Skip to content
Aug 1 / Ozymandias

Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD Direct Comparisons

,

Just saw an article on Slashdot that points to the first side-by-side comparisons of movies that have been released on both Blu-ray and HD-DVD. As discussed earlier, it appears HD-DVD seems to have the edge for now. Quoting Slashdot:


“With today’s release of three movies on Blu-ray, Warner Home Video has become the first studio to release movie titles on both high-def formats, making it finally possible to do an apples-to-apples comparison of the same titles on both formats . High-Def Digest has just posted reviews of all three titles — ‘Training Day,’ ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang‘ and ‘Rumor Has It‘ — comparing video, audio and extras to the previous HD DVD releases. Their verdict? Due to issues with image cropping, audio selection and supplemental features on the Blu-ray discs, the HD DVD versions win this first face-off.”


I’m looking forward to doing some side-by-side comparisons. Any of you guys had a chance to do this yourselves yet?

Related posts:

  1. [Edit] Kaz Hirai: 380 PS3 titles by March ’08? Unlikely.

Comments are closed.

Filed under Uncategorized
  • http://Ranger7722 Ranger7722

    Interesting article.  As a 17 year old, I don’t own an HDTV so I am a little behind in this department.  However, I still plan to follow the format war.  From the sounds of this article it looks like Sony is in one big downhill slump these days.

  • Olav

    We knew all this. HD-DVD is better than Blu-ray. It’s a fact.

  • Dragos508

    This format war is going to be fun to watch.  I do own an HDTV (its a Sony 30" if your wondering), but, as of this moment, i have no intentions of purchasing either Blu-ray or HD DVD.  I currently own close to 125 movies and concert dvd’s and, to be honest, they look perfectly fine on my tv now.  Granted there are some, mainly the older dvds such as my original Boondock Saints copy, that could use a bit of a facelift in the quality department, but apart from those select few, I can not justify replacing all of my films with new copies just for a slightly better picture quality (and yes I have seen movies in Blu-ray and HD DVD, though not the two same films) for almost double the price I pay now for movies.

  • bean

    I’m much more interested in data-transfer rate comparisons between the 360 and the PS3.

    Why HD-DVD even continues to get support is illogical.  I think everyone knows that Microsoft chose not to put it’s money behind HD-DVD and now Blu-Ray will be the format of choice for HD movies.

    Well, until we get a better infastructure in the U.S. and start having extremely fast Internet that can download and/or stream HD movies very quickly and inexpensively.

    So it’s not that big of a victory if Microsoft is planning on getting into telecommunications and spurring it on so that the U.S. moves on to downloadable media in the next 5 to 10 years. . .  but when the dust settles and movies start showing up on rental shelves that have the Blu-Ray format, it will help sell PS3s.

  • http://blogs.enginefour.com Shawn Oster

    to bean:

    Interesting, I must be one of the few that didn’t know that Microsoft decided not to put money behind the HD-DVD format.  I was pretty sure they *did* considering the HD-DVD drive you can buy for the 360.

    I also find it odd that you said Blu-Ray will be the format of choice considering almost every AV publication has said that HD-DVD currently has the edge in terms of quality and price.

    Personally I like the concept of HD-DVD over Blu-Ray.    HD-DVD’s can be produced using existing tech to keep cost down out of the gate while using a new software solution to give us better quality (VC-1 codec).  Since HD-DVD goes through a process very similiar to today’s DVD’s the consumer doesn’t have to pay for the retooling of the manufacturing plants.

    Blu-Ray on the other hand chose the expensive route of using a brand new manufacturing process yet sacrified all the gains to an old MP2 codec.

    It is funny, and obvious, that Microsoft backed the more software-orientated format while Sony went with more of a hardware mentality.

  • Enzo304

    I think I will lean more towards HD-DVD as I will have that first.  But I have heard some rumors about an 8 layer Blu-Ray disc (200gb), and I think that would win me over!

  • Diggedy

    "It is funny, and obvious, that Microsoft backed the more software-orientated format while Sony went with more of a hardware mentality."

    Also obvious when Microsoft created the software! VC-1 is an MS codec.

  • ExTester

    to Enzo304:

    Dude, You will never see 8 layer DVD’s in mass production for movies. Why it costs too much, and like with DVD’s the further you go down the layers(or up from that laser’s perspective :D ) there is image degragation(from what I have been told from videophiles). That is why they will never be in full production. Not to mention that the yields per disc would be horrible, especially when they still dont have dual-layer blu-ray(betamax-ray) with acceptable yields.

    And come on, are you seriously gonna spend around $l00 for one disc that can get damaged so easily?!

    HD-DVD will win cause it has a better image quality, and dollar for dollar has value for the consumers.

  • Claws

    Not to mention that Sony’s next video game console/Blue Ray player forces people into the technology while at least MS gives the 360 owner the choice of adding an a much more inexpensive adon HDdvd drive, or not.Come the 4th quarter, Sony is likely in for yet another rude awakening.

  • WhetWurm

    I’ve always tried to be a sidelines watcher in format wars because I hate using my wallet as a battlefront.  I try to stay unbiased.

    Unfortunately, this time around, I hope Sony chokes on its grandiosity and finally realizes that they can’t win a format war.  That way they’ll play nice with everyone else and universal peace will reign in the media world…

    … ok so I’m diluted and biased.

    Either way, I’m not buying into either format until they get their junk straight (image cropping and minute long loading times are unforgivable).  Either that, or HVD comes out and makes this a moot argument.  Loading times be damned!

  • brasilcaps

    I’m looking forward to the 360 HD-DVD player more than ever after reading that review.

  • http://zakzero@sbcglobal.net roachclipz

    There will be a machine in a few years that will play both formats! Count on it.

  • Tephlon

    As much as the larger disc capacity seems to give Blu-ray the advantage in many eyes, I don’t see the huge deal.  15gb per layer vs 25gb per layer isn’t an insurmountable difference.  Also, many say that the ‘need’ for more space is only accellerated by the use of the MPEG-2 codec.  Sony wants you to think you need the 50gb to get your movies in HD.  But compression tech will only get better.  Even as ‘data use’ increases, compression will make the use of the ‘extra ‘ space available more and more effeciently.  The space use is slowing from the exponential rate it once was.

    (arg, did I explain that well at all?)

    In any case, a 30gb movie that looks as good (if not better than) a 50gb movie at the same resoltion should be a huge wakeup call for the Blu-ray supporters.  Sony’s pushing a more costly standard on the industry for no justifiable reason.

    I just don’t agree with it.

    And don’t get me started on the 25gb for games argument.

  • http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/forpros/hddvd/default.aspx HD DVD Insider

    I would have to confirm that MS _has_ put it’s money behind HD DVD, more than you realise. In terms of software and support, it would probably be safe to say that without MS, HDDVD would not be where it is now, which is poised to overcome sony’s PR engine and actually _deliver_ goods, instead of _promise_ goods.

    Blu-ray has been trying to produce a dual layer ROM for 3 years and has still not been able to bring it to market. At that rate, it’ll be at least 21 years before this mythical 8 layer disk could become a reality.

  • bean

    Here’s the thing, though I hate the Sony for making the PS3 super expensive in order to bundle their Blu-Ray with it, the move will give them an ENORMOUS lead on HD-DVD (by tens of millions of units).

    So knowing that HD-DVD looks better just pisses me off.

    Maybe Microsoft will throw money at it too late and we’ll see movie enthusiasts who buy rare copies on HD-DVD (like laser disc – Whoo!), but I can’t see it winning the format war.

    Even if Microsoft came out announced an add-on HD-DVD player as a $100 peripheral this Christmas, not everyone would purchase one. . .  In fact, I think very few people would (about a million movie enthusiasts/technophiles).  

  • anonymous

    T think most ppl are overrating the mind of the mass market, i for one think that hd-dvd might win simply because of the "HD" title. I mean you buy an HD TV and logically u use it to play HD dvds, no?

  • Ozymandias

    I’m more worried that high-definition DVD (be it HD-DVD *or* Blu-ray) might end up being DOA. I’ve seen both (just not done the side-by-side on the same movie), and while I like it enough such that I’d buy one, I’m not sure your average home movie watcher will see enough difference to care. It’s definitely not the same sort of quantum leap that we saw from VHS tape to DVD. It’s very nice – make no mistake, but I wonder if it’s enough to get normal people to buy all their DVDs again in a high-def format.

    For the record, no I’m not one of those normal people, and yes, I’ll do my part to help drive the economy by buying them. :)

  • RaZoRsharp1987

    I agree with the "normal people not caring" idea, the image quality of a movie is far far less important than that of say – an image. while hd is needed in games just because of the fact that a better resolution gives you less of a headache, in a film its the plot content and acting that really matters. Im not going to fork out over 2000 for a hd player and compatible TV to think that Road to Perdition would be any better of an experience than on a 21 inch standard definition crt TV.

    Right now the only reason HD is here is because the world feels japan is too far ahead and for some reason we think its important to read the names on the back of our sporting stars shirts.

    In games HD is just a better resolution and it was always there. :p

  • Jooky

    Where is all the HD-DVD advertising though?  I can’t turn a page in a magazine without seeing a Blu-ray advert, and now seeing the movies advertised all over as well, not a mention of HD-DVD in sight.  HD might have had the jump on players (and still way cheaper), but Blu-Ray is trying hard to capture mindshare.

    Still contemplating an upconverting DVD player in the short term, I think it was PopMechanics did a user test and the difference between Blu-ray and an upconverted standard DVD was barely noticeable.

  • Sion

    "Dude, You will never see 8 layer DVD’s in mass production for movies. Why it costs too much, and like with DVD’s the further you go down the layers(or up from that laser’s perspective :D ) there is image degragation(from what I have been told from videophiles). That is why they will never be in full production. Not to mention that the yields per disc would be horrible, especially when they still dont have dual-layer blu-ray(betamax-ray) with acceptable yields."

    Oh come on, the further down the layers you go the worse the picture quality? this is pure whatever-o-phile bullcrap. it’s still a stream of ones and zeroes.

    To repeat myself again, this reminds me of when audiophiles reckoned that colouring the edge of a CD with green marker pen would improve the sound quality.

    i was directed to this blog recently by a friend of mine, but have found nothing of relevance here, except random bullcrap from people who obviously don’t understand the technological underpinnings of what they’re talking about.

  • http://gaysitex012867.no.sapo.pt father son beach

    teenage boys fucking wife stories

    gay toon boys

    gay giant black cocks

    gay forum for teens

    thai gay sex blog

  • http://gaysitex012867.no.sapo.pt/05.htm gay black man sex

    gay hentai comics

    turkish gay chat

    boy penis exam

    gay cowboy personals

    boy girl having sex

  • http://gaysitex012867.no.sapo.pt/04.htm naked boy teen

    download gay fetish videos

    gay men in uniforms gallery

    son of my father

    young teen boys masturbate

    male gay strippers

  • http://gaysitex012867.no.sapo.pt/05.htm father son beach

    gay bareback free

    feet boys

    bad boy record company

    little boys illegal

    free boy tgp pics

  • http://gaysitex012867.no.sapo.pt/02.htm father son and the holy ghost symbol

    girls and boys sex

    gay muscle xxx videos

    gay black ass holes

    gay *** orgy

    it feels good to be a gangster ghetto boys

  • http://gaysitex012867.no.sapo.pt father son beach

    gay cute boy

    boys in dresses photos

    download gay fetish videos

    cute bi boys

    asian sucking gays

  • http://gaysitex012867.no.sapo.pt/03.htm naked boy teen

    are you gay tests

    gay male butt fetish

    all gay male orgy

    lyrics good vibrations beach boys

    beefy boys in speedos

  • http://gaysitex012867.no.sapo.pt/05.htm huge and hairy gay cocks

    european boys having sex with schoolgirls

    bad boys sean penn

    bad boys movie theme

    gay london massage

    orgy gay men

  • voice of reason

    Microsoft are sitting on the fence. They are including a choice of HD-DVD drives in there console but are also giving you the option of having a blue-Ray disc drive too.