What we require in the UK is an excellent HD recordable dual Blu-ray and HD DVD PVR (pause live programmes) 1080p HD Freeview Playback recorder.

It should contain at least the ability to; record a serial of episodes touching one button, record two channels whilst watching a third, record for example a film separated by a news programme without recording the news, sound synchronization, HDMI 1.3 with all features properly implemented (Deep Colour, x.v.Colour, xvYCC, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus (DD+), DTS-HD, all resolutions up to and including 1920x1080p, picture; no blurring, juddering or blanding, excellent contrasts and blacks and at a reasonable price, with HDMI 1.3+ input and HDMI 1.3+ output connections etcetera.

Being able to record onto an HD player in HDMI 1.3 1080p and play back to a HD TV in HDMI 1.3 1080p is better than what we have at the moment, where we cannot watch recorded HD recordings using HDMI, perferably HDMI 1.3+.

If, 'The Establishment' is actually worried about piracy then create players that can only play high definition disks on the same players that created them!

It should actually be that simple.

The next step, is that for each household that can verify that they have purchased an HD product to allow them to register them and be able to play any of their HD recordings on any of their HD products that they legally own.

The companies can use the same system that they use to verify that people's products are still under guarantee.

I would convert long serial numbers to single digits for example 1 to 99. Since, most people would not buy at least 100 HD products for their households. If there are than increase the limit to 999, programmers would understand why.

Before I forget again, HD products should have wireless and networking capability built in to them and the 24fps (p)'s juddering problem for people without 24p products should be solved.

Everything should not only be backward and forward compatible, work properly with other manufacturers' products but between Blu-ray and HD DVD organizations. For example a Toshiba HD DVD work properly with a Sony TV or a Sony Blu-ray DVD recorder with a Toshiba TV.

Posted by: Barrington | November 7, 2007 6:10 AM

I'm just glad that one of the big name players,Toshiba, have realised that the OLD DVD can hold 2 hours of HD on a single layer disk.
So a film would fit on dual layer discs in affordable recordable HD quality.
Let blue laser discs catch up when they are ready to compete on a realistic footing.

Posted by: ian | November 8, 2007 12:33 PM

Ian,

To quote you, '...can hold 2 hours of HD on a single layer disk...'

You have probably made three mistakes:
1) To quote, '... up to...'
A) Is actually meaningless, and usually, 'up to' is used to mislead people directly or indirectly. Since, somebody will disagree - Broadband companies despite knowing that it is impossible for certain consumers to obtain the relevant bandwidth that they have paid for. They would say up to 4MB, 8MB or 10GB etcetera instead of, 'at least'. They are fully aware that by saying up to instead of at least in the UK it is difficult for them to be sued.
2) To quote from the above artical, '...while a standard 4.7GB DVD can store up to two hours of content...'.
A) The two hours I don't think relates to 2 hours of HD recording (HD, is not stated in the sentence) on a single layer disc, and 4 hours on a double layered disc.
B) To record HD on an ordinary DVD (red laser) disc is probably only about 15mins to 30 mins - sorry cannot remember the source.

From what I can remember from one website:
1) Recording on to ordinary discs

http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/31/toshibas-vardia-rd-a301-writes-hd-dvd-content-to-dvds/

To calculate the minimum recording times - onto HD DVD (blue laser discs: Single=15GB=1.5Hrs, Double=30GB=15Hrs and Triple=51GB=25.5Hrs
If Hard disk drive (HDD) is 300GB=300/2=150Hrs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HD_DVD

To: Summarize: Each HD DVD discs - 15GB=7.5Hrs, 30GB=15Hrs and 51GB=25.5Hrs, HDD if 300GB= 150Hrs and record HD onto ordinary DVD discs 15-30mins I think.

Posted by: Barrington | November 25, 2007 11:10 AM

Oh WOW! Thanks for the great info!!

Posted by: BlueFox | February 10, 2008 3:53 PM