Various Threads On D-VHS And D-Theater
Dear Gary: There were EXCELLENT discussions on D-VHS and D-Theater on the various Internet forums. Please read these threads regarding D-VHS: http://www.softronix.com/ ubb/Forum1/HTML/000938.html and http:// www.hometheaterforum.com/htforum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=57582&perpage= 30&display=&pagenumber=1. I echo your sentiments regarding D-Theater. My fear is that if D-VHS doesn’t become reasonably successful, we will get MPEG-4 red laser shoved down our throats by DVD Forum members. I wholeheartedly disagree with 7 Mbps MPEG-4 to provide 1080i or any other poor attempt to provide HD DVD. Anything short of FMD technology or some sort of blue laser technology for HD DVD will provide nothing more than questionably better quality we already have with the current DVD format. I hope that fellow home theatre enthusiasts embrace the humongous increase in video and picture quality that D-VHS brings to the table today. I will not settle for any attempt by the DVD Forum to call over-compressed, 7 Mbps 1080i video an HD DVD format. If the DVD Forum can bring to the table something close to what D-VHS brings to the table, that is a different story. I FULLY and WHOLEHEARTEDLY embrace D-VHS and look forward to buying as many prerecorded movies as possible in the D-VHS format. I suggested the following, which is something we are doing: a petition against the use of MPEG-4 DVD or similar low-bit rate method to achieve 1080i resolution. The DVD Forum is playing a sheer marketing game and withholding superior large bandwidth technology. D-VHS is our ally and we don’t need the DVD Forum manufacturers. If they want to change their tune and make the correct decision by accepting FMD technology or developing Blu-ray into HD DVD format, fine. D-VHS gets 110 percent support from me until there is a comparable bandwidth/storage technology from DVD Forum manufacturers. I support any petition against LOW BIT RATE MPEG-4 as an HD DVD format. The petition does not have to embrace D-VHS, but it does have to petition against LOW BIT RATE HD DVD and for a high-bandwidth/ high-storage medium.
Christian Artman, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Editor-In-Chief Gary Reber Comments:
Thank you for bringing this new “HD-plus” development to the Home Theater Forum and AVS Forum. As you know, I lent support to the petition you referenced in Issue 61, June. I encourage our readership to support this petition.
You can E-mail Widescreen Review @ mailto:editorgary@widescreenreview.com