HD DVD vs. Blu-Ray vs. DVD

[criterionmaster]

Discuss the future of DVD and what will happen. Here is an interesting article:

NYPost: Retailers to Pull Plug on HD DVD

The NY Post has just published a new article on the next-gen DVD format war. According to writer Lou Lumenick, retailers are set to abandon the HD DVD format next year due to lagging sales.

The Departed recently premiered on both formats, and the Blu-ray version came up trumps, selling more copies than the HD DVD version. According to the article:

...sales of Blu-ray discs have exploded to nearly three times those of HD DVD discs since Christmas.

It's the first clear sign that consumers are choosing sides in the nastiest video format war since VHS emerged victorious over Sony's Betamax machines in the 1980s.

"The format war is in its final phase," crows Steve Feldstein of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, which, like Sony and Disney, is releasing titles exclusively on Blu-ray. "It's never been a question of if Blu-ray will pass HD DVD, but a matter of when."

Some retailers are now claiming it's safe to buy a Blu-ray players without fear that that the format will lose. Analyst Alison Casey, from London's Understanding & Solutions group predicts that retailers will abandon the format some time in 2008. Reffering to European retailers, Casey said:

"They never wanted two formats. It confuses consumers and creates problems with them with returns. They're looking to go to a single format as soon as possible."

Mar 15, 2007

News by Richard Manley.

[captainofbeef]

Why do we keep having to change formats every ten years or so? Can't we just stick with a regular DVD player?

[criterionmaster]

Exactly my point, I hate this crap, what is wrong with DVD's? Do I really need to have anything better for most of my films? Hopefully though, DVD's won't go out like VHS's, people will probably still use them and keep them.

[criterionmaster]

Blockbuster: Blu-Ray Only in Future
source: imdb

Blockbuster says it will begin stocking high-definition movies in 1,450 stores beginning next month -- but only in the Blu-ray format. It currently stocks high-definition titles in about 250 stores in both the Blu-ray and HD DVD formats, but it said Sunday that more than 70 percent of its customers are renting the Blu-ray disks. In an interview with the Associated Press, Blockbuster merchandising exec Matthew Smith commented, "The consumers are sending us a message. I can't ignore what I'm seeing." The company said that it will continue to rent HD DVD titles in the stores that carry them now and also online.

end of article.

[slapshot63]

I know that, for me personally, I won't be replacing my collection with Blu-Ray versions. DVD is perfectly fine with me. I mean, I WILL replace some movies (Spider-Man 2, Star Wars, etc), but definitely not everything. Too damn expensive...

[malicious32dll]

criterionmaster said:

Exactly my point, I hate this crap, what is wrong with DVD's? Do I really need to have anything better for most of my films? Hopefully though, DVD's won't go out like VHS's, people will probably still use them and keep them.

Why wouldnt you want to see the actors pores though? Why?! Its madness I tell you! Madness!

[criterionmaster]

yeah, i will NEVER get rid of any of my DVD's, at least not the good ones. and i will probably not be getting anything different than dvd, but if another format comes along, and they stop making dvd's, then i will probably be forced to do it. or if criterion jumps on another format sometime.

[criterionmaster]

HD DVD Players To Connect to the Internet
source: imdb

Toshiba announced Friday that its latest HD DVD players will be able to access the Internet and download bonus high-definition features. In a statement, Toshiba Digital marketing exec Jodi Sally said that the new enhancement will give studios "the ability to develop new and unique content for movie fans, enabling consumers to have an entirely new way to access entertainment and customize their home movie experience that is currently not available with any other format." Toshiba also noted that some HD DVD discs may include locked prerecorded content that can be unlocked online.

end of article.