seems like these players are being released and i found this article that is interesting
In this weekly column, our journalist Mark Raby gives his insight on one big rumor, news story, or trend that developed over the past week.
Perhaps the biggest story was that Samsung didn't delay its Blu-ray player. We've seen BR release dates shoved around left and right, and once a delay announcement led several to believe that the BD-P1000 wouldn't even hit its summer deadline. And of course, just a few days ago, Sony delayed their BR player for the bajillionth time. So it's breathtaking news that Samsung actually has the guts to go through with the June 25 release date.
First off, Warner Home Video announced their new feature would be seen in the upcoming HD DVD title "The Dukes of Hazzard". Called In-Movie Experience (IME), it's a new interactive way to watch bonus features seamlessly during the movie (Yahoo! News). It's cool to see some new functionality features being introduced for HD DVD, instead of just improved picture/sound quality.
Additionally, heads were turned when big-time Blu-ray supporter Samsung hinted that they might be working on a combo player that could play HD DVD and Blu-ray. Then, in an interesting move, the very next day Samsung released a very short statement through press release outlets with a very definitive tone that in no way is Samsung going to support HD DVD.
Of course, the most interesting HD DVD-related story that hit the waves this week was the announcement of the very first HD DVD recorder, with its massive terabyte hard drive. It even caught the attention of general news outlets and even made its way into late-night talk show monologues. It was as if Toshiba was saying to the BR manufacturers, "Look how much further ahead we are with HD DVD." Of course, we don't have a US release date on the RD-A1 recorder yet.
I was actually surprised with the amount of HD DVD news, even if just a modicum of new stuff, since the format has been seemingly absent from the headlines since the first player launched. It's bringing my hopes back up that there is going to be a heated battle between the two formats. I think Blu-ray has an advantage with the backing of the PS3, but it will be interesting to see if there's a lead gained by either before then, since we're going to have a good several months of competition before PS3 is released.
In the end, we all know that good competition makes for a great victory, so whichever format ends up victorious will have worked hard to attain its status. So we're sure to get one totally tripped out new home entertainment format when all is said and done.
HD DVD has enjoyed a few months of being the only next generation media in full swing, but this week was the format's last week before it gets crowded with the first official Blu-ray Disc player, the BD-P1000. This was the final chance for the HD DVD manufacturers to gain some attention before the brutal war begins, and there were some news-worthy events that sprung up over the last 7 days.
discuss

now entering nerdzville!
Big statement:
BluRay and HD DVD are a huge waste of money which won't even be an issue for years.
Just look at how well SACD and DVD-Audio have done. What has everyone done instead? Gone to "lower quality" formats because of convenience.
Besides, everyone jumped to DVDs because they were an order of magnitude better than VHS, these new formats aren't bringing much new to the table. The current video format is "Good Enough"
And who wants to bet on one format only to end up with a betamax player? Anyone? Anyone??
well yes the do seem rather pricey .... but look at this thing the toshiba RD-A1 HD DVD recorder it has a 1TB disk ...
that is a monster ...
but you are probably right i wouldnt want to bet on which format is going to be te prefered ... they both seem to have advantages and have major backers ... maybe what samsung has suggested this week a burner player that supports both formats ...
Is it really going to matter?
Unless one of these formats convinces everyone of it's worth, no one is going to spend any money on them.
And if someone gets a holographic DVD on the market soon, I think it will leave both of these formats for dead, anyway.
since when has it been about worth? the nature of consumings changing.
stop producing dvds, start producing these things, people will buy.
Hmmm, people have to perceive at least some benefit.
Laserdisc, anyone?
stop producing dvds, start selling online, cut retailers out, generate better profits.
All the bits and pieces are ready, they just need to pull their finger out and get it sorted.
The idea that "they" would stop producing DVDs is pretty far fetched. I can't think of a single media format that isn't still manufactured.
Okay, one. There aren't a lot of 78s made anymore...
im sure dvd's will still exist, but its just your big tv/movie companes that need to move, and the work is done.
all those tv series box sets/first run movies/etc etc.
that all being said, the format wars are a lot of masculine dick comparision and politicing.
"that all being said, the format wars are a lot of masculine dick comparision and politicing."
Its all about the dollars. Whichever format wins out, gets nice little royalties for each disc sold, and it adds up to a lot. Make no mistake about it, there is a lot of money invested in each of these technologies.
It's premature, not needed, and only being forced coz Sony want to jump the gun on owning the technology for the 'next' gen. They've put all their money into the Playstation 3, which they're hoping will be their Blu Ray trojan horse, getting a Blu Ray player into everyone's living rooms by default.
Problem is, that machine will cost $1000 australian and just isn't going to be the dominant success the PS1 & PS2 were because it's cost prohibitive. They're trying to convice everyone it's not a games console, it's some superhub of life, but it's bullshit.
Doesn't guarantee success. You just have to look at things like Zip disks and Laserdiscs to realise that, even with no competition, a format is only as successful as its demand.
I think both of these formats have not much improvement over what people already have, and are no competition to what the holoDVDs offer in terms of storage and data speeds.
People aren't going to want to replace their entire DVd collections for a slight improvement in picture and sound quality that most consumers don't even have the equipment to notice. Maybe if the uptake of HDTV was a bit higher it would be viable, I just think they will both go nowhere in the long run.
When they release movies on cookies, THEN the formats will change!
I'm gonna go downstairs and watch some VHS, man, this thread is making me technophobic.
I'm going to read some cave etchings.
Ugh!
HD picture quality is a significant improvement over standard DVD images, but only if you've got a telly good enough...my boss is nerdishly into all of this stuff, and I've watched a few World Cup games at his in HD, however the general public won't be buying HD tellys in droves until the price drops. Bookmark this thread for 12 months time, and then discuss the issues.
10 Reasons Why High Definition DVD Formats Have Already Failed
saw that there are Blu Ray discs and players already.
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Yeah, PS3 is on the up and up.
Now all the PS3 needs is some games that are actually worth buying!
Won't be long! Xbox games will continue to be better for a while yet though!
GTA 4
GTA 4
It's gonna have exclusive content on the 360 though.
As far as I know, there's also gonna be exclusive content on the PS3.
I heard this a while ago though...
Woohoo, the Criterion Collection are going to be released on Blu Ray in the future...hope that they're region-free, otherwise I'll be forced into getting a US PS3...
seems like blur-ray is infiltrating the DVD stores now ... like blockbuster and video ezy, the section seems to be expanding ...
Yeah, the selection available is pretty big these days.
blu-ray players are also pretty inexpensive now...however the only downfall is the lack of blu ray titles.
still but it is expanding
Bah Bow
Blu Ray fail
SCIENTISTS have unveiled new DVD technology that stores data in five dimensions
LOL
Haha, surely they'd publish those numbers if they were any good?
If burning a 4.7 GB DVD takes two minutes, then putting 2000 of them on a disc the same size takes...
approximately 2 and two thirds days?
unfortunately a lot of stuff won't translate correctly to blu-ray unless remastered digitally which costs money so only classics or very well made films are done. otherwise it aint cost effective. it's like dvd's I mean a lot of shit is just aweful to look at from the 90's specially TV shows.
This is vapourware for so many reasons, one of which being that we wont be using physical media for that much longer. Sounds like they need some more grant money to me.
There HAS to be physical media in some form.
But yeah, by the time this comes out, there will be interdimensional portal discs that you can accidentally lose coffee cups in when you leave them the wrong way up on the desk.
Yeah for data storage purposes, but consumer physical media.. pfft.
I can't wait to watch 5D movies.