Fate of high-def DVD may lie with Microsoft

[james99]

MADISON, Wis. — After months of intense wrangling between the competing Blu-ray and HD-DVD groups, the battle lines in the war over a next-generation high-definition DVD format have moved to the doorstep of Microsoft Corp.

[adit]

Interesting. I think this phrase tell is all:

"
Many, who spoke on condition of anonymity, believe Microsoft is committed to prolonging the format war, not necessarily winning the battle for HD-DVD. Rather, they say, HD-DVD is a Trojan horse, rolled into the format war to create advantages in battles yet to be fought — especially against Sony Corp.

...

The longer the next-generation high-definition DVD format battle persists, the better the opportunity for Microsoft to downplay the HD capability scheduled for integration in Sony's upcoming Blu-ray-based Playstation 3 game machine.

"

Do you still love MS after this ?

[bete_noir]

Here's hoping the Chinese export *their* version of HD-DVD to the world, thereby exploding Microshaft, Toshiba, JVC, and Sony's best-laid plans for DRM World Domination..... (heh-heh!)

[Joxer]

I'm going to get banned from this forum but I still say no one will care except a few thousand hardcore HD fans. People are still watching regular cable on their 'HD' TVs and not noticing/knowing the difference. I'm still pretty happy with DVD, especially when well authored. It would take a pretty cheap entry point and complete DVD compatability to make me care at all about any of these formats. I'd rather more effort went into making broadcast HD watchable, as the mpeg artifacts mean this is often much worse than even a middle of the road DVD in terms of overall picture quality.

[bete_noir]

I don't see why you would be banned, you have a perfectly valid point of view. One thing I think will drive HD market acceptability in the near future is the availability of sporting events in High-Def....it's like night and day between HD Sports and the regular SD version.

Sports fans aren't called "fanatics" for nothing....once they get used to it they will demand it. Just my $0.02....

[Jake]

Jethrogoss has been banned for life, as has his children and his children's children.

PS: Actually I couldn't find anything even remotely offending in your post. Try harder next time. Just joking Jethro.

Remember that is his only speculation. Many people also speculated that EBE's were captured in Roswell NM. Is the game console market really that big that MS would want to do this?

[hugh]

Here is a quote that I think summarizes it.

Asked whether Microsoft is now doing just that, Weber said that in the end, "It's about money and the cost to the PC industry." Whereas the overall Blu-ray royalty structure adds up to $30 per PC drive, she said, everything a PC vendor needs to support HD-DVD "comes free, shipped and integrated with Vista — Microsoft Corp.'s next-generation operating system."

Microsoft, bless their pointy heads understand that adding an extra $30 to the cost of a drive will stifle sales.

Recall 25 years ago. Microsoft sold PC DOS for next to nothing while IBM and Digital were trying to sell CPM and other operating systems for hundreds a computer.

The only advantage I see with Blu Ray is capacity but they're sticking with MPEG-2.

Heck with HD DVD and using the MS codec or DIVX, I can get more video on HD DVD than Blu Ray. In addition, HD DVD hardware and discs are cheaper and have iHD.

[hdtvman]

Before it was "Porn to decide HD Format".

Then it was "First camp to release will decide HD Format".

Now, it is "Microsoft to decide HD format".

As a consumer, I don't really care. Just get on with it and start giving us some mainstream High Definition DVD's. I'm not bothering to get an upconverting DVD player and will wait another year until the new format war is settled. I need another DVD drive in my computer and I think I will just get a Lightscribe drive.

I agree with bete on sports viewers. If bars would put in HD to showcase sports programs then I think that would help the cause. My local watering hole has big screens but still no HD.

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by hugh

Microsoft, bless their pointy heads understand that adding an extra $30 to the cost of a drive will stifle sales.

We shall see if it is legal. The costs specified are those of MS bundling the royalties of the video and audio codecs into the OS. We all know how well bundling has played for MS in the past.

Originally Posted by hugh

The only advantage I see with Blu Ray is capacity but they're sticking with MPEG-2.

Actually, it is worse. Blu-ray could come out with 25GB versus HD-DVD's 30GB. And Sony Pictures is talking about using MPEG-2. But, Fox, Disney, Lion's Gate, Paramount and Warner are not talking about using MPEG-2. And if Sony were to suddenly release content for HD-DVD, that would no doubt be in MPEG-2 as well.

Gary

[scott1256ca]

I thought blu-ray supported mpeg4 now? I saw that in the following article
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,117681,00.asp
It indicates that support for mpeg4 and vc1 will be a requirement. First movies will not be mpeg4, though.

I also read somewhere, but I can't remember where, that an mpeg2 on the 25G single-layer disc would have about the same picture quality as an mpeg4 on the 15g single-layer hd-dvd.

Saying blu-ray is "25GB versus HD-DVD's 30GB" is comparing a single-layer format to a dual layer format. HD-DVD has demo'd a 3 layer format (45G) where blu-ray has demo'd a 4 layer format (100G).

I have no idea if or when studios will start selling dual layer movies in either format, but blu-ray media manufacturers are already gearing to produce dual-layer media (see http://www.blu-ray.com/ ), so if dual layer hd-dvd movies start appearing with higher quality than blu-ray single layer, I'd expect to see higher quality dual layer blu-ray movies shortly thereafter.

Scott

[Jake]

I thought blu-ray supported mpeg4 now

It does. The players are required to support MPEG-4. The disks on the other hand do not. They can create an MPEG-2 only version disks if they want.

[Strat]

Originally Posted by adit

Do you still love MS after this ?

I sure do! More options = consumers win. Moreover, it's rumored that Sony's PS3 will be delayed for an extra year due to constant crashes. And also that Blu-Ray output would be at 720P and 1080i anyway.

I say bring on all the options you can so prices go down and competition remains strong!