THX blu-ray opinion...

Regarding the info about THX's opinion about blu-ray http://www.dvdtown.com/news/thx-chief-scientist-its-too-late-for-blu-ray/5379, for some reason I can't post on it. Anyways...

Why did it take for them SO LONG to figure that one about memory cards/flash cards/USB drives??? Right now you can buy 4 GB USB drives for less than $20, and 2 GB memory cards, for cameras, for less than $15??? Imagine, no scratches...no smudges...little plastic packages with the memory cards...or a USB drive shaped as the Millennium Falcon!

But really, why not??? HD DVD and blu-ray are just a higher capacity CD, why not memory cards or USB drives?

EDIT: Sorry, double thread, but I couldn't post...

[Post edited by mvckalel on Mar 25, 2008]

You can now buy a 32GB USB Flash Drive for $299.99 which will hold an average sized Blu-ray movie with features. No doubt within 5 years, you'll be able to buy double or triple this capacity for $100 or less. Just reload it with a new rental at any Blockbuster kiosk located at gas stations, 7-11's, and shopping centers across the country. Although I see VOD taking a bigger bite out of the Blu-ray and Standard DVD rental market within 5 years, I expect this flash drive system would work well in more rural areas where cable/Internet bandwidth is more limited still.

Even so, Blu-ray and SD optical disks will still reign 5 years from now for the ownership model, simply because of price. But I expect we'll see a number of competing rental models along side of optical disks by then for sure.

At least for the next five years, I see the USB drives as another alternative to renting rather than buying. I wouldn't trust my favorite films to be stored on USB drives, as they don't seem to be as reliable. Plus, ultra-small portability isn't as critical to me as it is for listening to music. The author of this article might be an extreme example, but I would trust my library to discs more right now:

http://blogs.computerworld.com/why_im_done_with_portable_hard_drives

I agree with sbmess....USB drives are not replacing disks anytime soon. We are talking about hi definition viewing....most would agree that you want to watch your hi def material on as big a screen as possible....so who cares about portability when you're dealing with a living room full of audio/video gear. If you want to watch movies on your 8" screen in the minivan than DVD is more than adequate.

listen, literally

a MP3 is quite acceptable to most people and can be played on a small, portable device, like the iPod or any of the countless MP3 players available...

however, the scope of the equipment required to adequately reproduce a high definition movie is quite different...you have not only your playback device, but your visual and your audio to contend with.

given that, yes, a small USB device or portable ram drive can give you a pleasant experience on your choice of MP3 playback device...however, given that most of us do not travel around with a full-fledged home theater in our back pack, I think we will all be well served by the current disc format that we currently enjoy... )

so Dr. THX, please go file your opine with the "lost" copies of the script for "THX 1138"

One thing about this USB key...how long will it take to transfer a hidef movie into it? Probably sometime with current USB 2.0 standards. So you stand around waiting for the movie to finish uploading to the USB key I guess?

I think downloads at home are a better option unless they setup booths to download movies in coffee shops.

What's the difference between a higher capacity CD (blu-ray, or DVD) and a USB drive??? Both store information that the player decodes...?...?...?...and the transfer rates of USB can be upgraded...why don't you think that a 25 GB memory card is going to be affordable very soon?

Quote:
One thing about this USB key...how long will it take to transfer a hidef movie into it? Probably sometime with current USB 2.0 standards.

Remember, I said 5 years from now before the price for that USB "shopping" bag comes down enough and has enough capacity to do this rental kiosk thing. By that time, I'm sure we'll have USB 3.0 standards, that will allow a 30GB movie to be transferred in 5 minutes or less.

Alright... so I'm guessing here

Quote:
Remember, I said 5 years from now before the price for that USB "shopping" bag comes down enough and has enough capacity to do this rental kiosk thing. By that time, I'm sure we'll have USB 3.0 standards, that will allow a 30GB movie to be transferred in 5 minutes or less.

Alright... so I'm guessing here

Watch out sky, some people in this site consider "guessing" or giving your opinion of how things might end-up as "FUD".

Naw wii-lite, FUD is FUD when you present things as fact which are either untrue or just an opinion in order to further the FUD agenda.

And that's a fact!

Skyhawk can you provide a link to prove these ridiculous claims??

I'm kidding.

I think its great news. Less room, it fits in your pocket, easy to transport. We all like when transfering or saving data. We liked it when Dvd took over Vhs beacuse of those same reasons.Its the future of things to come, but for now its not.

[Post edited by soydelsol on Mar 26, 2008]

Here's an interesting article on the viability of USB drives for movies:

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/22/buying-movies-on-flash-cards-nice-idea-that-doesnt-work/

Why do you need to download the whole movie from the USB drive? It just needs enough bandwidth to be able to stream it smoothly for watching it...

...oh, and technology is evolving, so whatever 'cons' we all have, are just months to be obsolete...

mvckalel, didn't you read any of my posts?

Anyway, flash memory and VOD services would be two competing rental options for HD content in the future (among many others). As I said before the flash thing would be best suited to where adequate bandwidth won't be available for HD VOD, such as rural areas. Personally, I couldn't see anyone using the flash memory thingy to stand in line at a kiosk to download their movie if they have instant VOD at home available. That would be silly.

I'd rather have a flash card (like the ones we use in our digital cameras) with a movie already in it, instead of a disc...since I'm pretty sure the files will play regardless of format...

Quote:
Naw wii-lite, FUD is FUD when you present things as fact which are either untrue or just an opinion in order to further the FUD agenda.

And that's a fact!

ok, so based on your own interpretation of FUD, your prior comment is FUD because:

Quote:
Remember, I said 5 years from now before the price for that USB "shopping" bag comes down enough and has enough capacity to do this rental kiosk thing. By that time, I'm sure we'll have USB 3.0 standards, that will allow a 30GB movie to be transferred in 5 minutes or less.

Alright... so I'm guessing here

Unless you have direct access to companies which are developing USB technology and provided you with exact release dates for USB 3.0, it sounds to me like you are presenting things as "an opinion", and since you consider an opinion to be FUD then your own comments are FUD too. Now THAT is a fact since I'm using your exact own words.

BTW, since when giving an opinion is FUD?
Opinion: "An opinion is a person's ideas and thoughts towards something. It is an assessment, judgment or evaluation of something."

FUD: "FUD is generally a strategic attempt to influence public perception by disseminating negative (and vague) information."

In my opinion, most of my comments fit more the definition of "opinion" since I make an assessment, judgment, and evaluation of the topic at hand before making a statement. It has never being my intention to "influence public perception by disseminating negative (and vague) information". Time has actually proven most of my opinions to turn into fact. Even LH (who has strongly accused me in the past as spreading FUD) has finally acknowledged that some of my "FUD comments" are/might real.

And that's also a fact.

[Post edited by wii-lite on Mar 27, 2008]

Umm, I bought a 64Gb USB Flash Drive for $199 last week... 128Gb are expected to hit store by fall for the same price.

[Post edited by ReaggieP on Mar 27, 2008]

Quote:
Umm, I bought a 64Gb USB Flash Drive for $199 last week... 128Gb are expected to hit store by fall for the same price.

See wii-lite? I told you they were getting cheaper and higher capacity!

ReaggieP,

I'm interested in where you picked that up, cause I'd be in the market for one. I was considering this 32GB Kanguru for $300, but was told it was crap:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2863967&CatId=2634

It seems the 16GBs are better value these days, at least compared to that. I'd also be interested in an ultra-high speed Compact Flash card of 32Gb, but 64Gb would just make my day!

[Post edited by Skyhawk on Mar 27, 2008]

The THX lead scientist made me order a Toshiba HD-A35 HD DVD player from Amazon. WE'RE BRINGING IT BACK, BABY!!! WE'RE BRINGING IT BACK!!!

Sky,

I bought a Sandisk (says sony vaio actually on it?) 64Gb on eBay, from a dealer. Lately I have been using eBay more an more. Damn I bought a back-up XBOX 360 for $100! I looked at the Kanguru, but they still wanted $250 and upwards. I think it took me about an hour to load 24 Gb of data on it!!! I was loading it full of movies for my trip to Mexico tomorrow.

FYI...

> THX responds back to DVDTOWN inquiry and magazine quotation

"THX recognizes the quality and benefits that the Blu-ray HD format brings to the home theater experience. We are dedicated to supporting Blu-ray with new THX technologies and other initiatives. At its very core, THX is about advancing the quality of the entertainment experience, whether that is on optical disc, downloads or other emerging media. I believe Mr. Fincham's comments reflect that broader goal." Graham McKenna, Sr. PR Manager at THX Ltd., wrote in a statement to DVDTOWN.com.

-JIMI (the Voodoo Child)

Ouch! Mr. Fincham probably got a spanking in the boardroom and was forced to surrender his HD DVD player. Just kidding!