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Sat 1 Apr, 2006 09:38 am
From Video University:
Hi Def DVD is Coming
DVDs were originally designed for a 135 minute Standard Definition movie and the movie is only slightly compressed in standard definition video (480 x 640 pixels, 30 frames a second in NTSC). At this rate a conventional 4.7 gig DVD holds a full length movie and a few extras.
A conventional DVD cannot hold an entire Hi Def movie. A Hi Def movie would require 5 times the storage space! So the electronics industry started inventing the next generation DVD.
Two New Formats: Blu-ray DVD and High-Definition DVD
They both use a new blue laser and the disc looks the same. The blue laser is a shorter wavelength than a red laser which is used in conventional DVDs. This shorter wavelength allows the burning of smaller pits and lands and allows the tracks to be closer together. Blu-ray has more capacity of 23 gigabytes compared to 15 gigs on a HD-DVD disc, but both can double their capacity by recording on two layers.
Developing The Blu-Ray Format
Sony
Panasonic (Matsushita)
Thomson (RCA and GE)
Pioneer
Sharp
Samsung
Dell
Hewlett-Packard
Philips
Developing The HD-DVD Format
Toshiba
NEC
It will take a good while for one of these two HD formats to become dominant. As of November 2004 Blu-ray has a slight edge. Some Blu-ray HD-DVD recorders appeared in Japan in April 2003, but that's all there is. Those recorders are designed for home recording only (not for playing pre-recorded HD movies). Eventually the recorders will be downward compatible and play your current DVDs and probably make them look better. Of course all the DVD players we have now will be obsolete when Hi Def DVD takes over. But before you throw your DVD player out, remember what happened with HDTV in the U.S. It was supposed to be available in 1989, yet it was not finalized until 1996 and did not appear until 1998. It hasn't made your TV set obsolete yet and it won't for a long time.
*sigh* Waiting... waiting...
I really do wish ONE of them would get rolling. I'm not looking forward to replacing my exsisting DVDs (like I did with my VHS tapes) but jeez... LET'S GO ALREADY!
Looks to me like the storage capacity and quality of Blu-Ray could make HD-DVD this era's Betamax. The Blu-Ray units are becoming available in a few months, SONY with a $1000.00 player (not sure it will burn DVD's)
The SONY review at CNet --
player only!
CNET REVIEW OF SONY BLU-RAY HI-DEF PLAYER LINK
Large and clunky?
Both have horrible copy protection schemes, but the blu ray is worse so I hope it dies a quick death and we can move ahead with the lesser of the two evils.
Blu-ray has a larger capacity and better quality. Not sure if that will shove it ahead and I don't think anyone will be sure until burners are on the market.
From the St. Louis Post Dispatch:
Which disc will win out?
By Matthew Fernandes
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
04/15/2006
It could be the 21st-century version of Beta versus VHS.
In a scenario reminiscent of the 1980s battle over how VCRs should be formatted, two technologies are wrangling for supremacy in high-definition DVDs and, ultimately, in the $24 billion-a-year market for home videos.
But for now, consumers might be well-served to wait for a winner.
Like the VHS-Betamax struggle 25 years ago, today's competing technologies are more similar than different. But the stakeholders couldn't agree last year on a unified format. Toshiba wanted to finalize production of its new HD-DVD players and laptops. Sony balked at downgrading its higher-capacity Blu-ray Disc devices, which will go into its new PlayStation console this year.
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This week, Toshiba's player is set to hit store shelves.
"In the U.S. market, the one that's first out of the gate has a big advantage," said Tony Dollar, vice president of the Hi-Fi Fo-Fum electronics store in Richmond Heights. "Just look at satellite radio: XM is still far ahead of Sirius."
The new high-capacity DVDs promise four to five times better picture detail in movies and games. But will consumers shell out hundreds of dollars just to see the pores on Clint Eastwood's skin? Judging from consumer reaction to previous technology breakthroughs, the answer is yes.
Toshiba's entry-level players will go for $499, compared with $600 to $900 for the first-generation DVD players in 1997. The first VCRs cost $1,000 to $1,400 in the late 1970s.
"The difference between current content and HD content is such an improvement that we expect that people will change to HD as they did from black-and-white to color" television sets, said Jan-Willem Aldershoff, marketing manager of the RankOne Media Group, which publishes CDFreaks.com, an online forum for tech enthusiasts.
High-definition televisions are expected to outsell analog sets by 89 percent this year, according to the Consumer Electronics Association. The group estimates HDTV penetration at 19 percent, or 21.1 million U.S. households. Meanwhile, about 11 million households are expected to purchase HDTV in the next year, with more than 70 percent of them buying for the first time.
To be sure, consumers will want movies in high definition to play on their new sets.
"I don't really care about capacity. I'll be looking totally at the picture quality," said Tim Murphy, 32, of St. Louis, who has been shopping recently for HD televisions. He envisions buying a high-definition DVD player next. "If I'm going to have to gamble, I'm going to buy the cheaper one."
"Million Dollar Baby" and "The Last Samurai" are among the first HD-DVD titles being released Tuesday for $28.99 each. Next month, "Hitch" and "50 First Dates" will be among several Blu-ray movies released for $28.95 each.
"The consumer should sit back and wait until Hollywood ... decides on a single format," said Dollar, of the Hi-Fi Fo-Fum store.
In the VCR-format battle, Beta backers said their technology offered a superior picture, but the format had only two hours of recording time. VHS had six hours, and the picture quality was good enough for most consumers. After a few years, VHS dominated the market.
Similar clarity
The new discs look like typical DVDs, but they pack more data capacity. Besides better picture clarity, the new discs will contain more special enhancements, such as games and interactive features.
No difference in picture clarity is expected between the two formats, and neither format is compatible with the other.
Early on, Blu-ray seemed to have a commanding lead, with support from most major movie studios. Microsoft's surprise endorsement of HD-DVD last fall tightened the competition.
But the software giant's support might carry less weight now because of delays associated with its new operating system, said Richard Doherty, director of the Envisioneering Group in New York.
Some studios, including Paramount and Warner Brothers, are hedging their bets by supporting both formats.
Doherty said a dual player might become a popular option. LG Electronics plans to release such a device in the fall, and Samsung has one in the planning stages. "I don't think they'll be the last one," Doherty said.
He drew comparisons to the battle over digital audio players. "Six summers ago, two groups formed. Sound familiar? The players cost $1,000, and both groups vowed they would never support the other. ... I just bought a player for my daughter for $130, and it plays both formats."
Different capacity
Blu-ray advocates say higher maximum capacity - 50 gigabytes versus 30 gigabytes for HD-DVD - makes Blu-ray the only format that could satisfy future demand.
"Why settle for less capacity with today's technology? We've only got one shot at doing this. We should do it right," said Andy Parsons, a senior vice president of advanced product development for Pioneer Electronics, which supports the Blu-ray format.
HD-DVD advocates say lower costs for implementation and manufacturing might put that technology over the top. What's more, their format has the advantage of carrying the recognizable "DVD" in its name.
At least one thing is certain: The prices for movies on either format will be about the same.
But there's a difference in player price. Toshiba's cheapest model is less than half the $1,000 that Samsung will charge for a Blu-ray machine it plans to release in June. Pioneer will charge about $1,800 for its Blu-ray player.
Kevin Burnley, manager of the home-theater department at American TV & Appliance in Fenton, said the lower price of HD-DVD players might make them the winner. "The consumer generally goes the inexpensive route." Another benefit: "It has the name," he said, referring to the player's familiar DVD label.
Meanwhile, the price of Sony's PlayStation 3 remains unknown. Last month, the company said it would delay release until November. The device, which will double as a high-def DVD player, could be Blu-ray's strongest selling point.
Without the delay, Blu-ray would have received a kick-start, said Aldershoff, of RankOne Media Group. "The format would be available in millions of homes, and if the device would have good movie-playing capabilities, this would have certainly given Blu-ray a large advantage."
At this point, there's not a front-runner. "I think it is really close. I would not bet my savings on either format right now," said Henning Molbaek, editor in chief of DVDTOWN.com and HDDVD.org, which offer technical information.
Doherty, the Envisioneering consultant, said the better technology doesn't always win.
"It is fair to say that the better technology lost (in the battle over VCR format). Did Beta produce a better picture? Yes. Was VHS more economical? Yes. Blu-ray is superior in quality. The winner will be the one that sells the most discs over the next two years."
In fact, he said, the winner is likely to be whichever group ships more discs that are compatible with current players but are also HD-ready. Most consumers will buy HD-ready movies first, Doherty said, while waiting for player prices to drop and a format to win.
Toshiba's first DVD players starts at $499.00 -- a bit pricy for a player only considering my Panasonic DMR which will burn DVD's and store on a hard drive was about the same price.
As movies are not actually filmed in hi-def, I don't see the immediate need to own one. The INHD movies provided by my cable and the Pay-Per-View HD movies, as well as HBO, Showtime and the other pay TV movie channels with HD channels makes it not so attractive. George Lucas did use hi-def cameras and provided a digital software of his last "Star Wars" film. The quality of a conventional 35MM print in hi-def is just barely better than its DVD 480i alternative. I think this may be very slow to impress itself on the marketplace.
From IGN:
Warner have announced that it plans to begin shipping hybrid DVD / HD-DVD titles in May. The discs will feature standard 480p DVD content that will work on any DVD player on one side, and 1080p HD-DVD content on the other side.
The first hybrid release from Warner will be the widely derided "Rumor Has It" with Jennifer Anniston and Kevin Kostner. The disc will ship on May 9, the same day as the standard release, with a suggested retail price of $39.99 (£23), roughly a $10 mark-up over the stand alone HD-DVD version.
The hybrid DVD / HD-DVD concept is a good one, as it will allow consumers to avoid purchasing two versions of the same movie while they get ready to make the full switch to HD-DVD (or Blu-ray, which is obviously a whole different story).
On the other hand, considering the box office flop that was "Rumor Has It," it's not unlikely that we'll be able to find both the DVD and HD-DVD version in the bargain bin for far less than $40 combined within a few weeks. We'll be hoping that Warner's next hybrid releases will be somewhat more compelling.
End of article
$39.99? I don't think so -- this could really mean that Hi Def DVD is going to be slow going but then CD was also slow going with very limited titles the first year. Yet I had a player!
High Definition Movie Releases
January 05, 2006
Below is a selection of movies that will become available in High Defintion format on Blu-ray Disc.
Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Kill Bill: Vol. 1
Hero
Dark Water
Ladder 49
The Brothers Grimm
The Great Raid
Armageddon
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Dinosaur
Everest
Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Lord of War
The Punisher
Devil's Rejects
Saw
T2: Judgment Day
Reservoir Dogs
Total Recall
Dune
Rambo: First Blood
See No Evil
Paramount Home Entertainment
Four Brothers
Sahara
Aeon Flux
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
The Italian Job
Tomb Raider
U2: Rattle and Hum
Sleepy Hollow
We Were Soldiers
Manchurian Candidate
Mission Impossible
Mission Impossible 2
Mission Impossible 3
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and MGM
The Fifth Element
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Desperado
For a Few Dollars More
The Guns of Navarone
Hitch
House of Flying Daggers
A Knight's Tale
Kung Fu Hustle
The Last Waltz
Legends of the Fall
Resident Evil Apocalypse
Robocop
Sense and Sensibility
Stealth
Species
SWAT
XXX
Black Hawk Down
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Fantastic Four
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Behind Enemy Lines
Kiss of the Dragon
Ice Age
Warner Bros.
Batman Begins
Charlie and The Chocolate Factory
Constantine
The Dukes of Hazzard
The Last Samurai
Lethal Weapon
The Matrix
Million Dollar Baby
Oceans 12
Swordfish
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Training Day
Troy
Twister
Unforgiven
Eagle Rock Entertainment
George Benson
Usher
The Black Crowes
Miles Davis
The Pixies
TBS/Angel Seekers
AIR
Asmik Ace Entertainment, Inc.
NEW CINEMA PARADISE
BANDAI VISUAL CO., LTD.
STEAMBOY
Toshiba is the first with a DMR, Digital Media Recorder, capable of Blu-Ray burning of Hi- Def DVD's and storing HD on a large capacity hard drive. The news today on NBC Today Show was that it would be delayed because of some availability of crucial parts but should be on the shelves in a few months:
http://www.engadget.com/2006/06/22/toshibas-rd-a1-hd-dvd-recorder-with-1tb-disk/
Wow! At $3500.00, I think I'll wait. I have a standard Panasonic DMR and although I've used it, it's been far less than I thought. I have gradually gotten rid of my old VHS pre-recorded and self-recorded tapes.
Universal undecided on Blu ray
Looks like the slow death of Blu Ray is comming along nicely. Loads of hype, late to the market, expensive, all kinds of DRM that we know the public will thank Sony for.
I would not doubt that you're right and Blu-Ray will end up a professional product and not a consumer product. It's storage capacity for files is one of the attributes but with all the plug-in hard drive devices, that's hardly going to keep it alive. DTS digital surround without the usual compression can be burned onto the Hi-Def disc with only an inordinately long film going to two discs.
Saw this today, the parts cost on the PS3
http://www.isuppli.com/news/default.asp?id=6919
The blue ray optical drive is at US$ 125 !!. Very expensive , compared to the optical drive on the Xbox 360 which is US$ 19.45.
On the PS3 , Sony can afford to sell the unit at a loss (the article suggests up to US$300 will be lost on each PS3), of course Sont make the money back on the sales of games.
However, in the case of a Blu ray player, the maufactures will have no way to make money other than on the sale of the player itself. Considering all the other components and mark ups this is really going to be a very expensive player. Which translates into very small sales numbers and would indicate not many stores would take it on and further not many manufactures will invest the time in the R&D. Which seems to be the case at the moment, but lets wait and see.
Yes, scuttlebutt in the industry is that because of HD-DVD being is the opposite of BETA which was actually a better picture at the time than VHS, Blue-Ray players are now selling better even if a few hundred dollars more (and coming down in price each month even if they have to sacrifice profit for volume of sales). I'm afraid with only Universal behind it that HD-DVD is headed for the way of the BETA. The only possibility is that the chips come down in price to play both media -- they actually both use a blue laser -- and the laser reader itself can be combined. I don't think the manufacturers are up to doing this as they've put most of their money behind Blu-Ray and with it's much larger capacity makes more sense if one is recording. One could actually get three or more 420p DVD movies on one DVD-BluRay recordable disc.
Sounds good to me.
Royal Philips Electronics NV on Sunday said it would introduce a Blu-ray high-definition video disc player for $349 in April.
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8U0M0L80.htm
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