In an aim to promote the Blu-Ray disc format further, HP is one of the first to announce adding Blu-Ray drives in its desktops late 2005 and even its Laptop PCs from early 2006. The two main reasons HP is committing to using the Blu-Ray format is due to Blu-Ray's higher capacity of 50GB per dual-layer disc and interactive features built into the Blu-Ray specification.
Both HP's laptop and PC Blu-Ray drives are expected to handle CDs and DVDs also. As DVD recorders were very expensive when they were first launched, HP aims to overcome the initial high pricing of Blu-Ray by large scale volume sales.
Both PC makers HP and Dell helped boost the DVD '+' standard by using DVD recorders in their PCs capable of recording to DVD+R(W) discs. As they are members of the Blu-Ray Disc Association; a group of 88 members, this should help push the Blu-Ray format to a good start. ThunderJon used our news submit to submit the following news:
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The PC maker announced on Tuesday that it will support the Blu-ray Disc format in some desktops and notebooks in late 2005. HP is one of the first companies to announce the inclusion of Blu-ray Disc, a blue-laser technology that enables storage of up to 50GB on a dual-layer disc. Drives supporting the format are expected to play CDs and DVDs. Blu-ray Disc is competing with another blue-laser technology, high-definition DVDs, but the two formats are incompatible. HD DVD discs store up to 30GB on a dual-layer disc. Blue-laser optical disc formats are expected to take over for DVDs, which--with a storage capacity of 4.7GB--won't be able to store much high-resolution digital television programming. "Our decision to back Blu-ray was largely because of its capacity advantage (over HD DVD), as well as the interactive features being built into the specification," said Maureen Weber, general manager of optical storage at HP. "We will help with economies of scale....We'll drive down prices as we push volumes." |
This time it looks like it will be either Hollywood (most backing HD DVD) or the PC makers (most backing Blu-Ray) that will likely determine which side becomes mainstream.
On the other hand, if both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray drives make it into consumer PCs which looks to be the case, then neither format can be discarded. In my opinion if HP and Dell has its Blu-Ray way and the movie industry has its HD-DVD way, then what will likely happen is that HD-DVD will become the mainstream format for movies and Blu-Ray will become mainstream for PC data. The only problem in this scenario is having two different drives in the PC to handle both formats, or at least until someone develops a Blu-Ray/HD-DVD hybrid drive. :)
ThunderJon added: Bravo HP for leading the pack and looking forward. A great way to push for acceptance of the standard. If HP sells it consumers will buy it and buying goes a long way to accepting it as a true standard.
Feel free to discuss about Blu-Ray, HD-DVD and other upcoming high density optical disc formats in our Satellite, HD-TV, Blu-ray and HD-DVD Forum.
Source: C|Net News - Consumer Products
Listen, three things. Blu-Ray is not "the standard", the DVD Forum already decided HD-DVD is. 
Second, HP and Dell always push for the "other" format rather than the standard, so they support +R drives many times instead of both ±R.
And lastly, HD-DVD is backed by PC makers, NEC etc, so if Blu-Ray is coming to PC's this DOES NOT mean that HD-DVD will go to Hollywood. In fact, this is bad for HD-DVD because Sony (backing Blu-Ray) owns somewhere like 30-some% of the mainstream blockbuster movies. Henceforth ALL of their High Def content will be on Blu-Ray. 
So now we have Computers using Blu-Ray, Movies using Blu-Ray, PS3 using Blu-Ray, and all the while HD-DVD is hoping to still catch some fish with its little pole and no bait.
Even worse for HD-DVD is that Blu-Ray discs are clean for the environment, and Sony has built a tri-beam laser with one laser diode that can read and burn CD's DVD's and Blu-Ray content.
The only hope for HD-DVD is to combine within the same drive as Blu-Ray.[edited by ikea on 17.11.2004 12:45]
It drives prices down and it spurs advances in technology. As a previous poster said, without the +R format, blank DVDs and drives would still be terribly overpriced. And just as with the -R and +R format war, maybe we'll eventually see a hybrid Blu-ray/HD-DVD drive.
I think everyone here is right about competition is good but Electrox3d is a bit off. For one playstation2 is tanking compared to Xbox. Microsoft wouldn't back its now arch rival Sony and go with Blu-Ray. Its not going to happen as for Hp there like a "turkey" that by the way can drow themselves by staring up at the rain, They support anything until they find-out there almost bankrupt again anyone remember the Itainium or those crappy Burners HP makes they should just stick with printers.
Microsoft's Xbox is currently out performing the Playstation2, its a overall trend however jap gaming firms are losing and have been now for a couple of years to US Firms EA GAMES, Bungie, Rockstar GAMES. To say that Microsoft isn't a big threat to Blu-ray would be a big mistake, considering that it is releasing Xbox2 before Sony release's PS3 and Microsoft is the richest company in the world, it has a lot of influence Electrox3d. So HD-DVD is not fishing with what you call a small poll and no bate, its got the biggest fish in the sea on its poll.
Blu-ray's problem right now is price, no matter what anyone says about O mass this production of Blu-ray the fact is that the companys still have to buy all new factorys to produce Blu-ray lasers and discs. Were as current dvd production facilities can simply moddify there original equipment to produce HD-DVD lasers and discs. Currently the price of a Blu-Ray burner the Sony BDZ-S77 costs $2,039 & $35bucks per disc.
I think in the end it will come down to the publics wallet and there not going to pay extra for the same movie in High Definition just because it uses Blu-ray so they will feel all warm and toasty knowing that it has a blue laser lol. The truth is most poeple won't know what Blu-ray is and when they go to buy a new DVD player because there old one broke they'll do what all Americans do, go to wallmart and say I want to get a new "DVD" player not Blu-Ray "DVD" so the customer service will show them one the HD-DVD player and they'll buy one. What I'm trying to get at is the name recognition of 'DVD." As for Sony owning 30% of the mainstream blockbuster movies lol I think you need to start renting movies again or the next time your at McDonalds check there DVD keyosk and count again.
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