There's a number of HDD movie players that'll play our several HD video formats. Pretty cheap too. Quick local search found this unit:
http://www.dvdirect.com.au/shop/prod/sarotech-abigs-dvp-570hd.html
You could probably even playout from a USB flash drive via a laptop to a large LCD screen connected via DVI for best resolution.

Bob.
Edit. You could also look at the Mediagate MG-350HD. Around AUD 300. Don't know if it'll loop one video or not but you could create x copies of your video in one long file that'd play for a day if not more if it doesn't.

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

Unfortunately the show will be on the other side of the world from me. There will be no camera or tape deck for playback and the customer is anything but tech savvy.

I was hoping for some sort of DVD-based HD solution whereby I can give the customer very simple instructions. i.e. Rent a HD TV, one of these DVD players, insert the disk, and press play.

Bob,
The Mediagate MG-350HD seems to have a lot of flaws.

John

Unfortunately the show will be on the other side of the world from me
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Where Nick?

For example: In the Los Angeles (USA) area a place like this one rents a 50 inch plasma HDTV for $285 (USD) a day.
In that same region you can buy an HD DVD player for $140 at a Wolf Camera store.

You can make an HD DVD from a DVD-R following some of Laurence's instructions using Ulead DVD Movie Factory 6 plus.

John

It's in London but the customer is travelling from Bali to it.

Well, I don't have Ulead and I'm not in a position to invest in more software really to get this done.

How about my DivX or WMV ideas? All those countless cheapish DVD players you see in the high street with "DivX" or "WMV" written on them. Will they actually output in HD?

Step A-burn AVCHD content to DVD 5 (standard DVD)
Step B-Tell client to rent/borrow Sony Blu-ray player
Step C-put movie in BD player, said player connected to HD display over component, preferably HDMI.

Done.

How about my DivX or WMV ideas? All those countless cheapish DVD players you see in the high street with "DivX" or "WMV" written on them. Will they actually output in HD?
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DIVX-HD will encode faster and give you a smaller file size, but I believe WMV-HD will look better.

1280x720 at 6835 kbps will encode at 54 MB/Min.

Here is a screenshot of an original 1920x1088 image on the upper left and a 1280 x 720 WMV-HD compression on the lower right.

http://images.tomshardware.com/2006/07/05/btv_hd_and_wmv_big.jpg (copy and paste - won't link properly).

The problem will be playing them. If high action scenes last more than a split second, they may be starved for bandwidth and quality drops. VC-1 encoding in HD DV on the other hand, is Variable rate meaning it can stay at peak rates (which can be 2 to 3 X higher) for quite some time and keep up with the action.
You need a DVD that is specifically capable of playing files of this type, like this one. Connection needs to be HDMI or HD component.

At the moment, without one of these new players, you are stuck with connecting up a PC or laptop with enough processing power to play the files. I am not sure if one can be rented in London.

Again, as with ohter problems of this sort it all boils down to DRM schemes.

The cheapest alternative with the least potential problems (considering the exhibitor has no techno-skill) is a standard DVD-R encoded at a CBR of 8,000,000 displayed on a good TV monitor rental. Keep the monitor size under 42 inches for a widescreen and it should look great. I don't believe HD discs will show it's advantages unless you go with a larger screen.

Better quality would be if he can rent something like a Sony GVHD700 Video Walkman which has an HDMI output and can play HDV off of a MiniDV cassette. A good LCD or Plasma TV rental with an HDMI input and an occasional rewind on the player and it should look GREAT.

John

>> Step A-burn AVCHD content to DVD 5 (standard DVD)

Thanks Spot. 2 questions:

- Would this work on a PS3?

- Would the looping be a function of the player or of the way the file/disk is authored/burnt?

Unless you burn the disk as a true avchd disk to a dvd using software outside of Vegas it probably won't play. If you used a Blu-Ray Disk it would play.
If burnt to dvd's it may play on one or two few Blu-Ray Players (haven't found one yet) they will not play in the PS3. Either way Vegas is writing a BDMV disk, if you burn it to standard dvd the changes are it will not work.

I'd just make a nice clear dvd and have it loop.
Even if you go the HD-DVD route, you can't test your burn will play at 3X without stuttering.
Burning 3X dvd's in HD-DVD format isn't reliable if you can't check them.

I would send them media that you can test and what you know works.

There's a good chance you send them a high def disk, they rent a Blu-Ray or HD-DVD player and hook it up either S-Video or Composite to the HDTV anyway. So far I'm come across at least 5 people using PS3's thinking their big screens are great, the PS3's are connected using the standard composite/stereo cable that comes in the PS3 box :)

it works on the PS3 here. Can't say if theirs is updated or not.
If they have a PS3, why not have them load it as a data disc, and play from there? Then it'll work for certain.
For certain compatibility, have them get their hands on a BD300 player that has at least 2.0 software on it. It absolutely will play, and be stunning over HDMI. We did this for a couple booths that were at CES last month, and it's in the schedule to do the same for some projects due for NAB coming up.
In other words, this is becoming very common. Last year at this time, all the HD we delivered to CES and NAB were on data discs or HDD's Xferred over to computer internall HDD systems. Our content in the Nero and DivX booths were stunning.