Mike speaks on Blu-ray

[Tobi]

Personally, and I do mean personally.

Always use good quality cables. I am a big fan of Liberty cable. That being said I hate Monster. There are better quality cables for the same money and equivalant quality cables for MUCH less money.

A 6 foot hdmi Monster cables being 80 bucks is just stupid markup and any time I have purchaced monster cables I can't help feeling that I have just been fisted by the Thing.

Even Berken has a decent cables.

In some blind tests most can't hear the difference between monster speaker cable and a coat hanger. In fact good quality lamp cord from Home Depot makes a good speaker cable.

I agree, Monster is nothing but marketing hype, and overpricing is exactly why stores like Best Buy push the brand so much, that's where they make their money, I have heard horrible stories about Monsters' educating Best Buy employees on their cables, going as far as having them tell customers that Monster cables are the only cables that can provide them with a true 1080P signal (lol).

You can get a good idea on how ridiculous Monster prices are by going to this site: www.monoprice.com great cables at awesome prices.

[Chemical Superfreak]

Best Buy's prices are RIDICULOUS. I was nearly laughing when i looked thru their ad's for the HDTV i wanna buy. There easily a grand more than i would pay at Sam's Club <like a Costco's>. $1400 for a 47"/LCD/1080p Philips at Sam's, that would easily be $2000 or more at Best Buy. Man i used to be dedicated to BB but now, with these prices and the lack of classic rock titles outside of best of's, i steer clear.

[Smokescreen_5]

Best Buy's prices are RIDICULOUS. I was nearly laughing when i looked thru their ad's for the HDTV i wanna buy. There easily a grand more than i would pay at Sam's Club <like a Costco's>. $1400 for a 47"/LCD/1080p Philips at Sam's, that would easily be $2000 or more at Best Buy. Man i used to be dedicated to BB but now, with these prices and the lack of classic rock titles outside of best of's, i steer clear.

On a side note.. as of right now, Best Buy is offereing a trade in deal of any of your HD DVD movies for Blu-Ray movies, as well as if you buy 2 of their Blu-Ray movies you get a $20 gift card. I think they have another deal as well going on regarding Blu-Ray movies.

[poothedrew]

On a side note.. as of right now, Best Buy is offereing a trade in deal of any of your HD DVD movies for Blu-Ray movies, as well as if you buy 2 of their Blu-Ray movies you get a $20 gift card. I think they have another deal as well going on regarding Blu-Ray movies.

I am buying HD-DVD movies like a madman locally. A local store has most at 14.99 a movie. I will just rip them to BD when burners are cheap in a year or two.

I actually just got Tosh A-30 for 100 bucks and have a AVR that does PCM 7.1 over HDMI, lossless audio is awesome. I have been drueling over my BD's with DTS MA tracks sinse the 2.3 update for the PS3.

[Smokescreen_5]

I am buying HD-DVD movies like a madman locally. A local store has most at 14.99 a movie. I will just rip them to BD when burners are cheap in a year or two.

I actually just got Tosh A-30 for 100 bucks and have a AVR that does PCM 7.1 over HDMI, lossless audio is awesome. I have been drueling over my BD's with DTS MA tracks sinse the 2.3 update for the PS3.

BD burners? LOL.. you can't just rip a HD to a BR.. Thats like recording a VHS Tape of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on to a DVD and saying its DVD quality.. not the same...

[nelson]

would Michael Bay know if Monster cables are THE best on the market to help bring the best picture outta my blu-ray player?

Monster cables are over priced. A $5 HDMI cable will do the job since the data being transmitted is digital and not analog.

[STEPhon IT]

Nelson, this is very true I informed a customer at Best Buy about going to Frye's or Walmart and purchase a generic brand but for some reason the person didn't believe me and bought the over priced Monster Cable. Ignorance is bliss.

[Smokescreen_5]

Nelson, this is very true I informed a customer at Best Buy about going to Frye's or Walmart and purchase a generic brand but for some reason the person didn't believe me and bought the over priced Monster Cable. Ignorance is bliss.

Monster Cables are the greatest aren't they? LOL.. actually.. wasn't there a website about cables that were about 25% of the price of Monster Cables that everyone is raving on about? I don't even recall the website, though I know its in one of these threads.. nevermind.. its down below from monoprice.. lol

Edit: Wow.. I just looked at the differences between monster and monoprice. A 20 ft cable from Monster is $199.95, whereas a 20 ft cable from Monoprice is $26.51!!!! Wow.. Just wow..

[STEPhon IT]

It's already showing up in Circuit City's systems.. so soon

I can't wait to get that film of BD, I love the system and I know it's better than HD-DVD

[STEPhon IT]

Monster Cables are the greatest aren't they? LOL.. actually.. wasn't there a website about cables that were about 25% of the price of Monster Cables that everyone is raving on about? I don't even recall the website, though I know its in one of these threads.. nevermind.. its down below from monoprice.. lol

Edit: Wow.. I just looked at the differences between monster and monoprice. A 20 ft cable from Monster is $199.95, whereas a 20 ft cable from Monoprice is $26.51!!!! Wow.. Just wow..

Wow. That's cool, Smokescreen 5! There are so many options than dealing with those crooks at Best Buy.

[Smokescreen_5]

I can't wait to get that film of BD, I love the system and I know it's better than HD-DVD

I don't know how much better it is than HD-DVD because I never wasted my time with that stuff. But I do know that the video games on the PS3 are awesome.. and I like the smaller tighter packaging for Blu-Ray discs for storage space etc.. So far I have no complaints with Blu-Ray

[STEPhon IT]

It is the best system right now. The only people who claim it's not all that good are disgruntled 360 fans who will have to cough up some more bucks to get with the program. Hey Michael Bay was pulling for Blu-Ray so there was no reason to buy something that wouldn't give me my monies worth. 360 already looks out dated--haven't they created a black version of the game console?

[Smokescreen_5]

It is the best system right now. The only people who claim it's not all that good are disgruntled 360 fans who will have to cough up some more bucks to get with the program. Hey Michael Bay was pulling for Blu-Ray so there was no reason to buy something that wouldn't give me my monies worth. 360 already looks out dated--haven't they created a black version of the game console?

And the reason to buy Microsoft crap again is... what???

I'll stick with my PS3 w/BR

[Clutch]

It is the best system right now. The only people who claim it's not all that good are disgruntled 360 fans who will have to cough up some more bucks to get with the program. Hey Michael Bay was pulling for Blu-Ray so there was no reason to buy something that wouldn't give me my monies worth. 360 already looks out dated--haven't they created a black version of the game console?

I'll dispute that. Only in the next few weeks will I finally have a reason to get a PS3 (when MGS4 comes out). There does exist a difference between being disgruntled and simply being unimpressed with the current lineup of a system, and frankly, everything the PS3 has I want to play is being done better on the 360 right now. Again, Metal Gear Solid 4 (and the DualShock 3) will finally (hopefully) give me enough justification to get one, but I crap on you not when I say that before that point, MotorStorm was the only thing remotely interesting about the PS3. Blu-Ray? Don't need it yet - current DVDs are sitting just fine with me.

[Smokescreen_5]

I'll dispute that. Only in the next few weeks will I finally have a reason to get a PS3 (when MGS4 comes out). There does exist a difference between being disgruntled and simply being unimpressed with the current lineup of a system, and frankly, everything the PS3 has I want to play is being done better on the 360 right now. Again, Metal Gear Solid 4 (and the DualShock 3) will finally (hopefully) give me enough justification to get one, but I crap on you not when I say that before that point, MotorStorm was the only thing remotely interesting about the PS3. Blu-Ray? Don't need it yet - current DVDs are sitting just fine with me.

If thats the case, you never played Warhawk, or Haze

[poothedrew]

BD burners? LOL.. you can't just rip a HD to a BR.. Thats like recording a VHS Tape of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on to a DVD and saying its DVD quality.. not the same...

That is a bad analogy in fact it does not apply at all. The fact remains that most if not all dual format movies have the indentical content on both formats. The file sizes are identical and the bitrate used was the same. Take a look at the specs of the discs the Warner encodes are just plain copies.

BTW BD is better but what we are talking about is HD being 6 times better than DVD and BD being 6.01 times better and only in terms of potential there are very few BD's out there that actually use all of the formats potential. Is that .01 enough better to justify buying new media.

[poothedrew]

And the reason to buy Microsoft crap again is... what???

I'll stick with my PS3 w/BR

BTW I have both but the online gaming for the 360 just owns the PS3.

And the screeming teenagers can be muted.

[poothedrew]

That is a bad analogy in fact it does not apply at all. The fact remains that most if not all dual format movies have the indentical content on both formats. The file sizes are identical and the bitrate used was the same. Take a look at the specs of the discs the Warner encodes are just plain copies.

BTW BD is better but what we are talking about is HD being 6 times better than DVD and BD being 6.01 times better and only in terms of potential there are very few BD's out there that actually use all of the formats potential. Is that .01 enough better to justify buying new media.

Just to bring facts into my statement:
Superman Returns
Total Video
Media Codec Length Movie Size Disc Size Bitrate Bitrate Main Audio
BD VC-1 2:34:19 20,626,040,832 28,898,105,064 17.82 14.82 DD AC3 5.1
HDDVD VC-1 2:34:19 21,541,732,352*~29,503,173,909 18.61 14.78 Dolby TrueHD

So are you still saying this is like Beta and DVD? In this case I would argue that the HD-DVD is a better buy because the BD version doesn't have a lossless audio track.

[Smokescreen_5]

And here it took you 3 posts to try to convince people that BR isn't all that much better.. and still.. everybody I know prefers BR over HDDVD. Fanboys for 360 again? Here we go again... I'm happy with what I have and I'm sticking with it.. and... my analogy was pretty much right on... Perhaps do a little more research..

Heres a little something for you to simmer on...

http://www.engadget.com/2005/09/19/b...on-s-division/

[poothedrew]

And here it took you 3 posts to try to convince people that BR isn't all that much better.. and still.. everybody I know prefers BR over HDDVD. Fanboys for 360 again? Here we go again... I'm happy with what I have and I'm sticking with it.. and... my analogy was pretty much right on... Perhaps do a little more research..

Heres a little something for you to simmer on...

http://www.engadget.com/2005/09/19/b...on-s-division/

Despite your arguments against the person I will address your statements.

So let me get this straight, you think despite the fact that the content on the media is same for a lot of hidef titles that some how BD will make that content appear better? Errr .... OK? It's data plane and simple not magic most if not all (BD + HD) releases have the same data on disc, it's a fact so your analogy is not correct. It's more like "You stored your 28 gb file on a 30 gb hard drive here and a 50 gb hard drive there" Same file same bit rate.

The differences you and your friends have seen must have been from the delivery / transport side of things rather than content.

I really like a lot of things about the PS3, and would not put either machine ahead or behind the other as whole. The experiences are DIFFERENT, the audio output on the PS3 is outstanding. The games that are on both appear nearly identical from a graphics stand point. Both platforms are amalgams of thier respective companies strengths.
As online game machine the 360 is better.
As a CE media and games machine the PS3 is very elegent in everything it does. For me this is not a religous debate they are simply the facts.

I have both consoles and a Toshiba A-30 (paid $ 110) I have watched the BD and HD versions of Harry Potter (I know I have kids) on my 118" projection screen uncompressed 7.2 sound. (yes two subwoofers and calibrated with own SPL meter). A screen that big and a system like mine you DO see and hear differences when they are apparrent. It is really hard to watch non HD content on my rig when you have seen the promise land. I build corporate networks and applications during the day and install home theatres for my friends HT company in my spare time. So I would consider myself fairly technical.

Comparing the 360 addon PQ and AQ to PS3 is really no contest and not a valid evaluation of HD-DVD vs BD because the addon; "has been wieghed, measured and found lacking". The 360 does not even come close in sound quality and close in picture.

Yes I agree that BD has more "potential" for higher bit rates and larger files but the fact remains studios that released movies on both media
chose to use the same encodes for both media and sometimes put better sound on HD because the initital specs supported it. The reissue of 5th Element comes to mind as a title that actually uses bandwidth that is not possible for HD.

You should probably entertain the posiblility that you are wrong before you make statments like; "I should do more research". I did, and would have posted that fact but, when l looked at the statistics regarding the discs I found that the files where the same.

[Smokescreen_5]

Despite your arguments against the person I will address your statements.

.........

You should probably entertain the posiblility that you are wrong before you make statments like; "I should do more research". I did, and would have posted that fact but, when l looked at the statistics regarding the discs I found that the files where the same.

Considering the fact that I'm looking at RESEARCH data and not just my own opinion, I believe it speaks pretty clearly here that Blu Ray outweighs HD DVD. Besides why do you care to still argue about it? HD DVD will not be made anymore anyways. I can see the difference between both types of output. If you think that PS3 doesn't have that "great" online gaming experience, I'm guessing you haven't played.. let me get just the top of my list here.... Warhawk, Metal Gear Solid 4, and Haze.. amongst others. When I made the statement that you should do more research, its because you were avid in declaring that blu ray isn't any better than HD DVD. Obviously the numbers speak for themselves. So was my statement that farfetched? I think not. Good day sir.

[highdefw]

I'm glad he supported Blu the way he did. I can't wait for the new Transformers Remaster to come out.

[poothedrew]

Considering the fact that I'm looking at RESEARCH data and not just my own opinion, I believe it speaks pretty clearly here that Blu Ray outweighs HD DVD. Besides why do you care to still argue about it? HD DVD will not be made anymore anyways. I can see the difference between both types of output. If you think that PS3 doesn't have that "great" online gaming experience, I'm guessing you haven't played.. let me get just the top of my list here.... Warhawk, Metal Gear Solid 4, and Haze.. amongst others. When I made the statement that you should do more research, its because you were avid in declaring that blu ray isn't any better than HD DVD. Obviously the numbers speak for themselves. So was my statement that farfetched? I think not. Good day sir.

I never made the blanket statement that they are equal but that movies encoded the same way wil be equal. So that buying those movies for $9.99 and ripping them to BD will give the identical experirence. (FOR LESS MONEY)

"Obviously the numbers speak for themselves" The only numbers provided show that I am correct but I guess you just don't understand them.
For a lot of titles BD is not better the disc itself will not magically make up for encoding.
If you can see the difference in these cases than you are probably seeing things or your not using comparible geer. (not a 360)

I argued because YOU made the very silly and demeaning analogy of comparing TAPE to DVD as that being a vallid comparion quality of BD to HD which is pattently false and there is no data that will support this.

Why can't you just simply admit that you are wrong and misinformed?

And again no one with any clue about online gaming rates PSN as good and XBL.

[Smokescreen_5]

I never made the blanket statement that they are equal but that movies encoded the same way wil be equal. So that buying those movies for $9.99 and ripping them to BD will give the identical experirence. (FOR LESS MONEY)

"Obviously the numbers speak for themselves" The only numbers provided show that I am correct but I guess you just don't understand them.
For a lot of titles BD is not better the disc itself will not magically make up for encoding.
If you can see the difference in these cases than you are probably seeing things or your not using comparible geer. (not a 360)

I argued because YOU made the very silly and demeaning analogy of comparing TAPE to DVD as that being a vallid comparion quality of BD to HD which is pattently false and there is no data that will support this.

Why can't you just simply admit that you are wrong and misinformed?

And again no one with any clue about online gaming rates PSN as good and XBL.

Wrong and misinformed?? LMAO.. now I'm just going to sit here and laugh at you.. HA HA HA HA HA HA HAAAAA... seriously.. go away now.. you don't have a valid argument. You are just digging yourself deeper and deeper.

[poothedrew]

Wrong and misinformed?? LMAO.. now I'm just going to sit here and laugh at you.. HA HA HA HA HA HA HAAAAA... seriously.. go away now.. you don't have a valid argument. You are just digging yourself deeper and deeper.

I'm not the one digging.

Let me just summerize:
I said I am buying HD because I can rip it to BD.
You said that's like ripping VHS and buring it to DVD.
I said and proved that the encoding was the same down bit rates and file size, for studios that produced both discs and is in a lot of movies.

See where I bolded font that is were your argument is lost; data is data. I dont really know how to make it clearer for you unless you are just pulling my chain and acting really really stupid on purpose to frustrate me.

So either you don't understand encoding and bitrates or you are of the belief that just by playing the same data on a BD disc will somehow be "better". The only technical reasons BD has the ability to play content of higher quality bigger size and bandwidth 50 GB + 48 Mbit/s vs 30 GB + 30.24 Mbit/s. If the data was encoded the same with the same bandwidth IT IS THE SAME regardless of what format it lives on.

So far I am the only person in this "argument" actually making a valid one, your approach has been a rather illuminating "your wrong and I am laughing at you". Sadly, anyone that knows anything about this technology is actually laughing at you.