HIGH DEF DVD...WHATS THE LATEST NEWS?

There's a lot riding (read $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$) on the outcome, which is why the various parties can't dance successfully. First in MIGHT win, but the situation is complicated. Issues include:

The cost of conversion in manufacturing,

Stock issues in stores,

Successful marketing,

Fighting public perception and hesitation,

Sufficient attractive quantities of desirable software.

For more see http://www.GreatHomeTheater.com/hd-dvd.html

Bob Wood

We should know a lot more next week at Cedia....but Blu Ray is currently in the lead with both software and hardware support..and is rumoured to have at least a few examples at Cedia.
When the PS-3 is released which could be this spring or next November....there will instantly be millions of B/R players in the general publics homes via the trojan horse theory.

The latest B/R info mentioned several players and quite a bit of content by June 06.

Ears means CES. I'll be there and am sure this will provide much amusement. Anyway, looks like both formats will produce Hi Def DVDs. Blu rays will be more expensive. ( Meaning the actual DVDs) the players will start at 1000 when first introduced.

The CEO of Netflix was interviewed on Charlie Rose 2 nights ago or so. He thinks it will take three years for enough titles and equipment to be out to make a real change in the mass market.

I think the same and will happily buy new stuff when Receievers can decode Hi Res audio content, Plamas can display true 1080P, and HDMI conects actually work without problems from reliable DVD players.

Opp's....yes I meant Cedia.
I will be an early adopter of B/R...just like I was a very early dvd adopter.
The B/R players are rumoured to have far more software upon release than sd dvd ever dreamed of having.
www.hidefinitionrentals.com and others will be renting the discs also.
But what really excites me at Cedia is Optoma's rumored h- 80 dlp 1080p fp with 1500 lumens,8k contrast and 4k bulb for 6k list.
This could very well mean 4k or so street prices on 1080p fp's by mid summer or so.

CES did have a prototype Philips player with dvd as well as sa-cd logos on it...so time will tell if there are sa-cd players from Blu Ray.

The latest blow to hd is Blu Ray supporter Disney buying Pixar studios.
Now you have these studios that are exclusive to Blu Ray
MGM
Fox
Disney
Lions Gate
Miramax
Columbia Tri Srar
Sony Pictures
Pixar.

Blu Ray has zero incentive to support a universal player, and no amount of hd player discounting is going to over come this huge lack of studio support, as well as the huge PS3 sales.
I don't see this war lasting long and it looks as if the studios have decided which format will prevail, if only because of the better security of Blu Ray and the PS3's potential to put Blu Ray into millions of homes quicker than all other harware manufactuers combined.