Gamers will call high-def DVD war

The battles won't be fought with guns or muscle, any deaths will be temporary and the winner will be decided by video game fans.

It's the DVD war.

In the 1980s, American consumers were forced to choose between VHS and Betamax. Both formats played and recorded video just fine, but in the end there could be only one. The Sony-developed Beta offered the clearest picture, but JVC's VHS tapes had greater recording ability. In the end, consumers chose quantity over quality and Beta faded into obscurity.

Now the Japan-based Sony is at it again, looking to revolutionize the DVD industry with Blue-Ray technology. Microsoft, Sony's US-based competitor, is eyeing the market as well with HD-DVD.

Microsoft's technology is cheaper, but Sony's has more raw power. Developers know there can be only one, but what does a for-mat war mean to consumers?...

[Marty8370]

Well considering that HD-DVD will not be used for games on X360 and Blu-ray is on PS3.That's a easy win for Blu-ray.

[D R Fz]

It does seem that if it was up to us as gamers, the ps3 would win hands down. Including Blu-ray in it's next-gen console was really a smart move for Sony.

[D R Fz]

if everyone who bought a xbox 360 also bought the Hdd-addon regardless of whether or not they have a hdtv, the competition would be alot closer between the two formats.

[shotty]

PS3 fan, well can't you say the same for UMD. Every PSP had a UMD player, yet that format failed. The reason is Blu-ray is not as open as HD-DVD. If Blu-ray is pirated then it's over for the ps3 since Blu-ray was sony's strong point against piracy since they are running linuix which is a modders best friend.

As for HD-DVD, it is just like DVD. You can buy a blank disc, burn whatever on it and it will play just like DVDs.

Also 100% of everyone that buys the HD-DVD add-on is interested in HD-DVD. While 100% that buys a ps3 is not interested in Blu-ray and only a fraction would actually even know what it is and go on to spend the premium money to buy a blu-ray movie that will only work in their video game system.

[Marty8370]

shotty - DVD's playback on PS3's Blu-ray drive also.Your missing a huge point,both Blu-ray & HD-DVD share the same piracy protection.Just Blu-ray has extra piracy protection.

Blu-ray movies don't just work in the PS3,they also work in standalone blu-ray players also.

UMD is not dead as its also the PSP game media choice.

[shotty]

Blu-ray has an extra level of priracy protection which is why Microsoft back out of supporting Blu-ray. Blu-ray doesn't allow for managed copying, like with hd-dvd, you can save your HD-DVD movie to a vista pc and even stream it to devices on the network like the xbox 360. Blu-ray doesn't have this feature which is the reason why HP converted from being exclusive to Blu-ray to supporting both.

What sony and others needs to know is, it's ok to protect your content but at one point you going to piss off the consumers and make everything difficult for them. Both formats have AACS but blu-ray went further and added BD+ which reduced alot of the consumer options of managing your content.

For example what somepeople like to do is save all their movies on Hometheatre servers and then they can watch it from any tv in their house, hd-dvd allows that while blu-ray doesn't.
This is another reason why xbox 360 doesn't have a standard hd-dvd drive, since with hd-dvd you can simply play the movie on your PC and it will be streamed to your xbox 360.

As we know sony is extremly protective of their content, as seen by the root kit problems on their CDs. With digital entertainment being more about giving consumers choices, I feel HD-DVD is the better option. Microsoft said, they have no problem with blu-ray but due to this extra level of protection it inhibits alot of functionality on PCS viewing blu-ray. Main reason why we have HD-DVD PCs and laptops out now and no Blu-ray drives in PCs or laptops.

[jedicurt]

"Main reason why we have HD-DVD PCs and laptops out now and no Blu-ray drives in PCs or laptops."

Then why do i have a Sony BWU100A in my PC right now, and i have no problems playing Blu-ray movies, and I save them on my Home Server????

please know what you are talking about instead of trying to pass your opinion and lack of knowledge off as fact.

And just to point out, i actually do like HD-DVD better than Blu-Ray right now because of the codecs used for the video format, i think they create a clearer picture, however, sound quality is much better coming from my Blu-Ray movies through my 7.1 surround system. and i am not too worried about that, because future Blu-Ray movies could easilly switch to a newer codec

and just to let everyone know, i am running both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD through my 32 inch Samsung LCD and running HDMI. however, it is an older tv and is only 720P. I want to get the 40 inch 1080p Samsung, but i am waiting till after christmas

[Thugbot187]

Jedicurt, I’m going to have to say the Jedi Mind tricks aren’t working with me here. I speak up on this one and say please tell us your setup and what application you are using to copy these movies to Home Server and what format they are copied in. Cause as of Aug 11 2006. No one has made an application to copy BLU-RAY DVD’s. Second I would like to know the video card that you have that supports and is compliant for High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) and offers DVI or HDMI connections. There is one application supporting playback and not just anyone can buy it. BLU-RAY cannot be COPIED at the moment. I know you must like BLU-RAY a lot and want it to win in the format war but you can give the facts and not tell people things that are not true. http://www.gatago.com/aus/d... When Sony officially announced it they even said it will not playback BLU-RAY DVD’s. There’s some fact to back it up. Don’t lie to make your format look good!!!

[THWIP]

"Sony has put all its eggs in the PlayStation 3 basket, which hits the market in November. The latest generation of the most popular video game system runs all Blue-Ray technology. The system boasts exclusive rights to top games and game franchises like “Metal Gear” and “Spider-Man.” "

Sony doesn't have exclusivity on Spider-man...they just own the rights to the movie franchise.

[eques judicii]

did hd-dvd become "microsoft's" format... isn't it made and owned by toshiba??

Maybe I missed something, but I don't think Microsoft bought toshiba.

[THWIP]

It's a partnership: Toshiba is the "brains" (tech R&D ) and MS is the "brawn" ($$$/marketing).

[Thugbot187]

It's Toshiba's format, that Toshiba created. Microsoft only said they support HD-DVD because of cause and because they don’t agree with Sony’s Over Big-Brother methods to keep people from copying media they purchased.

Perfect example Sony over stepping its boundaries, to recover from loosing sales and late technology adoption:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

[scriptkiddie]

Most consumers such as myself will be waiting till there is a clear winner, by that time there will be a new much better format out. Remember Laser Disk or BetaMax.

Most people who i know who aren't sony fanboys and want to purchase a PS3 (common Consumer) do not even know what blueRay is or do they care about watching movies on the PS3. they just want to play games.

[FKN Unbelievable]

No matter how you cut it. Betamax,Umd and now Blur-Rae. DVD's was never in Danger sony is. Each one of the format sony used was expensive and amounted to nothing including Minidiscs.

[ApocalypseShadow]

for movies because you couldn't use it on anything else but psp.bluray movies will work on blu ray players on pc and lap tops,ps3s,and stand alone players.umd and bluray are NOT THE SAME.it's the same with hd-dvd.you can use stand alone,pc and lap top,and 360's add-on.comparing a console to a portable is dumb.i did wish that psp had been bigger and used dvds though.everyone,check this out:
http://www.palmps2.com/palm...
a palm ps2 with clear back.

[highps3]

No they wont. General Public has always been the deciding factor and always will. As of now they dont want either. HD TIVO is the future MEDIA in general is getting dated. Who wants to take cae of discs when you simply can access everything from a hard drive? Buy em while you can if you want them.

[PS360WII]

A handheld that would hold cd sized games would be too big to call it a handheld. That's why these smaller disc's were needed. UMD's failed cuz they were more costly and less features. Sure they say it didn't fail but come on. Every store is pulling them out and sony is selling more memory sticks than ever before.
Anyways I don't find this war a problem really for I'm going to have the hd add on. I like the fact they are going crazy on the copy-rights and they are using the new way to make movies which in turn make them look nicer. I'm getting a ps3 and I like blue-ray for the amount of content in them. Sure the 7.1 is nice and some people will use it, the amount of storage is very nice to have I'm not fancy to the idea of that extra protection but it is sony and they want to NOT fail this time thru.
It isn't a sure win for sony even though they strictly use blue-ray for the games. Remember if nobody does care for either blue-ray or hd. Dvd's can still be played on the ps3. So if nobody buys into the next-gen movie war then ps3 will be played with regular old dvd's just like the 360

[zonetrooper5]

At the moment i am supporting HD-DVD as its cheaper and i would like to copy many DVD's to my PC.