For trying to get things "right" this generation, there seems to be more going wrong than ever. Let's leave aside the format war. We all know it is bad and so do the two camps. But let's just imagine there were only one format coming out.
For the 10 or 12 million (or whatever the number is) HD-monitor owners, HD discs still leave us with far too many problems. And for the hundreds of millions of people who do NOT have a HD-monitor, are they really going to scramble to get HD discs that won't look one little bit better than DVD on their SD monitors?
DVD was so clearly better than VHS. The picture and sound were an obvious improvement to absolutely anyone. And the difference was noticable, even on a regular old CRT 480i display using only the built in speakers. Then if you had a 480p or HD display and surround sound, it was leagues ahead of VHS. Plus, no rewinding
But to see or hear any difference from DVD to HD discs, people MUST buy a HD-monitor and a 7.1 surround sound system. Going from VHS to DVD meant about $200 for a player, and now it can mean $20 for the cheapest budget DVD players.
HD discs mean $500 (or more probably) for a new player PLUS thousands for a HD Monitor and at least another thousand for a 7.1 surround sound system. That's a real investment.
The simple fact is, DVD was too good. Even on a HD monitor with a 7.1 sound system, it nearly matches the potential of the system. HD discs only matter to the people who have already shelled out the thousands of dollars to get this setup, but I KNOW (it's not even a doubt) that the VAST majority of people will not spend this kind of money when DVD is so good already.
Now add the fact that DVD's can be so easily copied while HD discs are going to require a strip search before you can press play. I don't agree with studios getting paid nothing for a movie. That clearly isn't fair. But they've been ripping us off for years with over-inflated prices at the box office and for DVDs - so I'm not shedding any tears for their "lost revenue from piracy". And speaking of this "lost revenue" and how "piracy costs the movie industry billions of dollars every year". If that's really the case, then why is it that every single year, revenue and profits are larger than the previous year? Hollywood isn't even close to losing money. They're just upset that they only got a pint of blood from the stone rather than a gallon.
HD discs are a farce and Hollywood deserves what they are getting. DVD is hear to stay and that bugs them because we can copy them now. Maybe if they drop the price from the stupid high $20 mark to something like $8, they won't have to worry about piracy so much. I know I'd buy most movies if they were $8 or less at retail, just for the nice cover alone!
And that's really all that's going to happen. Blu-ray could end up hurting the PS3 more than the PS3 helps Blu-ray. Microsoft was very smart to stick with DVD for now.
To be honest, HD content is going to find it's distribution channel with mega speed internet and WMV-HD. Go online, download a movie to your PC. That's what's going to work.
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