So confused... HD-DVD or Blu-ray??

[Lars Vermundsberget]

I had a HD-DVD player and it was nothing but a major pain the arse with all of its little idiosyncrocies. It would freeze for no reason while playing a movie, mostly at the changeover point for dual- layer, and on single-layer it would stop for no reason about 35 minutes into whatever you were watching. I complained and wrote to Toshiba, and called their service center, but no one could satisfy me with their answer, so I took it back for a full refund.

No reason to dispute this particular experience of yours, but would these problems in any way be inherent to the format? Toshiba doesn't seem like a quality name to me - based on complaints from a lot of people about certain Toshiba DVD players a few years ago.

[Pluto Region1]

My husband was saying they made alot of improvements to the HD format since you guys originally started this thread back in October of 2004.... wondering what anyone has heard about this and if this has made any difference as far as anyone knows over Blu-Ray winning out as the format that these movie companies still intend to go with?

[DarthPrime]

My husband was saying they made alot of improvements to the HD format since you guys originally started this thread back in October of 2004.... wondering what anyone has heard about this and if this has made any difference as far as anyone knows over Blu-Ray winning out as the format that these movie companies still intend to go with?

From what I have read online lately HD-DVD is winning over Blu-Ray based on peoples reviews. All I keep reading is how bad Blu-Ray looks compared to HD-DVD.

I've seen the demos at Best Buy, etc... and honestly I wasn't that impressed with Blu-Ray. I know the stores never have the units setup right and it would probably look a lot better at home.

I still haven't seen a HD-DVD demo in my area at all. I really want to check out HD-DVD though.

Unless something happens I don't see either format replacing current DVDs. I hope the format war ends and either we have a winner or combo players so it doesn't matter what format you buy. Then maybe we will see DVDs start to slowly fade out and be replaced.

[dvdjunkie]

Most of the display set-ups at Best Buy and Circuit City are analog setups because they don't have the room for the added things it takes to make the Blu-Ray or HD-DVD look good on a regular or HD-TV.

The HDMI hook-up is necessary along with an optical cord, for the best Hi-Def picture. I have compared regular DVD and Blu-Ray and on my HD TV monitor you can tell the difference is day and night.

I don't think that either set up is going to replace DVD's entirely. It is just going to give us choices. Besides the upconvert on the Blu-Ray system is way better than the upconvert on HD-DVD, in my opinion.

Toshiba is one of the inventors of the DVD format, so it is surprising that they are having the problems with their systems that they are. If you buy a Toshiba HD-DVD player and it still does the freeze-up thing on regular DVD's, then your dealer will have you call a 800 number to have a disc sent to you that re-programs your player to stop those freeze-ups.

I have had no problem with my Blu-Ray and I think that it has a much better picture resolution than the HD-DVD does. That is just from one user's opinion to another. Even the discs that I have recorded on my DVD Recorder look amazingly good on the upconvert system of the Blu-Ray player.

Remember there are two formats of HD television - 720i HD and Full 1080i HD - so depending on which HD you have will determine how good your picture looks. My front projection system is a 1080i system and the Blu-Ray looks great!!!

[271286]

Blue-Ray go home!

[Lars Vermundsberget]

I guess they both have potential for greatness. However, I'm staying on the fence for a while.

[Pluto Region1]

I have compared regular DVD and Blu-Ray and on my HD TV monitor you can tell the difference is day and night.

I have had no problem with my Blu-Ray and I think that it has a much better picture resolution than the HD-DVD does. That is just from one user's opinion to another. ...

Remember there are two formats of HD television - 720i HD and Full 1080i HD - so depending on which HD you have will determine how good your picture looks. My front projection system is a 1080i system and the Blu-Ray looks great!!!

Wow, just what we needed a definitive test! Thanks for posting.

I was a late adopter of DVD and I am still PO'd that they phased out video as I used to be able to record whatever I wanted on VHS tape. I have a pretty small collection of DVDs, compared to most here at the forum (probably 90% of purchasing began AFTER I joined UD!), but I think the cost of this new player is what is going to determine how fast we adopt it at my house. This time it is not going to be that I am holding onto the DVD format- with VHS I knew i was loosing freedom to be able to record shows and not have to go out and buy them on VHS or some other format and that is why I was a late adopter to DVD. I still have my VHS collection of Mr. Ed, Green Acres, Beverly Hillbillies and its a good thing because I can't afford to replace all of these series with DVDs.

[Asellus]

I won't be supporting either for awhile. I want to know who wins first, and not waste any money. I also don't have an HDTV yet.

I am however rooting for HD dvd since it is an American product. Blueray is the work of Sony...anyone remember beta?

[Hogi Bear]

I won't be supporting either for awhile. I want to know who wins first, and not waste any money. I also don't have an HDTV yet.

I am however rooting for HD dvd since it is an American product. Blueray is the work of Sony...anyone remember beta?

I don't think that HD-DVD or Blu-ray can be called one country's or company's product, because both are being developed by groups made up of companies around the World. Toshiba is one of the main developers for HD-DVD and its main headquarters is based in Japan, but it does not own the product as whole.

I also believe Beta was before VHS, so without it home entertainment may not be what it is now. Sony also co-developed the CD (with Philips), which was very successfully, so Sony can develop financially successful mediums.

[dvdjunkie]

That being said, you can also credit Sony for inventing the technology for VHS and then selling it to JVC (Japanese Victor Company) and then the battle was on, which was going to be more dominant - Beta or VHS and we know who won that war.

Rare is the time you will find only 'made in America' technology available.

Remember these players, HD-DVD or Blu-Ray, aren't going to replace your current DVD player, it is something added to your enjoyment of the DVD's you currently have and will have down the road.

Both are backwards compatible, which means they will play all of your current DVD's as well as the one's you buy in the future.

My Blu-Ray has an up-convert feature that brings the quality of the picture up to 'almost HD' quality and that goes for the DVD-R/+R and RW discs that I have. A lot of companies like Sony Pictures have already begun mastering their movies in Hi-Definition and these films really look good when they are up-converted through the Blu-Ray system.

[Asellus]

That being said, you can also credit Sony for inventing the technology for VHS and then selling it to JVC (Japanese Victor Company) and then the battle was on, which was going to be more dominant - Beta or VHS and we know who won that war.

You can also credit Sony for the root kit....quite nice of them really.

I don't trust Sony...This worries me:

"Sony Corp. has patented technology that would prevent its PlayStation consoles from playing used, rented or borrowed video games" there's no saying whether they'll use it or not...but its still a poor business move.

[Pluto Region1]

Well here we go again. My husband just forwarded this to me:

Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - David Thomas

New Medium Enterprises (NME) is in the process of introducing a third format to the high definition DVD format war. The High Definition Versatile Multilayer Disc (HD VMD -- no points for coming up with the shortest acronym) makes use of a red laser (thus minimizing retooling for DVD player and duplicator manufacturers who already use red laser technology) and, as the title implies, multiple layers for greater storage capacity.

NME recently appointed former Warner Home Video President James Cardwell to its board as a media and content advisor. Says NME CEO Mahesh Jayanarayan, “As NME enters the HD marketplace, having James on the board ensures that NME will become a major force in the HD entertainment systems market place.”

http://new.dealerscope.com/enews/fullSt ... tory#35263

[2099net]

Yay! Just ordered by Xbox360 HD-DVD drive today!

It was a simple decision. £130 for a drive, King Kong and a Remote for the 360 or £600(min) for a stand alone player (the cheapest Blu Player is £1000). I think I've made the right choice, even if HD-DVD falls on its ass in the next 24 months.

(Now, I just need to sort out a HD TV for just after Xmas!)

[DarthPrime]

Good choice on the HD-DVD drive for the 360. I really don't see HD-DVD going away in 24 months (its doing a lot better than Blu-Ray currently). I really see something happening like a dual format player. I think both formats are here to stay for awhile. I know LG talked about making a dual format player, not sure if they will or not.

[2099net]

Well, to be honest, I think HD-DVD has lost. It lost as soon as Warners (for some stupid, unknown reason) decided to support Bly-Ray as well as HD-DVD, even though HD-DVD is (partly) their "baby".

The only reason for HD-DVD winning would be price - Blu has storage size, support and Sony's somewhat dubious business practices on their side. And it appears Blu has price on their side now too - more players are coming out before the end of the year at various prices, and there's always the PS3 too. Even a lot of the discs seem to be cheaper on Blu (Why is Superman Returns $5 more on HD-DVD when the HD-DVD consortism repeatedly stated HD-DVD would be cheaper and easier to manufacture? I don't care if its a dual-layered, dual format release. It should be cheaper or the same price as Blu to maintain the advantage)

So HD-DVD has, to my mind, flushed away their only advantage. If they remained cheaper, other studios would be bound to switch if/when player sales went up. I'm not sure they will now, given the increased competition Sony and partners are sure to put up.

(Being as everyone likes to brand Microsoft for being anti-competative willy-nilly, I wonder if Sony will ever be brought to task for "forcing" Blu-Ray into people's homes with their PS3?)

[DarthPrime]

The Superman Returns HD-DVD is more because its a HD-DVD/DVD combo disc. Thats one of the few things HD-DVDs need to stop doing.

Anyway I don't think HD-DVD has lost, not yet. From an article I read it said that HD-DVD is outselling Blu-Ray 11 to 1 right now. I have no clue how acurate the article was, but it does seem like HD-DVD is doing better at this time. The PS3 is not going to be a huge factor for Blu-Ray at this time. Maybe in a year or two when more units are available, and it has a price drop.

However both formats are not doing that great right now. They have a lot of things against them, and I can easily see them becoming the next Laserdiscs. I don't see DVDs going anywhere anytime soon.

HD-DVD/Blu-Ray may replace current DVDs, but it will take a lot longer than it did for DVD to replace VHS in my opinion.

[dvdjunkie]

2099net wrote:

I wonder if Sony will ever be brought to task for "forcing" Blu-Ray into people's homes with their PS3?

What do you mean 'force'? Are they giving away PS3's, is so I want one.

People have to buy the product, so forcing is not the issue here. The PS2 played regular DVD's and people weren't forced to buy the PS2.

C'mon let's get real with the argument.

Since I have owned, at one time, the HD-DVD from Toshiba, and found it to be more trouble than it was worth, I have become a big Blu-Ray supporter, not because of the backing of Sony, but because I like the way picture looks on the up-convert of regular DVD's. I like the fact that I didn't have to buy any special hook-ups for my Blu-Ray like I did the HD, and the fact that I got three free Blu-Ray DVD titles with my purchase and a coupon for another one when I registered my purchase with Sony. Smart business practices always win, and Toshiba, although they have managed to fix some of the problems with their HD-DVD player, still don't have the total backing of some studios, is upping the ante by raising the prices of their DVD's while the Blu-Ray discs have remained constant since their inception a few months ago.

[JamesDFarrow]

Blu-Ray! Blu-Ray! Blu-Ray!

James

[2099net]

2099net wrote:

I wonder if Sony will ever be brought to task for "forcing" Blu-Ray into people's homes with their PS3?

What do you mean 'force'? Are they giving away PS3's, is so I want one.

People have to buy the product, so forcing is not the issue here. The PS2 played regular DVD's and people weren't forced to buy the PS2.

C'mon let's get real with the argument.

Yet when the PS2 came out, DVD was a semi-mature medium, and sony didn't control the licencing issues.

You know, nobody is "forcing" you to use Window Media Player if you have windows, but Microsoft was found guilty. Nobody is "forcing" you to use the Windows Firewall if you have XP, but Microsoft was found guilty. I'd argue a media player and a firewall are requirements of an operating system these days, and Microsoft did nothing wrong including them. You can still use RealPlayer, Quicktime, WinAmp etc if you want rather than Window Media Player. You can still buy and use McAfee or Symantic rather than use the XP firewall.

I would also argue Blu-Ray is not a requirement of the PS3, and the fact that Sony is selling the units for a loss (estimated to be over $200 a PS3) pretty much means that there is no fair competition. They're not giving away PS3s, but their giving away about $200 each time one is sold.

[dvdjunkie]

You went around in the biggest circle I have ever seen. Very confusing in your argument.

What does Windows have to do with Blu-Ray.........if you don't want Blu-Ray, don't buy a PS3........but since you bought the lame XBox 360 with its so-called HD-DVD feature, we will see how you feel after a few months.

Netty, I always enjoy your arguments when you make sense, but you must have not had your morning cup of coffee, because your argument is so full on contradictions and stuff.

To each his own, I like my Blu-Ray player, and am totally satisfied with it. The fact that you may enjoy your HD-DVD player is yours to enjoy. That is what makes the world go around. We all have our likes and dislikes.

When you find a player that can match the picture of a Blu-Ray, I am willing to look and make a decision. For my Home Theater, Blu-Ray was the natural choice for me. And Disney's "Dinosaur" is my choice for demonstrating to all my friends the difference between a Blu-Ray hi-def picture and a standard one.