Games

[Lautakwah]

anyone getting one of these....very interested since I've been waiting for the price of the players to come down....meybe wait for some reviews to see how the vid quality stacks up to stand alone players....that and if my 360 takes another dump I wont be able to use the drive either...hurmmm. 

[wizll]

4 million lines of code for software decoder from what i read

how it performs i dunno, but it was actually a amazon top seller

[Lautakwah]

yaaarr from what i read playing hddvds on the 360 with this drive pushes the machine more than any game out today...gg so if 360 already had an overheating problem imagine what this drive will do to the ones that are already on the edge. 

[wizll]

---

Lautakwah wrote:

yaaarr from what i read playing hddvds on the 360 with this drive pushes the machine more than any game out today...gg so if 360 already had an overheating problem imagine what this drive will do to the ones that are already on the edge. 

---

except GoW

[Lautakwah]

bleh think im gonna pass...seems like an interesting product but since my tv doesnt have an hdmi input once the stupios decide to implement their hdcp crap I will be fubar...no intention of buying a new set anytime soon. 

[doomelf]

The drive works fine. We hooked it up to our Westinghouse 37" 1080p LCD over VGA and it played movies at 1080p without a problem. Framerates were smooth and we didn't see any tearing or artifacts. VGA is the best option since component video gets downgraded to 1080i.

By the time movie studios get around to using the ICT image constraint token, standalone HD DVD or Blu-ray players (whoever wins) will be down to $100 and you'll be ready to buy a new TV.

[Lautakwah]

---

doomelf wrote:

The drive works fine. We hooked it up to our Westinghouse 37" 1080p LCD over VGA and it played movies at 1080p without a problem. Framerates were smooth and we didn't see any tearing or artifacts. VGA is the best option since component video gets downgraded to 1080i.

By the time movie studios get around to using the ICT image constraint token, standalone HD DVD or Blu-ray players (whoever wins) will be down to $100 and you'll be ready to buy a new TV.

---

that makes sooo much sense...so much sense in fact I went out and bought one tonight...hahahah, and i'm glad I did.  running a 55" crt (not professionally calibrated but I did run it through dvd essentials) and at 1080i the picture looks simply amazing.  There is some very slight jittering with certain scenes (mainly white screens or small text...but nothing too noticeable) but I chalk that up to the interlace display rather than the drive.  Did a quick comparison with the sd version of king kong vs the hd version and the difference is quite dramatic...ones kinda blurry and grainy and the other is clear.  System seems quieter since it isn't spinning a disc and the hd drive is pretty silent so no problems there.  Only complaint so far is the co-ax out levels seem to be set pretty low and there doens't seem to be anyway to adjust it...ah well just jack up the vol.  I'm also glad they still support DD and DTS as my receiver can't process the new DD true HD and DTS ++.  If anyone else is thinking about popping for the drive go for it, you get king kong and a remote for free so that knocks off about 35 bux off the price...can't get much cheaper than that for an hddvd player. 

[Stereolab]

sucks that you have to buy all your dvds over again......

[wizll]

damn james should be working at MS home enterntainment sales division haha

[wizll]

oh, and did you do this http://www.fatwallet.com/t/18/670622/

[Luhn]

Hi Doomelf!  Long time no vanish, eh?

[Lautakwah]

MI 3

movie - meh, it was ok, best of the three but that isn't saying too much.  If the first 2 gave you some cheap thrills then this one will do the same.  gotta say WORSE MAIN VILLIAN EVER.  Freaking hard to take a main villain seriously when the guy looks and sorta drawwwllls his voice like Louie Anderson.  (not a spoiler cuz he's IDed as the main villian in the first 2 seconds of the movie). 

video - very nice.  I cannot go back to SD after watching a movie in HD.  forget it.  Wide shots are simply stunning, black levels are inky black, no compression artifacts to be found (usually easily seen in darker scenes as weird not so black blocks), there are no flecks and specks anywhere in the transfer...truly nice.  Possible problems though there was one scene towards the end where cruise is running by the river.  The camera scrolls along with him and passes a series of docked boats and the video gets a little stair steppish where part of the picture cant keep up with the rest.  There was also one shot where there were stairs shot at a 45 degree angle and they panned the camera, the stairs turned into a jagged mess.  Thats about it, other than those 2 things there isn't much to complain about regarding the picture. 

sound - i think there is a level problem with the co ax out as sound level is pretty low even when i crank the receiver up.  fairly ordinary track with your typical action movie explosions and gun shots...nothing too special.  bass was just about right for me (ie not too much), dialogue was clear, no weird pops and hisses on the track.    

overall OK movie, great DVD.  gonna check out batman forever tomorrow so I'll post a short review of that when i get a chance. 

[Stereolab]

sounds neat

[Krendal]

---

Lautakwah wrote:

MI 3

movie - meh, it was ok, best of the three but that isn't saying too much.  If the first 2 gave you some cheap thrills then this one will do the same.  gotta say WORSE MAIN VILLIAN EVER.  Freaking hard to take a main villain seriously when the guy looks and sorta drawwwllls his voice like Louie Anderson.  (not a spoiler cuz he's IDed as the main villian in the first 2 seconds of the movie). 

video - very nice.  I cannot go back to SD after watching a movie in HD.  forget it.  Wide shots are simply stunning, black levels are inky black, no compression artifacts to be found (usually easily seen in darker scenes as weird not so black blocks), there are no flecks and specks anywhere in the transfer...truly nice.  Possible problems though there was one scene towards the end where cruise is running by the river.  The camera scrolls along with him and passes a series of docked boats and the video gets a little stair steppish where part of the picture cant keep up with the rest.  There was also one shot where there were stairs shot at a 45 degree angle and they panned the camera, the stairs turned into a jagged mess.  Thats about it, other than those 2 things there isn't much to complain about regarding the picture. 

sound - i think there is a level problem with the co ax out as sound level is pretty low even when i crank the receiver up.  fairly ordinary track with your typical action movie explosions and gun shots...nothing too special.  bass was just about right for me (ie not too much), dialogue was clear, no weird pops and hisses on the track.    

overall OK movie, great DVD.  gonna check out batman forever tomorrow so I'll post a short review of that when i get a chance. 

---

MEH! What do you mean worst main villian ever? He didn't drawl and he wasn't close to sounding like Louie Anderson, it was a deep low and often menacing voice and he didn't give a shit about how other people felt about what he did. Never let any personal feelings get in the way of what he was doing. Action in the movie was great. I do agree it was the best of the three though. Number 2 was just an action movie thanks to Woo.

[Lautakwah]

---

Krendal wrote:

---

Lautakwah wrote:

MI 3

movie - meh, it was ok, best of the three but that isn't saying too much.  If the first 2 gave you some cheap thrills then this one will do the same.  gotta say WORSE MAIN VILLIAN EVER.  Freaking hard to take a main villain seriously when the guy looks and sorta drawwwllls his voice like Louie Anderson.  (not a spoiler cuz he's IDed as the main villian in the first 2 seconds of the movie). 

video - very nice.  I cannot go back to SD after watching a movie in HD.  forget it.  Wide shots are simply stunning, black levels are inky black, no compression artifacts to be found (usually easily seen in darker scenes as weird not so black blocks), there are no flecks and specks anywhere in the transfer...truly nice.  Possible problems though there was one scene towards the end where cruise is running by the river.  The camera scrolls along with him and passes a series of docked boats and the video gets a little stair steppish where part of the picture cant keep up with the rest.  There was also one shot where there were stairs shot at a 45 degree angle and they panned the camera, the stairs turned into a jagged mess.  Thats about it, other than those 2 things there isn't much to complain about regarding the picture. 

sound - i think there is a level problem with the co ax out as sound level is pretty low even when i crank the receiver up.  fairly ordinary track with your typical action movie explosions and gun shots...nothing too special.  bass was just about right for me (ie not too much), dialogue was clear, no weird pops and hisses on the track.    

overall OK movie, great DVD.  gonna check out batman forever tomorrow so I'll post a short review of that when i get a chance. 

---

MEH! What do you mean worst main villian ever? He didn't drawl and he wasn't close to sounding like Louie Anderson, it was a deep low and often menacing voice and he didn't give a shit about how other people felt about what he did. Never let any personal feelings get in the way of what he was doing. Action in the movie was great. I do agree it was the best of the three though. Number 2 was just an action movie thanks to Woo.

---

ok meybe he didnt' sound like him but come onnnn, pack on 100 pounds and its louie anderson...and the way he died zzzzz. 

[pansy]

---

Lautakwah wrote:

---

Krendal wrote:

---

Lautakwah wrote:

MI 3

movie - meh, it was ok, best of the three but that isn't saying too much.  If the first 2 gave you some cheap thrills then this one will do the same.  gotta say WORSE MAIN VILLIAN EVER.  Freaking hard to take a main villain seriously when the guy looks and sorta drawwwllls his voice like Louie Anderson.  (not a spoiler cuz he's IDed as the main villian in the first 2 seconds of the movie). 

video - very nice.  I cannot go back to SD after watching a movie in HD.  forget it.  Wide shots are simply stunning, black levels are inky black, no compression artifacts to be found (usually easily seen in darker scenes as weird not so black blocks), there are no flecks and specks anywhere in the transfer...truly nice.  Possible problems though there was one scene towards the end where cruise is running by the river.  The camera scrolls along with him and passes a series of docked boats and the video gets a little stair steppish where part of the picture cant keep up with the rest.  There was also one shot where there were stairs shot at a 45 degree angle and they panned the camera, the stairs turned into a jagged mess.  Thats about it, other than those 2 things there isn't much to complain about regarding the picture. 

sound - i think there is a level problem with the co ax out as sound level is pretty low even when i crank the receiver up.  fairly ordinary track with your typical action movie explosions and gun shots...nothing too special.  bass was just about right for me (ie not too much), dialogue was clear, no weird pops and hisses on the track.    

overall OK movie, great DVD.  gonna check out batman forever tomorrow so I'll post a short review of that when i get a chance. 

---

MEH! What do you mean worst main villian ever? He didn't drawl and he wasn't close to sounding like Louie Anderson, it was a deep low and often menacing voice and he didn't give a shit about how other people felt about what he did. Never let any personal feelings get in the way of what he was doing. Action in the movie was great. I do agree it was the best of the three though. Number 2 was just an action movie thanks to Woo.

---

ok meybe he didnt' sound like him but come onnnn, pack on 100 pounds and its louie anderson...and the way he died zzzzz. 

---

back when louie anderson had a cartoon on fox there was a commercial where someone asked him what he fed his pet.  his response: chicken... doughnuts... cheesecake...  now when someone asks me what i want to eat i sometimes reply with chicken... doughnuts... cheesecake...

Message Edited by pansy on 11-14-2006 11:43 AM

[Lautakwah]

hmm another possible problem are chromatic abberations (purple fringing) during playback of certain scenes.  I've only watched mi3 but CA is easily visible on the nighttime cityscape shots.  On a standalone player this is usually a shortcoming on the chip they use to decode the video but on the 360 I'm not too sure where the problem lies.  possibly the version of media player they are using since most of it is software trying to fake the funk of a standalone player. 

[Kevorkian]

bah not jumping on that until someone like netflix has HD DVD in wide availability or the media prices come down to current DVD levels.

old DVD is good enough for this Luddite!

[Lautakwah]

---

Kevorkian wrote:
bah not jumping on that until someone like netflix has HD DVD in wide availability or the media prices come down to current DVD levels.

old DVD is good enough for this Luddite!

---

i think netflix already has a decent number of blue ray and hddvd titles

[Lautakwah]

hmmm so watching a few more movies I will say there is a definite issue with the audio and how the 360 decodes the tracks.  so far comparing king kong hd vs sd, sound quality is far superior on the sd version...batman is a bit better than kong but its still missing something when compared to the sd version.  From what I've read the 360 will convert all types of tracks (DTS, DD ++ etc) to a DD 5.1 track.  now its suspected the 360 is compressing the audio to an even lower bit rate than a regular 5.1 track which is a why a lot of the tracks don't have that kick that they're suppose to.  The standalone players (or actually I think the recievers they are attatched to) do this also since the only way to get the dd ++ and dd true hd track is through an HDMI connection (which means a receiver that accepts the hdmi connection) or through 6 analog connections (reason for hdmi or separate analog is because co-ax doenst' have the bandwidth to carry the dd ++, dd true etc tracks), but the standalones do a much better job at the conversion.  ahh well overall though for the price its still a worthwhile addon and will hold most of us over until the prices of standalone players come down.