It looks as though the format war is almost over, with the majority of the movie makers being biased towards Blu-Ray. Toshiba will have to pull out a trump card to get HD DVD back into the running.
I have looked at both formats and as for quality of the playback there is no difference, both supporting the High Definition Video and Audio formats.
HD DVD discs are 15gigs with dual layer of 30gigs capacity
Blu-Ray discs are 25gigs with dual layer of 50gigs capacity
This gives Blu-ray the edge when it comes to basic disc capacity but both formats have the ability to add more layers to increase capacity. However the current consumer-ready state of the technology puts HD DVD storage at 30GB/disc and Blu-ray at 50GB/disc.
This is probably the biggest difference between the formats. Another is that HD DVD can be more interactive via an Internet connection, with supplementary material on a Web site or server somewhere.
The Blu-ray standard is still somewhat of a "work in progress." and newer "profiles" might make the older players obsolete.
On the production side, it's cheaper to manufacture HD DVD media because the technology is based on the original DVD standard. In fact, It's said that existing DVD manufacturing plants can be retrofitted to produce HD DVD without having to replace the equipment completely. This would have made it easier for specialist and hobby-type producers to release HD DVD.
The common technology with standard DVD also means that HD DVD players can easily play standard DVDs (and usually very well), whereas Blu-ray players need a more expensive dual laser assembly. You can simply replace your old DVD player with HD DVD.
The final jab is the ability to make your own content. It could be argued that the availability of recordable media for both CDs and DVDs really helped cement their foothold in the market. Currently, I can go down to the local electronics store and purchase a Blu-ray burner and blank discs (in both 25 and 50 gig varieties) and provide someone with my own high-definition content. I can’t say this as easily for HD-DVD. The material does exist, but it’s not widely available and is much harder to get your hands on than Blu-ray-related items. I feel this has been a major factor in the penetration of the Blu-ray format into the market.
In my opinion if HD DVD burning hardware and media had been made readily available then it would have helped it to retain its status in the market and this is a major reason for the current trend. This reminds me of the Betamax vs VHS war which in the end favored the lesser of the two (VHS). Sony got their fingers burn badly back there and seem to have learnt by their mistakes. Sony seem to have got it right this time by supporting Blu-Ray. I personally prefer HD-DVD and would have liked it to win the war, but can’t ignore the major studio support that is on Blu-ray’s side. I am disappointed with lack of options when it comes to creating my own HD-DVD material.
Stripped away of all the hype, both formats offer excellent quality, but when you take a hard look to see which format currently has the most going for it, the answer is obvious.
In the End, Can There Only Be One?
As prices drop, it may be entirely possible for HD-DVD and Blu-ray to co-exist peacefully through the upcoming years.
The expensive alternative is Dual-format players which make it possible to enjoy both types of discs with no worries, but at the moment, that option is limited and cost prohibitive. It is currently cheaper to purchase one of each format rather than a combined unit.