With the recent end to the Blu-ray and HD DVD disc unification talks, it is clear that we are going to have another format war unless some last-minute deal happens. Currently the Blu-ray format appears to be at an advantage due to the PlayStation 3 game console taking on this format. If this console turns out as successful as the PS2, this would mean widespread Blu-ray usage, even if the upcoming Playstation 3 customers have no intention of getting Blu-ray Video players or movies for another while yet.
On the other hand, HD DVD players are aimed to hit the retail stores in time for the Christmas holiday season shopping, while Blu-ray expects their player launch next spring. HD DVD also has the advantage of being able to mass-produce HD DVD discs using existing DVD manufacturing equipment as well as be pressed as a DVD / HD DVD hybrid to offer support for existing DVD players. Blu-ray on the other hand still has still not fully sorted out manufacturing costs, resistance to warping as well as reliability issues.
When it comes to both formats, currently roughly half of the movie studios plan to release content on HD DVD discs, while the other half plan to release content on Blu-ray discs. Unfortunately, as the players are going to be very expensive (~$1,000) to start off with, if one format turns out unsuccessful then those who purchased players for this format would end up losing out. Finally, unlike the introduction of the DVD player where pretty much all TV's could take advantage of DVD's higher quality over VHS, only 13% of households have a HDTV set (as of May), thus even if this is to rise to the expected 22% by the year end, it would mean that only 1/5 of the population could take full advantage of a HD player if they were to upgrade.
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Major Hollywood studios exacerbate the problem by splitting their support between the two formats, each of which promises to deliver richly detailed pictures and cinema-quality sound. Both types also will play current DVDs. Guided by differing visions for the high-definition future, half of the studios have announced plans to release HD DVD discs, and the other half are expected to back Blu-ray. Although HD DVD players are expected to be in stores for the all-important holiday shopping season, the backers of Blu-ray think they have the advantage: Sony Corp. plans to include a Blu-ray drive in its hotly anticipated PlayStation 3 video game console. The game console won't arrive in the U.S. until next year, but the popularity of the PlayStation franchise may inspire buyers to wait for it. If sales of PlayStation 3 repeat the performance of PlayStation 2, there could be Blu-ray players in several million homes in a matter of months. ADVERTISEMENT
If one format quickly becomes obsolete, casualties could include consumers who spend about $1,000 on the losing disc player. Analysts say a format war would also slow the transition to high-definition discs, reducing sales for consumer-electronics manufacturers and studios alike. Read the full rather lengthy article here. |
If the movie studios plan to keep up their attitude in sticking to one format or the other (but not both), this could easily stop consumers from upgrading if they end up being restricted to what ever movies launch in their format they go for. Then again, chances are that all the movie studios will be forced to adopt both formats if they want to sell their movies to all customers using either Blu-ray or HD DVD.
With more satellite TV channels taking on HDTV and the expected launch of HD DVD by the year end, it will be interesting to see how rapidly consumers will be to upgrade their TVs or if the majority will wait for prices to fall first.
To find out more about what both Blu-ray and HD DVD has to offer as well as a comparison of the two formats, see this article. Feel free to discuss and find out more about the upcoming HD disc formats on our Satellite, HD-TV, Blu-ray and HD-DVD Forum.
