HD DVD + Blu-ray = The HD Blues! Want To Know Which High Def Disc Player to Buy?

Most consumers are aware of the Blu-ray vs. HD DVD battle. These are the two competing formats for the latest high definition discs to replace current DVDs. For those who love movies, this appears to be the best way to take full advantage of your new high definition television, especially if you have splurged for the incredible 1080p high resolution screen (see my blog post on 10 things to know about HDTV). So, which of the two is a better option for those who want to take plunge and buy a high def player right now? Which has more movies? Which has more movies that I like? Which has a better price? Which is likely to win the format war? Will there be a winner? I will attempt to address some of these inquiries right here.

Technological Differences
The reason for the change in technology was to have a disc that could accommodate the extra space needed for high definition movies. The standard DVDs that have been flying off the shelves for years can store 3.8 hours of enhanced definition viewing (480 line of resolution) or less than an hour worth of high definition video (1080 lines). Two competing formats emerged. Both use new hardware methods to read more information on a disc, as well as more sophisticated video and audio compression techniques (called codecs) to pack more data with almost negligible loss.

The Blu-ray Disc (BD) was created by a large group of the world’s leading consumer electronics companies, including Apple, Dell, Hitachi, HP, JVC, LG, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Pioneer, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, and Sony. Instead of the standard red laser used by standard DVD players, it uses a more precise blue-violet laser to read more information on the same sized disc, thus the name Blu-Ray. It can store 50GB of information on a double-layer disc, almost six times the amount of a standard DVD. This translates into 8.5 hours of high definition video and audio. The leap in technology, however, requires significant manufacturing re-tooling. Despite this, it is has been supported by more manufacturers and movie studios. It has also become the standard player on all next-generation Playstation 3 gaming systems produced by Sony.

The HD DVD format took a different but similar road. They also used the blue-violet laser, but with a technology closer to current DVDs. This allowed the re-tooling costs to be less significant to manufacturers. The downside is that the double layer HD DVD only holds 30GB of information or 5.1 hours of high def video and audio. This is 3.5x better than standard DVDs, but not as much as the Blu-ray format. The HD DVD format reached the market first and began penetration while the Blu-ray stumbled out of the gates. The Microsoft Xbox 360 has an add-on HD DVD player, ensuring that the format penetrates the gaming market. Although not widely used, the HD DVD format has also developed a triple layer disc that holds 51GB of information, allowing it to exceed the 50GB that Blu-ray boasts. This further clouds the issue of which format is superior. Industry backers include Toshiba, NEC, Sanyo, Microsoft, RCA, Kenwood, Intel, Hitachi, LG, and Samsung. Below shows a table that makes the comparison between the current standard DVDs and the new high definition formats.

	Std DVD	HD DVD	Blu-ray
Single layer	4.7 GB	15 GB	25 GB
Double layer	8.5 GB	30 GB	50 GB
Gaming	old systems	Xbox 360	Playstation 3
SD storage	3.8 hr	13.3 hr	22.2 hr
HD storage	n/a	5.1 hr	8.5 hr

Movie Release Comparison
According to sources that track high-def movie releases (such as highdefdigest.com), there are almost 500 movies released or soon to be released on a high definition disc. Of those movies, 65% are available in the Blu-ray format and 61% are available in the HD DVD format. Interestingly, there are 29% of the movies that are available in both formats. While the overall DVD selection shows a tight race, I thought that we could use the “top” movies to help us narrow down a leader. I cross-referenced our high-def movie list with the 250 top grossing movies of all-time in the U.S. Of the “top” movies available in a high definition format, 66% were in Blu-ray and 65% were in HD DVD. About 31% of these top grossing HD movies were available in either format. So, when you consider the top grossing movies, the results are even closer. To me, there is no clear winner here.

If you want to get a little more specific, maybe the particular movie studio or movies can help you determine if there is a better camp for you. Here is an example of the movie studios that have supported each of the formats, as well as a sampling of the movies available.

Available in Blu-ray Only
Buena Vista: Dinosaur, Chicken Little, Pearl Harbor, Chicago, Pirates of the Caribbean
Fox: Fantastic Four, X-men, Ice Age, The Devil Wears Prada, Night at the Museum
Lionsgate: Crash, Saw, The Descent
Sony: Hitch, Click, Talladega Nights, Casino Royale, The Pursuit of Happyness

Available in HD DVD only:
Universal: King Kong, Apollo 13, The Bourne Identity, Seabiscuit, Traffic, Meet the Parents, The Mummy, Hulk, Bruce Almighty, Erin Brockovich
Weinstein: The Matador, Lucky Number Slevin,

Available in Blu-Ray and HD DVD
Magnolia: The Architect, World’s Fastest Indian
Paramount: Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Mission: Impossible, Coming to America, An Officer and a Gentleman, Top Gun
Warner: Scooby-Doo, The Fugitive, The Perfect Storm, Batman, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Polar Express, The Departed, 300

So why doesn’t every movie studio make both versions available? We may apply an answer used for most questions of this kind: time and money. It is more expensive to invest in the formatting and production of movies in two formats. When selling stock, the adage of the man with two watches comes to mind. A man with one watch knows what time it is, but a man with two watches is never sure. If you have one format, you can sell what you have. If you have two formats, you’ll sell more of the format that you don’t have. Besides, many of the manufactures know that they can protect margin dollars better if there was a single format. They want one of the formats to die, therefore they will not produce high-def DVDs for the competing format. For example, Sony has their own Blu-ray player, their own studios, and their own Playstation 3 gaming system with Blu-ray. They are not going to offer their movies in the HD DVD format.

Players & Disc Pricing
Since movie selection may not have been conclusive, lets take a look at the hardware available, especially at the entry-level. The Toshiba HD-A2 has been the entry model for the HD DVD format, limiting its playback to the 720p or 1080i resolution that meets the minimum requirements for high definition. Since all Blu-Ray players have the superior 1080p output, however, the Toshiba HD-A20 that is capable of the same output provides a better apples-to-apples comparison. The 1080p Toshiba player has been running $499 with several retailers offering $100 via rebates and other discounts. But now, we have Sony’s new lower priced Blu-ray player (the BDP-S300) due out by mid June. With a retail price of $499, the gap in the hardware pricing is becoming minimal. Periodic sale prices or discounts may bridge the gap.

What about the DVDs themselves? Do we see an on-going price discrepancy there? At Amazon.com, the movie The Departed on Standard DVD was $19.99. On Blu-ray, it was $23.95. Finally, a combo HD DVD and Standard DVD was $27.95. Could there be a price difference, or was it due to a dual-format? For Mission: Impossible III, the two-disc Standard DVD version was $23.99. The two-disc Blu-ray and HD DVD were both priced at $27.95. Boy, this is getting harder than I thought.

And the Winner Is…
Heck if I know! As the determination of a winner gets cloudier, the consumers are holding out. This is not good for either side. Since HD DVD was launched first, it saw more significant sales in 2006. In 2007, however, Blu-ray has seen greater sales and continues to see more industry support. The trend in sales appears to be pointing toward Blu-ray, with each side often declaring victories for their camp. The pornography industry played a major role in determining the outcome of the VHS vs. Betamax battle, but most believe the industry will not have the influence with HD discs. During the epic VHS/Betamax battle, these tapes were the primary method of delivery, while today there are many alternatives to how porn is received. My gut tells me that Blu-ray will eventually be victorious, but it also tells me that no one will be conceding anytime soon. So, should we all wait?

No. Sitting and waiting is not my recommendation. Here is what I suggest: Look for the studios that you like best and look for a good deal on a player. My top 12 list for each format may give you an idea: HD DVD or Blu-ray. Make the leap and purchase a player, but do not start buying high def DVDs to add to your collection. Upgrading hardware will likely occur in a few years anyway, but you expect your movie collection to last longer than that. Instead, keep on the rental side. Between HD Tivo, HD on-demand, Blockbuster Total Access, and Netflix, you have many options. Both Blockbuster and Netflix will allow you to add HD formats to your queue, when available. Don’t deprive yourself of great HD movies while this format war plays out. But don’t over commit by buying a library of movies that end up sitting with your old Betamax flix (which is still next to your Rubik’s cube and pet rock).

NOTE: If, however, you feel that you must buy HD movies, check out my list of the best available awe-inspiring movies on HD DVD and Blu-ray.

There is one more side to this story. The longer this war plays out, the more opportunity there is for another alternative to arise. At the risk of sounding like a blatent teaser, you will need to stay tuned for my next blog posting. I’ll be discussing the ins and outs of downloading movies that may be played on your HD television. Music is no longer confined to CDs, so why should we expect movies to be confined to DVDs? I will discuss the current state of this technology and where it may be heading. I hope you stay tuned. Joining the feeds or email alerts are great ways to do that.

[update 6/22/07 follow-up post on HD downloading entitled, Trash the Disc, Learn from Porn!]

HD Ignorance Is Not Bliss! What Are Ten Things I Should Know About HDTV?

I have written many HDTV posts but have failed to provide an overview of oft misunderstood terms and high-definition subjects. In order to help shed light on these concepts, here are ten things that everyone should know about HDTV:

1. There are three major benefits that the HDTV format brings. Besides a lighter wallet and a slight headache, your HDTV setup should give you these main features: First, you’ll experience high resolution that provides great picture detail. The screen and content will have at least 720 lines of resolution. This is superior to standard or enhanced definition (DVD quality), which only has 480 lines of resolution. Second, you’ll have a widescreen format similar to a theater experience. HDTV content is presented in a 16:9 aspect ratio. This is wider than your older, boxier televisions. Lastly, HDTV uses 5.1 surround sound output. The sound content will be divided among five speakers plus a sub-woofer. These speakers include the left, center, and right channel as well as two addtional speakers at the back of the room.
   
   
2. Not all flat panels are HDTVs and not all HDTVs are flat panels. If you're a little confused by that statement, keep in mind that two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do. Flat panel televisions are those ultra-thin televisions that are typically no thicker than four inches. The plasma and LCD technologies currently dominate the flat panel market. While most flat panels are high definition, there are still some available as an inferior enhanced definition television (EDTV). Additionally, there are many HDTVs that are not flat panels. Microdisplays are not as thin as flat panels but at 10” to 18” in depth, they are much shallower than the old picture tubes. These microdisplays include DLPs, LCD Projections, and LCoS televisions. For more information on these HDTV types, read High Def Alphabet Soup.
   
   
3. Not all features are created equal, so be careful when comparing. Michael Jordan and I both have vertical leaps of 42 (inches for Jordan and centimenters for me). That comparison is similar to ones made on HDTVs. First, not all HD is the same. There are three popular high definition resolutions, all improvements over the 480-line enhanced definition resolution that DVDs provide. The 720p resolution is a progressive scan that renews all of its 720 lines each refresh. The 1080i resolution, similar in quality to 720p, uses an older interlaced scan that refreshes only half of its 1080 lines at a time. The 1080p resolution (also called Full HD) has a superior 1080-line progressive scan resolution that delivers more than twice the number of pixels as 720p. Due to its enhanced resolution, 1080p Full HD commands a premium price tag in the retail marketplace. Additionally, be careful when reading manufacturer specifications on contrast ratios. A dynamic contrast ratio looks at the brightest vs. darkest points over time, but the static contrast ratio evaluates this difference at a snapshot in time. Although manufacturers may not explicitly state which ratio is being referenced, very high dynamic contrast ratios are easier to achieve than static ones. An outstanding static contrast ratio is 1,500:1, while it is not unusual to see a dynamic contrast ratio over 10,000:1. This may help you decipher misleading figures and help compare apples to apples (or PCs to PCs, for those who prefer virus infested equipment).
   
   
4. When selecting a type of HDTV, don’t rely on old reputations. Did accusations of fuel tank explosions unfairly ruin the reputation of the Ford Pinto? Okay, so maybe that's a bad example. A better example of old reputations, however, has plagued the plasma television. Plasma was the first flat panel to hit the market and originally had issues with burn-in and longevity. Today, most high quality plasmas use techniques to avoid burn-in and have life expectancies similar to LCDs. Additionally, projection DLP televisions have had problems with “rainbows” appearing during quick movements. This problem has been addressed on newer models through the use of higher speed color wheels. Yesterday’s information can become today’s myth. Recent research is your best bet. Again, for more information on the various HDTV types and their respective advantages, refer to High Def Alphabet Soup.
   
   
5. The pricey Full HD 1080p resolution isn’t always the best bet. When I gave a friend a coat hanger to help retrieve keys from a locked car, I cautioned him not to break a window. He told me that wouldn't be an issue because all of the windows were rolled down. Lesson: although we try to help, it sometimes just doesn't matter. A person with 20/20 vision that views a 50” television at 10 feet away will likely be unable to see a difference between 720p and 1080p. Viewing a 60” television, however, increases the size enough that a 1080p resolution will likely be distinguishable. Viewing distance and television size play an important role in determining if there is any benefit to a Full HD 1080p screen. Keep in mind that an investment in Full HD is an investment in the future. Currently there are no HD television broadcasts in 1080p so the only way to benefit from this higher resolution is through specially marked HD-DVD players, Blu-Ray players or games for the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3. For a more detailed explanation of screen sizing considerations, as well as a lookup table for viewing distances and recommended screen resolutions, take a look at Size Matters.
   
   
6. The type of cable connection used is important, but it doesn’t have to be costly. When I bought my car, I paid an extra $500 for helium-filled tires. Lighter weight and better fuel economy sounded like a good idea but my spare tire flew away when I let go of the string. Lesson: don't fall for helium tires - and don't fall for expensive cables. There are three good choices for HD video signals. The three-wire component video cable transfers an analog signal, while HDMI and DVI cables transfer digital signals. The only difference between the two digital cables is that HDMI also carries 6-speaker sound signals in the same single cable. While individual circumstances determine whether component or HDMI/DVI provides better picture quality (you should give each a try), HDMI/DVI are the only cables to support Full HD 1080p resolution. Additionally, the analog component cabling is susceptible to signal quality deterioration due to quality of the cable, length of the run, or splitting. For the digital cables, however, The TV either receives the signal or it does not. Any qualified HDMI/DVI cable will provide optimal, lossless picture quality, regardless of price. There is no need spend a lot here, especially if you have moderate runs of cable.
   
   
7. Placing an HDTV in your home does not mean that everything you watch will have crystal clear detail. HDTV has tremendous capabilities, but it can't provide a quality picture from a poor source any more than a Porsche can perform with water in its fuel tank. Due to the increased size and pixel count of most HDTVs, a standard definition signal will look poor and all imperfections will become very visible. To get an HD signal from your satellite or cable provider you need to subscribe to their HD service. Keep in mind that not all channels will be in HD and those HD channels may not play HD programs all of the time. Depending on your location, you can also get local channels in HD over-the-air (i.e. from an antenna). Although standard DVDs are not in HD, they can look pretty darn good using an upconverting DVD player that translates the image to near-HD. The HD-DVD and Blu-Ray players, however, are your best bet for true HD movies on disc. For gaming, the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 have HD output, but Nintendo’s Wii does not. Remember that component, HDMI, or DVI cables are needed to carry that HD signal (you won’t get it from a composite or s-video cable) and HDMI and DVI are required for 1080p. Without an HD source or HD cabling, you're just putting water in the fuel tank. For more, read Hi Def Jam.
   
   
8. A widescreen television will not eliminate all black bars. Although this is what I have termed a "pain in the aspect," it's important to understand why black bars appear. The aspect ratio of HDTV is 16:9, which means that for every 16 units wide, the screen is 9 units high. If you have an HD programming source (i.e. satellite, cable, or over-the-air), the HD programs will fit perfectly on your new HDTV display. Most television programming, however, is still in standard definition and the boxier 4:3 aspect ratio. This will give black bars at the side. Additionally, movies are typically shot using wider 1.85:1 or 2.35:1 theatrical aspect ratios. These movies will have black bars at the top and bottom of an HDTV. Zooming or stretching the image can eliminate the black bars, but you should be aware of the mismatch in aspect ratios and distorted images. Visit my earlier post, Pain in the Aspect, for more detail on the subject.
   
   
9. Surround sound is part of the HDTV package. Most ladies won't purchase a new dress without new pumps to complete the package. The same accessorizing should be done when creating your high definition home entertainment system. Don’t forget to include an audio receiver capable of 5.1 surround sound output that comes with HDTV. Most HDTV sources will send sound output to five speakers plus a sub-woofer (for deep base sounds). The HDMI cable connectivity not only passes an HD video signal, but a 5.1 surround sound signal, too. All of this is contained in the single cable, making it the connection method of choice. Using an HDMI cable to connect an HD cable/satellite box to an audio receiver and then to your HDTV will likely bring superior video and sound to your television viewing experience. It also allows the receiver to facilitate video switching between many sources (cable, satellite, video games, over-the-air, DVD, PC, etc.) for those TVs with limited inputs. The receiver can really be those purple pumps that complete the appearance. Look for a future post from me regarding receivers with this capability.
   
   
10. You should place the TV as close to eye-level as possible. Ergonomically speaking, you don’t want SPS (short person syndrome), a phenomenon resulting from having to look up for extended periods of time. This means that mounting your plasma above the fireplace will likely have results similar to exhaustively comparing HDTVs: a royal pain in the neck. For most situations, the middle of your television screen should be around four feet off the floor. If you have a large viewing distance, you can get a little higher. Additionally, a projection television such as a DLP, LCD Projection, or LCoS gives its best picture when viewed from eye-level. While these projection televisions have a broad side-to-side viewing angle, their picture deteriorates quickly when viewed vertically off-center. More viewing angle information is provided in High Def Alphabet Soup.