Apparently HD-DVD is in the lead

[ianirvin]

MACWORLD seems to have some news that the rest of the world hasn't noticed. Apparently, Blu-Ray is poised to win the DVD format wars.
Under the somewhat obvious heading "Blu-ray claims it's poised to win DVD format battle", hack Jim Dalrymple conducts a startlingly unbalanced interview with Pioneer senior vice president of product development, Andy Parsons.

Pioneer is one of the few supporters of Blu-ray left with many other drive makers either hedging their bets or going with HD-DVD.

The article trumpets the release of Samsung's first Blu-ray disk player next month, but fails to mention that it has come out late and behind the HD-DVD, which hit the shops in April.

It dismisses supporters of the HD-DVD format who include Toshiba, NEC, Intel and Microsoft because, "when it comes to getting players into people's homes Blu-ray has the power of the consumer electronics companies behind them".

It will be news to Toshiba and NEC that they not consumer electronic outfits any more.

"With content as king, both Blu-ray and HD-DVD went after the motion picture studios to publish content in their respective formats. While there were wins for both sides, ultimately Blu-ray came out on top," waxes the article, lyrically.

Warner, Paramount, Universal, NBC and New Line Cinema have backed HD-DVD. MGM had to be acquired by Sony before it nailed its colours to the Blu-Ray mast, along with 20th Century Fox and Columbia TriStar Group, who went voluntarily.

While most analysts think it is too early to write off Blu-Ray yet, most seem to think that it will have an uphill struggle.

None of this information seems to have been put to Parsons who seems to have been allowed to gabble on about Blu-ray being the best thing since sliced bread.

So why does MacWorld seem to think that HD-DVD is such a loser?

It might be something as obtuse as the fact that Microsoft backs HD-DVD and, natturally, anything the Vole likes must be evil. Other than Intel of course, that is now wonderful

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=31674

Aparently having major movie producers agree to only realese movies in the blu-ray format and having the majority of the electronics manufactueres backing blu-ray is a bad thing? acording to this fellow. I liked his article so much I took the liberty of hitting the flame button to let him know just how much I liked it.

[zombie]

HD DVD is in the lead... but only because Blu-ray isn't out yet.

[thunderhawk]

It might be something as obtuse as the fact that Microsoft backs HD-DVD and, natturally, anything the Vole likes must be evil. Other than Intel of course, that is now wonderful

What the hell does M$ and Intel have to do with the consumer electronics?
Do they represent more then the BD-only companies in the BDA???

Argh some people will never understand untill they see BD is the winner with their own eyes.

[phloyd]

People that post crap like this just amaze me.

It is almost like they are religious about this stuff...

I would like to understand what mental disorder they suffer from or who's payroll they are on.

I just can't fathom a rational explanation for these kinds of comments....

[JTK]

Originally Posted by nyg

HD DVD is in the lead... but only because Blu-ray isn't out yet.

Exactly right. And that's the only reason.

[marzetta7]

What's funny is, these same type of people who write articles against Blu-ray will in the same breath claim that Apple actually backs HD DVD because they have some support in their DVD Studio program, throwing away the facts that Apple is on the Board of Directors of the BDA and have officially backed Blu-ray in a coporate statement.

Their spin knows no bounds. In addition the author of this article digs into MacWorld for conducting an unbalanced interview, and yet does he consider what he writes being balanced?

Also, what I found interesting the other day was on the Blu-ray Disc site under Frequently Asked Questions...

http://www.blu-raydisc.com/Section-1...s/4/Index.html

For key differences between Blu-ray and HD DVD, it states that NEC and Sanyo actually support both formats. From what I understand they both used to be exclusively HD DVD. Why hasn't this been in the news, unless it is a typo or something?

[JTK]

Originally Posted by marzetta7

http://www.blu-raydisc.com/Section-1...s/4/Index.html

For key differences between Blu-ray and HD DVD, it states that NEC and Sanyo actually support both formats. From what I understand they both used to be exclusively HD DVD. Why hasn't this been in the news, unless it is a typo or something?

I think you know the answer.

[hmurchison]

throwing away the facts that Apple is on the Board of Directors of the BDA and have officially backed Blu-ray in a coporate statement.

Apple is a member of the DVD Forum which oversees DVD and now HD-DVD. Blu Ray is a new format and thus their BoD wouldn't obviously be newer than the DVD Forum. So logic has it that we cannot read too much into Apple's plans. I know of no official statement from Apple claiming to support only one format. In fact they make it quite clear that both are supported.

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/apr/17hd.html

Apple is committed to both emerging high definition DVD standards—Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD. Apple is an active member of the DVD Forum which developed the HD DVD standard, and last month joined the Board of Directors of the Blu-ray Disc Association.

Can someone please point me to a press release from Apple in which they have rescinded support for HD-DVD in lieu of Blu Ray? I want both platforms to do well if the market can sustain them but this site has got to be a beacon for correct information. Wave your flags ...but make sure you keep the deception to a minimum.