Blu ray or HD DVD: Picking One Could be a Gamble
Blu ray technology and HD DVD technology are battling each other to become the DVD format of the next generation. Blu ray and HD DVD are competing against each other in a similar style as the VHS and Betamax battle of the 1980's.
Blu ray Disc is an optical disc format designed for high definition video and high density data storage. Backing Blu ray technology are power house companies such as Pioneer, Samsung and Sony. Supporting HD DVD is the movie company Universal Studios as well as technology companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Toshiba and Microsoft. Many of the movie studios have stated that they will be releasing movies in both formats. Overall it should be noted however, that 84% of the movies released in 2006 support Blu-ray technology.
Sony Pictures, MGM, Columbia TriStar, Disney, Touchstone, Miramax, Fox, Paramount, Warner and Lions Gate has decided to back the Blu ray format. HD DVD studio support comes from the following studios; Paramount, Studio Canal, Universal, Warner and The Weinstein Company.
Blu ray got it's name from the blue laser it uses to read the data. This format was developed for rewriting, recording and playing of high definition video. They also can store enormous amounts of data. It holds five times more storage capacity than regular DVD?s. It can hold over 9 hours of high definition video on a disc. High definition video requires a large amount of disc storage space making Blu ray discs a good selection for high definition.
There are some differences between the two formats. First of all it?s their storage. By utilizing larger numerical aperture lens, Blu-ray is able to write more data on the same size disc. Because of the higher capacity, movie studios will be able to release movies with more HD features on Blu ray than HD DVD. A Blu-ray disc can hold up to 25GB and a dual layer 54 GB while an HD disc can hold up to 15 GB and a dual layer 30 GB. The other noticeable difference is price. The Blu ray discs are more costly.
Now, both Blu-ray and HD players are able to play CD?s and DVD?s but HD players are not capable of playing Blu ray discs and vice versa. And that is where the battle begins. Since neither player will play the other's format, you must decide on one and hope it wins the "new format" battle.
So let's summarize the format battle. Both formats are very similar in high definition picture quality. When making a decision on which format to invest in, you must consider price and amount of content available in each format. One thing is for sure, it is a very uncertain market. It?s very possible that you could decide on a technology; invest in a player and purchase movies and then be very distraught if the format you choose fails in the market. More than likely, the format which goes into Christmas 2007 with the lowest price tag and widest range of movies will become the format standard.
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