Is the difference between HD and DVD greater than the difference between VHS & DVD - Technology Forum - Home Theater, Computer, Televisions, Personal Electronics and more!

Nimbus · 08-08-2006, 11:21 AM

I gotta disagree with this one: "Q: Is HD really a greater increase in picture quality over DVD than DVD was over VHS?"

VHS was more like 240i, and had other issues that made PQ worse like stretching the tape just by using it. DVD to HD is not nearly as dramatic, IMO. PERHAPS I'll change my mind once I see a 1080p TV at 100" with a 1080p source, but that is years off for any of us, really. There's about 3 such TVs available (none under $15K), and zero sources.

redford · 08-08-2006, 11:22 AM

I won't. 1080p is a much bigger improvement than VHS-DVD. 1080i/720p D-VHS has most of the negatives of VHS tapes and is also just as big of an improvement. Keith over at AVS posted today that the 1080p material being shown at CES makes 720p look like VHS.

Augustes · 08-08-2006, 11:22 AM

This is about facts. The math of this just does not back up your claims. Even at 1080i the difference is staggering.

Nero · 08-08-2006, 11:22 AM

This is about facts. The math of this just does not back up your claims. Even at 1080i the difference is staggering.

redford · 08-08-2006, 11:22 AM

I will not deny that this transition is not the paradigm shift that VHS-DVD was. DVD made many watch movies in a completely new way, though the LD faithful would dispute that.

If we are strictly talking picture quality, the increase is bigger.

Augustes · 08-08-2006, 11:23 AM

I sit at about 1.8x, looks great. I tend to consider angle as more important than resolution, at least once resolution is great enough to avoid SDE or other pixel artifacts. For example, the SMPTE board recommends based on angles and brightness, not pixel-peeping. So greater resolution is great, but will have diminishing returns unless you like the tennis-match-head-swivel from sitting close.