Blu-ray Wins!

[Sledgstone 8,672]

http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/12088.html

The next generation DVD format war is over. In the wake of the decision by Wal-Mart, which accounts for roughly 37% of the U.S. DVD market, to carry Blu-ray disks exclusively starting in June, a Toshiba source told Reuters on Saturday that it was ending support for the HD high definition format.

The decision was driven by both retail and supplier losses for HD. Target had already gone to Blu-ray, while Best Buy was now recommending Blu-ray as its "preferred format" and NetFlix had decided to go completely Blu-ray.

Blu-ray was also winning on the supply side--Warner Bros., which had been supporting both formats, had decided to go to Blu-ray only, leaving Paramount, Universal and Dreamworks as the only major studios still supporting HD DVD. But given its immense power in the retail DVD market, it was the decision by Wal-Mart that likely spelled the end of the format war, which has slowed the progress of next generation DVD sales.

As recently as December (see "Both HD Formats Are Here to Stay") it appeared that the two formats would likely be able to continue to co-exist, but the very slow growth in sales of high definition DVDs and players demonstrated conclusively that consumers were going to sit on the sidelines until the format war was over. Add in the difficulty of supporting two formats at retail and it's obvious that there were plenty of incentives for Warner Bros., Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Target to make the market-altering decisions that they did. With sales of regular DVDs leveling off in 2007 and the number of new high definition TVs soaring, the studios are looking to the hi-def arena for growth in the lucrative home video market, so getting over the troublesome two-format hurdle was imperative.

It still remains to be seen if the consumers will find the qualitative difference between regular DVDs and hi-def Blu-ray disks compelling enough to spring for the higher cost Blu-ray players and disks, but it will certainly now be easier for consumers to invest in the hi-def format, since they can be fairly certain that the Blu-ray format won't be going the way of Super-VHS. The studios and the mass market retailers won't be happy if the high definition DVD doesn't expand beyond its current status as a niche market for well-heeled early adopters, but that is the scenario which would probably provide the most opportunity for independent retailers.

Walmart gave the final blow to HD-DVD.

Congrats to sony.

Looks like Microsoft made the wrong decision to back up HD-DVD, guess they'll be removing this product in the near future:

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/x/xbox360hddvdplayer/default.htm

[Myk JL 1,731]

This only makes me want a PS3 more than kind of. Besides Microsoft couldn't back Blu-Ray even if it wanted to because Blu-Ray is made by Sony.

[Dubird 6,815]

wait, so now i have to buy yet another player? *grrrrrrr* I don't care about HD!

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

lolz. That is why I never bothered with the HD-DVD Drive. MS did speak of supporting Blu-Ray if it became the format of choice. I don't know how that would work, but if it was possible, I'd imagine it would involve paying higher royalties to Sony than the usual customer.

Or MS can do what they've always seem to beable to do... Make their own.

[HKofsesshoumaru 673]

I never bothered with HD DVD I just jumped to blue ray and got the PS3 .

I remember when DVDs came out. I was in a Walmart and they were showing it off on the screens in the electronic department. I thought that was amazing. They just keep outdoing themselves.

[Dubird 6,815]

i never bought an HD DVD either....i've only owned a DVD player for about two years now....not counting the one on my computer that is....

[gokuDX7 2,871]

There's already rumors that Microsoft is making a blue-ray add-on for Xbox 360.

As for the HD-DVD vs Blue Ray war.....I couldn't care less. Whichever format is dubbed "the new standard" will be a major upgrade from DVD's so I don't really have an opinion about what one is better.

Oh a side note, people that bought an HD-DVD player early will be please to find all the media drop in price like crazy . So if you have one it would probably be wise to go mass buy all the blank HD-DVD disks you can get and movies that where released on the platform. Just because the format might loose doesn't mean you have to stop using it .

[Dubird 6,815]

ok, there must be something wrong with me because i don't see a need to go beyond DVD. I've seen movies and games in HD and Blueray, on devices made for it, and I can't really see a difference unless I get really close to the screen. And even then, it's not a big enough difference that I care. I'm perfectly happy with regular DVDs and I'm annoyed that if I want to buy new movies after a while, I'll have to buy a new, more expensive player and probally pay more for the discs. It kinda ticks me off, to be honest.

[gokuDX7 2,871]

ok, there must be something wrong with me because i don't see a need to go beyond DVD. I've seen movies and games in HD and Blueray, on devices made for it, and I can't really see a difference unless I get really close to the screen. And even then, it's not a big enough difference that I care. I'm perfectly happy with regular DVDs and I'm annoyed that if I want to buy new movies after a while, I'll have to buy a new, more expensive player and probally pay more for the discs. It kinda ticks me off, to be honest.

Personally the only reason why I welcome something new is because of the increase in space that will be offered. I blow through CD's and DVDs like there nothing when burning content. As for the visual change, there is a change if you have an HD TV but its not really that special unless your someone that goes nuts for stuff like that. I personally favor watching movies over the PC or in the movie theater though. Everyone has their own preference so I'm sure people are praising god right now because of the change lol.

[Myk JL 1,731]

I wouldn't mind if it meant they could put 25-50+ Anime episodes on a disc... It would make some show hopefully easier to buy... Although some how I think they'll find a way to screw the fans over & still put as many as they do on a regular DVD...

[gokuDX7 2,871]

I wouldn't mind if it meant they could put 25-50+ Anime episodes on a disc... It would make some show hopefully easier to buy... Although some how I think they'll find a way to screw the fans over & still put as many as they do on a regular DVD...

and charge more since the format will be more expensive to buy .

[Pchan 5,162]

I don't see what benefit is there beyond the print or quality of the DVD versus the Blue-Ray or HD, like Dubie mentioned. I don't mind the space, it'll kill me to get/ buy a separate player just to play em instead X'D. As it is, the price of a regular original DVD is pretty high.

[Kite 3,263]

who needs a HD drive with a 24mb home internet connestion ;p

grats to blu-ray

my work only stocked blu ray

[Vincent 2,861]

w00t! Blu-Ray wins and Sony discontinues it's backwards-compatible PS3s. Looks like i jumped on just in time

[Wardog 100]

I'm glad blu ray won. 1080p > 1080i

[Sledgstone 8,672]

w00t! Blu-Ray wins and Sony discontinues it's backwards-compatible PS3s. Looks like i jumped on just in time

I backwards compatibility. *kicks sony*

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

Sony did not discontinue its Backwards Compatibility. It only did so for its lower model. The 80 gig was discontinued because there is a 180gig or some where around that, coming out to rival 360 Elite. If these hard drives keep getting larger and larger, you will see an end to B/C all together on all platforms, as you will have to re-buy them in an online store.

[Vincent 2,861]

I think it's a 120gb hard drive.....but still, no more backwards compatibility for now at least

[Kite 3,263]

Sony did not discontinue its Backwards Compatibility. It only did so for its lower model. The 80 gig was discontinued because there is a 180gig or some where around that, coming out to rival 360 Elite. If these hard drives keep getting larger and larger, you will see an end to B/C all together on all platforms, as you will have to re-buy them in an online store.

the 60GB console (the highest HD in the uk) had poor B/C (less then 1/8 games)

and now the 40GB doesnt have it at all,

what a waste of great old games

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

thats pretty rough. There were minor problems with the 60 gig in the US, but most the games that wouldn't work were the lesser known games, others had messed up sound or graphics on certain parts. all my PS2 games work great, My ps3 is from the very first batch. I think it has a PS2 chip in it, Europe might have received the first attempt at the emulator.

Really thought, Is it that big of a problem for people to keep the PS1, PS2, and Xbox if they want to play their old games that bad? Maybe its just me, people keep their NES and Atari. B/C is nice and all, but when it comes down to it, no one pays $600 just to play there last gen games on a new machine designed for the next step in gaming. B/C is just a small part of the reason. This was the factor taken into consideration, and to cut price, they sacrificed it. You're lucky to get $25 in store credit off a PS2 anyways. might as well keep it.

[gokuDX7 2,871]

most people did the swap deal when PS3 was coming out (ie. Trade in your PS2 for $100/$50 off when buying a PS3). The deal is obviously gone now but that's normally why people don't keep their systems anymore. because they want to trade them in to get a better deal.

Yay for PC emulation. I can play all my PS1 and 2 games on my PC with better support then the PS3 gives lol. Have no plans of buying a PS3 though.

[Kite 3,263]

anyone know where i can get a ps1 emulator for my pc, and the game suikoden 2 (greatest rpg ever)

US uses NTSC, and europe uses PAL

something in the convesion ment we lost b/c to a lota games, god of war 2 apparantly didnt play.

we only had 60GB, then that was discontinued and we got 40gb

on launch the 60gb cost £425 ($838) now discontinued, and currently the 40gb console is £300 ($592)

not sure how these prices are in the usa, but thats a lota money considering we cant play our old games, and apparantly Blu-Ray players need a software update to play new BR-DVD, not sure if the ps3 software can be updated

Also we got the ps3 so late compared to the US, makes me feel like a second class customer, so i just didnt buy one, i was going to get a xb360 instead, but decided im better off with my PC getting a new graphics card and another GB of RAM