BluRay Vs HD-DVD

[Agrajag]

Upon further further research:

[Fost]

Some other things happening (many of which bring HD-DVD back into the running)

HD-DVD now has triple layer discs which can hold 51Gig. So size comparisons with BD aren't much of an issue anymore. Interestingly, they weren't anyway, since BD made PCM sound a req, which takes up loads of space. So movies were all at the same compression level anyway on both formats.

New combined DVD/HD-DVD discs are available that are apparently v cheap to manufacture. This means you can buy a DVD that will play standard def in old players and HD in a high def player.

Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, and DreamWorks Animation have recently announced they are going HD-DVD only.

You can buy an HD-DVD player for £170 in the UK and it's also a great upscaling DVD player. This a miles cheaper than any BluRay player over here. In fact, I'm going to get one nearer to xmas.

On Bluray's side, I still think the fact that shop stocks are much higher (here anyway - what's it like in anyone else's country?), Blockbuster only stocks BD, and Disney are BR only is probably enough to win out.

HD-DVD is still in with a shout though. If only MS had built the HD-DVD player into the 360!

[KingAl]

I'm rooting for HD-DVD. Serenity being on it is reason enough

[Poo Bear]

[Ripdog]

I haven't been around here for a while, but I couldn't resist posting in this topic.

I'm rooting for HD-DVD simply because it has less DRM. Blu-ray is buried in the stuff, and... well... who likes DRM? Stuff that 20gb up your collective corporate asses Sony!

Hmm, the smilies are broken for me. =\

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[KingAl]

Well, ****.

[Poo Bear]

And the winner is ... Blue Ray

I guess that means the success of the PS3 is assured as it will surely take a year or two before someone makes a standalone player cheaper than a PS3? How long until direct download takes over and renders all physical media pointless? Will BR still be around in 5 years?


I think if game developers and film makers can sort out HD streaming technology so we aren't waiting for broadband upgrades then it'll probably be within that time scale. Just need the price of a PS3/X360 set top tv box to hit $99. If we have to wait for higher speed broadband penetration then it could be a lot longer sadly.

[Fost]

Interesting to note: on a 40" tv in my living room, sat at normal distance, I can't tell the difference between upscaled standard DVD and high def DVD. I can if I get up and sit next to the screen.

Also, standard DVD players can be made region free, whereas bluray players appear to be a bit of a nightmare in that regard - hopefully someone will bring one out eventually.

[Poo Bear]

The beginning of the end?

Two million X360's have been sold in the UK so far, but this summer British Telecom will begin offering its "Vision" customers the option of using a X360 as their set top box. Vision is a service that allows people to watch free to air digital tv channels, record tv, browse the net and rent movies and prime tv shows. New and existing customers will be able to take advantage of the system.

Similar moves are under way in other parts of the world.

[Kenneth]

The fact that Sony always has enforced the region code system vigilantly is alarming to me. The region systems purpose is simply to control the marked and stifle healthy competition. The end result is unreasonably high prices and lower quality. Sony continue this tradition with Blu-ray. I say that a product should gain a loyal following through the qualities it represent. Not the restrictions it imposes. I vote HD-DVD!

[Fost]

[icarus]

I think a lot of dissing against Blu-Ray seems to be straw man arguments and fanboyism.

Sony is no longer the evil DRM company.
My new Walkman has no copy protection of any kind and will alow me to drag and drop files right into the player from explorer.
Also You can play Japaneses games on the American PS3 and visa versa.

Another point everyone seems to miss is that HD-DVD also has the same AACS as BLU-Ray and that shiny DRM has never stopped anyone from sharing there own media with friends and only inconveniences pirates who quickly find a way around it.


I have alwasy been rooting for BLU-ray because it stores more data. 50gb on a duel layer disk. 4 would be enough to back up all the data I have ever owned in my life.

Now that HD-DVD has gone the way of betamax and DIVIX we can finally watch our movies in peace. I expect all the "HD-DVD" exclusives will soon be released on BLU-RAY (remember all the movies that were ONLY going to be released on DIVIX?)

TL;DR
Stop mindlessly bashing SONY you mindless fanboys.

[Weeble]

[icarus]

[Weeble]

Ah, you're talking about media you have generated. Well yes, of course DRM isn't going to stop you making copies of your own stuff, because you're not going to apply DRM to it. But seriously, you are never inconvenienced by DRM, and you don't think you ever will be? Just the other day I couldn't play a DVD on my Linux-based computer because of the content encryption. (Ubuntu can play non-encrypted DVDs, but it can't legally be distributed with the software to play encrypted ones. As to why I'm running Linux, well, Windows XP died and I can't find my install disc anymore. ) I've bought a DRM-laden e-book which can only be viewed in its own special viewer, which has a terrible UI and won't even let you copy and paste a single line of text. (Oh no! The pirates might copy and paste the entire document, one word at a time! Somebody stop them!) That was very inconvenient. I've bought a DRM-restricted song and been unable to listen to it in my music-player of choice. I don't support piracy, I don't copy songs, movies or software, but I still hate DRM.