Blu-Ray Vs. HD DVD - Who will win?

[fanforever1986]

These two new Home Movie Disc formats are battling it out for market domination. The early lead was given to Blu-Ray (which is made by Sony), mostly because the PS3 franchise was riding on the technology. HD DVD (I think headed up by toshiba?) was slow to get going, but seems to be in the lead at the moment...really interesting stuff. It seems to be a case where neither one has a technological advantage over the other, and its purely up to what the consumers choose.

If you're not sure what all this is...

HD DVD site: www.thelookandsoundofperfect.com

BluRay site: www.blu-ray.com/

What the geeks are saying...

http://news.digitaltrends.com/talkback158.html

http://www.engadget.com/2005/09/19/b...on-s-division/

Has anyone bought either of these types of players? Obviously the picture will be an upgrade, but the sound Im not sure of.

EDIT: Just noticed this was my 1000th post, not to toot my own horn or anything. Woo!

[Kerplunk]

Some discussion about Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD took place here.

[fanforever1986]

Originally Posted by Kerplunk

Some discussion about Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD took place here.

I searched for HD-DVD lol....figures. Thanks.

[Looger]

as with every single format battle EVER, the proof is in the pudding and the actual technical superiority means virtually nothing.

edge usually goes to unlicensed technology, ie. VCR versus betamax.

for the record it's not like i'm a huge fan of beta, in north bc for some reason beta did ok. all the video stores had a beta copy and a vhs copy, which was good because a friend of mine had a beta player. the quality was similar on tv and the players had a tendency to eat the tapes, i know that video editors loved them but i've never understood the 'beta is way better' argument...

the battle is won when the stores are flooded with the winner, very strange marketing wars.

[Tyler]

I hope HD-DVD wins. I just bought a new player and have purchased close to 10 discs now.

The main annoyance right now is the limited titles and delayed release dates.

[Prototype]

Two things going against Sony Blue Ray in my eyes. The word Sony, and the words Blue Ray.

Many people have a jaded view of Sony to begin with. The words Blue Ray have nothing to do with High Def, unless you do the research. The common consumer, although does more research before shopping, will get that a HD-DVD will work for their HD-TV. Blue Ray may confuse them easily.

If I were a betting man, I'd put $5 on HD-DVD. Is there a Vegas line on this fight?

[Table 5]

Sony used to be a great company with many innovative ideas, but now they just seem to want to force-feed every stupid little propiatary technology of theirs on us, and exlude everyone else at all costs. For that reason, I'm pulling for HD-DVD.

[SpitFire40]

I think HD DVD will win in the end... but what bothers me are studios sticking to any particular format, all this will do is turn off consumers from taking the next leap...

Take Pirates of the Carribean for example, it's Disney, Disney is with Blu Ray, now take Harry Potter, Warner Brothers is with HD DVD.

If you want both in HD i'm going to need two players??? Booo

I will eventually have both once the PS3 is accessible to me, but the general public for now will stay with the standard DVD.

[Bobblehead]

I think you got it backwards. HD-DVD was the first to market. Blu-Ray has been behind.

Latest I've heard was the HD-DVD was winning the public relations war, but with the PS3 shipping with a Blu-ray drive the war was going to be long and drawn out.

Sony engineering is usually pretty good (at the high end), but when will they learn that trying to corner the market with proprietary formats is a recipe for disaster? (see: Beta, ATRAC, Minidisk)

[Looger]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Sony engineering is usually pretty good (at the high end), but when will they learn that trying to corner the market with proprietary formats is a recipe for disaster? (see: Beta, ATRAC, Minidisk)

bingo bango bongo.

the supremacy of a formate depends on others using it, it is so strange to me that sony of all companies has not learned this lesson.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by Looger

bingo bango bongo.

the supremacy of a formate depends on others using it, it is so strange to me that sony of all companies has not learned this lesson.

It's a little different this time as most major tech companies are leaning towards Blu-ray. The unfortunate thing for Blu-ray is all these companies are part of the DVD Consortium as well. They can go either way if they have too.

[Table 5]

Has the porn industry picked a side yet? They are usually a pretty big factor in deciding who wins these sort of battles.

[underGRADFlame]

PS3 is gonna be huge for Blu-Ray but I'm not gonna pick a winner on this one.

[Flashpoint]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Has the porn industry picked a side yet? They are usually a pretty big factor in deciding who wins these sort of battles.

Both funny, and 100% true.

I seem to recall an English company that came out with a player that could play both...(does that mean the war is over, and the English company wins?)

[SpitFire40]

Originally Posted by underGRADFlame

PS3 is gonna be huge for Blu-Ray but I'm not gonna pick a winner on this one.

Yes, there will be more Blu-Ray players out there but that doesn't necessarily mean signifigantly more people will start buying Blu-Ray movies.

Time will tell

[flamingchina]

I dunnow, when people ask me: "Waht's Blue Ray?" but they know what HD-DVD is.. it really makes me think HD-DVD will win.

[fanforever1986]

Originally Posted by flamingchina

I dunnow, when people ask me: "Waht's Blue Ray?" but they know what HD-DVD is.. it really makes me think HD-DVD will win.

I think that for a lot of the public this will be the case. HD DVD is familar, whereas bluray sounds like the latest joey's only seafood special.

[SpitFire40]

Originally Posted by fanforever1986

I think that for a lot of the public this will be the case. HD DVD is familar, whereas bluray sounds like the latest joey's only seafood special.

LOL, Good post.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Big move ahead for Blu-ray with this move by Blockbuster to carry it's titles exclusively:

http://www.forbes.com/markets/2007/0...markets06.html

"Since late 2006, the movie rental company has offered both formats at 250 stores across the country. Both formats were given equal billing, but Blockbuster soon realized that Blu-ray outsold its competitor by 70%."

Not sure if these stats are bunk but that's a huge vote of confidence for Blu-Ray if true.

[tripin_billie]

I really think the Blockbuster thing is not going to matter much. If Net Flix had done this, then yeah, but Blockbuster and Sony are similar in that they are on the downslope. But then again, maybe Blu Ray will be just ubiquitous as the other great sony media such as betamax, memory sticks, mini-disks, etc etc. Yeah, I think everyone should get my point, Sony + media format= hilarious disaster.