View Full Version : blueray
kwak zzr
01-01-09, 08:05 PM
so how good are blueray films? now i got the ps3 i'm gonna buy one just to see, trouble is they are still freekin expencive.
ive been told they are 6x better than DVD is this true?
Download films in HD, then plug your computer into the TV. Save yourself a shed load of money. :D
One of the lads in the office has even gone as far as to get rid of all TV tunders (radio & sat), and therefore doesn't pay TV licence.
they are good but many upscalers can make standard DVDs look good enough
customer research was done and found that most people could not justify the cost of blueray over dvd for the added benefit.
If you have a 42+ size screen you will see the benefits much more
One of the lads in the office has even gone as far as to get rid of all TV tunders (radio & sat), and therefore doesn't pay TV licence.
hees mistaken then and in possably they will still give him a fine, the tv licence rules were changed a few years ago because of people saying that they were not watching the UK transmissions, if he even uses Iplayer once then hees deffinatly braking the rules.
picture quality is only as good as what it is being watched on.....
if you have a cheep crappy LCD... you will get a cheep crappy picture...
same goes for sound..
on a good LCD or plasma.. the picture is absolutely glorious...
on a good dedicated AV Amp/speaker system the sound is stunning in Dolby TrueHD..
maviczap
01-01-09, 08:17 PM
Download films in HD, then plug your computer into the TV. Save yourself a shed load of money. :D
One of the lads in the office has even gone as far as to get rid of all TV tunders (radio & sat), and therefore doesn't pay TV licence.
Still think you can get away without having a TV Licence?
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/image/spacer.gifhttp://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/image/spacer.gifhttp://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/image/grey.gifhttp://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/image/spacer.gifhttp://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/image/spacer.gifIt is a criminal offence to use TV receiving equipment to watch or record TV programmes without a valid licence, and there's no excuse for doing so. Still people try. In fact, we've heard all the excuses in the book and here you can read some of our favourites. (Tv licence website)
Not sure if you can get away with that? Even a PC or laptop are considered viewing equipment.
hees mistaken then and in possably they will still give him a fine, the tv licence rules were changed a few years ago because of people saying that they were not watching the UK transmissions, if he even uses Iplayer once then hees deffinatly braking the rules.
What is a TV Licence needed for?
To use any TV equipment such as a TV set, digital box, video or DVD recorder, computer or mobile phone to watch or record TV programmes as they are being shown on television.
If you don't watch programmes "as they are being shown on television", then the TLA themselves say you don't need a licence.
Even a PC or laptop are considered viewing equipment.
Wrong. See the above link from the TV Licencing Authority themselves.
If you don't watch/record as it's being viewed simultaneously by others on TV, you don't need a licence.
EDIT: Further to this, pre-recorded programmes are outisde the scope of The Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004.
Bluepete
01-01-09, 08:31 PM
Honestly Kwak, Unless you have a big TV, 42 inch or above, then you will struggle to see the difference between DVD and Bluray. I have a PS3 on a 32" LCD and I can't tell the difference between the PS3 outputting a DVD upscaled to 1080 and a Bluray.
Save your money until you get a feckin' huge telly.
Pete
yes you can... by brother has no TV viewing or tuning equipment in his house
he has a computer connected to the internet and watches streaming media.
he has had the TV licence ppl at his door on numerous occasions and invited them in to look for TV related items... they have admitted that he does not have any equipment that can receive TV programs. there fore he does not need a TV licence..
they still insist on sending him thretening letters demanding payment for a TV licence, even though the inspectors have been to his house on numerous ocasions and admithed fact of no equipment...
every single house in the UK is on there database. if an adress is not paying the licence it is targeted... they will not remove adressies from the database...
kwak zzr
01-01-09, 08:36 PM
Honestly Kwak, Unless you have a big TV, 42 inch or above, then you will struggle to see the difference between DVD and Bluray. I have a PS3 on a 32" LCD and I can't tell the difference between the PS3 outputting a DVD upscaled to 1080 and a Bluray.
Save your money until you get a feckin' huge telly.
Pete
yea i only got a 32" samsung, i'm planing on the 40" version soon tho.
but back to blu-ray..
i recently come into a little windfall.. long story short.. my mum found an old bank account i had forgotten about. it had a fair amount in it but not a life changing amount.. lol
so i decided to treat the family to a nice new HD telly and surround sound equipment.
my old telly was 14 years old and was due for replacememnt anyway.
i got a panasonic 1080p 42" plasma, panasonic blu-ray player, yamaha av amp, 2x infinity 5.1 speakers. all hooked up via hdmi.
i now have a full 7.1 HD system with an extra 2 front 'presence' speakers giving me a total of 9 surround speakers and 2 subwoofers...
the picture/sound quality is a better on blu-ray than dvd.. but not by the huge ammount that the 'media hype' would let you beleve.
maviczap
01-01-09, 08:49 PM
Wrong. See the above link from the TV Licencing Authority themselves.
If you don't watch/record as it's being viewed simultaneously by others on TV, you don't need a licence.
EDIT: Further to this, pre-recorded programmes are outisde the scope of The Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004.
Then how do you explain that to the detector van man if you have a Tv in the house?
They have lists of who has a TV from the little slips that you fill in when you buy a new TV, plus their list of exisiting TV licence holders.
When you don't renew your licence, then you'll be flagged up for a check sometime & it'll be up to you to prove that you don't watch live TV.
if you have a TV in the house you need to pay the licence.. end of... even if you dont use it...
if you have no receiving equipment (this includes computer TV cards) you do not need a licence.. if you have a radio then you only need a radio licence. but as far as i am aware radio licences are only for commercial use e.g. playing a radio at a place of work..
Then how do you explain that to the detector van man if you have a Tv in the house?
They have lists of who has a TV from the little slips that you fill in when you buy a new TV, plus their list of exisiting TV licence holders.
When you don't renew your licence, then you'll be flagged up for a check sometime & it'll be up to you to prove that you don't watch live TV.
In the case of my aforementionned colleague, it's quite simple. He welcomes them in & shows them that whilst he has a TV, neither the TV nor anything in the house is capable of receiving a live broadcast signal (with exception of streaming content on the internet, but that's a different thing to prove).
EDIT: I should add that his TV has no tuner/receiver, and it is this that exempts him from licence requirements. It can obviously accept input, just that it doesn't translate said input into audio/video format as a receiver does.
Also, remember the whole thing about the UK justice system of "innocent until proven guilty" - that's why the inspectors must visit the premesis before begining a prosecution case. That's also why having a computer with broadband doesn't prove you watch iPlayer (as TSM rightly said, iPlayer is the one caveat to the "live broadcast" clause of the TV Licence, as it's operated by the BBC).
NB, I do pay my TV Licence, owing to the fact we have Sky. :)
maviczap
01-01-09, 08:59 PM
Errr... what's blue ray?
He's the school teacher in 'Finding Nemo' :smt083
maviczap
01-01-09, 09:06 PM
EDIT: I should add that his TV has no tuner/receiver, and it is this that exempts him from licence requirements. It can obviously accept input, just that it doesn't translate said input into audio/video format as a receiver does.
Also, remember the whole thing about the UK justice system of "innocent until proven guilty" - that's why the inspectors must visit the premesis before begining a prosecution case. That's also why having a computer with broadband doesn't prove you watch iPlayer (as TSM rightly said, iPlayer is the one caveat to the "live broadcast" clause of the TV Licence, as it's operated by the BBC).
NB, I do pay my TV Licence, owing to the fact we have Sky. :)[/quote]
Ah, you did not make this clear in your original explanation ;)
Even though you say innocent until proven guilty, it wouldn't take much to convince some of our less technically wise magistrates that you have a TV whether it could recieve or not recieve live TV would probably not matter a jot. Guilty as charged :smt115
Even though you say innocent until proven guilty, it wouldn't take much to convince some of our less technically wise magistrates that you have a TV whether it could recieve or not recieve live TV would probably not matter a jot. Guilty as charged :smt115
I would hope the defence solicitor would be able to earn his money by pointing out the relevent sections of legislation (where it's clearly defined), and the relevant manufactuers manuals demonstrating the product doesn't have the ability to break the law.
It seriously amazes me how many people are scared blind by the "powers" of the TLA.
Anyway, sorry, bluray, carry on. :D
I've seen Bluray players on display in Currys/Comet etc and the quality is very good however I have a large collection of DVDs so I bought a Toshiba XDE500 from Comet for 60 quid which is an upscaling DVD player and to my eyes, there isn't much difference - the picture is excellent.
Oh, and it comes with a free HDMI cable too. Couldn't say no at that price :)
after playing with my new toys for a couple of weeks i must admit that upscaled dvd is really good.. blu-ray scores with the sound quality though.. its just so much clearer with better dynamics when listening to dolby truehd..
phil24_7
01-01-09, 09:36 PM
Will have to get myself an upscaler for the HD Ready tv in the bedroom!
maviczap
01-01-09, 09:39 PM
Need a new TV to go with my new Toshiba HDD/DVD which has upscaling, plus cinema surround sound, Dolby 5.1.
HD ready 40inch at least :rolleyes:
james160987
01-01-09, 10:25 PM
in reguards with bluray film prices, just go to play.com
hellboy 2 dvd 11.99, bluray 13.99 , i dont mind paying that difference
lets put it like this when we set ours up for first time it made our eyes go funny there is that much detail and my gf still finds it weird watching anything in HD but you soon get used to it and only notice if you switch back to normal stuff
well worth it :)
tigersaw
01-01-09, 11:09 PM
I have the dark knight on blue ray, its stunning.
I also have the same on standard dvd, but even played on my upscaling dvd or through the ps3 (also upscales) there is just no comparison.
SoulKiss
02-01-09, 09:01 AM
Vixis's new laptop has Blu-Ray on it.
Got a couple of disks and there IS a big comparison between it and DVD - even on a 19" screen.
As for discs being expensive - we shopped in NZ (Blu-Ray regioning is much wider scoped than DVD, and got some for £10 each.
Also as its been shown that people wont pay a major premium for BD over DVD, you can generally get most things under £15, which was the DVD price not long ago.
Its all a con and will disapera within 5 years for the next format (My predicion is High Def streaming/cable/satellite) no one will have a 'collection' anymore. Save your money
DanAbnormal
02-01-09, 11:52 AM
I have had a 28 inch 1080i goodmans LCD TV for about 2 years and you could easily see the difference between upscaled DVD and Blu-Ray. It was very clear that it was blu-ray. Now that I have a 37" 1080p TV the difference is again huge. The Blu ray films are marvellously crisp and smooth. Just be wary of older films that are backwards upscaled onto blu-ray, some of them are really grainy. Upscaled DVD is not terrible bu there is no question that Blu ray is better or it wouldn't exist. Just make sure you have a half decent LCD TV and you will easily see where the difference is.
custard
02-01-09, 11:59 AM
have seen a couple of blue rays. in to the blue (or whatever it is) is stunning because
A) it has jessica alba swimming about in a bikini in HD
B) a lot of it is set underwater which really makes the blue ray quality stand out.
If you go into your local TV shop they'll be playing HD of some description through the display TVs. Naturally, all the pictures are great. If you ask them to put standard tv on then you really see the differences between each tv, and the huge difference between HD and standard definition.
I've only got the Xbox that has a HD output, so was more interested in SD.
timwilky
02-01-09, 02:43 PM
we have a sharp 37" 1080p and blue ray on a package out of comet.
I have to admit, picture quality is very good when we put on the occasional blue ray film. but it would be bloody expensive to upgrade our back catalog. So it will obly be new DVDs that are bought in blue ray format.
Now then geeky dv types. I need to put in some sort of nice sound system. But I need no wires (solid wood floors so nowhere to lay cable), also because the wife bought an expensive wooden stand (Oak & walnut) that is about design and not function there is nowhere I can put a sod off great front woofer etc. So something slim, powerful and without wires, please help.
DanAbnormal
02-01-09, 02:47 PM
we have a sharp 37" 1080p and blue ray on a package out of comet.
I have to admit, picture quality is very good when we put on the occasional blue ray film. but it would be bloody expensive to upgrade our back catalog. So it will obly be new DVDs that are bought in blue ray format.
+1 on that. I only buy new films on the blu-ray format or one's I don't already have on DVD.
sounds like a steal stevo
tigersaw
02-01-09, 06:16 PM
Now then geeky dv types. I need to put in some sort of nice sound system. But I need no wires (solid wood floors so nowhere to lay cable), also because the wife bought an expensive wooden stand (Oak & walnut) that is about design and not function there is nowhere I can put a sod off great front woofer etc. So something slim, powerful and without wires, please help.
I've got one of those sound bar thingies. Yamaha do a good range, but mines a cheaper brand. Its got 15 speakers, sits on the shelf under the telly. Its supposed to simulate 5.1 by beaming the sound yada yada. Proper surround sound it isn't, but it sounds a whole lot better than the TV speakers.
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