Posted by WinField on 03/24/07 02:46

Dick Sidbury wrote:
> In article <mQUMh.77958$p17.21450@newsfe11.phx>,
> WinField <doghouse@operamail.com> wrote:
>
>
>>>I...?????
>>
>> High-definition (HD)content makes standard DVDs look soft and blurry.
>
>
> Well, maybe. I was in Bestbuy a week or so ago and in Circuit city
> yesterday. Both stores were running a BluRay demo disk that had DVD on
> half the screen and BR on the other half. The TV was a 1080p probably 40
> something inch system and while the difference was detectable, IMHO the
> difference was small. Now I'll readily admit that my eyes are not as
> good as they were when I was 25, but I just don't see the dramatic
> difference between DVD and HiDef DVD.
>
> dick
> -- certainly not enough to justify a 2x price in disks and a 5x to 10x
> price difference in players.


Your point is well taken, and I see things exactly as you describe
above. Let me clarify ...

I just recently had a high-horsepower computer built for me, with a
GTS-8800 video card that seems to work well for high-definition media.

I also got myself a Dell 24" wide-screen monitor rated at 1920 x 1200
native resolution. Now, I sit ~3 to 3 1/2 feet away from this puppy.

HD material looks VERY much better on the Dell - I can't hardly stand
watching standard DVD's anymore on the PC. Luckily, standard DVD's
still look fine on my 36" Sony (old-fashioned 4:3 CRT television).

Maybe the biggest factor is eyeball to screen viewing distance? Maybe
the computer simply has better codecs/hardware than the stand-alone BD &
Toshiba players?

Plasma and LCD panel prices are supposed to take a major price dip
towards the end of this year (so I have read). I'm hoping to pick up on
a HDTV and have my fingers crossed that it (HD-television) will dazzle
me with vibrant colors and crisp detail on HD-playback. Just like the Dell.

Only the Shadow Knows,
- winf

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