I was wondering what the general consensus is on BR lasting. I have been thinking of finally going the HD route but even after HDDVD's demise I still don't know if going with BR is the right call. Seems to me the average consumer is still going SD DVD and will so for quite some time(till hardware and software come down in price). With that being said, SD DVD's are still 99% of the market share. I am wondering if going with a solid upconverting DVD player such as the OPPO 980 is the smarter route at this point in time...
Yes: I do Netflex--and did HD-dvd rentals before I switched to BD titles. Just about a year ago I could see the handwriting on the wall. For that time-frame there were more/better BD titles coming out so I went BD. I find because I don't try to rent 10 discs a week; I always get the discs within my Q; faster than what I hear/read---in posts at avsforum.--I.E. the very titles people wait for; for I get; pronto.-- (BTW;those are the probably the same folk whom made Costco change its return policy.) Dolby True,is becoming more commonplace. I don't own any HD- titles. as an aside; it's funny there are several exclusive/ desirable titles being released in HD-; this week.
I've heard the Onkyo and was impressed by the sound,but my issue is that how many BR dvd's even have the newer codecs presently? Secondly, all new releases don't come out in BR format. Thirdly, BR is such a small part of the market presently, is it going to survive!!
Probably still to early to tell and still to early to start replacing pre/pros and spending $500 on a dvd player on a format that is still not the front runner...
I think the audio of the new formats gets lost--in that it is superior--and some earlier players don't support true-dd dts ma even thru hdmi. They are now coming out with more players and receivers that decode these new formats. Just as an example my Pioneer Elite '95 and Onkyo 875 receiver, sound much,much better than my 3 yr.old top of the line Marantz/Arcam---at 1/3 the price.(ea.) I guess if you haven't heard these new audio codecs;you can just assume BD is all about the picture but it ain't.
Johnnyb53, Thats exactly my thinking. Still a very very good picture with MUCH better sound capabilities. Seems the logical choice at this point for me..
My seating area is 12 feet back. I think a nice 780p/1080i upconverting player is the way to go.
I have both a Toshiba HD-D2 and an Oppo DV-980H. For upconverting via HDMI, they're pretty equal, with *maybe* an edge going to the Toshiba. The Toshiba also manages to sound really good via the Toslink (go figure). But the sound of the Oppo still trumps it--cleaner, more involving, more dynamic, and it decodes HDCD (noticeable improvement over std. redbook), and plays DVD-A and SACD. The Oppo is a little sound monster and it will take years (if ever) before a Blu-ray machine incorporates the music-playing capabilities of the Oppo at anywhere near the price.
A lot of people are grapping the Toshiba HD-DVD players just for the upconvert capability of these units for their SD DVD collections. They are suppose to be much better than the Blu-ray players in that regard.
With the price begin at lower than $99, which is much cheaper than the Oppo, how can you go wrong? Unless the Oppo's upconvert capability is MUCH better than what the HD DVD players can do, but I doubt it.
I bet on the Blu-ray and start buying blu-ray disc at a very good price since last Nov. even though I am not going to buy a blu-ray player until summer. I did buy a Toshiba A30 last week for my 200+ SD DVD collections.
I agree. You'll always have a use for a universal player and the anti is low. In the next 12 to 18 months there'll be more and better HD alternatives that work with hi rez sampling rates. All the pieces are there, we just need some company to put it all together.
Do not buy into BR yet. Until the 'music' format for BR is established, the follow on to SACD, you will be wasting your money. Go oppo for now and wait. Sony inidcates it will have the first unit out in about 18 months.
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