About that 15% number. TMO missed an important detail. The article says only 15% will have HDMI AND be able to display full 1080 resolution. Almost all current HDTV models have HDMI, so the 15% number really doesn't relate to that at all. The 15% comes from the set having a resolution of 1920x1080. This is only now becoming available in a handful of sets. In other words, the author was intentionally being crafty and trying to confuse people into thinking that HDMI is not widely available, whereas it actually has been for at least 2-3 years now.

Of course I don't know how the resolution of the set you bought is the fault of the movie studios. If you buy a 720p set, there isn't much the movie studios can do short of altering the laws of physics to get 1080 vertical pixels on that screen. You don't need a 1080p TV to have HDMI. Thats a pretty basic concept. Does he not understand that (despite the fact that he wrote an article on it) or is he just trying to manipulate his readers into boycotting next-gen DVDs? I wonder what his motivation is. Intentionally trying to trick people isn't a very responsible approach to journalism.

It's amazing that consumer electronics companies have been strong-armed into making this garbage; there was absolutely nothing wrong with component video and DVI! HDMI is more complex and less useful than what it replaces. "Here, we've designed a new interface to prevent you from recording DVDs - do you want it?"

The tail (paranoid movie studios) is completely wagging the dog.

This really isn't a move to restrict piracy - e.g. companies cranking out tons of counterfeit DVDs - but to force consumers to pay for the same content over and over again.

It was also not mentioned that while transfer over HDMI will provide the full HD picture on the disc, if you have your set hooked up via component (Analog) the picture on the disc will be downscaled to the 900 line resolution (slightly above DVD standard) if the copy protection is enabled on the program disc. While the downscaled signal will look better than conventional DVD, those consumers who are not faminiar with DRM, HDMI, Componet will be none too pleased to see that the HD movie they just purchased will not play in full HD on the $7000 HD television they purchased several years ago just because they dont have an HDMI connector on the set. I for one will not be purchasing Blue-ray or HD-DVD untill these issues are worked out or a mod is available for the players to output full HD from the component connections. For example I have a Pioneer Elite 56ti with component switching and my HD DLP projector has component hookups, do these movie studios expect me to replace both those devices at a significant cost just to view these copy protected movies in full HD? I think this will actually fuel piracy once HD recordable media is available rather than prevent it.

Read the fineprint before you buy

I don't know about you, but I don't have a clue where you can buy a device that can record the 1080i HD analog RGB component signal to my 3 yr old Mitsubishi hi-def TV. And if it requires higher end equipment to do it, don't you think the pirates will have the ability to copy the digital signal anyway?

I paid $4000 for my TV... I expect to be able to use a Blu-Ray or HD-DVD on it in full high def! And if I can't, I just will continue to record the hi-def movies on my DishNetwork HD DVR from HBO, Showtime or HD-Net. Why would I even bother with a Blu-Ray disc??

The only reason I bought DVD's before I had my HD PVR was because the picture was better than the satellite broadcast. Now, I'll just wait to watch the movie on HBO in HD.

Fortunatley my new plasma has HDMI so my PS3 will be playing all my dvd's and Blu Ray Discs this Christmas!

Quote

Guest wrote:
Fortunatley my new plasma has HDMI so my PS3 will be playing all my dvd's and Blu Ray Discs this Christmas!

Yes but I bet your plasma screen falls waaaay short of the full HD 1080 resolution...

Quote

HDMI is more complex and less useful than what it replaces.

You've got that exactly wrong--HDMI is simpler than a DVI connection and provides more functionality.

HDMI carries both video and audio in a single cable, unlike a DVI-based connection that requires audio to be carried separately.

http://hdmi.org/consumer/why_hdmi.asp

If you're shopping for any kind of HDTV or home theater equipment, demand HDMI connectivity.

In the broader market HD is going nowhere anytime soon. HD early adopters are being shafted by hardware vendors with incompatible formats, misleading promises and confusing jargon. Ultimately, 95% of the consuming public does not care about improved picture quality (please consider how MP3 is the dominant audio file format because it's compact, easy, and good enough for todays fast moving lifestyle). Instead of focusing on creating new compelling content the industry is stuck-on protecting their existing inventory (which has already been sold-thru on high quality DVD media). There's an extremely small number of folks who are going to reacquire their library of content in HD.

With five of the major studios starting to realize that "Aggressive Automatic Consumer Screwing" is going to hurt sales why does anyone still support digital restrictions. BTW, the whole point of AACS is that it won't work (except to downconvert to lower resolution) with uncertified equipment that includes component cables, every currently available PC video card, most video projectors, etc.

Unfortunately almost all 1920 x 1080 HDTVs cannot pass the 1080p signal through their hdmi port.

So I estimate that less than 1 percent of HDTVs in operation can display a 1080p signal from a HD player.

Then there's the other problem. Most HDTVs only have one HDMI port. My DVD player, which has an HDMI out, is connected to my HDTV via component video outs because the cable box is using the single HDMI port.

My experience is that most people connect their DVD players to their sets using the antenna input, even when composite and S-Video ports are available. I even see this in electronics stores. Only a small number of tech savvy people like us actually understand why this is important. Even when this HDMI connection is available, most people won't know to use it.

I can't imagine trying to teach my mom and dad how to use an HDTV. Just changing the channel is harder. The transition to DTV is going to leave a sizable number of people behind, (maybe 20% of the current viewers) not because they can't afford it, but because it is just too much of a pain to get the thing working.

People watch TV to relax. HD makes TV so complicated that it becomes like a job in itself.