Divx, Digital TV And Other Views
Dear Gary: Your magazine Issue 26 really hit the nail on the head. We couldn’t have asked for better topics. A multi-page article providing us with as much in-depth information on Divx as we could ever hope for. The interview with Richard Sharpe was excellent, and he did his best to hide their true intention — to cut everyone else out of the rental process and deliver a high continuous return of profit to the studios. The truth is, Mr. Sharpe doesn’t need to hide anything. Everyone is in business to make money and the studios hold the trump card... the movies. I would just like to see all titles available in the three formats, widescreen LaserDisc, DVD and Divx. Let the marketplace decide which product they prefer. Don’t tell us some studios have chosen Divx because of its secure copy guard. Divx was chosen because in theory and theory only, it represents a larger rate of return than DVD. Let’s not forget the bottom line is the return on the investment, not copy guard. It was very good to read Image Entertainment has secured the distribution rights from Warner Bros. for LaserDisc. Just as good was the news they are working at making LaserDiscs compatible in price with DVD and developing better ways to improve disc quality. It gives us loyal LaserDisc buyers the incentive to stick with the format. As far as HDTV, or as I prefer to call it digital TV, is concerned, I think the industry will sort itself out. I believe in the long run the FCC made the right decision by making no decision. Let’s face lt, if standards had been flexible from the beginning we would have enjoyed HDTV years ago. As it stands today, we lost that opportunity and now have jumped right over HDTV to digital TV. It would have been nice to go through that transition from HDTV to digital TV. What is really confusing to me is the need for a digital TV? Maybe you can clarify this matter in your next issue? If I subscribed to any of the satellite services I would have to purchase their receiver which incorporates a digital converter. I assume cable subscribers will be provided with a digital converter by their cable company. Who’s left? So, why do we need a digital TV? DSS and C-Band satellite already provide DVD/Laser Disc picture quality, why spend more money for a small improvement in picture quality? As Jimmy Johnson said there is no difference in 6-10 or 9-6, if you miss the playoffs. Once you reach 500 lines of resolution it doesn’t get much better. The noticeable difference is 250-500, not 500-1000. It’s like DVD and LaserDisc—you will have to strain to see the difference. Thanks for all the good information. I look forward to the next issue.
Ernest M. Leo, Niagara Falls, New York
Editor Gary Reber Comments:
Thank you for your positive remarks about Widescreen Review coverage of the issues. We will be publishing articles related to DTV matters in upcoming issues. Stay tuned.
You can E-mail Widescreen Review @ mailto:editorgary@widescreenreview.com