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View Full Version : Interesting article on Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD



Widescreen
6/2/2007, 01:35 AM
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/soapbox/soap060107.html

Makes some interesting points.

Summary: Both formats are high quality with great video and sound. Toshiba's recent price cuts mean that they are losing big bucks for each HD-DVD player they sell which will prevent other manufacturers from wanting to also get into the HD-DVD game (who wants to be forced to sell at a loss?). HD-DVD only has 1 exclusive studio in it's camp: Universal. Blu-Ray has 5: Disney, Fox, MGM, Lionsgate and Sony. Blu-Ray dramatically outselling HD-DVD on the software front. As soon as Universal goes format-neutral the war will be over.

Personally, I think the deciding factor was made when Microsoft decided to release the XBOX 360 a year before HD-DVD was ready. PS3 ships with built-in Blu-Ray player and it doesn't sound like tons of people are buying the XBox HD-DVD add-on.

Vaevictis
6/2/2007, 02:03 AM
Personally, I think the deciding factor was made when Microsoft decided to release the XBOX 360 a year before HD-DVD was ready. PS3 ships with built-in Blu-Ray player and it doesn't sound like tons of people are buying the XBox HD-DVD add-on.

Yeah, but the win looks like it may come at the cost of gutting the Playstation division which has been a strong financial performer for Sony since its inception.

I'm not sure of the numbers, but I suspect it may end up a pyrrhic victory for them.

Frozen Sooner
6/2/2007, 03:04 AM
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/soapbox/soap060107.html

Makes some interesting points.

Summary: Both formats are high quality with great video and sound. Toshiba's recent price cuts mean that they are losing big bucks for each HD-DVD player they sell which will prevent other manufacturers from wanting to also get into the HD-DVD game (who wants to be forced to sell at a loss?). HD-DVD only has 1 exclusive studio in it's camp: Universal. Blu-Ray has 5: Disney, Fox, MGM, Lionsgate and Sony. Blu-Ray dramatically outselling HD-DVD on the software front. As soon as Universal goes format-neutral the war will be over.

Personally, I think the deciding factor was made when Microsoft decided to release the XBOX 360 a year before HD-DVD was ready. PS3 ships with built-in Blu-Ray player and it doesn't sound like tons of people are buying the XBox HD-DVD add-on.

1. Universal is not the only studio that's HD DVD exclusive. Weinstein, while not a major player, has some decent titles-and they're HD DVD exclusive due to their hatred of the Disney folks. Plus, while Warner is technically neutral, there's a reason why some of their major titles are on HD DVD only-such as the Matrix trilogy, Batman Begins, V for Vendetta, and the Adventures of Robin Hood.

2. Last time I saw, the 360 add-on is almost impossible to keep in stock.

3. If I had to pick a winner right this second, I'd go with BD. However, HD DVD has made up a ton of ground in the last few weeks. I wouldn't count them out yet. I'm just glad I'm format neutral, so no matter who wins I'm good.

Penguin
6/2/2007, 06:54 AM
I'm not spending $700 for a GAME system. Sony really should have thought about it for a while. But, I guess people are happy with a paperweight that has a grand total of 2 games.

achiro
6/2/2007, 08:47 AM
I'm not spending $700 for a GAME system. Sony really should have thought about it for a while. But, I guess people are happy with a paperweight that has a grand total of 2 games.
Compared to the price of a blu-ray you'd do alright getting the ps3 if you were looking at that format. I personally thing Microsoft did it right by making the hd an add-on. That way if hd doesn't work out, they can make an add-on blue-ray. If blue ray tanks, ps3 is in big trouble

def_lazer_fc
6/2/2007, 10:52 AM
didn't the porn industry choose to go with the hd-dvd? its over.

Frozen Sooner
6/2/2007, 11:21 AM
I'm not spending $700 for a GAME system. Sony really should have thought about it for a while. But, I guess people are happy with a paperweight that has a grand total of 2 games.

I guess it's a good thing that the PS3 doesn't cost $700 and has more than 2 games.

Frozen Sooner
6/2/2007, 11:22 AM
didn't the porn industry choose to go with the hd-dvd? its over.

No.

Vivid is BD exclusive.

Widescreen
6/2/2007, 11:54 AM
If blue ray tanks, ps3 is in big trouble
Why? All of a sudden it won't be a game system anymore? PS3 isn't dependent on movie sales for success. It's dependent on game sales. IOW, BD is fairly dependent on PS3 sales, PS3 isn't dependent on BD sales.

Getem
6/2/2007, 01:08 PM
Wait, didn't the BDA declare victory a couple of months ago? Why are still talking about this? :P
I think that article was written in response to the Ain't It Cool guy going HDDVD. Hunt has always been a BD lean, anyway.
It is funny how every time there is a big BD release, you get all these articles quoting that week's sales and how BD is dominating. Steady state, it's about 60/40 in favor of BD, and that's w/o the effect of Tosh's recent rebates. Plus, I bet if the Matrix movies had been released separately, the first one would have outsold either Pirates movie.
Sony needs to do two things to kill HDDVD: get a reasonably priced full-spec player out, and get BD+ going. Toshiba, on the other hand, needs to get 3 layers functioning.

slickdawg
6/2/2007, 02:40 PM
Be honest with yourself, standard DVD video on a plasma TV and Dolby 5.1 is good enough for 95% of American consumers.

So most will not care about HD-DVD or Blu-Ray, so neither will win much.

Frozen Sooner
6/2/2007, 02:57 PM
Be honest with yourself, standard DVD video on a plasma TV and Dolby 5.1 is good enough for 95% of American consumers.

So most will not care about HD-DVD or Blu-Ray, so neither will win much.

Pretty much true.

Which amazes me. I can see a big difference in picture quality, but I know that there's those who don't.

Widescreen
6/2/2007, 03:51 PM
I can certainly see the difference. However, to me it's less of an improvement than VHS to DVD was. I realize from a resolution standpoint it's a bigger improvement but, to me, from a strictly viewing standpoint, DVD was the bigger jump.