Thursday, March 22, 2007
Member since:
March 2007
March 2007
Am I smelling a new format war between Blu-ray and HD-DVD? Or I'm just paranoid? Which should I buy? Any recommendations?
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Member since:
March 2002
March 2002
If you haven't smelled the format war between Blu-ray and HD-DVD by now, you have no nose. :)
Blu-ray advantages: More studio support than HD-DVD. More disc storage space. Theoretically better transfer rates.
Blu-ray disadvantages: Not all storage space is, or may ever be, being utilized. Some difficulities with production runs. Some discs look and sound better than others. Questionable interactivity on bonus items. High cost for players ($800 - $1500).
HD-DVD advantages: Lower cost for players ($400 - $800) and most discs (unless Blu-rays are on sale). Consistently high quality picture and sound. Good upscaling in the players. Excellent interactivity for bonus items.
HD-DVD disadvantages: Less studio support than Blu-ray. Temporary glitch in the matrix, meaning a three-month slow-down in disc releases for Jan. through March. Less disc storage space for extras.
You could choose one or the other. Or with the cost of a Blu-ray player now under $800 and the cost of an HD-DVD player now under $400, you could buy one of each. Or you could wait two or three years for one or the other format to appear dominant.
John
[Post edited by John J. Puccio on Mar 22, 2007]
Blu-ray advantages: More studio support than HD-DVD. More disc storage space. Theoretically better transfer rates.
Blu-ray disadvantages: Not all storage space is, or may ever be, being utilized. Some difficulities with production runs. Some discs look and sound better than others. Questionable interactivity on bonus items. High cost for players ($800 - $1500).
HD-DVD advantages: Lower cost for players ($400 - $800) and most discs (unless Blu-rays are on sale). Consistently high quality picture and sound. Good upscaling in the players. Excellent interactivity for bonus items.
HD-DVD disadvantages: Less studio support than Blu-ray. Temporary glitch in the matrix, meaning a three-month slow-down in disc releases for Jan. through March. Less disc storage space for extras.
You could choose one or the other. Or with the cost of a Blu-ray player now under $800 and the cost of an HD-DVD player now under $400, you could buy one of each. Or you could wait two or three years for one or the other format to appear dominant.
John
[Post edited by John J. Puccio on Mar 22, 2007]
Friday, March 23, 2007
Member since:
April 2006
April 2006
Ironically even though the Blu-Rays currently have more disk space, on average they have much less bonus content than the HD-DVD's so is it really material?
From what I understand the bandwidth or throughput would only have an impact (in theory anyway) on a disk with multiple languages and multiple audio quality levels. For example a disk with IME and English, French, Italian, Spanish and German all in DD, DD+, DD TrueHD and DTS-HD would probably hit or pass the limit, but would that ever happen?
The main differences (not withstanding what John pointed out which are valid differences) IMHO that are actually material or are having an impact one way or the other are:
Studio support in favor of Blu-Ray
Price, consistency of features and quality (movies, audio, interactivity and upconversion) all leaning HD-DVD's way
How much the interactivity in and of itself matters is arguable (Personally I could take it or leave it), but when Warner and other are holding back the Blu-Ray version of "A" list titles waiting for Blu-Ray's BD-Java stuff and the HD-DVD version of released then it is having an material impact IMHO.
The PS3 is an advantage for BR, but it is still to be seen what the attach rate settles down too once all the coupons are used up.
The Matrix is the biggest and brightest example of this so far. While we will see the Matrix on HD-DVD May 22nd, I would bet that we will not see it on Blu-Ray in 2007 at all if they wait for the BR version of IME. They may get preassured somehow into releasing a non-IME version on Blu-Ray, but who knows if they would be willing to strip down a primum title like that unless they plan on double dipping the poor BR folks later.
Cheers,
Richard
From what I understand the bandwidth or throughput would only have an impact (in theory anyway) on a disk with multiple languages and multiple audio quality levels. For example a disk with IME and English, French, Italian, Spanish and German all in DD, DD+, DD TrueHD and DTS-HD would probably hit or pass the limit, but would that ever happen?
The main differences (not withstanding what John pointed out which are valid differences) IMHO that are actually material or are having an impact one way or the other are:
Studio support in favor of Blu-Ray
Price, consistency of features and quality (movies, audio, interactivity and upconversion) all leaning HD-DVD's way
How much the interactivity in and of itself matters is arguable (Personally I could take it or leave it), but when Warner and other are holding back the Blu-Ray version of "A" list titles waiting for Blu-Ray's BD-Java stuff and the HD-DVD version of released then it is having an material impact IMHO.
The PS3 is an advantage for BR, but it is still to be seen what the attach rate settles down too once all the coupons are used up.
The Matrix is the biggest and brightest example of this so far. While we will see the Matrix on HD-DVD May 22nd, I would bet that we will not see it on Blu-Ray in 2007 at all if they wait for the BR version of IME. They may get preassured somehow into releasing a non-IME version on Blu-Ray, but who knows if they would be willing to strip down a primum title like that unless they plan on double dipping the poor BR folks later.
Cheers,
Richard
