Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD
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Posted on Dec 07, 2007 08:34 pm
Herb Utsmelz
Ne'er ate 'er
Member Since: Apr 05, 2006
Who is winning the high definition DVD war? It seems they're neck-and-neck.
Some studios, manufacturers, and retail outlets back one format, some the other. From what I've seen, it looks like HD-DVD is the superior technology but Blu-Ray has higher capacity. Reminds me of the Beta vs. VHS wars where VHS won due to longer recording time.
Here's a chart I found from last July (click on it):
I'd like to hear your comments.
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Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Dec 07, 2007 08:52 pm Well, as you stated VHS finally won out over Beta due to giving the customer what they want. Sony has already won that battle once before and looks poised to do it again. Remember the CD thing? There was a huge battle over it not comparing to cassette or vinyl. Well Sony pushed hard and dropped prices on players and media and it took over the world.
The list you showed does lean heavily toward the Blu-Ray disc being opted for by all the big guns. And that is kind of what I have been reading as well.
The quality of the players and content has improved vastly since its release. So I am of the mindset that Blu-Ray will win in the end. Maybe not a complete rub out of HD-DVD but it will be close. And odds are it will be a war that last's much longer then the Beta vs. VHS did.
Dec 07, 2007 09:00 pm Both systems are well designed and yield excellent results.
The main thing I'm concerned with is investing money in recorded material and having support for the format in the long run.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Dec 07, 2007 09:26 pm I agree completely. That is one reason I am holding out on the PS3 for awhile yet. I am the kind of person that usually waits until the second release with fixes comes out.
But I wont be investing in any Blu-Ray movies just yet either until this battle pans out a bit more.
But ya, I know a few people who jumped on the Beta wagon and had tons of movies only to have it fade away quickly.
And how about the Laser Disc? A friend still has two players and a pretty substantial library of movies and concerts. That was a big bomb if ever there was one. CD's the size of record album. but man were they cool in the day.
CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
Dec 07, 2007 10:34 pm Disney decided it awhile ago :)
Dec 08, 2007 12:09 am WWWD?
(What Would Walt Do)?
Dec 08, 2007 01:30 am I'm not doing anything either until this is decided. I am usually a VERY early adopter so if I'm not buying they are destroying their own market here.
Some studios are doing both formats, dual players cost $1000 and even single players (not 360 or PS3) are expensive.
With Betamax v VHS VHS was clearly the commercial winner from the early days, not so clear here.
The picture looks great though :)
I've heard stories that something else is gonna come along, next gen, before either of these really take hold. I used to work in the disk industry and these formats have been around for 10 years but were held back by the companies to fully complete the DVD market. Same is probably happening here with whatever comes next.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Dec 08, 2007 01:12 pm Ya, were has Walt been lately? He would be the one to make an educated decision on which is better. Or which will survive.
CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
Dec 08, 2007 02:14 pm I think with studio support BR would eventually win out but... I also agree that before DVD ever dies and either one of these take hold something better, bigger, faster will come along.
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Dec 08, 2007 02:51 pm I think Blu-Ray will win . . .
just because the logo is cooler =).
Dec 08, 2007 05:31 pm Yeah, Blu-Ray does seem to have a bit of an edge. But on my 47" TV, a well-mastered standard DVD looks almost as good as the high-def cable channels from where I sit. So I'm not in a great hurry.
I'm also a bit suspicious of being blindsided by that new, bigger, better format...
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Dec 09, 2007 03:12 am I wouldn't buy either until one shows signs of prevailing.
Buy an upconverting DVD player to enjoy your existing DVD library in higher definition. Some will upconvert all the way up to 1080p but I"m not sure what to expect from that drastic of upconverting. They're very inexpensive (good ones can be had for under $100) so I'm going to weather the storm with one of those while the format wars hash themselves out.
Dec 09, 2007 01:05 pm I saw those "upconverting" players and I wondered how they create lines of resolution that were never there. Kinda sounded like a sham to me.
zekthedeadcowEat Spam before it eats YOU!!!Member
Since: May 11, 2002
Dec 09, 2007 01:39 pm HD Cable is extremely compressed... so it can actually look worse than uncompressed SD... if fact the only cameras I know of that are considered 'unbroadcastable' are HDV cameras... because they cram HD footage onto a medium meant for SD and then compress it again at broadcast... at which point it falls apart.
Up converting averages the two lines to fudge the inbetween one... most indie movies shot with SD cameras like the DVX100a get upconverted to HD for projection at major festivals and distribution.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Dec 09, 2007 03:12 pm I'm with Tadpui really. I am just fine with what I have. And adding the PS3 down the road will give a BlueRay player if I need one.
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Dec 09, 2007 04:21 pm The upconverting DVD players don't create lines of resolution, they just do something (voodoo) with the sampling of the digital image. They really do make a standard definition DVD look noticably better. I think they're a great stop-gap solution until the dust settles in the format wars.
CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
Dec 10, 2007 10:13 am Yes, I have a 720p upconverting DVD player, it is far from a gimmick and they look fantastic.
TallChapAnswer:On a good day, lipstick.Member
Since: Jun 24, 2004
Dec 10, 2007 12:14 pm Whew...That gamble I took with PS3 seems to have been safe enough.
I seem to recall that Betamax had a better picture quality to VHS.
Soundwise they were the bomb. I know a number of people who converted much of their audio library to Betamax audio.
Dec 10, 2007 12:17 pm The conspiracy theorists still say Betamax was shut down commercially by the Hollywood mogels for the same reason they now hate mp3, hi res DVD and the like, because it enabled the consumer to make too high quality of duplications.
Not sure if it's true, but it's a long standing story, that given the current climate in the digital world, is believable.
Dec 10, 2007 02:48 pm I have been very dissatisfied with DVD Quality. I have a 720P TV and I get DirecTV in HD which is solid but the DVD through a Sony up converter is disappointing. I'm starting to wonder if it's a cable issue or perhaps my eyes have just got used to the true HD.
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Dec 10, 2007 03:16 pm This was an interesting read about the VHS/Betamax format war:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Videotape_format_war
I'm sure that the concerns of the consumer have changed since then so I don't think that length of recordings will be the deciding factor this time with HDDVD and BlueRay. The two technologies are so close, I think its going to come down to market share. Looks like Sony is already ahead there.
Keith WarrenMans reach exceeds his graspMember
Since: Oct 23, 2007
Dec 10, 2007 03:21 pm Yeah, youve got a point Tad, but what turns me off about the BluRay is the price tags on 'em right now. Heck, I think the only reason they charge 400$ for a PS3 is because of the BluRay. My step-dad just bought a nice Toshiba Satellite with all the bells and whistles with an HDDVD drive and HDMI output for about 900$. So on the price side of things, I see HDDVD gaining a little bit of consumers conscious. Personally, I don't see a visual difference in the two, so I can't comment on that end of it. That'd suck if Sony lost this one too, lol.
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Dec 10, 2007 04:34 pm Yup, BluRay is waaaaaaay overpriced, as evidenced by the ridonkulous price of the PS3.
