Stand your ground!

[Reaver]

So, who here has made their choice as to which side of the high def DVD war they are going to be on and has no plans on changing their minds? Also, why did you make that choice?

[sambow87]

Well, I have no plans on going Blu unless they release a $200 player, hehe. Even then I would be hard pressed to buy. I'm very satisfied with HD DVD right now and there are only a select few titles that I really want on Blu (Pirates 1, Casino Royale, Prestige, Fifth Element). I can live without them though for the time being.

I bought my first HD DVD player in June of '06. I kept it for about 2 and a half weeks because I was not ready to make an HDTV purchase (I used the unit to demo on some HDTV's that I was interested in at some B&M stores). I finally bought my current player around November when I bought my HDTV. Love it! I think there were a couple reasons why I kept with HD DVD:

- Better price
- Better quality (arguably they are pretty much the same)
- Interactivity (which I love and I like all the special features)

[Pirate]

I'm standing firm on my HD DVD adoption until I can find a good BD player.

[dugpa]

I guess right now I'm in both camps equally, though I'm starting to buy more Blu-ray assuming everything about the discs are equal as it seems the writing is on the wall now.
I was just thinking a few days ago about how I've been shifting around in the formats. Back before either format was launched, I figured Blu-ray was the way to go since they had more studio support. I wasn't even going to bother with HD-DVD. Then Toshiba announced the price for the first player was only $500 and I figured, hell for that price I might as well get one so I can watch Universal titles. I ordered a player the day they made the announcement. Then HD-DVD launched and looked great, and Blu-ray finally launched and was pretty unimpressive, and I started to buy a lot more HD-DVD discs (not to mention my Blu-ray player I pre-ordered missed it's launch date by seven months). Even after I got my blu-ray player I was pretty reluctant to buy discs since they couldn't seem to get their shit together and make good looking encodes. Now things have finally leveled out enough that I feel confident buying Blu-ray discs (in most cases) and buy about equal from both camps. Depending on what the specs are I will buy a third generation HD-DVD player, and I'm planning on getting the Denon blu-ray player (assume it lives up to specs). So it seems I'll be format neutral for a good while to come.

[Reaver]

Originally Posted by dugpa

I guess right now I'm in both camps equally,

Fail.

[dvdcooler]

HD DVD, because the price is right, sony sucks, and there's better interactivity. However, once blu-ray players go down in price ill probably go neutral. But for now, im an HD DVD fanboy and couldn't be happier.

[Astrakan]

HD DVD

My primary reason for picking that format was the automatic region free-ness of HD DVD releases. Following that was how soundly HD DVD was spanking Blu Ray in the quality department at the time of me picking my format of choice.

KM

[dugpa]

Originally Posted by Reaver

Fail.

My wallet says otherwise, and as noble as you all want to be, the bottom line is what counts in this war.

[orko007]

Blu-Ray.

I have a PS3. I'm not spending $1K or buying an xbox and a HD-DVD just to play some Universal releases.

The major DVD seller in the country is BD exclusive. As I shop here exclusively if from a bricks and mortar store there is no need to switch.

I buy a bit online and BD still does me nicely.

The number of studios does me well. I like knowing Sony, Fox and Buena Vista are in the BD court. Village Roadshow are yet to commit out here, apart from Happy Feet on BD so time will tell with them. I think they are waiting on some New Line presses.

Sure I'd like to see American Werewolf in London in HD ~ but do I want to spend $600 on a 360, then $250 on the HD-DVD then buy another receiver as I have run out of plugs. No!

[MrE26]

Blu Ray for me, mainly because of the supporting studios. I couldn't give a shit what company makes it (i find fanboys of companies extremely odd to be honest...) All i care about is the final product & i couldn't be happier with the quality so far.

[MooglePorn]

I'm Blu Ray only... just because I have a PS3 for games. I was investing in both sides for a short while before I realized I was going crazy and spending a lot of money on something I wasn't ready to fully support yet. After stopping that nonsense I buy only the rare BD disc...

I'm getting more and more willing to buy the BD version of movies I want though. I think with recent announcements like Blockbuster and the continued factor or more studios being BD exclusive it's somewhat clear BD will eventually "win," for what it's worth.

Still, I don't want to jump in with both feet until it's pretty much certain.

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by Reaver

So, who here has made their choice as to which side of the high def DVD war they are going to be on and has no plans on changing their minds? Also, why did you make that choice?

HD DVD

And, BD+ Advanced Countermeasure DRM on Blu-Ray and lack of "Combo" discs on Blu-Ray as the primary reasons. I want maximum compatibility/usability and minimum DRM. With the ability to run executables built into BD+, I won't really ever have much interest in Blu-Ray unless they drop that from the BD+ spec. Its not only giving the studios too much control, but its a PC security risk as well!

[Reaver]

Originally Posted by dugpa

My wallet says otherwise, and as noble as you all want to be, the bottom line is what counts in this war.

No, you failed because I asked for responses from people who chose one side or the other, not both.

[Reaver]

Originally Posted by orko007

I have a PS3. I'm not spending $1K or buying an xbox and a HD-DVD just to play some Universal releases.

Where in the hell are you shopping that an Xbox 360 and the HD-DVD add-on would cost you $1K? It would carely cost you half that.

[Sehnzeleid]

Originally Posted by piratehunter

I'm standing firm on my HD DVD adoption until I can find a good BD player.

Same here.

[orko007]

Originally Posted by Reaver

Where in the hell are you shopping that an Xbox 360 and the HD-DVD add-on would cost you $1K? It would carely cost you half that.

I'm shopping in Australia. $650 for a 360. $250 for the add on. So $900, close enough to $1K. We get ripped off on stuff big time out here.

[sambow87]

Don't mean to derail, but how much is the A2 in Australia?

[Reaver]

Originally Posted by orko007

I'm shopping in Australia. $650 for a 360. $250 for the add on. So $900, close enough to $1K. We get ripped off on stuff big time out here.

Jesus H... Yeah, you guys get screwed big time.

[dugpa]

Originally Posted by Reaver

No, you failed because I asked for responses from people who chose one side or the other, not both.

I did choose sides. I choose the Blu-ray side and I choose the HD-DVD side.

[orko007]

Originally Posted by sambow87

Don't mean to derail, but how much is the A2 in Australia?

Finally tracked it down. Cannot find one to buy, but I found a review in February, which stated this player was $499.

Not too bad a price. At that level providing the normal DVD is multizoned, I may just be tempted.

[chlngr1970]

I personaly have chosen HD DVD, and see no reason to abandon, switch, or otherwise question my decision. I am happy with my HD DVD player, even with it's issues. I hope that I can afford the HD XA2 soon

j

[Reaver]

Originally Posted by dugpa

I did choose sides. I choose the Blu-ray side and I choose the HD-DVD side.

I did too, but that wasn't the point.

[dugpa]

Well, you did ask who had chosen sides, and I have and said such. If you had some other point, you probably should have made it.

[Reaver]

Originally Posted by dugpa

Well, you did ask who had chosen sides, and I have and said such. If you had some other point, you probably should have made it.

Joining both camps is not "chosing a side" and you know it. Stop being obtuse.

[187ontheVHS]

Why is a lack of Combo discs a negative for Blu Ray? Who really cares about these discs? How much do these discs matter? I understand the theory behind them, but give me a break, who actually buys them with viewing the SD side as a primary interest? I've only ever found them to be useful when the damn HD side of the Combo disc won't play!

[jriseden]

I went with blu-ray due to the studio support. I'm not anti hd-dvd but there just isn't enough hd-dvd titles I want at this point to justify buying a second player. If by the time I buy my next blu-ray player, combo players are more reasonably priced, then I would go the combo player route and pick up the 5-10 universal discs I want, but I don't want to add another player to my crowded av rack at this point for one studio's movies.

[orko007]

Originally Posted by jriseden

I went with blu-ray due to the studio support. I'm not anti hd-dvd but there just isn't enough hd-dvd titles I want at this point to justify buying a second player. If by the time I buy my next blu-ray player, combo players are more reasonably priced, then I would go the combo player route and pick up the 5-10 universal discs I want, but I don't want to add another player to my crowded av rack at this point for one studio's movies.

I know what you mean. I'm not anti HD either, but don't have the $$$. Although a bit tempted. There are at least 20 Universal titles I am after. But we also have this thing could the misses holding me back!! She isn't convinced on any HD -- but I've been sneaking in films she loves into the collection, and slowly making some inroads into twisting her around. She even asked about a BD release date the other day

[Derb]

I own both but prefer BD.

Navigating (fast forward, rewind, slow etc) is just as smooth as DVD playback. Load times are equal as well to DVD. More titles have lossless sound & after viewing over 400 HD titles, the novelty of HD picture dies off. Its still good, but not I'm 20 & can illegally buy alcohol good. Audio is more of a treat these days than PQ.