HD-DVD is Dead (was: First Signs of Blu-Ray Dominance)

[Banshee16]

This is incorrect. The 1.1 standard players work just fine with older blu-ray disks. Where ever you got this from it's very bad information.

For Blu-Ray PLAYERS that are 1.0 standard and not upgradeable to 1.1 (which admittedly is a good chunk of the early stand alone players) you are going to get some incompatibility with 1.1 spec disks (mostly with the newer PiP features, but some disks probably flat out won't work). But this is hardly a new phenomena, nor is it confined to Blu-Ray.

Of course as mentioned several times, the PS3 is by far the most popular Blu-Ray player and it is trivially upgradeable to the 1.1 spec and I suspect the 2.0 spec as well. Though I have no specific information on this, from what I've seen of the 2.0 spec requirements it should have no problems meeting them.

It was on one of the AV message boards that I'd heard this....that the 1.1 spec was a problem with respect to older discs, but that it was only so on older players that didn't have an Ethernet port....and the PS3 has an Ethernet port, so it wasn't a problem for PS3 owners.

It's interesting to hear that the information is false.

Banshee

 

[Rackhir]

It was on one of the AV message boards that I'd heard this....that the 1.1 spec was a problem with respect to older discs, but that it was only so on older players that didn't have an Ethernet port....and the PS3 has an Ethernet port, so it wasn't a problem for PS3 owners.

It's interesting to hear that the information is false.

Banshee

Every Blu-Ray disk shipped up until like last week was a pre-1.1 spec disk (AFAIK there was 1 german movie before that which supported 1.1 spec features). Resident Evil : Extinction is I believe the first US release to support the full 1.1 spec features and I've not heard a lot about disks coming out that will support the 1.1 spec features. So if there was any truth to what you'd heard essentially every single blu-ray movie released in the previous year would have stopped working. You wouldn't have to hear about it on a message board if that was the case. You'd be able to hear the screams of rage as people tore down Sony's US headquarters.

It sounds like you got the likely occurrences of incompatibility of some 1.1 spec DISKS with some 1.0 spec PLAYERS switched around or you had some HD-DVD partisans spreading bad info.

 

[Banshee16]

I have doubts as to the accuracy of this. For one big reason: If it was still in question and HDDVD was (or even might be) growing faster, why would WB abandon it now? After sitting on the fence for so long, the timing wouldn't make sense unless they had indication the BR had a solid lead.

I'm no expert on this....I've just been bringing up things I've been reading in other places.

I guess all I can really point out is that WB abandoning one format or the other might have to do with sales trends, or it can have more to do with backroom deals. I guess only they really know. My suspicion is that on both sides, a lot of money is changing hands to try and win this war. Some companies are probably just more open about it than others are.

Banshee

 

[Bront]

Is that compared to holiday season 06? I didn't see any numbers (not that there aren't any) that indicate a significant drop in people buying stuff.

I haven't seen actual numbers, but I remember hearing reports of stores seeing a significant drop in spending, and that's actualy year round.

 

[Bront]

So, lets say in 5 years Bluray has 50% of the market for new sales. In that 5 years, there will be so many advances in storage that the format will be outdated. Once a cable company or internet company delivers an easy interface for "turn on your TV, buy a movie, own it forever!" and they can deliver it for less than Bluray...

Not realy.

VHS was enough storage space for how many years?

DVD has been a usable format for how many years?

The only reason DVD has become outdated as far as size is concerned is because of HD. For the most part, DVD is still fine for PC data storage, and SD video storage.

 

[Bront]

I can't get behind DL content killing discs anytime soon. There is still a huge portion of the population not willing to spend money on something they don't own or can't hold in their hand.

There is real truth in this statement.

I still know people who don't like DVDs and prefer VHS.

 

[Banshee16]

There is real truth in this statement.

I still know people who don't like DVDs and prefer VHS.

Why?

Banshee

 

[ssampier]

Not realy.

VHS was enough storage space for how many years?

DVD has been a usable format for how many years?

The only reason DVD has become outdated as far as size is concerned is because of HD. For the most part, DVD is still fine for PC data storage, and SD video storage.

Yes. Call me a Luddite, but I only bought a DVD player a few years ago. If I get a HDTV, I'd probably get a DVD player with upconversion, not a Blu-Ray or HD-DVD player.

 

[Vocenoctum]

Not realy.

VHS was enough storage space for how many years?

DVD has been a usable format for how many years?

The only reason DVD has become outdated as far as size is concerned is because of HD. For the most part, DVD is still fine for PC data storage, and SD video storage.

I know more people that would prefer a bigger disc because they'd rather have a TV season on a single disc, rather than people that want a bigger disc for HiDef or better surround sound. Most folks I know with HDTV's still have basic speakers.

 

[Bront]

Why?

Banshee

If I knew and understood, I think I'd understand one of the mysteries of the universe.

I think it's a general fear of tech.

These same people refused to use CDs till about 4 years ago, when they finaly got a car with a CD player.