Oct 1 Podcast #445: brite-View Air SyncHD and Bye bye Blu-ray
Netflix just launched their service in Canada, but they aren't planning to ship a single disc. The entire service is what we refer to as "Watch it Now" or their streaming video service. They're also on record as saying that if they were starting in the US right now, they'd do the same thing: skip discs entirely and go straight to streaming. Microsoft has recently also predicted that Blu-ray will go the way of the HD-DVD very soon (article). So what do these companies know that we don't?
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Listen to the show
Today's Show:
News:
- NBC brings slew of shows to Netflix streaming
- New DirectTV TiVo delayed into 2011
- Sony, Warner, Disney Said to Plan $30 Home Film-Viewing Option
- Roku Announces Content Partnership with Hulu
- Broadcast shows off leap in HD technology
Other:
- Interview: Ryan Gustafson - President Screen Innovations
- Listener review: Amphony 5.8 GHz wireless audio transmitter
brite-View Air SyncHD Review
A few weeks ago on Episode 427 we reviewed a wireless HDMI solution from brite-View called the Air HD (BV-2500). It worked really well, so we were more than happy to play with it's little brother, the Air SyncHD (BV-2322) when we were given the opportunity. The Air HD costs $279, but the Air SyncHD will only set you back $179.
Differences
While the Air HD has 2 HDMI inputs, 2 component video inputs and a composite input, the Air Sync HD offers only 1 HDMI input. That's where you get the $100 savings and is the only drawback, if you can even call it that, of the lower cost model. Due to the removal of all those inputs, the transmitter box is actually significantly smaller than the "bigger" brother, making it easier to place.
But the AirSync HD has one positive difference not found on the Air HD, the presence of an HDMI passthru output on the transmitter itself. This output allows you to insert the Air SyncHD inline with your existing TV or projector and never even know its there. You can transmit the same video to another screen in a snap. That makes for a great second viewing room, an awesome idea for super bowl parties or fight night.
Performance
We got the exact same performance from the AirSync HD that we had with the Air HD. The reduction in cost was not accompanied by a reduction in quality. Both claim the same distance of 65 feet with line of sight and 32 without. Just like before we were able to get amazing quality at around 50 feet with LOS and about 27 without.
We also compared performance on Braden's projector between hard wired and wireless. By and large they looked exactly the same. If you were very critical, we did see some slight differences with really high quality Blu-ray playback, but they were minimal. The difference might even be attributable to us staring at sample video for way too long.
One thing we neglected to do before Braden sent the unit back was check to see if we could run two of them at the same time. Braden owns an Air HD, so we're going to try to get an Air SyncHD to see if we can use two of them together in the same house without interference issues.
Bottom line
If you have one HDMI output, like the single HDMI coming from your receiver, that you need to get to a projector or a TV mounted on the wall, or if you simply want to move your equipment to a closet, check out the Air SyncHD. At only $179 it costs quite a bit less than tearing up walls and running cables. If you want to add a second viewing screen without a new cable box, blu-ray player and all that other gear, the Air SyncHD could help out there as well.
The Future of Movies in Your Home
Netflix just launched their service in Canada, but they aren't planning to ship a single disc. The entire service is what we refer to as “Watch it Now” or their streaming video service. They're also on record as saying that if they were starting in the US right now, they'd do the same thing: skip discs entirely and go straight to streaming. Microsoft has recently also predicted that Blu-ray will go the way of the HD-DVD very soon (article). So what do these companies know that we don't?
We talk about streaming movies and TV shows to your home theater quite often. Perhaps not as much as 3D or home automation, but quite a bit nonetheless. But it's one thing when Ara or Braden predict the death of Blu-ray; it's another thing entirely when Netflix, one of the largest DVD companies in the world, or Microsoft, one of the largest technology companies in the world, makes that prediction. That's worth digging into a bit.
Arguments against
So what are the arguments against streaming content supplanting DVD or Blu-ray as the dominant distribution form for movies? The loudest sentiment by far is the quality argument. The argument claims that streaming will never take off until it is as good as Blu-ray. If the MP3 and the iPod taught us anything, it's that quality isn't always the biggest factor. Sometimes convenience wins, sometimes novelty wins, quite often affordability wins.
Another argument against streaming technology is the lack of bandwidth to the home. While this may not be an issue for many of us, it is an issue for a large chunk of the population, both in the US and around the world. This is what will slow the transition the most. Until a critical mass has the bandwidth and the desire to move to streamed video, it will always be the sideshow. The studios will need to make DVDs for everyone else anyways, so why put more attention than is needed on the streaming side of things?
Arguments for
The main argument for streaming is obvious: convenience. You don't have to go out to a store or kiosk to rent a movie, nor do you have to return it. You don't have to go to the store to buy a movie, or order it online and wait a few days for it to arrive. You click a button and start watching in a matter of seconds. You also don't have to store it anywhere. You don't need a bunch of shelves or cabinets to house all your movies. A simple hard drive will do just fine.
In addition to convenience, there are a ton of arguments for streaming. There's the obvious environmental aspect of not having to produce all those discs that eventually get thrown into a landfill. There's reduced costs for studios and producers, which hopefully produces lower costs for consumers. There's also the benefit of backups so you don't have to worry about a disc getting scratched or cracked.
What will it take
Bandwidth aside, because we know that problem has to be solved first, it will have to be easy. It'll need to be a box that replaces your Blu-ray player, or better yet built right into your TV or set top box. It will need to be easy to use and easy to find the movies you're looking for. Apple, Netflix, Hulu and Blockbuster all have that right now. Google should have it very soon, built right into Sony TVs. Easy should be taken care of.
It will have to be portable. Although portable Blu-ray players never quite made it, many people still have portable DVD players and DVD players in their family cars. There are a ton of devices out there that can playback video, and even output it to a secondary screen like a car entertainment unit. The iPod and iPhone can do it, some Android phones can do it, some, like the Evo, even support HD output via HDMI. The problem is getting the content on the portable device - and not requiring a 3G connection. We all know how spotty those are on road trips or airplane flights.
Conclusion
Microsoft and Netflix may absolutely be correct that disc based video distribution is on its way out. We think that the time frame may be a little closer to long term than short term, however. We're excited to see where Google goes with their forthcoming TV offering. We're looking forward to what Apple will morph theirs into as well. We're also really excited about what companies like ivi.tv can do with streamed TV content. But none of those solve the bandwidth issue. We'll have to revisit when that problem has been put to bed.
Reader Comments (10)
Regarding the Future of Movies in Your Home" article, what about sound??!!! You can't even get 5.1, 6.1, 7.1 digital surround sound with all these over the net services. I've invested a fortune in my surround sound system so there's no way I want to even use the various net services to watch a movie. Not even for convenience! They will have to pry my physical BD player from my cold dead hands before I will ever use a net service for a lower queality experience.
Ara: a lot of the stuff available on Netflix streaming comes from their deal with Starz. Starz' deals with the studios are time-limited.
I post on Twitter (YTonTw1tt3r) all the items from my own queue that will shortly disappear from streaming
Braden: the stuff that stuck your discs together is the glue used by disc manufacturers to stick the disc layers together. I'm glad most of your discs were recoverable; my jukeboxes have difficulty even with edge seepage
For the fellow who was looking for a long-run HDMI solution:
might I suggest simply using a higher quality HDMI cable? Specifically, Bluejeanscable.com Series-1 Belden Bonded-Pair HDMI cable.
I've seen a successful installation using a 100-foot length BJC Series-1 HDMI cable, so I believe it should work just fine for your 75-foot distance. Blue Jeans Series-1 cables are unique and use a completely different HDMI cable stock than all of the other HDMI cables out there (which are all the same Chinese-made twisted pair cable stock).
The Series-1 cables are somewhat expensive. You'd be looking at $185 for the 70-foot length or $211 for the 80-foot length. But this is still less expensive than the HDMI-to-Cat5 solutions. Be sure to check out Blue Jeans' HDMI accessories as well. They have wall plates with handy "pigtail" connectors that are very helpful when using thick, stiff cables such as the Series-1. They also have an in-line HDMI signal booster - such as what Braden mentioned on the podcast. The downside here though is that you do need to plug the booster into AC power, so that might not work if you are running the cable through walls or up in an attic or something.
Of course Microsoft is saying that Blu-ray is dead and streaming is the future. They backed HD-DVD and lost and they have very little stake in Blu-ray! Other than their VC-1 codec (which is used far less than AVC MPEG-4 on Blu-ray), MS doesn't make any money off of Blu-ray. You can bet your bottom dollar that if HD-DVD had won - where VC-1 was the dominant codec and all of the interactive features used HDi (made by Microsoft) - that MS would be singing a different tune right now!
"Microsoft has recently also predicted that Blu-ray will go the way of the HD-DVD very soon"
Very, very, very unlikely. They also said that the Zune would be an iPod killer. They were wrong then too.
Regarding streaming vs. discs: what about the market outside the United States?
Netflix moving to Canada is just a very tiny step for making streaming a serious option outside the U.S. market.
The legal situation is so complicated that it will take a very long time before something like that is made available worldwide.
@ Rob H.: your comment about Microsoft's attitude towards Blu-ray is right on the money.
I can second the recommendation to purchase a long HDMI cable from Blue Jeans Cable. I have a 65 foot HDMI from my receiver to plasma and it works great. I had doubts but bought the cable and tested it for several days prior to installation. I also have a 25 foot cable from Monoprice that works fine but for the longer run you might get what you pay for.
Love the show.
hey guys--
Was I dreaming or did you mention that Oppo was coming out with a new player that had 3D? You mention the 93 model in the podcast, and it has Netfilx, too?
I don't see this on their page at all...
oh--there it is...wow...I am sad, somehow...a new Oppo?? Sorry, the link was hard to find on their website.
wow.
http://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-bdp-93/
Just got my AppleTV on Friday--very cool so far...
You are correct when you said the audiophiles are getting hard to find.
I am on the State of Florida Audiophilia Registry and every six months am required to readjust the settings on my DOD 16 Band Stereo Equalizer with both a white and pink noise generator to make certain the signals from my David Hafler Preamp to my Crown DC300A-II power amp are flat before they feed my Altec Lansing 846A Valencia speakers.
I get most of my programming from my WDTV media player from FLAC downloads and my Roku provides plenty of quality streaming audio, albeit with compression.
Two-channel BluRay sounds great on my system. Maybe someday I'll add rear channels, but you would be hard pressed to beat what booms out of my living room!
I enjoy your show.
Al in Orlando.