Blu-Ray takes a lead in HD battle
Neither side is close to conceding, but the death match over which format will dominate the next generation of movie disks is swinging in favor of Blu-ray, the technology backed by Sony and most of the studios that produce the flicks themselves. Blu-ray was outselling Toshiba-backed rival HD DVD by 2 to 1—though sales for both are still slight—before recent word that Blockbuster, the movie retailer, would not bother stocking HD DVDs. Since the first high definition players began appearing last year, the battle for hearts and wallets has been on a level. Last week, however, video rental group Blockbuster tipped the scales in Sony’s favour.
By mid-July, the number of US stores renting Blu-ray films will be expanded to 1,700, from 250. HD DVD, meanwhile, will remain available in just 250 stores and from Blockbuster’s much smaller online rental business. The picture is the same in the UK – 50 stores stock HD DVD, 490 have Blu-ray. Sales of pure high definition players in either format are negligible so far. Consumer electronics researcher GfK says that in the UK, 1,038 Blu-ray players have been sold since September last year, compared to 2,625 HD DVD machines. PCs with high definition drives have likewise contributed little to the overall total. Blu-ray has been built into a small number of PCs, including Dell’s, and HD DVD will from this summer be available in all Toshiba’s PCs. The computer-maker has already shipped 1m laptops with HD DVD drives. It looks that the winneris almost clear, but the future may be so unpredictable that we had better wait for final resume.
Source: USnews, Telegraph
Comments(20)
Kind of old news, but hey nice to see taht the world is siding with the format that gives you the most for your money. Keep up the good work , we don’t need two formats, we only need the best.
blahblahblah they are both essentially the same, who cares really. And how come I am reading something different each week? HD on top, blu-ray on top, HD on top, blu-ray on top.. lol
Good thing my ps3 has a feature that won’t go to waste
Remember K-Flex vs V.52? This will turn out the same way.
That’s a good thing because blu-ray is a better format.
Hope this won’t keep up though:
http://www.megagames.com/news/html/hardware/rottenbluraydiscsspotted.shtml
I’m gonna get which ever one is cheaper and easier to copy. Not saying I don’t buy movies or anything… hehehe.
Blu-ray better ? Tell me then what that better part is ?
sony drm
no porn
doesnt sound better to me
It’s better because it offers more space (15gb HD-DVD – 25 (theoretically up to 200gb) blu-ray).
HD-DVD is cheaper to make though, so I dunno.
More space yes, but HD-DVD is using its space more efficiently. Blu-ray is using the DVD codec, HD is using a new more advanced one. So HD is cheaper, better and the best thing is, you are not giving Sony your money
STICK WITH HD-DVD, BLU-RAY 1080P,HD-DVD 1080P THE DIFFERENCE IS BLU-RAY HAS MORE SPACE BIG DEAL. AND BLU-RAY IS WAY MORE EXPENSIVE. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THEY WOULD SELL A 50 TO 200GB BLU-RAY DISC FOR? YOU’LL GO BROKE.
Why is ppl looking at costs? everything is expensive at first. I remember my first DVD burner being $1000….. Things will drop in price. Its always like that with technology, At first it will be hella expensive to make, then as it becomes easier to make via technological advances it will become cheaper.
I dunno, imo Blu-ray seems to be winning… And i completely agree with the top about the sales. I have YET to see 1 HD DVD on shelf in Australia, All the shelves ive seen only STOCK Blu-Ray. Stores say they can order in HD DVD but they dont stock them. Even the biggest electronic stores in australia only have Blu-ray.
SPACE IS A BIG DEAL actually, just imagine what Movies can evolve into. Imagine Tv’s going beyond the 1080p realm… Everything advances, and sooner or later you WILL need the space. Imagine one day we can have uncompressed video… Its all possible and will happen quite quickly actually.
Also in terms of space… Bluray is nicer, It offers future proofing. Incase you do need the space, with eventually you will. (notice why hard drives are getting bigger and cheaper? because we use more space as technology advances). Its just like building a network, you got 200 computers and you decide a certain type of network is fastest, however it will only work for a 200 computer network. Then ya decide to get 1 more computer… then BAM you gotta reconstruct the whole thing….
The idea is Dont just look at NOW, look at the future too. Lets just have 1 war of formats, instead of having 200 wars when each time ya needa create a format to store more data.
But i just hope this war ends…. lol. so we can stop with all the this is better than this… kinda discussions.
And whats so bad about giving sony ya money? >.> ppl are willing to give microsoft their money =P
Like BETA and VHS the winner will not be the best format but the first to have its patent expire and allow the manufacturing community to flood the marketplace with comparably inexpensive devices and media.
Maybe im too simple, but couldnt we have both? For each puropose the better one…And of course writers and players that support both fully.
Well look at sony’s track record of failed media, Mini disc, UMD discs, how many more are we going to have to put up with before weve had enough? Hence the Japanese saying “soh-nee which means business goes bad”
There are players out that support both.
the lone fact that you guys think optical media will last beyond the next 5/10 years pretty much explains the level of experience on this board..
flash media ftw
12.anon
What a super crap you r making? So Australia is selling more Blu-ray discs right? 1000 more maybe? YEAH BIG DEAL! Who gives a damn!? Don’t take me wrong, I’m living here too. Our market IS just too small to be concerned. Also don’t think big retailer would know better. Harvey Norman, one of the biggest shop chains in Australia, doesn’t carry any Nintendo products. What a huge mistake they’re making.
So far, HD-DVD has deliverd every promise it has made compared to blueray. It has superb video/audio quality from launch day by using better and more efficient codec. How’s b-r doing when they release the first batch bluray movie? Have u seen the Fifth Element on bluray format? It’s worse than DVD! That’s why Sony is considering remaster them and will have them recalled. Just google it, you’d know I’m telling the truth!
Bluray disc has bigger space. SO WHAT? Do you want to store you precious data on this not-winning-yet format? 25GB b-r disc is selling for $A50 and you can use in your own sony laptop. Great! oh,wait,this price can buy a 80GB hard disk drive which can be used ANYWHERE. But “don’t look at now,look at fututer”, 200 gb is around corner and will be getting cheaper… Yeah, so IS hard disk drive!
Thanks to HD-DVD,you can get the same thing at much cheaper price. Isn’t this amazing? How much would bluray players be sold if there’s no Hd-dvd around?
I have no problem paying money to sony as long as they can prove they can win a format war not just ripping off the consumer. How u doing, Beta? Atarc? Mini Disc? Memory stick? Even, PS3?
Before you label me as a fanboy of HD-DVD, I’d like to say Bluray has it chance to be a winner. That is the exclusive support of the movie studios which is unfair IMO because sony owns three of them(sony columbia, MGM, LionsGate).
So blu-ray can be winning because of its content not technology. Next time try make some points without confusing yourself.
its blu-ray all the way, lick my balls bitches
i dont care which one wins, but i hope one does soon.
Im not buying one if im not sure that i can still use it in 4 years
Thanks for the info!