So fanboys, what is so great about your format?

[tonyp56]

OK, lets hear it. Everyone keeps talking about how they like Blu-Ray or HD-DVD. So lets hear it, what do you like about the format of your choice?

It can be about anything; PQ, sound quality, interactivity, etc... Please, no arguments, just make your case about what format you support, have, and/or would like to have. Make your case!

 

[Hoopnoop]

I have HD DVD and the argument in favor of it is simple. It is the best bang for the buck! You get equal, if not better, picture and sound quality compared with Blue Ray but at a much lower cost. For example, you can get the current or older model Toshiba HD DVD player for under $500 and often for about $400 or less. The only close to comparable Blue Ray alternative to that is the PS3 which does not upconvert and does not have 5.1 analog audio.

 

[BobMurdoch]

HD DVD pros.

Cheaper to produce (BluRay is subsidizing now,... what happens when that runs out). NO region coding, so if you want a movie available elsewhere and not here, you can still get it.... Better interactivity. Cheaper hardware. And finally, ...it ain't Sony, which loves to seize fair use rights at every opportunity (CD rootkits, hardware that won't read -R media, etc.)

BluRay has one thing going for it... The gun to the head of consumers who want Disney/Fox/Sony media. Without that it would be a different fight, but it will take about a year to find out if HD-DVD can overcome this obstacle or not.

 

[teamerickson]

The only close to comparable Blue Ray alternative to that is the PS3 which does not upconvert and does not have 5.1 analog audio.

It also does no support universal remotes. It's just a gaming system that can play back Blu-Ray.

 

[JonUrban]

I have both, so you can't kill me as being a "fanboy".

The truth is that not everyone can afford one, let alone both, so it's natural to jump on one and sing it's praises while trashing the other, hoping that "yours" wins.

The winning format will come down to what software is released, plain and simple. It's a shame that every title was not released in BOTH formats, allowing the better system to win on its' own merits. Unfortunatly, big business will not allow that, so it comes down to studio support, and who pays who. Sony tried to muscle SACD over DVD-A, and ended up killing both formats. Now they are trying it again with BD. "One mo time!"

It sucks. We should not have to buy two players to watch HD. We should not have had to have 2 HiRez audio formats. Etc, etc.

I happen to like the HD-DVD discs interface, but admit that BluRay currently has more attractive titles coming down the pike. So, it's a crap shoot I'd say.

 

[dantheman77]

jonurban, do you have any of the same movies in br and hd dvd and if so whats better?? thanks... pq sound, ect

 

[JonUrban]

jonurban, do you have any of the same movies in br and hd dvd and if so whats better?? thanks... pq sound, ect

No. I'm stupid enough to have purchased players for both machines (playing into the corporate greed scheme), but I'm not dumb enough to buy the same movie in both formats - yet anyway!

 

[BlackHitachi]

I have both, so you can't kill me as being a "fanboy".

The truth is that not everyone can afford one, let alone both, so it's natural to jump on one and sing it's praises while trashing the other, hoping that "yours" wins.

The winning format will come down to what software is released, plain and simple. It's a shame that every title was not released in BOTH formats, allowing the better system to win on its' own merits. Unfortunatly, big business will not allow that, so it comes down to studio support, and who pays who. Sony tried to muscle SACD over DVD-A, and ended up killing both formats. Now they are trying it again with BD. "One mo time!"

It sucks. We should not have to buy two players to watch HD. We should not have had to have 2 HiRez audio formats. Etc, etc.

I happen to like the HD-DVD discs interface, but admit that BluRay currently has more attractive titles coming down the pike. So, it's a crap shoot I'd say.

I totally agree and for me Blu ray sound is better! Don't get me wrong Hd DVD has true HD sound but not on every disk. Any way lately Blu Ray has some good tittles.

 

[hpman247]

First of all, i would not take any advice from someone spelling Blu-ray Blue Ray, but that aside. I own both

- HDDVD looks great. Blu-ray looks Great. They are honestly almost the same. I have tomb raider for HDDVD and BD and it looks better on BD, but for the most part they are equal. Advantage: Neither
- BD has better sound than HD-DVD. I prefer LPCM over Ture-HD, and most BD titles have LPCM Adv: BD
- BD has more space: WE ALWAYS WILL NEED MORE SPACE. People who say differently need to look at history. This makes BD even better. Adv. BD
- Studio Support: Obviously, BD. need i say more
- Interactivity: I watch movie, I don't play with special features or listen to comenary or watch interviews or care about behind the scenes. HDDVD apparantly has this side won. Good for them. Adv: HDDVD
-Cost: HDDVD has a sligh advantage, but the increased space, higher bitrates, better audio, studio support, etc, make the 100-200 extra worth every penny
- Manufacturer: I have never had a problem with sony, but people seem to have a huge sony bias here in america. I don't understand it. So i suppose that is a toss up that you have to make.

I would also like to add that I was always a big supporter of HDDVD, until i read what people had to say about BD and how hateful and unable to think logically, they are.

 

[hpman247]

It also does no support universal remotes. It's just a gaming system that can play back Blu-Ray.

But with LPCM out of the digital audio, I know it's not true 5.1, but it's way way better than a regular 5.1 soundtrack, and i can still easily hear the seperation as it was meant to be heard.

 

[dnyce]

Bottom Line

So here is the bottom line.

Pic quality, sound, price, blah blah blah. The powers that be don't care abuot any of that. All they care about is who makes the most money. Who sells the most will survive.
Blu Ray is outselling HD DVD and will continue to. Especially when PS3 is finally rolled out worldwide. How does anyone see HD DVD surviving? I mean seriously!?

 

[CochiseGuy]

So here is the bottom line.

Pic quality, sound, price, blah blah blah. The powers that be don't care abuot any of that. All they care about is who makes the most money. Who sells the most will survive.
Blu Ray is outselling HD DVD and will continue to. Especially when PS3 is finally rolled out worldwide. How does anyone see HD DVD surviving? I mean seriously!?

PS3 4th in sales for January
(Reuters 03:13 PM ET 02/21/2007)
INTENDO CO. LTD.'s Wii was the best-selling video game console
in the U.S. in January, and the Japanese company also boasted
four of the top 10 games, data released on Wednesday showed.
The figures from market research firm NPD showed that U.S.
shoppers snapped up 436,000 of the Wii, which debuted in
November for $250 and features a motion-sensing controller that
has helped build buzz for the machine. The second best-selling
console was SONY CORP.'s older PlayStation 2, which moved
299,000 units and outsold MICROSOFT CORP.'s Xbox 360 and Sony's
newer but more expensive PlayStation 3, the data showed. Xbox
360 sales were 294,000 while those for the PS3 were 244,000.
High-end versions of those machines retail for $400 and $600,
respectively. In December, the biggest month for video game
sales due to the holiday shopping season, Microsoft sold 1.1
million Xbox units, while Nintendo sold 604,000 Wii consoles
and Sony sold 490,700 PS3 machines. NPD receives data
representing about two-thirds of U.S. retail sales and makes
projections for the remainder of the market based on a sampling
of consumers.


How does anyone see the PS3 surviving? I mean seriously!?

 

[JoeSp]

The PS3 is currently selling ahead of the XBOX360 during the same months after its lauch. So how is the XBOX360 doing right now CochiseGuy? Why don't you visit this XMAS 2007 -- that is when we will see who has the sales mojo going.

And remember this, every PS3 is also a BluRay player and a pretty damm good one not some half-breed HD-DVD player that the XBOX360 has. The BD player on the PS3 has every feature save the analog outs of all the HD-DVD players including HDMI 1.3 that only the best that Toshiba has to offer has so get off that band wagon.

This post was why you support one format over the other. I chose BD because it is simply has more support period.

The PQ between both formats is the same but the audio seems to be better from BD on a more consistant basis. There is more space per disk.

There are more companies making standalone players so the players themselves will get better and become less expensive as time goes by.

There are more studios supporting BD and those supporting BD only just happen to have the biggest blockbusters of the last 5 years. I don't want titles 20 years old I want the lastest blockbusters and the majority of those titles are going to be BD only releases.

BluRay has only one format -- BD period. HD-DVD has just too many -- they have lost their minds. Lets just look at them:,

There is HD-DVD -- That I can accept. However they need at least a 3 layer discs to have more then one lossless audio codec and the HD movie and they must use a low bitrate VC-1 compression product to deliver. How low can MS drive the bitrate before you start losing PQ? Let's ask DirectTV.

They have the Combo Discs -- lets raise the price and give them both DVD and HD-DVD on one discs - I am not interested in paying more or getting a DVD format on my HD-DVD discs.

There is the THD discs -- who knows how much money these discs are going to cost and considering the fact that I am supporting BD why would I buy a HD-DVD disc?

Now there is the new format that is going to allow 720p as the highest resolution and lossey sound codecs only that can be recorded on DVD-9 as long as you have a HD-DVD player? What tha? Why do I want to buy a reduced HD product? I know 720p is HD but why spend thousands today on a new 1080p set to only get 720p out of your 1080p HD-DVD player?

The reason I support BD is because they are making it simple. One type of disc, choice of many differant players, multiple Big Hit titles, great sound. I dont' have time nor the money for the smorsgaboard of HD-DVD formats that those supporting HD-DVD has going right now. Everyone in the HD-DVD camp smells smoke and they are all trying to get theirs before its over.

BD wins simply by not messing with the product and continuing to deliver and improve their products. They have my money and will continue to get my support.

 

[teamerickson]

So how is the XBOX360 doing right now CochiseGuy?

According to the acticle, which has January figures, it is outselling the PS3.

 

[CochiseGuy]

The PS3 is currently selling ahead of the XBOX360 during the same months after its lauch. So how is the XBOX360 doing right now CochiseGuy? Why don't you visit this XMAS 2007 -- that is when we will see who has the sales mojo going.

Why is it the most persistent arguments of BR supporters is always about the future? I prefer facts, and the current fact is that two months after launch, PS3 is in last place among game machine sales, outsold even by its now outdated older model. Sony has just about bet the entire company on the success of the PS3, and suffering a huge loss in that division. OK, I'll check back Xmas '07 and see if Sony is still willing to sacrifice the entire company profitability on an "also ran" product.

And remember this, every PS3 is also a BluRay player and a pretty damm good one not some half-breed HD-DVD player that the XBOX360 has. The BD player on the PS3 has every feature save the analog outs of all the HD-DVD players including HDMI 1.3 that only the best that Toshiba has to offer has so get off that band wagon.

What band wagon? I've never questioned the quality of the PS3 as a BD player. From what I've read, it's one of the best out there. I even briefly evaluated getting one. Some of the best comments / analysis I've read are from "format neutral" owners - folks who have both HD DVD & BR. The lack of analog outputs on the PS3 was one of the main reasons I decided no deal. I'm able to enjoy HD audio formats on my perfectly good 6 yr. old Sony A/V receiver through analog inputs. I'm not sure if A/V receivers with HDMI 1.3 inputs are out yet, but I'm sure in no rush to upgrade. Do you own any displays or receivers that can make use of HDMI 1.3?

As for the Hd DVD add-on for Xbox 360 being "half baked", I read only 95% glowing comments from owners who are very happy with enjoying playing HD content for spending $200 or less to add it to their existing 360 system.

This post was why you support one format over the other.

You're right. OK. I chose HD DVD because of attitudes like this:
"Pic quality, sound, price, blah blah blah. The powers that be don't care abuot any of that."

It was quite clear to me from the initial Sony title and Samsung player releases that quality was not the primary focus of the BD camp. Yeah, faced with serious competition from HD DVD, BD has generally caught up in quality. As noted, the PS3 seems to be a good quality player, and I've read Panasonic player is pretty decent. Disney was very consistent in quality in their standard DVD releases, and seem to have carried over that committment to quality in their BD releases. It's still pretty much hit & miss with Fox & Sony BD releases, just as it always was with their DVD's.

The two format neutral studios, Paramount & Warner, produce the most consistent high quality releases on BD, but I buy them on HD DVD. Universal is consistent top quality HD releases in HD DVD only.

So, that's it for me - I chose HD DVD for consistent quality, in players and software titles. I also prefer the mix of titles released on HD DVD: beautifully restored classics like "The Searchers", "Casablanca", and "Robin Hood". Foreign / "Art House" films such as "Babel", The Departed", "The Good Shepard", "Children of Men", "Clerks 2", and "The Matador". And a good mix of action thrillers susch as "King Kong", "Batman Begins" and "Superman Returns". Sometimes those are also available in BD, sometimes not. But I don't worry about a "blind buy" with HD DVD; I know quality is consistent.

Even with the wave of BR releases so far this year, I see very few that make me feel I'm missing out on anything. For what I have missed on, I've caught several of them on an HD movie channel. And I avoid the chance of making a "blind buy" on BD and end up with something like "Kiss of the Dragon" from your friends at Fox, rated 1 star for PQ by HighDefDigest, with comments such as " . . is a visual mess. This is the first time I've ever seen such a thing, but the standard-def edition of this film has a higher quality print that's shockingly more stable. If you enjoy the film, do yourself a favor: save a few bucks and buy the standard edition DVD -- you'll be much happier with your purchase

 

[BlackHitachi]

I was really Pro Blu Ray before the launch of High Def dvd's. Then they launched and i was not impressed by Blu Ray at all so went ahead and got into HD DVD. Which is very nice! The first Blu Ray tittles to ME just did not look good at all. Now is a different story. I have found some great movies on BLU RAY! Picture quality and sound! The sound is better hands down. Now you will need a HDMI receiver for the new sound that HD offers. I am really glad HD DVD is around because it has pushed Blu Ray already as far as picture quality! We would have settled for something in between Dish and Directs HD.

Also just to clear things up if you do not have a newer audio receiver with HDMI you can get 2 channel LPCM or DTS MA at 1.5 mbps over fiber.
If you do have a newer receiver the worst sound you get is DTS MA at 1.5 mbps!! Now that is GREAT!

Any way i have both and LOVE both formats. I do how ever like how blu ray shows the movies sound and video compression.

 

[williamkmurphy]

I do how ever like how blu ray shows the movies sound and video compression.

Hd-dvd does that as well. Hit the display button

 

[BlackHitachi]

Hd-dvd does that as well. Hit the display button

I know it does. I just like the look of blu rays better. Again just a little something i like.

 

[BobMurdoch]

According to the acticle, which has January figures, it is outselling the PS3.

And it's doing it after 10.4 million consoles are already in gamers hands..... The local EBGames has plenty of PS3s in stock, so supply isn't constraining demand....

A large bombshell is heading inbound as well..... A LOT of people are still primarily playing Halo2 on their original XBoxes. When Halo3 ships later this year, a large chuck of consoles will be sold just to play that....

 

[Heavie]

I favor neither and I enjoyed them both. I wish for both format to do well. I'm not conserned on how many console are being sold or bluray and hd dvd is being sold. I am thankful that I'm alive to see how far technology has come. I'm thankful for being able to afford new technology. Who cares how many ps3s, xbox360s, BDs or hd-dvds are being brought. You spent your money and now the numbers is raised by one. The guys that's making the product is not going to give the money back, because you brought there product. You don't even own stock or shares in the company. But, yet you're so conserned, like the high numbers will make the items you brought perform better.

I still have old elctronics, from the real to real, 8 track recorders, cassettes, digital compact cassettes recorders, DAT machines, mini disc recorders and cd/dvd recorders. The point I'm making is sooner or later the BD and HD-DVD are going to be format of the past. Something even better is going to be created.

So why be closed minded supporting one format. Why limit youself. If you can afford it, get them both. I somtimes think people bash electronics because they can't afford it and that's the main reason to hate. For example:


I think the ps3 is too expensive or I'll wait to it come down in price. But at the same time, you're posting any negative article you read on the net. Why because deep down you want one and it out of your reach to have. So, you try to find another reason to support the main reason. Suppose the price never come down. What will you do? Everything can't be cheap for your pockets. Some thing is a lot of money to own.