# High-definition DVD market facing static



## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

From Reuters:

*High-definition DVD market facing static*


> Hollywood is hoping high-definition DVDs will reignite a slowing market for movies at home, but they have drawn mixed reviews from retailers and analysts due to technical issues and a bitter format war.
> 
> The competing formats, Sony Corp.-backed Blu-ray and Toshiba Corp.-championed HD-DVD, aim to provide better picture quality and interactive features, but some early viewers have been underwhelmed.


FULL ARTICLE HERE


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## MikeSoltis (Aug 1, 2003)

I am staying out of this until there is 1 format. Early reviews I have read are finding fault with the HD-DVD players, and the Blu-Ray software!  

I can wait for the dust to settle on this one.


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## Mike D-CO5 (Mar 12, 2003)

I 'll wait too. I've seen both and they are not that much better than regular dvds upconverted to hd output. I think they should combine the two and come up with one standard that combines the best of both. Then the American people can get behind one standard and start buying the new dvd players and dvds. I think that Blue ray hd dvd would be a good name for the new player. The best of both and none of the worst.


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## jrjcd (Apr 23, 2002)

well,, eventually they will and hd players will come down in price considerably because they are going to find their real competition is the run of the mill 40 buck dvd player...


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## cbearnm (Sep 6, 2006)

I find it funny that this is one area that most early adopters are not flocking to.
While there is a noticable improvement of HD-DVD (BluRay), the fact that there are 2 standards is causing a lot of inertia. If there was a compatible dual player, that would take off, but the need to cover both formats (because of the studios being split over formats) keep most (myslef included) from buying one or the other.
Sure, there are plenty of people that have bought one or the other (even some that bought both), but average early adopter has stayed on the sidelines.
I agree that the sub $100 SD DVD player is more competition than either of the other formats.
Prices need to fall to $250 or less to get sales stimulated. Chances are, at those prices, some people would buy both, at some point. But to pay more than $1200 for both, no sale !!


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## s8ist (Aug 21, 2006)

HD-DVD looks to be the better format from a price-benefit ratio standpoint. I honestly wish people would pick this format, but I can't blame them for holding out. But if I had to go for one based on price and quality, HD-DVD would get my vote. Blu-ray will probably be the winner though, unfortunately. This is bad because the players are $1000, as opposed to the HD-DVD which is half that price.

The quality is better than DVD, I can definitely tell the difference. I wish people wouldn't buy into the Blu-ray hype, because this kind of brand loyalty is only hurting the consumer.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

Price, two-format confusion and the simple fact that the vast majority (over 80%)
of TV sets in this country are NTSC (standard definition) and are not capable of 
producing a better picture even close to what the few higher-priced HD and Blu-
Ray discs can.

In other words, over 80% of the people still own older tv sets and would receive
no benefit from the more expensive new formats.

This fact most people seem to have overlooked.


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

This past January I bought a Sony Progressive Scan DVD Player that does HD upconversion for $150, since then Sony replaced that model with a newer one. I bought the NS75 for $120 at Circuit City 2 weeks ago. The HD upconversion players are amazing and for the price you can't beat it. 

My NS70 and a bunch of other elecronics will be going to the pawn shop this weekend. Between all the electronics I have that I no longer use, if I come home with $100 bucks I'll be happy.


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## Monty23 (Sep 16, 2006)

I'll jump in when the dust settles and there is only one format. Remember VHS versus Beta!!


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## Mark L (Oct 23, 2006)

I have been following both formats closely for the past couple years and now that they're both out, I find myself in a perplexing situation. I must admit I favor BluRay because of the extra storage capacity and will be buying the Sony BluRay player on December 5th. At this point, I have just decided to buy both. I'm going buy the $500 Toshiba model from crutchfield.com this week. I figure, I'll throw one on each plasma and whoever wins...... wins.


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## ibglowin (Sep 10, 2002)

For those of you who wern't around back in the late seventies for the VHS/Betamax wars it was the Porn Industry that had a significant impact on the battle. Once they started putting out movies on VHS (over Beta) that format started to easily outsell the other.

Will it happen once again? The Porn Industry has chosen Blu-Ray. I wonder if the pun was intended on that! :lol:

http://www.tvpredictions.com/hirsch111006.htm


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

ibglowin said:


> For those of you who wern't around back in the late seventies for the VHS/Betamax wars it was the Porn Industry that had a significant impact on the battle. Once they started putting out movies on VHS (over Beta) that format started to easily outsell the other.
> 
> Will it happen once again? The Porn Industry has chosen Blu-Ray. I wonder if the pun was intended on that! :lol:
> 
> http://www.tvpredictions.com/hirsch111006.htm


While I agree, they do have a part to play in the history of those formats.
There was more to it then just the "Porn" industry.

VHS Tapes where cheaper to obtain, then Beta.
The fact that they held 2 hours on one tape in the higher quality mode, vs the 1 hour on the Beta.

It was just cheaper accross the board (plus the VHS players where cheaper).

DVD/DiVX is another example, but DiVX wasn't around long enough to corrolate.

Porn-PPV-HD hasn't worked out so go (at least not on DirecTV, where they pulled it). They tried the HD a few times, and I think there is less then a dozen or so HD Porn disks out there.

With IPTV offerings, DVD's costing less (how much are you willing to spend on it... I know when Adult-DVD's where first available, they where like $40... how much are the blu-ray ones going to be), "Net-Flix" type options, flat out Internet downloads... and now the Download to burn options for DVD's...

I don't think it is going to make a difference.

Blu-Ray is already so behind the eightball with just it's name.

And I can allready Sony flipping out, when the articles come out...
Underage kids can watch porn on their Playstation3 in HD with the Blu-Ray....


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## Monty23 (Sep 16, 2006)

However, as of today, there are hardly any good Blu-Ray movies. The quality so far is barely better than standard DVD. This is a software issue, not a hardware issue. The HD-DVD on the other hand has far more movies and stunning quality. Netflix is currently handling both formats but if you look at selection, HD-DVD is the winner so far. Also, don't forget Microsoft & Intel are backing the HD-DVD format and Microsoft released the HD-DVD player last week for $199.95 for the Xbox 360.


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## DjCalvin (Nov 13, 2006)

The Way I look at it is this:

Phillips and Sony Lost the war when Dvd's came out. It was Toshiba's Format that was finally used when Dvd's came to Market in the mid/late 90's
Sony and Phillips had another disc format, cant remember the name.

So my money Is on Toshiba's HD-dvd Solely based on their past track record with dvds.

just my .02


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## Monty23 (Sep 16, 2006)

Also, DVD manufacturers do not have to upgrade their expensive equipment to produce HD-DVD. With Blu-Ray they do.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

Monty23 said:


> Also, DVD manufacturers do not have to upgrade their expensive equipment to produce HD-DVD. With Blu-Ray they do.


I a also LOVE the notion of the Hybrid disk... If I can get SD DVD and HD-DVD on one disk... that is great...

Why? I am not going to install 6 HD-DVD players, or upgrade my mini-van DVD player to HD....

So for the increase of a few bucks, I get both... that I can have more flexibility.

I simply think the name alone is going to go a long way in dictating who will win:

For 15 years we have heard "HD" this and "HD" that.
Consumers all know what DVD is by now.... Just by normal common sense... they will be pretty sure what HD-DVD is.

Blu-Ray?


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## Smthkd (Sep 1, 2004)

I agree. More and more Blu-Ray has become less desirable. I was going to get a Blu-Ray but changed my mind. I like HD-DVD now!


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