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Featuring CNET Editor Matthew Moskovciak

Blu-ray vs. HD DVD Session has ended.

Missed this live event? No worries! Check out the Ask the Editors Live calendar event and see what topic is up next and get a chance to chat live with a CNET editor. We'll cover new topics each week, from cell phones to TVs, so get those burning tech questions ready!

Latest questions and answers

Q: The Walmart angle.

by R. Proffitt - 12/11/07 11:54 AM

If you research HD media production costs, HD is some dime to quarter cheaper. Given that I think I need to visit the Walmart to see if they will push HD over BR.

As to OPEN SOURCE HD players, that was done about a year ago and you can use google to learn where it is today. For HD it was "thanks to Microsoft" and their HD DVD player if you read the news.

The MAC plays BR and HD just fine. I can't recall the player but any Genius Bar has the answer if not any of the people at an Apple Store.

A: Thanks for that information

by MoskovciakM - 12/11/07 12:04 PM

I was pretty sure Mac could handle at least Blu-ray, but I didn't want to steer anyone in the wrong direction. If it can handle both, that's even better

I was unaware that HD DVD is working on Linux. If true, that's great news for open source fans.

Q: Toshiba HD DVD that is not 1080p?

by Lee Koo (ADMIN) - 12/11/07 11:54 AM

While shopping at best buy I saw a Toshiba HD DVD player that was not 1080p (forgot what model number it was).

Why would Toshiba come out with that? Wouldn't it be better just to buy an upconversion DVD player than spend the extra money on a HD DVD that does output in 1080p?

A: Toshiba does have 1080p players

by MoskovciakM - 12/11/07 12:01 PM

But they offer 1080i players to consumers who would rather save some money and get the cheaper player.

1080i can look just as good as 1080p if your HDTV does deinterlacing properly. Not all do, but you can read CNET reviews to find out which HDTVs do.

1080i from a Toshiba HD-A3 HD DVD player looks vastly superior to an upconverting player. The HD-A3 also upconverts standard DVDs.

Spending extra money on a 1080p player isn't always worth it because they don't perform deinterlacing well either. For example, in my review of the Toshiba HD-A30 (which is a 1080p player), I noticed some significant 1080i deinterlacing issues -- which lead me to suggest that most people would be better off saving money and buying the cheaper 1080i HD-A3, and letting their HDTV handle the deinterlacing

Q: Playing on non-windows OS's

by Nicholas Buenk - 12/11/07 11:42 AM

What about blu ray or HD-DVD support on linux or macintosh system?

A: That's a great question

by MoskovciakM - 12/11/07 11:51 AM

And I'm not 100% certain of the answer off the top of my head. The problem is that both formats have some heavy-duty copyright protection on them, which makes it harder for just anyone to write software. I'm not sure that there will ever be support for Linux, but Mac is more likely.

Q: Will the porn industry dictate who wins the format war

by Lee Koo (ADMIN) - 12/11/07 11:42 AM

Hey Matt,

Have you heard of such thing that the porn industry will dictate who win the format war. I've read a few comments by members saying one of the major reasons why Betamax format failed was because the porn industry chose VHS.

Any truth to this? WOuld it possibly apply to the HD format wars?

Thanks!
-Lee

A: Yes, I've heard that

by MoskovciakM - 12/11/07 11:46 AM

But I don't think it will have the same impact that it did during the VHS and Betmax wars. Porn is readily available via the internet now, and that wasn't case in the past. It may have some impact, but it's not nearly the same situation that occurred in the VHS vs. Betamax wars.

Q: A question on Regions.

by R. Proffitt - 12/11/07 11:24 AM

I know about "regions" on old DVD.

Did they toss that in HD and BR?

A: Yes and no

by MoskovciakM - 12/11/07 11:29 AM

Blu-ray still has region encoding, while HD DVD currently does not. You can see that any other differences on the big chart on our quick guide to the format war:
http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-13817_7-6462511-2.html?tag=lnav

Q: HD DVD and Blu ray pointless on smaller TVs

by sbaxter - 12/11/07 11:24 AM

Is it pretty much pointless to get a Blu ray player or HD dvd player for flat panel TVs that are smaller than 32" since they only come in 720p?

A: Depends, but mostly pointless

by MoskovciakM - 12/11/07 11:28 AM

It's mostly pointless because at an average seating distance you just aren't going to be able to see that much of an increase in image quality on a 32-inch screen. There difference between DVD and Blu-ray/HD DVD may be visible, but probably not enough so to spend all the extra money.

There are some other advantages to HD DVD and Blu-ray besides image quality -- such as interactive special features and being able to access the menus while the movie is playing -- so if those excite you, maybe you'd want to consider it for those reasons.

Q: When I think HD-DVD vs BluRay I think 1080i vs 1080p

by Rollbar - 12/11/07 11:16 AM

It seems to me the BR disks are mostly if not all, 1080p; HD-DVD on the other hand is mostly 1080i, (at least the players mostly seem to be).

So the question is.... Can you really "see" a difference between progressive and interlaced at the 1080 resolution; and if so will you see it on a 55 inch screen, (in my case, a KDS-55A3000).

Thanks :-)

Gary (Roll)

A: This is a common misconception

by MoskovciakM - 12/11/07 11:24 AM

Many people believe HD DVD is only 1080i while Blu-ray is 1080p. That's just not true, as both HD DVD and Blu-ray discs are encoded at 1080p.

The misconception probably stems from the fact that Toshiba offers some budget HD DVD players that only output at 1080i, such as the HD-A3 and the older HD-A2. The movies themselves are 1080p, but these players output at 1080i. There are HD DVD players that do output at 1080p, such as the HD-XA2 and the HD-A30.

The difference between 1080i and 1080p depends on how well your HDTV can deinterlace, which means how well it can take an interlaced signal and make it progressive so it can display on your HDTV. A quick look at your TV on CNET shows it does not pass some difficult film deinterlacing tests, so you may see some difference.

I know that's a lot of information at once, so feel free to follow up if anything's confusing.

Q: type of digital camcorder to buy?

by needhelpchoosing - 12/11/07 11:11 AM

I am trying to decide which camcorder to buy. I will use it for home movies and I don't have a HD DVD player but do have a HD TV. I would like to be able to load the movies onto my computer but also like the idea of having them on DVD so we can easily watch and share them. I was initially thinking about buying a HD camcorder but have read that I will not be able to play the movies on my DVD player or computer. I was not sure if the 3" DVDs can be played on a computer or if movies on an SD card can be downloaded and burned onto a standard sized DVD. I would like to spend around $800 or less. Do you have recommendations as to what type/brand to buy?
Thanks!!!!

A: I'm not an expert on camcorders

by MoskovciakM - 12/11/07 11:16 AM

So I'll have to defer to the other experts at CNET for that advice. Be sure to check out the camcorder buying guide:
http://reviews.cnet.com/camcorder-buying-guide/

And the camcorders top products list:
http://reviews.cnet.com/4323-6530_7-6509025.html

Sorry I can't be more helpful, but I hope those links point you in the right direction.

Q: The market changed?

by R. Proffitt - 12/11/07 11:09 AM

From my perspective the market (the people they wanted to sell this to) changed. The concept that you buy/rent a title to take home to play on your TV looks to be in steep decline.

Our sons may get some DVD but they play it on their laptops. Or they watch online content from Vuse or other HD sources.

-> Maybe the war is not about the media but where the media is played and how it's delivered. No one cares what "format" it is on today.

A: There's some truth to that

by MoskovciakM - 12/11/07 11:13 AM

The market definitely isn't the same as when DVD was introduced. There are new ways of watching movies, such as Amazon Unbox and the new Vudu service.

There are definitely many observers that think digital distribution will take over before HD DVD and Blu-ray do. I don't think we're quite there yet -- most homes just don't have fast enough broadband to deliver high-def movies -- but it's definitely a growing segment of the market.

Q: Question from a member via email

by Lee Koo (ADMIN) - 12/11/07 11:04 AM

Here's a question I received from a member via email. Please advise. Thanks Matt!

I am trying to understand all this about HD DVD and BLUE RAY.Is there any difference between the 2 other than the price.Are either able to work on a regular DVD player and also is HD TV required.I have been unable to find complete and informative answers to these questions.Could anyone please assist with some helpful information regarding these.

Thank you.
Maynard

A: Blu-ray vs. HD DVD

by MoskovciakM - 12/11/07 11:10 AM

There are some differences between the two formats other than price. You can read in more detail about all of them in our Quick Guide to HD DVD vs. Blu-ray:
http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-13817_7-6462511-1.html

In short, many movies are only available on one format, so you can't (for example) buy a Disney HD DVD. Neither HD DVDs nor Blu-ray discs work in regular DVD players, but regular DVDs will play in HD DVD or Blu-ray players. An HDTV isn't necessarily required to use them, but you absolutely need an HDTV to reap the benefits of the enhanced picture quality these new formats offer.

Q: Which system will win ???

by hjustice - 12/11/07 10:57 AM

Having lived through the VHS vs Beta war... many of us are sitting on the sidelines... waiting to see who will win the HD-DVD battle.

What is your opinion ?

Thanks,

Trumper

A: It's too early to tell

by MoskovciakM - 12/11/07 11:01 AM

As of this point, it's just too early to tell who is going to win the format war -- which is why we're advising buyers to hold off right now. HD DVD has a price advantage on the cost of hardware, but Blu-ray is selling more discs. The bottom line is that there are only a little more than 350 movies available on either format currently, so for the averag e consumer, it's still best to wait.

A: Let's get started!

by MoskovciakM - 12/11/07 10:53 AM

Hey everyone, I'm ready to answer all your questions about the format war: HD DVD vs. Blu-ray. Fire away, and I'll do my best to answer everyone's questions.

Incoming questions

The Walmart angle.
If you research HD media production costs, HD is some dime to quarter cheaper. Given that I think I need to visit the Walmart to see if they will push HD over BR.

As to OPEN SOURCE HD players, that was done about a year ago and you can use google to learn where it is today. For HD it was "thanks to Microsoft" and their HD DVD player if you read the news.

The MAC plays BR and HD just fine. I can't recall the player but any Genius Bar has the answer if not any of the people at an Apple Store.
by R. Proffitt - 12/11/07 11:54 AM
Toshiba HD DVD that is not 1080p?
While shopping at best buy I saw a Toshiba HD DVD player that was not 1080p (forgot what model number it was).

Why would Toshiba come out with that? Wouldn't it be better just to buy an upconversion DVD player than spend the extra money on a HD DVD that does output in 1080p?
by Lee Koo (ADMIN) - 12/11/07 11:54 AM
Playing on non-windows OS's
What about blu ray or HD-DVD support on linux or macintosh system?
by Nicholas Buenk - 12/11/07 11:42 AM
Will the porn industry dictate who wins the format war
Hey Matt,

Have you heard of such thing that the porn industry will dictate who win the format war. I've read a few comments by members saying one of the major reasons why Betamax format failed was because the porn industry chose VHS.

Any truth to this? WOuld it possibly apply to the HD format wars?

Thanks!
-Lee
by Lee Koo (ADMIN) - 12/11/07 11:42 AM
A question on Regions.
I know about "regions" on old DVD.

Did they toss that in HD and BR?
by R. Proffitt - 12/11/07 11:24 AM
HD DVD and Blu ray pointless on smaller TVs
Is it pretty much pointless to get a Blu ray player or HD dvd player for flat panel TVs that are smaller than 32" since they only come in 720p?
by sbaxter - 12/11/07 11:24 AM
When I think HD-DVD vs BluRay I think 1080i vs 1080p
It seems to me the BR disks are mostly if not all, 1080p; HD-DVD on the other hand is mostly 1080i, (at least the players mostly seem to be).

So the question is.... Can you really "see" a difference between progressive and interlaced at the 1080 resolution; and if so will you see it on a 55 inch screen, (in my case, a KDS-55A3000).

Thanks :-)

Gary (Roll)
by Rollbar - 12/11/07 11:16 AM
type of digital camcorder to buy?
I am trying to decide which camcorder to buy. I will use it for home movies and I don't have a HD DVD player but do have a HD TV. I would like to be able to load the movies onto my computer but also like the idea of having them on DVD so we can easily watch and share them. I was initially thinking about buying a HD camcorder but have read that I will not be able to play the movies on my DVD player or computer. I was not sure if the 3" DVDs can be played on a computer or if movies on an SD card can be downloaded and burned onto a standard sized DVD. I would like to spend around $800 or less. Do you have recommendations as to what type/brand to buy?
Thanks!!!!
by needhelpchoosing - 12/11/07 11:11 AM
The market changed?
From my perspective the market (the people they wanted to sell this to) changed. The concept that you buy/rent a title to take home to play on your TV looks to be in steep decline.

Our sons may get some DVD but they play it on their laptops. Or they watch online content from Vuse or other HD sources.

-> Maybe the war is not about the media but where the media is played and how it's delivered. No one cares what "format" it is on today.
by R. Proffitt - 12/11/07 11:09 AM
Question from a member via email
Here's a question I received from a member via email. Please advise. Thanks Matt!

I am trying to understand all this about HD DVD and BLUE RAY.Is there any difference between the 2 other than the price.Are either able to work on a regular DVD player and also is HD TV required.I have been unable to find complete and informative answers to these questions.Could anyone please assist with some helpful information regarding these.

Thank you.
Maynard
by Lee Koo (ADMIN) - 12/11/07 11:04 AM
Which system will win ???
Having lived through the VHS vs Beta war... many of us are sitting on the sidelines... waiting to see who will win the HD-DVD battle.

What is your opinion ?

Thanks,

Trumper
by hjustice - 12/11/07 10:57 AM
Matthew Moskovciak, editor for CNET home theater LIVE!
Ask the Editors Live! event. Topic: Blu-ray vs. HD DVD

Got Blu-ray or HD DVD questions? Need some holiday buying advice on them?

Well, you've come to the right place. For one whole hour on Tuesday, December 11, from 11 am to noon Pacific Time (2 pm Eastern), CNET home theater guru, Matthew Moskovciak will be here to answer all things Blu-ray and HD DVD-related, from the format wars to holiday buying advice!

So if you got questions, Matt has answers! Don't miss out!

Click here for upcoming Ask the Editors Live events and past transcripts of events.
by Lee Koo (ADMIN) - 12/11/07 10:44 AM