Another HD DVD vs. Blu-ray shoot-out. Another win for Blu-ray...

by Ed Stasick { Mar 29th 2007 at 11:00PM }

I'll go on the record and say that I own (and love) both an HD DVD and a Blu-ray movie player. But there's nothing like a fomat war to bring out the analysts and the fanboys. By comparing each format's respective presentation quality, studio support, apptitude for hard-core porn and future outlook, the folks at the Enthusiast make a logical and thoughtful case for why Blu-ray could ultimately prevail:

"We're no shill for Sony, that's for sure, but we feel that this time around they have developed a format that delivers on quality and will provide consumers with what they need to experience high-definition content in the home, either through commercially released content or material that they have created themselves. We respect HD-DVD, but we can't ignore the major studio support that is on Blu-ray's side... when we take a hard look to see which format currently has the most going for it, the answer is obvious."

Of course, nothing is a given at this point. In the end, the whole HD tech battle is probably going to be a moot point as digital delivery becomes more and more widespread. In the meantime, I'll enjoy the best of both worlds and not worry too much about picking a side.

Tags: ps3

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Dreadhead541 @ Mar 29th 2007 11:52PM

what format is 300 going to be released on?

Geoff Gibson @ Mar 30th 2007 12:36AM

No offense PS3fanboy.com, but this has nothing to do with the Playstation 3. It has everything to do with Sony, but as a gaming blog why is this even being reported here?

These forums are nothing but flamebait for fanboys of both BD and HD DvD. Leave the HD format wars to Engadget or EngadgetHD.

Will @ Mar 30th 2007 12:50AM

Geoff: it has everything to do with the ps3, the fact that it has a bluray player in it is a huge part of the price...if bluray fails, it's bad news for the ps3

stfugine @ Mar 30th 2007 12:53AM

blu-ray success = ps3 success imo. So I guess that's why it's reported here.

GRT @ Mar 30th 2007 1:48AM

I bought my PS3 for the blu-ray, so it's relevant to me.

I still don't buy the "digital download is going to make the format war irrelevant" thing either. OnDemand hasn't killed DVD sales and I don't think digital downloads will replace buying movies on hard media of some sort.

#1FanBoy @ Mar 30th 2007 2:19AM

Geoff--you are an idiot.

As far as the article goes--

"In the end, the whole HD tech battle is probably going to be a moot point as digital delivery becomes more and more widespread. "

I disagree with this notion that everyone is going to be downloading movies and it won't matter. I don't think people are going to quit buying and renting discs for at least 8-10 years. But you did say "in the end" so technically it could be correct.

If you are going to buy a film, you want it on a disc...people aren't going to move a system if they want to watch a movie in a room different from the one it's set up in.

Thanks...love the site.

JK @ Mar 30th 2007 3:36AM

Until we are able to download 30-50 GBs almost instantly, or even in 1-2 hours, consistently and reliably, I don't see how high-capacity discs will be out of style.

Vincent060 @ Mar 30th 2007 11:54AM

And don't forget that the PS3 uses Bluray for the games too.

Dolla Dolla @ Mar 30th 2007 12:04PM

People keep getting the logic twisted.

Right now, the PS3 is helping Blu-ray, not the other way around. If the PS3 didn't have Blu-ray, there would be more HD-DVD players on the market.

If you look up sales of Blu-ray players, you will see it is behind sales of HD-DVD players. The PS3 is boosting Blu-ray adoption because 1) it's the cheapest Blu-ray player on the market and 2) it's got the Playstation name.

And I agree with leaving BD/HD-DVD discussion to places like Engadget/HD. UMD is a failed format, but it won't stop them from using UMDs to press PSP games, right? So it wouldn't stop PS3 games from appearing on Blu-ray discs, either.

mccomber @ Mar 30th 2007 12:06PM

@Rob Holiday, please explain that one. The only argument I can see for that is that it's because of the higher price for the bluray drive, but as has been said before by numerous fanboys, and at least a couple of developers, bluray will likely become relevant to gaming in the next couple of years. They were filling dvd's last gen, what makes anyone think that the increased storage space isn't seen as a good thing by the people making games? That's sort of like saying dialup was good enough for the internet (as it was), so why get broadband... how many of the commenters on blogs here would agree with that now?

As for digital downloads... I think so far the term "lackluster" has been thrown around a lot to describe it's overall sales. I would like to see some numbers comparing downloads of movies from services like On-Demand and amazon's delivery system as compared to the sales of bluray and hddvd though, it may be closer than imagine it is.
As of right now if I had every movie I own on bluray, let alone dvd archived onto hard drives, it would be one hell of a storage setup for sure. Until we can download and store full HD movies as quickly and easily as we do mp3s I don't see it becoming a popular format.
Besides, a lot of people just prefer having a tangible for products.

Geoff Gibson @ Mar 30th 2007 12:28PM

@8

Forgive me if I don't take somebody named #1FanBoy seriously. I'd be surprised if even you did.

I stand by what I said about the next gen format war.

-PS3 is NOT dependent on BluRay, it will continue on despite the outcome of this "war"

-HD has its own blogging site, engadgetHD.com

-We already get enough Xbox360 fanboys rushing over here with every good news they get to start a flamewar, we don't need a bunch of HD DvD fanboys as well.

But thats just my two cents. Maybe it is worth more than that...

Dan @ Mar 30th 2007 1:11PM

@Dolla dolla
Actually you are wrong.
As you say, you have the logic twisted, retard.
Also, please supply the source for HD-DVD players selling more/faster than Blu-ray.

@Dolla dolla and Geoff
Then are you both opposed to putting posts regarding upcoming/new releases of Blu-Ray and PS2 games too?

Dolla Dolla @ Mar 30th 2007 1:53PM

@Dan

I would appreciate it if this didn't digress to personal attacks. I don't see a reason for calling me a retard. I didn't insult anyone, I said the logic is twisted. Please tell me how Blu-ray helps Playstation 3, rather than the Playstation 3 helping people adopt Blu-ray.

And, if you want a source, this is from January, when Blu-ray disc sales were about three times the amount of HD-DVD disc sales:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070115-8625.html

Quoted: "According to Adams Media Research, roughly 425,000 of the 695,000 next-gen players sold recently are Blu-ray players—about 61 percent of units in the wild ... Yet only 25,000 of those Blu-ray players were purchased as standalone units (that is, dedicated Blu-ray players), with the other 400,000 coming in the form of the Sony PS3.

"Compare this situation to HD DVD: 120,000 units were purchased as standalone players, with another 150,000 units coming in the form of HD DVD upgrade kits on Xbox 360s.

"Further, sales of HD DVD standalone units outpaced Blu-ray units by nearly 5 times as many units, comprising almost 83 percent of standalone purchases versus Blu-ray's 17 percent of the same."

So, as I said before, the PS3 is helping to get people to adopt Blu-ray, not the other way around.

And I don't mind if they decide to keep talking about Blu-ray/HD-DVD. I just think it is better suited elsewhere. Just my opinion, nothing more, nothing less.

Wonderflex @ Mar 30th 2007 2:32PM

@ Rob Holiday

"If games that have graphics like Gears of War have no issues at all using DVD9, why would you believe Blu-ray would be required. It's all hype Sony uses to promote Blu-ray on the PS3."

Gears of War is a very short game though - too short indeed to be worth buying if it wasn't for the multiplayer. Could GOW been able to fit on a DVD if it were as long as Resistance? I'm not saying it couldn't, because I don't know how much space GOW takes up on it's current disk, but it seems rather unlikely.

TheSh0wstopper @ Mar 30th 2007 2:52PM

A Rob Holiday,

Gears of War was able to fit on DVD9 because it is 5 hours long... lets see an rpg WITH gears of war graphics (even blue dragon is on multiple disks and it doesnt look half as good as Gears). Also EA released a press statement about the new fifa and mentioned they want to add more Dynamic commentary in the game but were filling up the disks last generation.
http://xbox360.qj.net/-Dynamic-commentary-in-next-FIFA-titles-says-EA/pg/49/aid/87840

But isn't the 360 using the same disks?

Wonderflex @ Mar 30th 2007 4:07PM

@ Xbox fan

The point about Mass Effect is very true. Although I don't think I agree with the comment on GOW being short do to a time needed to create more levels. The development cycle was probably so long do to the amount of planning and creation of the engine. That's for another forum though.

I never did think about the whole RPG side of things though until TheSh0wstopper brought it about. GOW graphics, set a long length RPG, along with HD cutscenes could end up taking a toll on a disk.

Either developers are going to have to compress their cutscenes, or just include less of them, if they plan on keeping games to a single DVD. Although it's been the standard for a decade, I would rather not have to switch out discs when playing a game - and frankly I'd feel a little bit cheated if I knew there was a format out there that would keep me from having to do so.

#1FanBoy @ Mar 30th 2007 4:08PM

Geoff, yes my username is pretty lame I'll give you that. But to suggest that we not discuss this topic here is just as lame. BD and ps3 are inextricably linked.

The big selling point of the system for myself and others is the fact that it comes with HD movie playback. I'm just hoping that others are intelligent enough to choose it over the Xbox.

Wonderflex @ Mar 30th 2007 4:14PM

#1FanBoy

I agree totally with your last statement. In fact the only reason I got a PS3 initally was the fact that I've grown to love HD-television so much.

I waited in line for nearly 48 hours with one of my friends from church just so I could get a Wii. I still own it and love it very much.

A month later my wife and I were in the store and thought, "you know, that really is a cheap Blu-ray player." - something which I wanted, but wasn't willing to pay the price for.

Now I find myself on the playstation way more than the Wii (nothing against it though). I think the gamers get drawn into the blu-ray movie scene after they get it; and those who get it for the blu-ray get drawn into the games.

Simply put the PS3 is a well balanced win-win situation.

Vincent060 @ Mar 30th 2007 4:14PM

One thing I keep hearing alot about the PS3 is that it's difficult to make games for. Didn't they put that one to rest yet? Didn't Sony release the Edge dev kit to make it easier for developers to make games for the PS3? It was released rather recently so we probably won't see games that take advantage of it for awhile. But still we should really stop spreading that rumor.

dontlikeitmodit @ Mar 30th 2007 5:54PM

I bought my PS3 for the Blu-Ray player as well. It just so happens that I've been using it for games too.

Reason I went BRD was the maximum capacity. We are having this format war for that exact reason. Because HD quality picture wasnt able to fit on current DVDs.

So why take a smaller step when a larger one will just delay upgrading to another format sooner?

What happens in 3 years when a HD-DVD cant hold all the content you want to sell with your movie game? More disks or another format.

Taking the larger of the two formats puts the next format war further off which means I buy another player much later down the road.

Just my two cents....

Khris Killer @ Mar 30th 2007 7:05PM

Why cant we all be friends?

Time @ Apr 7th 2007 5:01AM

@xbox Fan

so your name clearly states that you are an xbots but still find a need to be here...that alone discredits you

I have heard developers say that the ps3 is easier to program for than the ps2 and we all know how the ps2 turned out

so yes its easy to find and spread negetive stuff about the ps3 but when we hear developers say that the ps3 isn't really that hard to program for infact it's easier than the ps2.....well we don't hear that so much...

could it be bias,ignorances, or hired by microsoft?

whats your thoughts xbox fan