You know you're a videophile if...
By Ben Drawbaugh 
posted Jul 7th 2009 1:46PM
posted Jul 7th 2009 1:46PM
- You actually know what OAR stands for and won't watch anything but.
- You believe edge enhancements are a crime against humanity.
- You understand that contrast is the most important video spec.
- You know that more P isn't always better -- as in 1080p vs 720p.
- You realize that properly de-interlaced video is perfectly acceptable and possible.
- You can't watch DVDs anymore.
- HBO HD is a big joke.
- You can explain what 3:3 pull-down is and why you'd want it.
- You knew the actual differences between HD DVD and Blu-ray.
- You have at least one video calibration disc on Blu-ray.
- You don't think LCDs look better than Plasmas.
- You've helped a random person at Best Buy pick out a TV, and you don't even work there.
- It makes you mad that Samsung calls its new 6000, 7000 and 8000 series LED TVs.
- You make fun of 240Hz HDTVs.
- Your HDTV has been professional calibrated.
- There are Blu-ray Discs in your collection because of their picture quality.
- You know the name of the mode on your TV that disables overscan.
- You think it simply isn't possible for downloads to ever compare to Blu-ray in quality.
- Engadget HD is the first site you read every day when you wake up.
:D
lol, good article. Gave me a few good laughs...guess I'm a videophile :)
... You hate Monster product
... You love OPPO product
... Your equipments are tweak
you have me pinned! guilty as charged
haha this is awesome! Most of them fit me.
Most of my friends run out and buy HDTVs after seeing my setup with a good blu-ray in. Then soon after realize it doesn't look anywhere near as good as mine. :P
Nice! I just have an HDDVD calabration disk, but its all the same.
C
That last one sure identifies me.
Hey, that's me!
17 out of 19 ain't bad! My tv isn't professionally calibrated and I can't explain what 3:3 pulldown is off the top of my head, though after googling the term - yes I know what it is.
"You can't watch DVDs anymore."
Haha ... You caught me
that was a great list... And yes, i do believe Plasma looks better than LCD :-D ...
Dang it - how sad is that this site has me pegged..and it is one of the first sites i read every day...
not saying I'm a videophile, but shouldn't it be 3:2 pulldown not 3:3 pulldown?
Nope, 3:2 pull down is when 24 fps content is played at 30 fps. 3:3 pull-down is when 24 fps content is played at 72 fps or 72hz. There is also 5:5 pull down on LCD TVs.
thanks Ben. I learn something from your articles all the time...
What about 4:4 pulldown with the new panasonic displays that display at 96Hz.
Ben, 3:2 pulldown is when 24fps played at 60 fps, not 30 fps.
Variations of 3:3 pulldown (used for 72 Hz Pioneer plasma) includes 2:2 pulldown used to be used by Panasonic plasma, and 5:5 pulldown on some 120 Hz LCD TVs' movie mode (sans frame interpolation)
David,
Actually it is 30 fps and 60hz because most TVs were interlaced. But yeah, it would also be needed for 1080p60, but might be called 6:4 pull down, not sure.
ok so 75% of them are true about me haha
and you didn't pass math class?
Have you been following me around, Ben?
* You don't think LCDs look better than Plasmas.
* It makes you mad that Samsung calls its new 6000, 7000 and 8000 series LED TVs.
* You make fun of 240Hz HDTVs.
* You actually know what OAR stands for and won't watch anything but.
These are the big hitters for me. Anyone who honestly thinks LCD can compete with plasma does NOT know what they're talking about. They're getting closer, but you gotta spend an arm and a leg on an LCD that can even hope to compete with an affordable plasma.
You DONT think LCDs look better than plasma.
Umm yes, okay. Thank you for that capitalized DONT. I'm not sure why that was needed, but okay.
It's saying you're a videophile (you value video quality above all else) if you don't think LCDs look better than plasma. In other words, you think Plasma looks better.
i know, sorry. thats why i made that post right after about me being an idiot.
Oh, okay. No problem. Thanks for clarifying and admitting your error.
Amen, I keep telling people that the G10 Panasonic plasmas will blow away LCDs that are literally double the price. The way I see it, there's absolutely no reason to buy an LCD over one of the current Panasonic plasma line-up. Even the lower-end models put LCDs to shame. Image retention is pretty hard to get and goes away quickly and burn-in is near-impossible, combine this with the near-instantaneous response time and plasmas are easily the better choice for gaming as well.
I've heard people actually use "they weigh more" as a justification for not buying a plasma. Unless you regularly bench-press your TV, it's a non-issue.
* You think it simply isn't possible for downloads to ever compare to Blu-ray in quality.
This one is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. You do realize you can download an ENTIRE uncompressed Blu-ray image right? I can go to a torrent site and get one right now. It is 100% equivalent to having the actual disc.
Now if it would have said "You think it simply isn't possible for compressed matroska downloads to ever compare to Blu-ray in quality." or something like that, then I would agree.
As bandwidth increases, it will become more and more possible to get untouched, uncompressed, movie downloads from both legal and illegal sources.
Not with all the companies capping your download amount!
I think he was referring to the "HD" downloads offered from the likes of Amazon and iTunes. If you d/l a Blu-ray image, it's still Blu-ray so of course it's going to match the actual disc in quality. It's as if you had just ripped it on an iso and played it on a virtual drive. However, I'm sure you would agree that the HD label that is placed on the retail d/l content from vendors like the ones mentioned above is a joke. Until we get to a point where content providers are actually making the Blu-ray image available, legally d/l content simply cannot compare to BD
loban,
i'm not well versed with HTPCs so please school me on the following:
even if i were to download an uncompressed blu ray rip, will I be able to play it back with the same quality as from a good set top blu ray player? for instance, will my htpc (given it's not a high end rig) handle film cadence as well as a set top player? will i get 24p output, or at least a decent 3:2? or how about blu rays which are filmed in 1080i? i know the sony BDP-S300s had trouble deinterlacing these last year. how would a HTPC fare?
I have no idea as I've never owned a Blu-ray player (and don't plan to) or an HTPC (I have a PCH) but my guess is: why not. If you pick out good components and do your research, I don't see why an HTPC couldn't compete with a set top box. There will always be some give and take when you're talking about hardware. My only point is that it is possible to get a full Blu-ray image, maybe even from legal digital distribution sources in the future (even if they do suck now).
Some day when we're not screwing around with optical media, or any media at all (it will happen eventually). You'll just download the movie in whatever standard format the movie industry has settled on, it won't be an "image" of whatever media is being passed around in stores. That's my hope anyway. I'm talking decades from now, not next year or anything like that.
Guess I am not a videophile not that I ever claimed to be.
I knew four points (1080p vs 720p, 240Hz, HD downloads, LCD< Plasma).
If I had to guess OAR is over the air reception and it's better because it isn't as compressed as cable. Or I could be so wrong.
Didn't know Samsung LED TV's weren't really LED. But I don't shop for tv's so I haven't needed to investigate.
OAR = Original Aspect Ratio.
But you're kinda right too, in a way. Broadcast, technologically thus far, can't be better than Blu-ray.
Thanks! Too many abreviations to keep track of.
Imz surry, eye taut it wuz yoo dat coodnt reed, butt it bee meh.
I hate to spoil it but everyone should know what OAR is... (original aspect ratio)
1080p is always better than 720p. Always. Hi HTPC that gets consistent use from me for which the significant increase in resolution is always welcome. How are you today? Who's a good boy, WHO'S A GOOD BOY?
You are, YOU ARE!
1080p for life.
This is true, given all other parameters are equal (viewing distance, contrast, color, etc. etc.) 1080p IS always better than 720p. However, when taking those other factors into account. Resolution is the last thing your eye will notice and the last spec you should concern yourself with when buying a TV.
I think that's what it's trying to say.
Well done Loban, you are a true videophile.
I'm no hardcore videophile. I just do my own research and trust it more than what marketing material and salesmen tell me.
You buy your cables from Monoprice!
You wait an extra day just to download the 720p mkv version of your fav show...
I agree, Alto. The mkv's are great. They look very presentable on my 50" plasma.
Far better than the absolute crap overcompressed feeds Comcast gives to its customers for ridiculous prices. And, of course, if I drop their TV service and just go back to antenna only, they tack a $20 fee per month onto your internet. To top that off, they're the only internet provider around. Sigh.
what's wrong with HBO HD?
No OAR
Normalized audio
Over-compressed
In that order.
Damn straight more Ps aren't always better. I'm not going to be suckered into believing I need to buy an HDTV and a blu-ray player and blu-ray discs to watch cartoon. Old cartoons that may or may not have been remastered. 480p is enough for them. Even 480i can be enough. Blu-ray is not the be all end all of everything.
Color Fidelity is much better in HD. I used to think this was just because of a burst in resolution from DVD, but I believe there is actually a wider colorspace for HD content.
And given the absolutely astounding Sleeping Beauty release, you can bet they benefit from an HD presentation!
-Pie
What about those old black and white cartoons? Besides, watching cartoons on an old TV that you mangaged to hook up to a DVD player offer a better experience than a better quality picture on a HDTV. You know, one of those old TVs that you need single splitters for separate connections on the TV for UHF and VHF.