Archive for February, 2008

by HD Bliss Wednesday

by HD Bliss 27th

by HD Bliss February

The HD Experience

O wondrous consumer. Thou art graced in the art of HD purchasing. But why tell me do you buy? Is it to watch a screen full of moving images of the highest imaginable quality? Why yes of course, but HD is so much more. As a visual treat to your senses it is too good to be true.

But indeed it is so much more.

Try these little titbits out and you’ll never go back!

1. The HDTV experience:

TiVoGoBack HD test

HDTV is like no other, with a multitude of channels to choose from, HD quality telly is simpley the business.

2. The HD Video experience:

unicornio (dia 054/365)

Like HDTV this is a must. Now that Blu-Ray is the winner of the HD video format theres noting stopping you slapping down the cash and snapping up a spanking brand new PS3 and watching Bladerunner in all its luminous glory.

3. The Sound Experience:

Bowers & Wilkins CM2

You could be left wondering where sound fits into the equation, but like any decent mediazation of a room sound can never be left on the back burner. What HD brings to the table is HDMI cables capable of carrying your high quality sound as well as video. One less cable is always a winner.

4. The HD Gaming Experience:

Canales de Wii

The PS3, XBOX360 and to a lesser extent the Wii all benefit greatly from the super dooper image quality that is matched by no other.

5. The HD Flat Screen Experience:

Our kitties like television.

Flat screens in on themselves are just plain cool.

Not only does they give you bags more space, they physically change the standard definitions of livingrooms by dumping that rectangular space occupied for so many years by the cathode.

6. The HDPC Experience:

Desktop Feb-11-08

If you’ve never done it just do it! Check your laptop for a DVI interface, if you’ve got one get a HDMI-DVI connector and a HDMI cable. Hay presto (well if you have a macbook) instant mega PC screen. Games, Youtube, Email DVD, you get the picture. In a crazy attempt at decableization (and as much of the hardware that goes with it) use you Laptop as a media center , bingo no more cables!

7. The Wall Mounted Telly Experience:

IMG_0247

Trust me, for a truely Zen like experience, put your HDTV on the wall, clear away all the cables into a nice white plastic pipe & use a macbook as a media system. No gadgets , no cables just pure entertainment.

8. The HD Media Experience:

Hitman on Blu-ray

Blu-Ray the movie……

9 The Big Picture Experience:

I love the cinema but now with a 40” HDTV the popcorns alot cheaper and I get home super quick.

10: The Technolust Experience.

All of the above :)

by HD Bliss Tuesday

by HD Bliss 26th

by HD Bliss February

HD-DVD Blu-Ray Feature Comparison

A sad day has come upon us all.

It has to be said, the passing of any format is in itself is a bitter-sweet moment. A time of reflection on what could have been, what should have been and an expectation of what is to come. In the case of the HD-DVD Blu-Ray ‘fight to the death’ format war, this is especially so.

HD-DVD was an excellent high definition format. Not only was it cheaper than its rival, but the hardware was upgradable, music to the ears of any price and investment conscious consumer.

Lets look at the bare facts:

HD-DVD - Blu-Ray FEATURE COMPARISON

Capacity
Blu-Ray HD DVD
ROM single layer:
ROM dual layer:
RW single layer:
RW dual layer:
Highest test:
Theoretical limit:
25GB
50GB
27GB
54GB
100GB
200GB
Single layer:
Dual layer:
-
-
Highest test:
Theoretical limit:
15GB
30GB
-
-
45GB
60GB

With bags more space Blu-Ray wins hands down if you go large on the data capacity front.


Resolution
Max resolution:

1080p

Max Resolution: 1080p

Surprise surprise both hit the resolution standard of 1080p

Looking at the above stats its a no brainer to choose Blu-Ray, but what about the players. Now there is a different story. HD-DVD were, and for the short term are, network upgradable. Not that this would be any good as a dead format like HD-DVD don’t get much showtime at Toshiba these days, especially on the network front. But Ah, what could have been.

Blu-Ray is not, and no where near network support. If you bought into the Blu-Ray buzz years ago you are most likely stuck with a player which in reality may not me much more useful than a HD-DVD player in a few years time.

Why? ‘caus they went and upgraded Blu-Ray while no-one was watching. Blu-Ray 2.0 they call it. Shame theres no network support as then you’d just be able to upgrade the player and yo ho you’d be back on the hot technology hi-def curve without shelling out a single cent.

There is of course one exception, owned by Sony and get more updates than you get hot dinners. Thats of course the PS3. A machine currently being pushed with all the corporate might of price drops ,& upgrades.

Nice to have on the market one of the very few futureproof Blu-Ray players on the market.

So there you have it.

A rant on the merits of a betamax wannabe.


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