Sound Advice: HD DVD leaves Blu-ray in the dust

**bruceames** · 11-10-2007, 03:19 PM

The press just keeps getting better and better for HD DVD

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07314/832733-96.stm

Quote:

Saturday, November 10, 2007
By Don Lindich

Q: Do you have a preference between HD DVD and Blu-ray? --
RHETT ELTON,
Seattle

A: I enthusiastically recommend HD DVD because it's a better product and a better proposition for consumers. Signs are showing it is going to trounce Blu-ray, and soon. Surprised? Read on.
For those looking for a single sentence explaining why go with HD DVD: It's a better thought-out, more solid product than Blu-ray, it is half the price, and picture and sound quality are identical. At less than $200 including seven or more movies, HD DVD players are a stunning value. Why pay twice the money when Blu-ray has serious issues and the movies look and sound the same?
I smile when I see people buying HD DVD players based on bargain pricing, because they are unknowingly getting the Ferrari as well! Despite its purported superiority and much higher cost, Blu-ray is the emperor with no clothes. HD DVD has been superior since day one.

HD DVD has delivered as promised from the start, receiving critical acclaim for its spectacular picture and stunning sound. Hundreds of great movies are available, with more added every week. Check out amazon.com to see the wide, varied selection.

On the other hand, at launch Blu-ray's picture quality was horrible, generating barbs such as "needs to go to the scrap heap" and "who in their right mind would ever like this?" Though they have since closed the picture quality gap, almost all Blu-ray player models announced or existing are already obsolete. They conform to an early player profile that does not support upcoming disc features. Profiles should have been finalized before product launch! Blu-ray's record has been spotty at best, and if you say it sounds like they have been fixing it as they go along, I'd say you are right.

In the words of video industry legend Joe Kane, "Blu-ray is all about greed." Though a poor value, many retailers push Blu-ray because of the higher price and higher margin. It's easy to debunk Blu-ray's purported advantages:

• "More studios support Blu-ray, including Disney ... no 'Cars' or 'Pirates' on HD DVD." Well, HD DVD has plenty of exclusive support, too, and has never lost a studio. Conversely, Paramount and DreamWorks recently abandoned Blu-ray for HD DVD, calling it "the affordable, high quality choice." So, no 'Star Trek' or 'Shrek' for Blu-ray. The answer for either camp is to get the regular DVD if you can't get the HD version.

• "Blu-ray discs have higher capacity." Another nonissue as HD DVD has enough to do the job. Plus, expensive new equipment is needed to manufacture Blu-ray discs. Existing DVD factories need little modification to press HD DVDs, meaning lower costs from movie studio to consumer.

• "More Blu-ray players have been sold and more companies make them." Well, almost all of the "Blu-ray players" sold so far are Playstation 3 game consoles that happen to have a Blu-ray drive in them. Many, if not most of them, are used solely as game machines. HD DVD has the lead in stand-alone players. As for more manufacturers, what's the difference if there are one or 10 obsolete, expensive Blu-ray models on the market?

• "Blu-ray will win because it has sold more movies to date." Another nonissue because even combined, Blu-ray and HD DVD disc sales are an infinitesimal piece of the DVD pie, a few grains of sand in a sandbox. Blu-ray's tiny numerical lead will be obliterated soon anyway because kingmaker Wal-Mart has embraced HD DVD. In early November, Wal-Mart placed HD DVD ads on primetime TV and ran a promotion estimated to have sold well over 50,000 players in a single day. Other retailers showed increased HD DVD player sales in Wal-Mart's wake, with the events making national news.

For more, read the prophetic "Blu-ray: Can it survive?" at www.projectorcentral.com/blu-ray_2.htm. Dated July 14, 2006, it is right on the money!

With the premium offering at a lower price, DreamWorks and Paramount's abandonment of Blu-ray, and support from extremely powerful places, HD DVD, with its growing momentum, is showing signs of turning into a tidal wave this holiday season.

I know consumers are smart enough to see which way to go, and they're going to love their choice. Nice to get the best for half the price, isn't it?

crazyal · 11-10-2007, 03:54 PM

Now we just need honest sales people who don't have a favorite format they are pushing.

**bruceames** · 11-10-2007, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazyal

Now we just need honest sales people who don't have a favorite format they are pushing.

Yeah, it's pretty fanboyish, but I posted it because I guess it would be in the Pittsburg newspaper, wouldn't it? Any good press for HD DVD is fine by me. Anyway, I didn't notice any falsehoods in the article...

Lee Stewart · 11-10-2007, 05:19 PM

Good article - hit all the important points.

crazyal · 11-10-2007, 05:20 PM

I was talking about the sales people who have decided that they know what format is best and try to sell it as a perfect fit to anybody who walks though the door. The writer does seam to be pro HD DVD, at this point in time I don't think anyone who knows about the formats doesn't favor one side or the other. It is nice to see more and more people are not getting caught up in the technical advancements that were passed off as real world benifits.

Seabreeze · 11-10-2007, 05:38 PM

Well I am confused as ever! You say HD/DVD, where as a hundred others say Blu-Ray.... Why? Because it's 1080P uncompressed, whatever that means..... I have also read opinions that the PQ is better.... That the players up-convert SD DVD's better. And there is more space on a Blu Ray DVD Disc...... Something also about 24P...

I just bought a Sony 300BD ..... and haven't even opened it yet! I can take it back, but convince me to.....

Thanks

DKwhite · 11-10-2007, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seabreeze

Well I am confused as ever! You say HD/DVD, where as a hundred others say Blu-Ray.... Why? Because it's 1080P uncompressed, whatever that means.....

That's a good question, what does that mean? Because the video on both formats by necessity have to be compressed, and will always have to be compressed until companies come up with disks that can hold terrabytes of data.

Quote:

I have also read opinions that the PQ is better.... That the players up-convert SD DVD's better. And there is more space on a Blu Ray DVD Disc...... Something also about 24P...

They're opinions. It's all debatable (and highly so). The PQ/Upconverting etc, are equal on both formats. HD-DVD also handles the 24p.

Quote:

I just bought a Sony 300BD ..... and haven't even opened it yet! I can take it back, but convince me to.....

Thanks

Up to you really, How comfortable are you with the kind of money you spent for that player compared to the savings of HD-DVD? If you're ok with it, then stick with it.

BTW, Is that player profile 1.1 or will it not be able to play the extra features when the 1.1 disks start showing up in the marketplace?

neal77 · 11-10-2007, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seabreeze

Well I am confused as ever! You say HD/DVD, where as a hundred others say Blu-Ray.... Why? Because it's 1080P uncompressed, whatever that means..... I have also read opinions that the PQ is better.... That the players up-convert SD DVD's better. And there is more space on a Blu Ray DVD Disc...... Something also about 24P...

I just bought a Sony 300BD ..... and haven't even opened it yet! I can take it back, but convince me to.....

Thanks

Everything in the Article is correct and the player you just bought will not be able to play all the features that will be coming out on bluray next year when the new profile comes out. HD DVD has finished specs so whatever features they come out with all HD DVD players will be able to play them. PQ and SQ are the same on both formats so it's a matter of what movies do you like the best and what format are they on.
Anyone who tells you that a DVD player can play HD movies as well as and HD player doesn't know what they are talking about. If you look around on here Lee posted some pics of HD and upconvert. You can tell the diffenence in PQ.

Lee Stewart · 11-10-2007, 06:30 PM

HD DVD is supported by:

Paramount
Dreamworks Animation
Universal
Warner bros.

BD is supported

Sony/Columbia
Disney
MGM
Lionsgate
20th Century Fox
Warner bros.

So what are your favorite movies? Do you have a top 20 that you would like to buy in HD?

Match the movies to the studios then decide which format you will support.

Or just buy an HD DVD player for less than $200 and be format neutral and the hell with the format war.

v1001 · 11-10-2007, 06:48 PM

Think of how many more movies you could buy with the money you save with HD-DVD. Like 10 more movies. Plus the 7 free ones. That's 17 movies

Super XP · 11-10-2007, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seabreeze

Well I am confused as ever! You say HD/DVD, where as a hundred others say Blu-Ray.... Why? Because it's 1080P uncompressed, whatever that means..... I have also read opinions that the PQ is better.... That the players up-convert SD DVD's better. And there is more space on a Blu Ray DVD Disc...... Something also about 24P...

I just bought a Sony 300BD ..... and haven't even opened it yet! I can take it back, but convince me to.....

Thanks

HD DVD players costs cheaper.
HD DVD does full 1080p, so this Blu-Ray does 1080p uncompressed is complete nonsense.
HD DVD players "Up-Converts" SD DVD's Better then Blu-Ray. Don't know who told you that BD does it better?????
HD DVD players are completely compatible with past, present & future HD DVD movies.
Blu-Ray's players are a complete mess with different profiles, most of them not being compatible with future movies.
HD DVD players support TrueHD (Mandatory) BD does not. etc

Lyris · 11-10-2007, 07:23 PM

Some good points, but:

Quote:

• "Blu-ray discs have higher capacity." Another nonissue as HD DVD has enough to do the job. Plus, expensive new equipment is needed to manufacture Blu-ray discs. Existing DVD factories need little modification to press HD DVDs, meaning lower costs from movie studio to consumer.

Why haven't consumers been seeing these savings yet? Aren't most HD DVDs the same (or in the case of combos, higher) price as BDs?

Lee Stewart · 11-10-2007, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lyris

Some good points, but:

Why haven't consumers been seeing these savings yet? Aren't most HD DVDs the same (or in the case of combos, higher) price as BDs?

You have to ask?

Greed . . . the studios are famous for it!

Cygnus · 11-10-2007, 08:00 PM

As others have stated. Take it back and get the HD-DVD (A2 or A3) player. It makes no sense that Best Buy is pushing that BR crap to the uninformed masses. A friend of mine went thru the same thing when she bought her HDTV the other day. After selecting the HDTV, the rep said something like, you will need one of these players to watch HD movies. Just days earlier I told her what to buy, a toshiba HD-DVD player. She even wrote it down to make sure since she knew she was clueless about electronics... esp since she told me she wanted one that also played VHS tapes (e.g. a double decker)

After she told him she wanted HD-DVD he said something to the effect "good choice".

Other consumers also told her that she made the right decision. IMHO toshiba should do something about BB employees pushing BR so hard.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seabreeze

I just bought a Sony 300BD ..... and haven't even opened it yet! I can take it back, but convince me to.....

so n so · 11-10-2007, 10:00 PM

As it stands right now I think that Blu Ray is winning. I do believe HD DVD has momentum on its side.

Playstation 3 is not a mute point. PS3 at $399 going into the holidays packages with a Blu Ray has potential for a big impact.

As it stands, Blu Ray is selling more software. I am comparing Blu to HD DVD, not DVD's.

When HD DVD catches up with Blu in software sales, I will consider buyng another one (sold my old one). Until then I have to go with Blu because I feel like right now I am winning... must mention Disney, Fox, Sony, and Warner Bros is a better line up than Universal, Paramount, and Warner Bros in my opinion.

By the way, did you catch the 11/10/07 Best Buy weekly ad

11-10-2007, 03:54 PM	#2
crazyal Smarter than the ave bear Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3,312	Now we just need honest sales people who don't have a favorite format they are pushing. __________________ Please don't feed the Unicorns

11-10-2007, 05:20 PM	#5
crazyal Smarter than the ave bear Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3,312	I was talking about the sales people who have decided that they know what format is best and try to sell it as a perfect fit to anybody who walks though the door. The writer does seam to be pro HD DVD, at this point in time I don't think anyone who knows about the formats doesn't favor one side or the other. It is nice to see more and more people are not getting caught up in the technical advancements that were passed off as real world benifits. __________________ Please don't feed the Unicorns

11-10-2007, 10:00 PM	#15
so n so HDDVD to neutral, now Blu Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 85	As it stands right now I think that Blu Ray is winning. I do believe HD DVD has momentum on its side. Playstation 3 is not a mute point. PS3 at $399 going into the holidays packages with a Blu Ray has potential for a big impact. As it stands, Blu Ray is selling more software. I am comparing Blu to HD DVD, not DVD's. When HD DVD catches up with Blu in software sales, I will consider buyng another one (sold my old one). Until then I have to go with Blu because I feel like right now I am winning... must mention Disney, Fox, Sony, and Warner Bros is a better line up than Universal, Paramount, and Warner Bros in my opinion. By the way, did you catch the 11/10/07 Best Buy weekly ad __________________ 32" XBR4 Sony Bravia (for bedroom!) -720p (remember 32" TV!) -120 Hz! -8000:1 contrast ratio -24p PS3: 22 Blu Ray titles. no HD DVD player anymore, sold it: 9 HDDVD titles Last edited by so n so; 11-10-2007 at 10:04 PM.

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11-10-2007, 05:19 PM	#4
Lee Stewart Behold - the future! Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Albuquerque, NM Age: 58 Posts: 25,190	Good article - hit all the important points.

11-10-2007, 05:38 PM	#6
Seabreeze High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 105	Well I am confused as ever! You say HD/DVD, where as a hundred others say Blu-Ray.... Why? Because it's 1080P uncompressed, whatever that means..... I have also read opinions that the PQ is better.... That the players up-convert SD DVD's better. And there is more space on a Blu Ray DVD Disc...... Something also about 24P... I just bought a Sony 300BD ..... and haven't even opened it yet! I can take it back, but convince me to..... Thanks

11-10-2007, 06:30 PM	#9
Lee Stewart Behold - the future! Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Albuquerque, NM Age: 58 Posts: 25,190	HD DVD is supported by: Paramount Dreamworks Animation Universal Warner bros. BD is supported Sony/Columbia Disney MGM Lionsgate 20th Century Fox Warner bros. So what are your favorite movies? Do you have a top 20 that you would like to buy in HD? Match the movies to the studios then decide which format you will support. Or just buy an HD DVD player for less than $200 and be format neutral and the hell with the format war.

11-10-2007, 06:48 PM	#10
v1001 High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 118	Think of how many more movies you could buy with the money you save with HD-DVD. Like 10 more movies. Plus the 7 free ones. That's 17 movies