I'm suspicious these days and always want more in-depth info when I hear about 'bad video quality' as so many times it's the original element not the actual transfer. And more to the point the best available original element.

God knows there are a plethora of morons on the net (both readers and reviewers) who just don't get the difference between original element film grain as opposed to a 'crappy transfer'. And the idea that a director might choose obvious film grain on purpose as an appropriate tonal and aesthetic choice is just beyond them. All those hi-def comments saying "it looks like shit! There's fuckin' grain everywhere" just make me wanna beat their heads against a wall. Grain is not video noise or bad compression. Aarrrgh!

Sorry I went off on a rant DH.

Moondoggy don't forget to scrub those floors. ;)

And TomBodet! y? Youre LAAAAME! Now put down your Ben Affleck blow up doll which you fuck whilst watching Pearl Harbor, climb out of that car that you live in and GO MEET SOME WOMEN! You need to get laid! And you need to learn how to defend a movie!

Except that SHIT BABY SHIT is undefendable because it doesnt make sense and has a shit ending.

Three more aintitcool reputations spoiled by the great Spoiler_Man!

That's all I can think of to explain this aberration.

Also, the thing about HD=DVD slashing their player prices is that it effectively cuts off their nose to spite their face. Outside of a couple of combo players, Toshiba (with MS's bottomless backing) are the only ones making them.

Every time they slash the price it discourages other hardware vendors from supporting the platform. Why would they make their own if they have to lose money hand over fist to be competitive with Tosh?

I know the idea was that by pretty much giving them away in cereal boxes they'd sell so much software that other hardware guys would support it too, or that Tosh would have everything to itself. Except that they can't raise the price back up to make it feasible for other vendors. Oops. That's my reasonably objective look at it anyway. I'm not saying the quality's not great or anything. Hope you can see that side.

Yes you've done research but it's all viewed through red-coloured glasses. As for the recorder, about God-damned time! Sorry but they're not doing anything new there, and those aren't even the largest capacity HDDs. But I guess you didn't bother to look at the competition, did you? BD recorders and burners have been out for ages. I'm not saying they're better, I'm just saying fair's fair. Man I'd be annoyed if I owned one of the laptops which came with a hd-dvd player in the last year or two (same if it was a BD player), as you can't have more than one internal in a lappy and what's the fucking point if you can't burn with it? It's just weird to me but then I'm a desktop person so I guess I just don't get that one.

And nice sidestep of the whole "cereal box" thing I put forth. As for the consumers, has it not occurred to you that the vendors have looked at the stats (especially software) for the last year and believe the consumer HAS made their choice? I guess not.

Yes, I'm well aware of the co-development of the cell. You're right though - I didn't put that very well and I don't think my intent came through. Maybe 'ironic' would have been a better choice. The point was just that I think it's all a bit hilarious that Toshiba spew vitriol (or is that just MS/HD-DVD fanboys) at Sony on the one hand, yet are employing the same tech themselves. But yes, it's evil when it comes to playing high-def discs, but not in the tellies you play them on! And yes the (becoming monotonous) chiding disappointed response are hilarious.

Anyway, it'd be great if you went back to your earlier tone, 'cause yep High-def movies are fucking awesome not matter which flavour you choose.

But please stop going on about "My wife and I"! Jesus! She's a person not a trophy/thing! I have a friend who does the same thing even though I've known her name for years. I'm starting to think your "wife" doesn't exist. Let it go. Not everyone here still lives in their mum's basement!

That reminds me. Back to work...

P.S. And my kids know YOU DON'T TOUCH THE FALCON!

I know JDaniel has a hard time with the idea that being the only HD player producer (pretty much) has made them discount to the point where no other manufacters will touch the format with a barge pole. Yes they have had MS's cash in the past but if that's starting to change (it's obvious from their own comments they just don't care anymore), then things like selling diddly squat in Japan may be prompting them to change. In a corporate/hardware sense they cut off their nose to spite their face with the merciless discounts, even if they spin it as caring for the consumer's wallet. Yeah right.

I think they'll put out BD players, continue with the HD-DVD players (all the returns should see 'em right for inventory, heh) until the end of the year, and spin it as "increased quality and choice for the consumer". That's my guess based on the past year anyway.

Just fuckin' hurry up. I want Zodiac on BD Goddammit!

If I was an HD-DVD guy that gesture (how many do you think will actually petition/request? What percentage?) would buy a helluva lot of goodwill though.

Still, why did you post that? As retaliation or proof that the Tosh rumour makes no difference? If so, it's a little like weak sauce my friend. It just shows Warners are good guys for letting you down gently. What was your subject line going to be? Cheers.

P.S. For God's sake man, use tinyurl!

Wow. Toshiba has had some serious karma. Even if this went down sooner they could have more than compensated with massive profits from SED. But they fucked that up too. Oh wait. They do have that rapid-charge lithium battery they'll make squillions on. Dammit (they do make great stuff and I've bought Tosh products but fuck they're an arrogant bunch - EVERY bit as bad as Sony)!

Also, yeah I know it doesn't matter to you as the consumer, but as I said above, those cheap players (the freebie disc giveaways were pretty even for both sides all in all) were a false economy. Do you really think that without Microsoft Toshiba could have afforded to take such an outrageous loss so early in its lifespan? Tosh don't have bottomless pockets, and basically they spat in the other hardware makers' faces because there was no way they'd make a profit and therefore there was no incentive to others to even start making the things (especially after a year of 1 to 3 HD to BD software sales). Which means (talking of monopolies) Tosh would pretty much be the only one doing it - and only then if they continued to have MS's deep pockets to support them, which was also getting shakey. And when many of the discs released on both formats were exactly the SAME bit for bit encode, I don't get how you can say "you don't like watching your movies on one" re: the PS3. It sits on the same shelf, plays the same quality movie. Are you saying it's the LOOK of a standalone you like? And therefore, it's not really about the movies after all. Maybe I'm misunderstanding that one. Also, it was generally found in the numbers over the last two years that early adopters wanted new releases over classic titles first. Obviously seeing as HD-DVD had less exclusive studios on their side they addressed the imbalance by putting out as many new AND classic releases as possible so people saw all those great movies and not the fact that the greater amount WEREN'T being released for their format. Which was great, if you're an HD-DVD fan. But do you really not think that those same releases won't come out super-quick on BD now, as BD can play that same encode (generally vc-1)? They've got 1080p masters ready and waiting!

And you weren't getting a hard time from me - I've been saying all along the discs don't self destruct if you "lose" the format war and the whole "replace my collection" malarkey is moronic. I still play my Laserdiscs. They're still fine (and no I don't hafta flip 'em).

Um, anyway the main thing was I also wanted to say I posted a long-arse reply to you in the Jesse James DVD talkback about it/Juno, hoping to clear up some misconception. Hope you saw it and we're cool.

Cheers mate.