Am slowly trying to figure out what to do with regards to HD... I cant afford a decent size TV yet, and im waiting to buy sky+ HD at the same time, so in the meantime im considering buying a blu-ray / HD-DVD reader for my computer (as i run a dell 2007 wfp which just about does 1080p) but no-one seems to do any cheap! Or should i look for a stand alone reader with DVI output?
So... How do you do yours? Plasma? Stand alone reader? Totally computer based? Or not at all?
doesnt the xbox 360 drive just run through USB. £100 for a HD dvd drive used to be reasonable...
Yeah, it does do USB. If i still owned a 360 then id get one, but (call me vain) its white and my entire setup is black...
I bought my PS3 4 months ago but I didnt get a HDTV till just this week so I now need to get a collection of movies to watch.
Ive always wondered how good HD rips are on the PC and if still maintain the high definition despite being compressed.
The only HD output I have at the minute is my XB360, which looks stunning on my 40" Samsung.
I dont have the drive yet but Ive downloaded a couple of movies off the live video store and they looked great, thats only 720p too.
new LG drive out that does blu-ray & HD-DVD for less than £150
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=729076
still pricy :/
Microsoft are still doing the 5 free HD-DVDs when you buy a 360 HD drive, the details are on www.xbox.com
Find a store doing one of the drives with 1 or 2 films and then send off for another 5 :P
Annoyingly, it seems that the 360 drive might be the only realistic way to go :/
When I last looked that was pretty much the conclusion I came to as well.
Tescos had a Toshiba HD-DVD player + HDMI cable with 5 HD-DVDs for £200 last time I heard.
/Edit, in fact here it is.
http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.202-0532.aspx
Me
PS3 -> HMDI -> 26" Pannasonic
Or save yourself another £10 and get it for £189.99 from Amazon (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Toshiba-HD-EP30-Player-1080P-Voucher/dp/B000W4EB22/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1199258748&sr=8-1)
I myself use a 360 with the add-on for HD-DVD movie playback.
.ts files generally on my HTPC and on to a wall via a 1080p projector (Panasonic PT-AE1000)
http://panasonic.co.jp/pavc/global/projector/products/ae1000/index.html
Projection size is about 140 diagonal or something around about that.
x264 MKV files on my HTPC, onto a 46" LCD right now.
Youre barely going to be able to tell the difference between DVD and 720p on 20" to be honest. I used to use a Dell 24" and 720p looked slightly better but not a massive improvement. Definitely couldnt tell the difference between 720p and 1080p.
Of course thats all down to the tiny pixels. Now that Im on a bigger screen you definitely see the difference.
I reckon you should go for either the Xbox HD drive for 189 or if you can stretch it, a PS3 is a good deal now for 299.
Quote from: KunalI reckon you should go for either the Xbox HD drive for 189 or if you can stretch it, a PS3 is a good deal now for 299.
the 360 HD drive is only around £100, obivously more if you want to run it from a 360 instead of a PC tho.
Woah didnt realise it was 100 quid! That is quite a bargain for an entry into HD, especially as you can plug it into your PC and get 5 free movies.
Ive completely gone off physical media tbh, need on-demand 8-)
Quote from: KunalWoah didnt realise it was 100 quid! That is quite a bargain for an entry into HD, especially as you can plug it into your PC and get 5 free movies.
Ive completely gone off physical media tbh, need on-demand 8-)
gamestation £99.99 I belive
http://www.gamestation.co.uk/product.asp?id=xb360a026get the 5 films, flog them on egay for £20 each & you got a free drive :-D
Cant fault the xbox drive tbh. Its also about the only solution going that can be used to rip HD DVD content with a bit of fiddling.
Quote from: KunalYoure barely going to be able to tell the difference between DVD and 720p on 20" to be honest. I used to use a Dell 24" and 720p looked slightly better but not a massive improvement. Definitely couldnt tell the difference between 720p and 1080p.
No offence, but you need your eyes testing. Massive difference for me between DVD and HD. Are you assuming im sat at the other side of the room?
Quote from: MaldonadoQuote from: KunalYoure barely going to be able to tell the difference between DVD and 720p on 20" to be honest. I used to use a Dell 24" and 720p looked slightly better but not a massive improvement. Definitely couldnt tell the difference between 720p and 1080p.
No offence, but you need your eyes testing. Massive difference for me between DVD and HD. Are you assuming im sat at the other side of the room?
Yea I meant from 10ft away. Maybe its just me but I cant watch a movie sitting in front of the screen.
And I have 20-20 vision thanks ;)
20-20 isnt very good for eye sight btw ;)
Quote from: SteveF20-20 isnt very good for eye sight btw ;)
Well what evers good, Ive got it :P ;)
Quote from: KunalQuote from: SteveF20-20 isnt very good for eye sight btw ;)
Well what evers good, Ive got it :P ;)
Generally speaking those with glasses have better eyesight than those without.
Quote from: SteveF20-20 isnt very good for eye sight btw ;)
20/20 is normal.
For watching stuff on my 20" Id be sat right up to it, or on the couch pulled to within 6 feet or so.
As Sam says, 20/20 is normal, and i know from my RAF application (failed :() that i have better than 20/20 - only read one letter wrong with one eye on the entire eye chart - my left eye has a slight horizontal focus misalignment!
Can indeed tell the difference between DVD and HD on my 24" Dell Monitor when sitting at my desk. Dont think I would really notice from the other side of the room tho
10ft or more is common viewing difference.
Its generally accepted that even those with good eye sight will struggle to tell the difference between 720p and 1080p from a 40-42" display at this range.
Ive read that ideal viewing distance is screen size x 3, so 40" x 3 = 120" which is 10ft.
Of course if youre viewing a 20"+ from 1-2ft youre bound to tell the difference between DVD, 720p & 1080p.
For my 50" I should be 12.5ft away although my sofa is 10ft; bit closer than I should be but I cant push my sofa back any further ;)
Quote from: SamQuote from: SteveF20-20 isnt very good for eye sight btw ;)
20/20 is normal.
Indeed - which isnt very good :)
I would feel cheated with a 40 screen - its like a postage stamp!
I HATE having to peer at my mates tiny 37-40 odd inch TVs, and to me they always look pish compared to a projector.
I had a look at the projectors available before I bought my 47" screen and decided against getting one as too expensive. For most people 32-40 is adequate for viewing 720p. For 1080 a bigger screen is better.
Quote from: MarkI would feel cheated with a 40 screen - its like a postage stamp!
I HATE having to peer at my mates tiny 37-40 odd inch TVs, and to me they always look pish compared to a projector.
but watching estenders on a 90" is just sad. Sad for using a projector & sad for watching it.
Ive had my Projector for over 2 years & ive only used it for a total of 300 hours. Got a 32" for most general viewing.
Watching eastenders is sad. The only thing I watch on TV is deadliest catch from time to time.
90 is also too small.
I have a plasma for general viewing as well, but it never gets used. Jan would turn it on the odd time though.
Quote from: MarkWatching eastenders is sad. The only thing I watch on TV is deadliest catch from time to time.
90 is also too small.
I have a plasma for general viewing as well, but it never gets used. Jan would turn it on the odd time though.
What size is your screen? I gotta work out how big a screen I can afford to go without it i)looking stupid & ii) not having the screen obstructed by the pool table.
How far from the screen will you be sitting?
Quote from: KunalHow far from the screen will you be sitting?
I use
http://www.projectorcentral.com/Hitachi-PJ-TX200-projection-calculator.htm for my calcs
You dont need a screen necessarily, you can get a specific shade of paint that works excellently. Screen obviously is slightly better though.
My PT-AE100 sits 5.5/6m back from the projection surface
My screen was bought through my last work. Its a draper 133. I have also been known to project on to the wall. (Mid grey from B&Q paint I think it was)
Quote from: MarkYou dont need a screen necessarily, you can get a specific shade of paint that works excellently. Screen obviously is slightly better though.
My PT-AE100 sits 5.5/6m back from the projection surface
My screen was bought through my last work. Its a draper 133. I have also been known to project on to the wall. (Mid grey from B&Q paint I think it was)
theres a huge thread on avforums about mixing for your own screen.
I bought Screen material from
http://www.harknesshall.com/apps_home_cinema.htmthen got some Artist stretcher bars to make a frame.
Quite easy to do
Im thinking of waiting for one of these:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/06/pioneers-project-kuro-the-9mm-thick-infinite-contrast-50-inch/ :mrgreen:
to much television injects stupidity directly into your brain.
Quote from: redto much television injects stupidity directly into your brain.
you must watch TV 23 hours & 59minutes a day then
Quote from: Clockd 0NeIm thinking of waiting for one of these:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/06/pioneers-project-kuro-the-9mm-thick-infinite-contrast-50-inch/ :mrgreen:
meh
Sony OLED is out £1300 will buy you a 11" 3mm thick screen
Quote from: EggtasticoQuote from: redto much television injects stupidity directly into your brain.
you must watch TV 23 hours & 59minutes a day then
Remarkably, no. Why would I sit around watching people do nothing, when there is so much to do.
Quote from: EggtasticoQuote from: Clockd 0NeIm thinking of waiting for one of these:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/06/pioneers-project-kuro-the-9mm-thick-infinite-contrast-50-inch/ :mrgreen:
meh
Sony OLED is out £1300 will buy you a 11" 3mm thick screen
11"?! Thats big enough to be my remote control ;)
The new pioneer has been demod... quite depressing considering my Kuro hasnt even arrived yet!
They dont reckon thisll hit the market in the 9th gen though, probably 10th or 11th.
If this was coming out in July Id be tempted to cancel my order!
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/07/hands-on-with-pioneers-extreme-contrast-concept-plasma/