HD DVD vs Blu Ray

[irishsteve]

Im thinkin of gettin a 360 and will probably get the HD DVD player with it. Then again the PS3 has Blu Ray playback.

So anyways,
I fuckin hate format wars cuz you have to predict which one wont fuck you over later down the line. Which do you all think will come out tops?

Steve.

[CountryBob]

I hope the Blu Ray wins for I have a PS3.
BTW... any Blu Ray porn out yet?

[donnie_darko]

it's far too early to guess who will win.
but you can take comfort in knowing if you have a system it will always play the dvd's of that format.

personally i wouldn't buy a stand alone player of either format yet, remember laser disc and beta had an early lead, but in the end vhs and dvd won.

[led37zep]

Blu Ray looks like it might win out here. Look at the studios that are backing blu-ray

•••Blu-Ray
20th Century Fox
Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Electronic Arts
MGM Studios
Paramount Pictures
Sony Pictures Entertainment
The Walt Disney Company
Vivendi Universal Games
Warner Bros.

•••HD-DVD
Buena Vista Home Entertainment
New Line Cinema
Paramount Pictures
The Walt Disney Company
Universal Studios
Warner Bros


More importantly look who is on the board or a managing member of each format:


Blu-Ray
Apple Computer Corp.
Dell, Inc.
Hewlett Packard Company
Hitachi, Ltd.
LG Electronics Inc.
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
Panasonic (Matsushita Electric)
Pioneer Corporation
Royal Philips Electronics
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Sharp Corporation
Sony Corporation
TDK Corporation
Thomson
Twentieth Century Fox
Walt Disney Pictures and Television

•••HD DVD
Memory-Tech Corporation
NEC Corporation
Sanyo Electric Co.


More companies backing Blu-ray equals greater chance of success. (not to mention its better than HD-DVD anyway)

[marky2bucks]

Blu ray seems to be winning, but I have a PS3. I think in the end, you will be able to play both on a player.

[Mike Teacher]

Which do you all think will come out tops?

Eventually neither; there are much much better ways of storing/delivering/streaming data then spinning discs.

[Hottub]

My LP's are weeping, Mike.:glurps:

[TheMojoPin]

Eventually neither; there are much much better ways of storing/delivering/streaming data then spinning discs.

Agreed. That's why I'm not bothering going beyond regular DVD's at this point. This reminds me of when mini-discs were supposedly going to take over.

[underdog]

This reminds me of when mini-discs were supposedly going to take over.

Well, they should have. But it was yet another time that Sony fucked up a format, which they will probably end up doing again with Blu Ray.

[Snoogans]

I have a PS3, but I dont really care. Like Mike said,e ventually none will matter. I would say I guess go with PS3 in terms of it plays blu ray and DVD's, where as on XBOX, you cant play blue rays at all

[HBox]

Digital Distribution is not anywhere close to being ready. Where are you going to store 20 gigs a movie? Do you guys have some massive multi terabyte hard drives that you're hiding from the rest of us?

Blu-Ray and HD DVD have plenty of time.

[scottinnj]

Do you guys have some massive multi terabyte hard drives that you're hiding from the rest of us?

Yes I do. It doubles as a DNS server and I loan it out to the IANA (http://www.iana.org/) from time to time when they forget to pay the light bill.

[angrymissy]

Well, they should have. But it was yet another time that Sony fucked up a format, which they will probably end up doing again with Blu Ray.

Didn't Sony invent/launch CD's?

[underdog]

Didn't Sony invent/launch CD's?

I think it was collaborative, but yeah, I think they launched it.

Obviously, Sony doesn't always fail. But they've failed with mini disk and betamax so far. And they even failed with something to go against what finally became the DVD. Not to mention their memory sticks, or whatever they are.

At least with Blu Ray, they have a lot of other partners, so they can't pull their "our way only" shit they do with the other things.

[Mike Teacher]

Not to mention their memory sticks, or whatever they are.

=

Another good example; and another of why it's all gonna be obsolete. Why do we have 12 in 1 Card readers? Coz the companies didnt agree on a format, and in some cases, it's a real bitch.

There's a shitload of data from the 70s; early NASA data on warehouses full of giant tape reels. And they don't know how long theyre gonna be able to read it coz the format is so long gone nobody makes the machines. Remember when every one of these puters had a floppy drive? Now people gotta run out to find a floopy to USB thingy or theyre screwed with their old data.

We're being drowned in ones and zeroes; in many different formats, and who knows what will even make it to whatever format wins out.

Oh, whatever wins out, my guess, will be some system that uses atoms as bits, the spin state of an electron, perhaps, to denote a one or zero, or whatever will represent data. Increase the speed and capacity of computers by about a trillion fold, and I think I'm way way way low on that. Rediculously way way low, actually.

How about the memory to store the entire contents of all known data on the planet on a grain of salt. We know it's possible, fact. Just gotta wait for the technology.

All this stuff were talking about are different rocks; the bronze age of technology awaits. We've just begun.

Off to convert my Edison Cylinders to MP3.

[bnceo]

Personally, Blu Ray sounds better from a marketing point of view. Moreover, the very fact that it's got a actual blue surface has some marketing potential as well.

I downloaded a few rips of Blu Ray movies and they are incredible. I mean, really really good. I hope that some movies using the new firmware upgrades comes out. That will convince me to drop some money on it. Having the XBox using HDDVD has helped it out more than PS3 using Blu-Ray helping out that format.

Overall, I hope BluRay wins. Had some experience with them and enjoy them as well. And when they come out with a complete Sopranos Box set for Blu-Ray, you'll see me on the Best Buy line with a brand new player too =)

[JustJon]

I think the Blu/HD war is killing both formats. I recently read an article that said your best bet was to get an upscaling DVD player that will make the DVDs look better on your HD tv.

[bnceo]

I think the Blu/HD war is killing both formats. I recently read an article that said your best bet was to get an upscaling DVD player that will make the DVDs look better on your HD tv.

Yup. Just bought it for the living room and everyone is impressed. Especially if you got it at a closing CompUSA. So cheap!

[HBox]

Something huge just happened. Warner Brothers went Blu-Ray exclusive. No more HD-DVD Warner titles after May. Until then HD-DVD titles will be delayed and released after Blu-Ray titles.

Rumors are that Toshiba was desperately trying to lure both Fox and Warner Brothers to the HDDVD camp. Warner was willing, Fox steadfastly refused and Warner realised that if only they went it would only be more of a stalemate than it already is. And there's rumoer that Sony paid Warner go exclusive too, just like Toshiba did with paramount adn tried to do with Fox and Warner.

Now fucking release Batman Begins and the Matrix on blu-Ray already!

And I just read that New Line is going with Warner. The lord of the Rings Trilogyu will be exclusive to Blu-Ray when its released. If they can get the Star Wars Trilogy and the Lord of the Rings out by next Christmas and exclusive to Blu-Ray this whole thing is over.

[bnceo]

Right on BLURAY!

Thx HBox for the update.

[irishsteve]

I think the Blu/HD war is killing both formats. I recently read an article that said your best bet was to get an upscaling DVD player that will make the DVDs look better on your HD tv.

Yea the format wars deal really annoys me so much. Thats why i started this thread, because i don't know which to go for, and it seems no one else knows who will come out tops yet - we can just speculate.

On the relevant wikipedia article it discusses how they actually tried to prevent a format war by making one product with both companies having some sort of share. Eventually talks crumbled and we've ended up with this predicament now. Great.

[HBox]

Yea the format wars deal really annoys me so much. Thats why i started this thread, because i don't know which to go for, and it seems no one else knows who will come out tops yet - we can just speculate.

On the relevant wikipedia article it discusses how they actually tried to prevent a format war by making one product with both companies having some sort of share. Eventually talks crumbled and we've ended up with this predicament now. Great.

it's as close as its ever been to ending now.

[Knowledged_one]

Didn't Sony invent/launch CD's?

No No No, Howard Stern was the one who invented it HOO HOO

[Fallon]

Now I'm pissed I have the HD DVD player for my 360. It looks great, but I'm not getting a lot of movies in that format. :(

[ToddEVF]

Blu ray seems to be winning, but I have a PS3. I think in the end, you will be able to play both on a player.

They already have those

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8504709&type=product&id=1186004964788

Thats just one i quickly found.

[Freakshow]

So glad we got the PS3...

My roommate wanted to watch Transformers, but it's only in HD-DVD, so we bought it on PPV and used the DVR (miss TiVo...). Still, I have 300 things in my Netflix, but only 4 or 5 are on Blu-Ray. :(

[HBox]

They already have those

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8504709&type=product&id=1186004964788

Thats just one i quickly found.

They are all very expensive and most don't perform very well.

[CountryBob]

So glad we got the PS3...

My roommate wanted to watch Transformers, but it's only in HD-DVD, so we bought it on PPV and used the DVR (miss TiVo...). Still, I have 300 things in my Netflix, but only 4 or 5 are on Blu-Ray. :(

Does your DVR let you record PPV movies? My cable company dosent allow it.

[HBox]

Rumors say that Paramount is getting ready to drop support of HD-DVD and go back to Blu-Ray 4 months after being paid $150 million to go HD-DVD exclusive. (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ea637496-bd8d-11dc-b7e6-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1)

If this happens its over.

[underdog]

Rumors say that Paramount is getting ready to drop support of HD-DVD and go back to Blu-Ray 4 months after being paid $150 million to go HD-DVD exclusive. (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ea637496-bd8d-11dc-b7e6-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1)

If this happens its over.

Yeah, it's definitely over if that happens.

I'm just happy that I'll be buying a PS3 in two weeks, so it won't matter to me which format wins.

[Fallon]

Now I'm pissed I have the HD DVD player for my 360. It looks great, but I'm not getting a lot of movies in that format. :(

Rumors say that Paramount is getting ready to drop support of HD-DVD and go back to Blu-Ray 4 months after being paid $150 million to go HD-DVD exclusive. (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ea637496-bd8d-11dc-b7e6-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1)

If this happens its over.

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[ToddEVF]

They are all very expensive and most don't perform very well.

whether they perform well is the issue. thankfully by the time a High Def Video Formated Disc is named winner, I'll probably be ready to upgrade my system finally.

Step 1: New TV
Step 2: New Sound System
Step 3: New Video Disc Player

Eck. . . I hate having to decide. Maybe i'll just stockpile some HD DVDs and BLURays so when a winner is decided I can sell the "inferior" format on EBay as a Lot to some nerd.

[underdog]

whether they perform well is the issue. thankfully by the time a High Def Video Formated Disc is named winner, I'll probably be ready to upgrade my system finally.

Step 1: New TV
Step 2: New Sound System
Step 3: New Video Disc Player

Eck. . . I hate having to decide. Maybe i'll just stockpile some HD DVDs and BLURays so when a winner is decided I can sell the "inferior" format on EBay as a Lot to some nerd.

Samsung is releasing the first "great" dual format player in May. They've been showing it off at CES.

[Furtherman]

Paramount Makes Last-Ditch HD DVD Stand


Paramount sent out mixed signals at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas Monday about whether it will abandon the HD DVD format. Following word that Warner Bros. now intends to release high-definition movies exclusively in the Blu-ray format and a report in the London Financial Times that Paramount would make a switch to Blu-ray, the Viacom-owned studio issued a statement saying, "We are still supporting HD DVD." A short time later, however, it said that, unlike its competitors, it would not be making any announcements of future HD DVD releases at the show. In its report about Paramount's reported plans, the Financial Times observed, "Paramount joining the Blu-ray camp would leave HD DVD likely to suffer the same fate as Sony's now obsolete Betamax video technology, which lost out to VHS in a similar format war in the 1980s."

[EliSnow]

I'm glad the player that I got for Christmas is a Blu-Ray one.

[HBox]

Paramount Makes Last-Ditch HD DVD Stand


Paramount sent out mixed signals at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas Monday about whether it will abandon the HD DVD format. Following word that Warner Bros. now intends to release high-definition movies exclusively in the Blu-ray format and a report in the London Financial Times that Paramount would make a switch to Blu-ray, the Viacom-owned studio issued a statement saying, "We are still supporting HD DVD." A short time later, however, it said that, unlike its competitors, it would not be making any announcements of future HD DVD releases at the show. In its report about Paramount's reported plans, the Financial Times observed, "Paramount joining the Blu-ray camp would leave HD DVD likely to suffer the same fate as Sony's now obsolete Betamax video technology, which lost out to VHS in a similar format war in the 1980s."

I don't know what the hell they are doing now There aren't switching but they aren't showing anything for Hd-DVD at CES. Maybe they are giving Toshiba one last ditch attempt to do something to save the format.

And then there's Universal. They've been quiet.

[EliSnow]

According to Aintitcool.com, Paramount is not dropping HD-DVD (http://www.aintitcool.com/node/35230).

[HBox]

According to Aintitcool.com, Paramount is not dropping HD-DVD (http://www.aintitcool.com/node/35230).

Yet. They weren't exactly adamant in their embrace of HD-DVD. I personally think in the next couple months they start releasing on both formats and drop HD-DVD by the end of the year or next year.

[underdog]

Yet. They weren't exactly adamant in their embrace of HD-DVD. I personally think in the next couple months they start releasing on both formats and drop HD-DVD by the end of the year or next year.

God, I hate this waiting shit. Just pull out and end the fucking format war.

Also, pulling out is good advice for anything.

[HBox]

God, I hate this waiting shit. Just pull out and end the fucking format war.

Also, pulling out is good advice for anything.

I'm sure the hang up is weighing whether its worth it to pay back all the money they were paid to go to HD-DVD in the first place.

[underdog]

I'm sure the hang up is weighing whether its worth it to pay back all the money they were paid to go to HD-DVD in the first place.

I wonder if Toshiba got them before they backed out and told them if they stuck around just a bit longer so they could sell their old stock or whatever, they'd let them keep the money.

[HBox]

I wonder if Toshiba got them before they backed out and told them if they stuck around just a bit longer so they could sell their old stock or whatever, they'd let them keep the money.

Frankly, I think Toshiba's already given up. They were floating the idea of releasing dual format players at CES. No announcements of course but I'm sure that's their fallback position.

They're the only ones producing HD-DVD players anyway.

[ToddEVF]

Samsung is releasing the first "great" dual format player in May. They've been showing it off at CES.

I see it as one or the other, personally. I don't want to get burned like my father did with Betamax

[underdog]

In case anyone will still care when it comes out, here's Engadget with the new Samsung combo player (http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/08/hands-on-with-samsungs-bd-up5500-hd-dvd-blu-ray-combo-player/).

[SeriouslySuprCJ]

If the argument here is between a 360 or a PS3 then you have to go 360. I just wouldn't get the HD DVD add-on. You like to play games don't you? Buy a separate DVD player later when things have been sorted out.

I'll also agree with many here that I think the loss of Warner Bros might have been the final blow in the format wars. I think Blu Ray will win in the end, which is a shame, because I liked the name "HD DVD" much better.

Edit: And here's a relevant article (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/09/xbox-360-still-open-to-blu-ray-add-on-should-hd-dvd-fail/) that just came out today. Seems like you might be able to have your cake and eat it too.

[Furtherman]

I think Blu Ray will win in the end, which is a shame, because I liked the name "HD DVD" much better.

This is where I disagree. Whenever I see commercials or previews and the voice keeps saying "Available in HD DVD for your HD DVD player on your HD TV...." and so forth... there are too many Ds. Dee Dee Dee Dee! It's too redundant.

[SeriouslySuprCJ]

I never did consider all the Ds. And I'm someone who hates it when Disney calls everything they release "Disney DVD" as if they had some hand in making their own little DVD format. You may have turned me around!

It's just that HD DVD sounds like the next logical step. Blu Ray is missing a letter and that's a problem. Maybe we should just call it "Slightly Better DVD" and call it a day.

[Furtherman]

Blu Ray is missing a letter and that's a problem.

I agree with you there. I hate when companies name their products that way. Is it supposed to be "hip" or "edgy"? It's just incorrect spelling.

[HBox]

More rumors. This time its that both Universal and Paramount will switch to Blu-Ray within a month. (http://formatwarcentral.com/index.php/2008/01/09/the-digital-bits-paramount-and-universal-are-going-blu/)

[Devo37]

VHS.

/still use my VCR every now and then...

[underdog]

More rumors. This time its that both Universal and Paramount will switch to Blu-Ray within a month. (http://formatwarcentral.com/index.php/2008/01/09/the-digital-bits-paramount-and-universal-are-going-blu/)

I had only bought one HD DVD movie until last week, then I ordered 4 more. Now its about to be over. Maybe I'm the jinx.

[Freakshow]

Does your DVR let you record PPV movies? My cable company dosent allow it.

I don't have cable. I'm a proud DirecTV customer for 4 years now. It's so much better (doesn't let you DVR the buddies, though).

[underdog]

Netflix to only stock Blu Ray going forward (http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/11/netflix-picks-blu-ray-good-luck-renting-an-hd-dvd-soon/)

[whorehay]

has WWE films announced whether they're HD or blu ray?
only then will i know which to choose

[Fallon]

Netflix to only stock Blu Ray going forward (http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/11/netflix-picks-blu-ray-good-luck-renting-an-hd-dvd-soon/)

I hate that I bought the HDDVD for my 360.

[HBox]

Best Buy chooses Blu-Ray. (http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/cnnmoney/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080211006384&newsLang=en&ndmConfigId=1000618&vnsId=33)

[underdog]

I hate that I bought the HDDVD for my 360.

I almost did that, but bought the (incredibly slow) Toshiba HD DVD player instead. I even felt like I made a bad decision after I did it.

But I didn't, because of my dumb loyalty for Playstation, I knew I'd buy a PS3 sooner or later. Which I did.

[Section 8]

I find it weird that Warner would be pulling support of HD-DVD when Warner Home Video help develop this:

http://pcworld.about.com/od/dvdtechnology/Warner-Solves-Blu-ray-HD-DVD.htm

[HBox]

I find it weird that Warner would be pulling support of HD-DVD when Warner Home Video help develop this:

http://pcworld.about.com/od/dvdtechnology/Warner-Solves-Blu-ray-HD-DVD.htm

They canceled that late last year. It was too expensive to create the discs.

[underdog]

Toshiba gearing up to drop HD DVD? (http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/14/toshiba-gearing-up-to-drop-hd-dvd/)

This would be the end of the format war.

[HBox]

No matter what Toshiba says, it's OVER now. (http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/15/wal-mart-to-officially-discontinue-hd-dvd-sales-by-june/)

[JustJon]

I'm amazed Sony actually had a somewhat successful propietary format for once.

[underdog]

The war is over! The war is over!

Toshiba Pulling The Plug On HD DVD (http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/16/toshiba-pulling-the-plug-on-hd-dvd-already/)

[Knowledged_one]

Well from the looks of things the PS3 may be one of the cheapest alternatives to Blu Ray players which means it looks like i have another expensive game system to buy

Will probably only use the PS3 for PS3 exclusive games as the XBOX360 seems to be the leader of the pack between teh two game systems

[Section 8]

I keep hearing rumors that Sony will be reducing the price of the low-end PS3 to $299 before the end of the year.

If it's going to be true, there should be an announcement at E3.

[Doogie]

I'm amazed Sony actually had a somewhat successful propietary format for once.

This victory is for the betamax...Lets have a moment of silence for our fallen technology.

http://www.scotusblog.com/discussion/archives/betamax.jpg



Now what the fuck does this pullout mean for XBox360 users??

[underdog]

Now what the fuck does this pullout mean for XBox360 users??

That their machines will continue to have a failure rate of nearly 20%.

[Fallon]

This victory is for the betamax...Lets have a moment of silence for our fallen technology.

http://www.scotusblog.com/discussion/archives/betamax.jpg



Now what the fuck does this pullout mean for XBox360 users??
Nothing. It's an external drive. So you only had to by the HDDVD if you wanted it. Like me. :annoyed:

[Doctor Z]

Since Sony supports Blu-Ray in a big way with PS3, can they finally strike the Betamax stigma from the record now? They've redeemed themselves. The score is settled.

[HBox]

Since Sony supports Blu-Ray in a big way with PS3, can they finally strike the Betamax stigma from the record now? They've redeemed themselves. The score is settled.

OK. But there's still Minidisc and Super Audio CD.

[underdog]

OK. But there's still Minidisc and Super Audio CD.

SACD is such a failure that its not even included on all the PS3s. They don't even want people to have their own format.

[PapaBear]

Since Sony supports Blu-Ray in a big way with PS3, can they finally strike the Betamax stigma from the record now? They've redeemed themselves. The score is settled.

OK. But there's still Minidisc and Super Audio CD.
Sony pissed me off when they came up with that stupid Memory Stick for their digital cameras. It's not so bad now that there are after market versions, but the idea their cameras having their own kind of media was so typical of Sony.

[JustJon]

Now what the fuck does this pullout mean for XBox360 users??

blu-ray xboxen later this year