DVD Format War

Which high def DVD format do you support?

  • Blu-ray

    Votes: 1 7.1%
  • HD DVD

    Votes: 1 7.1%
  • I am waiting until a clear winner emerges

    Votes: 12 85.7%

  • Total voters
    14

tourdeforce

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Have you purchased a high definition DVD player yet or decided which format you will be supporting?
 

kristie911

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I refuse to buy either one until I absolutely have to...I still like my VHS tapes and the few DVD's I actually have bought. I'm not getting sucked into a new format...besides, I don't have a hi-def TV so what's the point?
 

Bravo

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Sony is behind blu-ray, no? It's doomed to failure.

that pretty much sums it up.

but im still going to wait till i absolutely need to get it as well.

this change seems too soon.
 

maestrowork

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I voted for HD-DVD because that's what I have and Microsoft is behind it, but I think Blu-Ray may be winning out.

But I agree, I hate Sony's proprietary crap. So I am kind of boycotting Blu-Ray.


But why not both? There are players that play both formats now, and they're not that expensive.
 

Duncan J Macdonald

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But why not both? There are players that play both formats now, and they're not that expensive.
There's only one that I'm aware of, and that one is a Blu-Ray player with added HD capability, but not the full suite of HD add-ons. Also, last time I looked, $1200.00 was out of the "not that expensive" category on the high side.

It is actually cheaper to hunt the sales and on-line price breaks and buy individual machines than to buy the LG unit.
 

maestrowork

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True... but I can't believe Casino Royale wasn't released on HD-DVD, only on Blu-Ray! Bastard.

Blu-Ray is now selling 2:1 to HD-DVD; so unless they start pumping out more goodies and people start buying, Sony is having an upper hand.
 

Shadow_Ferret

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I just joined the DVD generation a few years ago when we bought my son an X-Box (first generation). You've got to be joking if you think I'm going to running out to make a format decision like this. I'll wait until the dust clears, like I did with the VHS/Beta wars.
 

maestrowork

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The HD-DVD add-on for the X-Box is only $150 (you can probably find it on eBay for $120 or less). Not a bad thing to have.
 

Duncan J Macdonald

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True... but I can't believe Casino Royale wasn't released on HD-DVD, only on Blu-Ray! Bastard.

Blu-Ray is now selling 2:1 to HD-DVD; so unless they start pumping out more goodies and people start buying, Sony is having an upper hand.
Latest Studio Breakdown: (frm Wikipedia, so therefore suspect)
wikipedia said:
Currently, five Hollywood studios exclusively support Blu-ray Disc: Columbia Pictures, MGM, Disney, Lionsgate and 20th Century Fox (Columbia Pictures and MGM are owned by Sony Pictures). Four Hollywood studios support both Blu-ray and HD DVD: Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks, Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema (the former two are owned by Viacom, and the latter two by Time Warner). Two Hollywood studios exclusively support HD DVD: Universal Studios and the Weinstein Company.
 

dclary

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Yawn. Betamax/VHS anyone? 8-track or cassette? Pepsi or Coke?
 

MattW

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How long before physical formats are obsolete? 5 years? 10 years is too pessimistic...

I'll take HD digital download before any otheer format.
 

maestrowork

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You still need formats, even if you download. Someone still have to standardize -- is it going to be Quicktime or MP4 or WMV?


Actually the digital download formats are more confusing. People just want to stick something into a slot and watch.


:)
 

PeeDee

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Matt's about nailed it for me. I very rarely buy anything on any disc-type anymore. I download almost everything, whether it's TV shows or movies. I either hook my TV up to my computer with a shiny S-video cable, or I put the file on my Ipod and use the cable that connects THAT to the TV and watch like that.

But if I had to pick, I'd go blu-Ray, because I don't care but I can use it with a PS3.

The odds of me spending $400-$1200 on a player so I can watch Taladega Nights in more betterer picture are pretty damn slim, sorry.
 

Bmwhtly

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I'm happy with DVD's for now.

Seems to me like there's not much point going for either of the new formats without an HD TV.


But if you gotta pick one it may be worth mentioning that, as far as I know, HD-DVD players will play DVDs. Blu-Ray players Blu-Rayers won't.

Although the PS3 (The games console) can play Blu-Ray but not DVD. I don't like consoles, so that's a no-brainer: neither.
 

MidnightMuse

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Am I the only person who just buys regular DVD's? :(

I can't afford all of this add-on, HD nonsense.

I'm with ya ! I don't bother with HD tv, so I ain't gonna jump for HD DVDs. Regular is perfectly clear, how much more clear does clear have to be? :Shrug:I just don't get the fuss (or expense!) And one satellite dish nailed to my fence is enough, thanks.

Regular, boring DVDs are just fine, thank you very much.
 

maestrowork

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Regular DVDs are perfectly fine. HD DVDs only matter when you have a large screen HD TV. Then the difference is stunning. I have both the regular and HD versions of The Thing and wow. Of course, if you have never seen an HD image before, you wouldn't know what you are missing anyway. HD DVDs will be wasted on a regular non-HD TV.

I didn't know what I was missing until I started watching HD programs (nature programs and sports are awesome). Then I was like, who wants to watch fussy TV anymore?

I don't think it really matters so much until every TV and all the shows are in HD, so when suddenly regular DVDs look so bad compared to a broadcast of The Office on your 50" HD TV, you would want to upgrade.

Until then....
 
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Elincoln

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Funny how our house will have the latest in computers, but when it comes to TV and entertainment...we're still in the dark ages.

We only have basic cable for crying out loud! And the only reason we can watch DVDs on our TV is because we use my PS2 (which is annoying when my 3yr old wants her 'shows' and I want to play my games).

So I don't think we'll have to worry about HD or Blu-ray.
 

PeeDee

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We have a 27" LCD TV which is HD-ready. No big whoop. I bought some nice Component cables for it for my DVDs, the difference wasn't amazing,and I didn't care. How much sharper do I REALLY need to see Borat naked?

And then....we got Discovery HD.

My god. It's worth it just for that....!
 

maestrowork

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Oh yeah, Discovery HD was what sold me on HD, too.

When you can see every blade of the grass, and every scale on that alligator, or every feather on that bird... it's like "I was blind and now I can see."
 

PeeDee

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I know...! And the shows with bodies of water in them. We got HD and I had things like HBO and Fox in high-definition and thought that was okay. Sharper Hugh Laurie. But DiscoveryHD is where I get a lot of my deep sea specials, and I just adore it.

(which is not to say there's anything wrong with Hugh Laurie in 1020p, no sir)