The End of HD-DVD

[kamaboko]

Looks like a Blu-Ray came out the victor.

http://www.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUSL1643184420080216

[kamaboko]

http://www.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUSL1643184420080216

[icett]

Yes true. It seems its the end of HD-DVD and the beginning of the Blu-Ray disk success alongwith the success of hacking, cracking or pirating, whatever it is called of the Blu-Ray disk.

[gletob]

http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/16/toshiba-pulling-the-plug-on-hd-dvd-already/

http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/15/wal-mart-to-officially-discontinue-hd-dvd-sales-by-june/

[Crashmaxx]

I'm glad, I didn't really care who won, but it is nice not to have two redundant formats.

Although, I still don't plan on switching to Blu-Ray anytime soon. I'm just a standard def kind of guy.

[toupeiro]

I admit I'm surprised blue-ray took it, but I am not dissappointed by it. It was a superior format. So was betamax, however it lost out due to the fact that VHS was cheaper. AV is a much bigger deal now than it was then though, so I am glad the superior format was chosen. (Even though I still despise Sony's ethics as a company)

[hanzomon4]

I for one welcome our new 50gb dual layer optical storage disk overlords....

[Kernel Sanders]

I for one would like to see the end of CD's and DVD's, and instead have everything stored on high capacity flash drives.

If they can come up with a 100GB USB stick that's ultraportable, i'll be as giddy as a schoolgirl.

[phrostbyte]

Blu-ray has some insane DRM and spyware. Imagine buying a DVD today and have your DVD player say something like "This DVD license can't be verified by our servers, you will not be allowed to view this movie." With Bluray stuff like that can be a reality since to play many Bluray discs you are required to have your player hooked up to the Internet. Built in license servers into every movie, and they can also track everything you watch.

Of course this has been mostly cracked and with some effort you actually play BD movies in Linux without the spyware and DRM, but that's another story. :)

[Ebuntor]

Blu-ray has some insane DRM and spyware. Imagine buying a DVD today and have your DVD player say something like "This DVD license can't be verified by our servers, you will not be allowed to view this movie." With Bluray stuff like that can be a reality since to play many Bluray discs you are required to have your player hooked up to the Internet. Built in license servers into every movie, and they can also track everything you watch.

Of course this has been mostly cracked and with some effort you actually play BD movies in Linux without the spyware and DRM, but that's another story. :)

Is that the main reason they're going with Bluray? Or is it also better than HD-DVD for some other (technical) reason?
If it's just for the DRM that's pretty low imo. It's pointless to choose for more Restriction Management since it will always be circumvented and the only people who will suffer from it are the "regular" consumers.

They'd better choose the technically superior option since DRM is pointless as has been shown time and time again.

Anyway I'll get of my soapbox now. ;)

[kevdog]

I hate Sony!

[Kernel Sanders]

Is that the main reason they're going with Bluray? Or is it also better than HD-DVD for some other (technical) reason?
If it's just for the DRM that's pretty low imo. It's pointless to choose for more Restriction Management since it will always be circumvented and the only people who will suffer from it are the "regular" consumers.

They'd better choose the technically superior option since DRM is pointless as has been shown time and time again.

Anyway I'll get of my soapbox now. ;)

It is technically superior.

HD-DVD = 30GB per disk, 15GB per layer.

Blu-Ray = 50GB per disk, 25GB per layer.

[Superkoop]

I for one would like to see the end of CD's and DVD's, and instead have everything stored on high capacity flash drives.

My thoughts exactly.
DVD's and CD's get scratched in my pocket, while my flash drive can go anywhere with me. There have been so many times I have dropped a CD and it's gotten a scratch and I need to get that fixed then. While I have dropped flash drives just as much as CD's and I have yet to have the data on them skip. :P

[ubuntoy]

I hate Sony!

why is that?

drm? spyware? connecting to server and cannot view this movie? do you know what your talking about?

[scorp123]

HD-DVD = 30GB per layer
Blu-Ray = 50GB per layer Wrong. "Per disk" you mean. Not "per layer". for HD-DVD it's 15 GB per layer, and for BlueRay it's 25 GB per layer. That's how you get those numbers, e.g. 1 disc = 2 layers = 2 x 25 GB = 50 GB for a BlueRay disk.

I just read that they are working on a 4-layer BlueRay disk now. That would be nice.

As for DRM and such stuff: HD-DVD had that too, but it's a joke anyway. It won't take too long and this stuff gets cracked again.

[hanzomon4]

why is that?

drm? spyware? connecting to server and cannot view this movie? do you know what your talking about?

Sony is a format/standards ***** and they suck at creating them, umd and artic anyone? As for the DRM I'm not worried I have faith in the techno-geeks.

[Kernel Sanders]

Wrong. "Per disk" you mean. Not "per layer". for HD-DVD it's 15 GB per layer, and for BlueRay it's 25 GB per layer. That's how you get those numbers, e.g. 1 disc = 2 layers = 2 x 25 GB = 50 GB for a BlueRay disk.

I just read that they are working on a 4-layer BlueRay disk now. That would be nice.

As for DRM and such stuff: HD-DVD had that too, but it's a joke anyway. It won't take too long and this stuff gets cracked again.

Do'h! That's what I meant! :(

[oomingmak]

I hate Sony!
Me too.

Those proprietary obsessed, consumer-hating, root-kit infecting scumbags will never get a penny out of me.

It's a shame, I was really looking forward to another one of their formats going the way of Betamax, DAT, MiniDisk, SDDS, ATRAC, UMD, Memory Stick, SA-CD .....

[Kernel Sanders]

Why? When Blu-Ray gets cracked none of that will mater :)

[zmjjmz]

All of my friends agree that optical discs are currently overrated.
A USBHDD would be better.

[LaRoza]

Good, I am now going to go make fun of the people who bought HD players

(For those that don't know, Microsoft was backing HD-DVD.)

[Kernel Sanders]

Computers can boot from a USB drive now can't they?

Can you put Ubuntu on a usb flash drive and have the computer boot from it?

[LaRoza]

Computers can boot from a USB drive now can't they?

Can you put Ubuntu on a usb flash drive and have the computer boot from it?

Yes. I have put various Linux distros on flash drive before.

[Mateo]

Not sure how I feel about this. Overall I do not like Sony or it's line of (ridiculously expensive products), but in this case Blu-Ray is the superior technology and should have won out. I'm just afraid that we're never going to have reasonably priced Blu-Ray players in our house.

[Kernel Sanders]

Yes. I have put various Linux distros on flash drive before.

Cool, thanks :)

[LaRoza]

Cool, thanks :)

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/

That should help.

[Polygon]

bluray was already cracked, and you can even play it in linux, abet taking a long time to set it up as you have to manually find the key at the moment, but it still works.

but yay, a format won.

[Kingsley]

My thoughts exactly.
DVD's and CD's get scratched in my pocket, while my flash drive can go anywhere with me. There have been so many times I have dropped a CD and it's gotten a scratch and I need to get that fixed then. While I have dropped flash drives just as much as CD's and I have yet to have the data on them skip. :P

How do you fit CDs and DVDs in your pocket? You must wear very baggy pants.

[madsmeg]

How do you fit CDs and DVDs in your pocket? You must wear very baggy pants.
I actually carry disks around with me in my pockets :p Just not my *** pocket for obvious reasons.

I second the fact that at leat someone won, and i am glad it was blue-ray, as said before, it is the superior product.

Internal Blue-ray drives are already available at round the £100 mark from what i have seen (i thought that was cheap considering DVD players came out at around £400)

Things will come down in price as more people buy.

Mad

[el mariachi]

Saaaaaaaaaaaaay isn't XBOX360 using HD-DVD? what now?:lolflag:

[kamaboko]

Saaaaaaaaaaaaay isn't XBOX360 using HD-DVD? what now?:lolflag:

Yes, and that's why I held off on getting one. Looks like it's going to be PS3 with Yellow Dog Linux.

[el mariachi]

that makes me think... what will happen to 360's upcoming games? will they keep making hd-dvd's just because of the console?

[LaRoza]

that makes me think... what will happen to 360's upcoming games? will they keep making hd-dvd's just because of the console?

The HD part is an addon. Microsoft actually did plan on Blu-Ray possibly winning.

Quick search for evidence: http://laptoplogic.com/news/detail.php?id=4161

[oldb0y]

Don't the X360 use DVD's for games?

[LaRoza]

Don't the X360 use DVD's for games?

They are not HD-DVD though.

[Joeb454]

Yes the Xbox 360 does use standard DVD's for it's games.

And I bought an HD DVD player the other week (for like < half the retail price though) so at least I'll be able to get LOADS of HD DVD's off ebay really cheap now :D

[el mariachi]

LOADS? ... hummm

[Joeb454]

sure...I think a lot of people will sell them off because HD DVD is dying.

There's 400-500 films out for the format right now I believe, not 100% sure though.

And I'd appreciate it if nobody flame me, these are just my personal opinions

[oldb0y]

They are not HD-DVD though.

My point exactly:D

[lyceum]

I am glad the Blue-ray won for 2 reasons:

1. MS owns HD, and they own too much, which means they can make more things poorly. Sony has been making this type of technology, and they don't seem to stray too far away. MS seems to have its hand in a bit of everything, which makes it harder for MS to make a good product. Sony can make their DRM mistakes, a common business flaw these days, given time it will be corrected by the market (you can see evidence of that now). Also, keep in mind that Sony's PS3 can run Linux, as can MS's X-Box, but MS tries to stop X-Box owners from loading anything but Windows. That gives Sony a big + in my book.

2. I just bought a laptop with a Blue-ray DVD player. I would hate to have waisted my money on the looser. ;)

[el mariachi]

sure...I think a lot of people will sell them off because HD DVD is dying.

There's 400-500 films out for the format right now I believe, not 100% sure though.

And I'd appreciate it if nobody flame me, these are just my personal opinions

sorry that wasn't flaming :p I was trying to say that there aren't that much movies around, but I must be mistaken though, because I live in Portugal and Hi-def isn't something that common here, except for all the incarnations oh "the hitch" xD

[Joeb454]

Sure no worries :)

Though from what I've read HD DVD's are/were region free. Blu-Ray (note Blu-Ray has NO e) disc's aren't from what I've heard.

I know I can buy them from America and play them on my player. Either way I'm not fussed :)

[johndc]

MS seems to have its hand in a bit of everything, which makes it harder for MS to make a good product.

Sony has it's hands in pretty much everything too.

Sure, Sony makes consumer and professional electronics, but they also own:

A major record label
A music publisher
An electronic components manufacturer.
A camera company

Sony is pretty much the Microsoft of the electronics/entertainment world. I'm waiting for the announcement that they've bought Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki, and that all Japanese motorcycles now come with "mega bass".

[el mariachi]

Sony has it's hands in pretty much everything too.

Sure, Sony makes consumer and professional electronics, but they also own:

A major record label
A music publisher
An electronic components manufacturer.
A camera company

Sony is pretty much the Microsoft of the electronics/entertainment world. I'm waiting for the announcement that they've bought Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki, and that all Japanese motorcycles now come with "mega bass".
With all due respect, I think you're exaggerating things a bit. Yes it is a huge corp. but I don't believe that would be such a good marketing move.

[LaRoza]

With all due respect, I think you're exaggerating things a bit. Yes it is a huge corp. but I don't believe that would be such a good marketing move.

Sony is evil: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Sony_BMG_CD_copy_protection_scandal

(They don't do that anymore, but it showed the mindset of the company)

[el mariachi]

Yeah that was just plain stupidity on their part... did they thought no one would notice??

[Joeb454]

More than likely...they also thought thousands of people would turn out to buy PS3's (read: big black overpriced games console) at the Midnight launches.

I don't think Sony tend to have the greatest forsight ;)

[Polygon]

the funny thing is right now, the ps3 is one of the cheaper or cheapest blu ray disc players out there.

[el mariachi]

Maybe that insight thing isn't all right hehe
(although it's still an expensive "cheapest" player)

[johndc]

With all due respect, I think you're exaggerating things a bit. Yes it is a huge corp. but I don't believe that would be such a good marketing move.

The only thing I'm exaggerating (and I thought this was quite clear) was the motorcycle bit. The rest is all true.

[el mariachi]

Yes, I understand. :D Honda isn't all that 'weak' to be eaten by Sony.

[lyceum]

Sony has it's hands in pretty much everything too.

Sure, Sony makes consumer and professional electronics, but they also own:

A major record label
A music publisher
An electronic components manufacturer.
A camera company

Sony is pretty much the Microsoft of the electronics/entertainment world. I'm waiting for the announcement that they've bought Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki, and that all Japanese motorcycles now come with "mega bass".

True, but I think Sony does a better job of it for some reason. And I would love to see a motorcycle with "mega bass" lol