Thoughts on Blu-Ray vs HDDVD?
 

I'm getting the itch to go with some sort of high def DVD. I've got a good 1080P LCD TV, I've also got a Denon upconverting DVD player. The DVD player is very nice, but I find it lacking. I had planned to wait to see if the dust would settle and there would be a clear winner. But I'm getting impatient.

I want a set top player, not an XBOX, PS3 or MediaPC.

My guess is that I'll likely end up owning both types, unless there is a combo player on the market that is with in the price range of normal people.

I saw a graph yesterday, it showed something like 8 out of 10 studios using Blu-Ray as their their sole media.

Most likely HD DVD will die soon after WB moved exclusively to the Blu camp few days ago. Microsoft were pouring money and supporting HD DVD not because they wanted it to win but because they're on quest to make both formats fail.

Movie downloads FTW ...

time warner went exclusively with blueray....

combo players:
samsung up-5000, out soon, $800
lg bh100, out soon, $1200

The combo players cost more than buying each player separately. :jerkit:

HD DVD took a big blow last week
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssC...44635420080104

Personally, I wouldn't invest large amounts into either format. They both suck, and much better technologies are only a few years away from going mainstream. That said, if BestBuy once again offers Toshiba HDDVD players at $100 with 7 free HD DVD movies, I wouldn't stop ya. Barring that, you might want to hold out.

Netflix has 450 blu-ray titles and 400 hd titles. Don't know if that's a scientific comparison or what. I'm waiting until these HD players come below $200 before doing anything.

I've got an Xbox360 and recently got a HD Drive for it, just figured it would give me something to feed that 1080P LCD until the format war is over if nothing else. We rent everything at Netflix anyways, so I just tell it to send HDDVD if available and forget about it, if it's available in that format we'll get it.

Looks good BTW... I haven't brought it down to the home theater yet but it's only a 1366x768 projector so it would downscale 1080P anyways. Would still look better than DVD though.

Before I say this, yes I read the "no console" clause above:

Unless your getting a combo console you might as well buy the gaming console supporting the format you wish. You never know if a racing game or something you might want to play will come out. Figure it as an investment. Much better ROI on a console, including resale value. Remember when DVD first came out? Those players are like 20 dollars now...

BLu ray, VOD will be popular but sales will still be there. People like to own things, hence CDs

Good point Newb, dont forget that the consoles are upgradeable with software patches (I know the PS3 is i assume the same for HDDVD)

People will give up owning physical media for sake of having cheaper content stored electronically, hence MP3s. Hard media is dead. The future is downloadable content and/or purchasing expiring licenses. IE, pay per view. There is both more margin and less outlay involved in electronic media storage.

ROI infers that that you are indeed investing. A mutual fund is an investment. A dvd player is not.

Ben depends how you look at it. I would make the statement that the money i put down for my systems is worth $X of relaxation.

Its all been a pretty shitty move, the people going blu-ray exclusive. Sony paid 500 Mil for WB's sole support too. I have a HD DVD player, (XBOX 360.) I have a samsung blu ray player too. I like both, but to be honest the HD DVD player looks better, (foregrounds, and backgrounds) and is much, much faster loading up, and doing scene selections. The blu ray just seems like it has the enhanced foregrounds, and thats about it. Just my .02

Here is what MS is after - this deal from yesterday and most likely similar ones coming month after month:

http://kotaku.com/341367/mgm-disney-...-coming-to-xbl

Sony did? I didnt see that anywhere. I remember when they said that about MS and paramount, but again no proof.

As for the quality of the movie ins't it the same source just different media?

I wasn't aware of that deal, but it does reinforce my point. Downloadable content is the future.

I've got over 200 movies on DVD now, so it's safe to say that I enjoy owning. I will continue this trend with the next format. I'm not ready to pull the trigger yet.

The first DVD player I bought was a Panasonic A310, I paid close to $700cnd back in '98 or '99. that hurts a little now. But it was a good machine and lasted a number of years. This is the nature of technology, if you want it NOW it will cost. However, in this case I don't want to invest significant dollars in media if the format is going to die out. Had nearly a 10 year run with DVD, will Blu-Ray last that long? If people invest in the media it will for sure.

It might be , but physical media isnt going anywhere

Do you remember SACD and DVD-A? People spent fortunes on players and media. Where are they now?

Know your history
SACD (Sony) vs DVD-A (Toshiba)
sound familiar? this is the same shit, new wrapper.

Loki, again, I know no other way to tell you that the future is NOT going to include hard media.

Maybe in your experience this is the case. Aren't you an installer of high end audio video equiment? I don't know anyone that invested anything in DVD-A. Granted that's my limited experience. I'm just suggesting that maybe your clients aren't typical.

How many here own anything in DVD-A besides Ben?

I agree with Loki, people want to own ... not subscribe. Hell music for "free" has been around for nearly 10 years, people still buy CDs. Even with the wildly popular iPod, which is basically begging you to download music.

HD DVD is gonna win. why? Compare how many Xboxes have sold VS PS3's? Whos the majority that get HD movies? Console owners.

right, but look at the amount of blu ray discs sold, studios that are bluray exclusive, and the number of bluray players including ps3's and the amount of hddvd players (also dont forget all xboxs dont come with hddvd drives)

And look at the market share of whats selling. PS I think Blu had 80% of this market this holiday

HD DVD won't win. And Microsoft don't want it to win either.

MS just came about with HDdvd to not let bluray take market share. Now with VOD they dont care about HDdvd.

PS. PS3 will get netflix.

Most likely what Microsoft will reveal at some point is the entire NetFlix calogue integrated into Xbox Live (judging by those Microsoft - NetFlix thingies which happened a while ago). Then all one would need to watch a movie at home is turn on their X360 ...

I don't install; I design. I know plenty of folks who are into audio that have extensive sacd and dvd-a collections. Are my clients typical median level people? No, they're usually wealthier and/or better educated. They're the early adopters. They're the folks who can make or break well before the mainstream gets an opportunity to play with, let alone afford, the new stuff.

check your facts
http://www.reuters.com/article/music...32937520080104
http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/n...les-main_x.htm
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j...iLhWAD8TUP10O0

Blu-ray is the better format and thankfully has a much sturdier future than HD DVD. HD DVD isn't gonna ever "lose", but buying a HD DVD only player right now would be really dumb.

What is the chairman and CEO of NetFlix doing at the Microsoft board of directors? ;)

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/p...astingsPR.mspx

Ben just like today there is digital downloads and hard media, both will exist when Video downloads come around. BOTH, so we will have digital and bluray :bigtu:

I got a HD DVD toshiba for chirstmas. The only HD movie i have watched was Hot Fuzz and didn't notice a difference. But it makes my standard DVD's look SICK compared to my progressive scan Sony DVD player. I didn't think it was possible but whatever.

PS I hinted real bad for a blu ray player :bigtu:

I dont know what was Intel doing on OLPC.... :cool:

I'm not spending a dime on content in either format until there is a clear champion.

I think you are naive if you think that those statistics tell the entire story. Certainly digital downloads are big news, but there is a LONG way to go before downloaded music eclipses CD sales. It'll happen eventually, just not as quickly as some would like us to believe. 25 years of being the defacto standard gives CD technology a lot of momentum.

Anyway, that's not the point. :)

I'm not saying it's happening tomorrow. But it is going to happen. Well within our lifetime. Just watch what happens as VOD becomes more viable.

As for the topic of the thread, I answered it many posts ago.

blockbuster also decided to carry only blu-ray in a heap of its stores.

http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/06/17...-the-war-over/

And target too Blu Ray only

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/01/04...rner-went-blu/

heres the rumor article

Oh ok so the same BS thats always going around

in case anyone decided on Blu Ray this week, Amazon is still having their BOGO Blu Ray sale (only 96 titles tho)

i'm waiting for my ps3 to come in...

Yeah, but there has to be some lobbying involved

Yeah but 500 million now? Why not a year ago?

What about: Time Warner were scheduled to make an official announcement at CES about going HD-DVD only ...

Wow, do you guys wear tin foil hats and hang out in parks alot?

Because its more fun for companies to drop out one at a time, so i can watch my HD DVD player just get more worthless by the second.

I much prefer to download. Especially music, when was the last time you liked every track on an album? I dont even go out to rent videos anymore. Its easier to download them and on demand is a push button away.
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I rent rip encode and watch whenever i want

Even when I download I always get the full album. Often I don't like the entire album right away, but over time stuff grows on you. If I were only downloading stuff that immediately appeals I might miss out on some cool shit.

Although it would be nice to get a rebate when the entire album minus one song sucks donkey dick.

I always thought Beta was better than VHS, then pr0n went VHS and better didn't matter. When the pr0n industry decides on one format or the other, you'll have your winner. :eek5:

But this time we have the internet, and with Porn theres only one place you really need it...

I got an HD DVD player for christmas due to Amazon having a very nice sale, and honestly, I am starting to wonder if I made a poor decision. I bought my player to enjoy the full quality of movies and no matter how fast an internet connection, I don't plan on downloading my HD movies anytime soon. So I am a supporter of physical media. However, now that Blockbuster is Blueray only and the local Hollywood video doesn't rent any HD-DVDs that were made in the last 10 years (John Wayne in HD anyone??), I am not sure I chose wisely. All of the really good NEW movies seem to be coming out in Blueray only.

return it and wait it out. If you end up buying a HDdvd player again it will be cheaper in the end.

Speaking of pr0n and downloadable content, a lawyer aquaintance of mine strongly suggested that people just stick to good ol' fashioned adult stores and physical media. There's just too much potential for leaving an electronic trail right to your computer. :nono:

even npr is reporting on this. we should have a winner in <3 months.

Yeah maybe. It is going to be a hard sell for the wife though :(

I agree about the downloadable content, and I believe that PS3 is ready for that move also. Their product "Home" contains a movie theater, which was advertised initially as a place you could go to "watch movies", which they later changed to trailers for the interim.

Better? Both use the same codes and the functionality of the HD-DVD is way ahead of Blu Ray. But in the end most of the times win those who pour more money in marketing ...

Check the AVS forums (where the HD nerds hang out) and you can find a bunch of posts from Blu owners like this one:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=973672

No. Blu Ray has alot more space. Importante mi amigo.

all i care about is the movie. I dont care about any of the other features. But i guess im in the minority.

The tripple layer HD-DVD (~ 50GB IIRC) were on their way for those who can't fit on double ones. Check the current library of movies released on both formats and tell me the Blu Ray ones got better video because they used the space advantage ... yeah, right ...

The day BD starts reigning alone, will be day when Sony in their typical way will start spending more time on DRM and shit vs making anything useful ...

:bigtu::bigtu:

When did i say one was better video quality than another? The format of BD is better.

the storage advantage is important.
You've got to remember its not just studio movies you're buying, but there are HD camcorders that use BD already, and BD burners are already coming out... so the extra space will be usable, and for that reason alone blu-ray is better.