Any HD DVD/Blu-ray folks still on the fence?

[samatha6]

Well I based my bitrates on what my pioneer DVD player reports.. Its shows the VBR bitrates in real time... and they do in fact peak at nearly 9000 kbps on a few of my discs.. I admit that those discs will momentarily freeze on my other phillips player.. so those discs may not be fully compatible. I just popped in the Madonna dual layer DVD this morning and my Pioneer is showing the bitrates at 5.5 all the way up to 8.8 Mbps and probably stays in the high sevens for most of the time.. So according to your logic.. My Pioneer must be wrong.. and reporting false information. I tryed a U2 disc and it ranged from 5 to 10. The pioneer bitrates keep moving up and down with the VBR playback.. Not sure if that is accurate.. but according to you.. its wrong.

Also my reports about HD bitrates are based on what HD file sizes I am seeing on Usenet.. since that is the only place I know of to view those files at the time being, as we all know, there are no HD DVD's to compare to at this time.. Today I saw twister HD 1080i about about 12 gigs... This is a ts file so I am not sure what format that is in but probably a very high bitrate mpeg 2. I saw dual, sin city, spider man, and about 20 others that are in 1080i running from around 9 to 13 gigs a piece.. A few in WMV HD but most are in ts format.

I did try one 43 minute clip at 720p XVID AC3 5.1 on my PC which is only 1.5 gigaherzt and it studdered like mad.. As far as streaming HD to network player that is based on one of the few network players that can stream a ts file.. The Avel Linkplayer2. I based my comments on fast chips to do this from users that actually own this player.. Many recommended a 3 GHZ machine to stream 1080i ts files on the Avel. Most of the Avel users reported issues with Wifi streams... so that is where I based that info from.. not from thin air. Even Intervideos new software recommended 2.8 GHZ for WMV HD look here: http://www.provantage.com/intervideo-bwvd7p3f0uf0010000~7INTV00H.htm

Intervideo states: System requirement: Processor: Intel Pentium III 500 MHz (Intel Pentium 4 1.0 GHZ processor recommended) for trimensiondnm function: Pentium 4 2.8 GHZ recommended for WMV HD playback: Pentium 4 2.4 GHZ (Pentium 4 3.0 GHZ recommended) for H.264 File playback: Pentium 4 3.6 GHZ recommended,

T2k, I am sure you will argue that point as well.. but Intervideo is probably one of the most respected DVD playback apps that have been around a long long time.. I hardly am pulling numbers out of thin air here.

Its states 2.4GHZ but recommends 3 GHZ for H.264 playback. My point is that I did not pull my numbers out of thin air as you say.. I really don't want to argue this point anyway.. If you believe your numbers are more correct... fine.. I only base what I said on the research I have done. So far there is not much content and hardware to base any HD on.. But the files that I see on the net run around 11 gigs for a movie.. that runs around 100 minutes. 43 minute TV shows can run well over 3 gigs. Obviously, it would not be practical for Yahoo to stream those huge files.. that would choke alot of internet connections.. But from everything I have read, it does in fact take a very fast CPU to stream 1080i and ts files to a network dvd player.. and my amd 1.5 cpu can't do HD WMV... but maybe I need to install some filters or something.. it just studders. Basically, I have read on at least a dozen sites and several users that fast pentiums are needed much of the time.. But there may be other codecs or compressions of HD that I am not aware of that can run on slower boxes.. I am convinced that my box will never be fast enough for HD playback.. If you think otherwise T2K, then enlighten me on the players and codecs I should use to playback on a 1.5 GHZ amdXP chip.

At any rate, I don't think your way of pulling apart posts is very constructive and I have noticed you have done that to others on this site. You pretty much stated I am wrong on all counts so I guess I really don't care what you think about my research on HD.. I doubt it would be very contructive anyways.

 

[T2k]

My post did not mean to be offensive, I simply pointed out you're pretty confused but it seems you took it very personally... too bad...

Well I based my bitrates on what my pioneer DVD player reports.. Its shows the VBR bitrates in real time... and they do in fact peak at nearly 9000 kbps on a few of my discs.. I admit that those discs will momentarily freeze on my other phillips player.. so those discs may not be fully compatible.

Thanks for admitting my statement is true.

I just popped in the Madonna dual layer DVD this morning and my Pioneer is showing the bitrates at 5.5 all the way up to 8.8 Mbps and probably stays in the high sevens for most of the time.. So according to your logic.. My Pioneer must be wrong.. and reporting false information.

Ummm, no, it's just you - see your own comment above.

I tryed a U2 disc and it ranged from 5 to 10. The pioneer bitrates keep moving up and down with the VBR playback.. Not sure if that is accurate.. but according to you.. its wrong.

I'm not sure what should I answer here... did you try to interpret your own words above first?

Also my reports about HD bitrates are based on what HD file sizes I am seeing on Usenet.. since that is the only place I know of to view those files at the time being, as we all know, there are no HD DVD's to compare to at this time.. Today I saw twister HD 1080i about about 12 gigs...

Which is almost half of the 20 gigs, yes... and in WMVHD it'll be exactly in the ~6 gig range, just as I wrote above, yes...

This is a ts file so I am not sure what format that is in but probably a very high bitrate mpeg 2. I saw dual, sin city, spider man, and about 20 others that are in 1080i running from around 9 to 13 gigs a piece..

Thanks for confirming I was right when I said 19-20 gig is a very-very rare, in fact I've seen only one yet...

A few in WMV HD but most are in ts format.

Which means they are twice as big as they would be in WMVHD, yes.

I did try one 43 minute clip at 720p XVID AC3 5.1 on my PC which is only 1.5 gigaherzt and it studdered like mad..

Well, if it's not a laptop with Pentium-M, then let me tell you that a 1.5GHz CPu is quite old nowadays, at least 2 generations behind the current ones.
Oc course, it has still nothing to do with the performance of a standalone chip design.

As far as streaming HD to network player that is based on one of the few network players that can stream a ts file.. The Avel Linkplayer2. I based my comments on fast chips to do this from users that actually own this player..

And I DO OWN a player, pretty much the same than LP2 (uses the same Sigma chip), so I guess I can at least challenge others' comments on the subject...

Many recommended a 3 GHZ machine to stream 1080i ts files on the Avel.

Typically clueless ones, I guess. Since when requires a file SHARING service a 3GHz CPU?

Don't believe them - it's a very silly recommendation.

Let me shed some lights for you: playing on a PC does require significant CPU power - but sharing a file doesn't. A shared file simply travels over the network as packets and the other end (the LP2 for example) takes care of deconding and displaying.

Besides this: even though a 3GHz Pentium 4 is pretty outdated, sh!tty old CPU with craptastic performance, a MPEG2 files doesn't need 3GHz Pentium 4 to decode it in a PC, especially since every ATI or NVIDIA or Matrox or other commonly used VGA cards sport hardware acceleration.

Most of the Avel users reported issues with Wifi streams... so that is where I based that info from.. not from thin air.

So far they are from thin air, except that total crap they told you about the need of 3GHz P4 to share files over your LAN.

Even Intervideos new software recommended 2.8 GHZ for WMV HD look here: http://www.provantage.com/intervideo-bwvd7p3f0uf0010000~7INTV00H.htm

Intervideo states: System requirement: Processor: Intel Pentium III 500 MHz (Intel Pentium 4 1.0 GHZ processor recommended) for trimensiondnm function: Pentium 4 2.8 GHZ recommended for WMV HD playback: Pentium 4 2.4 GHZ (Pentium 4 3.0 GHZ recommended) for H.264 File playback: Pentium 4 3.6 GHZ recommended,

T2k, I am sure you will argue that point as well.. but Intervideo is probably one of the most respected DVD playback apps that have been around a long long time.. I hardly am pulling numbers out of thin air here.

Ummm I hate to burst your bubble but did you notice the word "WMVHD" you've just used?
FYI: WMVHD != MPEG2

I leave you to draw the conclusion...

Its states 2.4GHZ but recommends 3 GHZ for H.264 playback.

Ooops, now it's h.264...
I suggest you to first read up on how all these codecs are different from each other.

My point is that I did not pull my numbers out of thin air as you say..

No, you just confused everything with everything, ergo the end results were quite meaningless for somebody who actually knows the subject.

I really don't want to argue this point anyway..

So far you couldn't, don't worry.

If you believe your numbers are more correct... fine.. I only base what I said on the research I have done.

The problem is not your research but rather those numbers you've pulled from [strike]thin air[/strike] some other folks' posts.

So far there is not much content and hardware to base any HD on..

There are a lot. How can you say this after you've claimed you're a newsgroup subscriber? You can download hundreds of gigs of HD per month.

But the files that I see on the net run around 11 gigs for a movie.. that runs around 100 minutes. 43 minute TV shows can run well over 3 gigs.

But, but, but... it's MPEG2! As I said originally it's quite obvious that Yahoo or other providers will use WMVHD or other MPEG4 because it essentially halves the size, so the bandwidth too without really sacrificing PQ.

Obviously, it would not be practical for Yahoo to stream those huge files.. that would choke alot of internet connections.. But from everything I have read, it does in fact take a very fast CPU to stream 1080i and ts files to a network dvd player..

Again: NO, IT'S NOT. FILE SHARING IS NOT CPU-BOUNDED, PERIOD.

You need a good quality network connection, that's it. (Today's average disk speeds are far above any kind of ts bitrate.)

and my amd 1.5 cpu can't do HD WMV...

Which only confirms the fact that ANY standalone player has more decoding power than your outdated (by a good 2-3 generations) CPU.

but maybe I need to install some filters or something.. it just studders.

Try to install the latest videocard drivers, as I mentioned above. What VGA are you using?

Basically, I have read on at least a dozen sites and several users that fast pentiums are needed much of the time.. But there may be other codecs or compressions of HD that I am not aware of that can run on slower boxes.. I am convinced that my box will never be fast enough for HD playback..
If you think otherwise T2K, then enlighten me on the players and codecs I should use to playback on a 1.5 GHZ amdXP chip.

OK, so once again...

Slow CPU computer: fine for MPEG2, fine for file sharing, not fine for HD, not fine for future codecs.
Fast CPU computer: fine for MPEG2, fine for file sharing, fine for HD, probably fine for future codecs.
Standalone player's chip: fine for MPEG2, fine for HD, not fine for future codecs.

At any rate, I don't think your way of pulling apart posts is very constructive and I have noticed you have done that to others on this site.

Yes, I always do it. What's the problem with it? It's much easier to follow a 'thread', one can read it as a discussion.

You pretty much stated I am wrong on all counts so I guess I really don't care what you think about my research on HD.. I doubt it would be very contructive anyways.

Well, apparently you have a lot to learn about not only the subject but about computers and electronics by general, so it's at least interesting to see you have such a confident view about others...
FYI: I'm leading the technology dept at our 3D/video/post company - in case you change your mind about me, feel free to ask, I'm here to help.

 

[mike123abc]

The DVD spec is something like 10.18 MB/sec. Every player has to be able to go that fast. There is overhead and such to reduce it to around 9.8 Mbit/sec.

 

[T2k]

Every player has to be able to go that fast.

Haha, this is funny.

 

[mike123abc]

All HD DVD players and HD DVD disc orders received by 3/27/06 will ship on 3/28/06.


-Robert

When will you send out the email for the pre ordering of the HD DVDs? I ordered an HD DVD player from you, but saw no way to order the HD DVDs.

 

[DTV TiVo Dealer]

Mike,

We expect to be sending a email to all of our HD DVD pre-order customers with a special offer for the HD DVD titles.

-Robert

 

[ScottChez]

Im a big Netflix fan.

I saw the press release that Netflix will be renting these HD DVDs, any one hear if they will be charging more to rent them?

Will they increase there rental plans or just charge an extra dollar or two per rental? Dont see how they could afford not to raise rates since the HD DVDs cost more.

 

[T2k]

Dont see how they could afford not to raise rates since the HD DVDs cost more.

Well, that would be the point - if somebody than Netflix can do it easily. They only need a few titles for starter (remember, the number of initial players out there will be very low for months)...

 

[teamerickson]

Im a big Netflix fan.

I saw the press release that Netflix will be renting these HD DVDs, any one hear if they will be charging more to rent them?

Will they increase there rental plans or just charge an extra dollar or two per rental? Dont see how they could afford not to raise rates since the HD DVDs cost more.

Netflix will not chrarge more for HD DVD. If they ever get movies.

 

[mike123abc]

http://www.tgdaily.com/2006/03/14/blu-ray_hddvd_face_new_technical_issues

Looks like there may be some technical glitches with HD DVDs, maybe launch of players with out discs to play.

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsA...607Z_01_N14311257_RTRUKOC_0_US-FILM-HDDVD.xml

 

[vurbano]

Can I get a straight answer?

Will the toshiba models stream HD mpeg2 files from an Infrant NAS600 via ethernet?

 

[T2k]

Can I get a straight answer?

Will the toshiba models stream HD mpeg2 files from an Infrant NAS600 via ethernet?

Good question. I'm too interested in the answer as I have the ReadyNAS X6...