HD is the 1080p worth the extra $$$

[SoonerDave]

I don't think either format is going to prevail as a dominant player. Yet another company has released a multiformat chipset (BLAST that I can't remember the vendor) that they believe could retail for as little as $100 that will read HD-DVD or BlueRay.

As far as the PS3 goes, I think I'd stay AWAY. Sony has overestimated sales of the system, and they were banking on that revenue to resurrect their flagging electronics division, so both plans are failing at the moment. Supposedly, Sony has several *million* dollars in unsold PS3 inventory sitting in warehouses, and speculation is that they will have to engage in significant cost cutting measures several months ahead of their original plan just to move the inventory. That'll hit revenues even worse.

Meanwhile, sales of the XBOX 360 and Nintendo Wii move along at a very brisk pace, and the next series of 360's is due out in just a few months. I've yet to see a Wii at a retail outlet, but apparently someone can find them somewhere.

Sony's future, to me, seems a bit muddled, and I've read more than a few threads in other forums that offer early PS3 purchasers' laments that they've sunk several hundred dollars into what has become the most expensive doorstop/paperweight (take your pick) they've come across. I can tie that to someone at my office who bought one, loves the graphics, but says he barely plays it because of the lack of titles for it...

-soonerdave

[Martin]

actually, i can tell some difference between the "lowest of the low" and the upper end products... though i will agree that i see little difference in a $300 dvd player versus any brand's $1500 "elite" player. interface design, aesthetics, etc. make me lean towards a stand-alone player over a gaming console. dollar-for-dollar, you're probably saving money by getting a gaming system, though. if you're into online play, take care in modding your 360.

can't wait till october... -M

[Midtowner]

It is possible to find the Wii! I have one. You just have to be lucky.

[Martin]

i played the wii for the first time at a party a few weeks ago. i can see how it can be addictive... the endless supply of crude jokes for the name "wii" alone make it perfect for any party.

-M

[Midtowner]

actually, i can tell some difference between the "lowest of the low" and the upper end products... though i will agree that i see little difference in a $300 dvd player versus any brand's $1500 "elite" player. interface design, aesthetics, etc. make me lean towards a stand-alone player over a gaming console. dollar-for-dollar, you're probably saving money by getting a gaming system, though. if you're into online play, take care in modding your 360.

can't wait till october... -M

I was talking about fan/case mods. I think I'll leave the BIOS alone. Also, I'm sure when they introduce the 65nm machine, the mod chip industry will be 6 months or so away from adapting their designs to it.

I'm definitely waiting for the newer machine. Hopefully, they fix their fan noise/disc-scratching problem with that generation.

For the original Xbox, to me, it seemed like a BIOS mod was the only way to make the thing dependable. I had one drive completely go out on me with my old XBOX. Once I had that hard drive in there, I was able to copy my games to my hard drive and play them with no disc-read errors whatsoever.

You'd think that they would have learned not to skimp on that aspect of the system. I do think the new external HD-DVD drive was a smart bet though. Now, when (not if) your drive goes out, you have some means of replacing it.

[Easy180]

Looks like it's almost completely safe to get a PS3 or stand alone Blu Ray player


LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Blockbuster Inc. will rent high-definition DVDs only in the Blu-ray format in 1,450 stores when it expands its high-def offerings next month, dealing a major blow to the rival HD DVD format.

The move, being announced Monday, could be the first step in resolving a format war that has kept confused consumers from rushing to buy new DVD players until they can determine which format will dominate the market.

Blockbuster has been renting both Blu-ray and HD DVD titles in 250 stores since late last year and found that consumers were choosing Blu-ray titles more than 70 percent of the time.

"The consumers are sending us a message. I can't ignore what I'm seeing," Matthew Smith, senior vice president of merchandising at Blockbuster, told The Associated Press.

Blockbuster will continue to rent HD DVD titles in the original 250 locations and online, the Dallas-based company said.

The decision was helped in large part by the lopsided availability of titles in Blu-ray, Smith said. All major studios except one are releasing films in Blu-ray, with several, including The Walt Disney Co., releasing exclusively in Blu-ray. Only Universal Studios, which is owned by General Electric Co., exclusively supports HD DVD.

Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc., and Paramount Pictures, which is owned by Viacom Inc., release films in both formats.

"When you walk into a store and see all this product available in Blu-ray and there is less available on HD DVD, I think the consumer gets that," Smith said.

The rollout of Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 3 game console, which comes standard with a Blu-ray drive, also helped give the format momentum, Smith said.

Blockbuster's decision, while significant on it's own, could boost Blu-ray even more if other retailers follow suit.

"It will help shift the balance toward Blu-ray, clearly," said Richard Doherty, president of The Envisioneering Group, a research company.

The North American HD DVD Promotional Group said Blockbuster's decision was shortsighted and skewed by the success of films released by Blu-ray studios in the first three months of the year. The group said HD DVD has since gained momentum, selling more players and popular titles such as "The 40-Year Old Virgin" and "The Matrix" trilogy.

"I think trying to make a format decision using such a short time period is really not measuring what the consumer is saying," said Ken Graffeo, co-president of the group.

The two formats have been battling it out since they both hit the market last year. Studios hope the high-definition discs, with their sharper picture and more room for interactive special features and games, will replace standard definition DVDs.

The formats are incompatible and neither will play on standard DVD players, although standard DVDs can be viewed with either a Blu-ray or HD DVD player.

The Blu-ray camp has been helped by the release of such huge hits as "Casino Royale," "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Spider-Man" coming out exclusively in its format.

As the battle has unfolded, the price of the high-definition players needed to show the movies has plummeted. Toshiba Corp., the major supporter of HD DVD, is selling its player for $299 with a rebate, down from $499 when it first went on sale.

Sony, which is pushing Blu-ray, recently slashed the price of its player by more than half to $499. The player retailed for $1,000 when it first was introduced.

---

On the Net:

Blockbuster Inc.:

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

Screw the PS3, screw Blu-ray, and screw Sony. I can go on for days on that anti-consumer company.

Oh, and Blockbuster sucks too.

[Jack Wonder]

(to the original question)

In a word, YES.