Blu-ray vs. DVD/VOD (2009)
Ahh, yes. It is that time of year when ol' Marzy jumps the gun and creates the new Blu-ray vs. HD DVD thread...err, I mean Blu-ray vs. DVD/VOD thread now that Blu-ray has proven to be the victor (as many of us had foretold) of the next generation optical formats.
Of course, this thread is now on its 4th year as we've been discussing Blu-ray technology from its pioneering days around 2005 and about its possible inclusion in future Macintosh hardware. Will 2009 finally be the year Apple puts Blu-ray drives in its beloved Macintosh offerings?
Or will Apple continue its ambiguous stance in order to push its VOD offerings as long as it can? Will Microsoft become relevant with either Blu-ray support or its Xbox Live VOD offerings? Will Toshiba continue to ignore the big elephant in the room (that they've lost) and stop peddling XDE? Or will 2009 be the year when Toshiba gets into the Blu-ray game? Is VOD even a worthy contender to Blu-ray anytime soon? And lastly, does Blu-ray have the lasting power to overtake the highly successful DVD format?
Many questions we've asked such as the aforementioned, and we are still debating. So, without furher ado, make your points count, prognosticate, debate, and let yourself be heard on the 2009 thread of Blu-ray vs. DVD/VOD.
Of course, this thread is now on its 4th year as we've been discussing Blu-ray technology from its pioneering days around 2005 and about its possible inclusion in future Macintosh hardware. Will 2009 finally be the year Apple puts Blu-ray drives in its beloved Macintosh offerings?
Or will Apple continue its ambiguous stance in order to push its VOD offerings as long as it can? Will Microsoft become relevant with either Blu-ray support or its Xbox Live VOD offerings? Will Toshiba continue to ignore the big elephant in the room (that they've lost) and stop peddling XDE? Or will 2009 be the year when Toshiba gets into the Blu-ray game? Is VOD even a worthy contender to Blu-ray anytime soon? And lastly, does Blu-ray have the lasting power to overtake the highly successful DVD format?
Many questions we've asked such as the aforementioned, and we are still debating. So, without furher ado, make your points count, prognosticate, debate, and let yourself be heard on the 2009 thread of Blu-ray vs. DVD/VOD.
Comments
* Yes, I think 2009 will be the year for Macs to finally see their hardware graced with beautiful Blu-ray goodness. As a matter of fact, I think we'll see them make their debut right around the release of the Snow Leopard. If we're lucky I think we could see them in the next generation Mac Pros possibly in January's MacWorld...but, I think this may be too soon...but we can always dream!
*I think 2009 Blu-ray sales will force Toshiba to finally get into the Blu-ray game and stop screwing around with lesser technologies like XDE and HD DVD. What!!? Did I just go there? Yes, yes I did. HD DVD is dead, and we're all the better for it.
*No, I don't think even in 2009, VOD will prove to be a worthy competitor to Blu-ray. Infrastructure concerns of VOD, download time concerns, movie viewing habits of the majority (still buying/renting tangible discs), and technical prowess concerns of VOD all keep VOD in my mind a niche for 2009 and some of 2010.
*DVD in my mind is Blu-ray's biggest obstacle. The BDA needs to drive home the message of Blu-ray's superior picture and sound. It also really needs to stress Blu-ray's backward compatibility to DVDs and how it improves people's existing DVD libraries by upscaling DVDs lesser picture quality. Keep the Blu-ray juggernaut rolling with its massive consumer electronics and studio support, and it will indeed overtake DVD. Oh, and falling prices will always help expedite things along with a sprinkle of knowledge that BDA discs are more durable too...so lets get on it BDA!
There. I'm done for now. Comment at will. Look forward to the replies.
DVD outnumbers Blu-Ray on Amazon by 100 to 1 so Blu-Ray is by no means a highly successful format but rather still in the emerging stage. now that it is the decided standard though, it's just a matter of time before the library grows.
I think Sony need to back down with whatever conditions they are making that is putting manufacturers like Apple off from adopting it. They just do way too much in the way of DRM and licensing that they end up hurting their own business.
Thank you.
Because a next-gen AppleTV (dressed in MacBook Black & Silver) outfitted with an upscaling DVD, burn to DVD function, iPhone games library and a proper remote will have Blu-Ray quivering in a corner like a corrupt Chicago governor.
Can we add AppleTV to the title?
Because a next-gen AppleTV (dressed in MacBook Black & Silver) outfitted with an upscaling DVD, burn to DVD function, iPhone games library and a proper remote will have Blu-Ray quivering in a corner like a corrupt Chicago governor.
brd is overpriced, underperforming rubbish and it blows...hard.
a perfect companion for Apple's hardware I'd say.
The licensing plan for Blu-ray sucks, especially for the small video companies that video school plays, for instance. The DRM sucks. There's moving parts, fur cryin' out loud. (You wonder why I say this? Go here: http://www.panasonic.com/business/pr...2-hd/index.asp ) In other words, everything about Blu-Ray sucks, in one form or another.
Anyway, His Steveness views all future video distribution plans as happening from servers. That's all I can figure.
marz, one additional question. Will 2009 finally be the year that the chief evangelist for BD in all of these threads actually buys a BD player/PS3?
I'd Like That answered also. I feel entitled to ask, because I own a stack of BD discs and a player.
Other posters who championed a dead format I won't mention, but announced their love of "The movie, not the format" and apparently won't buy BD even at half the fire sale prices that the dead format eventually sold for, arn't really in a position to ask though.
They know who they are.
Please mods, for THE LOVE OF GOD AND ALL THAT IS HOLY, CLOSE THIS THREAD BEFORE IT EVEN GETS STARTED!
Thank you.
ok, I guess you missed the memo, but it's been out for a while, their IS no god, She doesn't exist.
..an then theres the bit about, umm, like , yeah, if you don't like the topic, don't read it... or something.
I'd Like That answered also. I feel entitled to ask, because I own a stack of BD discs and a player.
Other posters who championed a dead format I won't mention, but announced their love of "The movie, not the format" and apparently won't buy BD even at half the fire sale prices that the dead format eventually sold for, arn't really in a position to ask though.
They know who they are.
they are both dead formats, just SONY bribery is keeping one on life support longer.
I'd Like That answered also. I feel entitled to ask, because I own a stack of BD discs and a player.
Other posters who championed a dead format I won't mention, but announced their love of "The movie, not the format" and apparently won't buy BD even at half the fire sale prices that the dead format eventually sold for, arn't really in a position to ask though.
I applaud Marz. Those of us who were against BR's restrictive DRM wish everyone had followed his example.
Talk up the tech while never actually purchasing it.
First purchase? The Dark Knight
*/sarcasm mode ON
I reiterate: His Steveness has declared all HD video will come from servers! Bow down before him, ye hapless peons! Get rid of the moving parts fetish! You will be assimilated!
*/sarcasm mode OFF
Ok, well I can start my participation in this thread by saying I have finally purchased a bluray player. And no I did not get a PS3, just a good deal on a regular sony player.
First purchase? The Dark Knight
I've been format neutral for a few months now, but I am still buying even more HD-DVD software on firesale deals.
Blu-ray movies are still too expensive for most, but we all knew that already.
Anyway, this thread title should be "PS3 format vs. DVD/VOD" instead. I am not sure whether blu-ray is still considered future technology because it does not seem to have much future. It is rather an obsolete one in the very near future. I will be happy to have Sony bribe for couple more years for the format existence before a successful next gen HDM format is available. Perhaps, blu-ray/DVD may be the last optical disc format as movie storage/delivery?
I've been format neutral for a few months now, but I am still buying even more HD-DVD software on firesale deals.
Blu-ray movies are still too expensive for most, but we all knew that already.
Anyway, this thread title should be "PS3 format vs. DVD/VOD" instead. I am not sure whether blu-ray is still considered future technology because it does not seem to have much future. It is rather an obsolete one in the very near future. I will be happy to have Sony bribe for couple more years for the format existence before a successful next gen HDM format is available. Perhaps, blu-ray/DVD may be the last optical disc format as movie storage/delivery?
Yeah, i'm not too impressed with the bluray. It is painstakingly slow to load, holy crap. I don't know how people even begin to play games on a PS3.
I love HD, I do, but with the price and hassle of it I don't see it going very far.
/rewatches Dark Knight in 1080p on Blu-Ray
Please mods, for THE LOVE OF GOD AND ALL THAT IS HOLY, CLOSE THIS THREAD BEFORE IT EVEN GETS STARTED!
Thank you.
Blu-ray, souffle, g'day, whoop de-do! What's the big deal? this is like the switch from every other content format beginning with the story around the campfire to cave painting to moveable text with some guy by the name of Gutenberg. Is DVD really that bad?
More junk to buy and more junk to go in the ground when some other format comes along! It's all just entertainment, which is something we all take for granted. As feature-itis continues is unyeilding march towards digital oblivion, why do we need more crap that will just end up collecting dust or fill up the ground until there no more ground to fill?
I'll not buy a single Blu-ray disc or player for the simple fact that I can live my life with more junk that that will someday go the way of the dodo.
1) The price of Blu-ray hardware has dropped dramatically, which may allow the Blu-ray licensors to lower their costs (I'm sure the Blu-ray licensors would give Apple a big discount on licensing fees if they can convince Apple to start offering Blu-ray drives in most of their product line). You can buy new Blu-ray discs for not much more than you paid for a regular DVD release.
2) The imposition of broadband download capacity limits by ISP's may thwart the idea of downloaded HD movies, even with Comcast's 250 GB/month limit.