Has Blu-ray won the HD format war?
A surprise announcement from Warner Bros. and NewLine Cinema has the HD-DVD camp reeling as the market ponders a possible end to the long-standing format war.
A surprise announcement from Warner Bros. and NewLine Cinema has the HD-DVD camp reeling as the market ponders a possible end to the long-standing format war.
Not a long post here, as I’m mainly looking for your reactions fellow gadget lovers. If you haven’t already heard, both Warner Bros. and NewLine have thrown their support 100% behind Sony’s Blu-ray HD format.
This is a very significant announcement that some are saying will mean an end to the format war that has been raging for the better part of the last 2 years as Sony and rival Toshiba have traded barbs, each claiming their technology was superior to the other’s.
Enough time has elapsed that many consumers have already made their choice. Especially in the U.S. where HD-DVD stand-alone players have been spotted for as little as $99 in some stores.
So the question is, do you believe the format war is over? Has Blu-ray scored a definitive knock-out? If you already own an HD-DVD player, how do you feel about this latest piece of news?
Yes Blu-Ray won unless HD-DVD makes a big announcement at CES. But they canceled this evening press conference.
The funny thing is that I wrote a post on my blog the day before:
25 Top Grossing Movies Of 2007 With Blu-Ray/HD-DVD Numbers
http://www.mcgrath.ca/2008/01/03/25-top-grossing-movies-of-2007-with-blu-rayhd-dvd-numbers/
It got a lot of view in light of this story.
I would say the war isn't over there is still enough money to be made with both and paramount is huge
No the Format War is not over and I'll continue buying solely HD DVD unless/until both of the top Studios still supporting it abandon releasing in HD DVD which I sincerely hope they do not do.
HD DVD can still rally back if they drop the price of their movies to under $20 each, keep their entry level HD DVD player under $100, release all the biggest blockbusters solely in either HD DVD combos or the new Twin format Triple layer that is coming soon thereby forcing all stores to carry HD DVD. Other moves would be to get XBox 360 to have only HD DVD drives from now onwards and putting forward huge financial incentives to bring Disney, Lionsgate on board and to encourage the Weinstein company to resume releasing in HD DVD.
I have an HD playing xbox 360, and my opinion is the xbox ultimate, which has built in hd playback for hd dvds, will start to win mare people over, as it becomes the cheapesthd dvd player. This also directly relates to the console "wars" where the xbox and wii are the front-runners
garbage just another way to steal your money. suckers to all who buy this.
HD dvd player is not going anywhere!! With so much interaction you can do with HD dvd movies; blu-ray can't even come close to it!! HD DVD also has the ethernet port on the back which allows for firmware upgrades. I have a blu-ray player and a HD player. HD is much faster in terms of loading time. BIG DEAL if warner switched exclusively to blu-ray. Paramount is still huge!! Plus you get 2 free HD movies inside the box and 5 free mail in offer with the HD DVD player. That it self is a over 150 dollar value. What more incentives do you expect Toshiba to give?? I am also veryy satisfied with Toshiba's technical support service and will continue to support HD DVD players for as long as they exist. Last but not the least, the up coversion my HD DVD player does, is awesome!! It's the best upconverting dvd player in the market. I am glad i bought my HD DVD player!
Yes, the Beta/VHS… I mean Blu-Ray/HD-DVD war is pretty much over. Like the Beta/VHS war, it is only a matter of time now before HD-DVD totally folds. As the Highlander says "There can be only one".
It all depends on what format the porn industry goes with. They went with VHS instead of Beta and look who won. From what I heard they're leaning towards HD-DVD!
Hi Simon, Seems to me that this so called war is about to be won by money leverage and not common sense by any means.
The consumers choice should be an easy one as far as I'm concerned but now that Warner and newline have joined ranks with Shifty corp. oh no I mean Sony corp. things are as they would hope, just going to get more expensive for the consumer.
Why would anyone want to pay more for a product that is the same quality, loads slower, has an unstable playback and less options.
Just because Warner slid over beside shifty does not mean we should or have to give them our money. As we saw that same answer in the markets when the announcement was made Warner's stocks fell rather than rise. Sony still has some work to do to make me forget the shifty stuff they pulled not so long ago and in this case the choice is made easier by common sense.
The reasons people went with VHS were not that hard to comprehend and why would this be any different. If people let this happen and they have less to show for it then might as well just send shifty your spousal debit cards and let them help themselves because that would make just as much sense.
The consumer should be making the choice here and not some corporate buddies who just want to get there hands in your pockets. Stand firm and I'm sure there shareholders will let themselves be heard.
Two products, same picture quality, one has more options and is more stable and is affordable by all. Gee, hard choice to make. Oh Ya, almost forgot, Toshiba hasn't played Shifty lately neither. sure, they want to make money like anyone but sounds to me like their offering there product with more for less and are not just lining up what seems to be a control and grab (money) scheme.
Sorry Sony, though I do drool over some of the products you market, your going to have to work a heap harder to get my respect and money.
No offence meant to you, which is more than I could say about you when you invited yourself in.
See Ya, Ray.
Lawyers take note:
Quote: "HD better start giving out those $120 million dollars checks to stay alive. Maybe they can give me some so I can give it to my Make-A-Wish charity, just to shut me up."
With this quote, Michael Bay seems to be inferring that equipment manufacturing consortiums are bribing studio executives with payola. This is illegal and could result in an Enron-sized scandal. If Sony is involved, this could trigger anti-competition investigations by the government since Sony owns a large amount of artistic content (much of it music) as well as being a technology manufacturer (this is known as vertical integration).
Many citizens were encouraged to purchase HD-DVD players over the Christmas season. If any execs received payola but delayed the announcement to drop HD-DVD in order to not hurt sales of their own media, this action could be likened to something as sinister as “insider trading”. If anyone received payola, they might be as deeply involved as the companies who paid it and could be dragged into a compensation scheme.
After the Rootkit fiasco, Sony proactively offered consumer compensation in order to avoid a public scandal. How could a Blu-ray payola scandal be put to rest? Supposedly there are 2 million Blu-ray players out there compared to 1 million HD-DVD machines. On average, Blu-ray players were sold for $100 more than HD-DVD machines even though they contain identical blue-laser diodes (405 nm) although the fixed-lens apertures are different. If this additional money was used to bribe studio execs, then all that money should be seized by the government then transferred to consumers in the form of vouchers so they can swap their HD-DVD players for Blu-ray players. Think it can’t be done? One million times $300 equals $300 million which is in the neighborhood of the inferred bribes.
Ding Ding, ring the bell this one is over. Hd- dvd is down for the count. watch for Universal and Paramount to fold within the calandar year.
I didnt even know this so called war was going on, but I am glad I listened to the kid at best buy that warned me this might happen which played a big part in my buying a PS3 instead of a X-box 360. Its too bad this has happened. I just feel sorry for all the people that spent their hard earned money on HD players..
I think these whole wars are stupid. And as usual someone with more clout like Sony can shift ppl to buying their product over one that is actually superior. I have no axe to grind with Sony. Either way, i guess i will just hope that they keep coming out with comverters so i can just copy them on my computer and put them into whatever format i want.
Well let me see…. I still have my Sony Super Beta Hi Fi that I payed 800$ for only to see the less superior VHS format prevail. Logic tells me that because I opted for the Toshiba HD DVD format….Blueray and Sony will win this time. Maybe I'll go get the PS3 and be done with worrying this time
I wrote this reply on my blog:
Why Blu-Ray Will Win The Format War Now
http://www.mcgrath.ca/2008/01/07/why-blu-ray-will-win-the-format-war-now/
Note: The trackback did not seemed to worked or take much longer.
Michael is absolutely right:
"garbage just another way to steal your money. suckers to all who buy this."
Until the majority of people stand up to the corporations, the corporations will continue to "swindle" us all!!!
But; alas, as history has consistently proven: Ignorance is bliss…and obviously the "majority" are quite happy in their slavery.
All I can say is "Remember The Beta". Blu-Ray translated into consumers best buy lingo means "SUCKER".
Yeah, as much as I was hoping HD-DVD would win, it looks like it's pretty obvious that Blu-Ray has won the war. May HD-DVD RIP.
Wow what a bout, even with the heavy hitter MICROSOFT tag teaming against SONY, the outcome has been decisive TKO . HD-DVD is out for the count. But let it be known they will still fight until the march deadline , thats the time you will realy see HD-DVD BLEED………
To all those(Ray 'shifty') saying: "Let the consumer decide"
In Japan the sales are %85 for Bluray
In Europe %80 for Bluray
In North America %67