What are the major problems that commentators have identified with HD DVD + Blu-ray?

Question

What are the major problems that commentators have identified with HD DVD + Blu-ray?

Answer 1

There are no major problems with either except insofar as they're incompatible with each other. Neither format will die away like the war between Betamax and VHS. They are both two strong formats that are both strongly supported. Blu-ray seems to have the upper hand at the moment but that means very little in the long term really. There is too much money invested on both sides for either format to be junked. HD DVD may turn out to be less popular (or it may not) but that doesn't mean it'll be got rid of just because it's less popular. Microsoft may well yet have some say in the future of HD DVD which will give it a huge boost.

Answer 2

Because blue ray has a much shorter wavelength (about 475 nm) than the red laser we are used to (around 650 nm), it is capable of a much higher degree of accuracy - hence the increased capabilities of blu-ray products. However, nothing comes for free and owners of these products pay the price of a much reduced laser life.

Until supply and demand reaches a sufficient level, laser replacement will not be cheap.

Answer 3

The only real problem is that if you invested in HD DVD then you backed the wrong horse

Due to the thumbs down I should explain my answer. Warner, Fox, Disney and Pixar have all backed Blu Ray as their preferred system. HD DVD will be dead in the water due to this (Same as Betamax was in it's day. Better format but VHS still won due to industry support)