Market and studio support of both formats grows more exclusive
Compelled to make a choice between the two formats, movie studios and other publishers of video content have found themselves with the unenviable position of choosing a winner in a dead heat. Nevertheless, Blu-Ray appears to be gaining ground in seeking exclusive home video distribution rights from major film studios. As of January 2008, 20th Century Fox, Sony Pictures, Lionsgate, MGM, Buena Vista and Miramax pictures all released their titles exclusively on Blu-ray. Warner Brothers and New Line, currently releasing titles in both formats, will cease HD DVD title distribution in June 2008. The New York Times has predicted Warner Brothers’ defection will effectively end the commercial viability of HD DVD. Toshiba executives meanwhile have vowed to fight on despite the bad news. Paramount, Focus Features, and Universal continue their exclusivity with HD DVD. In September of 2007, Blu-ray was named the format of choice by the Home Theatre Specialists of America, a group that includes some 62 merchants and 800 home theatre installers nationwide.
The winning format will drop in price
It’s important to remember that prices of both formats have been kept somewhat inflated as result of the struggle for market dominance. As one side emerges as the designated industry choice, promotion and advertising incentives will bring the cost of the technology down among its several manufacturers. The product released for the winning format will decrease in price as well, much as DVD costs began to sharply drop following the widespread dissemination of DVD players that began roughly seven years ago. In fact, the home video industry needs prices of high definition video titles to come down as soon as possible. DVD sales, once celebrated as the savior of a film industry facing declining revenue, saw its sales peak last year. Many industry employees look to sales of high definition home videos will bolster that market. However, with many families shifting towards downloading movies from the Internet, the dispute may rapidly become irrelevant.
Shopping for the format of your choice
Buying the high definition player of your choice presents several opportunities to strategically shop for the best bargain. Don’t underestimate the value of a "wait and see" attitude, either: the nonprofit product evaluation group Consumer Reports recommends waiting to see which format comes out on top before making a final decision. When it’s time to shop, though, they also recommend finding the best picture quality for your money. High definition players should all qualify for the technical specifications of high definition picture quality. In addition, most high definition players should be able to convert regular DVD’s into high definition resolution but not HD picture quality.
Taking advantage of sales and discounts
Shopping smart means taking your time and finding the best value for the money you’re prepared to spend. It’s best not to exceed your spending limit, however, as with any family purchase. The electronics superstores are less likely to negotiate a price, but they do frequently offer sales with steep discounts on discontinued models. They may also offer significant savings on floor demonstration units. Shopping online may promise significant savings, but it’s also important to buy safely from a reputable Web site with proven customer service satisfaction commitments. You should also be prepared for the reasonably unlikely chance that the product can become damaged during shipping. DVD players of all kinds are delicate instruments, not entirely well-suited to transit.
Extra warranties and service contracts provide additional peace of mind.
Additional service warranties extend the manufacturer’s warranty and provide the buyer with increased protection in the event of defect or accident. Most electronics superstores offer extended coverage for a small fee atop the actual sales price, betting the consumer won’t need it: modern electronics boast durable construction as a matter of course, making them at least partially correct. But the extended coverage is well worth the peace of mind.
Buy name brand and buy quality merchandise.
There’s an old saying among electronics aficionados: "buy cheap, pay twice." When you shop, you’ll sometimes see obscure brand names on some products that offer a reduced cost. These brands may not meet the rough and tumble standards suitable for an entire family.
Renting and buying titles
Home video title providers like Netflix and Blockbuster have been quick to capitalize on the new high definition market. Netflix, the largest online movie rental service, offers both Blu-Ray and HD DVD titles as part of its monthly service plans. Blockbuster carries Blu-ray in over 1100 stores and also stocks both formats online and in its 250 stores that already rent both high-definition formats. Several national retail superstores carry titles in both formats online and in their stores, including Target, Wal-Mart, and Best Buy.
Finally, many of the major film studios have implemented release schedules that allow high definition titles to accompany their standard DVD new releases to stores on a same-day basis. As one format gradually assumes dominance over the other, this trend will likely become regular practice.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
How To Make the Best Choice When Buying HD DVD or Blu-Ray
The technology is brand new, even if the economics driving their sales and selection are strikingly familiar. The so-called "format war" between High Definition DVD (HD DVD) and Blu-Ray players for market dominance harkens many analysts and home video collectors back to the 1980s, when VHS and Betamax vied for ultimate consumer loyalty. In time, prices and entertainment options pushed VHS to dominate, driving the Betamax format into obsolescence and obscurity. Now that same choice and fear of getting stuck with obsolete or market forsaken technology face modern families confused about which player represents the more sensible investment. However, certain emerging trends indicate the Blu-ray format may have turned the corner on its competitor.
Blu-ray and HD DVD use similar lasers to read information.
For as much as they're different in format and market support, HD DVD and Blu-Ray players are surprisingly simple in one basic functioning principle. Both use a blue laser with a much shorter wavelength than the traditional red-hued laser found on standard DVD players. This shorter-wavelength beam allows the players to interpret and understand many more times the amount of information stored on a disc. For example, the typical Blu-ray disc has roughly five times the storage capacity as a standard DVD player, while HD DVD has storage space three times that of standard DVD. That extra storage capacity is used to compile and render more detailed video images and more intricate and robust audio – there's enough capacity, in fact, to keep pace with High Definition Television's (HDTV) massive data requirements.
From that one common feature, the two formats diverged.
Blu-ray and HD DVD use differing formats to process the video and sound information recorded on the laser disc. The reasons for the differences are embedded deep with the formats' research and development over the past ten years. The Blu-ray format and player was designed by a consortium of entertainment companies known as the Blue-ray Disc Corporation. HD DVD was developed through an agreement with the Toshiba and Microsoft corporations, after Microsoft head Bill Gates determined Blu-Ray's Java-based software engine would not work as well as with personal computers as Microsoft's own technology.
Repeated attempts at negotiating a compromise between the BDA and the DVD Forum (The Toshiba-led consortium promoting HD DVD format) failed. By the middle of 2006, both formats had entered the marketplace, with a steady stream of movie titles becoming available for each format in the following months. Consumer experts began warning a format war could prove long and costly to manufacturers and customers alike. They were right.
Public reception of both formats was mixed, uncertain.
Far from a warm welcome, both Blu-Ray and HD DVD players and titles received a mixed reception from the DVD marketplace. Some statistics show only 750,000 of each player were sold in the United States in 2007.
Blu-Ray enjoyed a noteworthy advantage in that Sony's new Playstation 3 gaming console includes Blu-ray player capability. In fact, some statistics show that 74 percent of all Blu-ray players sold last year came bundled inside the Playstation 3. As a result, Blu-ray disc sales continue to outsell HD DVD discs by a sizeable margin. Not to be outdone, Microsoft has released an upgrade kit for its Xbox 360 gaming platform to play HD DVDs. Currently only Toshiba markets stand-alone HD DVD players. Blu-Ray enjoys more widespread support from Sony, Panasonic, Dell, LG Electronics, and several others.
During the ongoing struggle, some market analysts questioned the need for either format, let alone two separate yet ostensibly similar technologies that seemingly fueled consumer confusion. Some commentators have even questioned the necessity of high definition home video until such time as High Definition Television (HDTV) more firmly establishes itself in the American home. They point to sluggish sales of either player as proof of the public's disinterest in any form of high definition home video.
In Part Two we'll look at shopping tips for buying the best player and also how the major film studios and rental companies are meeting the demand for HD DVD and Blu-ray entertainment. We'll also show how one format is quickly pulling ahead of the other.
Michael Kabel is senior staff writer for http://www.cornerstorkbabygifts.com. Stop by for parenting and baby resources at cornerstork.
Blu-ray and HD DVD use similar lasers to read information.
For as much as they're different in format and market support, HD DVD and Blu-Ray players are surprisingly simple in one basic functioning principle. Both use a blue laser with a much shorter wavelength than the traditional red-hued laser found on standard DVD players. This shorter-wavelength beam allows the players to interpret and understand many more times the amount of information stored on a disc. For example, the typical Blu-ray disc has roughly five times the storage capacity as a standard DVD player, while HD DVD has storage space three times that of standard DVD. That extra storage capacity is used to compile and render more detailed video images and more intricate and robust audio – there's enough capacity, in fact, to keep pace with High Definition Television's (HDTV) massive data requirements.
From that one common feature, the two formats diverged.
Blu-ray and HD DVD use differing formats to process the video and sound information recorded on the laser disc. The reasons for the differences are embedded deep with the formats' research and development over the past ten years. The Blu-ray format and player was designed by a consortium of entertainment companies known as the Blue-ray Disc Corporation. HD DVD was developed through an agreement with the Toshiba and Microsoft corporations, after Microsoft head Bill Gates determined Blu-Ray's Java-based software engine would not work as well as with personal computers as Microsoft's own technology.
Repeated attempts at negotiating a compromise between the BDA and the DVD Forum (The Toshiba-led consortium promoting HD DVD format) failed. By the middle of 2006, both formats had entered the marketplace, with a steady stream of movie titles becoming available for each format in the following months. Consumer experts began warning a format war could prove long and costly to manufacturers and customers alike. They were right.
Public reception of both formats was mixed, uncertain.
Far from a warm welcome, both Blu-Ray and HD DVD players and titles received a mixed reception from the DVD marketplace. Some statistics show only 750,000 of each player were sold in the United States in 2007.
Blu-Ray enjoyed a noteworthy advantage in that Sony's new Playstation 3 gaming console includes Blu-ray player capability. In fact, some statistics show that 74 percent of all Blu-ray players sold last year came bundled inside the Playstation 3. As a result, Blu-ray disc sales continue to outsell HD DVD discs by a sizeable margin. Not to be outdone, Microsoft has released an upgrade kit for its Xbox 360 gaming platform to play HD DVDs. Currently only Toshiba markets stand-alone HD DVD players. Blu-Ray enjoys more widespread support from Sony, Panasonic, Dell, LG Electronics, and several others.
During the ongoing struggle, some market analysts questioned the need for either format, let alone two separate yet ostensibly similar technologies that seemingly fueled consumer confusion. Some commentators have even questioned the necessity of high definition home video until such time as High Definition Television (HDTV) more firmly establishes itself in the American home. They point to sluggish sales of either player as proof of the public's disinterest in any form of high definition home video.
In Part Two we'll look at shopping tips for buying the best player and also how the major film studios and rental companies are meeting the demand for HD DVD and Blu-ray entertainment. We'll also show how one format is quickly pulling ahead of the other.
Michael Kabel is senior staff writer for http://www.cornerstorkbabygifts.com. Stop by for parenting and baby resources at cornerstork.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
What is the Difference between HD DVD and Blu Ray
HD DVD and Blu-ray are two competing disc technologies. They are high-definition optical disc formats, which are incompatible with each other. They were developed with intent to replace the existing DVD format that is widely used by the computer users across the globe. Will the technologies replace the DVD format? Which technology will dominate the computer market in the coming years? Let time decide that, while we turn to understanding the differences between the HD DVD and Blu-ray technologies.
What is Blu-ray Technology?
Blu-ray is an optical disc format of the forthcoming generations. The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), a group of prominent consumer electronics and personal computer manufacturers, develops this disc format. Blu-ray discs are optical disc storage media that can be used for the storage of high-definition video and data. A blue or violet colored laser beam of a short wavelength is used to read and write in this disc. Owing to the short wavelength of the laser beam, more data can be stored on a relatively lesser space. In spite of the physical dimensions similar to a DVD, a Blu-ray disc can store a greater amount of data. A single layer Blu-ray disc stores as much as 25 GB data while a dual-layer disc can store up to 50 GB of data.
What is HD DVD?
HD DVD is short for High-Definition/Density Digital Versatile Disc. It is an optical disc format used for storing high-definition video. Toshiba, a multinational manufacturing company, leading in the field of infrastructure, consumer products and electronic devices, developed HD DVD. However, lately, Toshiba has declared that it has stopped developing HD DVD drives or players. Like Blu-ray discs, HD DVDs are available in readable as well as rewritable formats.
What is the difference between HD DVD and Blu-ray?
Both HD DVD and Blu-ray discs were designed to compete with the existing DVD format. They offer greater storage capacities and the encoding methods they use endow them with a higher quality of audio and video playback. The two formats differ in many ways.
Firstly, a single-layer HD DVD can store 15 GB data while a single-layer Blu-ray disc is capable of storing 25 GB data. Secondly, the maximum bit rate for raw data transfer that is offered by HD DVDs is 36.5 Mbits/s while that offered by Blu-ray discs is as high as 53.9 Mbits/s. The wavelength of the laser used to write on both HD DVDs and Blu-ray discs is 405 nanometers. The numerical aperture of the lens that is used to focus the laser beam on the disk is different for HD DVDs and Blu-ray discs. For HD DVDs, it is 0.65 nanometers while it is 0.85 nanometers for Blu-ray discs. Frame rates refer to the frequencies at which the storage devices produce consecutive images. The frame rate offered by HD DVDs is 25-30 frames per second while that offered by Blu-ray discs is 24 frames per second. Hardcoating is mandatory for Blu-ray discs while this is not the case with HD DVDs. Blu-ray discs employ three region codes while HD DVDs are region-free.
Although HD DVDs and Blu-ray disc technologies seem to be similar, they exhibit some major differences. Wondering which one’s better? That, you are to decide.
What is Blu-ray Technology?
Blu-ray is an optical disc format of the forthcoming generations. The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), a group of prominent consumer electronics and personal computer manufacturers, develops this disc format. Blu-ray discs are optical disc storage media that can be used for the storage of high-definition video and data. A blue or violet colored laser beam of a short wavelength is used to read and write in this disc. Owing to the short wavelength of the laser beam, more data can be stored on a relatively lesser space. In spite of the physical dimensions similar to a DVD, a Blu-ray disc can store a greater amount of data. A single layer Blu-ray disc stores as much as 25 GB data while a dual-layer disc can store up to 50 GB of data.
What is HD DVD?
HD DVD is short for High-Definition/Density Digital Versatile Disc. It is an optical disc format used for storing high-definition video. Toshiba, a multinational manufacturing company, leading in the field of infrastructure, consumer products and electronic devices, developed HD DVD. However, lately, Toshiba has declared that it has stopped developing HD DVD drives or players. Like Blu-ray discs, HD DVDs are available in readable as well as rewritable formats.
What is the difference between HD DVD and Blu-ray?
Both HD DVD and Blu-ray discs were designed to compete with the existing DVD format. They offer greater storage capacities and the encoding methods they use endow them with a higher quality of audio and video playback. The two formats differ in many ways.
Firstly, a single-layer HD DVD can store 15 GB data while a single-layer Blu-ray disc is capable of storing 25 GB data. Secondly, the maximum bit rate for raw data transfer that is offered by HD DVDs is 36.5 Mbits/s while that offered by Blu-ray discs is as high as 53.9 Mbits/s. The wavelength of the laser used to write on both HD DVDs and Blu-ray discs is 405 nanometers. The numerical aperture of the lens that is used to focus the laser beam on the disk is different for HD DVDs and Blu-ray discs. For HD DVDs, it is 0.65 nanometers while it is 0.85 nanometers for Blu-ray discs. Frame rates refer to the frequencies at which the storage devices produce consecutive images. The frame rate offered by HD DVDs is 25-30 frames per second while that offered by Blu-ray discs is 24 frames per second. Hardcoating is mandatory for Blu-ray discs while this is not the case with HD DVDs. Blu-ray discs employ three region codes while HD DVDs are region-free.
Although HD DVDs and Blu-ray disc technologies seem to be similar, they exhibit some major differences. Wondering which one’s better? That, you are to decide.
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