I'm Totally Missing The Boat Here...

[stypee]

Okay, so we all know I bought the BLU RAY player gizmo thingy... I'm having a bit of a problem here and I'm hoping it's just me.

I have a 32' Sharp Aquos LCD HDTV set.. I'm using HDMI cable and have everything set to 1080p.. What the hell am I missing? I see no difference between Blu-Ray and just standard DVD.. I really hope this is just me because I spent a small fortune double dipping into Blu Ray.

I have been told that it's the size of the T.V. that counts.. Someone had mentioned to me that I really wouldn't notice anything drastic because I don't have a bigger set...

Anyone know what the hell I'm missing out on? Please make me feel better.

[Dan Mancini]

With a 32" set, you're definitely not going to get the full effect, but I'd think you'd at least see an improvement in the depth of the image as well as color reproduction.

[mkiker2089]

It depends on the movies but I see an improvement. Part of the confusion is that the player you have is upscaling the DVD so it looks good from a distance. It can't compete on detail however so look closely. You'll notice a mild blur or softness to the dvd that a BR won't have.

A few good BR's are there to test the specs though. Planet Earth is good on scenes with animals. You can see the individual hairs on them and DVD won't ever give that. The Imax scenes in Dark Knight are crystal clear as well. A more subtle choice would be the new Harry Potter. It has a clarity that sort of immerses you rather than wowing you.

[Dimwitted]

Look at completely digital production as well. Coraline is absolutely unbelievable in BR, from colour depth to the amount of detail that just isn't there on the dvd. That should show up even on the smallest monitor.

OTOH, it shows you just how good your setup is.

[mkiker2089]

UP! looks amazing as well. Certainly worth a test. It also has a rather nice set up section to make sure your TV is calibrated properly.

[Dunnyman]

I just watched Coraline, and yeah, it's some kind of detailed, watch several Pixar movies and freeze frame it, you'll see details you never saw before, like in Cars, you can see tiny bits of rubber coming off the tires in the racing scenes.
However, check your TV's settings as well. When I first went Blu-Ray, there were several settings on my Olevia that I had to change to get the full effect. it could well be the same with yours. Your HDMI cable might be an issue as well, don't go cheap on it and you'll be all right.

[hoytereden]

Maybe a silly question, but is the Sharp a 1080p display? If not then, no matter what the size, you won't be getting all the resolution the Blu-ray offers.

[Andrew Forbes]

Maybe a silly question, but is the Sharp a 1080p display? If not then, no matter what the size, you won't be getting all the resolution the Blu-ray offers.

Based on the quick search I did on the Sharp site, no, it isn't. It's a 1366 x 768 display, which means it will be down-converting the Blu signal to 720p, no?

[stypee]

Maybe a silly question, but is the Sharp a 1080p display? If not then, no matter what the size, you won't be getting all the resolution the Blu-ray offers.

Based on the quick search I did on the Sharp site, no, it isn't. It's a 1366 x 768 display, which means it will be down-converting the Blu signal to 720p, no?

Actually, that information is wrong.. My set is 1080p, it's on the manual and the back of the set. It also has the abliity to switch between 720p and 1080p.. I have checked the website and my model, for some strange reason, isn't listed.

I also watched INGLORIOUS BASTARDS last night on standard dvd.. I now see the difference between both Blu-Ray and Standard - I am totally blown away and now sold on Blu Ray... The standard version looked like crap!