finally may have come. Whether other studios will follow Warner Bros.' lead and capitalize on this surge of interest in the format remains to be seen.

[KenTheDude]

I just ordered a new laptop with a Blu-ray drive in it. So this'll be pretty cool.

[Don]

The two discs system really makes sense for families who usually have a DVD player in the van or what ever their driving so that the kids can be entertained.

[Melissa]

The two discs system really makes sense for families who usually have a DVD player in the van or what ever their driving so that the kids can be entertained.

I've wondered when I've been seeing these combos why would someone who has a bluray player want the regular too. Makes sense now, lol.

[Don]

The two discs system really makes sense for families who usually have a DVD player in the van or what ever their driving so that the kids can be entertained.

I've wondered when I've been seeing these combos why would someone who has a bluray player want the regular too. Makes sense now, lol.

Burn the DVD and let the copies be used by the kids in their room, the car, whatever as when they're young, you know something is going to get scratched eventually.

[Melissa]

The two discs system really makes sense for families who usually have a DVD player in the van or what ever their driving so that the kids can be entertained.

I've wondered when I've been seeing these combos why would someone who has a bluray player want the regular too. Makes sense now, lol.

Burn the DVD and let the copies be used by the kids in their room, the car, whatever as when they're young, you know something is going to get scratched eventually.

Yep!

[Jonny B]

I've got a cheap Blu-Ray player. When the BD Live updates start becoming an issue, I plan to upgrade to a Playstation 3. I'm not a modern gamer by any means, but it's basically as good a quality as a stand-alone Sony Blu-Ray player, so I mine as well have the option of gaming if I so decide to change my mind.

[Sarah]

Blu-ray/DVD/digital copy sets for the same price as standard DVD releases.

GOOD. I don't have a Blu-Ray player and don't plan on getting one anytime soon, but those prices were ridiculous. Since all of Disney's latest releases are in those combo packs, maybe they'll bring their prices down too.

[Saint John]

I have no clue what Blu-Ray is or does. I have a 55" Mitsubishi HD 1080i TV. Should I get a Blu-Ray player? Why? And how much are they?

[Behshad]

I have no clue what Blu-Ray is or does. I have a 55" Mitsubishi HD 1080i TV. Should I get a Blu-Ray player? Why? And how much are they?

While you wont really notice any difference on your TV when watching your Golden Girls collection, Id suggest you invest $299 in a Sony Playstation 3, simply because that unit will not only let you play bluray movies, but also, DVDs , CDs and even get online and use Youtube .

[bluejeangirl76]

I have no clue what Blu-Ray is or does. I have a 55" Mitsubishi HD 1080i TV. Should I get a Blu-Ray player? Why? And how much are they?

While you wont really notice any difference on your TV when watching your Golden Girls collection, Id suggest you invest $299 in a Sony Playstation 3, simply because that unit will not only let you play bluray movies, but also, DVDs , CDs and even get online and use Youtube .

Not true. Bluray makes Estelle Getty look 10 years younger. Give him a Blueray, season 1, and a year's supply of Jergen's and we won't see gim around here for a month!

Dan -->

[Behshad]

I have no clue what Blu-Ray is or does. I have a 55" Mitsubishi HD 1080i TV. Should I get a Blu-Ray player? Why? And how much are they?

While you wont really notice any difference on your TV when watching your Golden Girls collection, Id suggest you invest $299 in a Sony Playstation 3, simply because that unit will not only let you play bluray movies, but also, DVDs , CDs and even get online and use Youtube .

Not true. Bluray makes Estelle Getty look 10 years younger. Give him a Blueray, season 1, and a year's supply of Jergen's and we won't see gim around here for a month!

Yes, BUT,,, he wont really notice it , unless he gets a 1080p TV, dear
On a second thought, I'll buy him the Bluray if you get him the Jergen's

[Saint John]

We've got some real fucking comedians here! What's a 1080p, BB?

[bluejeangirl76]

I have no clue what Blu-Ray is or does. I have a 55" Mitsubishi HD 1080i TV. Should I get a Blu-Ray player? Why? And how much are they?

While you wont really notice any difference on your TV when watching your Golden Girls collection, Id suggest you invest $299 in a Sony Playstation 3, simply because that unit will not only let you play bluray movies, but also, DVDs , CDs and even get online and use Youtube .

Not true. Bluray makes Estelle Getty look 10 years younger. Give him a Blueray, season 1, and a year's supply of Jergen's and we won't see gim around here for a month!

Yes, BUT,,, he wont really notice it , unless he gets a 1080p TV, dear
On a second thought, I'll buy him the Bluray if you get him the Jergen's

Ew, no! I'm not providing supplies for anyone's whacking. The best I'll do is clip out the coupons for it from the Sunday paper and send them to him. Besides, how would I know whether he prefers unscented, Fresh Rain or Midnight Jasmine? (I bet it's the Jasmine though)

[bluejeangirl76]

We've got some real fucking comedians here! What's a 1080p, BB?

The number of lotion bottles you'll need when Betty White strolls onto your screen in her lovely pink quilted bathrobe.

[Behshad]

We've got some real fucking comedians here! What's a 1080p, BB?

in a very simple way , without goin into too much details, FF style :

When you are selecting a high definition TV (HDTV) there are a number of factors you have to consider. Some things you might consider are : do you like the look of the TV, will it fit into your room and then a lot of technical stuff that might make you eyes glaze over or might really interest you. This article will explain some of the technical details, specifically the picture resolution and the way the picture is produced on the screen. Picture resolution and scanning are neatly summed up by numbers like 1080i and 1080p. We will discuss what these numbers mean, some other types of picture types available and the difference between 1080i and 1080p.

The 1080 bit refers to the picture resolution. Both 1080i and 1080p have the same picture resolution. This means there are 1920 pixels of the image down the screen and 1080 pixels across the screen. This equates to 1920 x 1080 pixels on the screen in total. For some reason the industry only uses the number of pixels across the screen as a indication of the picture resolution. 1080 picture resolution is the best you can get at the moment. Other types of resolution are 720p (1280 x 720), 480p (720 x 480) and 480i (640 x 480).

The i and p bit indicate the way the image is put on the screen or the scan type. The i stands for interlaced. Interlaced scanning is an older method of putting the picture onto the screen. It is more common in older style CRT TVs. The p stands for progressive and is the modern way to put the picture on the screen.

The picture comes on the screen very quickly but the progressive technique is smoother and less flickery than the interlaced method. Thus it is claimed that the picture will be better using the progressive method although it is hardly noticeable to the eye. It may also be better for fast paced action movies or rapid changes to the image but, again, it is debatable whether the eye will pick up on this.

1080p is the best you can get at the moment in terms of latest technology. It will allow you to get the most out of the next generation DVDs, blu ray and HD DVD.

1080i is the current best standard for HD broadcast television.

Thus 1080i and 1080p simply mean how clear the picture will be on the screen and how quickly the picture is put on the screen.

[Saint John]

So I'll get no better than HD if I get a Blu-Ray player?

[Behshad]

So I'll get no better than HD if I get a Blu-Ray player?

you will see a lil better quality compared to DVDs of course,,, but you get the FULL use of bluray if you have 1080p TV

Give your 1080i to Tito and invest in a 1080p

[Don]

So I'll get no better than HD if I get a Blu-Ray player?

Without 1080p, You'll get the same quality picture that you get from HD Channels (720p) which is still quite nice and better than standard DVD.

Prices for LCDs that are not LED are dropping quickly so you can score a good deal on a1080p right now. If you don't want to get a PS3, spend 200 bucks and get a Blu-ray player that can do Netflicks, youtube, etc. and you'll be set. If you don't care for the online features, you can buy a standard Sony Blu-ray player for 100 bucks.

[Saint John]

Thanks, GB and BB.

[Behshad]

So I'll get no better than HD if I get a Blu-Ray player?

Without 1080p, You'll get the same quality picture that you get from HD Channels (720p) which is still quite nice and better than standard DVD.

Prices for LCDs that are not LED are dropping quickly so you can score a good deal on a1080p right now. If you don't want to get a PS3, spend 200 bucks and get a Blu-ray player that can do Netflicks, youtube, etc. and you'll be set.

PS3 is his best bet Gunny,,,, it can do the netflix and all other stuff to, PLUS the free gaming

[Don]

So I'll get no better than HD if I get a Blu-Ray player?

Without 1080p, You'll get the same quality picture that you get from HD Channels (720p) which is still quite nice and better than standard DVD.

Prices for LCDs that are not LED are dropping quickly so you can score a good deal on a1080p right now. If you don't want to get a PS3, spend 200 bucks and get a Blu-ray player that can do Netflicks, youtube, etc. and you'll be set.

PS3 is his best bet Gunny,,,, it can do the netflix and all other stuff to, PLUS the free gaming

Is SJ a gamer? Tito will probably spend more time on it than Dan, looking for excuses to come over and play.

[Behshad]

So I'll get no better than HD if I get a Blu-Ray player?

Without 1080p, You'll get the same quality picture that you get from HD Channels (720p) which is still quite nice and better than standard DVD.

Prices for LCDs that are not LED are dropping quickly so you can score a good deal on a1080p right now. If you don't want to get a PS3, spend 200 bucks and get a Blu-ray player that can do Netflicks, youtube, etc. and you'll be set.

PS3 is his best bet Gunny,,,, it can do the netflix and all other stuff to, PLUS the free gaming

Is SJ a gamer? Tito will probably spend more time on it than Dan, looking for excuses to come over and play.

Shhh,,This is Tito, using Behshad's account to get Dan to buy a PS3......


Hmm,,ok now how do I make this message private so only gunbot can see this,,,hmmm,,,,,

[Saint John]

Is SJ a gamer?

If we're talking Dig Dug, Galaga, Centipede, Ms. Pacman, Asteroids, Space Invaders and Pole Position, then yes!

[bluejeangirl76]

Is SJ a gamer?

If we're talking Dig Dug, Galaga, Centipede, Ms. Pacman, Asteroids, Space Invaders and Pole Position, then yes!

You play that one alot with Tito, don't you?

[Saint John]

Is SJ a gamer?

If we're talking Dig Dug, Galaga, Centipede, Ms. Pacman, Asteroids, Space Invaders and Pole Position, then yes!

You play that one alot with Tito, don't you?

Yeah ... then Assteroids and Dig Dug.

[Ehwmatt]

Fuck LCD/LED TVs.... Plasma is still THE de facto best.