Why did Blu-ray get picked over HD-DVD?

Question

I understand that they work with different dvd players, but what made blu-ray more desirable?

Answer 1

PS3 cause its already built in and there are more PS3's in consumers house then just regular blue-ray and HD-DVD players combined so if Xbox360 would have put HD-DVD drives in their system then HD-DVD would have won before PS3 had even hit store shelves

but xbox didnt do it cause they wanted to keep the xbox price as low as they could thats why PS3 dropped there price $100 cause nobody wanted to spend $600 on it and xbox was still outselling PS3 once the whole fanboys got their piece of c**p after waiting in lines for days

so to simplify the answer even more........the reason why DVD's got there big push into the market was cause of the PS2 cause you didnt have to go out and spend acouple hundred dollars on a player since the PS2 had it built in cause every one i knew back when DVD's hit the scene was using PS2's to play them and not regular DVD players

so the reason why blue-ray is outselling hd-dvd (now) is the same reason why DVD's got there big push with PS2

oh yea if you didnt already know Sony owns and developed blu-ray and Toshiba owns and developed hd-dvd thats why the ps3 has blu-ray built in cause guess what if blu-ray was to fail then the ps3 would be rendered useless

fyi i hate PS3 if you havent noticed lol

Answer 2

I have to agree with Monkey M on this one. The only sensible answer.

In the Betamax vs. VHS war the lesser format won. Betamax was far superior. It seems BlueRay has the advantage over HD-DVD quality wise but it's hard to tell to be honest. I would think that is how the studios see it and that is why most of the remaining supporters of HD-DVD have finally switched to BluRay.

There could also have been some backroom manipulation going on. This, we will never know.

Answer 3

Blu-Ray hasn't been picked the clear winner just yet.  Their Hardware prices are currently almost twice that of HD-DVD.  It does look like the current situation favors Blu-Ray.  For those that don't exactly know what the rub is between the two camps...the Hardcore RIAA members back Blu-Ray because it is more difficult to copy/burn/edit off of.  Toshiba, Intel and Microsoft represent the computer industry which favor a more User-Friendly environment for copy/burn/edit which is HD-DVD.  On paper, Blu-Ray has the higher specs while HD-DVD is more cost-effective to produce the equipment and media.  HD-DVD also currently has more interactive features.  The movie studios which currently back HD-DVD were obviously bribed, which has been strong speculation in the news media.  Sorry, I can't seem to find the article which summarized this point.  Will keep looking and post when I come across it.

Answer 4

Sony bribed all the studios and it is a catchy name.

Answer 5

Remember the Beta Max?

That was a better format than VHS.

It was also Sony's pride and joy and they somehow were beat out by the VHS folks.

They learned their lesson and have paid off enough Movie Companies to tip the scales toward Blu-Ray and it might just stick this time.

Too bad Disk formats of all kinds are soon to be replaced by the next best thing.

Answer 6

Some people here have given some of the reasons, but there is a lot of misperception too.

I have yet to see a definitive analysis, but let me offer the following:

- There is little if any difference in performance between the two formats, despite the theoretical advantages of Blu-ray.

- HD DVD is in many ways the more consumer friendly fomat (combo format (HD DVD/DVD disks) supported DVD>HD transition, no region coding, no heavy handed DRM (i.e. BD+), less expensive to produce (DVD extension no revolution, HDi rather than BD-J programming language), players specifically aimed at moderate consumer hardware platform (e.g. 1080i base not 1080p)).

- HD DVD hardware more capable and stable than Blu-ray (Blu-ray hardware spec STILL not final).

BUT

- Sony strategy to include a Blu-ray player in PS3 paid off in growing base of potential users (any purchaser got a Blu-ray player and therefore became a Blu-ray supporter). In many cases owners were ignorant of the capacity of their PS3 to play Blu-ray disks, and even if aware didn't know (or care) about the differences between HD DVD and Blu-ray, they just "knew" it was better (because ads told them so). One theory is that gamers are more aggressive, so a proportion of PS3 owners became evangalists for Blu-ray (while most HD DVD supporters were demographically different since they primarily bought stand alone players).

- The BDA strategy of selling the theoretical advantages of Blu-ray (while ignoring the real weaknesses (e.g. inadeqaute production capacity, unfinished spec, hardware incompatibility, studio frustration with BD-J programming language for extras, non-functioning disks due to BD+, etc, etc) worked due to consumers being easily mislead. On the other hand Paramount and Dreamworks abandoned Blu-ray largely because of these technical issues -- yet this was "sold" to consumers as due to a Toshiba payoff)

- Sony and Blu-ray Disk Association (BDA) did a better job of subsidizing Blu-ray disk prices (endless "Buy one, get one" (BOGO) sales). This will come back and bite Blu-ray though since consumers have got used to "sale prices" and are resistant to paying much more than 50-60% of MSRP.

- Studios preferentially supported Blu-ray because it is less consumer friendly, but more studio friendly (BD+ copy protection, region coding). This despite the advantage of HD DVD in terms of the combo disk format not available in Blu-ray (HD/DVD disks allow consumers with several DVD players and an HD player to buy one disk they can play in all machines), lower production cost, and greater ability (due to Internet connectivity of all HD DVD players) to support on-line extras (e.g. ring tones, clothing and other movie related gear) as an alternate revenue stream

- BDA/Sony turned HD DVD's evolutionary step strategy against them. Toshiba designed HD DVD to be an evolutionary step (vs Blu-ray's revolutionary step ... which required a whole new production facility rather than HD DVD's minor changes to an existing DVD plant) and purposely aimed to support mid-range consumers (i.e. those with 720p HDTVs rather than 1080p) by starting their hardware range with 1080i output (and aimed for a lower than Blu-ray prices). BDA sold this to consumers as a weakness of HD DVD (in fact any good 1080p HDTV will deinterlace 1080i and you can't distinguish from 1080p).

- Blu-ray disks had to use a harder anti-scratch coating to protect disks due to the thin (relative to DVD) cover layer required by Blu-ray. BDA sold this as an advantage over HD DVD (rather than a necessity), and instead of duplicating this coating on HD DVD -- thereby providing an advantage to HD DVD -- Toshiba failed to act.

- The fact that Toshiba was up against a consortium of companies (Sony, Pioneer, Sharp, Panasonic, Samsung, etc) was a seen as a disadvantage for HD DVD by many consumers (can't be any good, only Toshiba supports it), while in fact it allowed for a more consistent, mature, hardware platform.

- Toshiba failed to introduce HD DVD burners for computer use (unlike Blu-ray) and fialed to push HD DVD drives for consumer computer use.

- Toshiba did a great job of pricing better hardware at a much lower price than Blu-ray, BUT failed to convince HD DVD studios to pass on lower HD DVD production costs to allow price competition with subsidized Blu-ray disks.

But what many don't know (or fail to acknowledge) is that until just days before CES 2008 Warner planned to abandon Blu-ray and go HD DVD exclusive (which would have eventually killed Blu-ray because HD DVD harware sales were starting to take off (already more stand alone HD DVD players than Blu-ra, by far) ... but wouldn't do it unless Fox went along. Fox wouldn't because they wanted BD+ copy protection and region coding -- which HD DVD didn't have (and Sony reportedly paid them a rumoured $500M to stay with Blu-ray). Since the format war was seen as part of the reason that DVD sales were decreasing, Warner recognzed one format or the other had to 'lose" to ensure disk sales picked up (rather than risk consumers starting to move to download/VOD services), and while they would have preferred HD DVD they reluctantly picked Blu-ray.

In other words the "winner" came down to a last second field goal, not a one-sided victory.

In the short term we can expect BOGO disk sales to disappear and prices for Blu-ray disks to increase. Hardware prices will slowly come down as Chinese manufacturers start to take over. But sales of Blu-ray disks will gradually reflect their premium status (vs DVD) as studios realize they can't afford to sell Blu-ray at the same price as DVD, yet can't discontinue DVD because the majority of consumers won't switch to Blu-ray. (Caveat: If manufacturers find a way to integrate Blu-ray and DVD on one disk, studios may try to force conversion to Blu-ray disks by discontinuing DVDs, but I predict this would hasten the demise of disks (which is slowly dying anyway) and simply promote a reasonably priced VOD/download option).

The result (for some of the reasons above and a number of others) is that Blu-ray will "win" the HD disk format war, but will remain a premium niche HD format that never replaces DVD (Blu-ray may reach 20% of DVD sales eventually, before being replaced by a 10 or 12 bit, xvYCC colour space version, and in the meantime consumers will gradually move from physical disk rental to download/VOD services as technology and infrastructure improves.

Answer 7

Blu-Ray holds more data and provides more data per second than HD-DVD.

Answer 8

Sony was able to work the market with its power.  That's it.

Answer 9

Blu-ray group had more companies (Fox, New Line, Columbia-Tri Star, Sony Pictures, Disney/Pixar, etc.) backing them up than HD group (Universal, Paramount, and Dreamworks). Warner's recent switch to Blu landed the first of the two-punch combo followed by Netflix following Blockbuster's steps into Blu along with Best Buy "recommending" Blu-ray over HD DVD and Wal-Mart going exclusively Blu-ray.

Regarding technologies a blu-ray disk has a higher capacity and uses different technology to manufacture/burn, whereas HD DVD uses the same dvd tech.

Regarding monopolies and 'buy-outs' HD group had the biggest (Universal, Paramount, Panasonic) compared to Blu group (Time-Warner media). Microsoft however know how the format war would go, hence a HD DVD peripheral instead of HD DVD drive was made allowing for a future Blu-ray peripheral. This way they could profit from either side.

Answer 10

Dear Sher,

Blu-ray does "NOT HAVE" more futures then HD-DVD & that's a lie. Blu-ray & HD-DVD are both Hi-Def & supports 1080P picture & both HD-DVD & Blu-ray have "EQUAL" 5.1 threw 7.1 sound.  

Some HD-DVD disk has HD-DVD & DVD combo format. The Blu-ray disk it doesn't have that.

Blu-ray players has region codes. HD-DVD has no region codes with no problem. HD-DVD players could support internet connection & Blu-ray players does not support that. If you play standard DVD to a HD-DVD player, it upscales to a sharp picture to a 480P. If you play DVD to a Blu-ray player, it will not upscales the picture. Not even a 480i picture.

-I have Philips Blu-ray player & Toshiba HD-DVD player & I also have 1080P HDTV!!!

Answer 11

To the guy who answered and said that Sony is the big bad wolf compared to innocent wittle Microsoft, get a ******* reality check. They're BOTH big bad wolves.

Blu-ray "won" because it's the better form of media. It holds more and thus can do more. It has many more features than the HD-DVD.

I think it's important to point out that Blue-Ray hasn't exactly won yet. HD-DVD might have lost, but I still don't see the general public clamoring to run out and get blu-ray players at prices of 600 + dollars each. The struggle is definitely still on.

Answer 12

LOL...OK to "thatguy"...

if you really say that you hate ps3.....and talk bad about ps2.......or better....tell me if you haven't seen a bad *** game that is only available for ps2...or...ps3...and wish you own one and then...... i will love to see you going to buy one cause your ego it's too big for you to miss the GAME everybody is talking about......ain't that right......besides i rather buy a DVD,HOME THEATER...or any other electronic from a brand that is being doing this for too long....and they were the first ones that introduce the portable music player to the USA on the 80's.......overall i like EXPERIENCE....not just....bull@#%$!!!!!!

Answer 13

a blu-ray disc can hold more info/media..i belive 25Gig

opposed to the hd-dvd can only hold 20gigs... so the more space the less compresion needed to produce a better over all picture and sound..

Answer 14

If you are watching an HD-DVD or a Blu-ray you won't notice the difference. However, Blu-ray on paper looks better than HD-DVD because it has nearly two times (2x) the storage and video capacity. It also seems to have more manufacturer support than HD-DVD format. The discs cost the same amount, and the Blu-ray players cost a little more at the moment, but why choose mediocrity over perfection? More is better. I say Blu-ray should let Chuck Norris roundhouse kick HD-DVD into extinction so that way we can have just one format and not have to be so confused all the time, with different titles being made on one format but not on the other... it is inconsistent, and that is something the Navy would do, we don't want that kind of thinking on our entertainment devices.

Answer 15

idk

Answer 16

Who knows.  The industry should have agreed on a single format in the first place, but instead they repeated the VHS vs. Betamax war and the consumer suffered as a result.

Answer 17

Sony are the kings of corruption and bribery and currently hold a phenomenal slice of the market including control as opposed to Microsoft