The Propaganda War Between HD-DVD and Blu-ray

[James Fee]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pcworld.com/resource/article/0,aid,122974,pg,1,RSS,RSS,00.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.pcworld.com/resource/article/0,aid,122974,pg,1,RSS,RSS,00.asp</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Those of us who follow the raging format war between backers of Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD have been quite busy keeping up with missives from both camps. It's also been entertaining to watch each group proclaim its technology's virtues and issue responses countering the other side's announcements. The format battle has reached new, vociferous heights with these latest salvos. So much propaganda is being tossed around, it's easy to lose sight of statements that have substance and roots in reality. It all reminds me of a classic M*A*S*H episode in which a bomb lands in the midst of the mobile hospital compound and spews out propaganda fliers. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of all this is how the dirty war of words is being played out in embarrassing excess on the Internet, across news and blog sites everywhere, thereby guaranteeing that the situation will come to the attention of--and anger--savvy consumers tired of corporate format battles."</i><br /><br />All this fighting only proves my point that both formats will fail. I can only imagine how the video rental store or Target will look with multiple formats of the same movie. If the cases look alike, it will become a nightmare for consumers to try and figure out which movie will play in their hardware. Still neither format has really come up with a reason for consumers to care. DVDs look great on HDTVs right now and most people don't even know that DVDs aren't HD in the first place. The jump from VCR to DVD was great and it was easy to see the differences, but the jump from DVD to HD-DVD/Blue-ray isn't and in the end if the consumer can't figure out why they need a new "DVD player", they won't bite.

[Jeremy Charette]

I found out today that HD DVD will actually have a three-layer disc available, with 45 GB of storage capacity. Take that, Blu-Ray!

[Phoenix]

...I can only imagine how the video rental store or Target will look with multiple formats of the same movie. If the cases look alike, it will become a nightmare for consumers to try and figure out which movie will play in their hardware...

Yes, this is what I've been pointing out all along. Buying DVDs is easy now, but two new formats will only confuse most people.

They'll need new players, but they will also need new TVs - nothing will be gained without an HDTV (of which most people cannot afford to buy).

These formats are not ready for primetime and will only appeal to those desiring the cutting edge along with enough money to blow on such equipment. The masses aren't ready for this. And yes, this could be said about many new technologies that arise, but these formats will require too much for most - new players AND new TVs (and whatever else goes along with that).

[Kursplat]

(1) I suspect that once HD content hits the higher capacity discs, people will notice. It won't be as drastic as VCR-to-DVD, but watching a movie or television episode with the clarity of some of the Discovery HD stuff I've seen would be really nice.

(2) Three-layer HD DVD disc, huh? You realize that's STILL less then the DUAL-layer Blue-Ray discs. A three-layer Blu-Ray would be 75 gigs. Evidently, this is all old news because they were talking about it back in May. TDK prototyped a 4-layer 100GB Blu-Ray disc (http://news.com.com/2061-10801_3-5714245.html). So there! :P

I really don't know who is going to "win." As far as PCs and data is concerned, the larger capacity Blu-Ray sounds better. As long as I don't have to pay $25 per blank disc :)

If you are anti-Microsoft, go Blu-Ray. If you are anti-Sony, go HD DVD.

In the end, none of it matters. With Macs running on Intel and Windows Mobile on Treos, the world MUST be coming to end anyway!

[James Fee]

If you are anti-Microsoft, go Blu-Ray. If you are anti-Sony, go HD DVD.It won't be that simple because not every movie will be available for every format. Only a few studios plan to support both formats.

[Phoenix]

...In the end, none of it matters. With Macs running on Intel and Windows Mobile on Treos, the world MUST be coming to end anyway!

:lol: Yeah, really!

It won't be that simple because not every movie will be available for every format. Only a few studios plan to support both formats.

It's hard to say what's going to happen here.

To the best of my knowledge, there are seven main studios along with the formats they've committed to:

- Paramount (HD and Blu-ray)
- Buena Vista (HD and Blu-ray)
- Warner Brothers (HD, and maybe Blu-ray)
- New Line (HD)
- NBC Universal (HD)
- 20th Century Fox (Blu-ray)
- Sony Pictures (Blu-ray only!)


More of these major studios may have already committed to putting out movies in both formats and I'm simply not aware of it. But AFAIK, this is where it stands.

These seven have subsidiary studios - somewhere around thirty between them, and who knows how much control these subs have over themselves in choosing which of the formats they'll go with... maybe the majors choose for their subs. Who knows?

Then, in addition, there are thirty or so smaller independant studios.

These figures can change with the majors buying up independents every now and then. At any rate, that's a lot of studios, and a lot of movies, so who's to say exactly what will be available when and on what?

The thing is, though more and more of the majors are committing to both formats, even if more movies end up on HD then Blu-ray, with Sony owning one of the majors and naturally only committed to its own format, the movies Sony puts out will more than likely only be on Blu-ray and never the HD format. I say "more than likely" only because Sony lost to VHS in the past, so I suppose it's possible they could lose this war, but it's doubtful at this point. The only party that really loses here is the consumer.

This war is a convoluted mess to say the least.

[Jeremy Charette]

Blu-Ray has great specs, but HD DVD simply has the most effective transition and implementation plan. Among the highlights:

- HD DVD has a hybrid spec. built-in, i.e. the ability to have an HD DVD movie on one side of the disc, and a DVD version on the other. No new hardware or separate retail boxes required. Buy one disc, play in either player.

- HD DVD discs can be manufactured in existing DVD pressing facilities, with minimal change to existing manufacturing equipment. Blu-Ray requires all new equipment, facilities, and processes. As a result, expect the manufacturing cost of HD DVD discs to initially be far less expensive.

- HD DVD discs are already being manufactured in single, dual, and triple layer versions. Blu-Ray discs have only been successfully mass produced in single layer versions. Dual layer Blu-Ray discs haven't been made outside of a lab setting yet.

- The HD DVD spec requires that users be able to make "at least" one copy of the disc's content. Blu-Ray has no such managed copy ability.

Basically, HD DVD is making it easiest to transition from existing DVD technology and equipment to HD DVD. The costs will be lower for both the players and the discs, and it won't require consumers to choose between an HD or SD version of the movies they want to buy. They'll get both in the same box. Sure, Blu-Ray has the "potential" for greater storage, but it faces huge barriers to gaining a foothold in the marketplace. Reminds me of BetaMax. :lol:

[Philip Colmer]

- HD DVD has a hybrid spec. built-in, i.e. the ability to have an HD DVD movie on one side of the disc, and a DVD version on the other. No new hardware or separate retail boxes required. Buy one disc, play in either player.
You can do this with Blu-Ray as well.

- The HD DVD spec requires that users be able to make "at least" one copy of the disc's content. Blu-Ray has no such managed copy ability.
This is part of the AACS copy-protection system, which is in both HD DVD and Blu-Ray.

Sorry, but it isn't as cut and dried as you suggest.

--Philip

[James Fee]

Actually it is, both HD-DVD and Blue-ray are a complete waste of any consumers dollar. I'm all for better picture quality, but even I am fine with the current DVD picture on my HDTV.

This is shaping up to be another Laserdisc format even if one or the other wins (at least on the video side, I suspect one will win on computers, but really who is going to produce a HD-DVD or Blue-ray disc that can't be read on all those DVD players even people's grandmothers have?

No one of course.

[Kursplat]

who is going to produce a HD-DVD or Blue-ray disc that can't be read on all those DVD players even people's grandmothers have? No one of course.

If this were true, we would still be using audio tapes and not CDs. Everyone had cassette decks. The key word in that last sentence is HAD. People do transition to newer technologies if there is enough benefit.

Personally, I am not purchasing anymore tv series (at least the ones now shown in HD) or movies on DVD until I see what the HD versions are like. I'll wait for the higher quality.

[James Fee]

If this were true, we would still be using audio tapes and not CDs. Everyone had cassette decks. The key word in that last sentence is HADExcept unlike the jump from VHS to DVD and the jump from tapes to CDs, this jump isn't worth the effort, not at least for the average consumer. I do think much like DVD-Audio, SACD and Laserdisc, you'll see them out there, but you won't be buying one at your local Target.

[Kursplat]

If this were true, we would still be using audio tapes and not CDs. Everyone had cassette decks. The key word in that last sentence is HADExcept unlike the jump from VHS to DVD and the jump from tapes to CDs, this jump isn't worth the effort, not at least for the average consumer. I do think much like DVD-Audio, SACD and Laserdisc, you'll see them out there, but you won't be buying one at your local Target.

Except unlike DVD-Audio, SACD and Laserdisc, there is a sister technology making its way into homes of average consumers - HDTVs. There is also HD content (though most wish there was more). If you want to own Season 7 of Alias in the same HD quality that you watched it on TV, you don't want the DVD version. While they may not saturate the market as quickly as CDs or DVDs, I think they will see much greater and faster sales then, say, Laserdisc.