Recent Comments:
The Wizard of Oz HD comes back to theaters September 23 {Engadget HD}
Aug 24th 2009 9:10AM Richard's article says the "remastered" version was being presented, which implies a digital presentation. This doesn't make any sense. Film still has much higher resolution and better color and contrast than HD is capable of right now, especially if the film was originally in technicolor. Any film buff knows that. I certainly hope its a film print of the "restored" version. I think that would be stunning and memorable, since many generations have never seen Oz except in video presentations.
Engadget HD's recession antidote: win a Dish Network DTVPal DVR {Engadget HD}
Jul 22nd 2009 1:12PM DVRs will fix the economy!
Watchmen BD-Live director's chat set for Comic-Con {Engadget HD}
Jun 26th 2009 8:25AM Has a time for this been annouced?
Netflix CEO predicts significant declines in packaged media rentals by 2018 {Engadget HD}
Jun 25th 2009 9:43AM I've streamed quite a bit of Netflix on a 50" plasma. My network connection is pretty good, I usually get all the bars from Netflix (if that's really meaningful). I think the quality of SD content looks as good as DVD; as does the "HD" content. (The remastered version of Star Trek in HD on Netflix certainly looked much better than the broadcast version on my local stations HD channel. Yes I realize it wasn't actually broadcast in HD.)
As for the library, yea I see problems with it. But isn't that due to the studios? I'm sure if Netflix would offer day & date streaming of latest Will Farrel fiasco (I kid) as DVD/Blu-ray, if they could. But studios look to disc sales as much as ticket sales for their bottom lines now.
But for the most part, unless its offered on Blu-ray, I don't mind watching older movies (and there are some recent ones too, although mostly indie), documentaries or some TV shows via streaming.
I think when the infrastructure for real HD streaming comes along, then we'll see a real sea change away from physical media (again with studio approval). But the US has some poor internet speeds compare to, say, Japan right now.
Evidently it's still cool to hate on Blu-ray: Harris Poll spin {Engadget HD}
Jun 23rd 2009 10:45AM This is all interesting discussion (argument/fight, take your pick).
I find that some of these arguments could easily be applied to HD DVD if it had won the format war. You see numerous article about how the "typical" home consumer doesn't see the difference between DVD & Blu-ray, would it be any different than with HD DVD? I have a hard time believing it would.
Also, those saying Blu-ray was doomed from the begin because of downloads, that can equally be argued in the case of HD DVD. And it's likely the recession would be hitting HD DVD sales similarly if it had one, regardless of how inexpensive the (subsidized?) players were. We all know the cost of stocking a library quickly overtakes the cost of the hardware.
My point is, so what if it just turns out to be a niche market? LD was and it lasted very almost 2 decades. Most of us are home theatre enthusiats, anyway, and want the best filmic experience. I'm satisfied with the quality of Blu-ray and glad we have more access to content and hardware than we did when we were the only ones watching LDs, which says something for a HD format itself.
How do you like your TiVo, with bleeps & bloops or without? {Engadget HD}
May 19th 2009 1:49PM Mine are off.
I had turned them off on my parents Series 2 when I installed it. But when I upgraded them to HD, I had forgotten to disable the bloops. Was the first thing my mother said to change.
WiFi-equipped BlackBerry Storm 2 coming to Verizon in September? {Engadget}
Apr 7th 2009 2:19PM I'll believe it when it comes out. VZW is nortious for disabling features on their phones that other carriers provide you as standard so they can charge you for things. Wi-Fi means not using their bits and no revenue for them.
Also, remains to be seen if the the slingplayer for BB will be permitted on the storm, for the same reason. VZW wants to charge for their VCast service. Unlike them to let you watch your own for free.
Plenty of tru2way demos planned for The Cable Show in April {Engadget HD}
Mar 12th 2009 8:21AM I was kind of worried that Tru2way would obsolete my TiVo. But it seems that the lack of news, let alone anything coming from CableLabs, seems to show that this tech is way off. Although cable isn't going away, by the time tru2way is ready for prime time, will the market have evolved to make it DOA?
Screen Grabs: '24' offers up OQO, Mac mini BOGO special {Engadget}
Mar 12th 2009 8:08AM I like how all the tech on 24 interfaces all the time without any incompatibilities or crashing, especially when they involve different architectures (PCs & Macs).
The funniest thing recently was when the terrorists were using the White House network to stream video of the president reading an admission of war crimes. When the FBI was asked to stop it, they said there's nothing they could do. Now the FBI has a rep for being the most tech inept of federal agencies, but couldn't someone just suggest cutting the power?
Does the death of KURO signal the end of the plasma? {Engadget HD}
Feb 27th 2009 9:30AM I bought a 50" Pioneer in early 2006, before the Kuro was introduced. But for the past couple years, I've suffered Kuro-envy. I couldn't justify buying a new TV, when this one was doing just fine. I promised myself I would only upgrade when there was a leap in (or a new) technology. However, there doesn't seem to be any on the horizon for the next 5 or so years (OLED seeming the only one, if it ever becomes consumer friendly).
With the demise of the Kuro, I feel I should upgrade (to 60") before it completely disappears. So are the last of the Kuros in production now? If so, when will those hit the market? Or is the stock current that retailers have the last and I need to think of buying soon?
And what is a 3 year-old 50" 720p Pioneer worth anyway? :)
