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HD-DVD versus Blu-Ray: The Format War (old)

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Wow.. the one week I thought for sure HD-DVD would win because of Bourne and their first major B1G1 sale they lost 61:39.

Looks like POTC:AWE sold like Gangbusters in week 2 and Bourne did not do as well as expected.
 
Originally posted by: galperi1
Wow.. the one week I thought for sure HD-DVD would win because of Bourne and their first major B1G1 sale they lost 61:39.

Looks like POTC:AWE sold like Gangbusters in week 2 and Bourne did not do as well as expected.
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Interesting week. Yes, 61:39 BD:HD. (I had predicted 58:42.)

However, it would seem that Bourne did pretty well, but so did PotC 3. It was Harry Potter that didn't do so well.

1) Bourne Ultimatum HD
2) Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End BD
3) Harry Potter BD
4) Harry Potter HD

Bourne HD vs PotC 3 BD - 1.5 : 1
Potter BD vs Potter HD - 1.2 : 1
Planet Earth BD vs HD - 1 : 1.8 <-- Planet Earth on HD tops 100000 units. Expected to top 100000 units on BD mid-January.

Record volumes on both formats.


Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
Where are you guys getting the figures so early? I take it there is a source quicker than the one linked in the OP?
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There is a guy who posts these early on another forum. He has been accurate every time he's posted the results. However, he will no longer be posting them after this week, because he gets slammed every time he posts them. Damn fanboys. :roll:
 
61:39 for what was the biggest release week for HD-DVD this holiday season is a pretty good win for Blu-Ray.

I wonder if POTC has enough legs to pull back to the top spot next week.
 
Originally posted by: jpeyton
61:39 for what was the biggest release week for HD-DVD this holiday season is a pretty good win for Blu-Ray.

I wonder if POTC has enough legs to pull back to the top spot next week.
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Biggest HD DVD release? That would be Transformers. Or are you only counting December?

I personally was expecting Potter to perform closer to Bourne.
 
Originally posted by: Eug
Originally posted by: jpeyton
61:39 for what was the biggest release week for HD-DVD this holiday season is a pretty good win for Blu-Ray.

I wonder if POTC has enough legs to pull back to the top spot next week.
Click to expand...
Biggest HD DVD release? That would be Transformers. Or are you only counting December?

I personally was expecting Potter to perform closer to Bourne.
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The holiday buying season is typically November/December, so the Bourne+Potter launch on HD-DVD was the biggest release during that period.
 
Originally posted by: jpeyton
Originally posted by: Eug
Originally posted by: jpeyton
61:39 for what was the biggest release week for HD-DVD this holiday season is a pretty good win for Blu-Ray.

I wonder if POTC has enough legs to pull back to the top spot next week.
Click to expand...
Biggest HD DVD release? That would be Transformers. Or are you only counting December?

I personally was expecting Potter to perform closer to Bourne.
Click to expand...
The holiday buying season is typically November/December, so the Bourne+Potter launch on HD-DVD was the biggest release during that period.
Click to expand...
? Potter was released on both formats.
 
Originally posted by: jpeyton
Originally posted by: Shawn
Fantastic Four - Rise of the Silver Surfer is now available for purchase on HD DVD:

http://xploitedcinema.com/cata...n-release-p-13265.html
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Yikes! There goes the savings from buying a cheap HD-DVD player. $38.95 vs. $13.99 at my local Frys.
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that's purchased through Exploited, meaning it is an international release.

in big, bold letters, it tells you this is a German HD DVD release. (being that RotSS is not available in HD DVD in the USA). so....you should expect the $34 price.

anyhoo, this is a great website. a good source for importing all the flicks you can't get over here. studios that are exclusive in the states aren't exclusive overseas, and in some cases, the transfers that are released in Europe are much better than some of the crap we get here (T2, for example).

This, I would think, is currently the ONLY thing that HD DVD has going for it right now--no regional encoding. If you're willing to import and pay what end up being normal market prices, then you can get any HDM flick on HD DVD. However, I'm too spoiled with BOGOs and discounts over the past 4 months that I won't pay more than $15 for an HDM flick
....except for the special ones like "Blade Runner," of course.
 
Warner screwed up copies of the Blu-ray Blade Runner release.

'Blade Runner' Blu-ray Suffers Manufacturing Glitch

"Unfortunately, some Blu-ray fans popping in the set's fifth disc (which is meant to contain the workprint) are instead finding a mislabeled duplicate of the first disc, containing the film's final cut."

There are no reports yet of any glitches with the HD DVD version. This is like the Harry Potter Blu-ray screw-up all over again.
 
Originally posted by: Genx87
Is there a HD-DVD version of Blade Runner? Thought it was BD only?
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It's a Warner title, and Warner is format neutral.

My HD DVD version of Blade Runner shipped this week from Amazon.com, and I hope to get it next week. (It takes longer to get to me cuz I'm in Canada. I should have just picked it up in the store locally.)
 
Situation:

Pioneer Elite 50" Plasma (1080p capable)
Surround Sound Home Theater that performs beyond my hearing capacity 😛 lol
I'll use either Netflix or Blockbuster for my Blu-Ray or HD-DVD movies
I am not a gamer :shocked:
Just realized I'll die way before my money runs out 😀


Question:

What "player" or "players" should I get? 😕










(Yes, I've read the entire thread and the associated linked articles and I feel a nap coming on) :laugh:
 
Originally posted by: Smoke
Situation:

Pioneer Elite 50" Plasma (1080p capable)
Surround Sound Home Theater that performs beyond my hearing capacity 😛 lol
I'll use either Netflix or Blockbuster for my Blu-Ray or HD-DVD movies
I am not a gamer :shocked:
Just realized I'll die way before my money runs out 😀


Question:

What "player" or "players" should I get? 😕










(Yes, I've read the entire thread and the associated linked articles and I feel a nap coming on) :laugh:
Click to expand...

okay, well I'm going to recommend a BD player, and if your not gonna game, find the cheapest PS3 possible. Might be able to find a 20gb model somewhere, if not, the 40gb @ 399 is not a bad deal at all for a top of the line BD player. It is already Profile 1.1 compatible through a patch a couple days ago, and will continue to be compatible as it already has built-in storage and a network port, so Profile 2.0 will not be a problem. Supposedly DTS is working with Sony to get internal decoding of DTS HD-MA as a feature for the PS3, but that's tough to confirm (reported on highdefdigest, no news other than that).

but, someone else is going to recommend a cheap HD DVD player. Money is apparently not a concern to you, so you could afford a higher quality HD DVD player as well. However, the decision still remains in your hands, and to what movies you prefer.
Personally, I'd wait until after CES, to see if Warner is truly going to determine an official exclusive stance. If not, well then either format is still game.

or, you can get a dual-format player (looking at over $800 for one, iirc), and not have to deal with not getting a movie that you like on a format you don't have the capability to play.

personally, if money is truly no object, I'd get a dual format player and be done with the whole game. You'll forever have access to all movies (as long as the player is compatible with upcoming profiles. I assume the new ones are BD Profile 1.1 compatible if they can play HD DVD titles).
 
Smoke: What type of 1080p TV? Does it support 1080p24?

If money is not a concern, I'd get:

Toshiba HD-XA2 (for HD DVD and DVD upscaling) and Panasonic DMP-BD30K (for Blu-ray). Or if you don't mind the drawbacks of getting a console for a player, then I'd recommend the Toshiba HD-XA2 + Sony Playstation 3 (40 GB).

Or you could consider getting the Samsung BD-UP5000 if you want just one player, since it supports both HD DVD and Blu-ray.

Out of all of the above, the Toshiba HD-XA2 is supposed to be the best DVD upscaler. The Toshiba HD-A35 is supposed to be pretty close though. The Samsung is supposed to be very good too for DVD upscaling IIRC. The PS3 is reportedly mediocre at DVD upscaling, as is the Panasonic DMP-BD30K.

P.S. All the Blu-ray players I mentioned are or will be Profile 1.1 compatible. Don't bother with a Profile 1.0-limited player like the entry level Sony or the entry level Samsung.
 
Originally posted by: Eug
Smoke: What type of 1080p TV? Does it support 1080p24?
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My TV is a Pioneer Elite PRO-1140HD

"24" ?

The only "24" I know about is the TV series with Agent Jack Bauer. 😛 :laugh:

 
Originally posted by: destrekor
Personally, I'd wait until after CES, to see if Warner is truly going to determine an official exclusive stance. If not, well then either format is still game.
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How far off is the CES?

 
Originally posted by: Smoke
Originally posted by: destrekor
Personally, I'd wait until after CES, to see if Warner is truly going to determine an official exclusive stance. If not, well then either format is still game.
Click to expand...
How far off is the CES?
Click to expand...
It is Jan 7-10

 
Well, I think Warner is likely staying neutral. Considering that Warner is going to be at the HD DVD press conference at CES, you can be pretty sure they aren't going Blu-ray exclusive any time soon, and my guess is they aren't going HD DVD-exclusive either.
 
I thought many executives at Warner have confirmed they are staying neutral through 08? Felt the formats were too small of a market for exclusivity(sp) and not worth picking sides?


 
Originally posted by: Genx87
I thought many executives at Warner have confirmed they are staying neutral through 08? Felt the formats were too small of a market for exclusivity(sp) and not worth picking sides?
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Well, they always say such things... until they change their minds.

However, I don't recall them specifically saying they're staying neutral for all of 2008.

I just remember them saying that their internal release sched includes both Blu-ray and HD DVD titles for 2008, and they intend to remain neutral for the interim (whatever that means).
 
Originally posted by: Eug
Originally posted by: Genx87
I thought many executives at Warner have confirmed they are staying neutral through 08? Felt the formats were too small of a market for exclusivity(sp) and not worth picking sides?
Click to expand...
Well, they always say such things... until they change their minds.

However, I don't recall them specifically saying they're staying neutral for all of 2008.

I just remember them saying that their internal release sched includes both Blu-ray and HD DVD titles for 2008, and they intend to remain neutral for the interim (whatever that means).
Click to expand...

the purposely use vague descriptions so they can weasel themselves out if they decide to change their mind, but are basically trying to please everyone at this point until they make up their mind. I think it's a pretty safe bet that Warner will indeed choose a format to go exclusive on, however, when they will do that, and which format, is really anyones guess. A lot of rumors in the industry have suggested Blu-ray, but I don't really know. Software sales have remained great for the BD camp and continue to plow over HD DVD, but the latter camp has much better stand-alone hardware sales due to all the sales and lower priced players.
 
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