Announcement

**TheGrandMom** · 01-05-2006, 07:26 PM

Re: HD-DVD's coming in March!

The very last release from Sony said they haven't decided whether there was going to be a simultaneous release or staggered release for the PS3. They also said that the JP release would be early Quarter 2, which sounds good for May. So you can probably count on the JP release in May but I wouldn't get my hopes up for the NA release just yet.

**Caspian** · 01-05-2006, 07:38 PM

Re: HD-DVD's coming in March!

Originally posted by TheGrandMom

The very last release from Sony said they haven't decided whether there was going to be a simultaneous release or staggered release for the PS3. They also said that the JP release would be early Quarter 2, which sounds good for May. So you can probably count on the JP release in May but I wouldn't get my hopes up for the NA release just yet.

Meh, go figure.

**Macht** · 01-06-2006, 10:09 AM

Re: HD-DVD's coming in March!

Well last statement I ever seen Sony make on the PS3's release was that they stated it would be out at Spring 2006 that means Feburary, March, April, May, and June.

Last time I checked (about a week ago) most places seemed to be assuming that March 1, 2006 was it's release. However May does also fit righting into the time frame of a Spring 2006 relese, also like GrandMom said if that will be Japan only or also be NA is something not really stated anywere.

**WishMaster3K** · 01-06-2006, 10:51 AM

Re: HD-DVD's coming in March!

No need to buy new DVDs, Casper, =^_^=, BluRay, technically speaking, is 100% compatible with original DVDs.

And what's wrong with Hitch? ;.; it was a good movie. . . .

**Omni** · 01-06-2006, 10:57 AM

Re: HD-DVD's coming in March!

lol why does everyone hate on hitch?
is it because you cant belive he was once the fresh prince of bel air?

**Macht** · 01-06-2006, 11:19 AM

Re: HD-DVD's coming in March!

Originally posted by WishMaster3K

No need to buy new DVDs, Casper, =^_^=, BluRay, technically speaking, is 100% compatible with original DVDs.

And what's wrong with Hitch? ;.; it was a good movie. . . .

Lol, man I totally breezed over that section of Caspian's post. Yeah both the toshiba HD-DVD format and the Blu-Ray format are 100% compatible with the original DVDs, they were not idiotic to exclude such a largly accepted medium such as DVDs when designing the two formats.

Then again if you want to get the HD version of the two it'll make them look just that little bit better then what the normal DVD version will get. Likely the difference will only be really noticable between normal DVD and going to a HD resolution of like 1080i or 1080p. Since most DVD formats are formatted for the 720 resolution.

**WishMaster3K** · 01-06-2006, 11:28 AM

Re: HD-DVD's coming in March!

they were not idiotic to exclude such a largly accepted medium such as DVDs when designing the two formats.

This is Sony, the multimedia Giant, we're talking about, not Nintendo and their "Proprietary-Retardation" >.>

Then again, Sony is very strict in only allowing THEIR format on THEIR machines. . . And ppl complain. . . but in all honesty, "Everyone Needs a Sonyâ„¢"

^_^

*takes off fanboy cape*

I'm excited more about BluRay, regardless of whatever the cost to the manufacturers may be. People want to trump that Sony is losing money, but shit, to make money, you need to spend money. And I feel that BD is a very worthwhile investment for it's expandability. HDDVDs may, theoretically, achieve similar capacity returns as BDROM, but come on, Double-Sided? That's just lame. In the Era of Wireless Connectivity where you can be in Taiwan and, technically, use your PSP to organize save files, HD Streams and even your Camera on your PS3 back home in NY whilest sipping your Grande Frappe Latte. . . Double-Sided disks have no space.

**Macht** · 01-06-2006, 11:31 AM

Re: HD-DVD's coming in March!

That's the funny part the HD-DVD has to go double-sided to achive what Blu-Ray does on a single side. So if a Blu-Ray went double-sided what does HD-DVD have to compete? Anyway the funny part is the HD-DVD is thicker then a regular DVD were as a Blu-Ray is thinner.

Just a side by side comparison of the two and it should be obvious which design is supperior.

Also what you quoted from me that isn't Sony specific. The people who developed the Blu-Ray that Sony bought rights from to use in their products designed it so that it could DVDs. So it isn't Sony who's the brains behind the Blu-Ray technology. They are just basically borrowing from the real creators.

Similar techniques that Cisco uses for all their network devices. Except they tend to buy out that company and assimilate the technology they liked from that company into their own devices.

**WishMaster3K** · 01-06-2006, 11:39 AM

Re: HD-DVD's coming in March!

The only "flaw" I can think of in the BD design is that to achieve the capacity mentioned, they come extremely close to the edge of the disk (in terms of how close the data is stored to the suface of the disk), meaning that the smallest indent may ruin a majority of data across all the layers, MEANING that this protective Layer implemented on BDs is very durable- meaning that this is the most expensive aspect of the manufacturing process.

The fact that data is held so close to the edge is the main reason why the cross-compatability talks failed. Sony didn't want to sacrifice the storage capacity achieved at their precarious closeness to the edge, and Toshiba didn't want to elevate costs to accomidate this process.

All in all, I'm amazed that they did what they do with HD, given that it can be used with current manufacturing equipment, but with new times comes new technology. . . When change is necessary, not to change is destructive.

**Pai Pai Master** · 01-06-2006, 11:50 AM

Re: HD-DVD's coming in March!

Sony is still maintaining a "May" release, and since they've been telling this to everyone, not just Japan, I'm thinking they're going to work for a staggered worldwide launch like Microsoft.

My guess? March in Japan, May in the US, and October in Europe.

I'm very opinionated about this whole "next-gen DVD" thing, and I think it's all stupid. Why not try to avoid a format war before they hit the market, instead of dividing and confusing consumers so much more than is necessary? Although I may be biased, the Blu-Ray Disc offers more storage capacity, faster transfer rates, is supported by more major studios, and is being included in the Playstation 3, instead of being added after the fact to the Xbox 360.

**WishMaster3K** · 01-06-2006, 11:53 AM

Re: HD-DVD's coming in March!

=[ We can only hope, ya know. . . Here it is, JANUARY, and Sony hasn't said anything direct.

Of course, maybe I'm asking a bit too much. Before, it may have seemed like they would need to do something to curb MSs hype, but they've effectively done that. I looked at what the 360 offered that appealed to me, and saw that the PS3 took what I wanted and brought it above an beyond.

A Vast Majority of Japanese gamers feel the same way. I've seen pics of lines only 4 ppl deep before a store opened =[

**Caspian** · 01-06-2006, 02:36 PM

Re: HD-DVD's coming in March!

You really should have read some of the stuff about the talks to go to one format, b/w Sony and Toshiba. It was hilarious. I'd never seen billion dollar corporations act like children to such an extreme degree before. I give it two years before Toshiba has to bow out and BluRay takes over. Probably would have only been a year if Microsoft hadn't decided to back HD-DVD. I think M$ knows BluRay is better, they just did it out of spite. Though I have heard the format for HD-DVD does make it better for computer software or something like that, I cant remember the specifics.
I know its backwards compatible, I'm just not ready to shell out 1k bucks for a new player than can only play one type of next gen dvd. Coupled with the fact that if I get one, then I'll feel compelled to actually rebuy several movies. Also, even though I'm sure Sony will end up winning in the end, HD-DVD does seem to have the better initial releases atleast as far as my tastes go.
Lol, I wasn't hating on Hitch. It has some really funny parts followed by some REALLY cheesy lines. It just didn't catch me as a movie you could really make hd really shine with. Though I do suppose you need some "chick flicks" in there for husbands (and grandmom) to justify buying a player to their significant others.

**WishMaster3K** · 01-06-2006, 03:39 PM

Re: HD-DVD's coming in March!

For me, it seems that Sony is a double-edged company: Their name precedes them, and ppl assume their products are of a certain quality.

But even if not, Sony upholds a certain level of detail, and at the very least, supports products with other Sony components.

It's like a well-knit, but sometimes dysfunctional family (PSX, WTH were they thinking -.- )

SO I'm not suprised Sony used their name, their marketing and their very careful advertising and information releases to gain supporters. As far as manufacturers and movie companies are concerned, they can easily support both and still make a profit.

What's bad for HDDVD is that this means that BD, with more space and such, will quickly outpace HD in a couple of years.

I'm sure if I had the money, I'd get a HDTV, but I'd get it to enjoy PS3 games, and as such, I'd be more inclined to buy Blu-Ray, even if they are a tad more expensive. the simple fact that the PS3 will have a BD drive, regardless of if it comes out in spring or in winter, means that a million ppl all over the world (assuming, based on projected and realistic launch numbers of consoles. . .) will have access to a cheap (compared to 1k) BD Player.

It is highly unlikely that the initial batch of BD/HD players will hit the mass market, due to the amount of manufacturers making them and the price, but even if Sony loses 300 dollars on 500 dollar PS3s, they'd gain so much more by putting a BD player in the homes of a ton of ppl for a comparitively lower price- espeicially since being a BD player is only a SMALL aspect of what the PS3 is. . .

It's like buying a car that just so happens to have nifty features like Safety 7 (sry, watching Speed Racer atm >.> ) when you paid less than you would for a car that only just drove you around.

**Pai Pai Master** · 01-06-2006, 03:52 PM

Re: HD-DVD's coming in March!

HD-DVD is no better for PCs than Blu-Ray. But, since Microsoft has claimed support for it and incorporated it in Windows Vista, it's going to be even more of a pain to find a single media format.

Sony hasn't been silent about Blu-Ray. The day Microsoft announced the HD-DVD Drive for Xbox 360, Sony and other studios announced quite a few films scheduled for release in Blu-Ray in the Spring, which is the current scheduled launch time of the Playstation 3.

As opposed to VHS vs. Betamax, the difference between Blu-Ray and HD-DVD is miniscule, outside of the extra 20GB available on Blu-Ray and the slightly faster transfer speeds. It should have been decided on a long time ago, but everyone involved is too greedy and foolish to keep the consumer in mind. We're all going to suffer from it, and for a while we're either going to have to invest in both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray players, until a single format is decided on and everyone who invested in the losing format ends up with a bunch of worthless players and movies.

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HD-DVD's coming in March!

HD-DVD's coming in March!

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