As a follow up to last week's post on HDTV, we will explore the current HD format war in a little more detail. While it's assumed that one format, either HD-DVD or Blu-Ray will eventually "win" and become the format of choice, other possibilities do exist. Here are 5 different ways in which this war could eventually be settled:
1. HD-DVD Wins
HD-DVD still has a lot going for it. Start with a lower cost of manufacture for discs allowing studios to earn higher profits. Lower costs of manufacture for players means most HD-DVD players are less expensive than Blu-Ray players. While most studios support Blu-Ray, Paramount and Universal still back HD-DVD exclusively. Strong support from Microsoft (due to their HDi technology built into players) can’t hurt the format either.
2. Blu-Ray Wins
Blu-Ray has a strong potential to win the war. It currently has the support of the majority of the domestic film studios. This support recently grew as Warner Brothers, who was previously releasing discs in both formats, announced that it would begin to release new titles exclusively in Blu-Ray format. The PS3 also has built-in support for Blu-Ray (unlike the Xbox 360 which requires an optional add-on HD-DVD player). While the PS3 hasn’t exactly blown critics out of the water yet, it’s still a cheap(ish) and easy way to break into the world of HD.
3. Both Formats Stay
Who says a format is going to or even has to win? It is far from unheard of that two very similar but different technologies share the spotlight. Think Mac vs. Windows. It could happen that neither format gains enough support to win over consumers. We could be stuck with both formats until the next generation of video technology surfaces. Players such as the LG BH100 which support both formats only serve to make this outcome a very real possibility.
4. Total HD (Or Another Dual Format) Wins
Warner Brothers announced a third format called Total HD that supports both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray players on a single disc. While a fairly far off shot, it’s conceivable that consumers could adopt this format or another "universal disc" style format (if it ever gets released to market).
5. No One Wins
Admittantly it’s a pretty far off shot, but it could happen that consumers never really accept either format en masse. It’s a vicious circle – as people wait for the format war to resolve itself before choosing a device the war simply drags on longer. Unlike the switch to DVD’s, high definition discs require a new TV purchase for most people in addition to the player itself. If all you have is a standard TV, there’s just no really good reason to switch, especially when HD titles are often much more expensive than DVD versions of films. People may end up waiting so long that some new format that's better than both comes along.
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