… between a normal run of the mill dvd player and a blu ray player? My old Phillips dvd player's given up the ghost, so I'm in the market for a new one. I've got an HD tv, and sky plus HD, but to be honest (at the risk of sounding like a pleb), I cant really see much of a difference between this and 'normal' tv, and was therefore thinking there's not much point. Does anybody else wonder what all the fuss is about?

There's HD and there's HD. Sky is only 720p, whereas blu-ray is 1080p which means it's much higher resolution. BUT in addition to this, satellite TV is transmitted digitally, and the bandwidth of various channels can be reduced so even HD could still look rubbish. Sky probably won't do this very often though because they are trying to flog it.

Just to be clear – you do realise that you have to be watching something that was made in HD for it to be any better, don't you? Normal programmes will look the same no matter what.

Also something to consider is that if you have a smaller telly and are further from it, you won't be close enough to see the difference between HD and normal. My parents for instance have a small telly discretely in the corner of the room which is watchable, but HD makes no difference when I've taken my PS3 up there at Christmas.

Blu ray is really nice on the whole – looks sharper, sounds better etc etc, but the films are the same. I mean a good film is a good film, no matter what you're watching it on.

rmal programmes will look the same no matter what.

Don't bluray players interpolate dvds to the higher resolution?

Not sure I am convinced of bluray in any case on my 32" 720p telly.

I've got an HD tv, and sky plus HD, but to be honest … I cant really see much of a difference between this and 'normal' tv

Try flicking between Sky Sports and Sky Sports HD when it's a HD broadcast (Football for example). The difference should be obvious. If not then perhaps something is wrong with your setup.

Having said that some of the HD channels don't look that much better. ITV HD looked very poor when I watched Champions League on it.

Don't bluray players interpolate dvds to the higher resolution?

Some do, but it's not as good. It is still good though.

Blu rays cost more than DVDs too. We only watch them because we bought a PS3 to play games and got a free Blu ray player 🙂

im the same – HD is still just Corrie but with spottier Mancs and I have no interest in paying Sky an extra tenner a month for something I cant really notice much difference with

Blu-ray player in my PS3 however – yes I can notice a big difference, more so it seems with Animated films
Guess it depends on price difference of the player and how much you value it

The difference between 720p and 1080p is only noticeable on a massive telly.

From what I've seen in shops blu-ray does look good, but the main benefit is if you also have a massive chavvy telly. 😉

Suppose the bottom line is I can buy a perfectly decent dvd player for about thirty quid, but a blu ray player is going to be at least seventy quid more, and deep down I'm thinking this is another case of the emperors new clothes – or am I just being cynical?

It looks a fair bit nicer, that's all. Depends on your priorities 🙂

imo its a load of bollox really, yes the blu-ray films do look a bit better but its not MY GOD THAT IS AMAAAAZING!

its when you play games, xbox/ps3 you notice a massive difference with HD 1080

but HD makes no difference when I've taken my PS3 up there at Christmas

you cant have it set up right, HD 1080 on my PS3 is worlds apart from normal set-up.

the brother in-law has sky HD and finds it hard to justify to be honest, yes it does look better but its not mind blowing, only really notice the difference on sports and discovery stuff.

you won't be close enough to see the difference between HD and normal

Very true

I have got it set up right – it's just that the telly is small and you sit a long way away from it. Beyond the eye's ability to resolve the difference in detail. It does look fabulous, esp on a small telly, if you sit a few feet away 🙂