This really isn’t anything new or anything we don’t already know… but I read something today that once again highlighted for me why the current HD format war sucks for consumers, and why I have no intention of buying any sort of HD system for the foreseeable future.
Yahoo News ran an article today that really brings the problem into focus. You see, as most of you know, there are 2 different types of HD players. Blu-Ray and HD DVD. The problem is (for those of you who aren’t up on this stuff) they each have their own format. In other words, a Blu-Ray High def disc won’t play in an HD DVD player… and vice versa. This means you have to pick one format over the other. This isn’t like the DVD-R or DVD+R difference. Both of those burnable dvd discs will play in most standard dvd player regardless of the format. This is totally different. This creates a couple of problems:
1) Future Problem: Wars usually end with a winner and a loser. Sooner or later one of these formats will be dead and gone the way of the Beta VCR. So picking one now means you’re risking having to replace everything in 2 years with the victorious format. No thank you.
2) Present Problem: It’s one thing if all the movies came out both Blu-Ray and HD DVD… but they don’t! For example, if you picked up an HD DVD player, guess what… you won’t be able to watch Spider-Man 3 because it’s going to be exclusively on the Blu-Ray system (hmmmm… maybe that’s a good reason to pick up an HD DVD player all by itself). OR…. let’s say you’re looking forward to The Bourne Ultimatum. Well, you better hope you have an HD DVD player, because you won’t be able to watch it on Blu-Ray. Yes, there are a few players out there that are dual Blu-Ray and HD DVD compatible… but the cheap one costs about $1000 US right now. No thank you.
3) Cost: These things are are still way too frigging expensive, and the movies are more expensive to get than regular DVDs too. No thank you.
Anyway, that Yahoo article goes on to bring up some good points:
These exclusive arrangements, plus aggressive price cuts for high-def DVD players, are designed to persuade consumers to finally embrace one format or the other. But analysts wonder if the moves will anger consumers, just as the studios and consumer-electronics companies are hoping to boost high-def DVD sales as growth in standard DVDs stalls.
“The frustration for consumers is not knowing what format is going to win,” said Chris Roden, an analyst at Parks Associates. Consumers, many of whom are still smarting from the VCR format battle between VHS and Betamax, need to know their expensive equipment won’t become obsolete if the competing format wins, said Steven J. Caldero, chief operating officer of Ken Crane’s, specialty electronics chain in Southern California. “People are still frustrated there is a format war to begin with,” he said. “The studios are making people choose. What consumers want is something that will play everything so they don’t have to choose.”
Sorry all you big rich corporation types… but until you offer me a much cheaper, and universally compatible option, I’m going to continue to be quite happy with my upsampled DVD player on my plasma TV. I’m thrilled with it as it is. You’re not getting a penny out of me for this new stuff until you sort this shit out. GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER.
