Josh Zyber on Specs vs. Reality

[jed]

Does a higher bit rate automatically mean better sound or video? In his latest commentary, Josh Zyber argues that the real story is a lot more complicated.

Read it here:
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/1096

[mojo16]

Originally Posted by jed

Does a higher bit rate automatically mean better sound or video? In his latest commentary, Josh Zyber argues that the real story is a lot more complicated.

Read it here:
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/1096

No doubt posted largley in response to many of the crazy arguments we've been seeing in the forums of late, a very well-written and thought-out article. Well done, Josh.

[balpho]

excellent article. go by quality, not specs. theyre not always indicative of one another

[Fettastic]

Josh's articles have been great....until today.

Is he just going to use them as a podium to bash posters on HDD's own forum now? That sucks man. Agree with him or not, it's just not appropriate. I'm pretty surprised HDD would let him do that.

I'm not argueing that the track isn't great, but HDD's own review quotes Paramount as saying they WANTED to put a TrueHD track on the disc.....but there WASN'T ENOUGH ROOM!

In my opinion Josh is tieing two things together that don't belong together. TrueHD vs. DD+ and 30GB vs. 50GB. Two different things.

And just because Transformers did it right doesn't mean DD+ is always just as good as TrueHD. Josh seems to be saying that it is, at least most of the time. So we should all just shut up about it and let HD DVD win already.

[domerdel]

I got the vibe that he's pro-HD-DVD based on his analogies and examples.

[StarkyLuv]

Outstanding article. This obsession with specs and the delusions it has brought out in fanboys is ridiculous.

He was right in pointing out that they've resorted to ignoring their own eyes and ears based on specs.

And the ridiculous flat-out LIES these people tell when they say they can see/hear the difference on their home theaters is always a treat. Just because something sounds DIFFERENT doesn't mean it sounds BETTER.

People claim they can see the difference between 1080i and 1080p. 640p and 720p. A DD+ track and a TrueHD track and they're pretty much lying every single time.

If you gave them a blind test and they had no clue which material was which, they wouldn't be able to tell. But that isn't the point. They seem to be obsessed with making themselves seem so ultra-discerning and hard-to-please that only "the best" will due for them.

And what's so funny about this audio thing is that it's so SUDDEN! Just how long has the public at large had access to lossless audio? You'd think forever since a lossy track seems to offend them so!

[Fettastic]

Originally Posted by domerdel

I got the vibe that he's pro-HD-DVD based on his analogies and examples.

It's not an article just an anti-Blu-ray/anti-Blu-ray-fan rant!

[StarkyLuv]

Originally Posted by Fettastic

Josh's articles have been great....until today.

Is he just going to use them as a podium to bash posters on HDD's own forum now? That sucks man. Agree with him or not, it's just not appropriate. I'm pretty surprised HDD would let him do that.

I'm not argueing that the track isn't great, but HDD's own review quotes Paramount as saying they WANTED to put a TrueHD track on the disc.....but there WASN'T ENOUGH ROOM!

In my opinion Josh is tieing two things together that don't belong together. TrueHD vs. DD+ and 30GB vs. 50GB. Two different things.

And just because Transformers did it right doesn't mean DD+ is always just as good as TrueHD. Josh seems to be saying that it is, at least most of the time. So we should all just shut up about it and let HD DVD win already.

And what's wrong with Transformers DD+ track?

[Fettastic]

It just keeps getting worse! He even says putting a bit rate meter in the PS3 was a horrible idea because the bit rate is NONE OF OUR BUSINESS!

MY GOD MAN!

[balpho]

The point of the article is specs aren't ALWAYS indicitive of quality, but a bunch of stupid fanboys act like they are.

THAT IS A FACT.

But the fanboys read one negative thing about themselves and fly off the handle.

He's not offering a cover-all final solution type of answer in his article. Merely showing how quality is not always solely dictated by specifications, so people should keep a more open mind.

Of course fanboys are allergic to that (keeping an open mind)

[DanzBorin]

Originally Posted by Fettastic

It's not an article just an anti-Blu-ray/anti-Blu-ray-fan rant!

not really...

although all fanboy rants will say Josh is soooo pro HD DVD and Anti Blu-ray, it just doesn't mean it's so...

this was a rant about both sides having it's share of morons who want quantity over quality...

[HD Guru]

Wow, what an emotionally driven article.

[BerserkerTails]

Great article. Two Thum- Oh wait, can't use that phrase anymore. Two toes up!

[DanzBorin]

Originally Posted by HD Guru

Wow, what an emotionally driven article.

editorials are allowed to have emotion...

I'd say that was intended as an editorial more so than a technical piece...

[ericede]

Originally Posted by domerdel

I got the vibe that he's pro-HD-DVD based on his analogies and examples.

The article seemed to be aimed at defending HD-DVD's specs. It didn't tell me anything new just that he believes HD-DVD has no limitations and nobody should settle for poor quality.