…The High-Def Revolution Hasn’t Begun
1. To the average user, the technology surrounding high definition is confusing compared to traditional, analog standards. What’s the difference between 1080i, 1080p and 720p? Then you get into components as changes in television connections have furthered complicated things. Component video has led to DVI, which in turn as led to HDMI. All of this had left a lot of non-techie consumers scratching their heads.
2. It took forever for the HDDVD versus Blu-Ray battle to settle. At least it felt that way. The effects of this have only served to confuse consumers and angered those who are now stuck with HD DVD players. And where is the Internet content? Only Daily Motion has launched HD capabilities. Where’s YouTube? How long is the planet’s biggest video sharing service going to make us sit through fuzzy, pixelated home movies?
3. HD content is expensive to produce and requires a whole host of advanced/new skills to bring a program to life, not only in the technical art of HD, but also in fields that are generally overlooked by viewers. Vanity Arts, for example, has been significantly affected by HD programming. As pointed out The Victory Studios, traditional make-up appears painterly and obvious on HD. Production houses now need access to greater behind-the-scenes talent that can make our favorite actors not-ready for-HD flaws look flawless. (Side note - it looks like the cosmetic industry is already climbing on board with Blu-Ray make-up.)
4. HD is expensive. Cable companies already charge an arm and a leg for “added value” channels in their monthly packages. They then charge an additional premium to access HD content. For sports, it’s definitely worth the price. But do we really need to pay a premium to watch CSI in crystal clear detail? And if HD ever carries over into the world of IPTV, the same cable companies are going to have to charge a fortune to recoup the bandwidth costs, which are outlined here.
5. The porn industry is not entirely on board yet. Early predictions of adult entertainment being an early adopter, as they are with many developments in broadcast technology, have not materialized as producers struggle with the idea that HD porn is too graphic. Not much is left to the imagination when you can see a little extra cellulite, a few eye wrinkles and the occasional scar from the seemingly required breast augmentation surgery. (It also doesn’t help that Sony has said “no” to Blu-Ray porn).
