Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rackhir" data-source="post: 3969631" data-attributes="member: 149">Neither format is "open" in the sense that Linux or other similar projects are or even in the sense that x86 computers are "open". Both involve licensing fees and permission to use patented technology. The wildly successful DVD format is no different from either HD format in this regard as well. I have heard nothing to the effect that those fees are any higher for Blu-Ray than they are for HD-DVD and given the market completion it would be suicidal for Sony to make them so. Even if Sony did manage to somehow corner the market, competition from DVDs and downloads would likely prevent them from jacking prices up significantly.HD-DVD disks are somewhat less expensive to manufacture as are the players, but it's not a major edge and both blu-ray/hd-dvd have been dropping rapidly in price.Though it is worth noting that one of the major hopes of the manufactures and content providers for the HD formats, has been that they might be able to raise prices. Since the DVD market in both hardware and software has been extremely cutthroat and competitive on price, this has driven down profits for everyone on them.In short, the only real difference between the two is who sells the licenses and who owns the patents and thus who profits from them.</blockquote>