Blu_Ray vs HD-DVD or Wait? (1 Viewer)

[clayton b]

When a player comes out for about $500 that plays both formats comes out that's when I'll buy in. Everytime I buy a DVD nowadays I look at the price it is selling for, and I double it because I know that I will *probably* have to double dip when it is released in HD.

 

[Andrew Beacom]

I vote wait because I don't want to deal with early adopter issues and I only have component inputs on my TV. I'm not buying a new TV just to watch a new format for films.

 

[Neil Joseph]

What would have been interesting too is who voted which way and if it is partially due to their current display having, or not having, digital video inputs... not that that would change the minds of the decision makers but just interesting.

 

[Reagan]

OK Neil, I'll jump in...

I voted to wait it out. I bought my first DVD player in October of 1997. I own a freakin D-VHS player. And my monitor has an HDMI input. But I will not be a pawn in a format war.

I think it is very interesting that over 80% of technologically inclined early adopters say that they are going to wait this out. I hope the organizations involved take notice.

-Reagan

 

[JeremyErwin]

From what I recall, DVD really took off because it was integrated into computers. The same could be said for certain forms of DVD piracy, but I digress.

As I understand it. Blueray is more useful in computer applications-- more space on disc. On the other hand, Microsoft benefits from HDDVD: they publish the .wmv codec, although someone else claims they own the patents...

 

[TerryPM]

I am waiting primarily because I have always been an early adopter, and as a result my HDTV has only component inputs. So I will wait until I can get an affordable TV that can display 1080p, and even then only if HD DVD is 1080p. I will not be buying a new TV set just to get 1080i DVDs- the difference from 480p is just not great enough.

 

[Sean Aaron]

Apologies, I don't know where I read that.

Still we're not talking a quantum leap here. With anamorphic enhancement my DVDs have a very film-like appearance and whereas DVD was a sure bet, a format war without having clear backing for not only the media, but the standard of the video quality on that media just has a giant DO NOT ENTER sign on it for me. I don't see how HD can succeed if you end up with varying equipment meeting varying standard degrees using varying interconnect methods and having varying quality of presentation. It will just confuse the market to the point where it will fail -- even for early adopters. Even a large-scale niche product should be easy enough to understand that the only thing you're looking for is features; if people have to worry about what kind of high-end TV they get, well....

Anyway from what I've read bar Sony the other movie companies aren't really keen on a format war, so they might withhold content until this gets sorted. They're kind of dependent upon the sell-through revenue and if it looks like the confusion of the next-gen format is in jeopardy they can afford to wait and have another sure thing to launch.

With regard to digital tv in the UK, I'll upgrade from the 5 over-air channels when my TV license gets me a set-top box at no extra charge or my TV dies and all replacements available are digital-compatible.

 

[Glenn Overholt]

I voted to wait, and I DO have a DVI input.

But, I cannot imagine any store carrying only one format.
Joe - "What do you mean you don't carry that movie?"
Store clerk - "Sir, you'll have to go to K-Mart to get that. We don't carry Fox titles anymore."

THIS IS NOT "Miracle on 34th St"! No store in their right mind is only going to carry one format - and send you to another one if they don't have it. If the "other" format won the war, they'd be SOL!

Can you imagine this when Star Wars comes out on HD? Please! My ribs are hurting from laughing so much!

But I shudder at the thought of seeing two "must haves" getting released on two different formats. Nobody wants a war. If we only had two choices for voting, I wouldn't know which one to pick. If Blu-Ray is clearly superior to HD-DVD, then prove it. Prove it to all of us. If we can agree on a single new format now, we can work out a way to get the "wrong" side on the right one before anything gets released.

Glenn

 

[PeterTHX]

Me: I can't afford (literally, in a dollar sense) the first generation of hardware. But if I had the cash, I would buy a Blu-ray player.

Toshiba, NEC, and SANYO think they can go it themselves? Please.
How many of you own a Toshiba player? Probably more than a few. However how many of those owners are "give me Toshiba or nothing"?

Sanyo is in large junk, and can't have hardware for their target audience (low budget) for a long, long time. NEC I haven't seen outside of ROM or writers in PCs, not standalone players.

What are those Hollywood Studios that are initially supporting HD-DVD thinking?

 

[Michael Osadciw]

John,

You can bet that I'll be a first generation buyer and I'll be reviewing hi-def titles should they become available. I will be supporting Blu-Ray and I personally hope Fox supports this format.

A wide range of 1080p projection products have been announced for later this year. I will make the transition to 1080p when I find a satisfying product.

Should HD-DVD support only 1080i, that would be disappointing. I'd also hate to see the format highly compressed just to fit 1080p and have other artefacts as a result. If this should be the case, the chance of lossless audio would seem slim too.

Bravo for the recent announcement (sorry, no source) made by a member in the Blu-Ray camp mentioning they plan to satisfy consumer demand for films on Blu-ray to feature 1080p and lossless audio.

I'm looking forward to that. Based on what is being said, Blu-Ray has my full support.

The reality is, I don't want to have to pick sides. I would really like to see one superior format. If it means for both sides to go back to the drawing board - so be it.

Mike

 

[Harminder]

Because it's cheaper to manufacture and it can be transfered to the consumer to get the edge on Blu-Ray. It's all about the bottom line at the end of the day.

 

[John Goodwin]

The delay between the formats rolling out is what bothers me,i will certainly get a Blu-ray drive for the pc,as the increased storage capacity is a no-brainer.

Europe's HD DVD roll out may come a lot later than the USA's,which may bring the delay between the two launches closer,which also means that the fight for the software market is going to be decided by the USA consumers.

The early roll out for HD DVD is a big factor in this i think,as a lot of us may blink and just have to buy it because its there.

That said,if the quality is compromised by lack of bandwidth and artifacts etc,then I wont be bothering with HD DVD at all.