Next (well not really) generation DVD format wars

[PsYkHoTiK]

What do you guys think of this? I know its pretty dated and all but still a valid question.

Here we have two cartels that consist of different media houses, component manufacturers, etc that sit on different sides. As far as movie houses are concerned, most of them are siding with Blu-ray. Blu-ray also has the big trump card of the PS3 (if they ever ship enough of it) whereas Microsoft (biggest and most influential software maker) sides with the HD-DVD (and tries to push it with their Xbox 360 via an add on drive for more $$$)

Of course the smarter companies choose to support both (like media manufacturer Taiyo Uden, etc.) There has been plans of a laser diode that would read both (I remember Ricoh already has a diode) as well as dual format players (like the one LG recently announced.)

Blu-ray has a higher capacity disk with plans for even higher capacity ones. There are conflicting reports of which is selling better. Toshiba is selling their HD-DVD players at a lower (relatively) prices (market penetration pricing) whereas Sony seems to be pricing theirs relatively high (market skimming pricing.) The only common trait is that both types of players are relatively big and ugly (with the exception of the PS3 - sexay!)

Of course this bunch of silliness is at the annoyance of consumers who want HD quality movies. I have recently obtained a Playstation 3 so I am now a user of Blu-ray (and I love it to be honest.) My playstation 3 plays everything on a disk (CD, SACD, DVD, Blu-ray) with the exception (naturally) of a HD-DVD disk.

I know a resolution of 1920 x 1080 is nothing to computers but these are native resolution of the source picture (which makes it crystal clear) as well as totally uncompressed sound (hence why such crazy disk capacities are needed.) I would show pictures but they don't do it justice. HD is really something you need to experience first hand. But fair warning, once you see it, you'll never go back to 'normal' television.

So what do you guys think? Is this Betamax redux or will Sony stomp on through?

[Adrian Wong]

IMHO, it will end up like DVD+R and DVD-R. In the end, the company that delivers a drive that can support both formats will win.

But I don't quite see Blu-ray or HD-DVD becoming the common distribution format for PCs. In the sense, they won't be as ubiquitous as our DVD-Rs or CD-Rs.

Not that they don't offer good capacities. I just think the convenience of flash drives or USB hard drives will make them redundant for many tasks that we used to do with DVD-Rs and CD-Rs.

So, eventually, I suppose it will be a big thing mainly for movies, hence we will have to see which camp has the most titles out in the first few years. Eventually though, I think we will see players that support both formats.

[PsYkHoTiK]

Well I was more along the lines of movies instead of staple media for PC users.

[Adrian Wong]

Yup, sorry about going off-topic a little there.

Tough choice. Both camps have movie studios backing them up.

But I think it will be a matter of time before someone starts shipping players that can read both formats... then both sides will probably cave in and ship their products with drives that can read both formats.

[PsYkHoTiK]

Yea, LG already has a player (well announced that it will be released soon.)

But I find it interesting that how the DVD format wars have also spilled over into the console wars too (Xbox and PS3.)

But I can't say much for HD-DVD buy Blu-Ray is awesome! I love the popup menu (so you wont have to get out of the movie to change anything, it just pops up at the bottom.)

[Trinity]

It would be all so easy,,, If the movie co's would just sell movies with blue ray on one side of the disk, and hd on the other.

trin ,,, pat. pending.

[PsYkHoTiK]

LOL! I think Warner Bros is making a disc that would work on both players...

[Adrian Wong]

Originally Posted by PsYkHoTiK

LOL! I think Warner Bros is making a disc that would work on both players...

Smart!

[neverthar]

Well I'm just hoping Sony doesn't do another root-kit fauz pas for blu ray as they've historicallty lost the media wars twice (Remember Betamax vs. VHS?)

[Adrian Wong]

Originally Posted by neverthar

Well I'm just hoping Sony doesn't do another root-kit fauz pas for blu ray as they've historicallty lost the media wars twice (Remember Betamax vs. VHS?)

Hehe.. I think they learned their lesson with that.