Engadget HD Podcast 069 - 01.23.2008
by Trent Wolbe 
posted Jan 23rd 2008 at 11:00AM
CES is over and things are getting back to normal around Engadget. This of course means more format war news, which is really heating up after the Warner defection. So we discus the hardware and software sales impact of the move, as well as speculate where we might go from here. Then we go format agnostic and discuss next-gen audio codecs and the dual format player the BD-UP5000. We finish things up by discussing the impact on the industry from the first consumer component capture card. Finally we talk Apple TV and the quality of HD downloads in general.Get the podcast
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Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh and Steve Kim
Producer: Trent Wolbe
01:12 - Comments from Engadget HD Podcast 068 - 01.10.2008
04:03 - Poll: Should HD DVD throw in the towel?
06:31 - HD DVD fires back, slashes hardware & software prices
08:25 - Blu-ray players grab 93 percent of market after Warner went Blu
11:47 - Nielsen VideoScan High-Def market share for week ending January 13th, 2008
16:55 - Warner's remaining HD DVD support will include a three week delay?
20:46 - Netflix shipping HD titles cross-country to clear backlog?
24:26 - Samsung's BD-UP5000 is failing to deliver
28:19 - How to actually use Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD
33:40 - Hauppauge intros USB PVR with component input
39:53 - Is Apple TV's (and Xbox Live and VOD's) HD truly high definition?
45:53 - DISH Network adds HD only package
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Darius S @ Jan 23rd 2008 11:31AM
uhh pete rojas and ryan block should be doing these podcasts, not these guys.
John B @ Jan 23rd 2008 12:05PM
Feel free to do your own. :P
Godskitchen @ Jan 23rd 2008 12:40PM
Do we have the first Ryan Block Fanboy?
Wake up kid and do something with your life rather than coming on the internet bitching about stuff you know nothing about.
mcrexx @ Jan 23rd 2008 12:29PM
hey guys can you explain the indexes in the blu-ray/hd-dvd sales charts? What does it mean?
Ben @ Jan 23rd 2008 12:32PM
The #1 is always 100, if the #2 is 50 then it sold half as many as the #1.
John B @ Jan 23rd 2008 12:30PM
Okay, guys, I am *not* a devout HD DVD fan. I firmly believe that Blu-ray is technologically superior (except for still being a beta format); however, I believe that HD DVD is the better choice for the general populace due to the cost of the hardware, which - as even you guys admmitted - is now far more competitive to upconverting players and because it is a firm, solid specification. Plus, DVD/HD DVD flipper discs are a brilliant idea to try to move people who currently have only DVD to migrate to HD DVD.
Additionally, any favoritism that I seem to show towards HD DVD is more accurately described as hatred towards the utter arrogance and downright rudeness of the BD crowd. This is especially evident from those elitist snobs who try to say that you're not a "true" high-def/home theatre enthusiast unless you can afford $500 for a BD player -- as though the general populace always has that amount of money to throw at a player.
People like Truth Teller are just trolls and need to be ignored as such. But when BD fanboys are saying to "Get a better job" (and getting "Highly rated" at that!!!) or that you're not a true enthusiast if you don't buy a BD player, I will not in good conscience buy into a format that is supported by such elitist snobbery. In fact, it was because of recent, insulting posts of that nature that I've now refused to buy a PS3 when my tax return comes in. That's probably not a valid reason for a lot of people, but that's too bad.
When profile 1.1+ BD players drop below the $200 list, I'll most likely jump on it, but until then I won't give the BD extremists the satisfaction of buying to their format. Upscaled DVD will work just fine.
John B @ Jan 23rd 2008 11:52AM
Sorry for the rant. You touched a nerve. :)
Ben @ Jan 23rd 2008 12:31PM
Thouche,
Seriously, we know what you mean, thanks for the clarification. I think most of us feel the same way.
hothotdisco @ Jan 24th 2008 12:57AM
Give me a break. Theres just as much ignorance and arrogance on the HD-DVD side. HD-DVD has lost. No point in ruminating over it......just live with the facts and lets get on with our lives.....
John B @ Jan 24th 2008 6:13AM
Yeah, that reply was really worth the effort. Spare me your platitudes and direct them towards Truth Teller who is in need of them far more than I am.
...unless what I said hit too close to home, perhaps?
Dan in DC/VA @ Jan 23rd 2008 2:14PM
Thanks for another great podcast guys. I make sure I catch every one of these episodes.
For the record...
On the week Paramount announced they were HD-DVD exclusive I predicted the format's demise in the comments on the Engadget HD Podcast 046 on 08.22.2007:
http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/08/22/engadget-hd-podcast-046-08-22-2007/#comments
They defined their success scenario as "increased studio support = format progress". Which means they placed their fate in the idea that they would be able to keep all of the cats in the moving wheel barrel and Warner Bros jumped out first.
For the record... you guys poo-pooed this conclusion in episode 49. =] =P =]
=]
Keep up the good work! We will keep listening! =]
PaulF @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:49PM
It's Hauppauge, New York. Say Hap-Pawg. Do you know where Africa is on a map? ;)
P
Spiza @ Jan 23rd 2008 10:56PM
Could HD DVD player movie sales have been down so low due to returns? Could they count against the numbers given?
Larry @ Jan 24th 2008 11:12AM
I had to skip a large section of the podcast this week. I wish you guys would spend more time having discussions like the one during the pvr discussion. These discussions are the really interesting ones.
Dan in DC/VA @ Jan 24th 2008 12:08PM
I almost forget to mention the ITC thing.
As your resident "chicken-little" I was just pointing out that the entire design purpose of the ICT was to plug the "analog hole". If this new device opens up that hole at a cheap price, I wouldn't put it past the SOB studios to be a bunch of jerks and try to plug that hole with the ICT.
Studios have not been known for their generosity as of late.
This is more of a comment what behaviors to expect from them that it is on the viability of using the new /Hap-hawg/ doohickie to rip blu-ray discs.
=]
Dan
Richard @ Jan 24th 2008 12:41PM
I am sad to hear about the less then stellar performance of the BD-UP5000 that you have in. As Ben stated, with the 7.1 analog output and 1.1 and Ethernet, I figured it was going to be the best player to simplify my wifes life and still be able to play my HD DVD collection going into the blue future. With the great deals on it this weekend, I had been planning on picking one up. Even the best laid plans of bit rates and codecs.
My thoughts are if the blue continues the un-trend and dominates player sales 9:1 then maybe the UP5000 wont get this unannounced successor. Even if red makes a comeback, with the prices on HD DVD players bottoming out, the combo players only look more over priced. Nothing like getting 6 HD DVD players and 30 free movies for the price of a BD-UP5000.
My question is..Do you think if I got a BD-UP5000 and sat on it will the firmware come along to make it live up to its full potential? Or is it a lost cause? Should I wait and hope the 5500 or un-named follow up dont end up being vaporware now that the red sun appears to be setting on HD DVD?
Love the show. Keep them coming.
Ian @ Jan 25th 2008 6:25AM
About price not apparently being a factor in standalone sales, and Blu-ray players "selling" 93% of standalones a couple weeks ago...you might want to read these:
http://www.dailygame.net/news/archives/007137.php
http://www.betanews.com/article/NPD_Free_Bluray_player_deals_led_to_boosted_sales_this_month/1201203983
I'd say this certainly puts a better perspective on all the "sold" Blu-ray players...they were all given away for free! ;)
dave @ Jan 25th 2008 12:19PM
HD/Blu-ray war. The real winners are the movie studios, as long as there are competing formats. When Sony & Toshiba pay millions of dollars to the studios to pick there format, the studios win. When there exclusivity deal runs out, they just renegotiate between the two sides. They have no reason for one format to win. Standard Def. DVD sales are already in decilne. With the economy down-turn people won't buy expensive DVD players.
Larry @ Jan 25th 2008 2:11PM
Steve,
I did what you're considering. I switched from Cox to Dish Network HD and back again. Quality is terrible. I have a 52" 1080i RCA RPTV and my wife, who normally says nothing about picture quality, squawked at the screen and inquired, "Does it look all fuzzy to you?" Yes, I replied. Please, please, please, don't switch.
Thanks again to this forum for warning me about Uverse. I'm appreciative of the knowledge of this community so now it's my turn to give back. Steve, do yourself a favor Bro. and stay away from Dish. Worst decision I've made in the past 2 years, other than buying a Wii.
Zodiac @ Jan 28th 2008 11:31AM
Ha, Don't worry I don't want to get rid of you.
BTW, it was nice to finally see how you guys look. I feel like I just found bigfoot.
http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=leavingces200800gq8.jpg
Ben @ Jan 28th 2008 11:32AM
Ha, there are much better pictures here.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bjdraw
Zodiac @ Jan 28th 2008 5:59PM
BTW, you know you can just get the Mac Pro with a quad core for 2300 and even cheaper at mac mall.
jagowar @ Jan 29th 2008 5:08PM
speaking about the appletv.... just to compare to xbox live the xbox has 6.5 mbit for both so it will be interesting to compare it to appletv. Because the xbox live downloads imo compare very well to even the best of hd-dvd and bluray.