Computer Makers & PS3 Sells Tip the Scale

[OneBigJedi]

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to just the numbers. Dell and Sony computer already are offering Blu-ray players/recorders in their computers, and in just a few weeks Apple will be putting them in their Macintosh line.

HD-DVD has only one major manufacture of the HD-DVD player.

Blu-Ray has several major manufactures of their players.

Also, with Disney squarely in the Blu-ray camp, it gives a big advantage to them.

It is only fair to mention that Universal so far, has only supported HD-DVD. But, as Blu-ray numbers continue to climb, and they will, it is only a matter of time before Universal will offer it's catalog to the Blu-ray camp.

Brand name is very big with consumers, brands like Sony, Pioneer, Phillips, LG, Samsung, Panasonic, Sharp, Dell, and soon Apple. I dare to say that clearly over 95% of all consumers electronics have been invented and sold by these companies.

Since Christmas Blu-ray is out selling HD-DVD three to one.

And, while I read one HD-DVD fan was thrilled about a new 3 layers HD-DVD disc that would hold 51gigs. You need to remember that back in November TDK announced they had made a 200gig 4 layer Blu-ray disc.

But, in the end time will tell.

 

[CochiseGuy]

It is only fair to mention that Paramount, so far, has only supported HD-DVD. But, as Blu-ray numbers continue to climb, and they will, it is only a matter of time before Paramount will offer it's catalog to the Blu-ray camp.

Hmm, I appreciate your fairness, but actually Paramount is the same as Warner - format neutral, releasing on both HD DVD & Blu-ray. In fact, I think just about all of Paramount releases have been released simultaneously on both formats. To be fair, I have been very pleased with the quality of Paramount's HD DVD I have purchased, and read reviews that their BR releases are of equal quality.

It's Universal that is HD DVD only.

Not to criticize your post, but almost all the info has been that way since day one - more studios, more CE manufactorer support; there's no way Blu-ray can't win, and why should Toshiba even bother to launch HD DVD?

But a funny think happened on the way to Blu-ray's Victory Lap. HD DVD did launch, with higher quality (compared to early BR releases), richer software content (next gen HD audio, next gen interactivity, etc.), at half the price. Blu-ray is finally catching up, with more & better player releases at more reasonable prices (for the PS3, anyway) and a lot of title releases timed to coincide with the PS3 release.

Time will tell, but if I were a betting man (and I lived in Vegas for 6 years), I would bet both formats will survive but other means of High Def content - HD cable & satellite, and internet downloads - will surpass both. For now, I enjoy my HD DVD and HD movie channels for Blu-ray only studio content.

 

[teamerickson]

It is only fair to mention that Paramount, so far, has only supported HD-DVD.

Wrong! Paramount supports Blu-Ray. So it's hard to believe your statements with such a glaring mistake.

 

[navychop]

Yes, Paramount and Warner support both formats.

Universal supports HD-DVD only.

And the following support Blu-ray only:
Lions Gate
MGM
Sony
20th Century Fox
Disney (including Disney Home Entertainment, Hollywood Pictures, Touchstone,
. Miramax, Buena Vista, Dimension Home Video)

Porn wanted Blu-ray (presumably for higher capacity, possible better security (BD+ & watermarking) and maybe the perception they were the eventual winner. Then it became "difficult" to get a replication house to produce porn on Blu-ray. But Vivid, the largest porn producer, will release on Blu-ray- and HD-DVD. The others will stick with HD-DVD for now. After there is a winner, if there is one, I'm sure the ranks will quickly close around getting product out the door in whatever format is available.

HD-DVD is region-free. Blu-ray discs have region coding- not sure if that's optional or not. Anyone know?

HD-DVD has a way overblown cost advantage. It won't matter in the long run as costs are spread. And some early reports had stated some studios were more receptive to the idea of new facilities being required for Blu-ray- the counterfeiters could more easily shift to fake HD-DVD than they could BDs.

And yes, the computer world has always been pretty solidly behind Blu-ray. Presumably for capacity reasons. Remember when we used to think CDs were huge, and we'd back up our computers on them? But Apple will support both formats.

BD is outselling HD-DVD by more like 2 to 1. This may continue, grow- or recede, if it's a boost due to being the new kid on the block. I think it'll grow.

BTW, that 200 gig disc was 8 layer. Some articles report it was 6 layers.

 

[tnsprin]

...
HD-DVD is region-free. Blu-ray discs have region coding- not sure if that's optional or not. Anyone know?
...

Coding for region is optional, but probably done on most recordings.

 

[navychop]

Thank you.

I have read that regional coding on DVDs has fallen from favor, and fewer studios bother. Any truth to that?

 

[navychop]

I have since learned that regional encoding capability is a requirement for Blu-ray players, but each disc could presumably leave out region encoding.

From this link:
If the reports are correct, there will only be three regions for Blu-ray, as follows:

* Region 1: North America, South America, and East Asia (excluding China)
* Region 2: Europe (including Turkey), and Africa
* Region 3: China, Russia and others

A fourth region setting would be "null," or no region specified.

The above is supported by a current Wikipedia article, but it does not mention "null."