The Battle of the Formats (HD DVD vs. Blu-Ray)

August 21st, 2007 | Digital Entertainment

In a world that’s ever changing it seems we are faced with to many choices. Day in and day out we make decisions that affect how certain situations will turn out. At the end of the day all the choices you made may have provided you with different outcomes if you had chose otherwise. Such is the case with the fate of the HD DVD and Blu-Ray formats. Eventually, one will win and one will lose. The choices of the powers that be will determine this fate.

Yesterday Dreamworks Animation & Paramount pictures announced that they would be releasing their next-generation DVD titles exclusively on HD DVD. Paramount had sold titles in both the new high-definition formats — HD DVD and Blu-Ray — but settled exclusively on HD DVD after deciding it offered better quality, lower priced players and lower manufacturing costs. The timing on this decision is akward as Blu-Ray is currently outselling HD DVD 2 to 1 in the US.

“The decision seems oddly timed given Blu-ray’s tremendous momentum both with consumers and retail,” Blu-Ray’s U.S. promotions chairman, Andy Parsons, said in a statement.

People want quality when it comes to their electronic devices and I believe that HD DVD offers the same quality as Blu-Ray with less cost to the consumer. The average HD DVD player sells for $299 verses the lowest priced Blu-Ray player at $499. This cost difference is hard to justify when you are getting pretty much the same quality picture. Many people I have talked to about the difference say that HD DVD actually has a better picture. But really, unless you have the two formats and do a side by side comparison I wouldn’t think you could tell. Especially with the naked eye.

This choice by Paramount & Dreamworks will surely add weight to the success of HD DVD and this decision changes the whole landscape of the competition, as Blu-Ray was way ahead of the game before yesterday. It will interesting to see how this one plays out.

LESSON OF THE DAY: Small choices can make big changes.

Technorati Tags: Blu-Ray, HD DVD, Paramount, Dreamworks

22 comments ↓

#1 Matt on 08.21.07 at 8:06 pm

My vote is with HD DVD, not that I’ve watched or plan to purchase a high-def DVD system, because I simply don’t like Sony who happens to be the driving force behind Blu-Ray. IMHO Sony has become very arrogant with their attitude on the PS3. Plus their music division released a root-kit in their DRM without warning the consumer. Also, my parents had a very nice Sony LCD TV die after a few short years of use. So, I have no reason to support Blu-Ray.

Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see how this one pans out. I have to agree that it makes sense to go with a less expensive format that has equal picture quality. One concern I have is that HD-DVD prices may increase if the Blu-Ray competition is eliminated.

#2 Brian on 08.21.07 at 9:09 pm

I say that HD DVD will be the winner. HD is highly marketed right now and it is set in peoples mind. People will see HD DVD!!! OH I got to get that. HD Has the marketing advantage right now.

#3 Chris J on 08.22.07 at 10:04 am

Matt & Brian,

I’ll have to go with the HD DVD also. After all it’s a Toshiba technology backed by Microsoft and you know old Bill won’t lose out on this one. MMM, I wonder if he had anything to do with the Paramount/Dreamworks decision… LOL

Thanks for the comments guys!

#4 Matt on 08.22.07 at 5:24 pm

I wouldn’t be surprised if old Bill (or Steve Ballmer) wasn’t behind the Paramount/Dreamworks decision.

Something else I failed to mention earlier is that HD DVD has a better name from the marketing standpoint. Less tech savvy people will automatically know what HD DVD is unlike the randomly named Blu-Ray.

#5 gqbv njdxyiksq on 11.21.08 at 12:07 am