[Today, I’m burned out on politics. Iowa, a “fly over state” according to the Demorats, in truth won’t matter much in the overall GOP pie slice. Whoever wins Iowa doesn’t point to the final GOP slot. Historically, Iowa “narrows the field.” There are still 41% of Iowans “undecided.” However, I’m sufficiently old enough to realize that Things Change and, these days, things change exponentially. I’m not making any bets regarding Iowa and — at this point — I don’t much care.]
Blu-Ray vs DVD:
Check out the recent price quotes, above, from Amazon.com. You’ll see that there is a clear $10 difference between the DVD and the Blu-Ray version of the same popular movie.
I submit to you: there is NOT $10 worth of difference between a Blu-Ray disk and a standard DVD.
I submit that Blu-Ray disks are a SCAM, the likes of which you should NOT partake.
I recently purchased a LG 45″ flatscreen LED television for my wife and had it custom mounted into her living room.
We played standard definition DVDs in her older standard DVD player — on the new LG — and were immensely impressed with the definition and clarity of those DVDs.
We noticed that, even on older DVDs — for example, the 2002 HBO series “The Wire” in the standard but older 4X3 aspect ratio — played fabulously. The clarity was markedly increased in anything we played.
Then something happened.
My wife’s elder DVD player tanked.
So I decided to purchase a new Blu-Ray player (turned out to be a $200 Sony) because I learned that those devices were techno-down — meaning that it could not only play new Blu-Rays, but could competently play older DVDs as well.
With that in mind, I purchased the Blu-Ray version of the new Planet of the Apes.
I didn’t discern any remarkable difference between that Blu-Ray and any other DVD we’d yet watched.
Further: without a doubt, there was NOT a $10 difference between the standard DVD version of the movie and the Blu-Ray version.
Even further: I submit there isn’t a 50-cent difference between a Blu-Ray disk and a standard DVD disk if you have an HDTV and, moreover, an HD connection to either DishNet or DirecTV.
I would ask:
Please, all of you, weigh in:
What do YOU notice about Blu-Ray disks played on HDTVs —
— if anything?
BZ
Sorry about the format problem.
It’s a New Computer issue, as opposed to a New User issue.
Trying to make my new Toshiba confuser work in Blogger.
Not quite getting it yet.
BZ
I’ll stick with my normal dvd’s and skip the blu-ray.
It’s almost like beta vs vhs. Beta finally tanked and VHS won out.
No help here. Don’t have a TV or DVD player. I know, I’m a fossil.
Toshiba, BZ?
UGH!
We’ll forgive you this time. LOL!
Leticia, I’m not sure Blu-Ray is dying, I just don’t think it’s all that it’s cracked up to be. We have all the HDTV channels in DishNet and, on the LG, everything looks incredibly sharp, like you’re absolutely present in the moment. Any NFL game? Talk about INCREDIBLE clarity!
WSF: WHAAAAT?? No TV??
Greybeard: Here’s why I bought the Toshiba: I got tired of all the damned computer wires and cords and crap. I wanted something that had a great screen and possessed a wireless keyboard and mouse. And trust me — because I edit photographs — the new Toshiba screen is FABULOUS. The great screen and the easy assembly and no cables or cords thingie sold me!
Thanks for the forgiveness. . .
BZ
Thought you just got a new Sony confusette. Hmmm, BZ is doing his part to hold up the economy…
Re: Blue Ray, HD etc. I find that the better the picture, the harder I squint, as the clarity keeps improving. My favorite TV is my old rear projection Goliath. I only squint until I can see the vertical lines or, in techno, until I have matched the resolution, which is crappy by today’s standards but oddly induces less eye strain.
Here’s a test for the new Toshiba. This photo brings a whole new meaning to the word pixels.
http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn241/bellyscraper/Chicks_with_guns.jpg
ok…. I chickened out.
∞ ≠ ø:
Don’t think that I wasn’t where you were or are now.
I once had access to a MASSIVE rear projection TV. In fact, I STILL watch TV on the last of a HUGE Toshiba CRT TV (purchased in 2004), which weighs a good 45,000 pounds.
Okay. I just went there. And that is a wonderful site.
Clearly.
BZ