Holy Moly Blu-Ray Disc Players below $300

Hi JK- Sorry but here is a recent post from a content producer. I have nothing to do with this person or the content of this post.

JBach Dec 20, 2007 2:24 AM GMT As a content producer I find there are three issues that wipe out Blu-Ray: 1.) Almost all Blu-Ray players cannot reliably render the content of an authored Blu-Ray disc. Authored discs play most reliably only on the PS3. The profile describing the requirements to build a Blu-Ray player is STILL INCOMPLETE, which is part of this problem. Reliable playback of a Blu-Ray disc being restricted to a PS3 player is a major issue in the business world. ADVANTAGE HD-DVD. 2.)Blu-Ray advanced authoring requires a Java-based programming environment. HD-DVD authoring is much like creating a web page. Blu-Ray becomes a programmer project, HD-DVD remains more of a web designer prosumer project. ADVANTAGE HD-DVD. 3.)The effort to retrofit a replication plant to do Blu-Ray is VERY significant. HD-DVD replication can be accomplished on a much smaller scale. While this is a one-time factor, the ease and relatively low cost of HD-DVD retrofitting makes more economic sense. ADVANTAGE HD-DVD.

I am sorry if you don't agree with these facts, but these type of concerns are well known and factual and appropriate for inclusion in discussion.

You are clearly an intelligent educated person with some capital behind you as well, but try and keep an open mind for discussion and realize some of us may know something too.

Thanks and have a great New Year!

Here is some information about storage capacities from JKalman's Wikipedia Link. This is exactly what I was referring to as far as most Blu Ray disks being 25 GB to Hd-DVDs 30 GB as an FYI.

As of November 2007, 44% of Blu-ray titles use the 50 GB disc and 56% use the 25 GB disc[90] while almost all HD DVD movies are in the 30 GB dual layer format.[91]

Not a huge deal at this point but does clarify and support what I was trying to say.

You can say whatever you want after this post, because it is clear to me that you are not interested in fact, but perpetuating hearsay and insignificant details as being important for the sake of scaring potential Blu-Ray customers.

JBach Dec 20, 2007 2:24 AM GMT As a content producer I find there are three issues that wipe out Blu-Ray: 1.) Almost all Blu-Ray players cannot reliably render the content of an authored Blu-Ray disc. Authored discs play most reliably only on the PS3. The profile describing the requirements to build a Blu-Ray player is STILL INCOMPLETE, which is part of this problem. Reliable playback of a Blu-Ray disc being restricted to a PS3 player is a major issue in the business world. ADVANTAGE HD-DVD.

This is bologna and total hearsay. I don't care who the guy is, that doesn't exclude him from being biased. As a content provider it is likely he is programming/providing for one format only (HD-DVD) and as such already has a large stake to lose if he supports the opposite format.

You are talking about someone, by the way, who posted on a Business Week "readers' comments" page. How do you know he is really a content provider? You don't. Besides the fact that it is not true, it is also total hearsay. For all you know, he provides books to the local library. Even if he is a content provider of HD content, that doesn't exclude him from being biased and/or exclude him from committing hearsay himself...

This person is certainly not an authority on the topic worth quoting as "factual." Do you often take random posts by people you don't know to be the truth, or do you only do so when their posts support your agenda?

http://app.businessweek.com/UserComments/combo_review;jsessionid=862634CAE1C8D69DEA23B4C4BC7E1407?action=all&style=wide&productId=25088&productCode=spec

2.)Blu-Ray advanced authoring requires a Java-based programming environment. HD-DVD authoring is much like creating a web page. Blu-Ray becomes a programmer project, HD-DVD remains more of a web designer prosumer project. ADVANTAGE HD-DVD.

This is complete BS. I program in both HTML and Java. Any programming language task can be automated to make it as simple as cutting and pasting using a SDE. Also, you don't have to start from scratch if you know how to create a template. Then you can start from the template any time you start a new disc. The person who wrote that bologna knows nothing about programming.

Making reusable objects in java allows you to shift certain parameters in those objects to change the look and feel of an interface without having to reprogram the entire thing. You can also make an interface for those parameters so you can change those parameters on the fly. In case you didn't know, HTML is built on top of another programming language in just such a way. That means that the Blu-Ray Java is MORE robust... Any company can choose to create its own XML or HTML interface and reuse it every time they make a disc. This also allows them more options to control every aspect of the discs interface at the very core. This allows more design freedom and uniqueness on a per disc basis.

3.)The effort to retrofit a replication plant to do Blu-Ray is VERY significant. HD-DVD replication can be accomplished on a much smaller scale. While this is a one-time factor, the ease and relatively low cost of HD-DVD retrofitting makes more economic sense. ADVANTAGE HD-DVD.

This is true. It is more expensive initially to convert a DVD plant to Blu-Ray than it is to convert it to HD-DVD. I think it is worth the additional costs personally since the format gives you more storage space. I look at this from a practical standpoint of computer storage and backup. I'm interested in backing up large amounts of data from my computer, and Blu-Ray has more space.

None the less, I still use both formats, though I would prefer Blu-Ray to win because of the greater storage capacity...

Here is some information about storage capacities from JKalman's Wikipedia Link. This is exactly what I was referring to as far as most Blu Ray disks being 25 GB to Hd-DVDs 30 GB as an FYI.

As of November 2007, 44% of Blu-ray titles use the 50 GB disc and 56% use the 25 GB disc[90] while almost all HD DVD movies are in the 30 GB dual layer format.[91]

Not a huge deal at this point but does clarify and support what I was trying to say.

You don't get it... Those HD-DVD discs are using two layers to get a little bit more space than one layer on a Blu-Ray disc. That is A LOT less storage capacity. It doesn't make sense to use more than you need, so why would they use dual layers unless it is necessary? Why spend the extra money until you need to use two layers? HD-DVD, needs two layers in order to compete with one layer on the Blu-Ray discs... So they HAVE to use two layers on every disc in order to fit the information on it. That isn't a good thing for HD-DVD, that is a weakness.

A HD-DVD needs three layers to get one more gigabyte than a dual layer Blu-Ray disc. That is a huge discrepancy in storage space comparison wise.

Blu-Ray capacity:

Single layer = 25 GB
Dual layer = 50 GB

HD-DVD capacity:

Single layer = 15 GB
Dual layer = 30 GB
Triple layer = 51 GB

Blu-Ray has managed to achieve four layers on a disc, but so far does not have a need to implement the additional storage space, but for people interested in removable storage, that is a tremendous perk down the road.

I own both formats and don't care about the "technology" behind each. I just want to put a disc in my player(s) and watch movies. That having been said, from first hand experience I perceive HD-DVD to be the more complete product at this point. I have yet to have a HD-DVD fail to play in my XA2. My Blu-Ray experience has been more frustrating (Samsung 1200) because it seems that every time certain studios (Disney/Fox) release a new line of movies I have to wait about a month on a firmware update before they will play in my player. Therefore, it is clear to me that the technology behind Blu-ray is still evolving. For that reason, I would be very hesitant to recommend a Blu-ray player to friends/family at this point. On the other hand, I bought my parents an HD-DVD player for Christmas.