Hi-Def Wars Part 2 - Blu-ray Strikes Back!

[Audioholics]

<P>Worldwide computer leaders and Blu-ray Disc Association members, Dell, and Hewlett Packard, today addressed the inaccurate information cited by Microsoft and Intel regarding the Blu-ray Disc format. "From a PC end-user perspective, Blu-ray is a superior format. It offers 67-150% more storage capacity, higher transfer rates, slim-line notebook compatibility, broadband connectivity and a proven interactive layer with BD- Java(TM)," said Maureen Weber, General Manager of Hewlett Packard's Personal Storage Business. "The technical merits and consumer benefits of Blu-ray Disc make it the ideal solution for HP's customers."

[Read the Full Retort]

 

[Hanse18]

Hah! Blue-Ray hid behind their statistics. Microsoft and Intel were clling them out and saying that Blu-Ray can't actually utilize all 50 Gigs of memory. I can't believe they just rambled off their existing information instead of some specific examples of applications where large amounts of memory are used. Reminds me of the last round of video game console wars. When Gran Turismo 3 came out, Sony claimed it was only using 10% of the PS2's total power. Well I haven't seen games that look much better than that, and DEFINITELY not 10 times as good. I just hope that all movies will come out in both formats, or else there are going to be some complaints from the consumers.

 

[westcott]

Not a very strong rebuttal

I am dissapointed with their statement.

It seems to give more credence to the Microsoft\Intel statments, then deny them.

They never stated what stage of development this technology was in at this time and that seems to be the major arguement MS and Intel are making.

If its not here by Christmas except in the PS3, it may be too late.

 

[HookedOnSound]

If they say it can't be done, then someone will

I would laugh if 6 months after both formats were released that some scientist at a University would publish a better disc format probably even able to merge both HD-DVD and BD together for almost no added cost at all.

Wouldn't that put egg all over their faces?

 

[Rob Babcock]

Well, no...it wouldn't really put egg on anyones face. I think it's widely understood that technology marches on, and that todays bleeding edge is tomorrows old hat. The problem is that consumers won't repurchase new hardware an replace their entire catalog of software every six months. So what we try to do is create the best standard carrier we can, being mindful that it will have to last us 20 years (or 10, or 5, or whatever the market will bear). This is almost set in stone due to the economic realities of creating a new carrier & marketing it to the masses. Rolling out a new format can cost billions of dollars. No wonder it's rarely done by some scientist sitting in his garage.

 

[Audioholics]

It's so easy to swing back and forth - but I can't help but harp on the fact that Sony has about the worst track record for standards and formats in the industry. And I'm not convinced they've learned from their mistakes.

 

[MDS]

Back at school (many years ago ) the computer lab had a poster with dozens of acronyms on it and the caption read 'The nice thing about standards is...there are so many of them'.

For the last several years I have been working on various software standards (mostly Web Services related). Nothing has changed. We start with one standard, find issues with it and propose changes. That starts a whole new round of discussions and sometimes the result is an entirely new 'standard'. We then try to get backing for that standard. Some companies decide to adopt the new standard while others stick with the current version.

It is no different with HD-DVD vs Blue-Ray. Sony wants the market to adopt their 'standard' because they perceive it to be better than the alternative. Some companies agree and back Blue-Ray; others disagree and back HD-DVD. In the end, the market decides...