HD-DVD/Blu-Ray Format War Back On

[clayj]

Well, this sucks. Basically, Sony (Blu-Ray) and Toshiba (HD-DVD) came to an impasse regarding how far into the DVD's structure the data should be encoded... Sony wants to use 0.1 mm below the surface, which would allow for greater data density, but Toshiba wants to continue to use 0.6 mm, which would allow for everyone to use the current DVD fabrication process (and which is also better if your DVD gets scratched; Sony's proposal would result in more fragile DVDs). It sounds like all hope for a format consolidation may now be gone.

Dammit.

 

[dotdotdot]

Sony is using Blu-Ray no matter what in the PS3 (or was it HD-DVD? Sony's format!)

 

[clayj]

Sony is using Blu-Ray no matter what in the PS3 (or was it HD-DVD? Sony's format!)

Sony is Blu-Ray.

The problem with a format war is that we end up with crap like this... a Sony PS3 that won't play HD-DVD discs, an Apple DVD drive that won't play HD-DVD, PCs with HD-DVD drives but no Blu-Ray support, DVD movies that won't play everywhere, etc. The genius of DVD (the current standard) is that EVERYONE supports it, so any movie you buy on DVD will play in any DVD player or DVD drive.

Hopefully someone powerful (the movie industry, maybe) will realize that a format war is not what anyone needs, and will ultimately cause the downfall of DVD (replaced by downloads).

 

[dotdotdot]

I think the whole thing is stupid - If it ain't broke, don't fix it - DVD is a very popular standard, everyone uses it. Just improve on the DVD - try making more space. It doesnt need to be a stupid format war.

What happens in like 10 years when people have DVDs? They will be obsolete?

VHS seems like the last good standard - its common and everyone likes it/can play it.

DVD should be but no one is happy with it! Make a DVD with 40 GB instead of a new "standard" that will become obsolete in a year or two. Who wants a PS3 and mac that can play something a PC cant and no computer/video game system can play a regular DVD?

There should be a petition to stop the format war - how can someone improve the quality of a DVD???

 

[clayj]

I think the whole thing is stupid - If it ain't broke, don't fix it - DVD is a very popular standard, everyone uses it. Just improve on the DVD - try making more space. It doesnt need to be a stupid format war.

What happens in like 10 years when people have DVDs? They will be obsolete?

VHS seems like the last good standard - its common and everyone likes it/can play it.

DVD should be but no one is happy with it! Make a DVD with 40 GB instead of a new "standard" that will become obsolete in a year or two. Who wants a PS3 and mac that can play something a PC cant and no computer/video game system can play a regular DVD?

There should be a petition to stop the format war - how can someone improve the quality of a DVD???

Current DVD technology can't store a full-length movie in HD (720p or 1080i), because of the inherent limits of the technology. 8.5 GB is as good as it gets on current dual-layer (DVD 18) DVDs. That's why we need a new format.

The problem comes in when different companies approach how to do this using different philosophies. HD-DVD is designed to use existing DVD fabrication technology, which will save DVD manufacturers money and will make it easier to produce HD-DVD players and drives. Blu-Ray is more cutting edge, but will be more expensive for EVERYONE. Unfortunately, we consumers end up taking the brunt of this, because we have to worry about whether the things we buy (players, drives, movies, blank media, etc.) will work with everything else we buy.

Sadly, these large corporations are run by individuals with huge egos who don't understand that compromise is sometimes necessary.

 

[superbovine]

Sadly, these large corporations are run by individuals with huge egos who don't understand that compromise is sometimes necessary.

Toshiba's top negotiator, Yoshihide Fujii, told the Japanese newspaper Nihon Keizai, "Unifying the formats based on 0.1 mm would be extremely difficult at this stage."

I think that is diplomatic talk. It is not that they have big egos and don't understand that compromise is needed. they know that. they are also are publically traded corporation with a fiduciary duty to make the most money for the company. they also know how to play the game. cutting off talks, and talking to the press puts sony in check, and the ball in their court. in other words, talking to the press and saying "Unifying the formats based on 0.1 mm..." is diplomatic speak for: "in order to make this work we want...". In order for sony to go along with this they need something in return which would mean some of their technology in the design. The dilemma is i think sony really wants 0.6, so they might gamble and try to wait. I don't think it over because both sides have more to gain under a unified standard with shared techolongy licensed in all future dvd players.

There should be a petition to stop the format war - how can someone improve the quality of a DVD???

The only way a petition would work is if it hurt their image or caused share holders to get pissed. neither would happen in this case. the average person doesn't know enough about this to actually care. most share holders want their respective company to get the standard because the perception on the street would mean they would make more money. this isn't about making what is best for us. this is about the most money for the companies.

 

[TimV]

DVD should be but no one is happy with it! Make a DVD with 40 GB instead of a new "standard" that will become obsolete in a year or two.

DVDs can't be made made to hold 40GB, just like CDs can't hold more than 700MB. The technologies are limited. This is why we need a newer format if we wan to be able to watch movies in Hi-Def.

HD-DVD is designed to use existing DVD fabrication technology, which will save DVD manufacturers money and will make it easier to produce HD-DVD players and drives. Blu-Ray is more cutting edge, but will be more expensive for EVERYONE.

The cost savings for HD-DVD are short-term only as it allows existing fabs to be converted for production. Blu-Ray will require new fabs, but after the first year or two it will be just as cheap to produce as HD-DVD since the fabs will be up and running.

 

[dejo]

VHS seems like the last good standard - its common and everyone likes it/can play it.

Do you not remember the VHS/Beta format war?

 

[clayj]

Do you not remember the VHS/Beta format war?

No kidding. And in that war, there were two formats that each had distinct advantages (Betamax = better picture quality, VHS = greater recording time), and ultimately it came down to which was marketed better (VHS was led by JVC, and Sony dropped the ball big time). A LOT of people were burned by that format war; that's why we don't need another.