# HD DVD vs Blu Ray



## Westbound (10 Jan 2008)

Hi

Can someone enlighten me as to the difference between the above formats, as it seems Blu ray is the way of the future. Is HD DVD the format we all use currently or is also a new format that has just lost out? Given that Warner have decided to use Blu Ray, I assume that everyone will go down this road and that our DVD players will become obsolete as they won't be able to play Blu Ray? Is this correct?


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## quinno (10 Jan 2008)

Westbound said:


> Hi
> I assume that everyone will go down this road and that our DVD players will become obsolete as they won't be able to play Blu Ray? Is this correct?


 
Standard DVD players can't play DVD-HD or Blue Ray anyway. Personally, I think Blue Ray might win this 21st century 'VHS v Betamax', although I think some high end players might handle both technologies, which might filter down to the ordinary consumer.


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## bigjoe_dub (10 Jan 2008)

BR seems to be edging it.  I think the main difference is that BR can hold a little more data and also it get be set up for regions like current DVD's.  HD dvd cannot.  

I would do a search on google for more info though.


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## dieter1 (10 Jan 2008)

looks like this war is nearly over.  At CES this week in Las Vegas, Warner decided to go exclusively with blu-ray followed yesterday by New Line Cinema and HBO.  The only major studios holding out are Paramount and Universal, who incidentally have a clause with the HD-DVD movement (toshiba etc.) allowing it to release pics on Blu-ray at any stage if they wanted to switch.  Blockbuster in the US are not stocking hd-dvd titles on their shelves either.


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## Technologist (11 Jan 2008)

Microsoft is still supporting HD-DVD through the X-Box add-on. A cheap stand-alone HD-DVD player is coming to market soon. The Hd-DVD format includes 'interactive' features (I think it links to online stores where you can buy 'merchandise')  But, it's obvious in stores here that there's twice as many Blue-Ray titles.  One analyst has suggested that M$'s objective is to spoil the format war so that downloadable, pay-every-time-you-watch movies will become the only option.


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## griffin (21 Jan 2008)

i was at CES at the beginning of Jan, it's over Blu-ray is the format


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## WhoAmI (21 Jan 2008)

Wait and see... A year at the most should see it decided, in my opinion, but it does appear that Blu-Ray will win.


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## John Rambo (21 Jan 2008)

WhoAmI said:


> Wait and see... A year at the most should see it decided, in my opinion, but it does appear that Blu-Ray will win.


 
It's a done deal...Blu-Ray has won the day. The major studios and even the adult industry have gone with Blu-Ray.


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## Fatphrog (21 Jan 2008)

Blu-ray is now almost certain to win and this is a good thing as far as I'm concerned.

Downloadable movies are all very well in theory but I'd rather not have to try it over my crappy eircom connection. Downloading a single blu-ray type movie would also max out my DL limit.

Also, the PS3 is one of the best BR players out there and I'm looking for an excuse to get one once a few good games come out.


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## quinno (18 Feb 2008)

Looks like RIP for HD...

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,91221-1305804,00.html


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## gearoidmm (18 Feb 2008)

My new laptop came with HD-DVD as standard.  It also plays traditional DVDs of course but this is a bit of a pain in the backside.  I wonder if they will continue to manufacture blank discs compatible with HD-DVD?  Thankfully I have a PS3 also so it isn't that big a deal.


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## IrishGunner (18 Feb 2008)

Was in the market for a new DVD recorder

Was thinking of getting [broken link removed]

Is it worth waiting for a blue ray or will it be a couple of years before we see blue ray dvd recorders ?


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## pup (18 Feb 2008)

On Channel 4 News they are after saying that Toshiba are pulling the plug on HD DVD.


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## michaelm (19 Feb 2008)

Toshiba concedes defeat in DVD war


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## Ron Burgundy (19 Feb 2008)

So its bye bye HD DVD and Blue Ray all the way now. So finally i can start to buy a specific format now that the war is over.

Sony were always going to win it with the PS3 behind them.


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## RMCF (19 Feb 2008)

If you check out the recent prices of players you will also see the outcome.

BR is holding its price, and the prices on HD-DVD have plummeted - a clear sign that the shops are trying to offload something that is about to become worthless in the very near future.


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## Madangan (20 Feb 2008)

John Rambo said:


> It's a done deal...Blu-Ray has won the day. The major studios and even the adult industry have gone with Blu-Ray.


 

 Blue movies on Blu ray...what will they think of next!


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## z105 (13 Aug 2008)

Are Blu Ray players region specific ? Like say dvd players ?

If so, can they be "chipped" ?

And lastly - where is the best place to buy Blu Ray films ?

Ta


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## efm (13 Aug 2008)

Havealaugh said:


> Are Blu Ray players region specific ? Like say dvd players ?
> 
> If so, can they be "chipped" ?
> 
> ...


 
Yes

Yes (at least the Samsung BD-P1000 has a handset hack afaik)

www.play.com do them but I'm not sure how they compete on price for Blu-Ray


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## z105 (17 Aug 2008)

For other users of AAM - you can actually get modified blu-ray players here - www.stegan.com or you can buy the kit and DIY, but you should look at the caveats before attempting the fix yourself. Makes the players region free hence you can buy cheaper blu-ray discs from the USA for example, and all legal.


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## rmelly (17 Aug 2008)

Havealaugh said:


> For other users of AAM - you can actually get modified blu-ray players here - www.stegan.com or you can buy the kit and DIY, but you should look at the caveats before attempting the fix yourself. Makes the players region free hence you can buy cheaper blu-ray discs from the USA for example, and all legal.


 
Hi, can you repost the URL - the above doesn't work.


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## Fatphrog (17 Aug 2008)

Try  www.stegen.com


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## z105 (17 Aug 2008)

Apologies Fatphrog is correct www.stegen.com


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## rmelly (18 Aug 2008)

cool, thanks.


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## z105 (18 Aug 2008)

rmelly,

What you think on that site ? reckon the Panasonic BD 30 chipped is the one ?

He gives a year warranty so....


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## Markjbloggs (21 Aug 2008)

Is the PS3 a good alternative to a stand-alone Blu-Ray player?


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## NorfBank (21 Aug 2008)

Same technology on both.
The only reason I would go for the stand alone is that you get a proper remote control whereas the PS3 is controlled by the joypad - wireless but fiddlier than a remote control if you're not used to it.
If you want to play games and watch blu - ray then in my opinion the PS3 is the one to go for.
One thing to note, there are posters here who have had problems with the PS3 after 12 months of use so maybe the standalone will last longer if you just want to watch movies?


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## Sunny (21 Aug 2008)

You can get a proper remote for the PS3 as well. The PS3 is the best value Blu Ray out there at the moment. Personally I think the cost of the stand alone players at the moment is still too expensive even though I haven't looked recently so could be wrong. How much does a stand alone cost these days?


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## Markjbloggs (21 Aug 2008)

NorfBank said:


> Same technology on both.
> The only reason I would go for the stand alone is that you get a proper remote control whereas the PS3 is controlled by the joypad - wireless but fiddlier than a remote control if you're not used to it.
> If you want to play games and watch blu - ray then in my opinion the PS3 is the one to go for.
> One thing to note, there are posters here who have had problems with the PS3 after 12 months of use so maybe the standalone will last longer if you just want to watch movies?



The only reason I am considering the PS3 is that the sprogs have a load of PS2 games, some of which I believe will play on a 60GB PS3 (not on a 40GB).  I do not want to fork out for 2 seperate units. I am hoping that the build quality of the PS3 improves as more are manufactured.


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