A little, dirty detail about LG's combo HD DVD/Blu-ray player
By Matt Burns 
posted Jan 9th 2007 11:55PM
posted Jan 9th 2007 11:55PM
LGs combo HD DVD/Blu-ray player could very well be the killer blow for HD DVD. What's that you say? Well, the combo player fully supports Blu-ray's interactivity, BD-J, but the BH100 seems to have forgotten all about HD DVD's interactive features, iHD. That's right, none of it - no PIP, next-gen menus, user bookmarks, HD DVD downloads/updates - nothing that will "WOW" the average Joe. However, when our friend Joe pops in a Blu-ray disc, the menu pops with excitement and is accompanied with, well, PIP, downloads/updates for instance. Why would Joe buy an HD DVD the next time out when the Blu-ray discs offer so much more? (He won't) Is this player the saving grace for both formats, nope, but it may well turn out to be the saving grace for Blu-ray. Plus, with the $1200 MSRP, you could make your own combo player by getting a PS3 ($600) along with a Toshiba HD-A2, ($410 at Amazon) duct taping 'em together. Then you can sit back and enjoy the best of both worlds with enough money left over to buy some titles on both formats. We just hope Warner's Total Hi Def hybrid disc doesn't have any skeletons in the closet.
Hybrid disc + hybrid player = 80gb of capacity!
This marks the beginning of the end of HD DVD. With a bias like that, consumers are definitely going to jump on the Blu ray bandwagon, and they are going to tell their friend whos going to tell their friends and soon enough HD DVD will have such a bad name that it will be over.
Yeah because so many average Joes are going to plunk down $1200.00 for a dvd player. Word of mouth from something like this might as well be non existent.
Yet another way to contribute to Sony's bottom line by baiting the unwitting public.
BluRay is on the cusp of global victory.
Pack it up...denial is setting in, isn't it.
What...all that Sony hate didn't pay off, haha.
BluRay is the future...hd-dvd is dead. Thanks. : )
The faster hd dvd fies the better!
They want $1200 for this combo? I think that just gives me more reason to go buy the PS3 and entry level HD DVD player. Jerks.
jeez, it's the first of its kind. wait for all the early adopters to pay out the nose so the price will drop later this year and then again next year. I'm still holding out for the one that costs $300, does 1080p and fully supports HDMI 1.3.
This player does not seem to support the HD-DVD features that make the format compelling. I will pass on this combo player.
I won't buy into blu-ray until I see a HTIB with a blu-ray drive.
Would anyone really pay $1200.00 for a player made by LG? I certainly would not, would rather buy a PS3 and stack it on top of my HD-A1 and have best of both words...LG, in my opinion is lower level gear at best. I am sure this player will have issues from the get go
You would not have the best of both worlds if you bought the PS3 as a Blu-ray player in that it apparently does not upscale DVDs to HD resolution.
http://reviews.cnet.com/Sony_PlayStation_3_60GB/4505-6464_7-31355103.html
For the price I would want to at least be able to watch my current library of DVD's in HD as a 'normal' stand alone HD DVD or Blu-Ray does!!
Would you mind providing a little factual basis for this claim? I read the referenced press release and found nothing within it that indicates HDi (no longer called iHD) is not supported.
Check the HD DVD standard. In order for a player to be an "HD DVD" player, it MUST support HDi. It is required. If this unit doesn't, then it is NOT a dual-format player.
- Shane Sturgeon
HDTV Magazine
Not that any of this matters. With the success of the HD movies on Xbox live and services like Gametap and other digitial distribution programs the consumer has already decided that they would rather download a high def movie then use either HD-DVD or Blu-Ray.
Whoever wins this battle will have a shortlived victory before digital distribution takes over.
1. This player will never be sold. The lawyers are already in the proccess of turning this player into vaporware. It does not support HDi so it doesnt support HD DVD.
2. Digital distribution for the masses is 10 years away at best. There are just not enough HD sets, bandwidth, or storage space for it to become viable. Perhaps a little more than a niche market for 24 hour ownership of rentals over X-Box LIVE but not for ownership. People want something physical they can touch, hold, lend, and play in the minivan. They also dont want to worry about how long MS is going to host all those Star Trek episodes you shelled out for.
I wouldn't count out HD DVD yet. They just have released a 51gb capacity format HD DVD, which it makes it right up there with the blu-ray disc. Who's not to say HD DVD won't ever support HDP?
I will only buy a combo player... but only a combo player that actually works. LG can shove this crippled piece of s*** where the Sony don't shine.
Is it me, or does Engadget seem biased? They list the most expensive ps3 while listing a street price for the toshiba player.
HD DVD might have triple layer 51GB. ON A DAMN DESIGN BOARD. BD has 200GB and 100GB on Quad and 8layer. Some of those disc even exist. Along with all the other BD Stuff out there. HD DVD has nuffin', soon some 1x writer :P Jump on it, if you don't have HD capasity for anything better.
If you build it they will come :P
Te trendline is leaning toward blu-ray at the moment, but all is not decided yet. Allthough the fact that there are no new hd-dvd titles announced for 2007 is a sign on the wall. So with that in mind, the hd-dvd playback is a bonus on this machine, I can see the logic of a not fully featured hd-dvd playback function, and a full blu-ray set of features..
Uncle sjohie
http://www.sjohie.com
Well, I'm old enough to remember buying a Betamax because it was a superior format, and well-established. Yep, Betamax was the clear cut winner of the format wars...my gut tells me Sony and Blu Ray will go the same way.
Uh, anyone interested in a vintage Betamax player???
that upscaling problem will be fixed, however upscaling isn't all that. It just makes the image fit on the screen and maybe clear it up, but it doesn't add more detail.
Anywayz with the PS3 you can also play the game that come out with it and if BD fails you still have a good gaming media format that holds alot of information on it so you don't have to switch out multiple disc to play one game.
Thats the point I don't think switching out disc is a big deal and anyway have you played Oblivion 4 on the xbox 360? That game is HUGE it takes forever to even scratch the surface of the game! So I can imagine right now anyway games getting much bigger. It will be awhile from now. So if HD DVD wins it will still take a long time to fill.