Blu-ray vs HD DVD Battle Update

The fight simply refuses to die down. Just a while ago, Universal Studios' boss had dealt the Blu-ray death blow (see article "Universal Shuns Blu-ray"), so here's a list of supporting studios.

[ChickeyCantor]

get set ...ready?............LETS GET READY TO FLAMEEEEEEEEEE

[Donkey Slayer]

really isn't anything new.
I just hope they both don't die like the High Res audio formats. Well the PS3 supports Super Audio CD and I may buy some, but you get my point.

It will be entertaining to see if any of the rabid xbox fanatics click "disagree" on my post, even though it is a fact, just like previous times I've posted facts. Man I love this place :)

[nirwanda]

the xbox 360 play's SACD's without a problem it also rip's them to the hard drive for use as playlists

[joemutt]

I will just buy a hybrid that plays both.

[nirwanda]

that's what i'm going to do when the price comes down ms were stupid not to make the HD-DVD drive a hybid that play's both formats.
The ONLY winner will be a hybrid format

[kmis87]

A hybrid would be a third format. HD-DVD and Bluray use different lasers frequencies. Having a player that could play both would be like having a player that could play vhs and beta. There would still be two dueling formats.

[nirwanda]

lots of company's are making player's that surport both formats samsung anounced theirs months ago they proberbly use 2 differnt lasers like dvd players did before sony made a laser that read both in the ps2 cd's and dvd are compleatly different too but blu-ray and HD-dvd use different coloured lasers to get more bandwidth.

[Real_ity]

I don't really care for the format war. I buy the system and I play the games. If blu-ray comes on top hey, cool. If hd-dvd comes out on top hey, cool. Until I can afford an HDTV i'm really neutral because I care more for games than playing movies on my console right now.

[REDMOND BOYZZ]

#2 i think you need to join an PS3 exclusive site we don't care how you think the PS3 is better in you're opinion. Good Lord!

[Tut]

Speak for yourself. I like to hear/read other people's opinions even if they are biased. It doesn't mean they don't say some intelligent things some of the time.

[Donkey Slayer]

Sorry to burst you bubble Redmond Boyzz, I play all the consoles. I'm not close-minded enough to let a console dictate what games I can play.

It's really sad when people are so insecure about xbox360 owners like myself being multiplatform gamers instead of just be exclusive to MS. Sheep!

[Landa]

First off Universal movies never supported bluray only universal music did, so a question to readers, how did they drop something that they were never supporting?

[Donkey Slayer]

:)

[ASSASSYN 36o]

Embarassing!

[NJ1307RSX]

Of the day what matters to customers is the content. The content is the reason the PS2 outsold the xbox 3:1 in the United States and 5:1 Worldwide. Content is all that matters. And that's something that HD-DVD lacks with the only exclusive studio supporting them being Universal. Meanwhile Blu-ray has every movie studio supporting them except Universal. Most customers will choose Blu-ray thanks to this. Once the PS3 comes out at the Price of $499 and $599 the Price advantage of hd-dvd will be eliminated as well. Only time will tell which movie format Prevails but at the moment Blu-ray looks to be the winner.

[Donkey Slayer]

I doesn't matter what format a person favors, what you said is exactly the reality of the situation.

I plan on having both as that is the only way to have access to all the movies I want (same with gamin ;) )

[NextGen24Gamer]

Who gave you a diploma? xbox sold 24 million and the ps2 sold 100 million (actually its shipped but who cares) 24 times 5 is 120 million ps2's. Lots of Laughs. but this is what certain sony fans do. Exaggerate and lie. And the reason why sony won the last gen over MS is because they had a 2 year head start, they had road the wave of success from the ps1, and had the support from every developer under the sun.

This time the 360 launched 1 year and a year and a half in other countries ahead of the ps3.

The 360 has all the developer support while sony keeps loosing exclusives and developers.

The ps3 is riding the wave of bad news and broke ps2's and over promising and under delivering from the emotion engine fiascal.

The times have changed. The ps1 was flawless and loved by everyone. Not a bad word was ever spoke about that system. Not the case with the ps2 and now the ps3. It has progressively gotten worse. And the high price was the nail in its own coffin. It left a bad taste in 99% of peoples mouths. Everyone in the world was like "are you serious". except the few die hard sony fans that are left. See, just because you own a ps2 don't mean you are a die hard sony fan. Ps2 was common like microwaves in peoples houses. Well, maybe not that common, but you get the point. It was common due to its competitive price point and name recognition. Name recognition will only take you so far when your system costs OVER half a grand. So, I understand why sony fans are defensive and worried. I say "don't worry. Get the system you want. play it and have fun." But don't come in here thinking that Sony will be half as successful as they were with the 299 to 199 to 150 to 130 ps2. Not going to happen. And not because I don't like sony. But because its common sense. I guess if sony was the only system I was planning on getting, I would take offense to the comments I make. Just understand, I'm talking from the perspective of a Nuetral gamer who "will" enjoy all the next gen systems. I have nothing to loose or gain. I'm just honest. And sometimes the truth is hard to accept when you are only sticking with one company.

[drewdrakes]

I have an HDTV and I couldnt care less. The difference is not nearly as drastic as the difference between VHS and DVD, which is going to make it difficult to justify. DVD movies look fantastic on my big screen, and I have no reason to switch to a format which costs extra and delivers very little difference. I can very much argue the fact that many people can notice the difference. A lot of people will SAY they know the difference, yet have never seen them side by side or anything, just like 1080i vs 1080p, people think they know what theyre talking about when they dont (fyi, 1080p is NOT a higher resolution, which is why i no longer respect 1up.com, they dont know what theyre talking about either).

One more thing, I buy a movie to watch the movie, extra content bores me and takes up space, thats just my opinion.

[silent ninja]

i buy a console STRICTLY for games i could care less what format i'm using. as long as get what i want the rest is history.
....and DVD is not going anywhere. it has deeply penetrate consumers homes that it will takes atleast 5 yrs to uproot it

[kmis87]

VHS was pretty deeply penetrated but what happened to that?

[nirwanda]

VHS won lots of format wars before it was beaten by dvd it beat the betamax laser disk's mpeg 1 cd's the difference is that all of movie company's backed VHS over all of these formats until DVD when ALL the movie company's backed one format until that happen's again DVD will win

[Islandkiwi]

So, if I'm reading the article right, movie studios are choosing one or the other to support...but no studios are choosing both? Why?

[DG]

cant remember which ones though. The way I see it is if you do get a PS3/HDTV its a way to tie you over while you wait for the new games. Honestly Im not looking forward to the PS3 anymore until a price drop happends. I spent too much $ on my 360 already.

[Islandkiwi]

http://xbox360.ign.com/arti...
MS actually has addressed this:
Right now there is a big question of HDMI connectivity -- an alternative to component connections it's an all-digital audio/video interface capable of transmitting uncompressed streams -- Microsoft said they have nothing to announce, but are considering the possibility.

We pressed this issue and asked if Microsoft is concerned about the fact that the Image Constraint Toke (ICT) component of HDCP/AACS copy-protection won't work over component video connections, which could make the X360 HD-DVD drive useless sometime in the future if the copy-protection scheme is fully implemented in HD-DVDs.
Microsoft replied via email:

"The image constraint token feature of AACS is an optional flag for the [motion picture] studios and several have publicly stated they have no plans to invoke [the copy-protection flags]. Therefore, the copy protection scheme is fully implemented in both HD DVD and Blu-ray today.

"We [Microsoft Corporation] do not see the absence of HDMI/HDCP as an issue over the lifetime of this generation of [the X360] console. HDMI/HDCP is still a very new interface and until it is supported broadly across the CE and PC industries and by consumers on a wide enough scale to be considered a standard, we don't expect anyone to impede content flow over non-HDMI devices (re: invoke the ICT)."

Remember, it would affect Sony to with their 499 version, or even the 599 if you didn't have the right connection.

[Capt CHAOS]

just get a 360 and be done wiv it.

[NextGen24Gamer]

The video game industry has a life cycle of 5 years per console. Tech changes that fast. Tech changes so fast that when the xbox was released 2 years after the ps2. It dusted the ps2 in every area. I stopped playing my ps2 after the xbox came out. It was hard for me to play games on the ps2 after witnessing the major jump in the xbox. Sony is really good at holding on to its old tech and stretching out every penny. MS in my opinion did the right thing. Focus on the next best thing. Xbox was their first entry and it established a nice base of gamers who only wanted the best. 24 million xbox owners bought the xbox after buying the ps2 first. Many xbox owners use to be ps2 owners. But MS understands that the xbox gamer buys games and wants the best. 4 years later the xbox is no longer the best. The 360 is. Who keeps the same cell phone for 5 years? Tech changes rapidly. Ps2 owners on average buy 1.8 games. Meanwhile xbox owners was at 4 games per console and 360 owners are just under 5 games per console. I believe the Sony attatch rate is so low due to the xbox owners who also had a ps2 but didn't buy many games for it once the xbox came out. And many ps2 owners are very very casual. they use their ps2 to play dvd's. Grand parents buying it so when their grandchild comes to visit they can watch movies and rent a game or two. But now, Sony is asking those people to spend over half a grand? Thats hilarious. Yes, Sony has its hard core fans. But MS stole many of them away with the original xbox. Thus the higher attatch rate for both MS systems. thats why I say the 360 will keep the 10 million lead (at least) through the next 4 years. And sony will be lucky to sell 25 million consoles in that time period. And i'm not thinking like a fanboy. I'm looking at it from a gamers perspective.

And as far as HD dvd and blu ray go. Which ever unit gets down to 199 first will win with the average consumers. Period. Oh, wait. The hd dvd add on for the 360 is under 200. WOW.

[DIGITALDREAMKID]

But yet Sony sold 100+ million units of a console that was less superior even after the xbox came out like you said. So who will win here it will be Sony will again!!! Wake up and smell the venti ice caramel machaiato!!! Even if you dont like Sony you have to see and realize that xbox will never be able to do as well as Sony has done and it will never be better either!!!!

[The BS Police]

I bought the Xbox 360 because of the games for it (I'm a Halo fan so i do wanna play Halo 3).

Does that make me a Microsoft fanboy... No! Maybe a Halo Fan, I just feel my Xbox 360 is all I need for now.

Also I don't care about Next Gen DVD's either, both formats are rip-offs, lets wait awhile then decide.

[DIGITALDREAMKID]

Well you know im right!!! You just couldnt handle it!!! Microsoft got in these because Sony was in it!!! To try and put them out of business and everyone knows these. Mirosoft is the most competetive company in this world!!! To bad they will never be able to beat Sony!!!! And i dont see anything inovative about their console they are copying everything that Sony has done just like they are doing with vista they are copying Apples OS!!! I have had both consoles from microsoft and never played them never even wanted to i dont see anything unique about them!!!!

[The BS Police]

Who was the first to create the first Online Gaming service that allows you to download Game Content, create Clans, have an online friendlist and participate in online Tournaments and other events... Microsoft.

Who was the first to come out with a built in Hard Drive... Microsoft.

the First to allow you to rip a CD to your game systems Hard Drive... Microsoft.

The First to come out with a standard Wireless Controller... Microsoft.

The First to offer MP3 Support on your game system... Microsoft.

Now who is copying them... SONY!

Seriously there called innovations that any company can use and sell as a difirent brand.

DIGITALDREAMKID you are being a fanboy and of course your opinion is biased.

[Boink]

that even if blu-ray wins, whopdee doo,MS makes a blu-ray add-on(when there is tons of diodes available) Sony stays afloat to keep on fighting. And it it makes this the best console race ever(which mean us as winners)

-BUT-
(and please keep your fanboyisms at bay and use logic for a bit)

IF blu-ray fails, sony is pretty much done for, the console will still do ok due it's large fanbase, but sony as a company would be pretty much done for, profits would plummit, stock would drop massively, it would be pretty catastrophic from a corporate perpective.

Then there would be no more 3 way console battle next-time, as the ps3 would not be enough to keep sony afloat, as most of their other divisions(especially entertainment divisions) are losing major $$$$, and sony is going to lose HUGE cash in the next 2 or so year due to the PS3(just think, every ps3 sold loses sony 400$, that a lot of freaking money).

Hopefully the insults are kept to a minimum, and good discussion keeps going...but I doubt it. cheers!

[DIGITALDREAMKID]

Sony is not going to be bankrupt because Blu-Ray doenst win or does!!! Sony is a huge corporation with billions of dollars!!! Sony has had lossing formats before yet they didnt even wink about it!!! Sony is huge and they are not going anywhere!!! With or without Blu-Ray!!!

[DIGITALDREAMKID]

I have had all consoles all of my life. I am lucky to have parents with money therefore i can buy whatever i want!!1 So just like last time i had the xbox, PS2 and gamecube. This time i have the xbox 360 and from what i am seeing it hasnt offer anything new that the last xbox did. I know what both consoles can offer and cannot i know which one will win. It will be Sonys PlayStation 3!!!

[NextGen24Gamer]

I'm sorry but you don't come accross very credible. Just my observation of your fanboy rants.

If you indeed had an xbox and you indeed have a 360. Then you know like the rest of us, the 360 is a major leap foward in every area. Online is a major leap foward from the original xbox and graphics are a major leap foward, and the gameplay experiences.

And you can't judge the ps3 untill you play it right? Does that make sense to you? If you are dissappointed in the 360 (thats actually believing you, which we don't) then you are in for a little suprise with the ps3. Most devs favor the 360 and many say that both systems are equal with each having advantages in different areas. But in the end, its about the games. Both systems will have "great" games. But, sony has a lot invested in blu ray. And if it fails, it will cast a bad light on the ps3 to casual consumers.

Donkey Slayer - The xbox 360 premium can be found on many sites at $330 dollars. The add on HD dvd player will at most be 199 and comes with 2 free HD dvd movies. So if you shop right, you can start watching hd dvd movies for about 500 dollars with two movies to start. And for those 7 million gamers who already have a 360. All they need is 199 or less to start watching HD dvd movies. Thats an unbelievable deal. Now, I believe that the hd dvd player will be 150 to 200. I been saying that from day one. I can't wait for TGS. Maybe thats when more info will come out on pricing of the hd dvd drive and details on hdmi or dvi cables. Its an exciting time to be a gamer.

[Donkey Slayer]

"The First to come out with a standard Wireless Controller... Microsoft."
lol, MS said that would be the case just as they said the HDD would be standard. However neither is true.\

sadly the HD-DVD add-on isn't functional by itself, it takes much more than $199 (speculated price) to play HD-DVD. If that $199 price is true it will actually be more than a PS3 to watch movies in HD. Unless of course MS does a price drop on the consoles.

[NextGen24Gamer]

http://360-deals.com/blogs/...

[BIadestarX]

Just because they have more studios does not mean it will stay that way.... by the way, that list looks familiar.... mmm.. where have I seen it... Ohh yeah... they also supported UMD. but no longer....

[Marriot VP]

What you guys have to understand is that the CONSUMERS, not the companies decide which format they want. Just as easy as BR or HD-DVD companies are on one side, they can jump ship without missing a beat.

Normal consumers aren't going to walk into best buy and say, hey you know what blu-ray has more company support so I'm gonna buy their 500 or 1000 dollar player. Your dead wrong, it's the techies who take the 50-50 chance. As for the other 99% of the population, they'll wait until they can afford a HDTV on top of a HD player. YEARS, SON, YEARSSSSS.

Like I said, whichever format reaches 200 dollar stand alone players WINS.

[TheMART]

You know what's the truth?

No one wins.

Neither

Even not the customer

DVD is still doing fine. And as soon as the 'next gen drives' will get some mass interest we'll probably see the first games en video large downloads on large HDD's. Direct streaming of stuff and more.

I like the choice. Sony forces BR upon a PS3 owner but it's not a standard. MS let's you choose if you want to buy the HD-DVD add-on. And I bet even when BR WOULD become the standard in the end, they release a BR add-on.

So stop the bull. HD-DVD outsells BR at the moment. Support or not, people like it probably. And as soon as enough people buy the thing, movieproducers will start jumping in. Where the money is, the business will follow

[SDS Overfiend]

Like i said DVD's was Never in Danger, Sony is.
@The BS Police you Said::Who was the first to come out with a built in Hard Drive... Microsoft. "
Sorry it was Sega Saturn Brother, But Don't Frett i'm with you on everything else.
BTW I Highly Doubt Most Sony Fanboy Ever Watched a Regular DVD with the Xbox HD Cables hooked up? the Quality still is Amazing.
BTW 2 i thought at a systems launch games was the first thing Important to be mentioned not Movies that Most of us have Already?
Failed.

[EnforcerOfTheTruth]

Islandkiwi - Oh I see, after some journalist pressed them, they said some movie studios won't use it. That's a lame excuse, some studios stated they won't use it for now, simply because HDMI is not that common, but when after let's say 2 years more people have HDMI TV's, they will surely include it.
You are wrong saying this affects the $599 version, the 60GB PS3 has a HDMI port and all you need is a HDMI cable. The HD-DVD addon same like the 20GB PS3 doesn't have a HDMI port and a simple cable won't do it. It's not without a reason that there is no cable that converts the AV connector to an HDMI output. It's very difficult, too expensive or simply impossible.

Real Freakio - I wonder what major jump did you witness after changing to Xbox. Fact is there was no major jump, there was only a slight difference in graphics. A little higher resolution, some more effects here and there, but that's it. After 2 years pretty poor if you ask me, especially when you have PS2 games that looked as good or even better than any Xbox game. GoW and GT4 comes to mind.
The video game industry has a life cycle of 5 years per console, but it's not common that the console is supported for only 5 years and in the case of Xbox only for 4 years. Fact is most gamers don't jump in when a new console is released. Most of them wait a year or two for a price drop or for some games that really interest them. In this 1-2 years they still want to get top games for their console, but MS simply doesn't care about what they want. From the Xbox owners I know only one bought the 360, the rest is pretty pissed and some of them don't wanna buy a MS console again.
As for the $199 HD-DVD addon, you surely are forgetting that you need Xbox360 to use it. So it will cost you as much as the PS3, while offering less than the PS3. The core 360 doesn't offer a HDD and wireless controllers and the premium 360 doesn't offer a 60GB, Wi-Fi and HDMI port. The average consumer will go for the one that offers more for the same money and that's the PS3. The experienced consumer will additionaly notice that you will spend more money if you wanna upgrade the HDD or charge the controllers. The 20GB HDD for $99 is a joke and shows again how MS is screwing people. Unlike 360, PS3 uses a usual 2.5 HDD and we get for half the price twice the size. If we want to charge the controllers, we don't need an extra charge kit and can do it with a simple USB cable. That's how MS became the richest company - in screwing people and way too overpriced products. Fact is, if you want to have what PS3 offers, you will have to spend much more and you still won't have HDMI port and a 60GB HDD.

The BS Police - You must be kidding, MS got interested not because they wanted to push game consoles even further, but because they wanted to make money after they saw how much Sony earned with the PS1.

[The BS Police]

Microsoft didn't make money on the Xbox at all, they only made money on Halo 2!

And guess what, they are still here, proof that it wasn't just money that got Microsoft into the console Business.

[TheThinker]

Sheesh, how long have both formats been on the market? One year or so? Please. That's no reason for any of you to be judging on which format will win. It takes several years to adequately determine that, and even then it's just a guess!

However, you can determine which format is better, technologically speaking, when it comes to its capabilities. That is why I side with Blue Ray, yet am not prophesying its success.

[slugg]

Is that aside from Sony Picture Studios, all other companies could eventually release movies in BOTH formats, or, if HD-DVD continues to spank Blu-Ray, switch over. There is no reason they have to stay exclusive to one format, and they will go where the money is available to be made. Most companies in the exclusive Blu-Ray camp are waiting to see how the PS3 launch goes, because, yes, a large amount of PS3's sold equals a large, exclusive, Blu-Ray movie market. But with Sony's launch-day PS3 numbers cut 75%, its delay in Europe, and the 360's add-on HD DVD drive coming out before Christmas, I bet you within a month you will see Disney go multi-format, and at least one other company that is in the Blu-Ray exclusive "camp" will as well. If they want to make any money on their high-def movies THIS year, that is.

[UNREAL-T]

dude get a life man! u think u know everything about games. have u play ps3? NO, do u work for MS? NO, do u work for sony? NO, so y are u telling me 360 is better than ps3, if ps3 is not even out yet.

i have a 360 and i like it but what i dont' like is 360fans they think they know everything about games just because they own a 360 and they want MS to win this war,ah keep dreaming ya can't make europe and asia go out a buy a 360 and hate ps3 bcause MS said so.

so i'll be happy i own a 360 and i'm getting ps3. Once i get my ps3 ya'll won't see me up here, i might come and read ur stupid coments
so i'll be 'AH AH AH AH' ps3fans and 360fans are funny and ya'll be fighting while i'll be playing both console.

KIDS!

[UNREAL-T]

are u cute? how old are u? are u hot? where u from?
please say somthing

i know 360fans don't like u, u know, they don't like girls, after 360 came out they broke out with there girlfriends because they love 360 so much, so they have no time for there girlfriends. don't think i'm like them
i own a 360 and i like it and don't hate it and i'm getting ps3. so don't listen to 360fans cause u know there so f~!@# up.