HD-DVD Doooomed! Doooomed I say

[croaker69]

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070618/blockbuster_blu_ray.html?.v=3

Well maybe it's just a black eye.

[Riggswolfe]

That is a pretty big blow. I'm still pulling for HD-DVD but it's reactionary because of how Sony is pimping Blu-ray. We'll see what happens. I figure if Star Wars or LOTR or Star Trek gets released on Blu-ray that'll really signal the end.

[Trippy]

Fox (Star Wars) is Blu-Ray only, though if Lucas says he wants it in both formats I doubt they would say no to him. Paramount (Star Trek) and New Line (LotR) support both.

[Merusk]

I was surprised to not see a "30th Anniversary Edition" SW DVD package come out on one of the HD formats this year, despite Lucas' earlier promise of "No more DVD Packages."    Then again, there's still 6 months left, and plenty of time to announce of X-mas.

Star Trek hasn't done a multi-movie package in a while either, have they?  The last one I recall seeing was the VHS box set with the Enterprise-A on the spines.

Anywho, back on topic, yeah this is a VERY big blow for HD-DVD.  Particularly when Blockbuster cites that 70% of their rental market was Blu-Ray anyway, it looks like Sony finally came out a winner on a format.  Even a blind squirrel, etc, etc.  :-D

[Chimpy]

HD-DVD smacked of a Divx rehash to me from the beginning.

Slightly faster to release.

Format with less capacity.

Too much reliance on one company (HD-DVD = Microsoft, Divx = Disney) to drive sales of product.

While the Porn industry may be fans of HD DVD, they probably don't make that much of their money from physical media sales anymore as the interweb is "pr0n on demand". So the ace that JVC had up their sleeve with VHS is pretty much gone.

[Muggi]

Interesting, many figured Blu-Ray would lose once they gave the "no-porn" directive.  Hell, it killed Betamax.

Though from what I have heard hi-def porn is more disturbing than enjoyable..

[Chimpy]

Though from what I have heard hi-def porn is more disturbing than enjoyable..

I kinda think a lot of people were thinking the same thing.

[Chimpy]

Just saw a quick CNBC segment about this as I was flipping channels.

One of the 2 "experts" was a Toshiba advisor who was trying to spin the Blockbuster thing as a win for HD-DVD because HD-DVD owners buy their product not rent, and that the PS3 owners were the sole reason people were renting more because playstation owners are "renters not buyers".

Not once did he mention that HD-DVD has the same drawback in adoption at this moment as Blu-Ray. It is largely driven by a console, the 360.

He also said that HD DVD was technologically superior because it mandates all players have internet connectivity, and Sony doesn't.

Of course, CNBC is part of Universal. And Universal is the only HDDVD only studio....so /shrug

Interesting article from last week about the HD-DVD numbers.

http://www.ultimateavmag.com/news/61407hddvd/

[Trippy]

HD-DVD smacked of a Divx rehash to me from the beginning.

Slightly faster to release.

Format with less capacity.

Too much reliance on one company (HD-DVD = Microsoft, Divx = Disney) to drive sales of product.

Microsoft isn't the one pushing HD-DVD on the hardware side -- it's Toshiba and HP.

[Chimpy]

Microsoft isn't the one pushing HD-DVD on the hardware side -- it's Toshiba and HP.

HP is one of the Blu-Ray backing companies, though they use the term "High-definition DVD" or "HD-DVD" to discuss both HDDVD and BluRay in articles on their site which is mildly confusing.

[Trippy]

Microsoft isn't the one pushing HD-DVD on the hardware side -- it's Toshiba and HP.

HP is one of the Blu-Ray backing companies, though they use the term "High-definition DVD" or "HD-DVD" to discuss both HDDVD and BluRay in articles on their site which is mildly confusing.

While technically HP is still "supporting" Blu-Ray they are including HD-DVD drives in their computers now, not Blu-Ray drives, that's why I mentioned them. They also have a really cheap external HD-DVD drive too (Fry's was offering a $50 rebate on the $180 drive making it $130).

[Chimpy]

While technically HP is still "supporting" Blu-Ray they are including HD-DVD drives in their computers now, not Blu-Ray drives, that's why I mentioned them. They also have a really cheap external HD-DVD drive too (Fry's was offering a $50 rebate on the $180 drive making it $130).

Not to argue, but the first computer I got when I went to their site and clicked on home PC's has a combo drive in it that Writes/Reads Blu-ray and reads HDDVD.  /shrug

Regardless, the format war has little to do with what kind of drive people put in their home machines as most people still watch movies on their TV which is not connected to their computer. In a couple years multiformat drives will be the most commonly purchased ones anyway as the decoder chips are already available. It is just like how the whole DVD+/-/=/RWX war finally came down to multi-format drives becoming the norm.

[Trippy]

While technically HP is still "supporting" Blu-Ray they are including HD-DVD drives in their computers now, not Blu-Ray drives, that's why I mentioned them. They also have a really cheap external HD-DVD drive too (Fry's was offering a $50 rebate on the $180 drive making it $130).

Not to argue, but the first computer I got when I went to their site and clicked on home PC's has a combo drive in it that Writes/Reads Blu-ray and reads HDDVD.  /shrug

Regardless, the format war has little to do with what kind of drive people put in their home machines as most people still watch movies on their TV which is not connected to their computer. In a couple years multiformat drives will be the most commonly purchased ones anyway as the decoder chips are already available. It is just like how the whole DVD+/-/=/RWX war finally came down to multi-format drives becoming the norm.

Interesting, I guess they've seen the writing on the wall and are switching back.

BTW, the current gen of those blue laser "combo" drives suck, unless all you really care about is the Blu-Ray support and only watch HD-DVDs once in a blue moon or so. On the HD-DVD side they don't support the HD-DVD UI meaning all you can do is watch the movie and navigate to chapters and that's about it, which is also why those drives don't have an HD-DVD logo on them (since they don't support the HD-DVD spec).

[Lantyssa]

While technically HP is still "supporting" Blu-Ray they are including HD-DVD drives in their computers now, not Blu-Ray drives, that's why I mentioned them. They also have a really cheap external HD-DVD drive too (Fry's was offering a $50 rebate on the $180 drive making it $130).

It's HP.  If you buy one of their machines you get what you deserve.

[naum]

Its doom is near certain now…

Paramount is poised to drop its support of HD DVD after Warner Brothers’ recent backing of Sony’s Blu-ray technology, in a move that will sound the death knell of HD DVD and bring the home entertainment format war to a definitive end.

[schild]

Yep. HDDVD is fucked.

Where's that old thread? I couldn't find it, I wanna see how I described the fight. And then I want to use the "thisguy.jpg" macro.

[Samwise]

You mean this guy?



I love that guy.

[Rasix]

Excellent, should be easier now to talk my wife into getting a PS3.

[Trippy]

http://forums.f13.net/index.php?topic=8873.0

[schild]

Ohhhh yes.

Now that feels good.

It feels like....

victory.

I like how, at the end there, I said:

"Games decide the systems? Movies might actually decide the format for once."

Oh god it tastes so good.

[MrHat]

Excellent, should be easier now to talk my wife into getting a PS3.

:-D

I like the way you think!!  Also, I can rent Blu-Ray movies now too.

[Murgos]

Ohhhh yes.

Now that feels good.

It feels like....

victory.

I like how, at the end there, I said:

"Games decide the systems? Movies might actually decide the format for once."

Oh god it tastes so good.

Even a blind squirrel, etc, etc.  :-D

 

[kaid]

I honestly never cared which format wins I just want one or the other to die in a fire so this format war can be over and done with.

[Sky]

I'm surprised. I was pretty sure it would go to dual format like the whole +R/-R crap did with CD/DVD. I just checked over at newegg and there are no hd-dvd players or burners, but several blu-ray. Still a little bit out from affordable (imo) at $150+ for the player and several hundred bucks for the burners. I figure maybe next xmas we might jump into bluray.

Format war essentially over.

[rattran]

And about time too. I didn't particularly care which side won, as long as someone did. I've got players for both, and discs for both, but I have a LD player too, so I don't think I count as average.

Now we have to hope Toshiba doesn't try to hang on tooth and claw, and drag this thing out until both formats die.

[Sauced]

...drag this thing out until both formats die...

Well, with the studios picking a side, it won't matter what Toshiba does.  And I wouldn't make too large of an investment either way - as soon as the studios can go 100% digital download they will do so.

[shiznitz]

Paramount was paid $150 million to use HD DVD for two years. That ends this year. Then they go Blu Ray and it is game over.

[naum]

I care not for either format… …unless I plop down for PS3 (or XBOX 360)…

…I have a 'N' router now that can serve up HD video streams, all that it is needed is a new TV (have HDTV but been unable to get resolution > 800x600 on it from computer - it should do 720p or 1080i but I haven't got the right cables yet I guess and/or it's an almost 10 year old rear projection TV anyway…)…

…screw discs… …wireless transmission from computer in den, controlled by remote from bought stuff on iTunes, ripped DVDs, video podcasts and downloaded movies…

[Murgos]

…I have a 'N' router now that can serve up HD video streams

Pull the other one, it's got bells on.

Theoretically this may be true but the real world says, 'nuh-uh'.

[Miasma]

Xbox executive probably speaking out of turn.  If he still has a job tomorrow I assume he will recant.

[naum]

…I have a 'N' router now that can serve up HD video streams

Pull the other one, it's got bells on.

Theoretically this may be true but the real world says, 'nuh-uh'.

Wrong. Have tested it already, though you need to have a "N" card too… …I've got a new N airport extreme and it streams HD to MBP in seamless fashion… …maybe XP/Vista hasn't caught up yet, but it works in OS X…

[Trippy]

You don't even need N to stream HD material.

For high-quality HD stuff you are looking at around 15 - 20 Mbps bandwidth usage if you are using MPEG-2, less if you are using one of the more efficient codecs like H.264.

[Jain Zar]

Heh.  Looks like Sony decided to lose this game generation in order to win the "Video Format Nobody Really Fucking Wants" war.

Clever!

I'm happy with my 100 dollar Samsung 1080p upscaling DVD player with HDMI cable on my 32" Sharp Aquos.

Maybe I will get a Blu Ray when they hit 200 bucks.

Which means it won't be a PS3, the system of dick.  (The only halfway decent version was the original 600 dollar one with Backwards Compatibility.  54 PS2 titles aint goin to waste!)

My main reason for going DVD in 98 was due to the extras, not the improved picture.  (Plus I am a total whore for Aliens.  It had just come out with the Director's Cut version on DVD.)

Anime with choice of subs or dubs, commentary tracks and special features.  That's why I went DVD. I was already buying stuff on VHS.

Blu Ray is just a prettier version of what we already have.  For 4-5 times the price of a DVD player and an increase in disk prices.

Blu Ray and HD DVD are what Bose is to audio.  Overly pricey shit that is only marginally better than what I already have.

Dammit, my iMac is my only retardo price item I am a whore of!  I SHALL NOT BE WHORE ANY FURTHER.

[naum]

Blu Ray is just a prettier version of what we already have.  For 4-5 times the price of a DVD player and an increase in disk prices.

Blu Ray and HD DVD are what Bose is to audio.  Overly pricey shit that is only marginally better than what I already have.

Dammit, my iMac is my only retardo price item I am a whore of!  I SHALL NOT BE WHORE ANY FURTHER.

While I'll be steadfast in not hopping on Blu-Ray (or HDDVD) train, one must acknowledge that the formats look spectacular, albeit, I would say, true, not much difference on TVs < 35 inches. But on a big screen (doesn't everybody have >50 inch television in the living/family room?), the difference is indeed noticeable…

…but again, I want the ultimate lazy man setup, no discs, have it all stored in bits and accessible throughout property via search box on my iPhone like remote…

[Lt.Dan]

You should see the discussions about this topic in an AV forum I frequent.  Much wailing and gnashing of teeth, especially by the "pooray" contingent.  [Yes there are people that call Bluray pooray.  It is the intardnet].  There are even threads of people selling HD players and discs.  Sucks to be an early adopter.

But honestly, aside from Bluray region coding, who cares which format wins.  I'm viewing the whole thing the same way I did DVD.  Once the video store or local retailer has more high def movies than DVDs I'll buy a player.  Until then they can piss right off; especially when new release Bluray/HD-DVD movies in Australian are $A35-40.