Audio Video News

Full HD, a.k.a. 1080p, is every videophile's highest ideal. That's probably why satellite operators and so many others claim to supply it. But these claims are "irresponsible" and "misleading," says the Blu-ray Disc Association.

This rhetorical blast from the BDA appeared on the Strategy Analytics site:

A number of companies have recently launched advertising campaigns claiming their products deliver high definition picture and sound "equal" to that delivered by Blu-ray Disc. These comparisons are irresponsible and are misleading to consumers. Up conversion and satellite broadcast cannot provide a true Blu-ray high definition experience, as neither is technically capable of producing the quality delivered by Blu-ray players and Blu-ray discs. To that end, the Blu-ray Disc Association is exploring these claims further and will take appropriate action, as necessary, to prevent consumers seeking the ultimate in high-definition home entertainment from being misled.

Who are the companies referred to? David Mercer of Strategy Analytics points to DirecTV and the Dish Network. The former is quoted as saying: "DIRECTV will begin offering movies in 1080p, the highest resolution format available for HD video enthusiasts and the same format used by Blu-Ray HD DVDs [sic]." And the latter claims its sat-cast of I Am Legend will offer "same as Blu-ray(R) Disc quality."

What kind of "appropriate action" the BDA has in mind remains uncertain.

But the complaint may well be justified. When DirecTV began offering HD channels, it truncated the 1080i format--which normally has 1920 by 1080 pixels--to 1280 by 1080. The Dish Network hasn't sunk that low, but given the limited bandwidth of existing satellites, it's questionable whether any satellite service will achieve the high data rates possible with Blu-ray's capacious bit bucket (or HD DVD's, for that matter).

On the other hand, Verizon's FiOS service does deliver HD at healthy data rates. The BDA hasn't gone out of its way to challenge Verizon's assertions.

It should be interesting to see how this struggle for consumer mindshare develops. Will potential Blu-ray buyers postpone acquiring players because of a false perception that satellite operators (and other video providers) deliver the same goods? Or is the fracas, as David Mercer suggests, "unlikely to seriously affect Blu-ray's potential"?