iTwire predicts LG dual format player to prolong format war
Posted on 05/02/07 13:16 by Seán Byrne                             
iTwire predicts LG dual format player to prolong format war

An iTwire reviewer predicts that LG's dual-format Blu-ray & HD DVD player may actually prolong the war.  If the players on the market could only play one format or the other, the format war may end sooner by consumers effectively voting for the format based on which they fork out on.  However, with LG's BH-100 covering both formats, this keeps up the pricing, which in turn slows mass adoption.  While the iTwire reviewer mentions he's happy with interoperability, he doesn't think Blu-ray and HD DVD will happily co-exist long term with the movie companies preferring to invest in one format only. 

While buying the BH-100 may seem like a more logical purchase with no risk of it becoming obsolete no matter which side wins, it costs more than the cost of purchasing the two separate Blu-ray and HD DVD players together.  The only advantage with having both formats in a single unit is having one less box below the TV. 

At this time, there is still no clear winner even with the recent announcement of Blu-ray leading.  Recently, Blu-ray has been picking up rapidly due to the PS3, however HD DVD still has the advantage when it comes to the adult-film industry.  Regardless of which format one goes for at present, there are some HD movies still only available on one format or the other.  For example, if one picks up a Blu-ray player, they will not be able to play movies from Universal, which has no plans on taking on the Blu-ray format.  If that person picks up a HD DVD player instead in order to play titles produced by Universal, they will not be able to play movies from Walt Disney, 20th Century Fox or Sony Pictures.  

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By DukeNukem, Mon 5 Feb 2007 14:36
DukeNukemThanks for the news flash. I said the same thing a couple of weeks ago, but nobody listens to me because I hear voices in my head. Smilie
By SpeedyJDK, Mon 5 Feb 2007 14:50
Funny it takes so long for people to remember that there IS already porn movies out on Blu-Ray and Vivid is gonna make more. So just because Sony's 2 BD-Rom factories won't press the discs. Others will...
By adsbugmenomore, Mon 5 Feb 2007 16:31
Nobody will care if hybrids prolong the format war. All we'll notice is that our hybrids just work, and that's all anybody cares about. It'll be like the DVD+/-R thing a few years ago. Hybrids rock!
By DukeNukem, Mon 5 Feb 2007 17:13
DukeNukem@ adsbugmenomore Maybe for you, but speaking for myself I don't sit on the fence. I do my homework and then choose a side to support (in this case it was DVD-R). Complacency is a cancer that is just too commonplace these days. Don't just sit there while the hardware manufacturers and the movie studios make decisions for you. Stand up and be counted. Tell them that you want a standard or you won't give them a nickel of business. Money talks, my friend, and together WE make the decisions. I'm all for "variety is the spice of life" thing, but this isn't variety -- it's confusion and frustration on our part and greed on theirs.
By shaolin007, Mon 5 Feb 2007 20:07
shaolin007@DukeNukem "I hear voices in my head." You really ought to get that checked out. Smilie
By adsbugmenomore, Mon 5 Feb 2007 20:50
@DukeNukem: I don't know what your problem is and I don't care. Compatability is neither confusing or frustrating. It just works, what's hard or agravating about that? If you did your homework you'd see it's too early to tell which format will win and only fanboys will say otherwise, the average person doesn't know/care about DVD+/-R war as long as the discs work (most sales people don't even know), the technically superior format sometimes dies (Betamax), and the porn industry that decided VHS years ago is choosing both formats now. What could possibly be more complacent than buying a single standard machine this early? Buying the loser format then buying all new stuff to replace it. That'll only encourage their greed because they sell more crap. I'm choosing to buy ONE recorder for my computer. HDCP turns me off to HDTV (yes, I've done my homework on that). I only want it for backups. IF I wanted to watch movies on it and fight with the DRM on legal discs I at least know I don't have to care what format X brand of studio uses, it just works. I'm not throwing it away and buying another one soon after. I'm not risking being unable to read my backups in the future because my drive got betamaxed. I'm curious what format are you getting or have gotten?
By DukeNukem, Mon 5 Feb 2007 22:06
DukeNukem@ adsbugmenomore My problem is that I like standardization. DVD is a standard and it's a good one. There was no confusion (except for the whole -R/+R or WS/FS thing). You bought the movie and then put it in your DVD player and that was it. Now they can't get together for the HD standard. They play God and we suffer for their greed. Non-tech people will suffer the hardest because they won't know what the hell is going on. We don't need two HD formats. Personally, I will support HD DVD.
By FidelC, Tue 6 Feb 2007 00:14
FidelCThe way things are turning out I may consider either but only 1 of 2 formats. Since both are similar and apparently backupable I will see which blanks will hit a $5 barrier first and then buy a reader-burner to burn them. And all because I choose not to sit through stupid commercials and warnings on legally purchased content. Nor do I plan to spend a cent on HDCP when buying my next 1200*1920 WS monitor. Whichever way is easier to play HD in 1080p on a normal monitor with standard hardware is the way I will go. @DN -sorry to hear about your voices. On the other hand u always got smb to talk to devil
By klark_kent, Tue 6 Feb 2007 00:27
WTF?? If all players were dual format players, the format war would be over. Just like it was with dvd-r and dvd+r.
By johnzap, Tue 6 Feb 2007 02:23
johnzapYeah, dual players are really great. NOT! They always will be more expensive than single standard ones. What's the great deal here? @DukeNukem: you say, "hey play God and we suffer for their greed. Non-tech people will suffer the hardest because they won't know what the hell is going on.". I think you are all mixed up. The enormous majority of people don't know and don't care about these extremely expensive toys. They know DVD, they already have all the gear to play it, they can backup it and it just works. The ones which might be confused are the early adopters. And if so, they are already used to suffering through those early decisions. No need to become too much worried about them. To the heck with those 2 formats. For me it's simply a very entertaining affair. Let them battle it out. Let the fanboys and early adopters burn deep holes on their wallets. When/if there'se a victor and the prices are at current DVD prices, or thereabouts, I will look into it. biggrin

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