Re: Toshiba CEO talks about life after HD DVD

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I don't know why he would say that. That's not exactly an endorsement for HD DVD and they were claiming it was "The Look and Sound of Perfect" and 6 times the resolution of DVD.

Well, he should have sad Blu-Ray too.

Super Upconverted output is four times the resolution of DVD. Can average consumers tell them apart?

I'm actually eager to see ideal, typical and worst case results of this 960p Super Resolution. Is it able to effectively produce images same as a 960p image downsampled from a 4K master all the time? I doubt it (*but wait!). But like Deadmeat says, there's so much confusion and lack of understanding going around that regular joes will be make victims of all those of us who heavily favor HD discs over SD discs.

I really, really, hate the idea of DVD dragging along when there is a far superior format around. It's quite a possible outcome that HD discs are affected by all these corporate machinations. Argh.

*Whoa found these on a google search. An intel flyer (I'm sure they picked the best examples - they're pretty static images - but this is pretty impressive)
http://download.intel.com/pressroom/kits/research/poster_Robust_Video_super-resolution.pdf

[Post edited by YCH on Mar 5, 2008]

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Let's not forget the hidef audio you get on HD DVD and bluray. Sound after all is half the experience and although Dolby Digital and DTS do have great sound, Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD are much improved.

Absolutely correct, that sound is stellar on both, vs a DVD9 platter. But take also into consideration, that the same folks that are looking for a decent, near-HD upconverter (that may or may not work on this Toshiba box) DOES NOT HAVE THE BUDGET to purchase surround sound speakers PLUS a CERTIFIED (expensive) receiver that will output Dolby TrueHD & DTS HD. To many, including me (but not limited to budget constraint), audio features provided in a DVD9 platter is plenty. I think Toshiba is targeting the MAJORITY of the population that is budget-constrained (or just simply intimidated by these FAST MOVING HI-TECH gadgets... at terribly high prices)... should this item ACTUALLY show its face in our nearest electronic store.

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I'm actually eager to see ideal, typical and worst case results of this 960p Super Resolution.

So do I... and that's about all we can hope for. Until then, assuming that the (unreleased) item is a lemon... is really unfair to justify.

It would seem that MANY from this message board, are ready to POUNCE on this item, as a joke, even before (or even AFTER) it goes on sale. I gotta tell you though, if the price of this 'juiced up' box retails for under $100, and provides NEAR-HD quality video. I'm sold.

As for the 'perception' issue by the masses (on hd vs upconverted video)... THAT IS A MIXED BAG that no one can predict. At the end of the day... PRICE will be the main factor, given economic times.

[Post edited by xplaytendo on Mar 5, 2008]

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I really, really, hate the idea of DVD dragging along when there is a far superior format around. It's quite a possible outcome that HD discs are affected by all these corporate machinations. Argh.

http://gizmodo.com/364186/sony-talks-200-blu+ray-players-ps3-and-apple-tv

1. Sony VP confirms $299 is the lowest possible price for this holiday season.
2. $199 is the lowest possible price for 2009 holiday season.
3. No Chinese Blu-Ray players for years. Sony wants Chinese excluded.

The market condition is ripe for Super Upconversion. It is Sony's greed that allows Super Upconversion to take its root.

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The market condition is ripe for Super Upconversion. It is Sony's greed that allows Super Upconversion to take its root.

All is not lost. The same technology can be applied to Blu-rays as well (though it'd take a bunch more horsepower to crunch all that data...and new TVs to display all those pixels lol).

I got excited and made a new post about it.

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3. No Chinese Blu-Ray players for years. Sony wants Chinese excluded.

I currently work in Shanghai and I don't see many chinese people buying legit DVDs. They prefer pirated DVDs...if they buy it at all. Guess only the DVD player market is making some money. HDTVs aren't quite taking off in homes yet either.

[Post edited by YCH on Mar 5, 2008]

The Blu Ray cost (& price cap) & Chinese isolation, is all GOOD 'n DANDY for Toshiba.... but the question remains: HOW SOON WILL THEY ROLL THIS HARDWARE OUT TO CONSUMER'S HANDS? Are we looking at HOLIDAY 08? If HOLIDAY 09 the earliest... that PUPPY BETTER BE REALLY CHEAP!

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I currently work in Shanghai and I don't see many chinese people buying legit DVDs.

This affects US market. No low-cost Chinese Blue-Ray players in the US for a long long time, price pattern follows VHS trend and not DVD trend. Makes a perfect sense since Blu-Ray was conceived as a VHS replacement and not as a DVD replacement.

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but the question remains: HOW SOON WILL THEY ROLL THIS HARDWARE OUT TO CONSUMER'S HANDS? Are we looking at HOLIDAY 08? If HOLIDAY 09 the earliest... that PUPPY BETTER BE REALLY CHEAP!

Toshiba planned to have Super Upconverting HD-DVD players ready by Spring 2009. I don't know how things are adjusted after the demise of HD-DVD, but Toshiba wants it out ASAP.

And the most hilarious part of the conference Blu-Ray players with movie download service built in. That shows even Sony is hedging bets....

FYI... 5/30/08 Update



> Toshiba plans to release Super-Upconversion DVD player "by the end of the year"

~ Toshiba 'gets high resolution' from current DVDs ~

The Yomiuri Shimbun - By the end of the year, Toshiba Corp. plans to release a DVD player capable of producing high-resolution images from regular DVDs, company sources said Thursday.

The planned release of a model compatible with the current DVD format signifies an effort by the major electronic manufacturer to recover from a humiliating setback suffered in March after announcing its decision to withdraw from its HD DVD business, the sources said.

Toshiba's withdrawal meant its defeat by a group of electronics makers, including Sony Corp., striving to promote the Blu-ray DVD format.

Standard DVD format is capable of playing a 350,000-pixel resolution. Blu-ray and other next-generation DVD formats have a resolution of about 2 million pixels, about six times greater than the current format.

Toshiba's new technology has been made possible by developing a large integrated circuit that can instantly convert images produced in the current format into high-resolution images.

This technology makes it possible to reproduce high-quality images comparable to Blu-ray video from current standard DVDs. Toshiba President Atsutoshi Nishida said his company will not market DVD players that are compatible with Blu-ray.

Instead, Toshiba intends to compete with the Blu-ray camp by selling DVD players fitted with LSIs at lower prices than those of Blu-ray models.

To achieve this goal, Toshiba will advertise its new player as a device with which consumers can enjoy a broader array of content than is available in the Blu-ray format, the sources said.

Toshiba's withdrawal decision in March marked the end of a six-year competition between the HD DVD and Blu-ray camps. Each was seeking to make its format the global standard.

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-JIMI McLovin (the Voodoo Child)

You know Jimi, there is such a thing as over doing it.

That one was ok. It gave the press release. It when we get the good info the the 5 or so pictures of girls, of three of four of Princess Leia, that has nothing to do with THX.

As a Tech junkie, I will most likely buy a player. I know they won't be $399 or more.