I don't get it...Isn't the big draw with the PS3 the addition of a Blu Ray player? Unless you have a really fast internet connection, I doubt the quality will be as nice as Blu Ray. Since the article didn't say "EXCLUSIVE" deal, I'd guess this won't be only for PS3 owners.
@thatsme I doubt the picture would ever beat bluray, even with the best connection. The compression will just be too high. That being said, the non-videophiles in the world (AKA 95% of PS3 users) would never notice the difference...
The more content the better, no matter what compression.
@thatsme 1. Not everything is worth owning or renting on blu-ray 2. I have no idea what you mean by 'exclusive'. You do know there's this other brand called Xbox that has been renting Hi-def flicks for some time now, right? The big difference here is Sony is boasting that they have a all 6 major networks... and I can't even tell you which is absent from XBL. If some want to see that as some negative aspect of XBL... well, sure, I guess. From my perspective, it's the non-participating studios that are hurting themselves more. 3. While I absolutely get what you're saying, on paper, a 1080P downloaded movie should really not be much different than the same movie playing off blu-ray... except for maybe the soundtrack? I watch TONS of streaming content from Netflix to FunnyOrDie on a 46 inch Samsung LED via my PC and Xbox and is the main reason I really don't care about blu-ray. Most sites these days stream in hi-def if possible. It's sad, the free episodes of FlashForward on ABC.com is actually better quality than if you paid to watch them on regular DVD. I wouldn't, and don't, buy too many blu-rays because I feel big round discs will be gone in a few years. BD is really an in-between technology.
Good for Sony to move to this (and about time). It's only natural.
If you're not going to be getting HD video streaming, you may as well stick with Netflix which is already available on all 3 gaming consoles and dozens of other things which also offers other services the this new thing doesn't like mail order (which usually takes a day or two). They haven't put a price on this new thing but if it doesn't compare favorably to Netflix, I don't see it doing any better than Blockbuster.
@Hate Everything: A 1080P downloaded movie is MUCH different in quality to a Blu-ray disc. They use basically the same compression technologies, but the disc data rate is far higher, making for a huge reduction in artefacts and problems. For example, say you have 4Mb broadband - it'll take you somewhere around 24 hours to download a Blu-ray disc. Unless you're waiting that long for your HD downloads, it's not Blu-ray quality.
Because of the way video compression has improved over the years, you're less likely to notice the difference (obviously it also depends on the quality/size of your TV etc as to whether you'll be able to tell). Basically, compression artefacts in older video formats were obvious because they resulted in sharp blocky edges, but the newer formats generally have softer-edged problems.
So, is Blu-ray much better quality, yes it is (just as CD is much better quality than a 192 kb/s MP3), can you tell, maybe not. (I buy my mp3s at 320kb/s but could I really tell the difference between that and 192? I doubt it.)
@thatsme it's just the convenience of it all. They have something similar where I live in Japan. When you're in the PSN store, click on the video button, find your movie, and watch.
...except that they have the option to buy or rent the movies as well as SD or HD versions.
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I don't get it...Isn't the big draw with the PS3 the addition of a Blu Ray player? Unless you have a really fast internet connection, I doubt the quality will be as nice as Blu Ray. Since the article didn't say "EXCLUSIVE" deal, I'd guess this won't be only for PS3 owners.
@thatsme
well, i doubt you ever see Sony Pictures (which are many of the Greatest movies) on the 360 or wii..
Maybe now sony will start their own Netflix type deal, like $10/month for movie rental or something...
@elijahblake
it wouldn't really benefit me that much though. I can't remember the last time i rented or bought a movie... ;)
@thatsme
Blu-ray is nice, but sometimes it's handy to just download a show rather than go to a store or wait for Amazon to ship it out.
@thatsme I doubt the picture would ever beat bluray, even with the best connection. The compression will just be too high. That being said, the non-videophiles in the world (AKA 95% of PS3 users) would never notice the difference...
The more content the better, no matter what compression.
@thatsme
1. Not everything is worth owning or renting on blu-ray
2. I have no idea what you mean by 'exclusive'. You do know there's this other brand called Xbox that has been renting Hi-def flicks for some time now, right? The big difference here is Sony is boasting that they have a all 6 major networks... and I can't even tell you which is absent from XBL. If some want to see that as some negative aspect of XBL... well, sure, I guess. From my perspective, it's the non-participating studios that are hurting themselves more.
3. While I absolutely get what you're saying, on paper, a 1080P downloaded movie should really not be much different than the same movie playing off blu-ray... except for maybe the soundtrack? I watch TONS of streaming content from Netflix to FunnyOrDie on a 46 inch Samsung LED via my PC and Xbox and is the main reason I really don't care about blu-ray. Most sites these days stream in hi-def if possible. It's sad, the free episodes of FlashForward on ABC.com is actually better quality than if you paid to watch them on regular DVD. I wouldn't, and don't, buy too many blu-rays because I feel big round discs will be gone in a few years. BD is really an in-between technology.
Good for Sony to move to this (and about time). It's only natural.
@Hate Everything
If you're not going to be getting HD video streaming, you may as well stick with Netflix which is already available on all 3 gaming consoles and dozens of other things which also offers other services the this new thing doesn't like mail order (which usually takes a day or two). They haven't put a price on this new thing but if it doesn't compare favorably to Netflix, I don't see it doing any better than Blockbuster.
@Hate Everything: A 1080P downloaded movie is MUCH different in quality to a Blu-ray disc. They use basically the same compression technologies, but the disc data rate is far higher, making for a huge reduction in artefacts and problems. For example, say you have 4Mb broadband - it'll take you somewhere around 24 hours to download a Blu-ray disc. Unless you're waiting that long for your HD downloads, it's not Blu-ray quality.
Because of the way video compression has improved over the years, you're less likely to notice the difference (obviously it also depends on the quality/size of your TV etc as to whether you'll be able to tell). Basically, compression artefacts in older video formats were obvious because they resulted in sharp blocky edges, but the newer formats generally have softer-edged problems.
So, is Blu-ray much better quality, yes it is (just as CD is much better quality than a 192 kb/s MP3), can you tell, maybe not. (I buy my mp3s at 320kb/s but could I really tell the difference between that and 192? I doubt it.)
@thatsme it's just the convenience of it all. They have something similar where I live in Japan. When you're in the PSN store, click on the video button, find your movie, and watch.
...except that they have the option to buy or rent the movies as well as SD or HD versions.