Video Format Wars

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 18:07:28 GMT

This post is a word of warning to those of you who may be considering the purchase of a new video player and/or recorder. Back in the '70s and '80s the VHS and Betamax standards engaged in a videotape format war to decide which type would become the dominant one. As you know, the VHS format won out and became the standard, despite some features of the Betamax that were better.

The same type of video DVD war has been going on recently to decide whether the "HD DVD" or the "Blu-ray" format would become the standard for high definition video DVDs. Toshiba has been the main proponent for the HD DVD media, and Sony the major player for Blu-ray. As of last week, Blu-ray "won." It will be the official standard for High Definition DVD disks from now on.

What significance does this have for you? Your regular DVD and HD DVD players will continue to work just fine with the media you already have. That media will NOT work in the Blu-ray players. HD DVD videos will likely begin to be sold at deep discounts as will HD DVD players. Therein lies my warning to you. Do not be misled by very good prices on HD DVD disks or players unless you are willing to stay with that format and be satisfied with the stocks on hand. All consumer HD movies will be recorded using the Blu-ray standard as soon as it can be put into practice. HD DVD is already out of date but you may not be told that in advertising or in stores. One factor that may affect your decision is that the PlayStation 3 has a Blu-ray player already in it which may be used to show HD movies (even though one does not usually think of a computer game box as a video player.)

Personally, I don't even have a high definition player, so it will not be a problem. Actually, I think I have less than 10 DVDs, total, in my "collection." I believe I may wait a while longer to make a decision. The real problem I have is my earlier commitment not to purchase any product made by a company which covertly installed rootkits in consumers' computers via commercial DVD movies, not just once, but after the furor died down, twice. That company only has a 30% interest in the Blu-ray format and I have to get it if I want to play new DVDs. Perhaps I won't buy any.

Peace, Doc

“All business sagacity reduces itself in the last analysis to judicious use of sabotage” - Thorstein Veblen

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Peace, Doc

Doc's Place: Entertainment

Video Format Wars

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