The High-Def Battle

[STAGE]

@traydogg6969

looks like sony is gonna win the war

We’ll see…The move by Blockbuster to only support Blu-Ray is huge for Sony…Will NetFlix support HD- -DVD? I’m still hoping HD DVD comes out on top…Although the future looks very bleak…

[imported_renegade1]

@The1SloR/T

Blockbuster to Rent Out Blu-Ray Only

VICTORY!!! In a move that many would call absolutely crippling to HD-DVD, the largest rental chain in America, Blockbuster, has officially announced that they will not be renting out HD-DVDs. Their HD format of choice is the format that most have ended up choosing: Sony’s Blu-Ray. As a conducted test of preference, Blockbuster has been renting out both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray movies in 250 stores scattered across the country for the past nine months.

The results witnessed were that Blu-Ray rentals eclipsed that of HD-DVD by a ratio of over 7:3 - over 70% of HD rentals were Blu-Ray (which is also a close reflection of the format’s sales). Those 250 stores will keep the available HD-DVDs (though very likely in limited quantities), but the remaining 1450 stores will exclusively feature Blu-Ray as of this July.

“The consumers are sending us a message. I can’t ignore what I’m seeing,” Matthew Smith, senior vice president of merchandising at Blockbuster", told The Associated Press. “When you walk into a store and see all this product available in Blu-ray and there is less available on HD DVD, I think the consumer gets that,” Smith said.

Likewise, Smith cited the release of the PlayStation 3 last year as a momentum boost for the format. Most importantly though, the fact that Blu-Ray has the support of every major studio (with the exception of Universal), is the deciding factor in Blockbuster’s announcement. The company is much better of supporting a product that has an enormous assortment to choose from, as opposed to a constricted one.

“It will help shift the balance toward Blu-ray, clearly,” said Richard Doherty, president of The Envisioneering Group, a research company.

Clearly the North American HD DVD Promotional Group wasn’t too happy about this, criticizing Blockbuster as being shortsighted. They believe that Blockbuster is only looking at the performance of HD-DVD’s first three months of 2007, which were abysmally bad, and that has skewed their perception of the format. The group cites movies such as “The 40-Year Old Virgin” and “The Matrix” trilogy as boosting the format’s sales in players and performance.

“I think trying to make a format decision using such a short time period is really not measuring what the consumer is saying,” said Ken Graffeo, co-president of the group.

It seems like the HD-DVD group is grasping for straws here. Realistically, for every two major motion pictures that debut exclusively for HD-DVD, Blu-Ray sees a good 15. Where as HD-DVD is relying on the success of a select few, Blu-Ray isn’t faced with that struggle. And with Sony slashing prices of Blu-Ray players by half, down to $500 and with the impending PS3 price-drop, the gravestone has been written for HD-DVD. It’s time to break ground.

wait didn’t block buster also support Beta max??? and that flopped. So it might turn out like Beta did and HD-DVD may come out on top. not a fan of what sony does except for the Playstation that’s one thing I like from them.

[The1SloR_T]

well blu ray had been kicking hddvd’s ass since it came out…

I really think sony finally made the right format

[traydogg6969]

@The1SloR/T

well blu ray had been kicking hddvd’s ass since it came out…

I really think sony finally made the right format

i feel sorry for all the ppl that bought the hd dvd drives for there 360’s

[fshowcars]

@The1SloR/T

well blu ray had been kicking hddvd’s ass since it came out…

I really think sony finally made the right format

:hsugh:

i don’t think that because blockbuster chose blu ray means much of anything… won’t it all come down to the movies produced on the format? i don’t really have a preference yet, because i don’t have a player… i think that the ps3 obviously pushes the media…

hollywood video is going to rent both… and i know netflix was renting both… so i guess we still have a while to wait out to see the winner…

[The1SloR_T]

x2 that the ps3 is pushing the media…

im still standing behind my answer to thinking blu ray is going to win.

I’ve seen charts and its been out selling hddvd 10 to 1 every week

[fah_quad]

Dragging this post back from the dead, now that Dreamworks and Paramount have decided to ditch Blu Ray in favor of HD DVD. Wonder if this will change Blockbuster’s mind…
This is a big win for those of us with xBox!
Death to Blu Ray!

[The1SloR_T]

no death to blu ray. hell… I’d like both formats…

I just think blu ray is out selling

[77rednecktruck]

sony should just make game console’s. Every other product from Sony fucking blows. Their stereo’s are shit, their tv’s suck, and camera’s aren’t that great and are expensive, and their track record of trying to force the market to use their products isn’t good at all. fuck sony

microsoft owns you, just give in and don’t fight it. :D:D:D

[BlkP42E]

blu-ray sucks. nobody wants to pay $40 for a dvd

[imported_showtime]

@BlkP42E

blu-ray sucks. nobody wants to pay $40 for a dvd

they are usually 25-35

& cheaper if you get them used like i do.

the quality is noticable espeically with animated movies.

& HD-DVD’s are the same price so if the price is your problem then they both suck

[imported_showtime]

@77rednecktruck"

sony should just make game console’s. Every other product from Sony fucking blows. Their stereo’s are shit, their tv’s suck, and camera’s aren’t that great and are expensive, and their track record of trying to force the market to use their products isn’t good at all. fuck sony

you can really make some retarded comments.

I guess the creation of the walkman & the CD player (co created with phillips)
were some real shitty stuff the forced us to use.

IMO Sony TV’s are at the top of the market…espically when comparing overall perfoamnce, picture, sound, etc…

and remember…they do have higher end stuff…they stuff you see & bestbuy & CC are just the lower to mid level sony stuff

[77rednecktruck]

@showtime

you can really make some retarded comments.

I guess the creation of the walkman & the CD player (co created with phillips)
were some real shitty stuff the forced us to use.

IMO Sony TV’s are at the top of the market…espically when comparing overall perfoamnce, picture, sound, etc…

and remember…they do have higher end stuff…they stuff you see & bestbuy & CC are just the lower to mid level sony stuff

every single piece of sony equipment I have ever had has broke well before it should have. The quality of their products is shitty at best. Maybe you have had better luck with their stuff, but I think it’s shitty and will never buy another sony product.

[The1SloR_T]

@BlkP42E

blu-ray sucks. nobody wants to pay $40 for a dvd

I just picked up 300 on bluray for 19.99… So I dunno what your talkin about.
I’ve seen alot of new release blurays going for 20 bucks

[Fiji_Mazda3]

I am a big Sony fan. My famiily has several Sony Wega televisions, DVD players and a PS2. Every one of them has been flawless compared to the JVC, Magnavox and RCA items we have. I am planning on getting a PS3 in the next couple months, so my vote is going towards BluRay.

(And yes I know that their car audio sucks.)

[ShalerPunk]

ehhh…

1: I don’t care which format wins.

2: Sony doesn’t have the same advantage over their competitors in terms of product quality that they had in the 80s. I’ve seen LG tvs that have a better picture than much higher dollar Sonys.

[S10Blazed_Si]

I hope HD-DVD wins out just so I can save a few bucks down the road on a player (just buy the add-on for my 360). But realistically I foresee a dual format option emerging. Same thing happened with DVD-R and DVD+R in the past. Most people don’t even know there is a difference, although it is much less signifigant difference than Bluray and HD-DVD is. My best guess is that the players will be dual format. NEC, Samsung, and LG are already working on them. Then hopefully the discs come with HD-DVD on one side and bluray on the other. But most likely the big movie companies will stick with who ever pays them off the most. Then its just a matter of what format plays when you pop in your disc.

[imported_showtime]

@ShalerPunk"

I’ve seen LG tvs that have a better picture than much higher dollar Sonys.

the thing is overall performance…

so when its a TV we’re talking more then just the picture…sound, available hookups, menu options for picture & sound, etc…
for instance some hitachi’s have as good or slightly better picture, but then sony kills it when you compare the sound…so its all in what your looking for

& some don’t realize that there are different models… grand wega, Bravia, XBR, etc… some better then others

[ShalerPunk]

@showtime

so when its a TV we’re talking more then just the picture…sound, available hookups, menu options for picture & sound, etc…

i only use the TV for video. I have a box that all of my shit plugs into and then sends the video to the TV and the audio to my stereo.

[fah_quad]

@showtime

some hitachi’s have as good or slightly better picture, but then sony kills it when you compare the sound…

If a person is using the TV for their sound output then they’re prolly not really caring much about a true theater experience anyhow.
TV’s aren’t for sound; stand alone amps and speakers are. All I want out of a TV is a great picture and a few DVI or HDMI (even though I don’t need the sound of HDMI) inputs. Sound is going optic to a completely separate amp.