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Yet another "battle of the formats"

According to the latest news

"Computer giants Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp. have lined up behind the next generation DVD standard known as HD DVD, in a blow against Sony which is hoping that its Blu-ray format will be the media of choice for portable data storage.

The decision by the companies that are the dominant suppliers of chips and operating software for most of the world's personal computers increases the chances that the HD DVDs will become the standard media format of the future.

HD DVD's are also backed by Toshiba, Universal Studios, NEC Corp., Sanyo Electric Co., Warner Brothers, New Line Cinema, Viacom, NBC Universal, and Paramount. Sony's Blu-ray format is backed by Apple Computer Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co. and Dell Inc., Sony Pictures, Walt Disney, MGM, and 20th Century Fox.

The move means that the vast majority of personal computers will come with built-in support for HD DVD's while users wishing to install a Blu-ray drive will also have to install new software.

Industry analysts say the battle is reminiscent of the struggle between Sony and JVC in the early 1980's when each company tried to establish its video format as the industry standard. Eventually JVC's VHS technology triumphed despite what many experts believed was the superior technical quality of Sony's Betamax format.

Supporters of Blu-ray claim they have a more sophisticated technology with a greater storage capacity and stronger copy protection. HD DVD companies have pointed to the fact that their offering will be available sooner and at less cost to content providers.

"We wanted to choose the format that has the highest probability of this market taking off," said Stephen Balogh, director of optical media standards and technologies at Intel."
fatparrot
dlr
195 posts
 
After dealing with Sony as a salesman, I bet the delays are due to their smug and stubborn attitude. We knew JVC, Onkyo, Panasonic, etc reps by name and saw them at least twice a year. We saw the Sony rep once in the more than three years I was in the business. they just assume that they are the best and know what is best for the world of electronics.
fatparrot OP
1,314 posts
 
Only over a cold glass of Ripple, R_f_sayles :-)
trelja
3,215 posts
 
After six long years of the SACD/DVD-A war, audiophiles look with weary eyes towards the next contest.

The result of the trench fighting has been the ascendance of neither, a long period of most waiting on embracing the victor and holding on to CD all the while, the attention now cast to the next latest and greatest (BluRay vs HD-DVD) and ultimately, the reemergence of vinyl in the very group they have targeted most. Along the way, the industry has been wounded severely by lower technology methods adopted by the young and hip, who the traditional methods have already fully lost and have historically fueled the music business.

From where I sti, it's going to be painful to watch another senseless war of attrition.
robm321
932 posts
 
Why assume the next format will sound better? And who says either will catch on with the general public since SACD and DVD-A didn't work except for us audio nuts. Get a good redbook player and a good TT and live in peice, unless you enjoy the drama.
larryi
1,972 posts
 
The opposing camps have been meeting to avoid a war, but it looks like there will be a war. I don't think anyone can say at this point who will emerge on top. Both sides have big movie studios in their camp promising to provide the content. Recently, Fox and Lion's Gate joined the BluRay camp. The potentially BIG advantage that BluRay has is that there will be a pretty big group of initial adopters -- those buying a Play Station III will have BluRay capability.

This whole sqabble makes me sick because I've seen BluRay and the picture is fantastic. I saw a Sony demo using the Qualia 006 rear projection set, a set that I own. I am sure HD DVD is equally good. We need one unified standard; I would be a willing adopter if that were to happen.
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