Blockbuster Picks a Side in the HD Format Wars

[Natrix]

I personally don't think that's a good example for comparison. The Fifth Element is a 10-year-old movie shot in standard definition. I don't think either format can help out an older movie. No recent movie has been released on both formats to do a side-by-side comparison, but when 300 comes out in July, that will change. Don't blame the format, blame the formatter. I doubt Sony has control over who the movie studio selects as the actual manufacterer and compression company of the Blu Ray disc. They only offer the format, that's it.

Fifth Element was filmed in standard definition?? It was filmed on 35mm film which actually has higher resolution than HD. Neither format can help out an "older move"....hmmm, The Matrix came out in 1999 so would that be considered older. It looks awesome in HD, guess you haven't seen it....oh also The Fifth Element is a Sony movie....

 

[tomandshell]

Speaking of older movies, take a look at "The Searchers" on HD DVD or Blu-ray. Even my wife could tell the difference between that movie in 1080p vs. standard DVD. It's a fantastic example of how great an older movie can look given proper treatment and remastering.

Other classics like Casablanca, The Adventures of Robin Hood and Mutiny on the Bounty look great in high def, but are only available on HD DVD for the time being, so Blu-ray owners will have to wait.

Or do what I did--get both formats and watch the war from the sidelines!

 

[hairlesswookiee]

At what point in that whole thing is quality addressed? What when they said it was better with nothing to back it up? Guess what 1080p is 1080p no matter what the source.

thank you. they are different formats, but they both say 1080p on the back of the box.

 

[Natrix]

I don't think that's entirely true. I think either format is only going to look as good as the thecnical quality of the original movie. Obviously something shot and released within the past few years will look much better and do either format more justice than something older. Do you think a re-release of Gone With The Wind on 1080p is going to look like an entirely new movie? I highly doubt it.

Gone With The Wind is another 35mm film as well.

You really need to do some research and check out some older HD movies to see how great they can look not only on HD DVD or Blu Ray but even on cable/Directv. Your posts are coming across as being very misinformed as anyone who has seen older movies in HD will attest to.

 

[SSC_Nerd]

All right, I guess I'll chime in with what I know.

First of all, I own a PS3 and a 360. When it comes to a high def movies, I support blu-ray though.

I went into buying a PS3 knowing that it would be a rough first year. I've enjoyed many games on the PS3, but sadly not a hell of a lot of them were exclusives. I bought it for the games that were to come out sooner or later. My main reasoning was Metal Gear, then things like LAIR were also heavy motivators. I'm thrilled to be learning more an more about the game Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, which is just some awesome looking adventure game, sort of a present day Indiana Jones. I also presently suprised to find out the other day that Time Crisis 4 is coming out for it come Christmasy time. Personally, I'm very excited for what's coming.

Yes, it's not making me the happiest these days for lack of big games. But some of the functionality of the PS3 is making me happy. As of now, I'm justifying the price as Blu-Ray player. It's given me a lot of movies that have made me happy, and there are a lot of movies that I'm looking forward to in the future. One reason I'm siding with it is that there are a lot of movies that are potentially exclusive for Blu-Ray. The only Hd-DVD exluisve company is UNiversal, and will confess that it has some movies I really would want, with things like King Kong and the Bourne movies being my favorite. BUt right now as it sits, Blu-Ray possibily offers me more movies I want.

Now, on this story about all of these Fox movies being cancelled. Now, I can't prove any of this 100% so don't give me crap. Right now as it stands, the most likely answer to this is that the movies are in fact delayed. A good while ago, the HD-DVD codec was cracked, and there was that whole fiasco of the codes being placed online. A little while after that, Fox "canceled" the movies. Some companies have said that they will NOT be releasing any movies until after a new Blu-Ray codec type thing is realeased later this year called BD+. This new codec is supposed to have better protection from hacking, along with implementing new PiP programs for Blu-Ray. The strongest rumor is that Fox is in fact waiting for this new Codec to be released before they release any more movies to stop their BD movies being hacked an posted online. Of course, goodness knows this program will be hacked sooner or later anyway.

In other words, Fox is (maybe) waiting until this new program is released and implemented into their new movies for extra pretection against pirating. So, don't bash me for expressing my opinions on the PS3 and Blu-Ray. But goodness knows that relentless people will. These are just the biggest rumors, and can't be proven, so don't consider me an expert on the situation and giving me crap for something I know little about.

 

[tomandshell]

thank you. they are different formats, but they both say 1080p on the back of the box.

I actually overheard a Best Buy employee pushing a customer towards Blu-ray "because HD DVD isn't 1080p." I intervened and showed the customer the back of every HD DVD in the store (well, not quite) and they looked at the employee like they were either lying or crazy. I am actually pretty much format neutral, but I find myself defending HD DVD a lot because the Blu-ray supporters often misrepresent it (or flat out lie) in their efforts to swing people over to their side.

 

[Agent23]

I hear ya there Tom. What's also funny (insulting) is Best Buy employees telling customers in 2 - 3 years that standard DVD's won't be made anymore.

(and yes, I am serious)

I just ignore it and roll my eyes. I support Blu-Ray myself. But, I'm not one that is all about the "format war". I think there is enough pie for both formats to be successful.

 

[hairlesswookiee]

I actually overheard a Best Buy employee pushing a customer towards Blu-ray "because HD DVD isn't 1080p." I intervened and showed the customer the back of every HD DVD in the store (well, not quite) and they looked at the employee like they were either lying or crazy. I am actually pretty much format neutral, but I find myself defending HD DVD a lot because the Blu-ray supporters often misrepresent it (or flat out lie) in their efforts to swing people over to their side.

lol...i do that too. its just typical sony fanboys that down HD DVD because microsoft supports it. i've read online that MS already has an external BluRay player ready to go in case HD DVD dies. i just can't stand when people always take the "bigger is better approach" sure its great that you can put more stuff on it, but the only time you'll need 50+ gigs of information is if they put the entire Matrix or LOTR trilogies on a single disc.

 

[Natrix]

I actually overheard a Best Buy employee pushing a customer towards Blu-ray "because HD DVD isn't 1080p." I intervened and showed the customer the back of every HD DVD in the store (well, not quite) and they looked at the employee like they were either lying or crazy. I am actually pretty much format neutral, but I find myself defending HD DVD a lot because the Blu-ray supporters often misrepresent it (or flat out lie) in their efforts to swing people over to their side.

Me too! I bet 99% of people wouldn't know Blu Ray from HD DVD in a side by side comparison. I love both and am format neutral but hate hearing misinformation being spread as well. I just want people to do a little research on their own and not be led around by the nose by the marketing propaganda especially if they don't even own either format.

 

[BadMoon]

However, if you stick to that mantra, you will own one in the future ...

Alas though you have me there. When MG comes out or FF. Yep I will buy one.

 

[DouglasMcc]

lol...i do that too. its just typical sony fanboys that down HD DVD because microsoft supports it.

Wook, don't take this as a personal attack, because you have always struck me as an intelligent, articulate person. However, when one of us resorts to rhetoric such as "fanboy", "PoS3", "M$", etc. we change the entire tone of the conversation. Instead of sounding like reasonable adults debating the issues, it comes off as pre-teens insulting each other on Gamefaqs. Just say no to "l33t" terminology ... everyone is better off in the end.

 

[DouglasMcc]

Alas though you have me there. When MG comes out or FF. Yep I will buy one.

Might not need one for Metal Gear. You might have to wait an extra 6 months, but I would bet money - heck, my own money - based upon previous Metal Gear "exclusive" deals that it will be on the 360 eventually.

Not so sure about FF though. With all the talk about the Sony CEOs calling Xbox360 and PS3 "over-engineered", I wouldn't be all that shocked if FF13 on PS3 got canceled and turned into a Wii game LOL ... God, lets hope not

 

[DouglasMcc]

Blockbusting Blu-ray
National rental chain backs Blu-ray over HD DVD.
by David McCutcheon

June 18, 2007 - Today, home entertainment rental mega-chain Blockbuster has announced that it will expand its high-definition viewing experience beyond the initial 250 Blockbuster locations that had previously rented both HD DVD and Blu-ray formats. The only difference? HD DVD will be left in the dust.

Blu-ray will officially be supported on a grand scale by the rental chain, the company has announced. While both formats were renting at a steady pace, the Blu-ray titles were rented 70% to HD DVD's 30% on the high-definition side of entertainment. The reasoning behind the move, beyond the market's decision, is the fact that all major studios, aside from HD DVD-friendly Universal Studios, support Sony's technology.

Stay tuned to IGN DVD for more info on everything HD and beyond.


https://dvd.ign.com/articles/797/797423p1.html

 

[mfoga]

Wow I must say that David McCutcheon is tool. How in the hell can you take credit for that short 8 line story that almost copies the press release, excpet forthe info that he seems to pull from his ass about its becasue the studios back Sony's tech. Anyone with half a brain knows Blockbuster is doing this because in the test BR rented better, period. If that dude is paid for that job he should give them the money back.

 

[vespagirl]

Gone With The Wind is another 35mm film as well.

You really need to do some research and check out some older HD movies to see how great they can look not only on HD DVD or Blu Ray but even on cable/Directv. Your posts are coming across as being very misinformed as anyone who has seen older movies in HD will attest to.

I don't consider myself to be a very misinformed individual. I am also not a "superfan" of any particular gaming platform and using that as my only source of information. Additionally, I am not a Best Buy employee, a Sony shareholder, or a Microsoft advocate. I am, however, guilty of having made an error in a previous post on this subject and I'll elaborate...

My reference to Gone With The Wind is a reference to older black and white films that, while classics, are still technically challenged in their purist form. If the film is colorized or retooled, it is still, in my humble opinion, going to be lacking on some level when compared to a modern film with a similar epic storyline just based on the general limitations of filming a movie in 1939. I'm not discrediting an entire generation of cinema; it was just an observation.

Before I picked Blu Ray as my format of choice, I did the research and then decided to get both to be safe and I really wanted to know in the end, which one was going to look better to me...in my home...on my TV. Is the difference noticeable and is it going to make a difference over the long haul? Yeah, to my eye, I think Blu Ray looks better on a 36-inch LCD HDTV than an HD DVD. And then to seal the deal, I can't ignore the fact that Blu Ray has more support from the major players, the manufacturers and the studios.

Not that anybody gives a seahorse-shaped craplet what I think, but the words "very misinformed" kinda sorta got my girlish back up. I may be a girl, but I'm not a dumb girl.

 

[tomandshell]

This headline from the Internet Movie Database is an absolutely perfect example of the level of confusion, misunderstanding and inaccuracy characteristic of this format war:

Blockbuster Plans To Stock HD DVDs -- But Only Blu-Ray

 

[BadMoon]

LOL! Here is a headline for you.

TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- The chief architect of Sony's PlayStation game console stepped down on Tuesday as the Japanese company struggles to defend its dominance in the video game industry and revive its re****tion as an electronics pioneer.

Ken Kutaragi, 56, stepped down as Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.'s chairman and group chief executive, the gaming unit said Tuesday. The unit is now headed by Kazuo Hirai, SCE's former president and chief operating officer.



Full story----->https://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/biztech/06/19/japan.sony.ap/index.html

 

[DouglasMcc]

LOL! Here is a headline for you.

TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- The chief architect of Sony's PlayStation game console stepped down on Tuesday as the Japanese company struggles to defend its dominance in the video game industry and revive its re****tion as an electronics pioneer.

Ken Kutaragi, 56, stepped down as Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.'s chairman and group chief executive, the gaming unit said Tuesday. The unit is now headed by Kazuo Hirai, SCE's former president and chief operating officer.



Full story----->https://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/biztech/06/19/japan.sony.ap/index.html

You are behind the times on that one - he said he was stepping down a couple of months ago and returning to research and development. Of course, I am not gullible ... either he was asked to step down, or his own personal sense of honor forced him to. Either way, I still don't see what this article has to do with this discussion. Is Sony happy about the launch of the PS3? Hell no. Are they still a major player in the industry? Of course.

 

[Buttmunch]

While I'm not up on the whole Blue Ray/HD war, the other night it was brought up in my film studies class. My teacher says Blue Ray is better, but that it won't win because it is owned by Sony and Sony screws up when it comes to customers. They have a slightly better product, but significantly more expensive. They lost the VHS format war and will lose this one too if they don't get their act together.

IMO, Blue Ray will lose just because of its name. HD is straight forward on what exactly the product is: High Def. HD just seems like a logical progession from DVDs.

 

[Fritz]