Is HD overrated?

[Moscow Mule]

WHS - I've got a 32" inch Bravia.

Me too. We haven't got room for a bigger screen so I'm happy.

To be honest, the difference between a DVD and Blue-Ray is noticeable, but not enough to care.

What I do like about the Blue-Ray is that theatre-sync actually works (films are shown at the proper 24fps).

The thing you really must do when buying a new telly is make sure it looks ok watching a freeview signal. Some of the bigger screens I've seen are awful.

[Drewster]

Is the consensus:
"HD is not technically worth having - but if you want to spend lots of money and be able to brag about how big it is its the way to go!"

Only asking!

[Moscow Mule]

Remember that Sky isn't 1080 HD anyway, it's 700 ish

AFAIK the only 1080 HD sources are Blu Ray and some video games.

Correct me if I'm wrong but that's my understanding.

AV forums posts I've read suggest that's changed now.

The Sky+HD box can definitely output 1080 - I'm not sure if it's actually broadcast as 1080 though.

[Amiga500]

Me too. We haven't got room for a bigger screen so I'm happy.

To be honest, the difference between a DVD and Blue-Ray is noticeable, but not enough to care.

What I do like about the Blue-Ray is that theatre-sync actually works (films are shown at the proper 24fps).

The thing you really must do when buying a new telly is make sure it looks ok watching a freeview signal. Some of the bigger screens I've seen are awful.

Blu-ray

I argue that the difference between Blu-ray and DVD is not that noticeable. After watching Spiderman 3 in full HD on my 42" Bravia screen on DVD then Blu-ray I was struggling to see a huge difference.

I have also watched some of the HD movies at HMV on their 50"+ HD demo unit and was still not wowed.

Maybe my eyesight isn't HD anymore

[Moscow Mule]

Blu-ray

- I could have sworn I typed that. Maybe my fingers are programmed to type Blue...

[Platypus]

AV forums posts I've read suggest that's changed now.

The Sky+HD box can definitely output 1080 - I'm not sure if it's actually broadcast as 1080 though.

Sky engineer told me it's not broadcast at 1080, perhaps it will be one day.

So I fail to see the benefit of 1080, unless you have a HUGE telly

[MPwannadecentincome]

I've got 3 Sony Bravia LCD TVs in the house - all HD capable and the latest is 1080 capable 42 inch. Picture quality is v. good on the smaller ones for analogue, sky and freeview, on the larger one - well it is trying to stretch a lower quality picture onto a big screen but as we watch it from about 15 feet away its not a problem and still more enjoyable to watch DVDs compared to the old 32 inch CRT.

For real HD we will wait until prices drop.

For Blu Ray, wifey has a player on her laptop - I will have to get an HDMI cable to try it - I don't think that sound is carried through that cable though.

[Moscow Mule]

So I fail to see the benefit of 1080, unless you have a HUGE telly

Indeed.

Even If I had a huge TV, I'd still rather have the TV upscale the picture than some ropey old amstrad box.

[minestrone]

There is not that much difference between blu ray and DVD.

I was thinking about getting SKY HD in for the Ashes but when you seen Botham on the SKY adverts wittering on about how you can see the seam of the ball turn in flight you know that it's a load of bull and just another way to get 120 quid a year off you.

I have a 46 inch screen and if you are watching the main channels, BBC, SKY films, discovery etc the picture is perfect, you can see that some of the lesser channels have reduced quality output though which show up on the bigger screen.

[minestrone]

For Blu Ray, wifey has a player on her laptop - I will have to get an HDMI cable to try it - I don't think that sound is carried through that cable though.

You have to go into media players settings and tick a setting to output sound from blu ray. If had my laptop on me I would be able to tell you. It's not on as default and many people think that you cannot get sound.