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

DVD vs Blu-ray vs HD DVD

Want to see at a glance what each format has to offer? Check our table below for more information.

As you can see below, while both Blu-ray and HD DVD offer much more than plain old DVDs, the differences between the two technologies aren't that pronounced. In terms of technology, Blu-ray can currently store more on a single side of a disc than HD DVD -- although double-sided, dual-layer and even other disc combinations coming in the future could see that storage difference become academic. Blu-ray can also currently output to 1080p -- most HD DVD units now output at 1080i, but the latest Toshiba HD-XE1 is able to display 1080p.

Feature DVD Blu-ray HD DVD
Maximum native resolutions supported via HDMI 576p HDTV (720p, 1080i, 1080p) HDTV (720p, 1080i, 1080p)
Maximum image-constrained native resolutions supported via component video 1 576p 960x540 960x540
Disc capacity 4.7GB (single layer)
8.5GB (dual layer)		 25GB (single layer)
50GB (dual layer)
100GB (prototype quad layer)		 15GB (single layer)
30GB (dual layer)
45GB (prototype triple layer)
Video capacity (per dual-layer disc) 2 SD: approximately 3 hours
HD: n/a		 SD: approximately 23 hours
HD: approximately 9 hours		 SD: approximately 24 hours
HD: approximately 8 hours
Audio soundtracks 3 Dolby Digital EX, DTS-ES Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital, DTS-ES Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital, DTS-ES
Manufacturer support (home theatre) 4 All LG, Thomson/RCA, Hitachi, TEAC, Kenwood, Onkyo, Fujitsu, Samsung, Sanyo, Hitachi, Mitsubishi, LG, Sharp, Sony, Panasonic, Pioneer, Samsung, Philips, Thomson/RCA, Sharp, TDK Toshiba, LG, Thomson/RCA, Hitachi, TEAC, Kenwood, Onkyo, Fujitsu, Samsung, Sanyo
Manufacturer support (PC storage) 4 All Apple, Dell, Benq, HP, LG, Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Samsung, Sony, TDK Microsoft, Intel, HP, NEC, Toshiba, Canon, Ricoh, Maxell, Acer, Lenovo, Imation
Studio support 4 All Sony Pictures (including MGM/Columbia TriStar), Disney (including Touchstone, Miramax), Fox, Paramount (Steven Spielberg titles only), Warner, Lions Gate Paramount, Studio Canal, Universal, Warner, The Weinstein Company, Dreamworks, New Line
Compatible video game consoles PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox, Xbox 360, Nintendo Revolution PlayStation 3 Xbox 360 (via external HD DVD accessory, sold separately)
Player prices AU$150 and less From AU$999 From AU$899
Movie prices AU$10 and more (retail) AU$29.95 to AU$39.95 AU$25.00 to
Number of titles available in the US by the end of 2006 50,000-plus Dozens to hundreds Dozens to hundreds
Players are backward compatible with existing DVD videos Yes Yes Yes
Can record high-def at full resolution (eventually) 5 No Yes Yes
"Managed copy" option 6 No Yes Yes
Copy protection/digital rights management 7 Macrovision, CSS AACS, BD+, BD-ROM Mark AACS
Region-coded discs and players 8 Yes Yes No (currently; could change in future)

Sources include: thedigitalbits.com, dvdfile.com, blu-ray.com, Toshiba HD DVD, Blu-ray Disc Association, CNET News.com, Business Week, HDbeat.com, About.com, and Wikipedia.

Notes

1. Each movie studio may choose to implement the image-constraint flag (HDCP)on a disc-by-disc basis, which constrains or down-converts the movie's resolution to 960x540 via the component outputs (HDMI output remains at full resolution). However, most major studios -- Sony (Columbia/Tri-Star/MGM), Fox, Disney, Paramount, and Universal -- have publicly stated that they will not make use of the image-constraint flag, at least initially. If true, movies from those studios will display at full resolution via the component outputs.

2. Video capacity will vary depending upon the type of encoding used. Discs encoded with MPEG-4 or VC-1 offer better compression and, therefore, more video per gigabyte (standard-definition or high-definition) than those encoded with the older, less efficient MPEG-2 codec.

3. All HD DVD and Blu-ray players should incorporate built-in audio decoding and analog audio outputs. Those features should enable the newer Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, and DTS-HD surround formats to be heard by using existing A/V receivers and audio equipment -- but the resulting soundtrack may be a down-mixed Dolby Digital or DTS-EX version that lacks the theoretically better audio fidelity that's encoded on the disc.

4. Manufacturer and studio support is subject to change. With the exception of Sony's devotion to Blu-ray and Toshiba's to HD DVD, other manufacturers and studios can (and already have) switch sides, or they can support both formats. Also, the depth of support for companies aside from Sony and Toshiba has yet to be determined; while some have already released single-format players, "support" for both formats has largely been limited to press releases or future product schedules and remain theoretical until they are available for purchase.

5. Early-generation set-top (non-PC) HD DVD and Blu-ray players are players only, with no recording capabilities. Future set-top recorders are expected to become available in both formats in 2008 or later, but look for copy-protection and digital rights issues to severely restrict the HD programming you'll be able to record from TV.

6. Managed copy refers to the ability to make an HD DVD or Blu-ray movie viewable via a home network or a portable video device. The details haven't been worked out yet, leaving managed copy as more of a theoretical option than a usable feature for the foreseeable future.

7. It is likely that HD DVD and Blu-ray will feature additional copy-protection methods (including Macrovision or other protections for analog outputs) than the ones listed here.

8. As of autumn 2006, HD DVD discs and players are not region-coded, but that could be changed at any point in the future -- for example, the appearance of region-coded discs and a firmware upgrade for the hardware needed in order to play them. Blu-ray discs are coded to three regions (roughly, the Americas and Japan; Europe and Africa; and China, Russia, and everywhere else not included in the previous two regions) that are far more streamlined than the nine-region DVD system. That said, HD DVD and Blu-ray players should honour the nine-region system when playing standard DVDs -- so don't expect to play out-of-region discs.

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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