Other things in the format war othere than spec and codecs.

[PurpleAardvark]

Ok sony sets alot of standards in the industry correct. They helped DVD with the PS, the psp has its own set of movie that sells like hot cakes, and sony is a reconised name. Toshiba to the average joe you mine as well say Interga or Krell, of corse Toshiba is not on that level. Point being Sony is a known name. When I first got into this stuff 9 years ago, the names I knew were JVC, Sony and Infinity. When I looked around for new stuff I looked for they name I knew not some off name brand for fear of getting a cheap knock off brand. To those who send to much time on the internet yes toshiba will get an eye or two, but to the average Joe who see's ps3 and it can play a new movie in HD, they are going to ignor that little HD player in the back because the PS3 is the new hot toy. Plus add in the fact that the $499 price tag pops into play for the PS3 that wipes out the whole money side of things. Plus all the pushing coming from Best Buy, Ciriut City, TV, Internet for blu ray, HD is going to have a major fight on its hands. Anthor way to look at is the PS3 is not going to just disapear like the Dream cast did. So you have a player that gamers of all age are going to have after the format war is over, with games still coming out with money backing blu ray, so like the psp they are still going to put BD DVD's out. Sony has thought this one out really well.
On the other hand you have the XBox360 HD DVD drive which is rumored to be $200 (I'll believe it when i see it) Which will be routed into the Xbox360 and then run to your tv from the 360. yes I know alot of people are going to buy it too. Heck I might even buy one to give HD anthor chance. The only problem is a: confict in programs which 360 has had with out the add on, and B: PQ loss from all the connections. Who wants there entertainment room to look like a christmas tree with to many wires. It would be nice to see Xbox360 come out with an all in one unit but rumor has it not for a while. I think a loss in PQ from the 360 and the PS3 being direct (less loss) in signal is going to turn a few people off from HD IMO.
Ok here is the next one HD DVD being the next natural sounding format. I would Have to disagree. I will explain this one. Ok Bettamax vs VHS doomed by its name betta meaning 2nd, and it lived up to its name. Then the SVHS which lasted a month? Ok DVD vs. DVIX, DVD was completely different name but still was not a relable like SVHS. Now we have HD DVD vs. Blu Ray. If I didn't know about all this stuff I would think HD DVD is that a relable of a product I already own, oh wait that Upconverting DVD player I bought a few months a go had the same thing on it (which it did). Blu ray whats that something new, and that is when they ask about it. Blu ray is a new name that makes the product seem like a new thing even though it is still a DVD. More natural progression there when you think of it that way. IMO that is were toshiba scewed the pooch by puting HD on their upconvering DVD player box as well as other companies.
Either way IMO it is just a matter of money who can loose the most or show a profit first. I have always felt that HD DVD would have won if it A: had a different name and B: had a different parent company ie. toshiba.
One last note which would you chose a player with 3 companies on the self or 7 companies? Come March that is what is going to have yet anthor setting in this whole war. Of course we all know here BD is going to win.