Not dead yet? I think the rigamortis is allready setting in.

Additionally, Home Media Magazine reports that the 10 top-selling HD titles last week were all Blu-ray Discs, the first time that not one HD DVD made the list.

HDDVD needs to throw in the towl already, this is embarrassing! ;) Grats to Blu-Ray!

If Blu-Ray has 85% of the market, it is NOT outpacing HD-DVD by "more than" 6-to-1. For it to be doing that, it would have to be capturing at least 85.7% of the market. It might be outpacing it at "about" 6-to-1, but not "more than". If it's SUPPOSED to be 6-to-1, round to the nearest percent to 86%. =P

Math people!

It's hard to determine a clear shift on week's worth of data, plot it over 3-6 months and then you can accurately report on the High Def sales trend.

Actually it would be nice to have Mark Raby investigate sales growth and trends of the overall disc sales for 2007, meaning high def sales vs DVD to see if there is any significant growth over the nominal 5% HD disc sales that were posted in Aug/Sept.

so maybe now that sony is about done celebrating they could get some of the work that needs to be done like -1. make a descent player that doesn't freeze up or skip. 2. find a chip for the ps3 so the owners won't be stuck with a player that can't decode dts-hd master audio. 3. work out some kind of exchange program for all the early adopters of blu-ray players that are now obselete. give an exchange for all the early poor quality disks they put out. ah heck, it would be easier for all these guys to just buy a hd-dvd player for $130. then they would have all of their problems fixed.

This is good news for the computing crowd as Blu-ray offers higher capacity and faster write speeds than HD-DVD. LG just released their $400 6x (214 Mbps) Blu-ray recorder (which will also read but not record to HD-DVD). TDK and Panasonic have produced 100GB Blu-ray disks but we havn't seen them in the market yet (TDK is also testing a 200GB Blu-ray disk). Compared to HD-DVD with only 1x (36 Mbps) disks available and testing of a 51GB HD-DVD disk, Blu-ray will be the media of choice for computing.

In an interview on CNN Stephen Pope announces that Walmart plans to stop selling HD-DVD in store. Being one of the largest retailers in the world, that is a huge statement.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/business/2008/01/07/intv.blu.ray.rising.pope.cnn?iref=videosearch

I support blu-ray 100% i love the quality. I have both a blu ray and a HD player at home, and the blu ray out performs HD player every time, it boots 1 mintue faster, it plays discs without glitches every time, it has more usable features and room for upgrades. By far Blu-Ray is the way to go!

I would sacrifice space to be able to copy stuff. The DRM Sony will put on the blu ray will simply make it unusable. Read the wiki articles and see that sony has 3 DRM systems while HD DVD had only one. HD DVD is region free, which means any dvd will play anywhere else. This is about a big screw you to the consumers and Sony making a load of money without any benefit to the consumers.

http://revver.com/video/618106/blu-ray-vs-hddvd/

While I don't care which format wins really I still don't like the fact that Sony controls this format.

Sony as an electronics maker is great, Sony controlling a media service or format is SCARY! Watch out for some crazy hidden DRM.

P.S. I own a PS3. Thanks!

If Sony did not screw up on PS3 console launch plus the higher prices for PS3, BlueRay would of beaten HD DVD earlier.

Once PS3 plus BlueRay players prices drops, BlueRay market share will increase even more than 6:1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BD+ Say goodbye to amateur usage, backing up movies, and plenty else, you sheep. What? Oh no, it's not in usage yet, you'll have to wait until Sony wins, then they'll spring it on us. You're walking into a back-stab.

The fact of the matter is, Blu-ray's 85% market share is way behind the rest of the planet which is well over 92%, and has been over 89% since the dueling formats were introduced over a years ago.

The reason N. America was confused about the two formats was due to Microsoft's HD-DVD marketing propaganda and Toshiba's $99 HD-DVD player Fire-Sale.

How did the people of N. America fall for such a marketing scam? We fall for a lot of things.

No, they didn't. The more expensive, more DRM laden, incomplete standard (early players are already obsolete). Blu-Ray was won via corporate pay-outs. Not that HD-DVD didn't try with the corporate pay-outs. Consumers still choose regular old DVD - just compare their sales to the HD formats.

it's hilarious the bda is claiming "victory" because they "sold" a lot of disks. What theyr'e not saying is that most of those are the free disks bundled with the ps3 and br players. The fact that the hd dvd hardware is killing br players (barring the ps3, which less than 40% of users even know it has a br drive). the hardware is the measure. not the free disks given away and counted as "sales". keep the hype alive. the bda needs all it can get.

I still can't see myself paying 2-3 times for a blu-ray or HD-DVD disc over a regular DVD. If Blu-Ray wins so what. I bought an upconverting DVD player today. That'll do me until they improve the download speed for HD from the internet. As for increase in capacity, I only want to watch the movie - not have a long term relationship with the disc. The price of portable harddrives is getting better and better. HD-DVD and Blu-Ray are both DOA.

Sassss...like that! HD-DVD will have to pay higher mils for Studios to adopt.

HD-DVD fans will hopefully realize soon that Blu-ray HAS won. Nothing personal, just business. Early adoption is always a gamble and the Blu-ray supporters won this round. This whole thing seems like "Weekend at Berny's" with Toshiba and Paramount and Universal puppeting around a dead guy. Only this time no one is fooled. There are just some HD-DVD guys that are in denial.

6-to-1! I guess the format wars are finally over as Blu-Ray sold 6 high-def discs over HD DVD's 1. :P
Who really cares! This is not the technological jump that DVD took over VHS. Save your money people...digital HD downloads are around the corner.

Will it play Data Disks like Blu-Ray does? That is what I really like about my Sony Player. I don't have to play them on my Intel iMac,

Also, isn't John P nit-picking with his comments about 6 to 1 and 85% of the market going to Blu-Ray? I'll bet that all politicians (as sorry a lot as they are) would be happy with 51% of the popular vote.

Can they play Data Disks?

Keep crying man it's not going to do anything.
The world have spoken.

Digital Download?
With US sorry ass internet speed you joking.
Comcast has a 50 GB download limit.

Enjoy your waiting.

haha HD-DVD suckers!

Blu-ray will be replaced sometime in the near future with something new. I liked the HD-DVD format for one major reason. It has no region code. So I can buy a movie anywhere in the world and play it when I get home. If I go with the Blu-ray I will have to buy an pricey burner and software to rip it on a computer. Next is the costly Blu-ray blanks to transfer it from the computer to the player attached to the television. I will continue to buy/rent DVDs until they are no longer available anywhere and by that time there will be a new format designed to part your money from your wallet.

The only losers in this so called race are the ones who didn't get the format best suited for their tastes. HD DVD suits my taste. I'll continue to purchase them and enjoy watching them as long as they are available. I have a PS3 so I watch Blu Ray also. I just like the HD DVD lineup of movies better. I paid $150 for my HD DVD player and most of the movies I buy are under $15. That's much cheaper than a Wii, Xbox 360, PS3 or any Blu Ray player on the market. Only standard DVD is cheaper entertainment. Ipods cost more than my HD DVD player. I'm happy with what I have and HD DVD will be around for awhile. It might not sell the most but it will sell enough. I don't care who's in first, I just care about the movies and the price.

I am so behind the times - what exactly is "Blu-ray" and do you need a special player for this? I don't have an HDTV only Digital. Help!!

Blu-Ray is definately got the upper hand. For now. This is bad for consumers. BR idiots are crowing here, but they have no idea that they have signed away their rights as consumers by siding with BR. No Managed Copy, No real DVD compatibility, higher costs, Region restrictions, and unseen disc tracking by Sony. You guys really did yourselves in. You deserve the bad that BR will bring you.

Message to all who think that upscaled DVDs are good enough to call it HD.

Set an appointment with your doctor. Quick.

I keep reading Blu-Ray is better. But nobody can give a good reason how? Sure it's got more space, but so what? Is there any REAL reason why Blu-Ray is better? Or are the HD DVD supporters right?

The BDA themselves said that since their launch almost 2 years ago Blu-ray have sold 6 million movie discs and HD DVD almost 3 million.

In a market that saw sales of 750 million last year alone.

Less than 1% of movie disc sales.

Blu-ray have won nothing.
If Blu-ray does win then they only ensure that HDMs on optical disc stay an expensive niche product which will fail to capture the market & replace DVD.

HD DVD could do so becuase it is the complate item & able to get cheap enough fast enough.
The Twin disc allows an easy and inexpensive transition from SD DVD to HD DVD for disc producers and consumers alike.

Blu-ray cannot do any of this.

Blu-ray is the idiot fanboys choice, a game console format for game console idiot fanboys,
not movie fans.

I love listening to everyone complain about DRM. At least the ones honest (Ironic) just say that they enjoy pirating the films. I love the "I want to backup my movies!" Bah! Just take care of them. And those of you stealing movies...How do you justify it? Is $20 really to expensive for a full motion picture you can play in your home over and over? I think it's sad that there has to be such a thing as DRM. You're no better than the rioters in California! Thieves! What else are you stealing?

As for the Blu-ray vs HD-DVD war - It's as good as over as far and I am concerned. The studios have spoken and the only documented "Payoff" was from Toshiba to Parimount for a 150Mill 18 month contract. Why else would they stick around? Because they love the format? No way.

Is Blu-ray better? Sure. Capacity is great and we're merely seeing the initial potential of Blu-ray technology. Blu-ray's lens aperture is far superior. There are already companies working towards 100g and 200g BDs. This is not just important for computing either. Do you all think 1080p is the end all be all? Naive at best. Super and Ultra high def standards are really whats just around the corner and HD-DVDs are not going to be able to fit them on a single disc. Yes I'm sure Toshiba can increase thier disc capacity but considering the overall "legacy" technology, the potential is not there.

With that said though, the real reason that I chose Blu-ray is because the writting is and has been on the wall for a very long time. I am astounded to hear that people still buy HD-DVDs. Was I imagining reading a comment with someone saying that they prefer the line-up?...Amazing. If a 6:1 sales ratio doesn't spell it out to you then I'm not sure anything will.

On the topic of HD downloads being around the corner... Nah. The broadband math doesn't add up. I agree with the experts that put HD downloading at 8 - 10 years out. I'm personally not going to wait that long.

MHB

Bluray has higher end DSPs and components in the player. This allows them to have a maximum bandwidth of 48mbps for audio video vs 30mbps for HD-DVD. When you couple this fact with the 25GB per layer vs 15GB of the discs, It allows the movie studios to encode H.264/VC1 codecs at a MUCH higher bitrate. All else being equal, a higher video bitrate will definitely make a better quality picture.
Up until now, the dual format studios were producing their movie encodes for the bandwidth & capacity limitations of HD-DVD, and then using it for both HDDVD and Blu-ray. Once HD-DVD is dead, you'll see encodes start to take full advantage of Blu-ray hardware.

An additional benefit is that this higher bandwidth and storage capacity will help to future proof this technology for when greater-than-1080P HDTVs become the norm. Although everyone always wants to believe that new technology adoption will happen quick, the truth is that we'll probably be stuck with Blu-ray for at least 7-8 years, most likely longer.
Until all the telcos roll out fiber to the home internet connections, there's just no way in hell 20GB movie downloading is going to become the norm in America at least. The cable companys so completely oversell their bandwidth that I don't think it would be able to handle that kind of traffic anytime soon. If the regulatory environment (aka republicans) doesn't change in the USA soon, mainstream america will be stuck with 3-5mbps downloads and 20GB monthly caps until 2050.

HD-DVD has the upper hand on space at 51 GB. Blu-ray can only hold 50 GB. All the early adopters of Blu-Ray now have a brick because of 1.1 and 2.0. All HD-DVD players are updated via internet connection. If the DRM is hacked in Blu-Ray and you play that content, Sony can make you player into a nice George Foreman grill or brick(depending on the player you have).

So from that the only reason would be because of the content, but that can change very fast because the contracts are going to be running out soon and I doubt Sony wants to dish out millions of dollars again to keep them on board.

You will all get what you deserve!!!

You are all blinded blu-ray marketing cronies!!!

Enjoy your DRM, region coding, root-kits, bricked systems and everything else that $ony will throw at you.

**GREAT POSTS**

While I don't care which format wins really I still don't like the fact that Sony controls this format.
Sony as an electronics maker is great, Sony controlling a media service or format is SCARY! Watch out for some crazy hidden DRM.
P.S. I own a PS3. Thanks!
Marko



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BD Say goodbye to amateur usage, backing up movies, and plenty else, you sheep. What? Oh no, it's not in usage yet, you'll have to wait until Sony wins, then they'll spring it on us. You're walking into a back-stab.
Revrant


No, they didn't. The more expensive, more DRM laden, incomplete standard (early players are already obsolete). Blu-Ray was won via corporate pay-outs. Not that HD-DVD didn't try with the corporate pay-outs. Consumers still choose regular old DVD - just compare their sales to the HD formats.
Consumerist


Blu-ray will be replaced sometime in the near future with something new. I liked the HD-DVD format for one major reason. It has no region code. So I can buy a movie anywhere in the world and play it when I get home. If I go with the Blu-ray I will have to buy an pricey burner and software to rip it on a computer. Next is the costly Blu-ray blanks to transfer it from the computer to the player attached to the television. I will continue to buy/rent DVDs until they are no longer available anywhere and by that time there will be a new format designed to part your money from your wallet.
Mickey

Blu-Ray one with corporate pay-outs? It seems like our friends in the HD-DVD are sorely mistaken (and I do stress sorely).

If one can hypothesize that the Warner Bros. switch was the deciding blow to HD-DVD's chances, then we must also dis-regard that pay-outs had anything to do with it. WB's CEO went on record to say there was no financial incentive from Sony or the BDA (BluRay Disc Association) to switch. Their decision was based on market data of which format was selling better.

The facts simply don't support the average HD-DVD fanboy arguments of favoritism or anti-competitive practices by Sony.

To the contrary, we know about Toshiba's 150Mil payout to Paramount. We know about Universal's contract with Toshiba. And we also know that Blu-Ray discs/titles have consistently outsold HD-DVD by at least 2-to-1 since early 2007.

The fact of the matter is that consumers HAVE chosen with their dollars. It's also clear that the misinformed or those that think their concerns over DRM (which in their minds make them smarter consumers than the rest of us) can't bear to face the music.

Knowing the Blu-ray camp may win this battle (counting PS3 sales as Blu-ray sales? not accurate) I bought the HD-DVD anyway. With a good deal and free movies, its like getting it for nothing, and eventually it could still be used to play cd or dvd. If I could use this for a year, I would be ready for the next format (not Blu-ray). Sony products are always overpriced, I avoid them like plague. Hello Wii!

You can cruch the numbers any way you want but the only numbers that matter are the ones on the bottom line and Blu-ray has out sold HD DVD every month since being released. The HD DVD retards need to get a grip, and accept defeat.

I am staying far away. Nothing they produce is worth the hassle they sometimes put people through. Look at the root kit debacle they made trying to restrict CD usage. What do you think they are doing with this?

So you want a side by side comparison?

First off, I don't know how anyone can discount storage as not a "REAL reason". That reason just is patently ludicrous. Define "REAL".

Audio Codecs: Draw (both support all major audio encoding formats including Dolby and DTS variants)

Video Codecs: Draw (both support Mpeg2, H.264/AVC, and VC-1)

HD Throughput: Clearly Blu-Ray (Blu-ray maximum transfer rate is 48 Mbit/s vs 36 Mbit/s for HD-DVD)

Interactivity: HD-DVD is clearly better. (HDi has hit the market first based on HTML/XML/CSS style language. However, BD-Live standard promises higher potential and was recently ratified by BDA)

Storage: Clearly Blu-Ray. (At 25GB per layer, it easily bests HD-DVD's 15-17GB per layer. Blu-Ray recordables and BD-R/RE drives are also readily available, while HD-DVD-R drives are scarcely available, if at all)

DRM: Highly subjective. HD-DVD supports AACS. Blu-Ray supports AACS, BD , and BD-Mark. HD-DVD currently supports no region coding scheme, but is capable of supporting one in the future.

Available HD Content: Clearly Blu-Ray. (Blu-Ray has cornered over 70% of HD content coming out of all studios).

There's other aspects I've left out... But those are the biggies. The choice... to each his own.

I don't care too much for interactivity, so I prefer Blu-Ray for it's storage, future potential (total bandwidth), recordables (I'm a heavy PC user), and available content.

If you're a globtrotter who likes to play movies from any country in any player (or you like to pirate movies), and/or you live for interactive features; then maybe HD-DVD is your choice for those reasons. ...and that's totally valid.

Nonetheless, it does appear the market has spoken, and the majority are buying Blu-Ray.

First, I don't want to argue BD or HD which is better and who got less security feature. That's not the issue here.
BD will have 75% to 80% of all new high def movies that comes out. That alone will push retailer to stop selling HD disc and players.
Second. BD has more players including ps3. like it or not, people are using their ps3 to play BD for the time being until BD players price drop to below $100.
The sales of BD disc proves that people are using the PS3 to play movies..since they got a lot less stand alone players.
Third. there is always going to have programs like anydvd to by pass the copy protection.
So far there is nothing being co-protected forever yet.
As long as your pc can watch it, it can be ripped.
dones't matter which win, one format means I don't have to worry about movie I wanted not being release on the format I have.
Fourth, since when is any format forever fixed?
you bought PC with USB 1.0...now it has USB 2.0...and there will be a 3.0 some day. Same for PCI bus...
There is no hardware that is future proof...get over it and go get a BD player...stupid kids.

Sorry Dave HD-DVD has no advantages over Bluray, and
yes Bluray has won the Format war. Deal with it...........

@P (3rd comment from the top). You're too funny. I hope the HD DVD camp has your level of optimism, :D.

Why is Blu-Ray better?

If you own a computer:
1. More current storage 50 GB vs. only 30 on HD-DVD.
2. More future storage 200 GB vs. only 51 on HD-DVD.
3. Faster read/write speeds 4x (144 Mbps) Blu-ray media available vs. 1x (36 Mbps) HD-DVD media available.
4. Faster future read/write speeds 6x LG Blu-ray writer (can read but not write to HD-DVD at 3x) available for $399.99 retail.
5. Can't find any HD-DVD writers.

If you like movies:
1. More movies available on Blu-Ray.

DaveBG You expect to stay DVD forever? Go ahead but everything moves on.

Your an idiot fanboy if you can't stand moving on to another technology.

Blu-ray transfere rate is 54mbp/s which mean faster record speed, The use of AVC codac at much higher bit rates, giving you more colours, smoother camra motion and clearer fast moving pictures, more shades, better contast levels. Faster record speeds, and 40% more storage space per layer with a 100GB disc becoming available before the end of 2008. 70% of all movies are exclusive to Blu-ray and HD DVD sales almost at a stand still since Warner Brothers Studio, (the largest Studio in the world), went Blu-ray exclusive. HD DVD is dead. The only reason they are pertending to be alive is because they are trying to convince all the suckers to keep they players and software to avoide mass retures. Paramount will likely dump HD DVD vary soon, and Universals contact with Toshiba is expired. Don't be a complete moron and get sucked into the HD DVD camp of retards.

Our good friend 09 F9, as is usual, has quoted other people's posts (not facts) for supporting his arguments including scare-mongering over DRM.

Chief of his reasons is that Sony controls the whole Blu-Ray standard. Without going over all that has been said in other threads solidly disputing most of these arguments, I'll just refer people to the Wiki page for the Blu-Ray Disc Association:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu-ray_Disc_Association

You can make up your own minds as to who directs the standard.

How's that HD-DVD AACS hex key working for you, "09 F9"? Backing up many HD-DVD's, are you?

You can be sincere, yet still be sincerely wrong.

I really don't give a toss who won/wins the format war as I bought both. But I do wonder if the perceived Blu-ray win is really a majority of kids in their parent's basements banging away on their PS3 toys. When they grow up and start buying movies will they still want to watch them on a Playstation or will they graduate to a dedicated movie player.

this is just great! now im going to have to buy a ps3...........friggen sony.