| FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK |
By Peter M. Bracke
Monday July 3, 2006 at 12:45AM EST
As I sit down to write my initial comparisons of the first-generation of Blu-ray and HD DVD hardware and software, it's hard to believe that after two-odd years of hype, hope and expectation, both formats have finally launched and are now only as far away as a quick stroll to your local Best Buy. With all the obstacles that have been thrown in front of both formats -- the numerous product delays, persistent naysaying by the mainstream media and much industry catfighting -- even the most optimistic home theater enthusiast could be forgiven for thinking this day would never come. But now that the dust has settled, and Blu-ray and HD DVD are at last real-world consumer products, we can take a step back, assess each format's initial strength and weaknesses, and gaze into our crystal ball to predict what the future may hold for the future of prerecorded, high-definition disc-based content.
Having lived with the first of the two high-def formats, HD DVD, for over two months now -- and after having reviewed nearly three dozen HD DVD discs -- I can safely say that it has delivered on the bottom line: producing generally excellent image and audio quality, and at least matching the amount of extras currently being offered on standard DVD. Which is to say that if the format hasn't exactly thrown down the gauntlet for Blu-ray, it at least set a bar that its rival had to match, or risk being perceived as a second place finisher.
What follows are, in no particular order, my impressions of the positives and negatives of the Blu-ray format thus far -- and how it stacks up to HD DVD. I'll also address some of the technical issues that have plagued first-generation hardware and software for both formats, and I'll save my declaration of which format I feel has "won" this first round one battle until the very end of this overview (gotta build some suspense, right?). I want to emphasize that this is only the first of many comparisons to come, and initial impressions are only just that.
Blu-ray's First Player -- General Ergonomics
Though many expected primary Blu-ray backer Sony to be the first out of the gate with a commercial Blu-ray player, extensive delays ended up pushing back the company's debut deck until later this fall. So it was left to Samsung, with their BD-P1000 Blu-ray wonder, to fly in like Superman and come to the rescue.
A bit more attractive in its design than either of the Toshiba HD DVD decks (the HD-A1 and its pricier cousin the HD-XA1), Samsung's BD-P1000 is a sleek and streamlined unit that boasts one immediately noticeable improvement over its HD DVD competitors: load times are quicker right out of the box, with start up taking roughly 25-odd seconds, then another 20 or so seconds to boot a disc. Compared to the Toshibas -- which can take well over a minute to fire up a disc -- the Samsung deck seems like something out of 'Star Trek' (in fairness to Toshiba, they now offer a free firmware upgrade for both of its HD DVD first-gen models, which greatly reduces load times and brings them more or less in line with ).
The BD-P1000 also trumps both of Toshiba's players in another area -- the remote. Neither of the controllers for the HD-A1 and HD-XA1 have won many fans amongst early adopters. Long and narrow, with tiny buttons and a frustrating layout, it is hard to imagine Samsung coming up with a more uncomfortable remote. And while the BD-P1000's controller is not the greatest remote I've ever used -- nor is it the prettiest -- it is easier to use, with larger buttons and a more intuitive arrangement. So, in terms of overall ergonomics of the first-gen players, round one goes to Samsung and Blu-ray.
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Picture Quality, Part 1 -- Or, the Great "1080p versus 1080i" Debate
Ultimately, it doesn't matter how good a player looks on the outside if its guts on the inside can't deliver great video performance. Here is where the Samsung BD-P1000 really surprised many early adopters -- it has a number of problematic issues that certainly keep it from being a home run, or even a solid triple.
Perhaps the feature of the BD-P1000 that was most lauded before release was its ability to output true native 1080p resolution via the deck's HDMI output. However, it turns out that that claim comes with one very serious footnote. Seems the BD-P1000 can indeed output 1080p -- it is the "native" part that is up for debate. Though all current Blu-ray and HD DVD titles from supporting studios are known to include 1080p-encoded video transfers, the BD-P1000 pulls the video off the disc at 1080i, then de-interlaces it to 1080p internally before outputting via HDMI. Which is exactly the same process a 1080p-capable HDTV monitor uses when it is fed a 1080i signal and then upconverts it via its own circuitry to 1080p. So, if the Samsung is simply converting 1080i to 1080p internally instead of outputting 1080i and letting an HDTV upconvert it, is it really "native"? And more importantly, is the image quality any better?
Having reviewed 11 Blu-ray disc releases thus far, my impression is that, no, the 1080p output on the Samsung offers no appreciable upgrade in quality over the 1080i output on either of the Toshibas. In fact, depending on which HDTV you own, your monitor may end up doing a better job of de-interlacing a 1080i signal than the Samsung.
Picture Quality, Part 2 -- Or, the Great "HDMI versus Component" Debate
The "native 1080p versus de-interlaced 1080i" conundrum aside, what has been generating the biggest negative buzz for Blu-ray and the Samsung BD-P1000 are reports that some users have experienced a degradation in picture quality when viewing discs via the deck's HDMI output. The story first generated attention over at The Digital Bits, where editor Bill Hunt wrote this very fine piece on some comparative testing he did between the picture quality generated by the Samsung's HDMI versus component outputs. The surprising outcome? The BD-P1000's component outputs performed far more impressively, with the HDMI output suffering from decreased resolution and weaker color reproduction. While this problem appears to be particular to Panasonic HDTV monitors and not other brands of HDTVs, it is clearly a problem, since the industry is championing HDMI as being the connector of the choice for high-def content.
When assessing the transfer of any Blu-ray or HD DVD disc title, we here at High Def Digest always compare the HDMI versus component output on every disc to detect any depreciable differences in image quality, as well as to confirm whether or not the Image Constraint Token (ICT) has been activated on a particular disc title or not (which would down-convert the component output's resolution to standard DVD quality). So far, we have not experienced any noticeable degradation of the image quality via the Samsung's HDMI versus component output on any of the Blu-ray titles we have reviewed, but we are not currently using any Panasonic brand HDTVs.
Instead, the image quality issues we have encountered with the Blu-ray discs we have reviewed thus far (most notably Sony's initial launch titles) have stemmed from weak and inconsistent source material. The soft, drab and dirty prints used for such titles as 'The Fifth Element,' 'xXx' and 'House of Flying Daggers' were disappointing, and regardless of which output you choose, they don't look particularly good. This is in marked contrast to Warner and Universal's HD DVD titles, which, aside from the occasional dud (such as the poor 'Full Metal Jacket') have more consistently delivered strong transfers. Lionsgate's initial Blu-ray offerings, too, have suffered. All eight of the studio's first batch of discs have been marred by an inexplicable "dropped frames" problem, in which there is a visible jittering of the image during scenes with fast-moving action.
While no one expected either HD DVD or Blu-ray to arrive without a single hitch, due to the severity of the problems that have plagued Blu-ray thus far, overall, HD DVD has delivered the more consistently impressive and durable initial product.
Audio Quality
Boy, the Blu-ray and HD DVD camps certainly don't make this one easy. With the content providers for each format all using different audio encoding formats for their discs, trying to level the playing field for a fair comparison is like trying to compare apples and oranges and bananas. HD DVD backers Warner and Universal have so far favored Dolby Digital-Plus tracks (and the occasional full-blown TrueHD mix), while Sony has decided to go with uncompressed PCM 5.1 soundtracks on its initial Blu-ray releases and Lionsgate is simply porting over the the existing Dolby Digital EX and DTS-ES mixes from its standard DVD counterparts).
And while Blu-ray has certainly been far more consistent in delivering solid audio than video, I've been generally pleased with the audio quality of the HD DVD releases as well. Bottom line: until a studio comes out with a title on both Blu-ray and HD DVD that includes the same audio formats on both releases, I have to call this one a wash for now.
Exclusive HD Content -- Say Hello to the "Blu-Wizard"
Though supporting studios all have different names for the technology, all current Blu-ray and HD DVD discs offer the ability to seamlessly navigate a disc's menus in real-time, with no interruption to the playback of the main feature. So far, Warner and HD DVD are the only ones to go the extra mile by offering more streamlined menus, the ability to customize your own chapter bookmarks, and even zoom-and-pan the picture at up to 32x magnification on their HD DVD discs.
As for actual exclusive HD bonus content you can't get on a standard DVD release, currently HD DVD gets my vote. Two titles have been released so far (Warner's 'Constantine' and Universal's 'Bourne Supremacy') that include the "In-Movie Experience" -- the presentation of bonus materials like filmmaker interviews and behind-the-scenes footage in a video commentary-like format, all seamlessly integrated with playback of the main feature. Certainly, a couple of titles is hardly a deluge, but at least it's a start.
Meanwhile Sony backer Blu-ray is touting something called "Blu-Wizard" in its Blu-ray sales material. Though no discs have yet been released with the function, it promises to allow users to create their own "custom playlists" of scenes and bonus content, as well as watch supplements interactively as pop-up overlays atop playback of the main feature. Sounds pretty cool, and a bit more interactive than Warner's "In-Movie Experience" (which does not allow viewers to create supplement playlists).
Studio Support
Technically, Blu-ray has the edge here -- more studios overall have pledged support for the format than HD DVD. However, as of this writing, in terms of the number of studios actively producting titles, both HD DVD and Blu-ray enjoy somewhat equal support -- Universal and Warner on the HD DVD side, and Sony/MGM and Lionsgate on the Blu-ray side. And with HD DVD generally earning more positive notices than Blu-ray, if consumer sales for HD DVD follow suit, so too could studio support.
Packaging -- Ain't Blu Pretty?
Well, at least they're consistent. Unlike the myriad of packaging options that hampered DVD when it first debuted (anyone remember that atrocious "Polygram-pak," which required you to slide the disc out of the box on this little tray that scratched the hell out of the disc before you even played it?) both the HD DVD and Blu-ray packages are virtually identical in shape, thickness and weight. Of course, there is one big difference -- color. Now I realize this is entirely subjective, but I slightly prefer the vivid deep blue of the Blu-ray packaging, not only because it is more serene but also because it allows for graphics on the reverse side of the front and back cover to show through the inside of the packaging. Kinda nifty.
Durability -- Hard Coat is Cool
Perhaps the least-heralded aspect of the Blu-ray format is the implementation of Sony's "Hard Coat" technology to protect the discs from damage. Anyone who has ever rented a DVD from Netflix only to find it scratched and unplayable knows how frustrating and commonplace wear and tear can be. So Sony created a special polymer protective coating applied to every Blu-ray disc that helps prevent or greatly reduce skipping, pixilated images and other picture ailments that result from scratches and smudges.
Though I have yet to throw a few of my discs down and stomp on them to see which format takes the beating the best, perhaps someone will do a demolition derby comparison between the two formats soon. Hey, Consumer Reports, how 'bout it?
Money Still Talks
I said it in my earlier HD DVD First Impressions editorial, and I think it's just as true now that Blu-ray has arrived -- the deciding factor in the high-def format battle will ultimately be affordability, pure and simple. Early adopters and those with disposable income aside, the "average joe" consumer doesn't have thousands of dollars to invest in untested formats, and home entertainment is just one small facet of their busy lives. In order for HD DVD and Blu-ray to succeed, both formats must eventually come down in price for both hardware and software. Way down.
Out of the gate, HD DVD wins the budget battle easily. With Toshiba's HD-A1 half the price of the Samsung BD-P1000's $999 price tag, that's a huge savings for a format that so far is consistently delivering better image quality and more bonus features. HD DVD discs on average also cost less per disc than Blu-ray (Lionsgate's premium $39.95 price tag for discs with no extras is particularly off-putting). Of course, we are still way early in the game, but it is not hard to imagine the initial sticker-shock an average consumer would experience when confronted with that $999 price tag for a Blu-ray player at their local Circuit City.
The PS3 Factor
If some industry analysts are to be believed, the high-def format war was won the minute Sony decided to include a Blu-ray drive in the PS3. Due out in November, if Sony is able to move the millions of units of the console that are expected, the number of households with a Blu-ray player will dwarf even the most optimistic sales projections for HD DVD (Microsoft's planned Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on be damned).
But here is where that ugly reality of cost again muddies the prognosis for Blu-ray. When Sony announced last month that it would be pricing its two launch versions of the PS3 at $499 and $599 (the latter including a larger hard drive and an HDMI output), the backlash from the gaming community was immediate. Easily one of the most expensive next-generation consoles ever introduced, diehard gamers will undoubtedly still plunk down the cash for a system they can't live without, but for the Blu-ray format to ultimately succeed it must become a mainstream consumer product. How are those high price tags for the PS3 going to affect long-term sales? Can the PS3, and by extension Blu-ray, cross-over as a must-have toy for middle-class families when it costs at least half a grand?
Suddenly, PS3 as Blu-ray's ace in the hole doesn't seem so assured. Certainly, the PS3 will play a major role in the format battle's next few years -- but I, for one, am no longer betting on Blu-ray's victory just on the strength of the PS3 factor alone.
Final Thoughts -- Nobody Puts Blu-ray in a Corner
So, the big question -- who won round one? I can't say either has sailed through their launch with flying colors. But all aspects considered -- reliability of hardware, video and audio quality of the discs released thus far, overall value for money -- I have to give HD DVD props for defying almost all predictions and trumping Blu-ray right at the starting line. For all of the Blu-ray camp's boasting of superior storage capability, increased interactivity and more across-the-board industry support, it just hasn't amounted to an appreciably better real-world product. In fact, Blu-ray has thus far underperformed.
Needless to say, this could all change. The fourth quarter will be the first true test for Blu-ray and HD DVD, with more studios releasing titles for both formats (most notably Fox for Blu-ray, and New Line for HD DVD), some second-generation hardware that should improve performance, and more new HDTVs that accept genuine native 1080p inputs. Once the playing field has been leveled and studios and manufacturers have had more time to surmount the learning curve, I bet we will see far more consistent product, and even a few cutting-edge discs that will blow everyone away.
In the meantime, if you're still on the fence in deciding between Blu-ray or HD DVD, there is nothing wrong with simply waiting it out a bit. As much fun as any new home electronics technology can be, it does come at a price -- but that is why High Def Digest is here. We do all the expensive heavy lifting for you, so when you're finally ready to jump in, you can buy with confidence. So continue to watch this space for daily news coverage and reviews, and see you in the fourth quarter with my impressions on round two of the great high-def DVD format war.
