Blu-ray vs HD DVD: which video format is for you?

By Randolph Ramsay, CNET.com.au. Additional reporting by CNET.com. on 24 September 2007

FAQ: Is Blu-ray/HD DVD for you?

1. Blu-ray and HD DVD: what's all the fuss about?
Amidst all of the hype surrounding next-generation DVD formats, you may be asking yourself one simple question: what's all the fuss about? After all, your current DVD player produces a pretty good picture, right? Are Blu-ray and HD DVD really worth bothering about?

The short answer to that question is yes, Blu-ray and HD DVD do deserve your consideration -- but not necessarily your money (not yet, at any rate). The long answer is a lot more complicated, and involves other considerations such as your current home theatre set-up, the limited availability of movies and more (questions we'll get to later in this feature). For now, the fact that Blu-ray/HD DVD are to DVDs what DVDs once were to VHS means it is important for any prospective home theatre shopper to know exactly what the pros and cons are.

2. What's the difference between Blu-ray/HD DVD and normal DVDs?
The major difference between Blu-ray/HD DVD and DVDs is capacity -- that is, both Blu-ray and HD DVD can store more information than current DVDs on the same size 12cm optical disc we're all used to.

Without getting too technical, the reason for the increased storage has to do with the type of lasers used. DVDs (and CDs) use a red laser to read and write data to and from a disc. Blu-ray and HD DVD both use a blue laser, which has a shorter wavelength than red ones. The shorter wavelength, coupled with improved lenses, results in a smaller beam enabling a higher amount of data to be written to each disc.

DVDs can store around 4.7GB worth of data on a single side (8.5 for a dual layer DVD). In contrast, HD DVDs can store up to 15GB on a single layer while Blu-ray can hold 25GB on one layer. Even more can be packed into Blu-ray/HD DVD discs if they use more than one layer or one side of the disc.

3. OK, so Blu-ray/HD DVD discs hold more stuff. What does that mean for me?
More capacity means more information can be stored on each Blu-ray or HD DVD disc. In entertainment terms, that means full high definition movies or shows can be stored on a disc -- something previously impossible with DVDs (which only stores its content in standard definition). The greater capacity also improves the audio experience thanks to the ability to include more sound formats and, in some cases, uncompressed surround sound. The bottom line is Blu-ray and HD DVD movies and television shows look and sound much better than what is currently being produced by DVDs.

The added capacity, plus the added power of Flash, has also resulted in new functionality appearing on Blu-ray/HD DVD movies. For example, in standard DVDs users have to stop playback of a movie if they wanted to look at the DVD's menu. Blu-ray and HD DVD movies allows users to dynamically interact with the movie menu while watching it.

From the home office/home computer side of things, the higher capacity on Blu-ray and HD DVDs mean just that -- the ability to store much more data on a single disc. Entire hard drives worth of information can easily be backed up using just one next-generation disc.

You'll need a high-definition television to make the most out of Blu-ray/HD DVD.

4. What other home entertainment gear will I need to make the most out of Blu-ray/HD DVD?
It all sounds peachy so far, but here comes the first (and probably biggest) caveat -- to make the most out of what Blu-ray and HD DVD have to offer, you'll need some fairly up-to-date home entertainment gear, particularly a high definition television.

A major part of what made DVD an overnight success was the fact you could plug a DVD player into any television and immediately see improved visual quality. Don't expect the same to occur with Blu-ray/HD DVD -- if you have an old analog set (or even a newer flat-screen plasma or LCD with fairly low resolution) the picture Blu-ray/HD DVD delivers won't look much better than what DVD will produce.

Here's the minimum we recommend you'll need to be happy with Blu-ray/HD DVD: a decent 5.1 surround sound system, a flat-screen plasma or LCD with the capability to display 720p pictures at minimum, and at least one HDMI connector.

5. Why are there two competing formats in the first place?
The two formats -- Blu-ray and HD DVD -- were developed separately over many years, with Sony spearheading the Blu-ray camp and HD DVD championed by Toshiba. Both formats were competing for official recognition by the DVD Forum as the successor to DVD -- a battle which Toshiba eventually one. However, Sony and its partners decided to persevere with their invention, and hence the format wars began. Though there were several attempts to unite the two factions, they were unsuccessful -- and hence the difficult choice was instead passed on to consumers.

6. Which format is better?
Ask anyone from either the Blu-ray or HD DVD and they'll happily spruik about how their format is the superior one. The bottom line is both technologies have their strengths and weaknesses -- read on to find out what those pros and cons are.

7. So what Blu-ray/HD DVD products are available?
Blu-ray and HD DVD have landed in Australia, and at present there's at least a dozen lurking in a store near you. Standout devices so far have included the Sony PlayStation 3 and the Pioneer BDP-LX70 for Blu-ray and the Toshiba HD-XE1 for HD-DVD.

Several laptops have also included HD disk playing as an option from Toshiba and Sony. For a full list of the available players so far, click here.

Topics: versus, blu-ray, formats, vs, toshiba, technology, sony, compared, samsung, hd dvd, dvd, 1080p, hdmi, hdcp, paramount, blu-ray vs hd dvd

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Comments (52)

  • Danofive0 commented on 21/04/2009 04:29 Report abuse

    I have a Toshiba HD-A2W got it for 90.00 ucks at Wal-Mart. Works great. I also just got a SAMSUNG 1600 BluRay player. Got it for 300 at Best Buy. And I have a OX Pro series 4 Projector on the way. Now I got all I need.. Its Movie time. Yes the price in the BluRay bit is still a bit bad. But it will come down over time... Be well and rock on...Best way..

  • boatsmart519 commented on 20/04/2008 09:38 Report abuse

    I run both BDPLX70A,HDXE1,the picture on both are exellent the blu ray slightly better the audio is major differance blu ray supports DTSmaster audio HDDVD doze not

  • Super-duper commented on 06/01/2008 06:44 Report abuse

    Because this war is not ours we can not win. somebody says after previous war i can buy dvd player for just $30. that is true, but you pay already for both standards (-R and +R). No big deal you say, $10 more (though if somebody at street will ask you give him $5 you will call police). Again true, but you could buy additional 10-15 blank disks, and if there were just 1 standard (-R or +R) you could buy 20-30 blank disks. No big deal again, you don't need so many blank disks (though many people will be glad to do that). But in this days case result of this war will be little bit more unpleasure: you will pay for both much more expensive technologies integrated in your future DVD player and especially DVD recorder. But I know what you'll say - $100-200 more, no big deal, I was waiting for 5 years the end of this war, no big deal. And you are right - what can we do? just to understand that those wars are not ours.

  • Super-duper commented on 06/01/2008 06:41 Report abuse

    Because this war is not ours we can not win. somebody says after previous war i can buy dvd player for just $30. that is true, but you pay already for both standards (-R and +R). No big deal you say, $10 more (though if somebody at street will ask you give him $5 you will call police). Again true, but you could buy additional 10-15 blank disks, and if there were just 1 standard (-R or +R) you could buy 20-30 blank disks. No big deal again, you don't need so many blank disks (though many people will be glad to do that). But in this days case result of this war will be little bit more unpleasure: you will pay for both much more expensive technologies integrated in your future DVD player and especially DVD recorder. But I know what you'll say - $100-200 more, no big deal, I was waiting for 5 years the end of this war, no big deal. And you are right - what can we do? just to understand that those wars are not ours.

  • Super-duper commented on 06/01/2008 06:41 Report abuse

    Because this war is not ours we can not win. somebody says after previous war i can buy dvd player for just $30. that is true, but you pay already for both standards (-R and +R). No big deal you say, $10 more (though if somebody at street will ask you give him $5 you will call police). Again true, but you could buy additional 10-15 blank disks, and if there were just 1 standard (-R or +R) you could buy 20-30 blank disks. No big deal again, you don't need so many blank disks (though many people will be glad to do that). But in this days case result of this war will be little bit more unpleasure: you will pay for both much more expensive technologies integrated in your future DVD player and especially DVD recorder. But I know what you'll say - $100-200 more, no big deal, I was waiting for 5 years the end of this war, no big deal. And you are right - what can we do? just to understand that those wars are not ours.

  • g-dogg commented on 03/01/2008 23:05 Report abuse

    i dont think updating to a high definition theatre system is as expensive as everyone seems to think it is. I bought a 40GB PS3, TLC 40inch LCD with 720 res and a Kenwood sound system for my room. and it totalled at $2100. Granted its not the best thats out there. but its still good enough for us guys who are broke as hell.

  • The projectionist commented on 03/01/2008 17:48 Report abuse

    Sony often get their marketing strategies wrong. eg Beta and VHS. Then there were digital cameras and 'Memory Sticks.' Cheaper SD cards were adopted by Nikon and Pentax. Blue Ray may well be another loser no matter how good it is because the truth is SONY are a bit full of themselves. The old adage "Bums on seats" is as true for the film industry as it ever was.

  • kevin commented on 17/12/2007 13:56 Report abuse

    as far as the war is going it has been mentioned above and i am mentioning now that the cassette to dvd war and vhs to dvd war was all won when the players were brought in price to 100 to 200 dollars thats when mainstream people purchase and the tech junkies are sitting with the best deal or worst deal remember the old video disk players and how they would replace all media formats to date they never hit the 100 to 200 dollar price and where are they now i have a ps 2 and bought a xbox 360 for better games didnt care about ps3 and the blue ray player and neither will any gamer out there we buy based on the coolest games we dont need a blue ray player in our console well go to walmart and get a 30 dollar dvd player to watch movies so the war will rage and they will be winners and losers but the first to get my parents to go out and buy one will be the winner in this competition and they will buy whoever is on the shelves of blockbuster video

  • kevin commented on 17/12/2007 13:55 Report abuse

    as far as the war is going it has been mentioned above and i am mentioning now that the cassette to dvd war and vhs to dvd war was all won when the players were brought in price to 100 to 200 dollars thats when mainstream people purchase and the tech junkies are sitting with the best deal or worst deal remember the old video disk players and how they would replace all media formats to date they never hit the 100 to 200 dollar price and where are they now i have a ps 2 and bought a xbox 360 for better games didnt care about ps3 and the blue ray player and neither will any gamer out there we buy based on the coolest games we dont need a blue ray player in our console well go to walmart and get a 30 dollar dvd player to watch movies so the war will rage and they will be winners and losers but the first to get my parents to go out and buy one will be the winner in this competition and they will buy whoever is on the shelves of blockbuster video

  • zombie commented on 17/12/2007 06:56 Report abuse

    Blue Ray will likely end up the overall winn for the simple fact that it still supports regional coding. Afterall we in Oz do not deserve to have movies released at the same time as in the US or the UK

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