HD300?

[mayamaniac]

Besides HDMI 1.3, I like a better design on the box, at least add a power button to the front so I don't have to yank the power cord to reset it. Also, make the remote a universal remote so I can turn on/off the TV with it. All the STBs has a universal remote, so should the HD-300. Keep the price at $200 or below.

And maybe release a Blu-Ray model with a built-in Blu-Ray player. And so in the SageTV menu, you just go to Play DVD/Blu-Ray Disc to play it. Charge $300 for this model.

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Personally I can tell the difference between say a 128k MP3 and the original PCM, but as far as movies go, I've not been reliably able to attribute any benefit to TrueHD/DTS-HD MA vs their included core stream.

Ironically Blu-ray, not to mention also DVD and broadcast TV all have better audio than you get with a "theater experience." Unless the theater is using a separate audio track provided to them on CD the Dolby Digital track encoded into the film itself is at a fixed bitrate of 320kbps. Slightly lower than even the 384kbps most commonly used on broadcast TV. It really goes to show you that audio doesn't really matter as much to us as the visual. The main difference in experience between the home and theater is the size of the screen. Even though the audio is of lower apparent quality it doesn't negatively impact the experience.

[Zippster]

Originally Posted by mayamaniac

Besides HDMI 1.3, I like a better design on the box, at least add a power button to the front so I don't have to yank the power cord to reset it. Also, make the remote a universal remote so I can turn on/off the TV with it. All the STBs has a universal remote, so should the HD-300. Keep the price at $200 or below.

And maybe release a Blu-Ray model with a built-in Blu-Ray player. And so in the SageTV menu, you just go to Play DVD/Blu-Ray Disc to play it. Charge $300 for this model.

I have always thought the HD100's long slim look was much better then the box that is the 200. Great suggestions as well, the pile of remotes gets old quick.

[Suntan]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

Even though the audio is of lower apparent quality it doesn't negatively impact the experience.

At the local movie theater I also get a blurrier image, a noisier person behind me, a less comfortable chair, and a stickier floor to put my feet on. None of those things compell me to go to the theater.

I watch movies at home specifically because of all those dificiencies (the poor audio included.) The difference between core and lossless is not nearly as big of a difference as, say, the PQ difference between BR and broadcast HD. In truth, some movies sound no different. But some tracks sound better with it, and I want the support for it. Enough so that I would by an HD300 today if it was available with "full" audio support. As it is, gimping a system together by placing a Dune Base 3.0 next to the HD200 (or even replacing the HD200) is looking mighty tempting.

-Suntan

[m1abrams]

Originally Posted by mayamaniac

Besides HDMI 1.3, I like a better design on the box, at least add a power button to the front so I don't have to yank the power cord to reset it. Also, make the remote a universal remote so I can turn on/off the TV with it. All the STBs has a universal remote, so should the HD-300. Keep the price at $200 or below.

Get a Harmony and be done with the remote complaint.

I would like to have a remote IR sensor on the box so that I can hide the box.

[Fuzzy]

The problem is, the HD200, even at it's recently reduced price, is about as high as they'd be able to sell it. Any higher (to cover faster components, plus all new R&D time), would push it too high for the market. A superior microPC based client can already be built for a little over $200, and that will give you full BD and HDAudio capabilities, plus the 3D interface.

[jaminben]

Originally Posted by m1abrams

Get a Harmony and be done with the remote complaint.

What sort of Harmony would you recommend? I keep thinking about it but never really get the time to look into it in much detail.

Cheers

Ben

[cat6man]

Originally Posted by mbowling

What is the issue with the HD200 and HD audio? I have an HD200 and get surround sound from recorded HD shows. What am I missing?

you are getting the core 5.1 audio but that is at the same fairly low bit rate as regular DVD...........HD audio also 5.1 sounds vastly better to me (your mileage may vary............it will also depend on the quality of the audio parts of your system)...........to me, the audio difference is huge

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

The problem is, the HD200, even at it's recently reduced price, is about as high as they'd be able to sell it. Any higher (to cover faster components, plus all new R&D time), would push it too high for the market. A superior microPC based client can already be built for a little over $200, and that will give you full BD and HDAudio capabilities, plus the 3D interface.

That depends on your definition of "superior". IMO the issues associated with attempting to do media playback on a "PC" environment make a PC not superior at any price.

[cat6man]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Personally I can tell the difference between say a 128k MP3 and the original PCM, but as far as movies go, I've not been reliably able to attribute any benefit to TrueHD/DTS-HD MA vs their included core stream.

Nothing for recorded shows, but broadcast TV doesn't support "HD" audio, it has ~448k DD which is what DVDs had.

as to the first point, it also depends on the quality of your audio setup. the difference between 450k divided by 5 channels is a pretty poor sound compared with ~1Mb/channel (can't remember exact values, sorry)

for a test, try the BD of the movie "Chicago" and compare the DVD audio and the BD HD audio............no comparison to my ears

[m1abrams]

Originally Posted by jaminben

What sort of Harmony would you recommend? I keep thinking about it but never really get the time to look into it in much detail.

Cheers

Ben

Well will only post this one response in this thread that severely sidetracks the thread! sorry

I currently really like my Harmony One, however all the Harmony remotes pretty much work the same just the number of bells & whistles they add.

[cat6man]

Originally Posted by mayamaniac

Besides HDMI 1.3, I like a better design on the box, at least add a power button to the front so I don't have to yank the power cord to reset it. Also, make the remote a universal remote so I can turn on/off the TV with it. All the STBs has a universal remote, so should the HD-300. Keep the price at $200 or below.

And maybe release a Blu-Ray model with a built-in Blu-Ray player. And so in the SageTV menu, you just go to Play DVD/Blu-Ray Disc to play it. Charge $300 for this model.

in addition to the hdmi1.3, i don't think the current chip can easily do BD menus, etc without a lot of custom work............the newer sigma chips have SDKs that take care of that for you and extra processors on chip.

since geeks like me have extensive experience with sigma over the years, we know they take a freakin long time to get the bugs out of their f/w deliveries............the interval after which the hd200 came out was when the sigma chip was pretty well debugged (and well after the (b)leading edge products came out).

if we assume the same interval of 18-24 months after the (b)leading edge products come out full of sigma's buggy f/w, then 6 months for sage to port and integrate their proprietary sagetv stuff, i guess we're talking about late this year...............

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by cat6man

you are getting the core 5.1 audio but that is at the same fairly low bit rate as regular DVD...........HD audio also 5.1 sounds vastly better to me (your mileage may vary............it will also depend on the quality of the audio parts of your system)...........to me, the audio difference is huge

Not as huge as you'd think. The DTS Master Audio core is usually at 1.5Mb while the Dolby TrueHD core is usually 640Kb. Although, I have seen one movie with a 448Kb TrueHD core. Both of those are higher than you'd get with a regular DVD.

[cncb]

Maybe Sage is just waiting for HDMI 1.4 so it can do 3D video...

[Suntan]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

The problem is, the HD200, even at it's recently reduced price, is about as high as they'd be able to sell it. Any higher (to cover faster components, plus all new R&D time), would push it too high for the market. A superior microPC based client can already be built for a little over $200, and that will give you full BD and HDAudio capabilities, plus the 3D interface.

There seems to be a healthy market for the HDI Dune Base @ $350. I'd pay that for an HD 300 with all the same playback capabilities rolled into a sage extender. And they wouldn't even need to put cost into 7.1 analog outputs like the dune offers.

As for the notion of making a pc for about $200 to do all these things, I'd take it more seriously if I could get my quad core pc the cost over 3x that amount to just play a VC1 rip...

-Suntan

[ytulpan]

A superior microPC based client can already be built for a little over $200.

Fuzzy, can you please point to me how ? I'm interested.

[bits]

Originally Posted by ytulpan

A superior microPC based client can already be built for a little over $200.

Fuzzy, can you please point to me how ? I'm interested.

I am also interested in hearing how to do this for just over $200. If you already have a legal OS, HDDs and other assorted bits and pieces then I see the possibility but buying and assembling all new components.... or even going with the ASUS or Acer Aspire or similar products will still cost $300+

[valnar]

I'd be happy with an HD201. All I need is DTS decoding to stereo. Everything else is gravy.

[lotusvball]

Originally Posted by valnar

I'd be happy with an HD201. All I need is DTS decoding to stereo. Everything else is gravy.

absolutely agree. need DTS

[bits]

Originally Posted by valnar

I'd be happy with an HD201. All I need is DTS decoding to stereo. Everything else is gravy.

+2