The HD Format Wars Thread

[feo]

OK, seems things are heating up with the whole HD format wars so I thought we'd have a dedicated thread to discuss it until it ends.

Right now Blu-Ray has the upper hand. Let's review. Warner and Fox were apparently in cahoots to go HD-DVD as their sole format but Warner would only choose the format if they had the backing of another major player. However both companies opted out with Warner accepting a $500m deal (read bribe) from BDA to drop HD-DVD. You can read up on the gory details here.

To add to the HD-DVD woes, New Line Cinemas (read Warner Bros) has dropped HD-DVD and as from May 2008 NO titles from these giants will be released on HD-DVD. This leaves Paramount and Universal as the only remaining camps to still be releasing content on HD-DVD.

Also, speculation about MS releasing a new Xbox 360 SKU called Ultimate with a built in HD-DVD player doesn't help things. I doubt MS would shoot themselves in the foot by strapping each one of their consoles with a format that could die out. This article is interesting, it gives some ideas on what MS could do if Blu-Ray does ultimately win. They could drop HD-DVD and pull a good old "switcheroo".

 

[killadoob]

well i think hd-dvd needed to be put in an xbox to have had a chance

if the porn industry goes hd that will be the decider

 

[SanchoP]

Damn. Don't know why but I've always been rooting for HD-DVD...

 

[Fudzy]

Interesting link:

http://www.macrumors.com/2008/01/04/hd-dvd-vs-blu-ray-battle-over-warner-switches-to-blu-ray/

Blu ray has quite a big chunk of pie there.

 

[The_Techie]

/me votes Blu ray

 

[LCBXX]

Blu-Ray
Anything that gets the backing from Pioneer and Sony gets my vote

 

[bwana]

Damn. Don't know why but I've always been rooting for HD-DVD...

Same here but I know why Sony has proven to me beyond a doubt that they're not trustworthy.

 

[The_Techie]

Sony has proven to me beyond a doubt that they're not trustworthy.

Agreed

 

[stefan9]

HD dvd for me since from what I know it's region free while blue ray isn't.

 

[Roman4604]

There is one thing that troubles me about both formats as a read only distribution format. In one sense DVD was step backwards from VHS, that being robustness. One could bang those cassettes around and as long as the case & flap stayed intact they would carry on working.

Already normal DVDs have to be handled with some care. Has anyone had experience with BR or HD-DVD failing due to scratching etc.? Would think their higher density would compound the problem?

Wish the industry could develop some kind of very low-cost solid state read-only memory type format (sorta credit card form factor) .

 

[killadoob]

if you treat your dvd's badly to the point of scratching why blame anyone but yourself

dvd's cd's etc only scratch when handled poorly thus its the users fault

 

[noxibox]

In one sense DVD was step backwards from VHS, that being robustness.

As long as you ignored the fact that they were rapidly degraded and gradually destroyed by using them.

Anyone who is damaging their DVDs or CDs is mishandling them or their hardware is faulty.

 

[XCalibre]

Blue is my favourite colour. It's good for Paramount and Universal though, now they can release movies in both formats and with the huge uptake of HD DVD recently they will definately sell a lot of titles. Dont know why Warner Bros can't do the same though.

Sony not trustworthy.. Don't think that's true, they did what they had to do.

 

[Roman4604]

@ killadoob & noxibox

Yes I know one must look after their stuff, but accidents do happen, esp. with (young) kids. Also when renting, ppl tend to not care too much for stuff thats not theirs.

The point I'm making is that the media is inherently fragile, a design flaw I would think should be solved in next generation media.

 

[milomak]

apparently even the porn industry might be switching to blu-ray

 

[Wynsam]

I have a vested interest here as a PS3 and a couple of blueray titles owner.

As much as I dont like some of the corporate Sony debacles (rootkits etc) of the past I think that they are well onto their way winning this one this time around. They seemed to have learned the leason well from the "VHS and Betamax format war" thumping they got.

 

[bwana]

apparently even the porn industry might be switching to blu-ray

I think they'll continue to swing both ways.

 

[The_Techie]

I think they'll continue to swing both ways.

If you know what I mean

 

[NoADSLyet]

...............
To add to the HD-DVD woes, New Line Cinemas (read Warner Bros) has dropped HD-DVD and as from May 2008 NO titles from these giants will be released on HD-DVD.

I still think both would survive. Anyway with New Line Cinemas in the Blu-Ray camp I am chuffed as they always tend to bring out the better collectors pieces on DVD with good sound! As I said long time ago Blu Ray will win because of the PS3/Sony connection (PS2 ) and better capacity. Cost will come down when this format becomes more freely accepted.

 

[arf9999]

@ killadoob & noxibox

Yes I know one must look after their stuff, but accidents do happen, esp. with (young) kids. Also when renting, ppl tend to not care too much for stuff thats not theirs.

The point I'm making is that the media is inherently fragile, a design flaw I would think should be solved in next generation media.

I think you're looking at the past through rose tinted glasses. VHS was anything but robust. The tape was fragile and wore out over time. DVD and CD are far more robust over time, and Blu-Ray seems to have a harder compound (i.e more scratch resistant) than either.