Hd-dvd Vs. Blu-ray

[INNOVA]

Quote from Apple:

"Apple is committed to both emerging high definition DVD standards—Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD. Apple is an active member of the DVD Forum which developed the HD DVD standard, and last month joined the Board of Directors of the Blu-ray Disc Association."


Check this out:

http://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/dvdstudiopro/quicktours/

 

[i-VTEC]

I went with HD DVD (Toshiba HD-A1) because of Picture Quality, Price and Titles available.

Sure, BD has more "support" from Studios but back in July when I went with HD DVD, they seemed to have more A+ titles eventhough it's just Warner Bros. and Universal. Training Day and Jarhead was the first HD DVD's I picked up...after 5 months I have 41 in my Collection.

Besides, an amazing Reference Quality titles (even today, I haven't read/seen a BD title that comes close to HD DVD) the Toshiba HD-A1 player is also a step up above Samsung's BD player...offers Firmware Upgrade thru Ehternet, Great Upconverting DVD's!

Since I gave up my 600+ DVD Collection, today I only have TV/Disney Collector's Box Sets...I do plan to buy Sony's PS3 as my BD player as soon as they solve this 1080i/Interlacing/Converting issue.

 

[mr g5]

I think one of the biggest reasons why hd-dvd is selling well is because of the name. People are familiar with dvd and they got a hd tv. It makes perfect scence to get a hd-dvd player.

 

[PowerBookG4]

I am going to go blu-ray when the price comes down.

I think my videograpy company is going to go blu-ray as well for output along with standard dvds

 

[Meyvn]

I'm a dual format supporter in that I buy both because I want movies on both in HD, but I am firmly in the HD DVD camp. I think it will be a MUCH better outcome for the consumer; first, because I happen to believe (from experience in viewing) that VC-1 is the better codec than MPEG2 at the least, and is at least as good as AVC. Also, FAR more importantly, HD DVD was devised by the DVD Forum, not Sony. If Sony controls Blu-ray Disc, it will control the discs, a large portion of the players (PS3 is by FAR the most common), and a large portion of the content (Sony owns Sony Pictures, MGM, Columbia-TriStar, and a couple otehr smaller studios). Sony is traditionally bent upon heavy DRM restrictions on the consumer; their efforts have helped cripple component analog outputs, and have helped to propagate the joke of a standard that is HDMI and its HDCP requirement. Remember their CD DRM debacle fairly recently? That's just the begin if they have such a large influence over content, player, and disc. Another GREAT thing tied in with this? HD DVD is region free, and very few Blu-ray discs are this way.

 

[TheCustomer99]

Hey all, I just read this in another forum. I'm not reporting this because I'm biased or anything.

In possibly the most significant marketing move since the launch of HD DVD Toshiba has announced 2 new HD DVD players, the cheapest of which costs a mere $300 and the flagship of which costs only $500.

I think this will at least help get HD DVD back into the game. These format wars are an interesting thing to watch. I wasn't around in the Betamax vs. VHS days and I'm too young to remember what format was competing against DVD, but I love reading about the HD DVD vs. Blu-Ray war. Not only that, but the HD DVD people at TheLookAndSoundOfPerfect.com are offering 5 free HD DVD titles with the purchase of a new HD DVD player. I love watching one side try to sink the other side with every move they make. Competition is a beautiful thing.

EDIT: The story I read was a bit wrong. I just checked Toshiba's site and they're actually releasing 3 players, one at $300, one at $400, and one at $500.

 

[GarlandM]

I've been debating getting HD-VD or Blu ray. I would hate to get one just to see the other take over.

 

[GarlandM]

So after learning about the 5 free HD-DVD's, I've decided to purchase one, I just bought the Toshiba HDA2. Yay

 

[TheCustomer99]

So after learning about the 5 free HD-DVD's, I've decided to purchase one, I just bought the Toshiba HDA2. Yay

That's great news. Enjoy it! I have the A1 but I hear that the A2 blows it away. I wanted to do the 5 free HD DVD thing but I bought my player used off ebay so I didn't get the proof of purchase to send in.

 

[fleurya]

Here's another big plus for the HD DVD camp:

http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/paramount-dreamworks-dropping-blu-ray-in-favor-of-hd-dvd-exclus/

 

[sLux]

i like HD-DVD the most, i dont see the big difference in quality, but the price is better.

 

[jotdess]

I like them both and just hope the dual format players become more affordable. That way, there is no winner and people can choose whichever format they please. We'll see though.

 

[TheCustomer99]

Here's another big plus for the HD DVD camp:

http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/paramount-dreamworks-dropping-blu-ray-in-favor-of-hd-dvd-exclus/

Great find fleurya! You got to this story before the HighDefForum did. Nice job! I love competition and this is why. Looks like HD DVD and Blu-ray are pulling out the big guns on each other. This is what capitalism is all about.

As far as the news in particular goes, I think it will help HD DVD, but it won't end the war. I predict a huge jump in HD DVD Player and disc sales when Transformers comes out in HD DVD though.

 

[bryphotoguy]

I went to my local Best Buy for a DVI to HDMI cord and stumbled upon a whole 3' rack of demo DVD and Blu-ray players. They had Samsung Blu-ray players for $399 and another brand for $499. I was tempted but have no need for a HD player yet. My upconvert DVD player plays standard DVD's and they look HD from the 8' away I sit from my TV.
Bryan

 

[alucard]

I was at Best buy and noticed a hybrid player. I found a link at Circuit City. HD DVD/BLU Ray Payer Not sure how well it works. One complaint is that it doesnt have iHD. Not sure what that is though.

 

[Zoolook]

Great find fleurya! You got to this story before the HighDefForum did. Nice job! I love competition and this is why. Looks like HD DVD and Blu-ray are pulling out the big guns on each other. This is what capitalism is all about.

Indeed, capitalism is all about consumerism and this is the ultimate consumerist dumb-fest.

I don't know about you, but I don't want to have to subscribe to 3 or 4 standards to get a variety of media. I don't want to have to have a HD-DVD player plus a Blu-Ray player to see hi-def movies, any more than I want to have to use DRM-WMV just to watch BBC programs here in the US and then switch to DRM-H.264 to watch Battlestar Galactica commercial free. OK, on a computer, it's actually not a huge deal, but it is a concern that in a few years all of this media may not even play on future devices.

So HD-DVD owners won't get Spider-Man 3, or Ratatouille and Blu-Ray owners won't get Transformers or Bourne...

Great, just what Capitalism is all about.

 

[TheCustomer99]

Ok I was only taken a little bit out of context. This is a format war, studios are going to take sides. If you aren't ready to handle not being able to buy movies in one format or another, then wait out the storm and buy into whichever format wins down the road. I don't buy into the dual-format idea. One side is going to win and one side will go the way of the dinosaurs. This isn't the first time this has happened (think VHS vs. Betamax). Eventually, all studios will produce in one format, wait for that time if you don't want to miss out on your favorite movies. As for right now, HD DVD and Blu-ray are barely outselling VHS tapes, so right now is a good time for studios to take sides.

I don't understand how this type of all out competition is bad. I own an HD DVD player and I don't feel like I'm being hurt by 20th Century Fox and Disney not supporting my format. I know PS3 owners who don't care if they can't get a Universal or Paramount movie. There aren't that many movie titles in either format right now, so studio support doesn't really hurt anyone. So, like I said, if you don't want to take the risk of owning an HD DVD or Blu-ray player right now, then buy a nice upconverting player and wait the war out.

 

[sLux]

I dont know if you have seen this, but check it out, Michael Bay is upset about paramounts announcement, that he wont do a Transformers 2. http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/21/michael-bay-responds-to-paramounts-abandonment-of-blu-ray-no-t/

 

[Zoolook]

Ok I was only taken a little bit out of context. This is a format war, studios are going to take sides. If you aren't ready to handle not being able to buy movies in one format or another, then wait out the storm and buy into whichever format wins down the road.

I don't understand how this type of all out competition is bad. I own an HD DVD player and I don't feel like I'm being hurt by 20th Century Fox and Disney not supporting my format. I know PS3 owners who don't care if they can't get a Universal or Paramount movie. There aren't that many movie titles in either format right now, so studio support doesn't really hurt anyone. So, like I said, if you don't want to take the risk of owning an HD DVD or Blu-ray player right now, then buy a nice upconverting player and wait the war out.

Taking your points backwards.

The thing is, this is not 'competition' in the traditional sense. It's not like you're choosing essentially the same service or product from 2 or more different companies, like buying gas for your car. If you can only get film A using product A and only get film B on product B, then that is a monopoly, not healthy competition. Consumers don't really have a choice, unless they choose to buy hardware based on what kind of films they like, which is absured.

(Of course there is another choice, which is standard DVD, but that is hardly the point and ruins my argument).

This has also happened in the console world. Sure there are many games you can get on PS3, Xbox and Wii - however the real reason a person buys PS3 rather than one of the others, are down to the exclusives.

The only people who really benefit are the retailers, NOT the consumers. It is possible both formats will survive, as has happened in the console world and to an extent in media. How long before you can only watch some shows on TimeWarner and need Verizon for the others? Would you consider that 'healthy competition'? Whilst Beta-Max failed, it is unlikely currently that either Blu-Ray or HD-DVD will give up the fight. I can see both surviving and neither really killing off DVD. Next up, HD-video on-demand and a whole new fight.