Why do I say that?Because the average Joe isn't buying either format.For the past couple of months I have been scouting out the consumer retail stores and their sales stink.I have also talked with LOTS of my co- workers and they aren't interested in buying more new equipment. The geeks,high tech guys and the I have to be the first on the block to have new technology guys seem to be the only ones wrapped up in this so-called format war.( I forgot to include the wealthy) You fail to realize that the average Joe had more than 20 yrs.of vcr's and was ready for some new technology. So,in the last 5 or 6 years they went out a bought new dvd players,new 5.1 stereo equipment and a new digital tv.( some are still paying off their new equipment) Now you expect them to go out and scrap their dvd players, their digital tv's and buy all new highly expensive equipment not to mention,replace their dvd collection. About the only thing these Joe's are happy about now is that dvd's have become relatively reasonably priced. I think the only place where a dvd format war is going on is on the internet and on websites like this one!!! Don't get me wrong,sure everyone wants the latest technology but if you have a wife,2.4 children,a dog and a mortgage that could choke a horse,then a format war going on with the latest technology,which may be obsolete in the next 5 yrs.is not high on their priority list, especially if they bought "NEW" tecnology within the last 5 yrs. Just my opinion.
It's not really about the Disc's at this point but the company's behind them, at this moment its more like a micros0ft Vs. Sony who will win the next Gen of Gaming the disc's will take years to catch on themselves....its just more hype behind there products as well...
When a new technology is introduced, in this case blue-ray and HD DVD, the current prices are extremely high because companies will try to cover the millions of dollars they have invested. The only customers willing to pay for this breaking-edge electronics is the rich and the PC-Junkies-Entertainment-Junkies. They however, determine who wins the war. But until then it's not an internet war, this war is being fought at the retailers (mainly Xbox360 vs. PS3) and it's going to be bloody. Eventually us average joes will wait for the dust to settle and buy from whatever format was victorious. Then Over the next few years the prices will drop significantly as did the DVDs due to mass production and lower costs of parts and technology that support these.
There is because when DVD first came out it took people 3 years to catch on to it.If something new comes out of this level its not going to fly of the self because of it being New tech & Price also.When the price goes down then you will see both of these formats flying of the self.
older people are too ingorant to realise the true potential plus not a lot of people have an hd tv either, they just dont get this, theyve had dvds so whats the difference between a dvd and a dvd with hd stuck on the front of it. and they couldnt spell blu-ray never mind watch it. its just too expensive just now.
When DVD's came out in 97 they were a huge leap in quality compared to VHS and it had immediate (and long lasting) success. Not only is HD-DVD and Blu-Ray less of a leap in quality, most people still don't own an HDTV, two big reasons these HDTV formats are having a slow start. It's true the gaming side of the house is a major factor but if the quality of Blu-Ray DVD's on PS3 is similar to the disappointing quality of the first Samsung Blu-Ray player, HD-DVD might end up the victor. By almost all accounts, HD-DVD quality is much, much better than Blu-Ray, so far. If this continues to be the case, who's going to want the lower quality version of High Def video?
This is why the new formats are going to take for ever to takeoff. HD TV sets have sold far less than expected so nobody is going to notice the difference on their normal CRT TV while sitting 8 feet away. Also even the early adopters that have usually driven these new formats are holding back. The whole war is going to fizzle and Sony would lose anyway. Why? Because they have a horrible track record at pushing new technology. What was the last technology that Sony pushed and was adopted? Digital8, ATRAC, Memory Stick?
DVD has some major distinctions from VHS that BD/HD does not: DVDs allow random access, don't degrade with age or number of plays, fit vastly more into the roughly the same-sized object, and don't get stuck in the VCR requiring you to take it to a shop to get it out. BD/HD only offers a prettier picture, and even then only if you make a significant investment in the other stuff you need. And, frankly, even that pretty picture is much less striking, IMO, than the difference in quality between DVD and tape.
You know what I did notice is that the adult industry added shot in HD and non adult titles have anamorphic 16x9. I have no idea why the adult titles make the trip up to 720p and the non adult titles close to 720p but not as good as the adult ones. I think I heard at one time that some disks have a copyright chip that interferes with the up conversion chip in the DVD player. With a good upscaler and a good fixed pixel display at around 720p, many DVD's can make the trip to 720p. The wait for the HD DVD players was a bit too long, and during that time there were major improvements in the DVD players with HDMI up converters and in the disks itself. Like me, a lot of people my share the feeling that, this looks pretty dam good for me to go out and spend hundreds or a grand right now, so I'm content waiting for the prices to drop & looking at what I got, and maybe seeing what format pulls ahead.
This is my solution: Get a PS3 for $600 since it will play games and BR discs at 40% less than the standalone players. Then buy an HD-DVD for its current price. NOW...you got both formats. BTW....YO, HD_nut. Where beez our man? cheezzzz
So what happens when they come out with dual format players? It'll probably be around 1k....which equals HDDVD and PS3. cheezzzz
you still have half the companies supporting one system and half the companies supporting another, regulating prices however they see fit.
I think it's pretty obvious HD-DVD has pulled ahead. First, the video reviews (ie Sound and Vision, CNET) say that hands down HD-DVD video quality is WAY, WAY better than Blu-Ray. Second, Sales of HD-DVD players are cheaper than any Blu-Ray player, to include the new and unproven PS3. Third, HD-DVD sales are THREE TIMES ahead of Blu-Ray DVDs. If this isn't a clear indication (and I didn't even mention the better compression HD-DVD uses compared to Blu-Ray's archaic compression) that HD-DVD doesn't have the upper hand then I don't know what does. Bottom line: HD-DVD has the superior product and won't go away soon. It's quite possible you'll see a dual player in the future and why not? Neither side will back down and they'll sell their souls to get people to buy their stupid, expensive high def discs.
@haynese I do agree that HD-DVD does have a rather large lead over Bluray, but you cant say thats its really a "superior product" it has just been marketed better and was more ready for launch than Bluray. Has Sony even released its BD players yet? i know they were meant to be launched late October(ish), but they got delayed (typical Sony) because of lack of that blue diode they need. The video quality of BD is improving most are still using MPEG2 as the codec though, not MPEG4. I believe at PS3 launch with Bluray being in so many homes few people are going to then go out and buy an HD-DVD player, thus they stick with Bluray as long as possible. IF it dies out THEN they will replace with HD-DVD.
Like I mentioned in my last post, the PROFESSIONALS at CNET and Sound and Vision are saying HD-DVD is a MUCH better product than Blu-Ray...and it's not even close! Check out www.cnet.com and www.soundandvisionmag.com if you want to see for yourself. Have Blu-Ray players been released yet? Of course they have! the first Blu-Ray player (Samsung BD-P1000) was released FOUR MONTHS AGO, thus the negative reviews by the reviewers above. Incredibly, the Blu-Ray player is TWICE as expensive as the HD-DVD player! Yes, that means you pay double the price for less quality. Also, if you buy the PS3 to use it as a Blu-Ray player it is still LESS QUALITY than the HD-DVD player! Finally Andrew691, if you don't even know this basic informaton then please don't post, it really makes you look uniformed and unqualified to make an opinion.
lay off the personal attacks/insults, you are entitled to your opinion but keep it to yourself. I know alot more about these topics than you think i do. I was talking about SONY Bluray players, i know players by Pioneer and Samsung have been out for a while. A much better product as in how? picture and audio quality? or just the whole concept behind it? Audio/Video quality improves over time Bluray was still not using its main codecs (it might be now i dont know) at the time of those crappy reviews people in the BD forum here have been saying that picture and audio have been improving. Again, in what way is it less quality than a HD-DVD player?
Al right Cheezzz you made it dude!!!!! Too bad there is no way to get in touch Trooper Harley and the others. Isn't this place better? Remember trooper Harley told our man, I hope you get .... and die? I think that was the straw that broke the camels back with the whole situation, the whole thing is funny in hindsight though. Not as cluttered and crazy and the moderators here seem to be pretty fair. Where Beez our man? That was freakin funny. Stick around Cheezz! Back to the format war, I really don't see how HD DVD is pulling ahead? Every time I see advertisements for new movies on TV I see DVD and Blue Ray? I haven't seen HD DVD yet in a commercial, has anyone? Also Digital playground has announced the Blu Ray format for adult titles... and many believe that it was the adult industry that put VHS over Beta? Where Beez our man?
Actually the Pioneer hasn't been released yet but the Panasonic has. Many are saying the the Sony will be a rebadged Pioneer. I've had the Panasonic for a little over a week now and I'm pretty impressed. It has better build quality than the Samsung and the PQ with some of the latest releases is very good : X-Men 3, Black Hawk Down, and the animated features Dinosaur and Monster House all have excellent transfers. It's audio performance is also nothing to sneeze at. Amen to that. I've had the Toshiba HD-DVD player since practically day 1 and I had the Samsung for a few days before I decided to return it. Now that BD-50 has come out and some studios releasing with AVC(H.264) and VC-1 encodes I think the gap is closing. Even the MPEG 2 encodes are looking better - see Tears of the Sun if you don't believe me. There is a BD vs HD-DVD war and I think it's going to get bloody.
I have seen the BR player with a SXRD XBR2 but I wasnt too impress...BUT with a Samsung BR player and the Samsung 46inch 95/96 LCD panels all I can say is FREAKIN WOWEEEE!! Like I said, my best bet would go with an HD-DVD and PS3 so I can have the best of both worlds and about $400 cheaper. Again, my 2 pixels worth. cheezz Where Beez our man
