The Blu-ray Battle

Gizmag reported production has commenced by Panasonic on Blu-ray BD-ROM discs. At the same time, Bill's company is offering cash coupons for PC makers to include HD-DVD players. Combine that with the announcement of free Vista support included for HD-DVD while Blu-ray will cost an extra $30 each and a major line has been drawn in the sand. Economically, the PC market just got a big kick toward HD-DVD.

Blu-ray will also have a tough time when it gets to the consumer market. The naming advantage clearly goes to the competition. Joe average will think, "If I want to get an HD television, then I want HD-DVD's too, right?" It will take a major ad campaign on Sony's part to dissuade such basic logic.

Before I go any further, I must make my biases abundantly clear: I despise the company Bill made. I used to think I simply preferred Apple Macintosh systems. Somewhere along the way I realized I became an absolutely rabid Mac supporter. I will post an entry soon delving into the depths of my bias, but I felt it important to mention before continuing.

I was initially torn on the whole Blu-ray versus HD-DVD issue. On the surface Blu-ray is clearly superior. Approximately 60% more capacity (15 GB per layer versus 25 GB per layer) with approximately the same performance. On the other hand, HD-DVD will require less modification of the manufacturing process and will fit in laptops better, at least initially.

The more I read between the lines, however, the more disgusted I have become. Certain manufacturers seem to be crying just because Blu-ray is different. Seems like they cried the same about DVD vs. CD back in the day. They do not seem to care which is actually better, only which will cost them less in the short term. Then add to the equation HD-DVD's only major player other than the initial core group of Toshiba, NEC, Sanyo and Memory-Tech, has thrown in only because Sony's PlayStation 3 will include Blu-ray support. Rather than do the right thing for the entire industry and support the format clearly in the lead at the time, they chose to prolong the conflict and keep the world in chaos to avoid paying a few dollars to the competition in royalties. Like I said, disgusting.

By the end of next year we should find out if the joke is on them or on us, however. A new player is on the scene: HVD. 200 GB or 300 GB capacity in 2006. 800 GB in 2007. A theoretical capacity around 3.9 terabytes. Blu-ray hopes to eventually have four to eight layers for a total of 100-200 GB. HD-DVD has announced a two-layer holding 30 GB with hopes for three holding 45 GB.

What about us? Depends on how you look at it. No matter who wins, we will have better technology than we had before. If CD's, DVD's video tapes and fax machines can be used as historical guides, we will end up with the second or third best tech as the standard.