HD DVD & Blu Ray

[FreddyvsJasonvsAsh]

Why don't they call the format HD DVD and put both of them together...they both have great features. Drop the Blu Ray name. It would make sense if it was called HD DVD since it's DVD in HD..right? They should have came together from the start. I know Toshiba wanted to but Sony was to high on their horse!!

 

[akodoreign]

Why don't they call the format HD DVD and put both of them together...they both have great features. Drop the Blu Ray name. It would make sense if it was called HD DVD since it's DVD in HD..right? They should have came together from the start. I know Toshiba wanted to but Sony was to high on their horse!!

They are both blue laser diodes, But the wave lengths are totally different. BDA will not give up their name because it entitles them to all royalties that the name is associated with.

 

[FreddyvsJasonvsAsh]

HDTV....HD DVD, makes sense to me

 

[navychop]

Same wavelength. HD DVD originally was with a red laser. They corrected that and went with the same blue diodes used in Blu-ray. Depth & density are different.

 

[akodoreign]

Same wavelength. HD DVD originally was with a red laser. They corrected that and went with the same blue diodes used in Blu-ray. Depth & density are different.

Ok then, It may even be possible to modify current HD-DVD players then (maybe with firmware?)

I was under the impression the wavelengths were incompatible.

 

[Zookster]

Although "HD DVD" would seem to be the logical name to succeed DVD, I think there is much more consumer awareness of the "Blu-ray" name thanks in part Sony's and BDA's more extensive marketing campaign. Of course I'm stating this without having any actual marketing research at my fingertips. I also feel personally that "Blu-ray" is a much more marketable name. It has potentially greater retention value as it only has two syllables and is more "colorful" than "HD DVD," which doesn't exactly roll of the tongue.

 

[berck]

Ok then, It may even be possible to modify current HD-DVD players then (maybe with firmware?)

I was under the impression the wavelengths were incompatible.

Its the focal / pickup apertures that are different. Its 0.85 for BD and 0.65 for HD-DVD. Since these devices are designed to save costs, most likely those apertures are fixed in hardware and cannot be changed by firmware.

 

[meStevo]

Although "HD DVD" would seem to be the logical name to succeed DVD, I think there is much more consumer awareness of the "Blu-ray" name thanks in part Sony's and BDA's more extensive marketing campaign. Of course I'm stating this without having any actual marketing research at my fingertips. I also feel personally that "Blu-ray" is a much more marketable name. It has potentially greater retention value as it only has two syllables and is more "colorful" than "HD DVD," which doesn't exactly roll of the tongue.

If this was all the case, they'd call it Blu-Ray, instead of 'Blu-Ray High Def'.

Last week someone at work asked me to explain the difference HDDVD and Bluetooth.

Blu-Ray makes no sense to an everyday consumer. The sole association they have with the term is the Playstation 3 (a video game console, so only a certain demo is paying attention to those ads) and general movie releases touting 'available in DVD and Blu-Ray high def'.

 

[Zookster]

If this was all the case, they'd call it Blu-Ray, instead of 'Blu-Ray High Def'.

Last week someone at work asked me to explain the difference HDDVD and Bluetooth.

Blu-Ray makes no sense to an everyday consumer. The sole association they have with the term is the Playstation 3 (a video game console, so only a certain demo is paying attention to those ads) and general movie releases touting 'available in DVD and Blu-Ray high def'.

Good point about the bluetooth confusion for general consumers. But your last point illustrates my point... Sony and their partners are pushing BD and the name in most of their video release commercials. My dad has never heard of HD DVD, but he has seen all the BD and PS3 commercials, so he is aware of that name and format (just one example I know, but there you are).

 

[meStevo]

Good point about the bluetooth confusion for general consumers. But your last point illustrates my point... Sony and their partners are pushing BD and the name in most of their video release commercials. My dad has never heard of HD DVD, but he has seen all the BD and PS3 commercials, so he is aware of that name and format (just one example I know, but there you are).

Right, but it will take mass market success, and market penetration in the teens if not more to counter the intuitiveness of 'HD DVD'.

Even once(if?) HDDVD is gone and dead, Blu-Ray will just be referred to as "HD DVD." That is what the product is.

Per this:

I think there is much more consumer awareness of the "Blu-ray" name

...I interpreted that your overall point is that Blu-Ray the name is more synonymous with HD discs, which I don't think will be for a number of years.

Until it is 'widely' successful, if this generation of these formats ever hits that point, it will be considered some niche home theater product, and looked at as such. It will have the same relationship to DVDs that DAT has with Cassette tapes.

 

[jonesbruce91361]

Not to get into a fight here, but:

There is DVD.
Then there is HD DVD.
Blu-Ray IS HD DVD.

So from that perspective it does make sense for the damn thing to be called HD DVD's. But if Blu-Ray wins the format war I doubt they'll change their name. I do believe (if they win) they'll eventually downplay the "Blu-Ray" part and up-play the HD DVD part somewhere down the line; you know, little Blu-Ray letters at the top of the package with bigger HD DVD letters forming the main logo below it.

 

[mike123abc]

One can also market Blu-Ray as something far more interesting and better than just high definition DVD. DVD is just a run of the mill term now, nothing exciting about it.

 

[jonesbruce91361]

Yes, but it's all still just HD DVD.

You don't old DVD's "Green-Ray" or "Better-Ray" or any ray. It's just HD DVD in a different format, right?

 

[meStevo]

One can also market Blu-Ray as something far more interesting and better than just high definition DVD. DVD is just a run of the mill term now, nothing exciting about it.

Right, but unlike Sony did with the Playstation brand, this needs to be painted as a successor to DVD, more than just 'oh look, something new and better'.

Upconverting DVD players are more and more common and damn cheap, they are a big reason many WITH HD sets will not bother to upgrade, so you need every dig you can at their position of just enjoying their huge/rental libraries.

 

[vurbano]

Yes, but it's all still just HD DVD.

Not legally. Bluray cannot use the term DVD in its propoganda or packaging

 

[jonesbruce91361]

I'm sorry, guys but that just makes no sense to me.
I always thought DVD was a generic term. So what--Blu-Ray is claiming to have invented a whole other process? No wonder the world is confused.

 

[JAG72]

I'm sorry, guys but that just makes no sense to me.
I always thought DVD was a generic term. So what--Blu-Ray is claiming to have invented a whole other process? No wonder the world is confused.

DVD is a trademark that is held by the DVD Forum. They are a member of the HD-DVD group and this is why Blu-ray is not allowed to use the term DVD.

 

[jonesbruce91361]

But isn't this part of the whole problem?

What distinguishes Blu-Ray from an MP3 or a LP record or say, a pink Chevrolet? Or is there another name for a fairly recently developed process that's just like old DVDs only better?

Seriously, formats aside, the tangible product you hold in your hand must be called a "something." I really think most people think both competing formats are DVDs that play HD quality video. I assumed the people at Toshiba just grabbed the HD DVD name because they got there first. I mean, you've got lots of companies, right, like RCA and Magnavox and Sony but they all make something called a TV. Am I being obtuse here?

 

[meStevo]

But isn't this part of the whole problem?

What distinguishes Blu-Ray from an MP3 or a LP record or say, a pink Chevrolet? Or is there another name for a fairly recently developed process that's just like old DVDs only better?

Seriously, formats aside, the tangible product you hold in your hand must be called a "something." I really think most people think both competing formats are DVDs that play HD quality video. I assumed the people at Toshiba just grabbed the HD DVD name because they got there first. I mean, you've got lots of companies, right, like RCA and Magnavox and Sony but they all make something called a TV. Am I being obtuse here?

HD-DVD was voted to become the successor of the DVD format by the DVD forum. Sony and co. dissented, and instead went a different direction.

That should be the missing puzzle piece to make this come together for you I think.

DVD - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

November 19, 2003, the DVD Forum decided by a vote of eight to six that HD DVD will be its official HD successor to DVD[citation needed]. In spite of this, both BD and HD DVD have already severely hampered the adoption of any successor to DVD through a lack of the very cooperation that fostered DVD's success.

 

[jonesbruce91361]

Yes, I was aware of that and I understand that. But that still does not answer the question: what is a Blu-Ray besides a brand name. The DVD Forum aside, are there any other products that play HD video that are called something other than HD DVD? I'm not aware of any. So a customer at Best Buy says, "What's this?" And the clerk says, "It's a Blu-Ray." And the customer says "What's a Blu-Ray?"

How does the clerk answer?