Comments on: Blu-ray vs. HD DVD: War without end

Which side will win remains unclear, but the camps seem to agree that both formats are mere rest stops on the journey to instant digital downloads.

[ronch79]

Simple answer

With regards to the last question in the article, whether people woule even care going up to HD and then deciding which format to adopt, the answer is... most people don't really care. I see average consumers who are not really into electronics peruse items at an appliance store. What they want to know is, "Will this player be able to play discs I rent from the video rental?" See, it's like the fight between DVD-R/RW and DVD+R/RW. Eventually, nobody wins. Electronics companies have to support both formats. Does anybody care whether they use +R or -R? No. Will anybody care if the movie they're watching is HD or BD? No. People just aren't as geeky as those who invented these technologies, well-intentioned as they may be. They don't care if DVD is not perfect. Who cares! As long as they watch their movie, that's it! What they care about is renting a great movie and having some popcorn to go with it. DVD is already so good anyway. (Remember Betamax? If you do, you can't complain about DVD.) The benefit is there. The human need is addressed. The HD and BD camps are just pushing their stuff because they invested so much money in them and they just couldn't simply back down. Why is this format war still raging after years? Because there's no clear winner. Both are good. Both will give the consumer what he/she wants. The main problem? As I've said, "Will this disc play on my player?"

And that, my friends, will eventually lead to all manufacturers producing players supporting BOTH formats. There's JUST NO OTHER WAY, or a way either camp will get a clear victory. Right now multi-format players may be pricier, but we all know the end of this story, don't we?

Unless they think of and come up with something *really* revolutionary, convincing people next time to replace their "outdated" BD and HD players will be even tougher.

[kinowerken]

It's OVER:Blu-Ray Has Won

Why is CNET writing such crap? This over, done,
finished. Toshiba and pals aren't players in anything consumer
that matters.

[Sharkster]

Based on...

Based on what, exactly? One ill-informed person blogging on a C|Net site, with no facts, figures, or even semi-intelligent argment to back his/her opinion. Gee, I'm convinced, wow. Oh, and I'm not being sarcastic if you're not gullible.

[cnet-sucks]

Yeah, and Sony is? Can u say PS3? Gimme a break!

How did this Sony fanboy get on here? Isn't there a fanboy filter for cnet registrations?! :/

[Heebee Jeebies]

Well...

I am hoping Blu-Ray wins. However, I will not be buying anything until the two sides get off the fence and come together. Both sides know that having a format war like that of VHS and Beta and more recently Circuit City's Divx and DVD is not a good thing for the consumer.

I refuse to play there little games and I will not reward either side with my money or support. Yes, I have a 56" HDTV, Direct TV HD programming and while the extra resolution is ok, it certainly isn't enough of a difference to warrant dealing with the studios and electronics makers petty little pissing matches.

Add to that the increased copy protection, add in all of the promises about the wow capabilities for both formats that will like DVD which also had a number of wow features never be used. We were promised rich movie experiences at home with multiple angles and more. So far the only people making any kind of use of such features is the porn industry.

No it is time consumers stop jumping off the cliff like lemmings and make it clear that if these companies want our time and money they need to get the stuff coming out of their poo holes together.

Robert

[Understarsidream]

I'm not buying EITHER one...

Let me think.. I have to choose a format. I choose my standard
DVD. I've seen the difference between all three formats and it's
not worth it (to me anyway) to pay that much more money for
such a minor difference. I can pick up a regular DVD release for
about 15 dollars and the hidef release is 30-40. I'm sorry but
the answer is no.

And that's not counting any of the older movies transferred from
film - from DVD to Hidef isn't going to improve much of
anything. Over all it's just not worth the money and I think a lot
of people realize this.

[David Kelson]

You must not have a Hi-Def television

If you can't see the difference you must not have a hi-def
television. Also renting standard def or high-def/blu-ray discs
cost's the same. Regards, David

[Sparky650]

Eh

I'm with you there. I'm not much into watching television anyway. I also noticed on friends HDTV that one could see pores, pock marks, and wrinkles on stars that I once thought was very sexy on a regular tv. Eh please keep me blind in a fantasy world for a while longer!

[shamon85]

the hd war

i only have blu-ray but i now see how dirty some movie studio's play this is not really a war but more of which can make the most money and i do believe in the end both will come out a winner in some way. i do plan to buy a hd- dvd sixaxis layer because they have more movies over blu-ray

[shamon85]

the hd war

i only have blu-ray but i now see how dirty some movie studio's play this is not really a war but more of which can make the most money and i do believe in the end both will come out a winner in some way. i do plan to buy a hd- dvd player because they have more movies over blu-ray

[bwtanker]

HD-DVD/Blue Ray

a lot of people don't see a difference and a lot of other people,like me,don't see enough difference to get excited about.I'm just fine with my regular DVDs.i already changed formats onec,but it was worth the change,this is not worth it.I payed $200.00 for my DVD player because of the quality and it had all the plugs in the back that i wanted.i will not change formats again,I'm 55 years old and like the song says,"I don't care anymore"!

[markdoiron]

I Want A High Def Player ... But ...

I really want a high def player. I own the Planet Earth DVDs and have also recorded the high def broadcast. There's no comparison. The high def broadcast really stands out. And I love high def for watching sports. But, I'm a sci-fi nut. I own hundreds--probably even a thousand or two--sci-fi DVDs.

Last night I watched an episode of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea--the old sci-fi series from decades ago. It was recorded in 4:3 format, and I have a 16:7 HDTV. So I used the "pixel size" to adjust it so the image was the width of my screen, slightly cropping the top and the bottom. And the image was truly stellar. Sure, it wasn't high def. But it was plenty good for enjoying the episode. And this on a non-upconverting player.

Which makes me think that the format war over HD DVD and Blu-Ray is missing the point: Either format has such limited useful benefit over plain old DVD. I couldn't care less which wins. In fact, just start making players that support both formats and I'll be happy. But please, oh please, don't stop making DVDs if it means you'll charge me more and force DRM on me if I buy either HD format.

--mark d.

[thrca]

My $0.02

Well, I typically am an early adopter. Since this battle has no real obvious leader, I have decided to hold off on the matter until I can make a decision. I would like to protect my HD investment, so I choose to hold off.

I think that a PS3 would be a nice addition to my setup, and may get one, but not for the sole purpose of playing blu-ray content.

I feel that HD DVD has a more marketable and consumer recognizable name, and imho the format and functionality is slightly better than Blu-Ray, but Blu-Ray has some extremely wealthy backers, such as Disney.

As another poster mentioned, logic does not always prevail, as witnessed in the Betamax-vs-VHS battle. Betamax was clearly a better technology, but consumers related and accepted VHS more for some reason or another, or there was better financial backing for the latter.

[bvdon]

Don't be a fool!

As a consumer, the best thing YOU and I can do is NOT to buy
either product. Wait it out until there is one clear winner. Anyone
buying this crap at the moment is encouraging them to do this
in the future with other products.

[bugman]

Blu-ray will win for sure

The person who said HD-DVD will win has all of his facts wrong. Blu-ray does all of the formats that HD-DVD does. Blu-ray has more storage than HD-DVD, Blu-ray has a burner, HD-DVD does not, and the most important reason Blu-ray will win: almost all of the major movie companies back Blu-ray. For consumers, the format that has the most movies to offer each month will win. Just look at the offerings this month: Blu-ray has at least 10, HD-DVD has about 2. I plan to buy a Blu-ray player in the next 6 months, and there is no way I would buy an HD-DVD player.

[Hardrada]

This is a no brainer.

The winner will be the format that's easiest to crack and copy.

[tomrobin]

format that's easiest to record

Toshiba's announced HDDVD recorders(not in U.S. yet)
Can record 2 hours of HD on regular DVD-R, 6 hours
on single layer HDDVD R. Yes It uses a different code but the end product still has top HD specs. One model has a 1 T Hard drive built in (40 to 80 hours). both BD and HDD ripper software is available now and may already be active in regular DVD "copy" programs . Good computer hardware BD or HDD decks are still on the way.

[disc man]

Not only consumers......

Don't forget the Media manufactures(ie Ritek) have no plans of investing for the "supposed" demand on new disc formats.

Their own sources are moving away....
http://cdmedia-dvd.com/blog

[shellyle]

Blu-ray is clearly the leader

if you look at the pricing trend according to the pricefad:
Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD price trend

[Sharkster]

Did you go to your own link?

After I disassembled your gobbledy-**** link, and finally made it to where you are pointing people, it shows HD-DVD costing less throughout the entire chart. You just disproved your own point. All I can do is thank you.

[Neville Bartos]

Adult Porn Industry to be the decider

The U.S. Adult-film industry took in around $12b last year in sales, rentals & cable charges; compared to America's cinema at about $9b. On a world wide scale, the difference is even greater.

The amount of Hollywood movie titles available on either format, isn't as significant as most of you think.

While there are many factors which could effect which format wins, the Porn industry plays a big part.

[kwhiplash]

Porn on Blu-Ray

Debbie Does Dallas...Again and Debbie Loves Dallas are both alread available on Blu-Ray.

[hawkeyeaz1]

DVD-R/DVD+R... remember?

Most current DVD burners burn both -R and +R. Neither format won. I expect it won't be too many more years (or too many more months actually) before we see players that support both formats, BluRay and HDDVD. Then it won't matter, producers can use what they like most, and convergence will continue to happen.

Competition is good, and making money is fine, but working together is better.

[QuetzalcoatlUSA]

Not exactly true

Though most burners now burn both and that is indeed a good thing, DVD-R is a much older technology, predating DVD+R by around 6 years. DVD+R is a vastly superior disc-burning technology that was meant to replace DVD-R, not compete with it.

http://tinyurl.com/ycowgr

[ceebee23]

DVD-R +R

The big difference with the battle over recordable DVD formats - DVD-R DVD+R was that when finalised the formats aimed to create a disk compatible with DVD red book.

In the case of BluRay and HD DVD you are arguing over the base format.

[cnet-sucks]

blu-ray superior picture & sound? What?!

Who wrote this cnet article?!

I have both HD & BD for over a year.
I install both HD & BD.

On both the low end units (D2 @ $249 & 301 @ $449), the HD Toshiba is superior in picture and sound, and cheaper too.

[http://Viewed on PDP 50" HDMI DD 5.1 using Batman Begins, Transporter, 300|http://Viewed on PDP 50" HDMI DD 5.1 using Batman Begins, Transporter, 300]

On the high end (XA2 w/Reon & Samsung/Panasonic), again Toshiba has the winning quality. Just read avsforum comments and other reviews. Its not just my perception, its many.

Toshiba has been releasing firmware updates monthly, I have finally seen my first firmware from sony, and I could not tell any difference, it was just java fix. Toshiba has ethernet jack on the back of every HD unit, so you can update firmware via internet, or more. No ethernet on sony. you have to download and burn a CD. lame.
Especially after paying $449 for it.
I must say that the Sony BD 301 unit is a prettier unit physically. :P

BD has been a disappointment for me so far. Mine is turned off most of the time, and it seems I only turn it on to show people how Toshiba HD is better, and most agree.

Good luck whatever you choose!

[cnet-sucks]

Yeah, apple sets the standard. Bwahaha!

You mean like iPod? Yeah. Sets the standard for DRM, iTunes, and overall poor battery and sound quality. I had MP3 players for jogging 5 years before the iPod existed. Lame.

[zgreenwell]

From DVDs to digital Downloads

DVDs are the training wheels to digital downloads. Most people who understand electronics enough to care are already downloading movie and TV shows in some form. The people who don't understand electronics don't care.

[dave2400]

Why HD DVD HAS WON

HD players continue to out sell blu ray players. Okay now lets think about why 300 out sold 2-1. PS3... THERE isnt one single game worth buying a ps3 so all the poor fan boys are left with a blu gay player and nothing else. So this year was the year of the blu ray. Now as HD players are hitting sub 200 we will see this war shift alot.... oh wait it all ready has paramount and dreamworks. What transformers is only on HD DVD. Toshiba has also partnered with HP/COMPACT and all there labtops will have an HD DRIVE Options heres a little article. I dont care waht you say Im not a fan boy. i work at best buy and customers always want hd dvds unless its a 15 year old that owns a ps3.

Oh yeah sony cares about there customers so they released BD+ DISCS. It allows movie studios to key there dvds and when some one cracks it they change the key and thus requiring a firmware update. Oh yeah most people dont connect there blu ray players to the internet unless its a ps3 causing more hardship on the consumer. I had atleast 10 customers wanting to return fantastic 4 because is wouldnt play in there ***** blu ray players. Thanks sony for making another top notch consumer friendly product. Keep on churning out those ps3 hits.

GREAT ARTICLE .....

Price Drops

Since HD DVD was first installed on a Toshiba Qosmio earlier this year, prices have fallen precipitously on notebooks equipped with an HD DVD drive. That early notebook debuted at $3000; today's prices hover at around $1500.

By the end of the year, in time for Christmas, said Pinto, "you'll be able to buy notebook computers at retail stores for under $1000."

The price drops can be attributed to the normal technology march known as Moore's Law. In the past year, the progression of the underlying technology required for a DVD drive has been impressive. For example, a notebook that cost $3000 at the start of the year required about $400 in components (excluding the cost of the HD DVD drive--a detail Toshiba is not surprisingly mum about) to handle HD DVD decoding, including the CPU and a graphics processor on a dedicated graphics card. By this fall, the mix of components necessary shifted to a CPU with integrated graphics processor and a hardware decoder, all for under $200. When winter 2008 rolls around, Toshiba expects to be able cut that price about in half again.

"Our goal for the third quarter of 2008 is to bring that cost down to under $100," Pinto said. "We believe that using improvements in CPUs and graphics subsystems, we can reduce the cost of playing back HD DVD."

Toshiba plans to make HD DVD an option on most all of its notebook PCs over the course of the coming year. The company estimates more than 5 million HD DVD drives will ship on notebook PCs in the coming year as the technology becomes more accessible and the price becomes more affordable.

[drfrost]

Fanboy.....

I actually appreciated some of your points, but your evidence was anecdotal. And the fact that your title suggested HD had ALREADY won suggest a pre-existing bias on your part. Neither side has decisively won yet. In my opinion anyone who says differently is trying to sell their own agenda...

I think HD has a definite edge at this point simply because the players are cheaper. If blu-ray fixes this quickly, it's going to very hard to call. But even if they don't, depending on how stubborn the participants are willing to be, this could be a very long drawn out war.

[ewelch]

The reason why your argument is borked

There is no winner. That you declare one proves you don't know
what you're talking about.

Plus all the nonsense you're spewing.

[gano_1972]

Best Buy Employees

Yes. Because all of us want feel that a Best Buy employee is the best place to get all of our information. Best Buy is like the McDonalds or Walmart of home entertainment. The only help I've ever needed from one of the pimple faced, sixteen year old "product specialists" was "is this in stock?" Of course out side of buying an occasional DVD I try not to venture into that god forsaken place too often. Maybe they can sell me a warranty on my sixty dollar microwave?

You, my friend, are definitely a fan boy. I can almost guarantee that you own an Xbox with an HD Player add on.