Purchasing a High Definition DVD Player
Surviving the HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray Format War

September 12, 2006

We have just posted another article on the new high definition DVD formats, Blu-ray and HD-DVD. This one by George Graves compares and contrasts the two. Along with Evan Powell's comments on the Projector Central site, you should have a good basis for making your purchasing decision.

And ultimately, amidst all the Sturm and Drang about the horrors of another format war, all this anxiety over HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray boils down to just that, a purchasing decision. I've been around for previous "format wars," including the perpetually referenced Betamax vs. VHS. Hell, I even had a laserdisc player. Then again, I remember reel to reel videotape players. (Is that the sound of my joints calcifying?) To make a u-turn on Memory Lane to the present, the current conflict is not Armageddon. We survived the others. We'll persevere through this one.

Actually, the way I see it, as consumers, we are not even in this battle, which is being slugged out in the boardrooms and R&D centers of big conglomerates like Sony and Toshiba. And we can think of this fray as a healthy competition for our hard-earned dollars. By approaching the brouhaha in those terms, the decision can be more fiscal and less emotional.

At this moment in September 2006, the question is, do you want to spend $500 to $1000. We could be talking about refrigerators or cruises or digital cameras or retirement, the decision process for you should be similar. For me, first, I need to have the $500 to spend. Second, I need to answer "no" to "Can I spend that $500 on something else that will give me more service (or enjoyment or enlightenment - you fill in the blank)?"

After that, I tend to amortize the cost in my head. Will I receive $500 worth of service over the life of the purchase? Of course, you will need to have some idea of how many years you will be using your new buy. One can only guess how long either HD-DVDs or Blu-rays will be viable if they lose the war. I had a functioning Betamax deck five or six years after its defeat. (If you do choose the losing format, the hardware may last much longer than the supply of new movie titles.)

Considering the current march of technology, I would suggest that you don't figure any more than three years in your amortization calculations. Inevitably, some new "gotta have" technology will come out or, not to impugn the manufacturers, you will be ready to replace your aging high definition DVD player with the latest model.

The next question that usually arises is "What if I wait?" I don't think I am venturing too far out on a limb to say that prices will fall - one advantage of the competition. Waiting is an option, especially if you answered "no" to "Will I receive $500 worth of enjoyment over the life of the purchase?" Patience is also a virtue especially if you are particularly susceptible to buyer's remorse.

My crystal ball is foggier about when this format imbroglio will be resolved. In fact, the real battleground may be in the gaming industry between Sony's PlayStation 3 with Blu-ray vs. Microsoft's X-Box 360 with HD-DVD. Also, I can imagine a not-too-distant future when high definition movies are downloaded on to a gigantic multi-terabyte-sized hard drive housed in your PC or Mac Mini-like Media Center. If that solution catches on, then this ballyhooed format war becomes history before a victor is ever crowned. But I still see the viability of DVDs as a delivery system. They are easy to play, easy to transport, and easy to store.

Whatever your high definition DVD strategy is, we will attempt to keep you informed. To that extent, we will be attending CEDIA this week and will report back about any new skirmishes in this format war.

Stay tuned,