Toshiba announced today it would stop making HD-DVD equipment. Since they were the primary backer of the format, I think it’s safe to say the HD-DVD format is dead in the water, and the Blu-Ray emerges victorious…
…Except I don’t think I know anyone who owns either one, except for those that happen to be built into a PS3. Will this lack of competition now let the Blu-Ray make the DVD obsolete, or was this whole thing silly to begin with?
TechDirt had a very good post regarding this; I’ve put the link to that article below, but to briefly summarize: The “format wars” ended three years too late, and neither side now has any chance of really retaining the market — they’re stuck in an “innovator’s dilemma” where a rival technology (online video delivery) is getting better much faster than hi-def DVD systems of any sort. I tend to agree with the assessment (honestly, I usually agree with TechDirt on most of their stances.) The last DVD I bought was a gift for someone else; I’ve been availing myself of Netflix’s online video offerings and the occasional fansubbed torrent simply because it’s so much more convenient, even for very high-quality (if not true HD) video offerings.
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20080217/193456272.shtml
With a recession on the horizon I think it doesnt matter much either way. I personaly cant afford all the get ups and gadgets associated with either. Hell I barely know what HD is, less so Blu-Ray..then again I spend the hours of my days using fire to cook meat.
Ugg make good meat, meat good like ugg!
Saragon: Makes a lot of sense to me, especially as a diehard Netflix member. Thanks for linking to that.
steve: I don’t think you’re alone, which is a big problem for the companies that manufacture them.
Although the majority of Netflix’s business model is still based upon hard-format movies, and they also have an increasingly extensive selection of blu-ray movies to rent.
I have always thought that there are only a handful of movies that really benefit from this level of quality. Becky’s family recently bought a blu-ray player and uber TV, when watching Terminator 2 I didn’t particularly notice the outstanding visuals yet when watching Seven Years in Tibet you really get swept away with the landscapes. I imagine movies like LoTR and Transformers will be quite amazing in high-def, but do you really need to have a blu-ray copy of movies like Juno?
Steve: recession on the horizon? wtf?
Netflix got me “Death Curse of Tartu” when no BLockbuster/Best Buy/Walmart could…who needs slightly more better looking movies when you can pay $5 a month to get service like that?…
Also, joox and stage6 are my best friends…