How much High Definition is too much?

Is there such a thing as too much High Definition? Short answer: Yes; Long answer: Maybe. Here's how it breaks down. Don't get me wrong I love all things high definition. But lets face it though, paying half a grand for a gaming system when its only capable of a slight improvement in 3D texture rendering and shading, doesn't make much sense. Isn't that the technical equivalent of spitting hairs? Call me crazy but a First Person Shooter on Playstation 2 is just as good in terms of game play as you'll find on the Playstation 3. That's why its typically my practice to wait a year or so after a new system is released for its price to come down off its high horse. But what about the future gaming systems and other multimedia with even greater definitions of clarity?

Blue Ray High Definition (HD) discs are the most recent example I can think of that demonstrates this concept. The Blue Ray audio/video format was promoted as the latest greatest way to watch movies and TV. But after seeing it and comparing it with a DVD, on a regular DVD player, connected to a HD TV with standard A/V cables. The difference is negligible. In fact if you didn't know what you were looking for in terms of comparison or if you had less then perfect vision. You mite not even be able tell the difference between DVD and the current HD media. The digitization of all the music and DVDs we love has created this instance where the multimedia can reach a limit in the users ability to utilize it with their sense as seen in video games and all other multimedia. Eventually video games will become the same as digital media in that improved compression, while maintaining high definition will become the goal of product improvement. Rather then continuing to increase the definition of our entertainment to levels we will never truly be able to notice.

There's going to come a time when our multimedia and technology will have much more definition then our senses can even recognize and appreciate. So then what are we really paying for? Its something that is there but you cannot necessarily see it. An additional step in quality that you'll never be able to experience. Unless we can speed up evolution and force our eyes to see in greater clarity or enhance our hearing to the level of a bats. We are going to reach the limits of our sensory input soon. Maybe then more game designers, film makers, and musicians can focus more on the substance and immersion of their creations rather than the quality of the output.