As a lot of you know, two high-definition video disc formats were launched in 2006. There's Blu-ray Disc, being pushed by Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, and many others, and HD-DVD being pushed by Toshiba and Microsoft. Anyway I think both of these formats are a long way away from succeeding the DVD, but it will happen eventually. I would say by 2012 that whatever format wins will be on its way to succeeding DVD. The reason for the new format is simple, DVD is standard definition 480i (720 x 480) and was designed for standard definition tvs, while the new formats are capable of 1080p high-definition (1920 x 1080) along with much better audio. The image below shows the difference between the different resolutions.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/98/Common_Video_Resolutions.svg/800px-Common_Video_Resolutions.svg.png

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu-ray_Disc

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HD_DVD

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1080p

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/480i

2012 sounds good, because I'm not going to be able to afford an HDTV before then ;D

2012 sounds good, because I'm not going to be able to afford an HDTV before then ;D


When you figure DVD launched in 1996 (nobody really cared about it then) and didn't really take over until the early '00s, it sounds about right.

Nobody right now wants to rebuild their entire video library again so soon unless they either have a crapload of disposable income or are stupid ;)

I vote never, cause I want to see Blu-Ray and HD DVD fail.  I couldn't care less about about bigger and better picture and sound.  DVD does me just fine

HD sound and picture brings you closer to the movie.  Any closer, and you'll be in the movie ;D

This is really hard to say.  There are so many variables, and most people will probably sit back and wait for one or the other to become dominant first.

I still remember the "format wars" os the early 1980's.  You had 3/4", VHS, and Beta (along with VHSC, Super Beta, 8mm, and a few other formats) on the Tape side, and LaserDisc and CED on the disk side.  Up until the mid to late 1980's, these formats all fought for shelf space, until finally only VHS and LaserDisc were left on the consumer market.

Before I even think of getting a new player, I am going to wait 3-5 years, until one of the new formats becomes the "new standard".  

You'd still need to have a decent HDTV or at least a way to connect the player to your high-res computer monitor in order to enjoy the full benefits of either format.  Otherwise it's overkill.

I kinda wish they will fail because my family just started 2-3 years ago our own DVD library, We're nowhere near ready for these new ones. I'll wait a long time before I buy them. Plus I haven't gotten an HD-TV yet. But I will soon if all the channels keep switching to HD

I kinda wish they will fail because my family just started 2-3 years ago our own DVD library, We're nowhere near ready for these new ones. I'll wait a long time before I buy them. Plus I haven't gotten an HD-TV yet. But I will soon if all the channels keep switching to HD


For the most part, HD-DVD and BluRay players also play conventional DVDs.

HD-DVD is fully compatible with the older DVD standard.  BluRay uses a totally different technology, but most players come with the read laser for standard DVD in addition to the BluRay laser.

If I have to make a bet, HD-DVD will probably emerge as the leader, because it is closest in compatility to the current DVD standard. 

I notice Blu-Ray discs cost like 5-10 bucks more than a regular DVD.  Is a better picture quality really worth the extra cost?

I notice Blu-Ray discs cost like 5-10 bucks more than a regular DVD.  Is a better picture quality really worth the extra cost?


Not unless you have an HDTV ;)  On a regular TV it is unlikely you will see any difference.

I notice Blu-Ray discs cost like 5-10 bucks more than a regular DVD.  Is a better picture quality really worth the extra cost?


Right now, no. In the future when the costs for the discs are a lot closer then yes. Both technologies are really too new yet to be worth investing in. Especially since it is not apparent which disc format will prevail.

Not unless you have an HDTV ;)  On a regular TV it is unlikely you will see any difference.


They do look a lot better on an HDTV, but DVDs are half the price a lot of times and still look quite good. It's not really worth investing in discs this early, plus there's not even all that many available.

Not unless you have an HDTV ;)  On a regular TV it is unlikely you will see any difference.


So I gotta pay $200+ to get a Blu-Ray player, and another $500+ to get an HDTV?  For that price, I can go to the cinema to see one movie  ;D

It's expensive to watch movies these days  :\'(


Right now, no. In the future when the costs for the discs are a lot closer then yes. Both technologies are really too new yet to be worth investing in. Especially since it is not apparent which disc format will prevail.


I bet PSP Movies will prevail over both ;D

The UMD was the worst possible media idea ever.  That's why it's going the way of BetaMax, and if Sony isn't careful, Blu-Ray will be this coming generation's BetaMax.

The UMD was the worst possible media idea ever.  That's why it's going the way of BetaMax, and if Sony isn't careful, Blu-Ray will be this coming generation's BetaMax.


Blu-ray has been having a lot of issues with poor transfers plus it costs more than HD DVD.

I heard that it takes quite a while to load date off a Blu-Ray disk because the stuff is uncompressed.  This could be a bad thing for Sony's games if they are indeed printed on Blu-Ray media rather than conventional DVDs (not sure about this, someone will have to look it up).

MS decided not to put their Xbox 360 games on HD-DVD because not every user will own an HD-DVD add-on.

The UMD was the worst possible media idea ever.  That's why it's going the way of BetaMax, and if Sony isn't careful, Blu-Ray will be this coming generation's BetaMax.


UMB never even came close to BetaMax.  UMB was a failure from the very beginning, and never had a prayer.  You could only really play it in one device (PSP), and the cost was almost the same as a conventional DVD (which you could always buy, then rip to a memory stick and watch on your PSP).

Beta on the other hand had a very long and successful career.  Even in the late 1990's, a lot of professionaly would still use nothing but Beta.  I worked at a TV station in 1998-1999, and we still used Beta for all of our remote filming.  And until the advent of professional digital recorders, most music video producers would still use nothing else.  The clarity and quality of Beta was much higher then that of VHS.

Beta largely failed in the home market because a tape only held 4 hours of programming, as opposed to 6 hours on VHS.  For the same price, you could fit 2 more hours on a tape, which made it more popular for home users.  And most home users recorded on the slowest speed, since they wanted to archive shows, and did not care about quality.

i don't really think that there is a need for either of them. it would be nice to have bigger vidoe games, but we don't need them for movies. if i had to choose which one will probably be more succesful i'd say it's hd dvd. many companies are already on board with hd dvd. blu-ray on the other hand seems to be no more than sony's fantasy.

I can't see either format totally succeeding DVD until the prices on HDTV's get to the point were anyone can realistically go into a store and buy one. As mentioned before there's really no reason to get either Blu-ray or HD-DVD if you don't have an HDTV, and right now alot of people don't.

I can't see either format totally succeeding DVD until the prices on HDTV's get to the point were anyone can realistically go into a store and buy one. As mentioned before there's really no reason to get either Blu-ray or HD-DVD if you don't have an HDTV, and right now alot of people don't.



Honestly, I doubt I'll get an HD-TV.  Unless HD-TV so improves picture quality that when I'm watching Yankee games I can smell the hot dogs, it won't be good enough.

Honestly, I doubt I'll get an HD-TV.  Unless HD-TV so improves picture quality that when I'm watching Yankee games I can smell the hot dogs, it won't be good enough.



Yeah, I don't have one right now either. I may get one on down the line, but probably not until the price has come down dramatically.

Not for awhile. HD-DVD and Blu-Ray players and HD-TVs need to go down in price first.

I'm sticking with regular $20 or less DVDs Thank you.
I'm still trying to get over the fact that I'll have to shell out $60 for next gen video games. :(

I'm sticking with regular $20 or less DVDs Thank you.
I'm still trying to get over the fact that I'll have to shell out $60 for next gen video games. :(


Super Mario Bros. 3 cost almost $60 when it first came out 15 years ago.