Blu Ray Vs Renting from Cable Box

StewToMyLou
StewToMyLou Posts: 11
edited January 2012 in Music & Movies
Is there a difference in the quality you get from watching a Blu Ray movie compared to Purchasing a rental through your onDemand feature through your cable provider?

Picture Quality?

Sound Quality?
Post edited by StewToMyLou on
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  • chumlie
    chumlie Posts: 8,658
    edited January 2012
    I do beleive so.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited January 2012
    I *believe* most all forms of transmission (cable/satellite) have to do some compression---so ultimately BluRay would be best, the question is; is there much of a difference? I have DirecTV, and my HD channels are really nice/have a great picture--but my BluRay is nicer--just not by much. It's a "how picky are you" factor.
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  • codyc1ark
    codyc1ark Posts: 2,532
    edited January 2012
    Blu ray > all.
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  • newrival
    newrival Posts: 2,017
    edited January 2012
    yes. but whether you can realize the difference is up to your equipment.

    At best, ondemand can only get you Dolby 5.1. If your equipent can handle more, than obviously your missing out there. Additionally, I believe onDemand doesnt stream at true 1080p. Even if it does, I notice a very discernible difference between the quality of the picture between sources. Again, if you only have a 720p or 1080i TV and an old 5 channel receiver that can only do Dolby 5.1 then you aret missing anything. But if you have current gear, then you are going to be missing out with ondemand.
    design is where science and art break even.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited January 2012
    When I watch a movie on HDTV (1080i) vs the same movie on BluRay (Disney's Christmas Carol comes to mind), the colors are a bit richer, and the contrast is better via Bluray. However, the picture is perfectly satisfying via satellite HD.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,119
    edited January 2012
    newrival wrote: »
    yes. but whether you can realize the difference is up to your equipment

    That is very true.
    Blu-ray is better, but as others stated both are enjoyable to me.
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  • mrbiron
    mrbiron Posts: 5,711
    edited January 2012
    Bluray of course costs more, in my opinion, looks better than HD off of Charter OnDemand, and physical media is way more appealing.

    The OnDemand convenience factor is also a plus but the picture/sound quality, to me, is just ok, not great. Also noted, i feel standard def movies on OnDemand are only marginally less attractive then their HD brethren. Call me cheap but i don't spend the extra $1 because it's really not worth it to me.
    Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!!
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  • polkfarmboy
    polkfarmboy Posts: 5,703
    edited January 2012
    I like to watch on a 120 inch screen so I really cant stand cable or dish on demand. For starters the grayscale is way of if your looking for accurate grey scale and it seems to have less resolution with some kind of frame interpolation crap. Its not at all film like and the audio is garbage on my speakers when compared to a bluray and dvd. The price is outrageous if its just for one person sitting down to catch a flick. For the money I go to Vudu for best picture quality and better audio. Its all about audio in a flick now so I do whatever I can to get a bluray just because the audio information on a 2hr bluray can fill more than one dvd or even 2
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  • newrival
    newrival Posts: 2,017
    edited January 2012
    polkfarmboy wrote: »
    For starters the grayscale is way of if your looking for accurate grey scale and it seems to have less resolution with some kind of frame interpolation crap.

    This is a situation of ignorance is bliss :D
    once i start noticing my grey scale is off, im screwed. Then I'll start researching that and realize all my video stuff is crap... i can hear the money flying out the window now... I'm just going to keep thinking my video calibration is perfect for a while. lol
    design is where science and art break even.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited January 2012
    With broadcasts you just have to accept imperfection---unless you have 400 presets. I'm fortunate that my BluRay calibration settings work very well for TV.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited January 2012
    What about the audio in Blu-ray versus cable?
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  • woodhead 2
    woodhead 2 Posts: 367
    edited January 2012
    Blue Ray all the way
    Panny 8000 project
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,990
    edited January 2012
    BlueFox wrote: »
    What about the audio in Blu-ray versus cable?

    Is there even a comparison ? Cable doesn't do DTS HD Master audio like BR.
    HT SYSTEM-
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  • gfong
    gfong Posts: 1,079
    edited January 2012
    All the major Cable companies in North America do not have the capabilities to broadcast in 1080p like Bluray does. That is the major difference in picture quality between cable and Bluray.

    so far in 2012 the cable companies only broadcast HD in 1080i (interlaced) or 720p (progressive).

    Sound through cable TV is only produced in Dolby Digital 5.1/2.0 and Bluray can do and what "woodhead 2" mentioned and more.

    Your TV may upconvert or produce 1080p but if the signal is not 1080p then it is not as good as Bluray. :) Bluray is 1080p and that is why it is clearer.
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  • BigDaveyL
    BigDaveyL Posts: 36
    edited January 2012
    As others have stated Blu-Ray will win out on paper, as you can have lossless audio and full, high bit rate 1080p.

    All cable companies transmit is 1080i, 720p and 480. And you'll only have stereo and lossy 5.1.

    The issue is what your equipment can support and how much you are an audio/video-phile
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
    edited January 2012
    The original question is too general as different cable providers will have different delivery configurations and 'quality of service' to the end user.

    For example, I have Crime Warner...sorry...meant to say Time Warner cable.

    When I watch HD channels - movies or especially sporting events, I get noticable macroblocking on fast motion scenes.

    So even though the spec is for 720p or 1080i, the cable company (or upstream provider) is not allocating sufficient bandwidth for HD programming and the result is a crummy picture.

    It has nothing to do with my equipment because if I put in a bluray disc in my bluray player I get a gorgeous detailed smooth playing picture w/ no macroblocking.

    YMMV....

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,990
    edited January 2012
    Erik Tracy wrote: »
    It has nothing to do with my equipment because if I put in a bluray disc in my bluray player I get a gorgeous detailed smooth playing picture w/ no macroblocking.

    YMMV....

    SO....what do you call a BDP then ? Is it not equipment ?
    HT SYSTEM-
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    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

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    B&k 1420
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
    edited January 2012
    Sure - you need a BDP to play and view bluray discs - but I was addressing the issue that there are differences in bluray vs cable box picture quality that has to do with the cable provider and has nothing to do with any equipment of the 'user'....720p, 1080i, 42", 50", 80", etc.

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • gdb
    gdb Posts: 6,012
    edited January 2012
    I always bear in mind my sweet VHS/26" CRT setup that I used to watch.......everything looks good to me nowadays !:lol:
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,990
    edited January 2012
    gdb wrote: »
    I always bear in mind my sweet VHS/26" CRT setup that I used to watch.......everything looks good to me nowadays !:lol:

    How about Rosie Odonnel, that look good to you too.:biggrin:
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • gdb
    gdb Posts: 6,012
    edited January 2012
    You betcha' :lol:

    imagesCA5DTDRH.jpg
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  • Rivrrat
    Rivrrat Posts: 2,101
    edited January 2012
    I really don't bother with running my HT system if I'm going to watch a movie off Directv even in HD, the sound sucks IMHO (not to mention pic quailty and I run at 1080i). If it's something I really want to see in good quality, I'll get it in blu-ray from Netflix.
    My equipment sig felt inadequate and deleted itself.
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