The Latest High-Def DVD Shocker!

[Javert]

As we know, the studios this year are all set to start releasing film titles in both formats of the new high definition DVD disc (HD-DVD and Blu-ray). Standard DVDs output a picture that's 720 horizontal by 480 vertical lines of resolution (720 x 480), whilst both new high-def formats will deliver a picture at a 1920 x 1080 resolution - meaning a huge difference in the quality and detail rendered.

Now practically all digital televisions (plasma/LCD) released before about mid-2005 use 'analog inputs'. For those who've had to plug in their equipment themselves it means you've used either a combination of red-white-yellow cords or red-green-blue cords to get a picture from your DVD player to the television. The latest model digital televisions use a direct single cord interface known as HDMI and or DVI.

What this agreement means is that those with the latest digital TV's (the ones with HDMI or 'DVI with HDCP' interfaces) will get the full 1920 x 1080 resolution experience when they play their HD-DVD and Blu-ray discs. However those early adopters with the older sets will be forced to watch a downconverted 960 x 540 signal. Meaning that whilst the picture will be a very minor improvement over regular DVDs, the picture itself will only have 1/4 the resolution of the new high-definition format. This effectively renders both next-generation DVD formats useless for hundreds of thousands of television sets, and is a slap in the face to the early adopters - the very group that's supposed to drive the next format.

Why is this being done? Studios fear that pirates will be able to capture and record the unencrypted analog signal, which could then be re-converted into a pristine, unprotected digital copy for later distribution. Never mind the fact the equipment to pull off such a trick costs many thousands of dollars and unlike current DVD movies (around 4Gb in size), not many people who engage in piracy can afford the time to wait around downloading a 25-35Gb movie file.

Here's where the news gets brighter. As part of the deal, studios will be required to disclose on a movie's packaging whether the image will be down-converted (called by the moniker 'ICT' or 'Image Constraint Token') - in other words clear labelling will identify if this nasty trick is being employed (thus boycotts will likely follow).

The studios themselves are still fighting it out - Warner Home Video is at present the only studio that likes it, whereas 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has argued against it. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Video are undecided, Disney and Universal are still making up their minds too though it's expected they will adopt it.

The first HD-DVD release titles hit the market March 28th.

In short, people with older TV's with the red/yellow/white analog connection to your DVD player will be getting a low-def picture just to protect against piracy, even if that TV is "HD-ready".

Only people with the newest TV's with the single digital connection will experience the highest resolution possible.

Let the boning of the consumer begin!

Source

 

[The Mullinator]

And the personlized graves being dug by both Blue-ray and HDDVD companies become even deeper.

I really cannot see how it will be possible for either of these formats to really take off. Regular DVD's are going to outlive these I think.

 

[dream431ca]

If they really want this to work, they need to get rid of analog inputs altogether, which could make many people angry...but that's the only way.

 

[Asus]

I'm confused...Why would anyone go buy a $800-1000+ plus drive without having a TV with DVI or HDMI? It's like owning a regular TV that used Composite cables (limited to 120 lines of resolution) and going to buy a new DVD player when they first came out (480p). I see a very few getting 'screwed' unless they like to jump into the newest Tech without knowing what they are getting.

 

[Javert]

I'm confused...Why would anyone go buy a $800-1000+ plus drive without having a TV with DVI or HDMI? It's like owning a regular TV that used Composite cables (limited to 120 lines of resolution) and going to buy a new DVD player when they first came out (480p). I see a very few getting 'screwed' unless they like to jump into the newest Tech without knowing what they are getting.

Because many don't know the difference, and the DVI/HDMI is relatively new even for HDTV's. In some places, they weren't even available a year ago.

 

[chu]

me hugs my 42" plasma with HDMI