The HD News & Technology Thread!

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 20 Mar 2008, 14:39

PS3 Firmware 2.20 Bringing BD-Live

http://www.trustedreviews.com/gaming/ne ... BD-Live/p1

That's it Sony, keep updating my beautiful machine

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 20 Mar 2008, 16:05

gasteropod wrote:PS3 Firmware 2.20 Bringing BD-Live

http://www.trustedreviews.com/gaming/ne ... BD-Live/p1

That's it Sony, keep updating my beautiful machine

It's not a real player.

IronMonkey · Post by **IronMonkey** » 20 Mar 2008, 18:07

How is it not a real player?

dvdvision · Post by **dvdvision** » 20 Mar 2008, 21:02

It's the only blu player

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 20 Mar 2008, 22:46

IronMonkey wrote:How is it not a real player?

Because it's not.

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 21 Mar 2008, 00:05

SlySoft (makers of AnyDVD HD) have managed to exploit a current iteration of BD+ opening up a load of titles that couldn't be decrypted previously, although you could still copy the discs as an ISO and play them.
Within hours there were loads of x264 rips created from the now decrypted discs.

It still isn't perfect, a couple of titles aren't decrypted quite properly and Hitman which uses more BD+ functionality doesn't work, although SlySoft don't have the disc to work on yet. But I think this shows that a cat and mosue game is possible if they managed this.
BD+ is nothing like AACS or other protections which rely on a simple key or breaking the disc structure which players will ignore but PC's won't. BD+ is code that actively runs and can do all manner of things and they can of course change it. However at the end of the day it can be played on a PC legiitimately so it's open to being tricked, it will just take a while each time they update it buying studios a big window.

However at this stage I don't see piracy of HD media as a big deal. So few people are equipped to play it and there are no illegal presses in operation. The only people pirating this material are the ones getting it onlien in the form of x264 rips who wouldn't be likely to buy the discs anyway, and the tiny number of download the full discs, among which there's a tiner number still that do burn exact copies.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 25 Mar 2008, 02:29

Thanks Lourdes. That is indeed interesting. Slysoft rock!

IronMonkey wrote:How is it not a real player?

Do we need this question every time someone comments on the PS3?

Of course we all know the PS3 is a fantastic BD Player. It's not a BD Player though, it's a Games Console that also supports BD. That's not someone making the PS3 inferior, just correctly classifying it.

Personally I don't care how good it is. I don't want a Games Console, for me it's that simple.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 25 Mar 2008, 08:14

I think, therefore I am. PS3 is a Blu-ray player, get over it.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 25 Mar 2008, 08:37

I am. It's not me who says "Why is it not a Player?" or other such comments whenever someone says it's not, meaning it's a Games Console. That's what I always mean anyway.

I don't care. I think others do as they cannot help but correct people.

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 25 Mar 2008, 15:33

The PS3 is a BD player.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 25 Mar 2008, 15:42

Lourdes wrote:The PS3 is a BD player

Right, and George Bush is a president.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 25 Mar 2008, 15:43

some people are crackers.

If someone gave you a million quid and it also happened to be gay, you would not want it

because after all it is Gay

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 25 Mar 2008, 15:47

romerojpg wrote: some people are crackers.

If someone gave you a million quid and it also happened to be gay, you would not want it because after all it is Gay

I Googled "gay money"

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 25 Mar 2008, 16:12

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 25 Mar 2008, 21:01

Latest firmware update made my ps3 profile 2.0 today.should be getting the first BD Live content disc Walk Hard either tomorrow or Thursday.So will be testing it.

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 28 Mar 2008, 20:26

Blu-ray Disc Sales Impacting DVD

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/ ... _DVD_/1602

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 10 Apr 2008, 18:06

First Profile 2.0 now DTS-HD MA:

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/ ... grade/1641

I bet it will be Bitstream and not On-board. Which only affects those with a Pre-HDMI 1.3 Amp (that also supports DTS-HD MA), going forward bitstream will be fine for everyone.

Most Players tend to be able to Bitstream or On-Board Decode TrueHD.

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 10 Apr 2008, 18:40

The interview with a Japanese engineer @ AV Watch also suggested it would deinterlace 1080i so perhasp that will show up when the firmware is released.
Lack of bitstream for HD formats is the only misisng function, along with analog outputs if so inclined.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 10 Apr 2008, 18:51

Thanks Lourdes.

I presumed the PS3 could already deinterlace 1080i.

If your Amp is HDMI 1.3 I don't know of any format that still needs Analogue Outputs, even SACD/DVD-Audio works over HDMI *. I know you said "if so inclined".

* Although SACD and DVD-Audio are almost always decoded by the player and not Amp. Some Oppo DVD Players let you bitstream SACD.

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 10 Apr 2008, 19:05

It doesn't, if there's 1080i material on a disc it will output it as 1080i.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 28 Apr 2008, 04:27

Toshiba's Brazil unit peddling Blu-ray hardware? -

http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/24/tosh ... -hardware/

Interesting.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 03 May 2008, 15:32

Looks like it wasn’t the HD DVD/Blu-ray battle that was keeping potential customers away from high-definition video players after all. The NPD Group released some of its retail sales tracking data Wednesday that showed sales of Blu-ray standalone players (not a PlayStation 3, combo player, or PC with Blu-ray drive) had mostly decreased since the beginning of the year. Standalone Blu-ray player unit sales in the U.S. decreased 40 percent from January to February and saw a very slight increase (2 percent) between February and March, according to NPD. HD DVD players fared even worse–player unit sales dropped 13 percent from January to February, and 65 percent from February to March–which was expected. Toshiba stopped production of HD DVD units in February, and the format’s promotional group disbanded in March.

So what does this mean for Blu-ray player vendors? Why haven’t sales experienced any sort of substantial uptick without a competitor? Prices offer one clue. Blu-ray player prices were at their peak for the year in mid-March, around $400. During the holiday shopping season the average price had been closer to $300. But more likely is what NPD’s high-def video analysts have been harping on for a while: that DVD is “good enough” for most consumers. And that the picture offered by a Blu-ray Disc and accompanying player doesn’t appear so overwhelmingly better than a standard DVD and an upconverting player that many consumers can’t justify the dramatically increased cost. To that point, sales of significantly less expensive upconverting DVD players have actually increased 5 percent over the first quarter of 2008, compared with the same quarter a year ago. Standard DVD player sales dropped 39 percent over the same period.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 03 May 2008, 17:58

Yeah, I think the casual viewer is happy with DVD, and aren't willing to fork out hundreds of dollars for a new machine (and new software). As a movie buff I'd be happy to upgrade, but not until the price is right. BD is faaaarrr too expensive right now. When you get decent (ie. not out-of-date-before-they-hit-shelves) players for under £200 I think sales will pick up... and I'd definately be interested.

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 03 May 2008, 18:47

So long as studios and manufacturers continue to push it by bringing out titles on BD and lowering prices I'm happy. HD discs will only be gradually adopted because you have to buy all the equipment, with DVD you could keep your old TV. Still, they'll get their eventually.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 03 May 2008, 18:50

LG, Samsung, Toshiba, Philips and the like really need to get their finger out and give us a working Profile 1.0 sub £200 BD Player. I think then things will take off.

That said something like 40% of people think they've already got HD when they buy a HD Ready LCD TV

. The fact LCD TVs are always flat screens, are very thin and attractive, the fact they upscale well convinces people they've already got HD.

The amount of competition I see giving away a large HD Ready TV but bundle in a DVD Player is crazy. It's no wonder everyone thinks they already have HD.

Add in that right now "most" people are thinking about the Digital switch over (USA is going mostly Digital in 2009) not HD isn't helping either.

that DVD is “good enough” for most consumers.

I said that back in 2006

.

HD discs will only be gradually adopted because you have to buy all the equipment, with DVD you could keep your old TV.

That's a good point too. Millions of people still use their ancient 4:3 CRT TV with DVDs.