We have an interesting battle ensuing. It is by no means a battle of lasting import, such as a fight for freedom or anything of long-term value. It’s simply a battle between tech enthusiasts as to which new high-definition video format to support. There is a very clear division, with several tech and movie companies supporting one, and the rest supporting the other.
But why all the hype? What’s the point?
CNet’s overview of the formats, for those who are unfamiliar (for whom this article is mainly intended):
In case you’re new to the whole next-gen DVD discussion, Blu-ray and HD-DVD are two competing high-capacity disc technologies backed by various consumer electronics and computer manufacturers (yes, they are a computer storage media as well). On one side of the ring you have Blu-ray’s captain, Sony, with a roster that includes Panasonic, Samsung, Dell
, HP, Philips, and several other industry heavyweights, and on the other (HD-DVD), Toshiba, NEC, and a couple of other upstarts. Both formats use blue laser technology, which has a shorter wavelength than red, allowing it to read the smaller digital data “spots” packed a lot more densely onto a standard-size disc. HD-DVD is capable of holding 30GB or a full-length high-definition movie, plus extras, on a prerecorded double-layer disc (compare that to today’s limit of 9GB for standard double-layer DVDs). Blu-ray will go up to 50GB at launch, and Sony is reportedly working on a quad-layer 100GB disc. Cake-box me a stack of those, please.
First off, I must confess that I am yet to submerge myself into the world of HD. I have always been the thrifty (and out-of-debt!) spender who waits until prices decrease and format wars settle before taking the plunge. Sure, new technologies seem great, but they just aren’t worth forking over the cash necessary to keep up with everything. I am much more concerned with the long-term, such as true happiness, family, etc.
That being said, I still enjoy finding out what’s going on and hoping to someday acquire new gadgets that could make my life easier or a little more entertaining. And as far as new technologies go, HD products seem to be all the hype these days. The main draw for consumers to switch to high-definition formats is this: the sheer crispness of the video quality. I have heard reports that the images appear so realistic that movie and TV producers have had to alter their sets in order to appear less like sets and more like reality. Also, facial blemishes on the actors are more apparent, which causes turmoil as they want to appear at their best. This was not a problem in the days of standard definition simply because no one noticed, but now it’s hard not to notice.
Contestant 1: Blu-Ray
Pros:
- Higher capacity (25 GB per layer as opposed to 15 GB for HD-DVD)
- 50 GB for dual-layer discs
- 9 hours of HD video maximum
- 23 hours of standard-definition video maximum
- More widespread industry support than HD-DVD
- Supports 1080p (standard resolution for filming digital motion pictures)
- Protective hard-coating as standard
Cons:
- Equipment is more expensive than HD-DVD
- Region-coded discs
Contestant 2: HD-DVD
Pros:
- Cheaper equipment
- Currently no region codes
Cons:
- Lower capacity (though arguably sufficient)
- 30 GB capacity for dual-layer discs
- 5.4 hours of HD video maximum
- 13.8 hours of standard-definition video maximum
- No support for 1080p
- Less industry support
Toss-ups between the two:
- The Sony Playstation 3 comes with a built-in Blu-Ray disc player and the Microsoft Xbox 360 has an optional HD-DVD drive available. The launch of the PS3 was not nearly as dramatic as expected, and demand has subsided drastically. The Xbox 360, however, maintains high demand and a supportive user base. This may be a major factor in determining a winner.
- Supporting PC and storage manufacturers are split across the board:
- Blu-Ray: Apple, Dell, Benq, HP, LG, Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Samsung, Sony, TDK
- HD-DVD: Microsoft, Intel, HP, NEC, Toshiba, Canon, Ricoh, Maxell, Acer, Lenovo, Imation
- Supporting movie studios are split across the board:
- Sony Pictures (including MGM/Columbia TriStar), Disney (including Touchstone, Miramax), Fox, Paramount, Warner, Lions Gate
- Paramount, Studio Canal, Universal, Warner, The Weinstein Company, Dreamworks, New Line
- Some may argue that the difference in capacity does not make much of a difference. Standard DVDs will hold up to 4 hours of standard-definition video. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a movie that long. Even the Lord of The Rings extended editions didn’t reach the DVD’s maximum capacity. So is 5.4 hours of HD video not enough? However, this may be an important difference when considering these different formats as being used for data backup. In that case, I say that the higher the capacity, the better.
At least in the eyes of the consumer, there is no clear winner to this battle. Many have compared the scale of this competition to the VHS/Betamax war of the 70s. The results of that war were obviously the prevail of the VHS tape. Even though the Betamax technology was superior, it was the inexpensive cost of VHS cassettes and recorders that ultimately determined the outcome. If the results of the HD war were to follow in the footsteps of the VHS/Betamax war, then HD-DVD would win.
Several attempts have been made to bring the two formats together in some way in order to enable consumers to purchase equipment and media without incurring the risk of the technology becoming obsolete in a short period of time, should the opposite technology prevail. These include LG’s hybrid Blu-Ray/HD-DVD player, Warner’s hybrid disc, and others. However, I am opposed to this strategy. It will just cause more confusion to the consumer, similar to the hybrid DVD+/-R storage drives (which I still find myself constantly trying to explain to those who still don’t know the difference). Unfortunately, it’s impossible to force consumers to hurry up and make a decision; only time will tell who the winner will be.
As for myself, I am slightly afraid to try out a high-def setup at all (at a friend’s house or otherwise), even just to watch a movie, simply because I will probably want to buy it and my wallet doesn’t like the steep prices. I remember way back in the day when I first listened to a CD. My brother had to get a CD player, but I was very critical because I was perfectly satisfied with the sound of my cassette tapes and I didn’t think anything could be better. But oh, the joy, when I first watched the CD drawer slide open with precision and expose the oh-so-beautiful laser. I pulled a CD from its case, placed it in the tray, again marvelled as the drawer slid closed, then was awestruck at how perfectly clear the CD sounded. From then on, my cassette tapes sounded terrible to me and all I ever wanted was a CD player of my own. From all I can tell, the same thing will happen to me again, and to some extent, I don’t want it to. I feel that standard definition fulfills all my needs for the time being and I might as well enjoy the ignorance. Therefore, I don’t necessarily have to worry much for the time being.
For the record, my prediction is that the Blu-Ray format will ultimately prevail. Why, you ask? Just my own intuition.
[sources: CNet, Wikipedia (Blu-Ray/HD-DVD)]
