Blu Ray or HD DVD

Bronze Member

Username: 007b

Post Number: 34
Registered: Oct-07

Posted on Wednesday, October 17, 2007 - 01:53 pm:

Taking bets on who will win the format war.

Relevant Product Info

Gold Member

Username: Samijubal

Post Number: 3576
Registered: Jul-04

Posted on Wednesday, October 17, 2007 - 03:38 pm:

Neither, they will both be around for the foreseeable future.

Bronze Member

Username: 007b

Post Number: 35
Registered: Oct-07

Posted on Thursday, October 18, 2007 - 10:40 am:

Agreed. Do you think all major studios will eventually join the slowly growing dual release (Blu Ray and HD DVD) movement?

Gold Member

Username: Samijubal

Post Number: 3580
Registered: Jul-04

Posted on Thursday, October 18, 2007 - 11:01 am:

Yes, that's exactly what I think. Blu-Ray sales may be higher here, discs not players, HD-DVD players have sold more, but in Europe HD-DVD disc sales are higher than Blu-Ray. That may be because of the lawsuit against Sony and Blu-Ray there.

Bronze Member

Username: 007b

Post Number: 36
Registered: Oct-07

Posted on Friday, October 19, 2007 - 01:38 pm:

David, what do you know about the quality of the newer Samsung Blu Ray players? I know Samsung generally has a reputation for poor quality and very low reliability.

Gold Member

Username: Samijubal

Post Number: 3582
Registered: Jul-04

Posted on Friday, October 19, 2007 - 04:34 pm:

I don't know, I don't have anything to do with anything Samsuck. The older players got terrible reviews everywhere, poor picture quality.

Bronze Member

Username: 007b

Post Number: 37
Registered: Oct-07

Posted on Monday, October 22, 2007 - 10:03 am:

Agreed. However, seems as though some of their newer flat panels and Blu Ray players have received high ratings. Wonder about the reliability though.

Gold Member

Username: Samijubal

Post Number: 3583
Registered: Jul-04

Posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2007 - 10:37 am:

I'm not a very big believer in ratings myself. I'll admit some of their TVs do look good, but their reliability has always been crap at best.

Bronze Member

Username: 007b

Post Number: 39
Registered: Oct-07

Posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2007 - 10:55 am:

I consider ratings to be a starting point but not the exclusive basis for evaluating audio/video gear. Nothing better than hands-on experience. I'm curious as to whether Samsung has done anything on the quality front.

Gold Member

Username: Samijubal

Post Number: 3584
Registered: Jul-04

Posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2007 - 06:36 pm:

You can always check Consumer Reports for breakdown records. They seem to be somewhat reliable on the subject. They have them at the library near me.

Silver Member

Username: Rysa3

Houston, Texas

Post Number: 237
Registered: Nov-06

Posted on Friday, November 02, 2007 - 02:17 am:

Samsung has made improvements in their displays. The value buy for a good display lies with Panasonic for plasmas right now. Top shelf stuff comes from Pioneer and Fujitsu but their is a premium and you have to judge whether the money makes sense. Hitachi stays just a step behind the front runners but makes good plasmas--they just evolve a bit more slowly, but , for instance, if Pioneer cant make it in the end with their plasmas Hitachi will gain market share.

On the Hi Def player side- Blu Ray technically in the ends has the potentially better technology but they are behind HD-DVD in bringing full featured players to market, With HD-DVD players by Toshiba going for 98 dollars later this month and with some of the upscaling abaility out there, blu ray could easily become irrelevant overtime.

For those who like Blu Ray and have some more money to spend, the just announced Panasonic Player looks like the go to player for now. Not a surpirse as Panasonic is an excellent efficient company.

King Tapeman

Gold Member

Username: Tapeman

New York City in-HD, NY

Post Number: 1765
Registered: Oct-06

Posted on Saturday, November 03, 2007 - 12:53 am:

Blu-ray is already wining
2:1 is the score on the King's scale

A.W.

New member

Username: Vampit

Mi
U.S.A.

Post Number: 1
Registered: Nov-07

Posted on Saturday, November 03, 2007 - 01:16 am:

I love My Blue Ray}

Silver Member

Username: Rysa3

Houston, Texas

Post Number: 238
Registered: Nov-06

Posted on Saturday, November 03, 2007 - 01:29 pm:

Actually given the low attachment rate for Blu Ray players sold and the higher overhead, Blu Ray is losing. Its not a big deal as whatever happens happens but Blu Ray is in a lot of trouble.

Gold Member

Username: Samijubal

Post Number: 3593
Registered: Jul-04

Posted on Saturday, November 03, 2007 - 07:26 pm:

Blu-Ray sells more discs in the U.S., but HD-DVD sells more players in the U.S., and more discs and players both in Europe, where Sony and Blu-Ray have a lawsuit against them. Either way it's a niche market that's never going to replace SD-DVD.

Silver Member

Username: Rysa3

Houston, Texas

Post Number: 240
Registered: Nov-06

Posted on Saturday, November 03, 2007 - 08:25 pm:

Correct on the Blu Ray side--HD-DVD players and media are now selling at SD-DVD prcies, so HD-DVD is really competing against SD-DVD in the long run. I agree that Blu Ray is lookin a bit like Laser Disc and SACD at this point....a niche market.

New member

Username: Funkmeister

Post Number: 3
Registered: Nov-07

Posted on Thursday, November 08, 2007 - 02:01 pm:

The Panasonic player is absolutely outstanding. Does not upconvert as well as the Oppo Digital 981 HD but still does an excellent job.

New member

Username: Funkmeister

Post Number: 5
Registered: Nov-07

Posted on Friday, November 09, 2007 - 10:47 am:

I'm betting on Blu Ray once the dust settles. Most of the major studios support this format but if they have any economic sense they will release on both formats.

Silver Member

Username: Rysa3

Houston, Texas

Post Number: 243
Registered: Nov-06

Posted on Friday, November 09, 2007 - 11:14 pm:

Well since you bought a blu ray player I would hope that you are betting on Blu Ray. Today Howard Stringer, CEO of Sony, gave an interview which is on msnbc.com. Better read it. IN one year, we went from " A bLu Ray Victory is inevitable" to " Its a deadlock and I wish we agreed to go on one format at the beginning". TOSH sold 90,000 A2s in 3 days about a week ago. Gotaa say, it isnt gonna be close by this time next year. Most folks just dont have the extra bucks to buy an HD- format when basically the othert one of equal quality is much less expensive. Studio support is even when looking at AFI Top 100 titles, with HD-DVD having a slight edge.

Gold Member

Username: Samijubal

Post Number: 3600
Registered: Jul-04

Posted on Saturday, November 10, 2007 - 02:28 pm:

All that has to happen is for more movie studios to go HD-DVD, which will eventually happen, and it's sayonara Blu-Ray. This all reminds me of the early days of DVD when some studios, Fox, Paramount, Disney wouldn't release DVDs in 4x3, only widescreen, that didn't last very long until they realized they could sell more discs if they were released in both formats. The same thing will happen with HD-DVD, when the movie studios realize they are losing disc sales, they'll start releasing on HD-DVD as well as Blu-Ray.

Bronze Member

Username: Funkmeister

Post Number: 17
Registered: Nov-07

Posted on Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - 07:54 am:

Marc, I don't recall ever saying I bought either player.

New member

Username: Y2hepp

Sydney, Nsw
Australia

Post Number: 1
Registered: Nov-07

Posted on Friday, November 16, 2007 - 03:13 am:

Help please.
I currently have a xbox360 and was considering buying the hddvd add on at $244.00 with a movie thrown in. My xbox does not have a hdmi input so it runs on a s video cable. The add on is a usb cable running from the player to the x box itself. Will i lose pic quality this way or am i better trading in the 360 with my 6 games ($440.00 trade in) and spending $260.00 extra for a ps3 with Blue-ray.I currently have a 42" Panasonic plasma tv.
Any help or advice would be appreciated.

New member

Username: Y2hepp

Sydney, Nsw
Australia

Post Number: 2
Registered: Nov-07

Posted on Friday, November 16, 2007 - 03:44 am:

Gold Member

Username: Samijubal

Post Number: 3606
Registered: Jul-04

Posted on Friday, November 16, 2007 - 10:51 am:

Why bother with the add on when you can get a standalone HD-DVD player for the same price or less these days? The A2 sells for $100 if you can still find one. You'll be able to get an A3 for that $250 or less in a week on black Friday when the Christmas shopping season officially starts.

Silver Member

Username: Rysa3

Houston, Texas

Post Number: 245
Registered: Nov-06

Posted on Saturday, November 17, 2007 - 10:52 am:

I'm with David on this one.

New member

Username: Y2hepp

Sydney, Nsw
Australia

Post Number: 3
Registered: Nov-07

Posted on Saturday, November 17, 2007 - 05:41 pm:

In Australia the stand alones at present are around the 600.00 dollar mark.

Gold Member

Username: Samijubal

Post Number: 3619
Registered: Jul-04

Posted on Sunday, November 18, 2007 - 06:12 pm:

You can get the A3 from Amazon right now for $200 with 10 free DVDs and free shipping.

$600, ouch that hurts.

Silver Member

Username: Rysa3

Houston, Texas

Post Number: 246
Registered: Nov-06

Posted on Sunday, November 18, 2007 - 08:07 pm:

The Australian Dollar and the US dollar are diffrent currencies with different exchange rates.

Gold Member

Username: Samijubal

Post Number: 3620
Registered: Jul-04

Posted on Sunday, November 18, 2007 - 08:28 pm:

Yes, but about $1.11 Austrailian to $1 American, that's still far more than what they sell for here.

New member

Username: Y2hepp

Sydney, Nsw
Australia

Post Number: 4
Registered: Nov-07

Posted on Monday, November 19, 2007 - 04:44 am:

Had a look in todays paper and they have a Panasonic for $699.00.
So with the prices still high here would the xbox add on be worth getting?

Picked up a games mag here and they reckon the ps3 blue-ray is better than some of the stand alones out at present.
It's very hard to make a decision really.
I might wait for pioneer to bring out a recorder with hdmi inputs etc.

Bronze Member

Username: Funkmeister

Post Number: 30
Registered: Nov-07

Posted on Monday, November 19, 2007 - 11:21 am:

PS3 has received significant if not universal acclaim. No one can say who will win the Blu-ray HD DVD war. If you read the forums, the opinions are split. However, it is interesting that all but two major motion picture studios have endorsed Blu-ray (all but Paramount and Universal). I expect common sense and capitalism to kick in and we will see dual releases.

Silver Member

Username: Rysa3

Houston, Texas

Post Number: 247
Registered: Nov-06

Posted on Wednesday, November 21, 2007 - 08:38 pm:

It actually depends on which PS3 they sell in Australia. The stripped down version just reached 399, 299 with the special Best Buy Gift card deal this week starting friday.

PS3 has not received universal aclaim FYI. You can start with a game controller for a remote control as the first issue, a complete lack of interactivity, a somewhat noisy fan, and no ethernet software updating capabilities at this time.

AS far as studios, when you include dual format studiosand HD-DVD exclusive studios, you get over 50% of the AFI top 100 films for 2006 and looks like 2007. Paramounts catalog is mega deep.

HD-DVD is competing against SD-DVD due to its lower price points. Blu Ray is fighting for a niche market.

David Mitchell

Silver Member

Username: Dmitchell

Ottawa, Ontario
Canada

Post Number: 433
Registered: Feb-07

Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2007 - 03:58 pm:

Going back to the original poster's question, I recently bought a Blu-ray player, and returned it within a week. I instead bought a HD-DVD player and I am much happier with it.

The issues I had with the Blu-ray was that there were certain (newer) Blu-ray discs it refused to play and it consistently froze up while watching SD-DVDs. In all fairness, this may just apply my particular player or even the particular model, so this is not indicative of Blu-ray being a lousy platform.

At both my local video rental stores (Rogers and Block Buster) there is an equal amount of Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD titles to rent. And at my local big electronics store there are an equal number of titles for both formats.

To me it seems like neither one is "winning". Could it be they will continue to continue to co-exist as separate platforms much like PS3 vs. Xbox in the video console wars?

Silver Member

Username: Rysa3

Houston, Texas

Post Number: 258
Registered: Nov-06

Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 01:54 am:

Sony is losing a ton of money. The Sony USA President guys last speech about this wasnt a very positive one for Blu Ray.

David Mitchell

Silver Member

Username: Dmitchell

Ottawa, Ontario
Canada

Post Number: 434
Registered: Feb-07

Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 07:47 am:

If Blu-ray wasn't being driven by Sony it might have half a chance of succeeding.

HD Fanatic

Silver Member

Username: Hd_fanatic

Boise, ID

Post Number: 184
Registered: May-05

Posted on Saturday, December 15, 2007 - 11:51 pm:

I do not own either yet, so my opinion is un-biased. I believe that whichever format is the most affordable to the consumer will win. Right now that has to be HD-DVD. There are many more affordable HD-DVD players, and the movies are on average cheaper than Blu-Ray. Also, NBC teamed up with Universal Studios and has released many of it's HD TV shows on HD-DVD. That in itself is a huge victory for HD-DVD. People that buy season 1 of Heros for example, will likely want season 2 when it becomes available. And if those people already have HD-DVD players, it gives incentive to keep producing movies and shows in HD-DVD.

I view Blu-Ray at the Betamax of the 2000's. Sony failed with their proprietary format back then, and I believe they will fail again. Maybe I am wrong, and if so, I will eat crow. But personally, I will be purchasing an HD-DVD player by month's end.

Silver Member

Username: Eib_nation

Ohio
EIBville

Post Number: 207
Registered: Jul-06

Posted on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 05:20 pm:

As it stands right now, the movie selection is much greater for Blu-Ray owners. So if movie selection is any indication........Blu-Ray is winning!!

Heck, all you have to do is activate the HD/BR feature on your netflix account and scan through the myriad of past/present/future movie releases to see how many more title options are available to BR owners.

Both of the new technologies are buggy at this point. Whichever you do choose to buy, be prepared to keep up to date on Firmware updates, because you'll be doing a lot of updating if you want your player to perform it's very best

Lets face it: Both technologies are still in their infancy.

Silver Member

Username: Rysa3

Houston, Texas

Post Number: 275
Registered: Nov-06

Posted on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 09:41 pm:

Actually Rush, your information is wrong on all counts. Looking at the American Film Festival top 100 titles, greater than 50% are HD-DVD aligned studios. furthermore, Blu ray only titles in the US are released on HD-DVD in Europe. Americans are being duped basically by blu ray with this false thing about blu ray only titles.

Further, Blu Ray is behind HD-DVD with rgards to player functionality and features. HD-DVD has interactivity; blu ray does not. HD-DVD has audio standards on their players and disks; bl;u ray does not. Hd-DVD players have ethernet connectivity as well as great upscaling; most blu ray players don't.

And HD-DVD is a helluva a lot cheaper. I dunno what the future will bring, but right now, Blu Ray and HD-DVD are in two different places. It aint even close.

Silver Member

Username: Eib_nation

Ohio
EIBville

Post Number: 208
Registered: Jul-06

Posted on Friday, December 21, 2007 - 12:25 am:

As long as you're happy, that's all that matters. I think it's funny how some people get so defensive about others choices.

LOL....just look at the above.

In case you haven't noticed, both formats will be around for a long time. They are like Ham and eggs and compliment each other.

If you don't own one of each(or a dual format player)....you're missing out.

Silver Member

Username: Rysa3

Houston, Texas

Post Number: 277
Registered: Nov-06

Posted on Saturday, December 22, 2007 - 07:48 am:

Hi Rush-

Sorry if you mistake my post as anything but informative-

Reading your post however, I do note you aren't actually providing any information about much of anything.

Hvae a great christmas.

Silver Member

Username: Rysa3

Houston, Texas

Post Number: 278
Registered: Nov-06

Posted on Saturday, December 22, 2007 - 07:49 am:

Silver Member

Username: Eib_nation

Ohio
EIBville

Post Number: 210
Registered: Jul-06

Posted on Saturday, December 22, 2007 - 02:59 pm:

I speak from personal experience. You talk as if you're a paid shill for HD-DVD?

I only chose BR to be my "first player" and I based that decision on current new release movie selection in the USA. When I say new release, I'm NOT talking about the re-release of OLD movies. I'm talking about new movies just coming out of theaters over the past year. What I found was an obvious advantage for BR as it relates to weekly new releases.

With that said, I plan to buy a HD-DVD player too very soon!!! Unlike you, I'm not attacking another format. Anyone who doesn't own both players is missing out!!

As for problems with BR, I think you can chalk the majority of that discussion up to user error because my experience with BR is flawless operation. Just by reading several forums, you'll find 10,000's of posts detailing how people can't get the most simple of components to operate correctly. If you go over to certain larger forums, you'll find owner threads 1,000's of posts long detailing problems with both formats. Both formats have come a long way over the past 18monts, and it is to be expected of any new technology that is still in it's infancy.

PS
By making attacks, it hurts your credibility. As cheap as players are these days, why not own both?

Silver Member

Username: Rysa3

Houston, Texas

Post Number: 279
Registered: Nov-06

Posted on Sunday, December 23, 2007 - 12:15 am:

Rush Rush Rush

I like back and forth info exchanges but the drivel you are posting is simply false. What you are interpreting as " attacks" is true information and widely known and experienced. Why don't you show up at CES and I'll review it firsthand for you with any expert from any company you want?

Actually Rush, your information is wrong on all counts. Looking at the American Film Festival top 100 titles, greater than 50% are HD-DVD aligned studios. furthermore, Blu ray only titles in the US are released on HD-DVD in Europe. Americans are being duped basically by blu ray with this false thing about blu ray only titles.

Further, Blu Ray is behind HD-DVD with rgards to player functionality and features. HD-DVD has interactivity; blu ray does not. HD-DVD has audio standards on their players and disks; bl;u ray does not. Hd-DVD players have ethernet connectivity as well as great upscaling; most blu ray players don't.

And HD-DVD is a helluva a lot cheaper. I dunno what the future will bring, but right now, Blu Ray and HD-DVD are in two different places. It aint even close.

Finally, your posting style is identical to paid blu ray folks at avsforum who are attempting to somehow cover up some of Blu Rays problems and attempt some sort of equal footing debate. It all sounds good but doesnt hold water.

Silver Member

Username: Eib_nation

Ohio
EIBville

Post Number: 212
Registered: Jul-06

Posted on Sunday, December 23, 2007 - 02:36 am:

Firstly, you keep referring to this "top 100" list over and over, and I'm talking about Blu-ray having a better selection of new releases. Any "top 100" surely contains a lot of old movies, so it's irrelevant and does nothing to validate your point.

If it's a festival list, it's probably a joke anyway. For a few laughs, why don't you post the top 100 so we can see how many GOOD NEW RELEASES are actually on the list?

Many of them are guaranteed to be so irrelevant that few people except for the 'Indy' community cared enough about them to watch the vast majority of them.

Secondly, how many of the general public do you think are hackers willing to order non region 1 discs to hack from over seas? How is this such a great thing?

Silver Member

Username: Rysa3

Houston, Texas

Post Number: 280
Registered: Nov-06

Posted on Sunday, December 23, 2007 - 03:18 am:

Anyway, HD-DVD will win the " format war" because the players are less expensive as are the DVDs themselves. Also, the players do more. Finally, "blu Ray" only titles are released on HD-DVD in Europe as well. Blu Ray is basically duping Americans into supporting an overly priced limited distribution format not ready for prime time.

Silver Member

Username: Eib_nation

Ohio
EIBville

Post Number: 213
Registered: Jul-06

Posted on Sunday, December 23, 2007 - 03:31 am:

Anyway, HD-DVD will win the " format war" because the players are less expensive as are the DVDs themselves.
--------------------

So you're the expert huh?

How could you not know that BR discs are cheaper? ANYONE who owns either a BR or HD player knows that!!!! You obviously no expert, nor do you even own a player.

This is my last response to the above poster because I'm obviously responding to someone who doesn't have the facts. If the above poster doesn't even know the most basic facts like disc price, then what's the point in carrying this any further?

Regards

Have a merry Christmas!!

Silver Member

Username: Rysa3

Houston, Texas

Post Number: 283
Registered: Nov-06

Posted on Sunday, December 23, 2007 - 01:15 pm:

HD Fanatic

Silver Member

Username: Hd_fanatic

Boise, ID

Post Number: 186
Registered: May-05

Posted on Monday, December 24, 2007 - 10:43 am:

Well, I just purchased a Toshiba HD-DVD player from Costco for 179.99. I get 7 movies (2 in the box and 5 via rebate), plus it came with an HDMI cable! Not to mention Costco's great return policy. I am very happy with the player and the movies look great. One of the reasons I chose HD-DVD is because there are alot of TV series available. Heros season 1 and Star trek just to name a couple of them. Most stores I have been in seem to have a better selection of HD-DVD's. I was in Walmart yesterday and there was at least 7 HD-DVD's to 1 Blu ray. Maybe other stores are different, but that's what I have observed.

I stumbled on an interesting article that states Warner will be deciding which side to join based off of movie sales over the holidays. That will tip the scales in someones favor.

Regardless of what happens, I do not regret buying an HD player. The price was right and it plays regular DVD's great as well.

Here's the link to the article
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071211-blu-ray-vs-hd-dvd-battle-heats-up- as-christmas-approaches.html

Silver Member

Username: Rysa3

Houston, Texas

Post Number: 288
Registered: Nov-06

Posted on Monday, December 24, 2007 - 06:14 pm:

I read the link. I have aread alot about Warners upcoming supposed decision. The way I read it overall objectiviely believe it or not is that Warner is trying to find a political way to go Hd-DVD only. It simply costs more to get movies out on Blu Ray at this time and the process is slower than getting a movie out on HD-DVD. A lot of this has to do with avilabale writing and coding tools for software and some of it has to do with distribution challenges for Blu Ray with regards to factory locations and usable disk production rates off of the lines.

Warner MIGHT make an announcement and might not. If they do it wouldn't make sense that they would side with Blu ray as a Blu Ray only studio, so if they announce anything ( 50:50 nothing changes at all), it would be with HD-DVD and thats the general thinking I keep reading about.

We will see shortly. If Walmart really is stocking 7:1 Hd-DVDs to Blu Ray ( I ahvent heard or seen this until now) then I think its fiarly obviousl which way sales numbers will go as far as Hi Def disks.