Blu-Ray vs. HD DVD- Page 4

[mateo]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 6:52pm

Now we have Laser TVs?


Mitsubishi is set to debut at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show.


http://www.i4u.com/article13753.html


The Novalux Necsel-based Laser TVs generate a brightness of 500 nits and 1080p resolution. The advantages of Laser TVs are a lightweight, thin, wide-viewing-angle screen with an affordable price. Additionally Laser TV technology is supposed to display 90% of the colors human eyes can see, while current LCD and Plasma TVs display approximately 40% of the colors.

Updated On: 1/2/08 at 06:52 PM

[tazber]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 6:58pm

I just saw this story on Yahoo a minute ago.

well this should help to add more confusion to an already confounding situation.

[mateo]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 7:04pm

I knoow!

Now all I want to do is wait for these TVs, but like Bestie said the "should I wait" question will drive a person insane.

Hm, Stop the insanity!

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/4/08 at 7:27pm

Warner Bros. announced today the decision to exclusively support the Blu-ray Disc format. Warners is the biggest studio out there as far as releases for the home entertainment market. In addition to new films, they own the back-catalogs to Warners, MGM and RKO classic films that show on TCM.

This is pretty much "game over" for the format war.

Blu-ray:
Sony
Disney
Fox
Warner Bros.

HD DVD:
Paramount (until their 18-month contract runs out)
Universal





WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT TO RELEASE ITS HIGH-DEFINITION DVD TITLES EXCLUSIVELY IN THE BLU-RAY DISC FORMAT BEGINNING LATER THIS YEAR

Decision Made in Response to Strong Consumer Preference for Format

(January 4, 2008 - Burbank, CA) - In response to consumer demand, Warner Bros. Entertainment will release its high-definition DVD titles exclusively in the Blu-ray disc format beginning later this year, it was announced today by Barry Meyer, Chairman & CEO, Warner Bros. and Kevin Tsujihara, President, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.

"Warner Bros.' move to exclusively release in the Blu-ray disc format is a strategic decision focused on the long term and the most direct way to give consumers what they want," said Meyer. "The window of opportunity for high-definition DVD could be missed if format confusion continues to linger. We believe that exclusively distributing in Blu-ray will further the potential for mass market success and ultimately benefit retailers, producers, and most importantly, consumers."

Warner Home Video will continue to release its titles in standard DVD format and Blu-ray. After a short window following their standard DVD and Blu-ray releases, all new titles will continue to be released in HD DVD until the end of May 2008.

"Warner Bros. has produced in both high-definition formats in an effort to provide consumer choice, foster mainstream adoption and drive down hardware prices," said Jeff Bewkes, President and Chief Executive Officer, Time Warner Inc., the parent company of Warner Bros. Entertainment. "Today's decision by Warner Bros. to distribute in a single format comes at the right time and is the best decision both for consumers and Time Warner."

"A two-format landscape has led to consumer confusion and indifference toward high definition, which has kept the technology from reaching mass adoption and becoming the important revenue stream that it can be for the industry," said Tsujihara. "Consumers have clearly chosen Blu-ray, and we believe that recognizing this preference is the right step in making this great home entertainment experience accessible to the widest possible audience. Warner Bros. has worked very closely with the Toshiba Corporation in promoting high definition media and we have enormous respect for their efforts. We look forward to working with them on other projects in the future."

# # #

Updated On: 1/4/08 at 07:27 PM

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 1/4/08 at 7:34pm

I was just reading that if WB chose Blu-Ray, it could be the final factor in deciding this war. Thus, if this is true, Blu-Ray has won.

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/4/08 at 7:36pm

It is true, and yes, Blu-ray wins.

Paramount was given roughly $150 million worth of "incentives" to go HD DVD -exclusive for the next 18 months. Once their contract is up, they will likely switch. They were supporting both formats prior to that decision.

Universal (the LOUDEST supporter of HD DVD) can switch at any time. And now, they'll have to.

Game. Set. Match.


LINK

Updated On: 1/4/08 at 07:36 PM

[Craig]

Posted: 1/4/08 at 8:13pm

Best12

Now the question I have is this. Are there really significant differences amongst, for example, the different Sony brand players. Granted - I know some will have some features/aethetics that others don't - but ultimately audio/video quality and access to java features are pretty much "even" amongst players. Is it safe to assume the differences would be in various output options (5.1 vs 7.1, etc), etc?

I'm having a difficult time seeing what some differences are between say a sony player which goes for 299 vs 399 - even on the sony site itself Thoughts?

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 1/4/08 at 8:22pm

i'm going the PS3 route as not only do I want a PS, but I think Best has said it's as good as any player and better because it can get updates being connected to the internet.

but I would love to hear about reg players, too. seems like lots of places have great deals with free movies.

[Craig]

Posted: 1/4/08 at 8:29pm

JRB - I will most likely go that route too - not that I'm a gamer, because I'm not - but if its the best player and also can play games - why not?

But I would just want to make sure it can play back all the bonus content the blu-ray discs would and could have. I know the hybrid players had java problems and didn't utilize all the functions of either format. So just wondering if there's a difference in single format players regarding features.

[mateo]

Posted: 1/4/08 at 8:31pm

If Blu-Ray has won,

Shouldn't the company get their act together and create a player that is superior to the PS3, which should only be an alternate system and not the player-of-choice among Blu-Ray patrons.

Updated On: 1/4/08 at 08:31 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 2:02am

The PS3 is fully upgradable, and will be compatible through the final phase of Blu-ray releases (2.0). Just recently they were upgradable to 1.1, which allows for picture-in-picture playback among other things.

Craig to answer your question, the upgraded PS3 player can play all BD discs currently on the market, plus all future discs planned for release. Plus, it's the fastest responding player on the market. That means disc load-in time is about 20 seconds, as opposed to around a minute on some players. Switching to features, jumping ahead to chapters is FAR less sluggish on a PS3. They're designed with game engines in them, and their processors are just faster.

Sony basically gave their Blu-ray players away in the PS3. The lost money doing that too (no lie), but as you can see it paid of just exactly as hoped for. This is directly why the discs are outselling HD DVD at a 3 to 1 margin now.

I'm not sure how this news is going to effect the price of players or even the PS3, for that matter. Are they going to get cocky now and say, "well we won the war, so you can pay more for our players now?" I doubt it.

The hi-def market is still relatively small. I think the prices of the PS3s will stay about the same. They will want to increase sales and look for a boom now in 2008. And I think they'll get it, too. But the need to undercut the competitive format has all-but-vanished today. So they won't be so "suicidal" in their pricing anymore.

As far as buying a non PS3? Just a Blu-ray player... make sure it is fully upgradable to 2.0 (eventually) and 1.1 for now (in order to play back all features on the latest titles, like PiP).

I just have to stop and say I'm kinda happy today, from a personal standpoint, because my team helped develop, create and design the initial interface for Blu-ray with Sony. We were their Beta-testers. And it's been a long and fascinating road.

And honestly, before today's announcement, I couldn't have told you what the future held. I did know that Warners was going to make a decision and chose an exclusive format this month. None of us, even on the inside, knew for sure what that decision was going to be until today. I'm very excited to be able to move forward now with confidence and help take us all "to the next level."

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 2:04am

Isn't HD that self-hating 'mo who posts on here?

[tazber]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 2:05am

I have missed something major here. What happened? Has the format war come close to an end?

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 2:08am

Tazzy, it's pretty much over now. Warners went BD-exclusive today. (see my earlier post of their announcement)

Paramount and Universal will continue to release in HD DVD for a while. Paramount is about 4 months in on an 18-month exclusive deal with HD DVD. So they can't switch over for another year.

Universal can switch at any time, but my guess is that they'll hold out for six months or so.

But both of those studios account for only 30 percent of the home entertainment market.

The other 70 percent... are now Blu-ray Disc exclusive.

Game over.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 2:12am

And how does this affect those of us who just spent close to $500 on DVDs? (I'm technically challenged.)

[tazber]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 2:16am

they are all backwards compatible SM, meaning the players all play standard def dvds.

This is VERY good news!!!

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 2:18am

Standard-def (aka "regular") DVDs aren't going anywhere. All the studios will continue to release DVDs, as well as in hi-def.

The hi-def market is still very new, and very small. The DVD market is HUGE.

And your "regular" DVDs will play on all hi-def players.

[tazber]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 2:18am

question:

Can you get an up converter for BD as well?

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 2:21am

Tazzy, all BD players have built-in up-converters for playing "regular" DVDs. You don't need to buy one.

But you DO need to connect your BD player with an HDMI cable (which you would want to do, in order to get the best quality anyway).

It will automatically up-convert your DVDs to look "almost" as good as HD.

[tazber]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 2:24am

that's after I upgrade to an HD tv though, right?

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 2:25am

But of course!

[tazber]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 2:31am

just checking. I'm so excited to finally start buying blu-ray!

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 2:34am

Me too, honestly. I wasn't giving any of you advice I wasn't already taking myself.

But the wait is ovah!

[tazber]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 2:36am

My first purchase: LOTR (is that even out yet?)


from dvdfile.com

[StageManager2]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 2:38am

Thanks, taz and b12b. *relieved*