High Definition Video

Reaper · High Definition Video

I'm sure you've all heard about HD-DVD and Blu-Ray by now. Well up till recently the two sides were battling tooth and claw over which was better and which format will eventually win the HD war. Recently HD-DVD has taken a bit of a beating as Warner Brothers and Paramount just dropped it like a rabid rabbit and moved their support to Blu-Ray.
This means that HD-DVD only has one Major studio besides the porn industry backing it, everyone else has signed onto blu-Ray. This also means that the format war could be soon over and this equals cheaper media and cheaper players for us all.

So if this does happen, will any of you be moving to the HD arena?

Web of Fear

I've held off upgrading to hi-def DVD's until the format war has settled. The WB news is pretty good news for Blu-Ray so maybe it won't be too long before I get a Blu Ray player.

CatFang

We got a blu ray "by accident" as it were as it is in the PS3. So good news for us it seems.

We haven't bought any blu-ray discs though yet as they seem to never have such good extras - space reasons I guess - and they have chosen some strange things to bring out in high definition so far.

We got Casino Royal for free with the machine and the picture is great though.

Xeall

ok i work in an electronics shop so i can talk about this one.

I personally own an HD tv and have tested both formats. Blu ray is just supieror if you realy really get picky. The advantage blu ray has is the sound quality and the storage size.

Also have any of you been into HMV and looked at the size diffence in the racks for HD-DVD and Blu ray? Blu ray is very much owning that market. The PS3 doesn't knock things either, the sale on Ps3's really picked up this christmas, with a strong line up this first quarter ending with MGS4

Web of Fear

I've noticed a few weeks ago that HMV is selling more Blu Ray discs than HD discs, which I took to be a sign that BR was winning. Not there were many titles that appealed ....

As a matter of course, do HD or BR discs generally carry the extras on standard definition DVD's?

Reaper

I think it may well vary, Casino Royale has the same Special Features on Blu Ray and normal dvd. Spidey 3 I couldn't find out either way which was annoying.

If Blu Ray doesn't then it isn't for a lack of space because there is a crap on the discs. Blu Ray discs that are sold are currently single layer 25gb, thats three times more than a dual layer dvd. And Blu Ray discs are currently able to go up to quad layers which is 100gb Very Happy

CatFang

Reaper

I guess I'm a picture and audio person, I lke the extras but its rare I get the chance to flick through them, though I wish I had been able to exchange my christmas present of the Transformers 1 disc for the double disc.
The main reason I wouldn't buy Blu Ray over dvd is that I bought SM3 for £6 last week, the Blu Ray copy is £18 cheapest.

Web of Fear

Xeall

i bet there is a old bearded guy at sony crying in a corner shouting

"i tried to give them betamax and they turned down its quality, i tried to give them Mini disc but the bastards went with lower quailty mp3, now i give them blu ray and i might finally win.....god...........thank you"

Its better people the sony product was always better and we always know it in retrospect when the thing is dead and gone. Lets realise this one while its still here. That and if blu ray kicks off the price will come down and that means cheaper ps3 games for all.

Guest

waffle

I'm torn over the whole issue.

Like most other people, I've been holding out until there's a clear winner before splurging money on a system that may well end up being completely defunct in six months' time.

Blu-ray taking a clear lead is good in one respect (I can finally commit and get some HD stuff on my HD tv!), but I have a real hatred for Sony and wanted HD-DVD to kick their arse.

I haven't always had a problem with them, but since the rise of the PS2, they been the most arrogant sons of bitches imaginable, and I really wanted to see them lose this format war.

Nonetheless, I don't hate them enough to NOT buy a Blu-ray player when HD-DVD finally dies forever and the path is clear.

Reaper

Apparently Paramount haven't sided with Blu-Ray, that was mis-reported according to AICN.

Guest

If the porn indusrty continues to support something it will always be around in some way.

There is to much money there for it to be ignored.

Reaper

Doesn't mean the Porn industry won't change its mind though. Give it another year and we'll have a winner.

Xeall

high definition porn.......i don't know that i want to see it in perfect quality, you'll finally see how ugly the actual women are!

Something i discovered in the shop the other day, i already knew blu rays are really hard to scratch, however it turns out HD DVD are incredibly easy to scratch and refuse to play with the smallest of marks. Although aparently if you do manage to scratch a blu ray it does have the same problem. So note kiddies don't take a compass to your blu ray and you'll be fine

Reaper

Blu-Ray discs have an even thinner protective cost than CDs so don't lick them.

waffle

And now Toshiba have slashed much of their HD range by as much as 50%. The fight is back on gentlemen.

Seconds out, round two.

Xeall

Game only stock blue ray now as do blockbuster, now think that means electronic boutique for the americans, the biggest retailer in dvd and games. Gamestation is in the process of being taken over by Game.....things are looking bad for HD-DVD. And for some reason the price of the HD drive on 360 has gone up £20! Nice idea.... Confused

Reaper

Aaaaah crap, dont let Game take Gamestation over!!! GS are pretty good but game are cack most of the time

Xeall

I think you sir are mad. I run the rival computer game shop to both and i happen to know that the staff at gamestation are the most retarded people in history. examples

'Flashback? thats a really crap game about rockets or something isn't it?'

AAAAAGGGGHHHHHH your a retro shop (at the time) Flashback is possibly the greatest game of all time and has nothing to do with rockets!

'Can you help me i'm looking for global defence force, which i hear your stocking.'

'No' walk away.

Yeah good customer service.

'Hey aren't you that guy that runs that retro shop?'
'Yes'
'Cool, that cool, can you help price some games for me i haven't a clue!'

..........do i even need to explain why asking the manager of a rival shop is so dumb i couldn't speak?

Where as in game i have every game i want pre-ordered and discounted for being a loyal customer over so many years

CatFang

Close run thing where I live.

Customer service is about the same.

Gamestation seems slightly cheaper, and to have better offers, but Game has better trade in prices and you can put your trade in money on the Game card until something you want comes along.

It looks like you can trade PC games at Gamestation although we have not taken any down there yet.

Just on price though the internet kicks the arse of both of them. We find that we buy off play or amazon if we don't have anything to trade in against new games - and then trade them back at the shops. The price of PC games in Game is a joke £34.99 vs £17.99 in many cases.

Our local indie shop gets import games though, which neither of those do - although that is the only place you can trade them back.

Longshot

I always used to like Gamestation, as it had retro games, now it doesent but it is the only game shop in my high-street, so thats where I go, if not online.

Game always used to be soo hands off in my experience but when gamestations came along the staff were more friendly and helpfull, that may have gone now tho.

You are always going to get idiots working in game shops, because you can't just have people like yourself Xeall as they need loads of staff and there arent that many videogame geeks out there to staff it.

Reaper

I'm not judging on Gamestation for its customer service, I generally couldn't give a crap about customer service as long as they sell me the thing that is in my hand (in a game shop atleast). I prefer them mainly because they give more for trade-ins, cheaper and they do better offers.

Though the guy who didn't know what Flashback is, needs to die a long death.

The Rascal King

I'm just pissy with them because their records only go back 3 months, so I can't get my fucking 360 Replaced/Fix'd.

CatFang

Legally they have to keep records for longer than that.

They are probably just trying to put you off

Guest

gamestation were good for the week that they had retro games (on buy one get one free too, if i'm not mistaken), but when that stopped it became pointless.

i'd have to agree with xeall though when it comes to game, the service is always excellent.

all the cool kids shop in x though... (it was good and bad when xeall started working there. before xeall, everything was really cheap since no-one knew what anything was worth. after xeall, the prices became more sensible, but more cool stuff was got in. wins!)

Reaper

Rascal, why don't you have your receipt?

The Rascal King

Because I'm crap with things like that.

One thing they had said to me before was that if I bought in a bank statement with the purchase on it, then they could do something. But when I rang a few weeks back, they said nah.

Reaper

They should be able to, take it in and make sure you speak to the Manager. It's proof that you bought it from them on a particular date within warranty.

CatFang

If they sold you good that are not "fit for purpose" (obviously within any guarantee time) then they must refund your money or give you a replacement / fix.

If you show them proof of purchase via a bank statement and they still refuse that counts as making fraudulent transactions. You need to quote the Sale of Goods Act 1979.

In addition to that under EU legislation that became law in 2003 the onus has shifted to the retailer having to prove that the goods were NOT defective, rather than the consumer having to prove that they ARE. However, your complaint must be made within 6 months of purchase. After this time however, you still have up to 2 years to comaplin, but the onus shifts back to you. This law is EU wide and so applies even if the company were to claim that UK law does not apply as they are based in a different country.

If they are still difficult you may want to point out that technically unless they made terms and conditions of sales apparent to you in plain English, the transaction can be counted void anyway. That is quite a tricky thing to prove though and generally would not be brought up unless it got to court - but it is worth having up your sleeve.

To be honest the counter staff may not know about all the legal obligations of sales transactions - no one ever asked me to learn that stuff at times I had jobs in shops.

Your best bet is to ring (and also email as this counts as a record in writing) their central customer services / head office and get it sorted that way.

A sad but true thing is that your custom is a tiny drop in the ocean to them. Fear of brand damage will do much more. While I wouldn't get all threatening as a first position, if you have no joy then the mention of Trading Standards, and in particualr WatchDog, usually makes companies jump.

There - my work knowledge is sometimes useful for real world things

Very Happy

Xeall

Reaper

Whats actually wrong with it?

Guest

Xeall

As i have said else where do not worry about rascals 360 any longer, i faith healed it with my magical gaming hands

The Rascal King

Its a Winter-Een-Mas Miracle!

Web of Fear

Well it's all over. Blu Ray wins.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7252172.stm

Xeall

who called that one? Oh me? Yeah i'm awesome. should have bet on it

Reaper

It wasn't exactly a difficult choice was it Razz

Though I bet Toshiba are kicking themselves considering all the money they spent investing in it and now stand to lose.

Sony must be happy, it's only taken them four formats to come up with a winner.

CatFang

I just spoke to someone that had bought a new HD player last week!!

They are cross now.

Reaper

*Doesn't laugh* He he he he he though realistically your friend is a bit of numpty for buying an HD player while the HD format war is still going Smile

CatFang

Now she is going to try to get them to take it back and exchange it. Lots of luck with that one!

Some people should not be allowed their own money!

Xeall

yes give it to me or DR Steel