A Battle Won, War In Question...Blu-ray vs. HD DVD

[allargon]

You'll continue waiting for at least a year.

Shane, you mentioned bit rates. However, the software publishers aren't taking advantage of Blu-Ray's bit rates. They're putting in lower sound samplings on the Blu-Ray discs than the HD discs.

This is my major Blu-Ray complaint--other than 1080p/24 (and slightly better studio support), I haven't seen anything in IMPLEMENTATION where Blu-Ray beats HD-DVD.

[jhecondevsys]

I get it...how many pixels can dance on the head of a pin...

[Shane]

I haven't seen anything in IMPLEMENTATION where Blu-Ray beats HD-DVD.

A very good point.

- S

[jhecondevsys]

pun intended?

[herbdrake]

I'm one of those who are waiting and waiting for a clear "winner." If it takes a year or more, that's okay. But the player is not the point -- it's one's disk library that is the biggest investment risk. If one guesses wrongly, it will be like a Beta user sitting on a worthless library of tapes that cost him multiple $K.

I'm also concerned about the posting that shows that Blue Ray is not using their superior capacity to do a better job on sound. My regular DVDs that have DTS sound far better than those that only have Dolby 5.1 on my surround-sound system. I've been assuming that publishers only squeeze in a DTS track when they have extra room on the disk. I would think that those who invest in a library of any kind of premium DVD format would not only want HD video but also a good choice of audio (especially DTS).

[Richard]

My regular DVDs that have DTS sound far better than those that only have Dolby 5.1

And the same may hold true with HD disc but there is simply no comparison for audio quality when comparing SD DVD to either HD disc format since the SD DVD version is highly compressed by comparison. It is the compression codec that has given DTS the upper hand and with less compression there are less artifacts to compare.

[rfowkes]

I'm one of those who are waiting and waiting for a clear "winner." If it takes a year or more, that's okay. But the player is not the point -- it's one's disk library that is the biggest investment risk. If one guesses wrongly, it will be like a Beta user sitting on a worthless library of tapes that cost him multiple $K.

It's only worthless if players cease to exist (highly unlikely). I still own thosands of vinyl records, thousands of LDs and, yes, even a large number of BetaMax tapes. The least likely to survive are the tapes because of the laws of entropy (unless one considers LaserRot to be a factor due to improper manufacturing and/or storage.)

In other words, don't worry about your HD-DVD suddenly not being valuable to you if the format "fails." Besides, with many "combo" (HD/SD) titles (which Blu-ray lacks) HD-DVD lets you hedge your bets a bit as well as making your discs a lot more portable to other players in your possession.

While it would appear that Blu-ray has the upper hand (even cutting through all the Sony publicity) this race is far from over. The Blu-ray camp has shown itself to be, as someone else eloquently stated, woefully lacking in the area of implementation.

Stay tuned....

[lickness2002yahoo]

My personel feeling is the company that gets their machines for sale and the format that Wal Mart adapts will be the winner. According to a friend of mine that works for Wal Mart they sell over 40% of all dvds now. If they stock a format and sell that type of hd dvd, I would say that would me the most used format of the two.
Toshiba is already selling its A2 for 299.00 and nothing in the blu ray camp is even near that.
Sony had the superior format with beta video tape but farted around long enough with high prices and no long play like 6 hours and vhs won out.
Picture wise beta was better, but sony just blew it and it looks like the same way now. If the toshiba format gets mega sales, the other movie picture companies will have to change if they want to sell.

[andrewleblanccox]

Certain Wal-Mart stores are already selling Blu-Ray titles in
upscale communities. Their pricing of them is not any better
than Best Buy or Target. The selection is also minimal, appealing
more to the typical Wal-Mart customer, rather than the serious
movie fan.

[lickness2002yahoo]

I would guess when all walmarts offer the dvds and players and have them instock is when the public will decide which format they will go after. Prestently net flix offers both formats and has a very large supply of hddvd which is what I am getting. Not interested in buying them but the player for 299 post paid from jandr.com sold me.