Blu Ray Disc: The Next Generation (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Rhizoid
- Start date
Obviously for convenience's sake it would be ideal if most (if not all) major electronics and hardware players were to settle on just one format, sure competition's a good thing but not at the expense of conflicting compatibility issues and ultimately reducing the amount of content available to users who choose products of one or the other format. In any case I think its somewhat premature since DVDs will remain the primary medium of choice for years to come before storage demands test its limits enough to warrant a wholesale change in format. Using two DVDs is probably the more practical option than getting a single Blu-Ray disc and compatible hardware to store 20Gs of stuff, for example.
As you probably know, Desmond, there was plenty of dispute over DVD standards as well. The basic DVD format is universal, but different clusters of companies pulled their weight behind different R/RW standards, so a recorder which writes +R/RW may not read -R/RW etc. Then there's -RAM which is altogether more like random access memory, but never gained a foothold.
With Blueray/HD-DVD it's much worse, since the basic standards are separate, forcing you to buy two different devices. Idiotic.
With Blueray/HD-DVD it's much worse, since the basic standards are separate, forcing you to buy two different devices. Idiotic.
Well Martin, I also learned today (from a secret source 
) that a Korean company is creating a hybrid machine that will play all three formats. Watch this space.
As for the +R and -R wasn't it Sony that came up with that, while the rest of the DVD "forum" members disagreed with it?
I think Imation and Sony are the only ones who make +R/+RW/+RAM etc.
Correct me if I'm wrong.....
) that a Korean company is creating a hybrid machine that will play all three formats. Watch this space.As for the +R and -R wasn't it Sony that came up with that, while the rest of the DVD "forum" members disagreed with it?
I think Imation and Sony are the only ones who make +R/+RW/+RAM etc.
Correct me if I'm wrong.....
Rhizoid said:
Well Martin, I also learned today (from a secret source ) that a Korean company is creating a hybrid machine that will play all three formats. Watch this space.
As for the +R and -R wasn't it Sony that came up with that, while the rest of the DVD "forum" members disagreed with it?
I think Imation and Sony are the only ones who make +R/+RW/+RAM etc.
Correct me if I'm wrong.....
) that a Korean company is creating a hybrid machine that will play all three formats. Watch this space.As for the +R and -R wasn't it Sony that came up with that, while the rest of the DVD "forum" members disagreed with it?
I think Imation and Sony are the only ones who make +R/+RW/+RAM etc.
Correct me if I'm wrong.....
Rhizoid said:
Well Martin, I also learned today (from a secret source ) that a Korean company is creating a hybrid machine that will play all three formats. Watch this space.
) that a Korean company is creating a hybrid machine that will play all three formats. Watch this space.
Broadcom anounced a dual standard chipset to allow the production of hybrid players at the beginning of this year and have since developed this into a single chip solution.
All the major (and not so major) manufacturers (barring those with a conflict, eg. sony, panasonic and toshiba) have publicly anounced the development of hybrid players... Old news
As for the +R and -R wasn't it Sony that came up with that, while the rest of the DVD "forum" members disagreed with it?
I think Imation and Sony are the only ones who make +R/+RW/+RAM etc.
Correct me if I'm wrong.....
I think Imation and Sony are the only ones who make +R/+RW/+RAM etc.
Correct me if I'm wrong.....
DVD+R (R/W) was developed by the DVD+RW Alliance (Dell, HP, Mitsubishi,Philips, Ricoh Company,Sony,Thomson, Yamaha)
DVD-RAM was developed by the RAMPRG (Hitachi, Toshiba, Maxell, LG Electronics, Matsushita, Samsung and Teac) from a specification created by the dvd forum.
As for Bluray / HD-DVD... You pays your money you takes your choice.
I have both the panasonic BD10 bluray player and the toshiba XA-1 HD-DVD player.
Now we all know that BR is a marginally better format, but what did i find in reality.
On receiving both units it was clear that HD-DVD had the leap on BR, but that was down to the quality of the initial discs. Once a few more BR discs were on sale the differences were miniscule on first looking.
Viewing on my Pioneer 1080p plasma you cant tell the difference in most cases.
At 720p and 1080i the images are nigh on identical.
Now the tosh is let down as it cant output 1080p, as such BR wins for me... though to be fair on the sets most consumers will use (eg. not 1080p and generally under 50 inch) no one will be able to tell the difference anyway.
Viewing through my Fixed ratio (2.35) Runco projector at a 140" screen size the differences were a little clearer.
HD-DVD wins by a whisker on 720p, BR comes back to level or maybe the smallest margin ahead with a 1080i source, but again BR wins the show with 1080p.
HD-DVD will output true 1080p in the next gen players so this will be irrelevant by the time most dip in.
To me there is next to no difference quality wise, the menu systems etc differ between the two and that is a personal choice as to which you prefer.
Personally i would choose BR if it had to be one format (its a slightly better format with far more scope to improve ,especially when we come to recordable units where the gap will heavily widen in BR's favour)... Chances are it will come down to more basic things to decide who wins the war...
BR is currently far more expensive with very little extra to offer... and if economics doesnt decide it will likely come down to the success of the PS3 and the Xbox 360 HD-dvd add on... The more successful console will have a large say in the outcome of this one... HD-DVD currently have the leap on price and availability of the Xbox add on... For bluray to stop us having a beta/vhs situation where the poorer format one.. The prices need to rapidly decrease and sony needs to pull their socks up and release the PS3 as quickly and troublefree as possible...
Interesting info, I was being sarcastic by the way about secret source. Didn't know it was widespread news though.. 
Don't you think you should've waited a bit longer until the next BR player models come out? i.e. when it becomes a bit more mainstream and affordable? (Similar to the way DVD entered the market, altho in comparison it was a completely new format when compared to the concept of a vhs cassette)
Because right now the technology is in it's "infancy" phase (so to speak) and they'll definitely come up with newer and more useful features in the upcoming models.
Which Pioneer plasma do u have? The pro-FHD1?
Don't you think you should've waited a bit longer until the next BR player models come out? i.e. when it becomes a bit more mainstream and affordable? (Similar to the way DVD entered the market, altho in comparison it was a completely new format when compared to the concept of a vhs cassette)
Because right now the technology is in it's "infancy" phase (so to speak) and they'll definitely come up with newer and more useful features in the upcoming models.
Which Pioneer plasma do u have? The pro-FHD1?
Indeed it is.
(wikipedia)
Alliance leaders (of DVD+RW)
Eight companies form the leadership of the Alliance:
* Dell Computer Corp.
* HP (Hewlett-Packard Co.)
* Mitsubishi Chemical Corp.
* Royal Philips Electronics N.V.
* Ricoh Company, Ltd.
* Sony Corp.
* Thomson SA (RCA)
* Yamaha Corp.
Rival formats
Competing standards developed by the rival DVD Forum are for the "dash" formats (DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD-RAM). Alliance leaders Philips, Sony and Thomson were also founding members of the DVD Forum, established in 1995. As of 2004, both plus and dash formats seem equally popular with consumers, and both are compatible with the vast majority of DVD players.
(wikipedia)
Alliance leaders (of DVD+RW)
Eight companies form the leadership of the Alliance:
* Dell Computer Corp.
* HP (Hewlett-Packard Co.)
* Mitsubishi Chemical Corp.
* Royal Philips Electronics N.V.
* Ricoh Company, Ltd.
* Sony Corp.
* Thomson SA (RCA)
* Yamaha Corp.
Rival formats
Competing standards developed by the rival DVD Forum are for the "dash" formats (DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD-RAM). Alliance leaders Philips, Sony and Thomson were also founding members of the DVD Forum, established in 1995. As of 2004, both plus and dash formats seem equally popular with consumers, and both are compatible with the vast majority of DVD players.
Better will have nothing to do with which one 'wins'.
http://www.engadget.com/2005/09/19/blu-ray-vs-hd-dvd-state-of-the-s-union-s-division/
http://www.engadget.com/2005/09/19/blu-ray-vs-hd-dvd-state-of-the-s-union-s-division/