Reply to: Blu-ray

[PAH]

I would wait untill the prices for equipment and media come down a lot

People who claim to be "blown away" by HD are simply too easily pleased. It's certainly a noticable improvement but not worth blowing your wad over.

As for buying, it's like houses, why buy when you can rent. The prices of both are sure to fall over the coming months/years. It pays to think outside the box before you end up living in a cardboard one.

[Not So Wise]

Thinking of getting a Blu-ray player but wondering if it's really worth it.

Honestly not really unless you are at least one of the following

* You are an audio/video junkie
* You are a gadget junkie
* You have money to burn

Back catalogs on blue ray are limited and new releases are overpriced

Sure the odd thing looks really amazing in High Def, but is it really worth all the large extra cost? Not really

And seems many people are coming to same conclusion, even though Blue ray just wiped out the other format it's sales are down

I would wait untill the prices for equipment and media come down a lot

[ratewhore]

2 hours to 2 months

How long is the movie?
What is your download source?

say an average movie of around 2 hours and I'd be looking at iTunes downloading to Apple TV.

After a bit of research (I know - shocking!), I found this which helps explain things a bit.

[Spacecadet]

Out of interest, how long does a HD movie take to download (given reasonably decent bandwidth of somewhere between 4 and 8 Meg).

2 hours to 2 months

How long is the movie?
What is your download source?

[ratewhore]

Yes I do, that's the one reason I bought the thing. Not bothered about showing pics or any of that crap, I just wanted it so I could rent movies over the internet. I'd say it's as good as upscaled DVD's on my 1080i Bravia TV.

If you're going to get one, get the one with the larger hard drive - reason being is that I find myself ripping DVD's I rent and storing them on the AppleTV - I'll run out of space soon.

Out of interest, how long does a HD movie take to download (given reasonably decent bandwidth of somewhere between 4 and 8 Meg).

[Spacecadet]

I should make it a caption competition really...

Kenco please

[Chugnut]

I should make it a caption competition really...

"Tough on tissues, tough on the causes of tissues".

[DaveB]

I should make it a caption competition really...

"And this is how I got Tony to stand down as PM."

[ratewhore]

Your profile picture is just pure genuis.. ahhahaha this has made my day

<back on topic now... sorry for the intrusion>

TM

I should make it a caption competition really...

[themistry]

its still bloody itchy! had to drive 700miles over the last 3 days visiting suppliers and such, its been really uncomfy!

i was quoting RateWhore, but your tat is very nice too...

[scooby]

Your profile picture is just pure genuis.. ahhahaha this has made my day

<back on topic now... sorry for the intrusion>

TM

its still bloody itchy! had to drive 700miles over the last 3 days visiting suppliers and such, its been really uncomfy!

[themistry]

Have you used the HD movie download service? If you have, do you rate it? I don't do games either or ever look to own DVD's so I'm interested in streaming HD movies.

Your profile picture is just pure genuis.. ahhahaha this has made my day

<back on topic now... sorry for the intrusion>

TM

[scooby]

I've got a Sony Bravia TV at the moment but it's 1080i rather than 1080P. I'm thinking of upgrading to the Bravia X series should I go ahead and get the Blu-ray player.

At the moment I'm using an upscaling Sony DVD player - are you saying that there would be a noticeable difference if I had a Blu-ray player with my current telly?

cheers

then, if you are looking at upgrading and staying sony (why when the Panasonic is better and cheaper?) then look at comet or the like, you get a free sony Blu-ray with the new tv.

[Churchill]

To be honest I've only used my PS3 in the last few months for watching blu-rays. Got GTA IV but always seem to have something I'd rather be doing than play it, like watching a movie!

I'd be wary about buying an older/cheaper blu-ray stand-alone as the format still seems to be receiving the odd tweek to it's capabilities, and last time I checked, the PS3 was the only blu-ray player capable of being updated as these new revisions are released. Maybe the newer players don't have this issue, not sure they're cheap as chips yet though.

Good advice indeed.

I bought a Sony Vaio at Xmas that has a Blu-Ray drive. Sony have release 3 updates to the software so far this year!

The Vaio has a HDMI interface that I use to output to my HD Ready TV. Very good output indeed!

[stingman123]

yes, definately

Make sure yor TV supports HDCP as well (High Definition Copyright Protection)
otherwise you'll end up watching a blank screen, as long as your TV was manufactured within the last 12-18 months, you should be OK