Blu-ray wins
The battle between HD DVD and Blu-ray format is finally over, with Toshiba's HD DVD admitting defeat.
Production companies and video rental chains like Blockbuster and Netflix aligned with the Blu-ray format all but forcing Toshiba to stop producing the HD DVD players and discs.
That means anyone who purchased an HD DVD player wasted a lot of money. (Of course they didn't know they were doing so at the time.)
And it's not like the HD player is going to suddenly stop working. It will continue to play standard DVD's and any HD DVDs customers bought. But in time, there will be less and less movie selection available. And the HD player doesn't play the Blu-ray format.
The HD player will be like the VHS system that standard DVD players wiped out. Or it will be like cassette tapes that CD's obliterated. Sure there are still some floating around, but they are not produced anymore.
Have you bought an HD DVD player recently? What are you going to do with it? Keep it, return it, exchange it? I'd really like to hear.
Joe · February 20, 2008 8:09 PM
First of all, great article. I know several people who, within the last year, have purchased HD DVD players. When they told me about their purchases my reaction was; "Why, haven't you heard about this new thing called Blu Ray that will make DVD players obsolete?" Most of their responses were the same; "I didn't realize that there was such a thing." Some even chose HD DVD players after the sales clerk tried to convince them otherwise. I just don't think that the average consumer does his/her homework when purchasing technology. Perhaps your article will make individuals aware of the importance of researching a product, particularly technology, before investing their money.
Scott · February 21, 2008 10:18 AM
I actually got a call from a buddy of mine yesterday who had just received an HD-DVD for valentine's day. He didn't know that it was an HD-DVD and was perplexed as to why it wouldn't play in his standard DVD player. Lucky for him, he called me and then didn't go and buy a player.
Blu-Ray is an awesome optical storage technology that trumps DVD, much like DVD did to VHS. Give it time, and we will have new optical storage that beats out Blu-Ray.
I'm waiting to buy a Blu-Ray player until after I get my HD TV!