The new format DVD battle continues with news that Disney have just aligned themselves with Sony’s Blu-Ray format. The Guardian states that Disney have claimed the following reasons:
…because Blu-ray offers higher quality and was backed by most consumer electronics manufacturers.
Interestingly the main reason for the move last week for three studios going with HD DVD was:
…because they say it offers better anti-piracy guarantees.
The statement from Disney talks of the continuing format war:
The reality is that this format war is not going to be won by content alone but in combination with the support from the DVD player manufacturers, who by sheer number vastly support the Blu-ray format,” said Bob Chapek, president of Disney home video division Buena Vista Home Entertainment, to the Hollywood Reporter.
There are still a few studios to make a choice of which way they will go, despite the claim of the Guardian that there is only one major player left to do so. Previously the main reason for these studios holding back was to get the features into the technology that they wanted. With HD DVD being closed and ready to produce, and Blu-ray still allowing development, I think it’s pretty clear where their options would lie.
However, what concerns me is a repeat of the VHS-Betamax battle, where the poorer quality format won the race for the home market. I so hope that the higher quality wins. Mind you, with the requirement to upgrade a major part of my home cinema system, I’m not so sure how quickly the uptake will be.
