The Energon Pub

News Credits: 10 · Sat Jan 05, 2008 1:16 am

Toshiba's HD DVD format was dealt a serious blow today when Warner, a prime supporter of both HD formats, announced that begining in May 08 they will be Blu-Ray exclusive!

I think Warner was responsible for about 1/3 to 1/2 of the total HD DVD releases for HD DVD.

Toshiba has now canceled there HD DVD CES conference in light of this news. This is a huge blow to HD DVD.

You can read more here: http://www.highdefdigest.com/

I was a buyer of both formats, but mainly HD DVD since when I bought a player it was the cheapest format. I also prefer to use a stand alone player over a game system. Now that I have a PS3 I have a small collection of about 20 Blu Ray movies (mostly free ones), but I have about 40 HD DVDs.

I'm thinking of selling all my HD DVDs that also have versions on Blu-Ray, then buying the Blu-Ray versions. I'll keep my HD exclusives until they see Blu-Ray releases.

Do you think this is a nail in the coffin for HD DVD? Could it be the final blow that ends the format war? In a way I'd be glad to have only one HD choice.

News Credits: 668 · Sat Jan 05, 2008 3:49 am

Lapse Of Reason wrote:Toshiba's HD DVD format was dealt a serious blow today when Warner, a prime supporter of both HD formats, announced that begining in May 08 they will be Blu-Ray exclusive!

I think Warner was responsible for about 1/3 to 1/2 of the total HD DVD releases for HD DVD.

Toshiba has now canceled there HD DVD CES conference in light of this news. This is a huge blow to HD DVD.

You can read more here: http://www.highdefdigest.com/

I was a buyer of both formats, but mainly HD DVD since when I bought a player it was the cheapest format. I also prefer to use a stand alone player over a game system. Now that I have a PS3 I have a small collection of about 20 Blu Ray movies (mostly free ones), but I have about 40 HD DVDs.

I'm thinking of selling all my HD DVDs that also have versions on Blu-Ray, then buying the Blu-Ray versions. I'll keep my HD exclusives until they see Blu-Ray releases.

Do you think this is a nail in the coffin for HD DVD? Could it be the final blow that ends the format war? In a way I'd be glad to have only one HD choice.

I was quite shocked to see that myself. I don't know if it's the end of HD-DVD or not, but it looks like it might be. The biggest enemy that HD-DVD has to face is it's own consortium. Oh sure, there's plenty of good movies available on the format, and they have the players available for a good price (considering what they do) but if you want it in a gaming console...it's another $180.00 as an attachment (whereas Sony included it for their prices) and a lot of people won't want to pony up that kind of dough after just spending $400.00.

Not to mention, HD-DVD rom drives are next to impossible to find, not to mention at a premium. Writer drives seem to be absolutely non-existent at this point. Blu-Ray already beat 'em to the punch on both fronts for the PC, and for watching on gaming consoles and the TV. (I'm waiting for a Blu-Ray DVD Recorder for the TV...that'll be one expensive piece of equipment, but it's the next step in the evolution...)

If HD's head honchos had actually worked harder on the hardware and made it available to everyone, in every conceivable format at a low price, whether it was TV, gaming or PC...they'd have mopped the floor up with Blu-Ray.

Further proof that plans can get in the way of progress, especially when the plans are nothing more than pipe dreams that they could've made come true.

Idiots.

I'd jump ship too if I was Warner Brothers or any other company involved. Anyone with any sense would want something to show for their multi-billion dollar investments.

But until I know who's the victor for sure...I'm not buying anything except maybe an upconvert. (I still need the TV though...that's kind of an important part. :p)

Sat Jan 05, 2008 4:04 am

Why though? i dont understand. Its the same thing as having to switch to Digital Tv's or buy Digital TV's by 2009. What about those of us who dont care? HD, Blue Ray, Digital TV ect. I have a Small 20 inch TV; a plain DVD looks fine on my TV and thats all some might need. HD or Blue ray would look no different. It seems like it only matters if you have a HUGE 50 inch Flat Screen TV, and unless your rich, who's gonna buy one?
It's just a way to get us to spend unnecessary money. What about the Lower middle class to poor people. Do they have to Dish out money for Gigantic Flat screen just cuz we have to Switch and upgrade everything? It seems like an arbitrary war.Dont we have bigger concerns like saving the planet?

Sat Jan 05, 2008 4:32 am

Prices of techno gadgets usually goes down with time. And quite fast too.

I hope if ever HD DVD should go down, it won't cause Sony to jack up or hang on to the outrageous pricing of Blu Ray.

News Credits: 767 · Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:16 am

Well blue ray is the more expensive disc cos the production of the discs costs more than for the HD DVD, so I don't see that it's sonys fault in pricing, after all they are a company and a company's objective is to make money.
And Digital, and HD TV's will be as cheap as normal TV's by 2009, the technology advances all the time, just like the production processes, the discs will get cheaper just like the TVs and players, Sony managed to cut there PS3 manufacturing costs at the beginning of 07 by %20, so that they actually started making money with the PS3! Just imagen how much cheaper the stuff will be next year!

Just look at the prices of a HD Tv two years ago and at the prices of today.

Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:28 am

NiteStar wrote:Why though? i dont understand. Its the same thing as having to switch to Digital Tv's or buy Digital TV's by 2009. What about those of us who dont care? HD, Blue Ray, Digital TV ect. I have a Small 20 inch TV; a plain DVD looks fine on my TV and thats all some might need. HD or Blue ray would look no different. It seems like it only matters if you have a HUGE 50 inch Flat Screen TV, and unless your rich, who's gonna buy one?
It's just a way to get us to spend unnecessary money. What about the Lower middle class to poor people. Do they have to Dish out money for Gigantic Flat screen just cuz we have to Switch and upgrade everything? It seems like an arbitrary war.Dont we have bigger concerns like saving the planet?

I have to agree with this statement.

I have two 32 inch analog TVs, an XBox 1, XBox 360, PS2, DirecTV, a second generation Sony DVD player bought back 97/98, a duel deck VCR/DVD combo, and over 600 DVDs. I'm happy with my collection and I have seen nothing that really
makes me want to upgrade.

Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:59 am

I don't any intention (or money) to buy players for either format in the near future, but I'd have prefered HD DVD to make it. Not onlydoes Blu Ray have the stupid region code think, it also gives the USA Japan while Europe gets Africa (I prefer Europe having Japan).

News Credits: 1 · Sun Jan 06, 2008 11:31 am

It certainly does seem like a huge blow to the HD camp but I'm still going to wait a while before I buy any format player, I'd been leaning towards a multi format player but with this news I will wait even longer it's not that big of a deal to me as then I will not be waisting time and money investing in a format that may be gone fairly soon.
For those above that were mentioning there small analog tv's well that's fine if that's what floats your boat as the expression goes but like any piece of technology it will fail at some point and you'll have to get a new tv and it will have to be a digital tv or you will get NO signal at all, yes, I know there are a lot of people that don't mind that as there is a lot of crap on tv because studios and networks are not willing to invest the time much anymore to promote let alone build and develop shows and characters, which often take a year or more and that's being very conservative to me. They like to have the viewers spread it by word of mouth rather than invest the money and do any advertising.
If there shows are not raking in 35 million viewers on its premiere then a good 10-15 per week then the show is yanked off the air and never given any time to develop, it's all about a camera in front of some judges, contestants or dysfunctional family airing their dirty family secrets and this is what they give us, I do not watch any reality programming except for Idols audition rounds as it is mostly pure comedy to watch these people think they can sing and the vast majority of them are just horrible.
I'm done ranting there sorry but it was still part of the general topics above but the format war has only one loser and that is the general dvd consumer and that's you and me.
I thought and maybe it still will be that a multi format player would be the solution because I thought both of them would be around for a couple more years and maybe they still will but now I've decided not to and will wait further.
"All good things come to those who wait" as they say.

News Credits: 1 · Sun Jan 06, 2008 11:38 am

All this fuss over mvoies.
Why can't we have stopped with DVD?
Some people can't afford all this new crap now.

Sun Jan 06, 2008 12:40 pm

Sherade wrote:All this fuss over mvoies.
Why can't we have stopped with DVD?
Some people can't afford all this new crap now.

When the market gets saturated, they'll have no more business.

News Credits: 10 · Sun Jan 06, 2008 1:21 pm

I have both formats plus lots of standard DVDs. High definition movies are far superior and are all I buy now. HD DVDs and Blu-rays often cost the same in the store, so I don't see why some say Blu-rays cost more. They don't. Besides that, you can get them online or through frequent buy-one-get-one-free sales.

I realize that some can't afford the latest technologies and that some can but choose not to. I used to be in the latter category because I was happy with all my DVDs and 32 inch TV. Then I got a 50" TV and I noticed many more of the problems with standard DVD movies. There is a clear difference between standard and high definition.

Sure, this is luxury stuff as as such is not for everyone. I am happy with what I have though.

Warner owns New Line, HBO, and puts out BBC DVDs. Warner said that their subsidiaries have a choice to support either format. As of yesterday, now New Line (ahem Lord of the Rings) has gone over to Blu-ray only.

Mon Jan 07, 2008 12:26 am

I have no plans to go to either Blue Ray or HD DVD until one wins, and even then I have no plans to switch over my DVD collection or fork over the money for a new player until years down the road until it's more affordable for my modest Midwest income. Unless I get that PS3 sooner than I expect...

We have to see what Wal-Mart will do in the future. They will pretty much be the deciding force, much as I hate to admit it. (I hate that company so much.)

News Credits: 1 · Mon Jan 07, 2008 12:49 am

I just have the standard DVD format...I am perfectly happy with it and I have been since DVDs came out. I have no intention to buy Blue Ray anytime soon because there is not much of a market for it yet.

News Credits: 10 · Mon Jan 07, 2008 10:23 pm

You guys do know that an HD DVD or Blu Ray machine will still play your existing DVDs, right? In fact, it will upconvert them to a higher resolution (although still not as good as a HD disc).

Now that I have made the switch, it would be too hard to go back. The difference is comparable to 56K dial-up vs DSL or cable modem service

Tue Jan 08, 2008 5:23 am

The only reason I'm in the Bluy Ray corner is the PS3's ability to play them. My PS3 is used pretty much exclusively for movies now since the only game I like is Ninja Gaiden and you can only take so much of that.

About half of the Blue Rays I own don't even look better than their DVD cousins. I have a 40 inch 1080p HDTV, so that is not an issue. If it is a movie I really want comes out, I'll go with the Blue Ray version. Out of about 10 movies I buy, maybe 1 or 2 will be Blue Ray.

I hope HD DVDs will go the way of the dinosaurs, I really don't want to buy another player. Each new exclusive deal that pops up just adds a few more nails into the HD DVD coffin.

Tue Jan 08, 2008 5:28 am

Personally, I'm sticking with the standard DVD.

Tue Jan 08, 2008 2:33 pm

After this Blu-ray vs HD-DVD war is over. Just close your eyes for a few minutes. And when you open them, there'd be another war. A newer disc format that will render Blu-ray and HD-DVD obsolete. It's never ending.

News Credits: 10 · Tue Jan 08, 2008 7:10 pm

I doubt it will be a disc format unless it is HD and can play on standard DVD players (not gonna happen). The next step would be hi-def digital dowload movies (think mp3 players for movies). Personally I prefer to have an actual product (disc or whatever) when I purchase something, but rumor is downloaded movies are on the horizon (and to some extent already exists).

Tue Jan 08, 2008 8:13 pm

That will call for a development of gargantuan harddisk capacities. In the order of Petabytes.

News Credits: 10 · Tue Jan 08, 2008 11:25 pm

Auto Bot wrote:That will call for a development of gargantuan harddisk capacities. In the order of Petabytes.

It worked for CDs. Besides, you can already buy terrabyte sized hard drives. In a few years, the capacity will be there.

News Credits: 10 · Tue Jan 08, 2008 11:25 pm

This may be a pipe dream, but I think it would be an excellent gesture if Blu-ray (aka BDA) were to offer a mail away disc exchange program for HD DVD owners, assuming that they can exchange for the same title. Maybe even a partial credit towards a Blu Ray player in exchange for an HD DVD player. This would be a nice gesture, and although it would cost them a little up front (but less than a multi-hundredmillion dollar pay off to studios) it would establish an enormous amount of goodwill and positive public relations. Even if Paramount and Universal stay HD DVD, if Blu-ray opened up such a program I think they would clinch the high definition video market.

News Credits: 2 · Thu Jan 10, 2008 2:33 am

i just got a ps3 lastnight but even b4 that i was pro bluray...over all it was a nobrainer on who was gonna win...i work at a blockbuster and just this past week we have has 2 sets of coustomers come in saying they just bought a HD dvd player and wanted to get movies for it...well we all laughed at them and told them that they better of kept the reciepts...hardly anyone has HD anymore for sale or rent...we never did(except like 200 stores in texas areas around) most blockbusters(depends on location) went bluray exclusive in july of this past yr. 1 of the ppl were talked into buying the HB player buy a guy at bestbut lol..hope they can all get their $$ back or their SOL...