Date:
Monday , March 26, 2007
Author:
Gary Huff
Editor:
Jason Wall
Google +1

Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD: The War of the Formats

The high definition world is split between two camps: HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Which of these offers the better viewing experience and has the ability to deliver HD to your home theatre both now and in the future?

continued...

Round 4 – The Future

While the format war could continue indefinitely, it makes sense to prepare in case one of the two formats throws in the towel or gets phased out due to unpopularity or lack of support. This is possibly the most crucial question when it comes to choosing between HD-DVD or Blu-ray, and the answer is not as clear as consumers might have hoped for.

The first jab is cost. HD-DVD hardware is much easier on the wallet than Blu-ray. Both will come down as time moves on, but current Blu-ray players are in the $500-$1000 range, compared with HD-DVD players which run around $300-$500. Sony’s plan to release a $600 player will do much to close this gap, but, presently, HD-DVD wins on the cost front.

The second jab is consoles. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 supports HD-DVD, but only as an add-on drive. There have been rumors that there will be 360s released that replace the DVD drive with an HD-DVD unit, but there has been nothing concrete as of this writing and even Microsoft’s planned “Elite” version of the console will not have an HD-DVD drive built into the unit. Microsoft’s decision not to make an HD-DVD drive standard on the system gives little reason for consumers to make the upgrade for anything other than watching movies, as there are no plans to put games into the HD-DVD format at present. Sony’s Playstation 3 has a built-in Blu-ray drive and the games are released on Blu-ray discs. Sales numbers aside, this makes the Blu-ray format a crucial component of the system. This may prove to be a foolish “eggs in one basket” error, but for the time being, the standardization achieved by Sony gives Blu-ray the edge in the console market. Now for Sony’s edge in the console market, that’s another story.

The third and final jab is the ability to make your own content. It could be argued that the availability of recordable media for both CDs and DVDs really helped cement their foothold in the market. Currently, we can go down to the local electronics store and purchase a Blu-ray burner and blank discs (in both 25 and 50 gig varieties) and provide someone with our own high-definition content. We can’t say this as easily for HD-DVD. We know that the material does exist, but it’s not widely available and is generally much harder to get your hands on than Blu-ray-related items. We feel that this speaks volumes to the penetration of the Blu-ray format into the market.

And the Winner Is…

We’re no shill for Sony, that’s for sure, but we feel that this time around they have developed a format that delivers on quality and will provide consumers with what they need to experience high-definition content in the home, either through commercially released content or material that they have created themselves. We respect HD-DVD, but we can’t ignore the major studio support that is on Blu-ray’s side. We must also express our disappointment in lack of options when it comes to creating our own HD-DVD material. Stripped away of all the hype, both formats offer excellent quality, but when we take a hard look to see which format currently has the most going for it, the answer is obvious.

In the End, Can There Only Be One?

We realize that the supporters of both camps will not be easily swayed from their stance. We completely understand that. We also understand that you may disagree with our assessments of the industry. However, we wanted to take a quick look at which format was poised to deliver, at least at this time, what was needed to survive this format war. We feel that Blu-ray best shows that potential. Even so, we recognize that these are rapidly changing times. Internet content is exploding, and, as prices drop, it may be entirely possible for HD-DVD and Blu-ray to co-exist peacefully through the upcoming years.

Simply put, we think that the smart studios are the ones that are hedging their bets and providing both formats. Why alienate part of your potential customer base and/or make it more complicated to get back into the game if one format does indeed rise to overwhelming dominance? Because of the decline over the past decade or so in movie theater attendance, studios are finding that their bread is becoming more heavily buttered by disc sales. True, it's more expensive in the short term to produce both formats, but at least they're covering their bases. We can understand that. Of course, by the same token, if no one chooses sides, who's to say that this format conflict will ever come to a resolution?

Dual-format players may make it possible to enjoy both types of discs with no worries, but at the moment, that option is limited and cost prohibitive. However, seldom in the consumer technology sector have we seen an amicable co-existence such as this. We happen to feel that Blu-ray will be left standing when the dust settles, but we also feel that the race is still just beginning. Whatever the case, we hope that the consumers will weigh their options carefully and make the decision that will provide them with the best entertainment value.

Discussion

Please join us in discussing this editorial on our forums.

Please Digg this article and support [H]!