There has been much hype about the "war" between Sony's Blu-Ray technology and the HD-DVD technology of Toshiba. Both are high definition digital video disc formats but then factor that will reveal the outcome of the war is what format will be most appealing to the consumers.
Since the formats appeared in the market space (which the did almost simultaneously), both have been a though sell to consumers because so far it hasn't been clear which one will come out on top on the format war. Naturally both the Sony Company and that of Toshiba promotes their own standard heavily through both advertising and through partnerships.
Repeating the Beta-max vs. VHS war
However it is generally agreed that there can be only one format that will come out on top, and with memories of the format war between the VHS and Beta-max video tapes no more than a few decades ago, most consumers are waiting to see which standard will win the battle. They are afraid of getting burned by investing in technology that will soon be obsolete.
The funny part is that it is the customers that will determine the outcome but many await the outcome before investing. Luckily there are some people that will always invest and the major companies are spending millions and millions to add trust to their particular brand or technology.
How to evoke confidence
A central dilemma to both Sony and Toshiba is how to evoke enough confidence in their own formats in order to convince consumers that their format will be around in the long run and not end up like the Beta-max video did two decades ago. The format question is really only a matter of perception by the consumers on which technology that will win the war.
If consumers perceive one format to be more likely to be around five years from now, they will buy software titles and movie in that format and the machines to play that particular format. When the movie studios and software companies see that consumers like that format, be it Blu-ray or HD-DVD, they will publish more titles in that format. When consumers see more a lot more titles in one format than the other, they will gain even more confidence in that format and the "good spiral" has begun which will eventually determine who will win the format war.
Blu-ray backed by Twentieth Century Fox
Recently the major company Twentieth Century Fox has announced that it will release numerous movie titles in the Blu-ray format and that it thereby backs the format of Sony. Releasing between five to ten titles per month, this is a major show of confidence in Blu-ray's potential to be the winning format.
The steady stream of new titles should provide anyone who is thinking of buying a Blu-ray player or who already owns one with plenty of new movies to look forward to over the next year.
The direction towards the Blu-ray technology is good news for TV and computer technology in general because of the technical advantages that Blu-ray has over the HD-DVD format.
Superior quality doesn't always win
One of the main benefits comes from the fact that even though they rely on similar types of laser technology and are both about the same physical size, a HD-DVD discs can only store fifteen gigabytes on each side for a total of only thirty gigabytes while a Blu-ray disc can store up to twenty five gigabytes of data on each side for a total of fifty gigabytes. Unfortunately, the consumer's decisions aren't always in favor of the superior technology.
Related Articles
LCD Tvs are a Great Alternative to Crt
By: Will Kinkaid | 27/05/2008 | Gadgets and Gizmos
LCD televisions have revolutionized home TV systems with the sharp visual effects, large size, and affordable prices. Read how LCDs work to give you a better picture at a better price for the top brands.
Watching Satellite TV on your Computer. Why ? and How ?! All the Questions Answered
By: Christophe Tissier | 21/11/2007 | Cable and Satellite TV
Your pc looks like a tv. Flat large screen with great contrasted colors. Hard disks with important storage capacities for saving all your multimedia content. The stereo sound, if not yet perfect, is far from awful. And you can even manipulate your saved movies afterwards adding great effects. But you're unable to do that with a tv right ? So let's see how useful watching tv on a notebook is.
The Top 8 Things the Music, Television, Movie and Consumer Electronics Industries Should Do
By: Scott Consolatti | 04/11/2007 | Art and Entertainment
The music, television, movie and consumer electronics industries have been struggling with the rapid advance of technology and the new virtuality of content. Here are the top eight things the industries should do to harness the technology and recapture the simple tenet of giving the customer what they want.
A Call to End Format Wars, Boost on Demand and Untether Digital Downloads
By: Scott Consolatti | 26/11/2007 | Art and Entertainment
Want to own the current Holy Grail invention of blue laser but are disappointed that no one format offers movies from all major studios? Want to watch any TV show or movie on demand but can't find enough content available? Want to buy songs in open mp3 format but can't find enough songs sold that way? You're not alone, and the industry should know their customer better.
What Is Blu-Ray?
By: Tim Childree | 23/12/2007 | Computers
What is Blu-ray? No, it's not a creature of the deep or any mythical beast. Blu-ray is a third-generation digital media or data storage technology from the Blu-ray Disc Association, an assembly of corporate media and electronics technology leaders. Blu-ray discs are currently competing with HD-DVD to become the new...
HDTV - Deja Vu All Over Again
By: C R Ellsworth | 05/06/2007 | Cable and Satellite TV
Change is coming. Remember AM to FM, Hi-Fi to Stereo or the Beta-Max VHS Debate.
DTV and HDTV - Why You Need To Understand the Difference
By: Jim Johnson | 24/02/2006 | Art and Entertainment
There are so many acronyms used in defining television technology that is difficult to keep it all straight, and even worse, sometimes the acronyms are almost the same. That's the case with DTV and HDTV.
Learning High Definition And How To Receive It
By: Jim Williams | 24/03/2008 | Electronics
I bought an HDTV...now what?
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Frequently Asked Questions
Lost ARG
By: rasta | 10-07-2008
I am looking for information about the first lost arg ( tv show) started in late 2003. it was mainly on the abc message boards but was much deeper than what the public saw. Thanks
Help?
By: jasmania | 10-07-2008
Where can I watch full episodes of television shows online?
Old television shows
By: jasmania | 09-07-2008
Where can I watch old television shows online?
Hells Kicthen Season 5???
By: deirbilldeir | 09-07-2008
I'd like audition, when do Hell's Kitchen auditions for season 5 begin? qt=q
The Bachelorette
By: BellaX | 09-07-2008
In the last show of the Bachelorette, Mat and Shane came back, do you think they looked happy? Do you think they are going to get married or break up?
Where is wipeout tv show filmed
By: Laura Gwin | 08-07-2008
where is wipeout tv show filmed
Q&A Powered by:
Latest Computers Articles
Get the Most Out of Your Nanny Spy Cameras - Use Them For Other Purposes!
By: Nahshon Roberts | 25/07/2008
Lest you think that nanny spy cameras are only good for spying on the nanny, think again. The term is another designation for hidden surveillance cameras, supposedly because these are now more commonly used to monitor childcare providers in an increasingly nanny-paranoid society.
Nanny spy cameras are usually...
Analyzing Consumer Electronics Devices
By: James Brown | 24/07/2008
Many consumers are drawn to consumer electronics because of the technology that makes each device perform its mission. While many consumers might not have a technical degree, many have a working knowledge of what the device is equipped with and the selling points of the device after they enter a...
Types of Consumer Electronics
By: James Brown | 24/07/2008
With so many updates and changes made to consumer electronics lately, some consumers are having a difficult time understanding what types of consumer electronics are most popular among middle class Americans and those who live on limited incomes where budget cuts made most consumer electronics seem unaffordable. Families across the...
Benefits of Unlocked Cellular Phones
By: Abe S. | 24/07/2008
You may not know much about your cellular phone other than that you cannot live without it! Your cell phone is your connection to the rest of the world and is a very important tool. Many cell phones are made to use a SIM card - a Subscriber...
How to Start a Business Selling Cell Phones
By: Abe S. | 24/07/2008
In today's unstable economy with reduced income and rising prices, everyone wants to save money if they can. Even if the economy were booming, saving money is always a wise choice. There is no shame in wanting to save as much money as possible when it comes to...
How Can I Work With Sybase Database Tools?
By: Patricia Stevens | 23/07/2008
To use a Sybase server, you are should have Netscape Enterprise Server. You cannot get an access to Sybase from Netscape FastTrack Server. Sybase has both one-line, and multiline drivers on some Unix-platforms. If Sybase has the multiline driver for the concrete Unix-machine, you are obliged to use LiveWire for...
Baselining--Stress Testing--Performance Testing--Oh My--Part TWO-Testing
By: Barry Koplowitz | 23/07/2008
This article is also available as a Podcast on "The ROOT Cause" available on iTunes. Written and Narrated by Barry Koplowitz.
This is the second of two articles discussing the topic of Test Environments and Testing Practices. The first one, "Baselining--Stress Testing--Performance Testing--Oh My--Part One--Environments," focused on proper testing environment design....
Page Yield / Cartridge Yield
By: Kwan Lo | 23/07/2008
Page yield is the number of pages that you can print with a printer cartridge. It is also known as cartridge yield. Many cartridge manufacturers use the terms "standard yield" or "high yield" to describe their printer cartridge but each cartridge should have a page yield value. It...
More from Mikael Rieck
Exercises For Different Dog Breeds
By: Mikael Rieck | 31/05/2008 | Pets
Dogs of different breeds behave differently and have different physical characteristics. It is therefore advised that different breeds of dogs should get different exercise routines so that they do not get over exhausted or obese. Selecting the right exercise regime for your dog depending on the breed is therefore essential.
Breeds...
Mental Exercises For Your Dog
By: Mikael Rieck | 31/05/2008 | Pets
Dogs, like humans have a brain, which also requires some activity to keep them active. Physical exercises are good for the body of the dog; however, they often tend to miss out the intellectual component, which are needed. This is why there are some special mental exercises, which you should...
Exercise Your Dog With Games
By: Mikael Rieck | 31/05/2008 | Pets
The best exercise for your dog, both physically as well as mentally, could be the various games which you can play with it. The health of your dog could be determined by how active it is in mind and body. Playing games to improve your dog's fitness is far better...
Exercises For Your Injured Dog
By: Mikael Rieck | 31/05/2008 | Pets
A dog, which is injured, should not be made inactive, as it will adversely affect its health. Exercises for your dog are a must to keep it healthy and fit. Although, upon injury, the dog would probably be a little incapacitated to do various exercises, you can choose the regimen...
The Simple Secret To Wealth
By: Mikael Rieck | 28/07/2007 | Self Help
Now some of you might say "Hey, there is no simple way to wealth" but I disagree and let me tell you why. First of all I would like on encourage you to watch the movie called "The Secret". It is really an eye opening experience and what I am...
Healing You Mind With Aromatherapy
By: Mikael Rieck | 22/05/2007 | Health
The "invention" of aromatherapy has been around for more than a thousand years as it has been a well known form of treatment in the countries around the Asian region. Here is has been known as medical treatment and people are not seeing it as "weird" like many people still...
What Is Male Infertility And How To Test It
By: Mikael Rieck | 21/05/2007 | Health
When young people (or even a little older people) have reached the point in their lives where they find that the time is right for having children, this is not always as easy as it sounds. Some couples hit a "homerun" the very first time, while other will struggle for...
Pet Insurance - How To Avoid Large Vet Bills
By: Mikael Rieck | 18/05/2007 | Pets
Most pet owners today know that when taking your pet to a vet it will often cost a much larger sum than anticipated. Maybe your pet will need a vaccine because the local area is infected with a new type of disease or bacteria or you have forgotten that you...
Computers 
