HD-DVD vs Blu-ray - 3 films, 1 winner (so far..)

Good link, thanks for that, interesting read.
Does make me wonder about a few things:
- Were the differences down to format differences between the codec (VC1 vs MPEG2), or between the players? Toshiba have been class leading proponents of DVD since it's inception, whilst Samsung...haven't.
- I hadn't realised that the different formats were even going to be used. I got the impression that both BR and HD would be using MPEG4. Wonder what happened there?
- Is it possible that Warner have an active interest in HD succeeding and are deliberately trying to kill BR?
 
Mr_Sukebe said:
Good link, thanks for that, interesting read.
Does make me wonder about a few things:
- Were the differences down to format differences between the codec (VC1 vs MPEG2), or between the players? Toshiba have been class leading proponents of DVD since it's inception, whilst Samsung...haven't.
- I hadn't realised that the different formats were even going to be used. I got the impression that both BR and HD would be using MPEG4. Wonder what happened there?
- Is it possible that Warner have an active interest in HD succeeding and are deliberately trying to kill BR?
Click to expand...

Its almost entirely down to the mpeg 2 - it can not compete with VC1 - remember its what 10 years old as a codec now. They got the mpeg 2 discs out as BD needed to hit the market and more importantly Sony are relying on it to succeed for their future. No way did they want HD-DVD to have a year headstart so the rushed release was used. I would suggest Samsung making the player would have limited effect, while they are a low end brand many components are shared with the forthcomming Sony and Pioneer players.

Having seen them both HD-DVD wins hands down on IQ and sound, it is a frustrating wait while it boots - BD is much better there. We really need some mpeg 4 discs to do a true comparison but at the moment BD is miles behind.
 
Shimmyhill said:
Its almost entirely down to the mpeg 2 - it can not compete with VC1 - remember its what 10 years old as a codec now. They got the mpeg 2 discs out as BD needed to hit the market and more importantly Sony are relying on it to succeed for their future. No way did they want HD-DVD to have a year headstart so the rushed release was used. I would suggest Samsung making the player would have limited effect, while they are a low end brand many components are shared with the forthcomming Sony and Pioneer players.

Having seen them both HD-DVD wins hands down on IQ and sound, it is a frustrating wait while it boots - BD is much better there. We really need some mpeg 4 discs to do a true comparison but at the moment BD is miles behind.
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Complete mistake in My mind (about using mpeg 2, not your post ) I cant believe they did this.

IF a product is delayed then the public usually forgive if its so much better but if its released and shoddy then it wont be touched

one of the home cinema mags (choice I think) has a review of the first HD-DVD recorders availabe only in japan currently, but its crippled as it cant record from an external source in HD - and its equivelant to £1800 or so, but it has a 1TB hdd inside :D

Worth keepnig an eye on
 
This isn't really a proper comparison, blu-ray are still using mpeg-2. In fact you'll always get movies which are better on one format than another because of the way they were mastered so you cant really compare formats this way.
 
To be honest you can't really call that a comparison. You're comparing a $500 player to a $1000 player!! the fact that a direct comparison is actually being made doesn't bode well at all for blu-ray and it's proponents.

How can you possibly justify paying an extra $500?
 
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VC-1 is clearly the better codec, Blu-Ray need to switch over FAST otherwise it could lose it for them :(

That and the high equipment costs.
 
Well both formats are expensive and propietary atm. Though the ps3 will make for a cheap (£300-£370) blu-ray player so theres no reason for people to be worrying about the $1000 players when the ps3 does much more for much less.
 
Energize said:
This isn't really a proper comparison, blu-ray are still using mpeg-2. In fact you'll always get movies which are better on one format than another because of the way they were mastered so you cant really compare formats this way.
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ofcourse it is a proper comparison. It is comparing the quality of titles out on 1 format vs the other. Once they are boht using good/the same codecs then the quality is really gonna be down to the player. Assuming the mastering is similar for both formats (although i wouldn't mind betting that some studios pack more features onto one formats discs than the others).
 
Atm though its too early to make conclusions both formats are in beta really as they aren't using mpeg4 and blu-ray isn't using dual layer so its not a comparison of the end product yet and for the public, a lot of whom don't know anything about these new formats they wont even see any blu-ray/hd-dvd movies until they have come a long way and are already using mpeg4 and it is them that will decide the winner.
 
Kamakazie! said:
ofcourse it is a proper comparison. It is comparing the quality of titles out on 1 format vs the other. Once they are boht using good/the same codecs then the quality is really gonna be down to the player. Assuming the mastering is similar for both formats (although i wouldn't mind betting that some studios pack more features onto one formats discs than the others).
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Its exactly the same as comparing a conroe (brand new design of cpu) to A64 / X2 / Opty (about 5 years old design wise), in one sense its worth it but in another complete polar opposites

doesnt stop people trying though
 
Until people other than early adopters start buying players, then we're going to have no idea as to who is winning the war. Spring 2007 might provide the first indications.

Personally I'm waiting to see who releases the first PC drive. I want to watch HD movies on my TV like I do with DVDs through my PC..
 
There are already blu-ray pc recordable drives available for under £600 inc vat ( cant link to site i found but was first hit on google)
 
See to me as a computer person and films person I want blue ray to win for computers because its much higher capacity (the later versions up to 200gb) but if its right about the quality of hd-dvd... it could just be the players. If I play blue ray on the computer it might come out better anyhow...
 
from the start i thought blu-ray was going to win out, i'm now becoming more enthused in wanting it to fail, mostly because of sony using it as justification for the price of the ps3
both will have to become widely available before one succeeds over the other
 
Energize said:
Well both formats are expensive and propietary atm. Though the ps3 will make for a cheap (£300-£370) blu-ray player so theres no reason for people to be worrying about the $1000 players when the ps3 does much more for much less.
Click to expand...

I would hope for that much they're planning to make blu-ray a proper quality part of the ps3 and not a some cheap addon like dvd was in the ps2, i wouldn't want to get one then later find its not as good as a standalone player, will it likely the case?
 
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