What I like about Blu-Ray

[hmurchison]

Both formats are obviously going to offer us excellent quality video so I won't touch the quality issue because frankly both will be stellar now and into the future as encoding processes improve.

In this thead I want to highlight the positives of the Blu-Ray format

Data Storage-

I like that Blu-Ray was designed for scalability in storage. Sony brought the data leyer up as high as they could so that they could eventually sandwich in more layers. The laser was brought down closer to the surface so that a) A lower power laser was required b) with the creation of more layers the close proximity of the blue laser can dig down deeper into the layers. I'm not totally sold on this being huge factor for movies but for data storage application and video recording applications it's very nice.

Bandwidth-

With 50Mbps of usable bandwidth Blu-Ray is a natural for adding multiple channels of Lossless audio and great video. It enjoys a 20Mbps advantage over HD DVD in this regard. This will come into play when it comes to adding 7.1 Lossless TrueHD or DTS-HD Master and having room for extensive BD-Java interactivity and breathing room for the video. It likely is Blu-Rays biggest advantage that only the cognizenti understand.

BD-Java-
While not necessarily being technically superior to iHD Blu-Ray's Java interactive layer is an offshoot of OCAP/GEM which is used in Set Top Boxes and stands to grow more in popularity. My guess is that BD recorders may be able to record broadcasts and the OCAP java interface simultaneously and that is why Sony and others have chosen it. Or that authorers who have developed OCAP Java interfaces for their films can easily retrofit them to Blu-Ray if the need arises. This could potentiall be very powerful for Blu-Ray expecially as recorders become more vogue.

Vendor Support-
The who's who of CE vendors from Japan and Korea support Blu-Ray. Pioneer, Sharp Panasonic round out Japan where Samsung and LG round out Korea's larger offerings. This is a formidable group who have a lot of product and IP between them. Toshiba's facing a steep uphil climb to find a group that can match this might.

I've purposely left off studio support because it's probably the one area most likely to change but Blu-Ray does have a decided advantage here with exlusives from Buena Vista/Disney, MGM, Lionsgate, Fox and Columbia as the most prominent studios.

Summation:

How will this battle play out. Blu-Ray has the superior might but to date HD DVD has been deft and swift in their engagement. The real question is is Blu-Ray more equivalent to the might of Rome for the might of Persia which was crushed under the assault of Alexander the Great by ingenious tactics. We shall see.

Go Seahawks!!