But the end could be in sight, according to Home Media magazine. In an interview with a research firm, the magazine quotes conclusions by the firm Understanding and Solutions as saying they expect a winner in the format war by the end of the year, and all signs point to Blu-Ray.
Many DVD analysts have expected Blu-Ray to triumph from the beginning. Debate has gone back and forth over the formats' inherent benefits, but the ace up Blu-Ray's sleeve has always been Sony's Playstation 3 system, which functions as a Blu-Ray player. Most of the movie studios issuing the DVDs that will be playing on both of these formats seemed to side with Blu-Ray as well, since every major studio except Universal adopted the format. Some produce titles in both formats, and Warner will start issuing hybrid discs with both formats this year, in an effort to entice buyers who are afraid of having the next Betamax titles in their video cabinets. (We don't recommend Warner's take on the format battle, because it is sure to produce double-sided discs, of which we are not fans. See our earlier piece about the failed DualDisc format.)There is surely a lot at stake in the outcome of the high-def format war, but curiously, picture quality doesn't seem to be. Both formats have gotten high marks from reviewers and critics for their oustanding picture quality. What's at stake for consumers in this contest is the investment in hardware and high-def titles.
The analysis in the article seems sound, and we hope the format war comes to an end quickly. There's more technological innovation waiting around the bend, just as soon as companies stop fighting over whether their titles will be issued in red or blue packages.
Read the entire Home Media article here.
More info: The Digital Bits: FAQ on HD-DVD and Blu-Ray
