Why "super upconversion" should NOT replace Blu-Ray/HD DVD

[HiDefFanboy]

Originally Posted by Deadmeat

The fall of Blu-Ray.

Uhm, you realize that if this kills Blu-ray it also kills HD DVD also. Again, if you are pro HD movies then why would you hope for this? No matter how you upconvert - super or not - you still have lost the detail that is not encoded into the file.

Or are you just a sony or Blu-ray anti-fanboy.

[Jason One]

Originally Posted by Deadmeat

The fall of Blu-Ray.

Keep tilting at those windmills.

[cooper1010]

Originally Posted by Deadmeat

Better pics are now available.

<snip> doctored images<snip>
Very impressive indeed.

Super upconversion is Blu-Ray killer for the masses.

i wonder why they used original images for their examples rather than a known sd image, like a movie on standard dvd, so we could all see the glorious beauty that is "uber-upconversion?" is it b/c they would rather take an hd image, degrade it, then, throught the magic of "super duper upconversion" return the image to its original resolution?
wow, i can't wait to buy one of those "ultra-optimum upconversion" players. are those the players toshiba are pushing now? no?! how about a tv then? not out yet. hmm.

[Frankly]

I have a hard time believing that "super upconversion" can give the level of detail that they claim.

And do they have a release date lined up? By the time this DOES come out, mass adoption of Blu-ray should already be on it's way.

Once that happens, the power of the human ego (keeping up with the Jones') will keep people buying into Blu-ray. Sure, there will be a few folks who opt for "good enough", but those same folks probably won't buy a new DVD player (upconverting or not) as they are probably still watching a non-HD television.

Just a theory.... and I'm new, so don't smack me too hard.

[telamon]

Originally Posted by Frankly

I have a hard time believing that "super upconversion" can give the level of detail that they claim.

And do they have a release date lined up? By the time this DOES come out, mass adoption of Blu-ray should already be on it's way.

Once that happens, the power of the human ego (keeping up with the Jones') will keep people buying into Blu-ray. Sure, there will be a few folks who opt for "good enough", but those same folks probably won't buy a new DVD player (upconverting or not) as they are probably still watching a non-HD television.

Just a theory.... and I'm new, so don't smack me too hard.

Even if the war ended tomorrow with Toshiba just bowing out, Blu-ray is at least two to three years from being anywhere close to mass adoption. It's going to take them until the end of 2008 just to get decent 2.0 profile players out at the higher price points (with HD DVD adding pressure, god knows how much longer it would be without). Then throw in another year to get prices down and for Blu-Ray manufacturing to ramp up (probably longer without HD DVD competition.)

As for keeping up with the Jones, that doesn't drive mass market adoption without lower pricing. Low pricing drives mass market adoption because the masses have less disposable income. And there will always be a large segment of the population that will opt for lower prices than quality (or perceived quality.)

The point of super upconversion is to sell TVs. One of the chief complaints people have with HDTV is that their non-HD sources look like crap and for the forseeable future people are going to have a lot of non-HD material they're going to want to watch (home movies, DVD/VHS collections, analog/digital cable, etc... .) I know I spent more to get a Panasonic plasma because of it's decent non-HD PQ.

[Raydeen]

This technology seems like it will be a nice option for people who may not be ready to make the jump to Blu-ray. (Yes I know HD-DVD is still around but come on) As impressive as the demo material seems to look I think Batman Begins (HD-DVD) & Casino Royale (BD) both look better.

[aaronwt]

Originally Posted by Scripture

It's not even a comparison. Get better demo material, because this doesn't benefit your cause, but only reinforces that high-definition is much, much better.

Of course all of us here know HD is much better, but for your average person, they would love this.

[goshikisen]

Originally Posted by aaronwt

Of course all of us here know HD is much better, but for your average person, they would love this.

Which, super upconversion or fake HD?

[Deadmeat]

Originally Posted by Raydeen

This technology seems like it will be a nice option for people who may not be ready to make the jump to Blu-ray. (Yes I know HD-DVD is still around but come on) As impressive as the demo material seems to look I think Batman Begins (HD-DVD) & Casino Royale (BD) both look better.

But how much better to average J6Ps?

Why pay $8 more plus $400 player for a Blu-Ray version when the plain DVD version in a super-upconversion DVD player looks "good enough"?

[irrob]

Originally Posted by Deadmeat

Better pics are now available.

I just gave a few "average people" I know a look at those shots on my laptop. They all picked out the HD shots rather quickly. They said the SD pics look "blurry." From my small sample, I think we're underestimating JSP just a bit.

[goshikisen]

I've found Deadmeat a new website to hang out at... this gimmick of Toshiba's doesn't really have a place here so he can go to this site and feel right at home.

[IceNine]

I will freely admit that the "super upconverted" images look a ton better than the original, but what I would like to see is this:

DVD-quality
Upconverted
Super-upconverted
HD

Show me those four videos so I can compare, then I can make an informed decision about this whole thing.

[flinx1241]

Originally Posted by goshikisen

I've found Deadmeat a new website to hang out at... this gimmick of Toshiba's doesn't really have a place here so he can go to this site and feel right at home.

That's perfect for him! He can take along some of the other jilted HD loyalists and they can have an "Upconvert vs. Download Smackdown Forum" and a sticky post at the top of each area called "Why Sony sucks and that's more important to me than HDM!" Sweet!

[cooper1010]

Originally Posted by Deadmeat

But how much better to average J6Ps?

you tell us, o great champion of the people!

Why pay $8 more plus $400 player for a Blu-Ray version when the plain DVD version in a super-upconversion DVD player looks "good enough"?

you win. i'll take one. how much?

[IceNine]

To be fair, Deadmeat does have a very valid point. A great number of people will think that this "super upconversion" is every bit as good as HD. I, for one, do not think that it can compare in any way to HD, but I am a HD fan, not an average consumer.

I know that his statements are a bit blind at times, but he is making a very valid point that is, unfortunately, masked by a lot of hatred for Blu-Ray.