Regardless of Blu-Ray being the technically superior format, HD-DVD was a superior format for customers. I have never once had an issue with my HD-DVD player. However, on the other hand, I have had to update my firmware on my Blu-Ray a few times, had some playback issues with a couple movies, etc etc. Blu-Ray is not a finalized specification, on the other hand HD-DVD for the most part was. HD-DVD beat Blu-Ray into production so Blu-Ray was released as a partly unfinished spec. The consumer cannot always just pop in a video and go with Blu-Ray. So this is not necessarily the best of news. Once again marketing made something seem better then it actually may or may not be.
I began playing video games further back then i remember, but i do know one thing, i learned a considerable amount from them. For example, i have developed my reflexes and learned to drive in video games. Now in actually driving i have used those skills more times than can be counted, but i do know that because of it i have yet to smash up the car. People say video games are violent, however i believe that it is a place where you can take your violence out with no consequence rather then in the real world. I have learned problem solving skills in some cases (although normally limited) but in newer games this is becoming more prevalent. (Portal for example). I believe video games do a lot of good for the kiddies.
I never shut my computer off, components will last much longer if left running especially hard drives. I have shut computers off at work before for simple things or maintenance, and when you go to turn them back on, they do not run.
Seeing as Quanta makes all notebooks for both these companies, i doubt a wal-mart version would be any different than that at best buy or online. Quanta makes most all notebooks available from these brand name companies. This includes you apple fanboys as well.
Something i forgot to mention, all these upgrades were purchased within the last year, the reason behind it all? My gaming. The xbox360 led to the DLP, led to the HD-DVD, then the blu-ray. I see this happening with many others also.
First off let me start by saying a few things. You cannot create something from nothing (upconvert DVD player). If you could, we would all be using 2 megapixel digitals.
With that out of the way. HD-DVD and Blu-Ray both have far superior video and audio quality. First the audio, many say it is marketing. However it is not i promise. Those of you with you home theater in a box, or cheap systems, will not know the difference. But throw in a processor rated for Dolby-HD and DTS-HD, high quality speakers and subwoofer, and decent power provided by separate amps, and the difference in the audio quickly becomes apparent. Uncompressed audio (HD) versus compressed audio (DVD) is vastly different, mainly in the high end is noticeable. Once again this is with a system costing many thousands, rather then a few hundred or a thousand tops.
Video quality is also far better, once again you need necessary hardware. Personally after testing both formats with a Samsung HLS-5687W DLP, BDP-1400 Blu-ray, and xbox HD-DVD. They are very close, one thing i did notice, the dark scenes in a blu-ray seem to have more noise then in HD-DVD. The blu-ray has also had numerous firmware issues with certain movies. HD-DVD is simpler, and seems better for your average joe. However both are extremely better then DVD, and upconvert DVD. My personal opinion, HD-DVD is a better buy at the time. Toshiba HDA1 (i believe) is around $200. (Less then i paid for my first DVD player).
I think that because of low adoption rates, both format will continue to exists for some time, however one will inevitably be lost. For grandpa he will not know nor care about the difference. However for the new generations, used to high res computer displays and vivid gaming, the new HD movies will also work their way into society. TV prices are dropping as are the players. With sub services such as netflix carrying all of both formats for no extra cost we have ease of access.
In all DVD vs HD is as big a gain as DVD vs VHS, if not more.
Yes the ES&S machines may be vulnerable, but who honestly cares, consider, during election, these machines are never left with one person. The machine are dropped at the beginning of the election, empty. VST protocol requires the technician to verify that nothing is stored on the machines, with another poll worker. The VST will then load the ballot to the machine for the day. During the day, there is no way someone could physically hack these machines, between poll workers, poll watches, and voters, i think i would be noticed booting linux from a CD or using paper clips, etc. etc. After the election is closed, the master PEB is placed in each machine and the votes are all removed. Results are printed, and PEB's are placed in a box, sealed with a plastic seal which is serial numbered and recorded by the SOE. The PEB's are taken to a drop point, and the seal is broken, and data is extracted off the PEB's and combined with all precincts. I think the biggest problem is that the people do not understand the procedures used in these voting machines. After working in elections multiple times as a VST in South FL, i would say unless the entire precinct is in on rigging the machines, (we're talking 10-15 people) then it would not be feasible. Consider who works elections, (55+ crowd + linux = no profit)
AMD has had on die memory controllers for how long now? Athlon 64 cornerstone was this feature. AMD has also developed and successfully integrated hypertransport in today's machines. AMD is also working on the same type of development, but they already has two key pieces already in place. Now with their acquisition of ATI i see them in a much better situation to implement this form of technology than intel. Intel can do it, but they have much more research to conduct and test before their chips will be ready. I believe AMD will quietly work on this, and drop it a year or so before intel. Then intel will be in the catchup phase again. This whole thing works in cycles, AMD and intel will constantly be swapping places on top of the mountain.
What exactly does this do for alternative energy, i thought we were attempting to avoid oil gas, and coal?
How small exactly? Are we talking laptops powered with natural gas small? Or just a minimal reduction in size, either way, i don't see much benefit, couldn't those corn cobs be better used to make biodiesel instead?
Obviousley Sony was doomed to fail from the start. they had their short lived fame with PS1 and PS2. Blu-ray will fail just as betamax in the 80's, the adult film industry chose to go against beta, and have done the same with BD, which all elads to the death of PS3, on top of that not everyone has hdtv's just lying around, so less of a reason for the PS3. MS is doing remarkably well considering their unit has been out for a year, only so many people can purchase a 360, i would have expected sony to do better then a year old unit, but surprise they have not. woe is sony
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Regardless of Blu-Ray being the technically superior format, HD-DVD was a superior format for customers. I have never once had an issue with my HD-DVD player. However, on the other hand, I have had to update my firmware on my Blu-Ray a few times, had some playback issues with a couple movies, etc etc. Blu-Ray is not a finalized specification, on the other hand HD-DVD for the most part was. HD-DVD beat Blu-Ray into production so Blu-Ray was released as a partly unfinished spec. The consumer cannot always just pop in a video and go with Blu-Ray. So this is not necessarily the best of news. Once again marketing made something seem better then it actually may or may not be.
I began playing video games further back then i remember, but i do know one thing, i learned a considerable amount from them. For example, i have developed my reflexes and learned to drive in video games. Now in actually driving i have used those skills more times than can be counted, but i do know that because of it i have yet to smash up the car. People say video games are violent, however i believe that it is a place where you can take your violence out with no consequence rather then in the real world. I have learned problem solving skills in some cases (although normally limited) but in newer games this is becoming more prevalent. (Portal for example). I believe video games do a lot of good for the kiddies.
I never shut my computer off, components will last much longer if left running especially hard drives. I have shut computers off at work before for simple things or maintenance, and when you go to turn them back on, they do not run.
Same company makes your mac laptop that made my dell laptop. :)
Seeing as Quanta makes all notebooks for both these companies, i doubt a wal-mart version would be any different than that at best buy or online. Quanta makes most all notebooks available from these brand name companies. This includes you apple fanboys as well.
Something i forgot to mention, all these upgrades were purchased within the last year, the reason behind it all? My gaming. The xbox360 led to the DLP, led to the HD-DVD, then the blu-ray. I see this happening with many others also.
First off let me start by saying a few things. You cannot create something from nothing (upconvert DVD player). If you could, we would all be using 2 megapixel digitals. With that out of the way. HD-DVD and Blu-Ray both have far superior video and audio quality. First the audio, many say it is marketing. However it is not i promise. Those of you with you home theater in a box, or cheap systems, will not know the difference. But throw in a processor rated for Dolby-HD and DTS-HD, high quality speakers and subwoofer, and decent power provided by separate amps, and the difference in the audio quickly becomes apparent. Uncompressed audio (HD) versus compressed audio (DVD) is vastly different, mainly in the high end is noticeable. Once again this is with a system costing many thousands, rather then a few hundred or a thousand tops. Video quality is also far better, once again you need necessary hardware. Personally after testing both formats with a Samsung HLS-5687W DLP, BDP-1400 Blu-ray, and xbox HD-DVD. They are very close, one thing i did notice, the dark scenes in a blu-ray seem to have more noise then in HD-DVD. The blu-ray has also had numerous firmware issues with certain movies. HD-DVD is simpler, and seems better for your average joe. However both are extremely better then DVD, and upconvert DVD. My personal opinion, HD-DVD is a better buy at the time. Toshiba HDA1 (i believe) is around $200. (Less then i paid for my first DVD player). I think that because of low adoption rates, both format will continue to exists for some time, however one will inevitably be lost. For grandpa he will not know nor care about the difference. However for the new generations, used to high res computer displays and vivid gaming, the new HD movies will also work their way into society. TV prices are dropping as are the players. With sub services such as netflix carrying all of both formats for no extra cost we have ease of access. In all DVD vs HD is as big a gain as DVD vs VHS, if not more.
Yes the ES&S machines may be vulnerable, but who honestly cares, consider, during election, these machines are never left with one person. The machine are dropped at the beginning of the election, empty. VST protocol requires the technician to verify that nothing is stored on the machines, with another poll worker. The VST will then load the ballot to the machine for the day. During the day, there is no way someone could physically hack these machines, between poll workers, poll watches, and voters, i think i would be noticed booting linux from a CD or using paper clips, etc. etc. After the election is closed, the master PEB is placed in each machine and the votes are all removed. Results are printed, and PEB's are placed in a box, sealed with a plastic seal which is serial numbered and recorded by the SOE. The PEB's are taken to a drop point, and the seal is broken, and data is extracted off the PEB's and combined with all precincts. I think the biggest problem is that the people do not understand the procedures used in these voting machines. After working in elections multiple times as a VST in South FL, i would say unless the entire precinct is in on rigging the machines, (we're talking 10-15 people) then it would not be feasible. Consider who works elections, (55+ crowd + linux = no profit)
AMD has had on die memory controllers for how long now? Athlon 64 cornerstone was this feature. AMD has also developed and successfully integrated hypertransport in today's machines. AMD is also working on the same type of development, but they already has two key pieces already in place. Now with their acquisition of ATI i see them in a much better situation to implement this form of technology than intel. Intel can do it, but they have much more research to conduct and test before their chips will be ready. I believe AMD will quietly work on this, and drop it a year or so before intel. Then intel will be in the catchup phase again. This whole thing works in cycles, AMD and intel will constantly be swapping places on top of the mountain.
What exactly does this do for alternative energy, i thought we were attempting to avoid oil gas, and coal? How small exactly? Are we talking laptops powered with natural gas small? Or just a minimal reduction in size, either way, i don't see much benefit, couldn't those corn cobs be better used to make biodiesel instead?
Obviousley Sony was doomed to fail from the start. they had their short lived fame with PS1 and PS2. Blu-ray will fail just as betamax in the 80's, the adult film industry chose to go against beta, and have done the same with BD, which all elads to the death of PS3, on top of that not everyone has hdtv's just lying around, so less of a reason for the PS3. MS is doing remarkably well considering their unit has been out for a year, only so many people can purchase a 360, i would have expected sony to do better then a year old unit, but surprise they have not. woe is sony