Blu-ray Vs. HD DVD not as close as expected... (Official- HD-DVD Dead) - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Juventus3 · 07-26-2007, 08:18 PM

Looks like it's safe to buy a Blu-ray player once the prices go down a bit with major retailers and Blockbuster both supporting the format over HD DVD.

http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-975...g=2547-1_3-0-5

I looked for the previous thread but a search of blu-ray and HD DVD both came up empty...

I_H8_Crawford · 07-26-2007, 08:27 PM

Didn't WalMart say they'd carry HD DVD?
And the Blockbuster announcement isn't that big... I bet most people use online movie rentals now, and Blockbuster will offer HD DVD for their online rental service.

I don't think it is decided yet.

Bobblehead · 07-26-2007, 08:30 PM

Well, HD-DVD stand alone players are outselling Blu-ray stand alone players. According to your article, 1.4 million of the 1.5 million Blu-ray players are in a PS3.

MS also announced a price drop on their external HD-DVD.

I think Blu-ray is starting to really get some steam, but it isn't a done deal. The adoption of HD players hasn't been as strong as expected, so until that occurs, anything can happen.

I_H8_Crawford · 07-26-2007, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Well, HD-DVD stand alone players are outselling Blu-ray stand alone players. According to your article, 1.4 million of the 1.5 million Blu-ray players are in a PS3.

MS also announced a price drop on their external HD-DVD.

I think Blu-ray is starting to really get some steam, but it isn't a done deal. The adoption of HD players hasn't been as strong as expected, so until that occurs, anything can happen.

What's funny is I think the reason there hasn't been a larger adoption of HD players is the very fact that no one wants to get stuck with the "Beta" version of HD players... everyone (myself included) seems to be waiting for one to be declared a "winner" before jumping in ourselves...

Bobblehead · 07-26-2007, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I_H8_Crawford

What's funny is I think the reason there hasn't been a larger adoption of HD players is the very fact that no one wants to get stuck with the "Beta" version of HD players... everyone (myself included) seems to be waiting for one to be declared a "winner" before jumping in ourselves...

Well, I also know some HD TVs have been obsoleted by some of the digital rights management implemented (specifically, the lack of HDMI in early sets). That is pretty much sorted out, but there are still glitches and some TVs have required firmware issues to work with Blu-ray (it sucks when you need to patch your fricking TV).

greerb · 07-26-2007, 08:51 PM

I have a Toshiba HD DVD player and absolutly love it. As said before HD DVD players are out selling BD players. If you don't count the PS3. I am waiting to buy a BD player when the prices are reasonable. And as long as there are exclusives for each type of disk there will be 2 formats for a long while.

nfotiu · 07-26-2007, 09:00 PM

It is not over until blu ray standalone players start selling. Until then, it is just a format that plays on a gaming system, and that is too much of a niche to be significant. I bought an hd dvd player a year ago, but I'm not married to the format. I only rent movies, so not a lot invested. HD DVD players just dipped below the $200 barrier in the US, and their great dvd up-scalers. They may start to fly off the shelves when people are picking them up instead of upscaler sd dvd players. Why not.

It is a silly format war anyway. Both are perfectly capable of putting an artifact free 1080p picture and lossless multichannel audio on a 5 inch disk. Any technical difference between the two won't affect sound or picture quality on even the most outrageously expensive equipment available today.

Who knows, online distribution will probably beat out both formats. The ftth internet I just switched to (like many others around here) is more than capable of delivering fully quality hdtv.

Juventus3 · 07-26-2007, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nfotiu

It is not over until blu ray standalone players start selling. Until then, it is just a format that plays on a gaming system, and that is too much of a niche to be significant. I bought an hd dvd player a year ago, but I'm not married to the format. I only rent movies, so not a lot invested. HD DVD players just dipped below the $200 barrier in the US, and their great dvd up-scalers. They may start to fly off the shelves when people are picking them up instead of upscaler sd dvd players. Why not.

It is a silly format war anyway. Both are perfectly capable of putting an artifact free 1080p picture and lossless multichannel audio on a 5 inch disk. Any technical difference between the two won't affect sound or picture quality on even the most outrageously expensive equipment available today.

Who knows, online distribution will probably beat out both formats. The ftth internet I just switched to (like many others around here) is more than capable of delivering fully quality hdtv.

I'll order one for 200 bucks....link?

VanCity Cowboy · 07-26-2007, 09:25 PM

Of the top 100 2007 (YTD) films;
47 are from Blu-Ray exclusive studios,
14 are HD DVD exclusive studios,
29 are dual-format studios and
10 are not supporting either format currently.

and given that blue ray exclusives have grossed 52%, compared to a 10% share for HD exlusives, Blue Ray has the edge.

I'm not sure it's as much about the hardware as it is about the studios that support each side. and it seems quite clear that Blue Ray studios are making the more lucrative movies.

http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9740033-1.html
http://blog.pixelperfectproductions.com/?p=54

TurnedTheCorner · 07-26-2007, 11:36 PM

I got an HD-DVD player this year so I could buy Heroes Season 1 in HD. Beyond that, I'm not married to the format. If it fails, I'll just get Bluray or the next HD format.

MS and Toshiba are basically willing to do everything necessary to keep HD-DVD afloat as far as I can tell. It may not "win", but I doubt it will disappear a la Beta, either.

I don't see how lucrative box-office translates into success for either format. I suppose you could make the leap that a higher box-office will mean more home sales, but what proportion of those sales will be in HD format vs. regular DVD? I don't know, either.

Draug · 07-27-2007, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Well, HD-DVD stand alone players are outselling Blu-ray stand alone players. According to your article, 1.4 million of the 1.5 million Blu-ray players are in a PS3.

Of course the stand alone HD-DVD players are outselling the stand alone Blu-Ray players!

The best valued Blu-Ray player happens to come inside a PS3. Anyone in the market for a Blu-Ray player would be foolish to over look the PS3. It is cheaper than other stand alone Blu-Ray players, and you get the console for free. It is an especially great deal with the recent price drop and 5 free movies.

All that being said, 100,000 of the Blu-Ray players out there are stand alones. Only 150,000 of the 300,000 HD-DVD players are stand alones. 50,000 more stand alone units is nothing for HD-DVD supporters to brag about.

Really, Studio support is the key component in this format war. I imagine that the Studios will support whatever format sells the most discs. With Blu-Ray players outnumbering the HD-DVD players 5:1, I can only see Blu-Ray outselling HD-DVD. I think VanCity Cowboy's disc numbers support my assertion.

Personally, I think this war is over. It is only a matter of time until HD-DVD is a memory - just like laserdisc. It will stick around for a few years, especially with Microsoft behind it.

Well, I guess it could turn, but it would take an astonomical turn of events. Something like HD-DVD players being priced at $100, and at the same time, Blu-Ray players being unable to match that price point.

ernie · 07-27-2007, 06:01 AM

You can total up all the movies sold for HD-DVD and Blu-Ray since the formats came out and that number is surpassed by the single week sales of mediocre regular old DVD movie.

The formats can battle all they likes but the fact still very much remains they are BOTH losing the war to regular old DVD.. In fact they are getting absolutely hammered. Very few people care about viewing a movie in HD. The only care about the movie being good.

But a war isn't won this early. The movie attachment rate for HD-DVD is far higher than Blu-Ray. The number of stand alone HD-DVD players is greater indicating that when the public does go out looking for a moview player and thikns about making the switch they are leaning towards the cheaper technology. I wonder how many Blu-ray movies would have sold if PS3 owners actually had some games to spend money on. I'm guessing the movie totals would be much much less. You also have to keep in mind a couple of things:

-that the movie studio with the largest back catalogue of movies in the world is supporting HD-DVD. We never hear about it because it's a European studio but outside of North America that may have a big impact.

-the DVD players in peoples home just took over the number of VHS players in the US this past year. Getting people to change and commit to a change isn't easy.

- there are 150 million DVD players in the US alone. Blu-Ray even counting the PS3 and HD-DVD have a tremendously long ways to even be a competitor with DVD.

And to be perfectly honest I think the major competitor to these formats in a few short years will be digital delivery HD content.

TurnedTheCorner · 07-27-2007, 07:31 AM

I could see digital downloads further mudying the waters and ensure that no single format emerges as a dominant one.

TheCommodoreAfro · 07-27-2007, 07:47 AM

Porn went with HD-DVD. I'm always going to side with those naked freaks when it comes to choose a new personal viewing and distribution medium...

TurnedTheCorner · 07-27-2007, 07:55 AM

The internet is for porn, not physical media formats anymore. This isn't the 1980s.

mykalberta · 07-27-2007, 08:55 AM

I dont really see the price of BR go down significantly in the long run. It will be alot like DVD players, SONY right now is lowering the patent commsion so that lowers the price. If they can kill HDDVD then those prices will skyrocket again until the pattent expires.

MYK

The Yen Man · 07-27-2007, 09:20 AM

In a way, I think MS is smart to include the HD DVD as an add on component rather than build it right into the Xbox360. That way, depending on how the format wars go, they could always switch if they need to. But I guess in Sony's case, since they're the ones who came up with the Blu Ray format, they would be sticking with it all the way.

ken0042 · 07-27-2007, 09:22 AM

The thing that is different between this and previous format wars; is that it is now possible for one device to play both formats. I think we will end up seeing more hybris devices; and like the -R/+R format war with recordable DVDs, it will end up a draw.

REDVAN · 07-27-2007, 09:32 AM

I am going to wait until some oddball company illegally uses the technology and develops a player that can play all disc types. Also, that is basically what Ken said.

TurnedTheCorner · 07-27-2007, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken0042

The thing that is different between this and previous format wars; is that it is now possible for one device to play both formats. I think we will end up seeing more hybris devices; and like the -R/+R format war with recordable DVDs, it will end up a draw.

I don't see combo players being economically feasible for a long time - even early adopters who are trying to future proof would get queasy looking at the prices. How much is the LG combo player going to retail for, if it ever hits the market? Or the Samsung one?

Didn't Warner Brothers come up with a disc type that will play in either player?