Is HD DVD Trying to WIN?

[admin]

I criticized HD DVD recently for issuing these hybrid HD DVD titles, claiming that users didn't want them and they were resulting in the appearance that HD DVD titles cost more than comparable Blu-ray discs. I was met with vigorous applause AND debate on the subject. Generally the points were clear...

Discuss "Is HD DVD Trying to WIN?" here. Read the article.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Parmount Drops Blu-ray Support. That's HUGE for the HD DVD camp.
So now we have Universal, Paramount, & DreamWorks going exclusively for HD DVD. We have Sony, Lions Gate, and BV/Disney exclusively for Blu-ray. FOX was exclusively blu-ray, but now not releasing anything in either format yet. We have Denon and Sony for Blu-ray. We have Onkyo and Toshiba for HD DVD. This war will continue FOREVER. You might as well buy both formats.

 

[avaserfi]

Parmount Drops Blu-ray Support. That's HUGE for the HD DVD camp.
So now we have Universal, Paramount, & DreamWorks going exclusively for HD DVD. We have Sony, Lions Gate, and BV/Disney exclusively for Blu-ray. FOX was exclusively blu-ray, but now not releasing anything in either format yet. We have Denon and Sony for Blu-ray. We have Onkyo and Toshiba for HD DVD. This war will continue FOREVER. You might as well buy both formats.

Pretty sure these fall into the rumor category as of now. I have read reports of 50 million bucks going to one company and 100 million to the other to ensure if a new release is put out on BD then it sees a simultaneous HD DVD release with older titles being HD DVD exclusive, but there has been no verification as far as I can find, could you post a link to a source that says this is an absolute?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Pretty sure these fall into the rumor category as of now. I have read reports of 50 million bucks going to one company and 100 million to the other to ensure if a new release is put out on BD then it sees a simultaneous HD DVD release with older titles being HD DVD exclusive, but there has been no verification as far as I can find, could you post a link to a source that says this is an absolute?

http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=entertainmentNews&storyID=2007-08-20T162656Z_01_N20283317_RTRIDST_0_ENTERTAINMENT-STUDIOS-HDDVD-COL.XML&archived=False

http://www.viacom.com/NEWS/NewsText.aspx?RID=1042073

 

[stratman]

We're the losers not the big corporations, this crap-war will now continue (if these stories are true; when it comes to CE I take all rumours and supposed stories with a huge grain of salt, more akin to a block of salt) and we as consumers will still be stuck with two formats and spending double the money on hardware, it's not fair.

 

[avaserfi]

We're the losers not the big corporations, this crap-war will now continue (if these stories are true; when it comes to CE I take all rumours and supposed stories with a huge grain of salt, more akin to a block of salt) and we as consumers will still be stuck with two formats and spending double the money on hardware, it's not fair.

I agree completely. At first I was all for this format war simply because it was forcing prices on hardware down quiet a bit, but the thought of this war continuing for much longer gets extremely old and will just hurt the whole world of HD video as it completely puts off consumers. If this keeps up Clint will be proven completely right about the failure of both HD formats.

 

[gmichael]

I wonder if anyone will start putting out dual format disks. BR on one side, HD DVD on the other.

 

[jcPanny]

HD-DVD dual format

If HD-DVD wanted an edge they would release the dual format discs AT THE SAME PRICE POINT as the BluRay version. Like the editorial, I see very little value in the dual format, especially when you can but the regular DVD (onsale for $10) and the HD-DVD for the price of the combo disc.

 

[Jim Robbins]

Do you guys really think both formats will fail? Or perhaps, universal players will make it so it doesn't matter what kind of disc you put in? I am guessing that this war will be similar to the DVD+R and DVD-R computer feud from a few years back. You can walk into the store, buy both formats of media, and it doesn't even matter. Studios will probably gravitate to one format or the other instead of publishing on both, and it won't matter what kind of disc you buy, because your player will play both, along with the old school DVDs.

It am guessing it won't fall out like SACD and DVD-Audio. I mean, you have to have some really good audio hardware to take advantage of that stuff. You couldn't just walk into Best Buy and get the hardware for those disc formats. You CAN walk into Best Buy and get TVs that show off 1080p, now, as well as players for both sides and even the LG universal player so far. The stuff isn't "cheap" but we have lots of financing deals and sales people to coerce us into the HD era.

If a winner does come, do I even care? No, I'll still have what I bought right now, and it working good at the moment. Will my discs become obsolete? Heck, if my current "format" fails, then I can sell my collection of about 10 discs on ebay to the die hards and get my money back and buy the other format anyway. *laugh*

Just pick one, maybe both, and go buy some hardware and a few movies and enjoy it now! Don't worry about the future... We all know stuff changes with audio and video all the time. Jump in! Enjoy the ride!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

If HD-DVD wanted an edge they would release the dual format discs AT THE SAME PRICE POINT as the BluRay version. Like the editorial, I see very little value in the dual format, especially when you can but the regular DVD (onsale for $10) and the HD-DVD for the price of the combo disc.

Yeah, the dual format (SD/HD) is the reason I prefer blu-ray, although I have both formats.
At first with only Universal exclusively supporting HDDVD, I was pretty sure blu-ray would win. But DreamWorks and Paramount going exclusively HDDVD is a monster! No one knows why FOX stop making blu-ray movies all of the sudden. Could it be because they are also thining of jumping ship?
Bottom line, this format war is NOT going to be over anytime soon like earlier reports say.
For the time being, I will continue to enjoy both Blu-ray and HDDVD. My brother has both XBox 360+HD add-on & Sony PS3. I guess he's enjoying both formats too

 

[stratman]

Heck, it just makes my spot on the fence more comfortable!

 

[Duffinator]

This war will continue FOREVER. You might as well buy both formats.

I'm thinking of doing just that. I already have a HD player and as soon as they blow out the existing Sony players for $300 I'll probably get one. Both formats are now offering seven free movies with your purchase. Here's the Paramount article on Yahoo.

 

[Tsunamii]

Over? Nothing is over. Was it over when the Germans bombed Perl Harbor? Ok seriously now, these guys are fighting it out to see who will be the last physical format dinosaur. Huge win for HD-DVD that I didnt see comming but still im specing out server hardware and OS apps I moved on from physical formats awhile ago. See you in the future

 

[Audioholics]

If this keeps up Clint will be proven completely right about the failure of both HD formats.

I can't believe you guys ever doubted me. Even if one format wins out I believe it will remain niche market to be eventually over-ridden by VOD.

 

[Audioholics]

I mean, you have to have some really good audio hardware to take advantage of that stuff. You couldn't just walk into Best Buy and get the hardware for those disc formats.

But you see that was part of their failure. There was no reason it had to be that way.

 

[avaserfi]

I can't believe you guys ever doubted me. Even if one format wins out I believe it will remain niche market to be eventually over-ridden by VOD.

I/We should have know you after all are god of AH in a way . Maybe it was more a I didn't want to believe it but the signs are showing more and more...I think I just saw a headless horseman throwing a BD at someone!

 

[autoboy]

Germans bombed Perl Harbor

It was the Japanese who bombed Pearl Harbor.

So why is my argument about the Dual Format disc short sided? I don't know a single HD-DVD player in a Mini-Van. I'm not replacing my laptop with another $2000 laptop just so I can watch my movies when I am traveling. DVD players are so widespread now that backwards compatibility is huge. HD-DVDs biggest mistake is not advertising their flip disc advantage and not requiring the studios to price them accordingly.

I just used flip disc yesterday when I went over to my Mom's house to watch Smoking Aces with my brother. In my limited time I have had flip discs, I have used the DVD side 6 times.

 

[Jim Robbins]

It was the Japanese who bombed Pearl Harbor.

And now the Japanese are bombing us with HD discs! *grin* At least they are only confusing people instead of killing them.

But seriously, I think the flip format with HD on one side and SD on the other side is a good idea. We have all kinds of products that have normal DVD drives built in and it's great that the disk can be full High Def on our theater, but portable for the airplane or car ride or on the kitchen tv, etc. Of course, I don't think it should COST us any more, since it hardly costs them any extra to produce. And, even though I have some of those handy "flip" discs I have personally never used the SD side. Heck, I only watch movies and tv on the home theater. We don't own a television otherwise. But for the average non-AVsnob, it's still a fantastic advantage. But again, I still say it doesn't matter which one you pick, just get some HD going! It'll all work out in the end and you can have fun with one or both of the formats depending on how much money you want to blow. It's all gonna change again sometime anyway... Movies and home theater isn't an investment... It's Entertainment!

 

[kleinwl]

Do you guys really think both formats will fail? ...You CAN walk into Best Buy and get TVs that show off 1080p, now, ...

Over 30% of the people who purchase HDTVs never set them up to recieve HD channels. In fact some of them THINK they are receiving HD even when they are not.

With stats like that WHY do you think that BR or HD shows anything that a consumer is interested in? It's like the Edison music player... yes it is better (theoretically) but hardly anyone can tell the difference and it is a heck of alot more expensive than the competitor (DVD).

I'm with Clint... this format war is doomed. The average american can't tell the difference and isn't willing to shell out cash to try it out. (After all the BOSE cubes were so expensive, he does not have any extra cash for frills like the BR player, anyway... he is going to have BIG theater SOUND from some tiny little cubes... now THAT is cool.)

I haven't bought into the hype... Directv lauched their new SAT, the FIOS rollout is coming along, and most cable operators are reclaiming analog bandwidth to increase their HD channel offerings.

Maybe there is room for one HD player... but not two... and its lifespan is limited anyway... once high-speed internet is widly available...cya... download the movie to your DVR and watch at your leasure.

In the mean time, it kind of hurts not to have the latest and greatest toys... but I'll survive.

 

[mike c]

damn you paramount! can't you support BOTH!?

Star Trek ... no!!!!
Transformers! ... aaaaaaah!!!! I didn't watch that in theatres so I could buy the HD format!