Hd-dvd

[Patrick Shannon]

Well, HD-DVD players and movies are out in the US now. Granted there's a lot of argument against it considering the format war with Blu-Ray, but that's not what I want to talk about. Typical designer to complain about something like I'm going to...

http://www.dvd-recordable.org/wwwimgs/media/hddvdlog.gif

Is is just me, or does this HD-DVD logo looks like it was just crapped out? Both the HD part and the "swooshes" (don't get us started again on this) look extremely tacked on.

What I personally would have done is this: you know how on some DVD logos they have an extra box underneath the DVD (like DVD "Video" or whatever)? I would have done something similar with just putting HD or High Definition above it.

[ecsyle]

That HDDVD is, apparently, really fast.

It does look crapped out.

[Jason Fraker]

Now, do they think anyone will actually buy this?

[captain spanky]

i bet it was a middle-manager designed logo... :D

[Rocketpig]

I predict that both BluRay and HDDVD will fail. The market simply isn't ready for them.

If they don't fail, they will barely hang on for five years or so until customers are ready to upgrade again.

DVDs are still too new and 95% of people don't even have HDTVs that will support the highest resolutions in these formats.

They're doing their best to drive customers away in droves.

[captain spanky]

agreed.. i've only just started to be able to begin a dvd collection (replacing everything i already had on video)... i don't wanna have to start over again on bloody hddvd... :(

[ecsyle]

I predict that both BluRay and HDDVD will fail. The market simply isn't ready for them.

If they don't fail, they will barely hang on for five years or so until customers are ready to upgrade again.

DVDs are still too new and 95% of people don't even have HDTVs that will support the highest resolutions in these formats.

They're doing their best to drive customers away in droves.
agreed.

The move from VHS to DVD wasn't about better picture quality. It was about getting all the extras, smaller footprint, and the "wow, a movie on a 'cd'" effect. HD-DVD offers a better resolution, if you have spent thousands on the proper equipment.

[captain spanky]

agreed.

The move from VHS to DVD wasn't about better picture quality....

well it was a little bit... you can't wear out a dvd like you can a video... believe me.. i've worn out 2 sets of breakfast club and blues brothers.. :D lol

[Patrick Shannon]

Actually, I'm going to say that one of these formats will succeed...eventually. The one thing that high definition DVD has going for it is that the players are supposed to be backwards compatible with regular DVD. This way, people can continue to use the DVDs they always had and buy new movies on HD-DVD. In addition, more and more people are looking at and buying high definition TV sets. This is going to take quite some time, though...and the adoption rate will not be as fast as DVD.

As someone else said, DVD is still perfectly fine for most people's needs and it's not long in the tooth, unlike VHS was when DVD was introduced.

I ultimately see Blu-Ray failing, because of two things. One, the average joe will look at the name "HD-DVD" and instantly identify that with being the next evolution of DVD, and then look at "Blu-Ray" and wonder "what the hell is that?" Also, Sony has a horrible record for establishing standards through their proprietary formats (Beta, Mini Disc, UMD...)

[Rocketpig]

Actually, I'm going to say that one of these formats will succeed...eventually. The one thing that high definition DVD has going for it is that the players are supposed to be backwards compatible with regular DVD. This way, people can continue to use the DVDs they always had and buy new movies on HD-DVD. In addition, more and more people are looking at and buying high definition TV sets. This is going to take quite some time, though...and the adoption rate will not be as fast as DVD.

As someone else said, DVD is still perfectly fine for most people's needs and it's not long in the tooth, unlike VHS was when DVD was introduced.

I ultimately see Blu-Ray failing, because of two things. One, the average joe will look at the name "HD-DVD" and instantly identify that with being the next evolution of DVD, and then look at "Blu-Ray" and wonder "what the hell is that?" Also, Sony has a horrible record for establishing standards through their proprietary formats (Beta, Mini Disc, UMD...)

If one of them succeeds, I think it will take years for it to do so.

We won't see the extremely fast transition that we saw with DVD (five years in with very good market saturation) because people simply won't see the need for it because it requires three things for it to work better than DVD:

1. An HDTV (and a newer one to boot, mine will only display 1080i, not 1080p).
2. A Blu Ray or HDDVD player.
3. A good selection of movies.

A few things are hindering this from taking off. First, HDTVs are still expensive. Second, the fact that there is a format war between Blu Ray and HDDVD will keep customers away until a clear winner is established. With movie studios split between the two formats, we probably won't see a clearcut winner for quite some time.

But, all in all, I like HDDVDs chances better.

[Jason Fraker]

Well, the last time someone tried a new format of DVD, it was PSP and I think they've succeeded. Since Patrick mentioned the backward compatibility, I've found new faith in this format. It'll probably find its mark eventually, but only one of these will win, and it'll probably be HDDVD, even though blu-ray is a way cooler name.

[Patrick Shannon]

Are you talking about UMD movies? Those are actually failing, several movie studio such as Universal and Image have dropped the format completely, and Warner, Paramount and Sony (!) are cutting back their movie releases due to disappointing sales. It's also said that WalMart is highly considering dropping their UMD section.

What was interesting is that UMD was succeeding...at first. I think the reason for this is that the PSP really didn't have much going for it at release and people bought the movies to have something to use their PSPs with. From there, it seemed like UMD movies literally flooded the market in overkill. But now, with the PSP is starting to get some really good titles, movies don't get as much attention, especially since the DVDs cost either the same or cheaper....not to mention it's not hard to rip the DVD movies to MP4 format and put them on a PSP memory card.

Sony has stated that they're going to try and improve their PSP to TV connectivity, but is there any point to that? The UMDs look fine on a small screen, but I'm sure something that compressed onto a 1.8GB disc will look like ass on a big screen. Chasing people to buy the DVDs instead yet again.

[reuber1]

When I was working at Target, you would not BELIEVE the number of people who bitched about us not carrying VHS tapes. I actually called security on one guy because he flipped out to the point where I thought he was going to attack me. He said "NOT EVERYONE HAS A DVD PLAYER GODDAMMIT!!!" Tons of people were buying cheap VCRs still, most only looking at the $40 cyberhome DVD players and wondering why it was such a piece of shit. I would have someone ask me what the difference was between the Cyberhome and the Toshiba, and they basically answer themselves and say "Just the name on the box, huh?" People are cheap. A lot of people are still regular DVD virgins.

And from what I heard I thought UMD's aren't going to be made anymore. $30 for a movie you already own that can only be played on a PSP? F'ck that.

[reuber1]

Oh, and the logo basically looks like the original DVD logo with a hard-on.

[Rocketpig]

Well, the last time someone tried a new format of DVD, it was PSP and I think they've succeeded. Since Patrick mentioned the backward compatibility, I've found new faith in this format. It'll probably find its mark eventually, but only one of these will win, and it'll probably be HDDVD, even though blu-ray is a way cooler name.

Actually, UMD (the movie disk format for the PSP) is failing miserably and studios have largely stopped making movies using those disks.

[Mynock]

Sony is hitching it's trailer to Blu-Wave with the PS3. I'm going to vote Blu-Wave.

[rikbarwick]

I predict that both BluRay and HDDVD will fail. The market simply isn't ready for them.


Rubbish, With Apple putting BluRay in their new macs in the next year or so do you really thin they would fail, the competition between the two is going to be interesting but it will not fail, too much investment! Also what happens to PS3 and Xbox 360?

[Rocketpig]

Rubbish, With Apple putting BluRay in their new macs in the next year or so do you really thin they would fail, the competition between the two is going to be interesting but it will not fail, too much investment! Also what happens to PS3 and Xbox 360?

Wha? Okay, a few things:

1. Look at Sony's track record with proprietary formats (beta, MiniDisc, UMD). They have yet to make one that has thrived in the marketplace.

2. Where has Apple said that they are going to start putting Blu-Ray readers in their computers? They signed on the Blu-Ray bandwagon but so far have done NOTHING to indicate when, where, or how they are going to implement the technology. At this point since there are no burners that are affordable/small/available, the technology is completely useless because there aren't any concrete plans by anyone (other than Sony) to start releasing media using the disks.

3. What does the XBOX 360 have to do with this conversation?

[Patrick Shannon]

I guess it's that the XBox is getting a HD-DVD addon...which if you already paid for a 360 for games anyway, might be an inexpensive way to get into the HD DVD market depending on the drive's cost.

I was just reading on IGN that one studio is releasing a DVD / HD-DVD hybrid disc, works in all DVD players on one side, and HD-DVD on the other. Although the disc is $10 more than the stand alone HD-DVD (which is already $30), this is an interesting idea when the prices come down.

[Rocketpig]

I was just reading on IGN that one studio is releasing a DVD / HD-DVD hybrid disc, works in all DVD players on one side, and HD-DVD on the other. Although the disc is $10 more than the stand alone HD-DVD (which is already $30), this is an interesting idea when the prices come down.

That's one of the main reasons I think HDDVD has the advantage.

Every disc should come that way if they want the format to succeed.