Why Blu-Ray will win the format war
- 15 Comment
Enter your name and email only to get information
In recent weeks, Blu-Ray has more and more sites/people taking their side. I'm on the sidelines because I don't own either one so, no investment to protect. Also, I'm just waiting on a few titles, mostly from Blu-Ray, and a price drop before buying a player.
Why I think Blu-Ray will win
Those are just a few things:
- Because content is king and take a look here. It's a good research and many people buy top movies. Like I mentioned on a previous post, check you DVD collection.
- Blockbuster decided to offer Blu-Ray to more places. HD-DVD will remain available to the test locations and online. It's a big name recognition for many people.
- Better content protection with BD+. The studios will like this better than the semi-crack HD-DVD protection(cat and mouuse). If BD+ can resist the first few waves of crack attempts, the HD-DVD studios will follow and support it too. I may not like DRM but it's a there.
- The PS3 has a Blu-Ray and it's sold at a lost but can make it up with the sale of games. Toshiba also sell it's player at lost but will not attract other known manufacturers with that strategy. How can manufacturers regain their money? Again, big name recognition is important. These are not $30 DVD players and brand name will count.
- Price may be a little higher for now for Blu-Ray vs HD-DVD but it's only a matter of time. Like anything else, the price will drop.
Conclusion
Dual format players may help protect the investment that HD-DVD supporters(consumers) already made. When their HD-DVD player failed watching the same movie over and over, then, they will be glad that those exist and manufacturers took them into pity 
.
You will notice that I did not talk much about the technical merits of either format because both are nice but for me, I just want to play the movie in HD. Anything else is just extra. 
Unless Sony goes bankrupt, Blu-Ray is on it's way to win.
So, what would buy again in HD from your DVD collection? Is it mostly Blu-Ray or HD-DVD?
Notes:
I don't have any game console or Sony products. So,I can't be accused of being a Sony fanman!
I also notice that "pro HD-DVD" already bought into it and it's in their interest that this format stay longer. Like I mentioned, dual format will be their salvation.
Related post:
15 Comments on this post
Trackbacks
-
ZPrime said:
Why HD-DVD will win:
1. Yes, Blu-ray is made by more studios… but that is swiftly changing. Studios are going dual format because their analysts don’t know which one will win yet. However, Big Reason #1 HD-DVD will beat Blu-Ray… Porn. Back in the days that VHS and Beta were duking it out, Sony (once again) refused to let porn producers use the superior Beta format. Result: Try looking for even blank Beta tapes today.
2. Blockbuster is trying desperately to stay relevant, but online businesses suck as Netflix and piracy are taking a big hit into the retail giant’s pocketbook.
3. Tough “crack” protection means people in the know are less likely to buy them. If you purchase content, you expect to be able to use it the way the law allows, instead of being locked into a single form of use. When you can’t copy movies from one device to another, you have to buy multiple copies. One for your TV, one for your iPod, one for your PSP… Why the heck would I want to buy three copies of the same movie? Not to mention that 75% of the movies coming out of Hollywood are absolute drivel…
Take a look at the huge fiasco with Sony’s DRM ghostware. It did not bode well for the future of DRM.4. Again, cost. Until recently, game decks could play just games. In the last ten years, they have added the capability of playing DVDs as well… but their main purpose is to play games. Blu-Ray may very well end up being the preferred format for games, and not much else.
Look at the Minidisk. Proprietary, limited use, and, ultimately, a failed format. Unless Blu-Ray drops in price, offers cheap writables and re-writables, there is little future in the format.5. You’re right. The price will drop. However, as HD-DVD cost less to develop, it will hit the break-even point faster, and we will see cheap players and writers much sooner. Same thing happened with Beta vs. VHS.
In summation, there are a lot of reasons to go with either format. Me? I’m sticking with standard DVDs until the war is over.
July 3rd, 2007 at 10:22 pm -
Steve McGrath said:
1. Porn is no longer an issue this time around. They may go streaming and bypass the format. Also, free porn is available on the net.
2. Online business will have to adapt if it wants to remain relevant.
3. Playing a DVDs on computers is not mainstream. Most people use a standalone player so the DRM is negligible. Sure, 1 format would had been better.
4. If a box could do multiple functions and lessen the number of cables, then woman will like that. Depending on how Sony upgrade the PS3, it could become a multifunction box not just for games. Yes, Minidisk was not a good thing for Sony but Blu-Ray and HD-DVD are still proprietary and need a license. You can save more info on Blu-Ray than HD-DVD and could be a choice for backup(Hard drive are so cheap now).
5.Yes, they will get faster to the break even point but it could be just a matter of a few months to a year. Sony increase the production of the blue laser thing. This will reduce the cost faster. I don’t know how much it cost per player in royalties for each format.Me, I stop buying DVDs a long time ago because of what was coming. I just which we had 1 format but then again I would not a have a post about it.
July 4th, 2007 at 7:34 am -
cooliojones said:
I always knew it would win because of more storage and a catchy name. Now I just need the discs to come down in price to be about 10/movie!
August 2nd, 2007 at 4:40 pm -
Steve McGrath said:
I doubt movies will go for $10 soon.
They will try to make more money that way unless Blu-Ray is fully cracked.August 2nd, 2007 at 4:46 pm -
Bryan said:
HD-DVD is going to win. Paramount and Dreamworks is now on HD-DVDs side because that format is going to win.
August 30th, 2007 at 10:01 pm -
Steve McGrath said:
I agree it will be harder for BD to win and the next holiday seasons would be a benchmark how things are going for both sides.
Like I mentioned in the recent post, it’s consumer, again both sides, who will be losing of a longer war.
The content is still on the BD side. Look here for updated
NumbersAugust 30th, 2007 at 10:13 pm -
tootallsc said:
Why the F@*k would i buy a bluray player. I sell both all day and bluray freezes all the time on my normal dvd’s and cd’s. There’s no standard so you reall have to know which one to get. Don’t get me wrong there are good bluray players out there but ones like the sharp bluray that’s a piece of junk and still charge $500 can. for it. And as well JAVA in a player. We all know java is free and it’s freaking horrible. Bluray is very unstable. Pirate of the Carribean took 3 minutes to load the disc. And i’m sick of people saying the PS3 is the best bluray. I’m sorry but for home theatre the PS3 is a piece. There’s no Dolby True HD and DTS Master Audio processors on board. Bluray is all hardware no software. That’s why hddvd has out sold bluray in standalone players. The only reason bluray is out sell hddvd in disc sales is because when they bring their new bluray player home and put in their old dvd it either upconverts really bad or rejects it. HDDVD doesn’t have that problem. There’s a standard. And all the bluray companies know it. If toshiba had just as much money as sony, hddvd would have more studio support that bluray. You guys just better not hope microsoft and intel and nec become part owner of hddvd and start throwing their money around because all three of those companies have way more money than sony. Bluray is all show and no go, sorry boys. Plus what’s with the mpeg 2 and mpeg4, damn mosquito noise! VC1 is so much better in my eyes, not nearly as much mosquito noise.
January 15th, 2008 at 1:20 pm -
Steve McGrath said:
1. When I first got my DVD 9-10 years ago, that was the same arguments people said about bugs. Hell, Matrix was a DVD that made people cry because it was buggy on the hardware and on brand names too. Plus, you can at least update Blu-Ray player like on the PS3.
2. Dolby True HD or DTS Master audio on PS3 is not important if you have an older receiver like most people. If I ever change my receiver, I will look at the number of HDMI and yes if it support Dolby True HD.
3. Yes, HD-DVD has standard but can they upgrade and features too? I’m asking because I don’t know. Extra features are only needed if you do want them. Otherwise, the movie will still play in a Blu-Ray player.
4. Sony is not alone like Toshiba in not alone. Both have big “players” behind them. The fact that Microsoft did not do a HD-DVD version of the X-Box 360 is a signal that even them want to play safe.
5. Granted, HD-DVD players are lower priced and it was always their argument. Yet, you still pay the same price for movies as Blu-Ray movies.
6. Codec are the same on both many first edition of Blu-Ray movies were in MPG2. Now, they are VC1.
7. Warner just choose a camp thus more content for Blu-Ray is 70%.January 15th, 2008 at 2:28 pm -
tootallsc said:
Just for your info there are bluray are mpeg4(avc) and mpeg2, no vc-1. And if there’s porn on both format then that means disneys contract with bluray is broken and therefor can leave bluray. Bluray is going to lose alot of exclusive studio support this spring. Unless they shell out 150-500 million to each studio to keep their exclusive support.
January 16th, 2008 at 12:49 pm -
tootallsc said:
Dolby Ture HD and DTS master audio is very important. I sell the denon avr-988 like crazy. If you’ve ever heard the difference you would go out and upgrade your reciever. But let me guess you hate sound quality that’s why you listen to mp3′s and own an ipod rather than listening to dvd audio. I bet you probably own a car stereo with a after market deck, amp and some subs, but kept the stock mids and ran them of the after market deck. Again ruining your sound quality. I would never buy a ps3 for that fact there’s no HD audio. And as well never a bluray player for the fact if you own a profile 1.0 player and you want profile 1.1. and profile 2.0 you have to shell out another 500 bucks to get those interactive features that on bluray are just graphics.
January 16th, 2008 at 12:55 pm -
Steve McGrath said:
Wrong: VC-1 is part of the basic codecs that Blu-Ray players must play. It’s the studio that can choose the codec and so mpg2 was used on the first Blu-Ray disc.
Disney: They can decide to drop a replicator if porn are made. They won’t back out because of this.
Money: Toshiba is doing a firesale of their HD-DVD players and they that will need to shell out money to keep Universal and Paramount
Audio: The AVR-988 is $1300 in Canada but too much for me. I don’t have an iPod and was never were big on sound anyway. I do have a 5.1 setup and my car has the basic car radio. You lost your bet.
PS3: It a great Blu-Ray player for most people and can play games too . You are an audiophile thus the HD sound is more important to you but not for most people.
Profile 1.1: It’s not just “graphic” anymore because I watched Resident Evil 3 with the Picture in Picture feature. And no, people won’t pay $500 for a Blu-Ray player to get the extra features. Price will drop by the time they want it. It’s not a “must” have feature but great if you have it. Profile 1.0 can still play movies and Profile 1.1 is on new players. Profile 2.0(later) will add Internet(PS3 at $400). People do need to do some research like any other product. Some don’t care for those extras.January 16th, 2008 at 1:18 pm -
tootallsc said:
Wrong again. VC-1 is a microsoft codec. That’s why there is no bluray move encoded in VC-1. Microsoft tried to do bluray and backed out because it was very unstable. You’ll spend 500 bucks on a bluray player that has poor upconversion but not on a denon 988 that will upconver video and upscale to 1080p with the DCDi chip, and by-amp your speakers, with 7.1 and mulit room and HD audio. Go ahead then and buy a 300 dollar pioneer or sony or yamaha that will go into protect mode when you push it and have no video conversion or upscaling. Denon or Harman Kardon all they way. Did I mention the X-a2 won another award from sound and vision? Quality over quantity.
January 16th, 2008 at 1:27 pm -
Steve McGrath said:
Yes I know it is a Microsoft codec but they are in both HD format spec. See:
Blu-Ray Video CodecsList of Blu-Ray movies with VC1 Codecs Mr. Woodcock, 3:10 to Yuma, The Invasion
I never said the receiver was bad just that it cost to much for me. I bought a PS3 for $370 and got a free game and hdmi cable.
I don’t need to upconvert my DVD for $1300
Plus, I got a 720P/1080I HDTV. So, 1080P is not for me at this moment.
Btw, Blu-Ray players are now $300 not $500. And yes, that’s for the older models.January 16th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
[...] If you wonder about the HD(Blue-Ray, HD-DVD) format war and which one to pick, I wrote a post on Steve’s Tech Blog some times ago in case you missed it. You can go there to find out Why Blu-Ray will win the format war. [...]
[...] By The Numbers II. Blu-Ray has still more overall content. I also made my position clear on my blog. I also commented that the next holiday season will be critical for both sides. I don’t [...]