Blue Ray wins the Hi-Def DVD war

[danlisa]

Originally Posted by Herr_Pete

wont be long till Microsoft have blu ray in there xbox 360's.

They've already started development on a external/standalone BR drive for the 360. Gonna sting 360 users though as it will cost a fair amount. With the addition of the external drive, a fully tricked out 360 will cost the same as a PS3.

MS will also have to pay Sony for the priviledge. How do them sour grapes taste Gates.:rotfl:

Also, following Toshiba's withdrawl from manufacturing HD DVD, they still maintain that BR will loose the war:

Blu-ray could still lose HD video war: Toshiba
By Matthew Henry

SYDNEY: Toshiba claims that Sony’s victory in the high definition disc format war will be short lived due to the rise of HD digital video downloads over broadband, which the company claims was one of the key reason for abandoning HD DVD.

In a press conference this morning, Toshiba Australia general manager, Mark Whittard, said that while the US film and retail industries’ recent shift to support Blu-ray sealed HD DVD’s fate, other factors played a role in Toshiba’s abandonment of its high definition video disc business.

Whittard claims the penetration of both next generation disc formats is well below expectations while uptake of digital movie download services is accelerating, and could render HD discs redundant.

“We believe technology developments will soon leapfrog high definition discs, whether it be HD DVD or Blu-ray,” he claimed.

“This step is going to be leapfrogged by the next major format – digital content, internet downloads and video on demand.”

Whittard also identified DVD as a formidable competitor to Blu-ray.

According to figures quoted by Toshiba, total sales of HD movie discs reached a paltry $300 million last year compared to sales of over $23 billion for DVD discs.

Whittard claims Blu-ray will find it difficult to replace DVD in the same way DVD comprehensively replaced VHS.

Toshiba sold less than one million HD DVD players worldwide, and while Blu-ray has achieved higher penetration with the PS3, Whittard claims DVD will be “extremely difficult” for Blu-ray to overcome.

“DVD players still sell in their tens of millions worldwide today,” he said.

“DVD upscaling technology means you get near high definition quality, and to most people there is little discernable difference.”

However, while Toshiba is now moving towards a business model which will see it place more emphasis on other HD video delivery platforms, it has not ruled out joining the Blu-ray camp.

“You never say never, but at this stage there are no plans,” he said.

Toshiba's HD DVD players also have the potential for internet connectivity which gives them the potential to accept HD video streaming over ethernet connectivity, which could be utilised by the company in the future.

http://www.current.com.au/2008/02/20...XGEAZOXNF.html

So, a full .mkv HD movie download (@ 720p or 1080p) will hit your bandwidth for about 6-8gb . Hope you all have fast & unlimited bandwidth ISPs.

I don't think we're quite there Tosh but keep dreaming if you want.

EDIT - For those worried about their extensive DVD collection, (I assume HD DVD players do this to) BR players (aka my PS3) can & do upscale SD format DVD's to near HD quality. Now, to the keen eye there is a huge difference between BR quality & upscaled DVD's but to the general user, it's very good quality. So, your DVD collections are safe.

[SUBMAN1]

Originally Posted by danlisa

http://www.current.com.au/2008/02/20...XGEAZOXNF.html

So, a full .mkv HD movie download (@ 720p or 1080p) will hit your bandwidth for about 6-8gb . Hope you all have fast & unlimited bandwidth ISPs.

I don't think we're quite there Tosh but keep dreaming if you want.

EDIT - For those worried about their extensive DVD collection, (I assume HD DVD players do this to) BR players (aka my PS3) can & do upscale SD format DVD's to near HD quality. Now, to the keen eye there is a huge difference between BR quality & upscaled DVD's but to the general user, it's very good quality. So, your DVD collections are safe.

I disagree - We are there. I'm changing over my broadband to FIOS and will have 30 MBit/sec download as of next month. That would get me your 6 GB file in less than 30 minutes - probably shorter than to go rent it at the store.

I also have friends that are bypassing HD DVD and Blu Ray alltogether, and either DL all their content, or have Comcast send it to them.

-S

[danlisa]

Until that kind of connection is the basic norm in the major areas of the world, we are nowhere near this kind of HD download content.

This kind of infrastructure and net speed needs to be nationwide before this service takes the lead. For example, the majority of the UK doesn't even have cable connections installed, what chance do they have getting fibre optics.

However, I will concede that downloadable HD services will spur the industry on to install & develop cable/optical net services.

[SUBMAN1]

Originally Posted by danlisa

Until that kind of connection is the basic norm in the major areas of the world, we are nowhere near this kind of HD download content.

This kind of infrastructure and net speed needs to be nationwide before this service takes the lead. For example, the majority of the UK doesn't even have cable connections installed, what chance do they have getting fibre optics.

However, I will concede that downloadable HD services will spur the industry on to install & develop cable/optical net services.

Well it sounds like the UK is lagging! You guys need to catch up. FIOS is nationwide over here, and the phone companies are pushing it hard as a competitor to cable.

The phone companies are trying to compete on every level with cable, and plan to send everything from internet traffic, to TV through FIOS.

I expect a similar assualt on the cable companies to happen in the UK in the near future. To hear you talk though, I'd have to say the UK even lags behind all other European nations.

-S

PS. In case you care, FIOS is probably what you already think it is - It is fiber optic.

PPS. Some info - http://www22.verizon.com/content/con...s+vs+cable.htm

PPPS. I was under the impression that most European nations were beyond the US in broadband speed.

PPPPS. Here is the TV channel line-up - kind of shows you that they have stadard cable in their sights - http://www22.verizon.com/content/fio...nel+lineup.htm

[danlisa]

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

PPPS. I was under the impression that most European nations were beyond the US in broadband speed.

You're impressionable.

London has only just getting FIOS and that's central London.

Personally, I'm stuck on 8mb/1mb coming down my phone line and that's on a good day. There's not even a cable infrastructure within 200 miles of me.

I agreee the UK is well behind the rest of the world. ISPs are still charging extortionate rates for net service while advertising speeds that are not obtainable. I pay £24.99 a month for a 30GB (fair usage) monthly cap and I'm lucky if I can maintain 4mb/512kb. LOL

Laugh if you must.:rotfl: I welcome FIOS with open arms.

[SUBMAN1]

Well FIOS (which is a Verizon branded name. It will probably be called something else in the UK) is not all its cracked up to be though - my one biggest complaint with it - they block both port 80, port 25, and port 21 which means no web servers except on non standard ports and same goes with no FTP unless it is on non standard ports. SMTP is a no go because of a lacking port 25. They force you to pay more for the biz package if you plan to use those services and host them at home on standard ports.

I can sort of see why though - 5 MBit/sec upload would / will make a great server pipe.

-S

[Nightmare]

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

FIOS is nationwide over here, and the phone companies are pushing it hard as a competitor to cable.

It's not quite nationwide yet. I've had it available for almost 2 years now in my neighborhood. Just haven't gotten around to making the switch, but I'll probably make the jump after my wife and I move here in the next 6 months. There are vast areas of Portland that still don't have FIOS available yet and several friends of mine in the Seattle area have been patiently waiting for it for close to a year now. If you live out anywhere close to being rural you can forget about it.

[SUBMAN1]

Originally Posted by Nightmare

It's not quite nationwide yet. I've had it available for almost 2 years now in my neighborhood. Just haven't gotten around to making the switch, but I'll probably make the jump after my wife and I move here in the next 6 months. There are vast areas of Portland that still don't have FIOS available yet and several friends of mine in the Seattle area have been patiently waiting for it for close to a year now. If you live out anywhere close to being rural you can forget about it.

Rural - that is exactly where they seem to have the most of it. In the last year, it has been rolled out almost everywhere. Seattle has it, Everett has it, and I know people in Portland with it. Your friends must be on the fringe somewhere.

-S

[The WosMan]

In all honesty I could care less at this format war. Technology progresses too fast anymore and optical media will be a thing of the past a few years down the road. I will eagerly look forward to IPTV and the benefits it will bring.

[Nightmare]

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

Rural - that is exactly where they seem to have the most of it. In the last year, it has been rolled out almost everywhere. Seattle has it, Everett has it, and I know people in Portland with it. Your friends must be on the fringe somewhere.

-S

Actually one of my friends in Washington is in Everett but his neighborhood doesn’t have the FIOS available. The other two are in Renton and Mukilteo. In the Portland area, my parents live on the west hills overlooking Portland and FIOS isn’t available yet, Verizon is stating early April. I live about 10 miles further out, so I wouldn’t call my examples as rural or on the fringe. I’m sure within a year Verizon will get all the pockets taken care of though.