Why is BD better than HD DVD?

[Phatferd]

I am new to this and support Blu-Ray because I have a PS3 and prefer the studios who support Blu-Ray. I have friends asking me why is BD better than HD-DVD?

Anyone tell me how I should answer that?

I wrote my friend an email telling him why he shouldn't buy that HD-DVD player he wants to get.

You may be convinced, however, the majority of consumers are supporting Blu-Ray, along with the studios and media industry. I would not put my money on HD-DVD. Blu-Ray could win this battle after Christmas.

I think last week was a great example of this. Transformers was easily the number 1 movie out last week and it was HD-DVD exclsusive. It sold 110,000 copies and HD-DVD still lost in total sales for the week to Blu-Ray. Warner Brothers is going to go neutral soon and has said it will base its decision on sales of their movies. Blu-Ray is selling more WB titles than HD-DVD. Blu-Ray has not lost a single week this year to HD-DVD in total sales for media. More people are buying Blu-Ray almost 2:1 and this is in the US. In the rest of the world it's more like 4:1. Computer companies prefer Blu-Ray, due to their superior data capabilities and filmmakers prefer it because it allows them to do whatever they want with no limitations. Blu-Ray's not only have uncompressed audio and video (HD-DVD can't claim this for every title), but they also allow for faster bitrates than HD-DVD can physically allow.

I don't know why you're convinced HD-DVD will win. I'm not flaming, just trying to understand where you're coming from. I assume you're coming from a price standpoint, especially considering this site. I just think the evidence shows that people aren't concerned about price when it comes to technology and Blu-Ray is dropping price all the time. You have to remember that Blu-Ray came out a year after HD-DVD, therefore, their price will be higher than HD-DVD for a little bit, but it keeps coming down.

Here was his response, how should I respond?

1) Blu Ray does not have superior capabilities. As it stands HD DVD allows filmmakers to do more without "limitations" than Blu-Ray.

2) Blu Ray came out just a few months after HD DVD, not a whole year.

3) While most BD discs have uncompressed audio, not ALL of them do.

4) Unless you're an industry specialist, don't tout audio specs and bitrates. See this link to further prove that point: http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/sh...._Reality/1096

5) The week Transformers came out, the sales gap between HD DVD and BD was so slim, it's not even worth mentioning. And the fact that ONE title pulled the two so close, shouldn't that say something? (Especially considering how many Blu-Ray players there are versus HD DVD players)

6) What is uncompressed video?

7) Yes, Warner is neutral and is currently mulling a status change. However, as it stands, the following Warner titles are currently ONLY available on HD DVD: The Matrix Trilogy, Batman Begins, V for Vendetta, Constantine, Poseidon, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, plus about half a dozen more.

Fact of the matter is, this is a stellar price for this player. It will be a long long time before Blu-Ray players make it down to this price point and that is why this is just too good of a deal to pass up. Lets see here, for $98 you can have an HD DVD player and enjoying EXCLUSIVE titles like Transformers, The Bourne Ultimatum, Shrek the Third... or you can spend $499 on a Blu Ray player. Hmmm....