When one format caves...

[jgags6]

Just a question I have been wondering. Say blu-ray wins the format war and HdDVD decides to raise the white flag, will the HDDVD players eventually be able to play blu-ray discs or not. Will there be a firmware update which would allow this or with the players be useless (except for the use with HDDVDS)?

 

[teachsac]

Whichever wins the player will not play the others' discs. While both use a blue laser with indentical wavelengths, the numerical apperature is not the same 0.85 vs. 0.65. This is why there has been so much trouble developing a dual format player. Either player will be reduced to SDDVD playback and upconversion. If HD-DVD should lose, it is a much better upconverting machine.

S~

 

[navychop]

And it recently looked like Blu-ray was headed for victory, with the large number of movies scheduled for release this year. But it's also been reported that Sony is exerting censorship and stopping porn from being distributed on BD. Makes you wonder how far they would take that censorship, especially if they were to win the format war. But if the story is true, and Sony sticks to that policy, it will guarantee the survival of HD-DVD. Sony will in fact have picked the winner- it just won't be the Sony product. Or that policy may simply ensure both formats survive. The studios and retailers don't like that possibility.

So yes, you're taking a gamble. Buying either in the near term carries the risk you're buying the modern equivalent of betamax/mini-disc/laser disc etc.

 

[JoeSp]

Why is Sony preventing porn in the US but not in Japan?

On another note, why would either format give up now? Its way too early in the game.

 

[teachsac]

Why is Sony preventing porn in the US but not in Japan?

Japanese law prevents the showing of the pubic area. If you have ever seen a japanese flick it is masked.

S~

 

[navychop]

Why is Sony preventing porn in the US but not in Japan?

My post (#3) was made before I learned of the BD "porn" in Japan.

On another note, why would either format give up now? Its way too early in the game.

Give up? Naw- possibly be overwhelmed eventually. Just not this month.

Yes, it looks like Blu-ray is coming on strong, but it's only the first lap.

 

[Digital Dude]

At first it seemed like BD was a lock, then the momentum swung to HD-DVD, now back to BD. Who knows how many times it'll swing.

I'm just a spectator until either

1- A company sends me one to review and tells me to keep it. (HIGHLY unlikely)

2- Prices drop to below $200 (No, I don't have an XBox) and that formats longevity is assured.

 

[navychop]

"...how many times it'll swing...."

Oh, we're back on porn, again?

Yes, there's plenty of time left for things to go back and forth. I should have bookmarked a post here quoting a forecast that BD titles would be outselling HD-DVD titles 3.5 to 1 by the end of the first quarter. It's just hard to picture that happening, that fast. Maybe. And I don't trust Sony, or their ability to not fumble the ball.

I must admit, I am getting a bit antsy. I don't watch many movies, but there are some I'd love to have in HD. I've stopped buying Star Wars on DVD in anticipation of HD versions. And I'd love to have a particularly eye-catching demo to show guests.

 

[BobMurdoch]

Porn helped kill Beta as the vast majority of studios embraced VHS at the time, although VCA and a few of the original companies supported both.

I worked in a video store as a 17 year old in 1983, ... the Betas just didn't rent, although this was about the time that Beta started to die out.... We had one shelf for Beta and the rest of the store for VHS. That spoke volumes.

I think the battle now comes down to HD DVD betting on the hardware side with cheap Chinese players driving adoption rates, while the BluRay side pushes their exclusive titles. Either side could lose as a lack of software could kill HD DVD, while a lack of competitive priced hardware could threaten BluRay (assuming most 30-60 somethings don't want to embrace a PS3 as a media source provider)

 

[navychop]

Well put.

 

[berck]

Porn helped kill Beta as the vast majority of studios embraced VHS at the time,

Actually recording time killed Beta. People wanted to be able to record for longer periods of time. This is what spurred the sales of VHS over Beta. Beta started at one hour, VHS was two. Eventually Beta matched the two hours, only to have VHS jump to four hours. You can fit a whole football, baseball, basketball game on one tape. You can produce a movie on one tape (not much of an issue later though).

http://tafkac.org/products/beta_vs_vhs.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betamax

 

[navychop]

There were several factors. I believe it is still a case study in college marketing classes.

 

[berck]

True, but I've read in every case where its recording length for consumers to be the biggest difference. Porn is never mentioned.

http://www.mediacollege.com/video/format/compare/betamax-vhs.html

 

[mike123abc]

There are apparently Blu-Ray porn producers. It is just interesting reading the article that Sony does not give authoring support (i.e. they are on their own, but not barred) and Blu-Ray disc plants that make Disney discs are prohibited from making porn discs: http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=5686

 

[JoeSp]

If considerably cheaper HD-DVD drives come out of China do you think folks are going to buy them when they see all the big hits coming out primarily only on BluRay? Especially when the big Disney and Pixar titles start showing up only on BluRay I don't see how a cheaper drive from the HD-DVD camp is going to help.

And do you think there are no BluRay manufacturing happening in China where a cheaper BluRay drive will come out priced at the Chinese HD-DVD drive?

 

[navychop]

People might only see the price tag on the player in the store, and know nothing about title availability. Most folks probably don't know anything about HD-DVD vs BD.

The Blu-ray camp had best "win" before those Chinese cheapies hit the market, or come out with their own cheapie BD players very shortly thereafter. I doubt 2007 will see any $100 hi def player.

 

[Peter Parker]

There are apparently Blu-Ray porn producers. It is just interesting reading the article that Sony does not give authoring support (i.e. they are on their own, but not barred) and Blu-Ray disc plants that make Disney discs are prohibited from making porn discs: http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=5686

Then again some respondents might bea bit reticent to admit taht it was porn.

 

[BobMurdoch]

Also, Disney has it in its' exclusivity contract with the BluRay group that NO plants which produce Disney product can be used to produce any porn titles. This is a defense against any possible screwups. A redhead frolicing "under the sea" is strictly a G Rated phenomenon, per se....

Since many plants are producing Disney product, this could be an issue. BluRay is riding high right now, as the PS3 folks buy discs to try on the new machines. Whether it is a sustainable business model, or the next UMD, that remains to be seen. Also, the HD DVD crowd awaits the cheaper hardware coming soon to bolster IT'S ranks.... Both sides have scored minor victories over the last year, this is long from being decided....

 

[shadyB]

Found this article that I thought people would find interesting regarding the Pron industry and its relation to the HDDVD vs. BluRay format competition. I have to agree with the article that the industry's impact in this battle is overstated. With a large amount of the industry's content being pushed through the net these days, its impact will be small or nothing. Also note on the third page of the article that Vivid has started BluRay production.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17033892/site/newsweek/

 

[navychop]

Thank you for the link. However, there is at least one factual error in it, indicating careless work. Vivid is not releasing "D- D- D-" again. They are releasing a new move, "D- D- D- Again." It's a sequel, with a different plot (as much as there is a plot) and a different star. The new starring actress does not at face value compare favorably to the original star, appearance wise, and that may limit it's success.

Their first high def release does not appear to be one of their best offerings.