Death of DVD
Sony shines light on Blu-ray DVD plans | CNET News.com
Format Wars
In the ever changing entertainment market new technology is the lifeblood that ensures future profitability. We all know the story of VHS and Betamax, DVD and Divx, not to mention the hoards of other competing entertainment formats that have come out over the years.
DVD has been a huge success for businesses and consumers. Providing some of the best digital entertainment money can buy. Enhanced sound and picture to match televisions that until recently never saw their specs pushed to the limit.
DVD is quickly approaching a decade of supremacy on our media shelves. Some people have only just begun to get rid of their VHS collections. And in the bowels of the entertainment industry a rumbling is beginning. They are hoping to catch up with what many technophiles already know, DVD doesn't have the level of quality necessary to match output with the resolution on High Definition television sets. Rather traditional DVD discs don't have the capacity necessary to hold a HD quality movie.
The movie companies know that once the number of HD TV's move past the early adopters, consumers are going to be looking for content. Satellite and Cable companies have already been scrambling to provide HD programming. The studios don't want to be left out in the cold when that day comes.
Of course, every electronics company wants to own the licensing on whatever technology is used. Sony backed Betamax, minidisc, and host of other less than popular and ultimately failed formats. While they have been successful with a host of other technologies this time they aren't leaving things to chance. As one of the nine founding companies promoting the new Blu-ray Disc technology Sony is certain they are backing a winner.
HD DVD is a rival format also seeking to come out on top. Who knows who will win? In this very competitive market it is likely we won't ever see any product released from studios until it is decided. Companies are loath to have their catalog on competing formats the disasters of which some learned during the DVD vs. Divx days not so long ago.
Technical specifics on both formats are hard to come by. So for now, we wait with baited breath to see who comes out ahead. Actually, most people don't know about this little battle and it won't really matter until Winter 2005 when studios begin to release content and consumer electronics companies put their boxes on the shelves.
