@Junginator: Eh, kinda. At least, not anytime soon. Giz had an article on it a while back that explained the technical details of it ([gizmodo.com]) but basically, until our bandwidths are much fatter, we'll still be settling for a less-good HD than Blu-Ray when using streaming/downloads.
That being said, I think most customers that aren't videophiles care more about availability and price than they do about bitrates and resolution. That being said, Blu-Ray has plenty to worry about in terms of market dominance, though it's certainly gonna be the high-end physical format of choice for a while.
@OCEntertainment: By the time 1080p streaming overtakes Blu-Ray, there'll probably be some other format out which makes Blu-ray obsolete. And it'll take even longer to surpass that. I mean, Japan is looking into Ultra-HDTV aren't they? That's gonna be a bitch to stream.
DVD standard comes in at around 5Mbps. HDTV at 8-15 Mbps. Blu-Ray clocks in around 40Mbps (which means my new internet connection clearly won't have a chance at handling that). When we start moving to some kinda 4K tech in the next decade or two, what kinda bitrate is that gonna have? If we can assume the same kind of 8-10x jump, we'd be sitting somewhere around 3200-4000Mbps, or 3-4 Gbps.
Yeah. Suffice to say, streaming has a hard road of beating any kind of physical format.
Then again, how long will it be before we've got Supra-ultra-mega-higher-def-o-vision... movie cubes?
Edit: My math sucks. An 8-10x jump from Blu-Ray's 40Mbps would actually be 320-400 Mbps. Given that it's at least theoretically possible for CERTAIN countries to get Gbps speeds, Supra-Def might have a bit of a shot. But I'm unrealistically hopeful.
@OCEntertainment: I'm not so sure that they can update the definition of movie/TV content much further. It's going to reach a point very soon where there is literally so little difference that no one will want to buy into it. I mean, would you be able to tell the difference between, say, 2160p and 1080p on a 37" TV?
@OCEntertainment: I suppose so.. but there is definitely a limit to all this. Of course, there'll always be new display technologies to sell, like OLED and SED.
You all are such noobs. 120Hz has absolutely nothing to do with the weird smooth soap opera effect. That would be the trumotion, cinemotion or whatever the manufacturer calls it. Learn about the technology before you speak or write articles....
You do know that you can turn that down a notch? Most 120hz TVs allow you to set the amount of enhancement. Typically, demos like to set everything on HIGH. It is your job to play around with it and reduce picture settings DOWN so that it's normal. That's the first thing I do whenever I get to play with a TV.
@Noobs-R-Us: Actually, they brought this up as a concern before I did, and said they're looking for a solution for future sets. I mean, I hope there's an option to notch this down, but for now I don't think there is.
i was playing with my roommates TV, which is a 120Hz set, and noticed a funny difference between his and mine. it did have a camcorder feel, but it didn't click in my head it was due to the interp. oh, and btw -- geek squad did his tv calibration (don't ask me why he paid for that)and it looks like utter crap. that is why i was messin' with it.
@Nick: DeusExMach needs a star: Actually if the installer was ISF certified which most are and they used the right tools, the LCD screen would look darker but more true aka more like a plasma. You're probably just used to the bright lcd screens and their vivid and dynamic modes, which while more eye grabbing, they actually suck.
@Jay Beezy: actually, i don't know if they were certified and i could use the "right" tools as well on any project. BUT the proof is in the puddin' and this guy did a crap job. the biggest error was the fact the brightness was turned up higher than a cosmetics counter at macy's
This is a failed business model if I have ever seen one. So let me get this straight. I purchase a cow, but you will charge me for every time I want to get milk from said cow? Yeah, no thanks.
@DeadhousepIants: Do you mean failed business model as in DVD Player where you have to buy the box AND the media it plays??
Just like a DVD player, this thing comes with no media. But, it does allow you get free streaming TV shows and youttube according to the website, you just have to rent MOVIES or buy MOVIES or TV Episodes you may want to own. So what exactly are you bitching about?
@stryder100: Blu-ray? Seriously? What's the point. It'll be gone in a year or two anyway. The future is streaming, and it will be here before Blu-ray ever catches on with the masses. This device is just one more example of that fact.
the number of people who rent movies > the number of people who will have internet connections capable of downloading gigantic media files in a reasonable amount of time, in the near future.
As of a month ago, only 55% of those with internet access had broadband. And as we all know, it's not really all that broad.
There will be, for quite a while, a market for people who either can't or aren't willing to deal with intangible media. One BD is what, 30-40 gigs? (im not up on BD)
@hexydes: Blu ray may not catch on with the masses for a few years, but neither will streaming. Most people still don't have decent broadband and with the economy in the toilet, that will not be on their list right now. The future is streaming, but that future is still several years away.
ok i have to retract that last part because i haven't had coffee yet, ugh i do realize that streaming doesn't present quite the issues that downloading does, but still requires unrealistic bandwidth if it's going to make BD obsolete enough to abandon this early.
09/09/09
09/09/09
09/09/09
That being said, I think most customers that aren't videophiles care more about availability and price than they do about bitrates and resolution. That being said, Blu-Ray has plenty to worry about in terms of market dominance, though it's certainly gonna be the high-end physical format of choice for a while.
09/09/09
09/09/09
DVD standard comes in at around 5Mbps. HDTV at 8-15 Mbps. Blu-Ray clocks in around 40Mbps (which means my new internet connection clearly won't have a chance at handling that). When we start moving to some kinda 4K tech in the next decade or two, what kinda bitrate is that gonna have? If we can assume the same kind of 8-10x jump, we'd be sitting somewhere around 3200-4000Mbps, or 3-4 Gbps.
Yeah. Suffice to say, streaming has a hard road of beating any kind of physical format.
Then again, how long will it be before we've got Supra-ultra-mega-higher-def-o-vision... movie cubes?
Edit: My math sucks. An 8-10x jump from Blu-Ray's 40Mbps would actually be 320-400 Mbps. Given that it's at least theoretically possible for CERTAIN countries to get Gbps speeds, Supra-Def might have a bit of a shot. But I'm unrealistically hopeful.
09/09/09
09/09/09
09/09/09
07/29/09
07/29/09
You do know that you can turn that down a notch? Most 120hz TVs allow you to set the amount of enhancement. Typically, demos like to set everything on HIGH. It is your job to play around with it and reduce picture settings DOWN so that it's normal. That's the first thing I do whenever I get to play with a TV.
07/29/09
07/29/09
07/29/09
by the time you read this note -- i'll be gone.
07/29/09
07/29/09
07/29/09
07/16/09
02/09/09
02/09/09
02/09/09
02/09/09
01/05/09
01/05/09
Just like a DVD player, this thing comes with no media. But, it does allow you get free streaming TV shows and youttube according to the website, you just have to rent MOVIES or buy MOVIES or TV Episodes you may want to own. So what exactly are you bitching about?
01/05/09
12/23/08
12/23/08
12/23/08
Can I play Hulu on a box from Roku or Vudu? And are any different than say your average TiVo box?
12/23/08
12/23/08
Why does everything have to be either/or with you people?
12/23/08
12/23/08
12/23/08
12/23/08
12/16/08
11/20/08
11/20/08
11/20/08
i think you are forgetting that:
the number of people who rent movies > the number of people who will have internet connections capable of downloading gigantic media files in a reasonable amount of time, in the near future.
As of a month ago, only 55% of those with internet access had broadband. And as we all know, it's not really all that broad.
There will be, for quite a while, a market for people who either can't or aren't willing to deal with intangible media. One BD is what, 30-40 gigs? (im not up on BD)
I dunno, call me when we have gig/sec speeds.
11/20/08
11/20/08
ok i have to retract that last part because i haven't had coffee yet, ugh i do realize that streaming doesn't present quite the issues that downloading does, but still requires unrealistic bandwidth if it's going to make BD obsolete enough to abandon this early.
*goes and gets coffee*