Well, this is the year that the big push for HD broadcast and DVD will be made, both by manufacturers and from the high towers of the FCC. Many of us will have questions about the different broadcast formats, aspect ratios, interconnect technologies, copyright protection, and all kinds of issues.
Here are some links that I've used from time to time in trying to educate myself, but even as I try to bring myself into the world of video and DVD post-production, I still get confused. So use this thread to ask questions, post findings, etc. And hopefully we can feel free to mention specific products that meet certain requirements etc, without turning it into an Apple or 3rd party product thread.
This is the chance for video pros to really shine and help us underlings come out into the light.
Gub'mint site (seems kind of thin on info but worth it just to see their POV)
How stuff works
Wiki-DTV
HD-DVD / Blu-Ray News
HBO HD
Some questions I am still left with:
1. First we had 720p and 1080i (progressive and interlaced) as the HD broadcast formats, now 1080p is starting to show up. Is there any hope or effort of convergence on this issue? Can we realistically hope that in a couple years all the TV stations at least will broadcast the same type of signal, so that we don't have to scratch our heads when buying a set or monitor?
2. What happens when you watch a 1080i program on a 720p set? Progressive scan devices are not prone to flickering so despite the fewer lines I am inclined to buy a 720p set. In which case, happens if the world does standardize on 1080p, and you watch on a 720p set? Does the signal box automatically covert down to the lower resolution standard?
3. [Will all HD movies be] 16:9, by definition? Or is it like widescreen movie DVDs, where no two aspect ratios are exactly alike?
4. Will it be expensive for studios to re-master their existing movies to HD-DVD, thus passing the cost on to consumers?
I remember when VHS movies were like $25, unadjusted for 20 years of inflation... are we in for the same with High Def DVD formats?