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Originally Posted by NOT ON MY WATCH  HD-DVD has definitely not lost.
Internationally, HD-DVD is more popular. Also, many of the movies that are BluRay-exclusive domestically are available in HD-DVD internationally. Why does that matter? Because HD-DVD players are region-free, meaning they can play a domestic or imported HD-DVD. BluRay is not region-free, and you are locked into what Sony offers to the US market.
Domestically speaking, this will likely continue to be a long, drawn-out war, with neither side being able to throw a knock out punch.
Within a year or so, there will likely be sub-$200 players that will present both formats beautifully (the ones out now are kind of jack-of-all-trades, masters-of-none). So even if you spent $150 - $350 on an HD-DVD player within the last year, your collection of HD-DVDs will not be obsolete. Same thing goes for BluRay - if BluRay dies, there will be inexpensive dual-format players that will keep the media alive for a long time.
Anyone who buys either of these formats doesn't really have much to worry about, unless they are concerned with having to spend sub-$200 in 2 years for a better player than the one they bought.
Also, dedicated set-top boxes (using internet connection) will soon deliver *on demand* **ANY** movie, regardless of studio origin, in 1080p format to your HDTV. The concept of buying a physical format for your music and movie purchases has been dying for awhile now anyway, and many people with Cable already get HD movies on demand. These new set-top boxes will put more nails into the physical format concept's coffin.
Everyone should be aware that HD-DVD and BluRay are transitory formats anyway. Anyone who has done any research on the subject should know that. I'm not excusing the fact that all the manufacturers and studios don't make that fact well known to the public, but they are in business to make money, not educate the public.
Note that I make these statements being an owner of both formats. I have a Toshiba HD-2 (HD-DVD in family room with 56" HDTV) and PS3 (BluRay in game room with 40" HDTV) - and I have about 50 titles in each format. |
There is only one wrong statement here:
HD DVD Is not more popular globally than Blu-Ray. Look at the sales ratios, the only market HD DVD had an close fight with Blu-Ray was the USA (2:1, favor of Blu-Ray.)
European Marlet: 5:1, favor of Blu-Ray
Japanese Market: 10:1, favor of Blu-Ray
Australian Market: 9:1, favor of Blu-Ray (note that HD DVD wasn't even available in Australia till Sept/Oct 2007 locally, it all had to be imported.)
And as for as region coding, yes true Blu-Ray does have region coding, but not all international movies are region locked. You can important US HD DVD exclusives on Blu-Ray format from countries in Europe and Japan, of which most of aren't locked.
I own a Toshiba HD-A20 and a PS3.