Retailers Press For Unified HD DVD Format

datemenatalie writes "While the war between HD-DVD and Blu-Ray continues over who will be the direct successor to DVD, the Video Software Dealers Association (VSDA) has issued a strong statement to Hollywood and the consumer electronics industry regarding the looming HD format war. The statement, which supports a single high-definition disc format, also offers advice on dimensions, packaging, features and even how marketing materials should be designed. The statement argues, "two formats, each capable of storing high definition movies on DVD, are planned for release into the market. Retailers uniformly agree that the concurrent distribution of more than one format is likely unsustainable, and that the launch of a single format is preferable to a format war which could confuse the public and lead to reluctance to embrace either format." This comes just weeks after early indications that HD-DVD will only allow playback of full 1080 resolution video signals through HDMI connectors, leaving consumers with older HDTVs (pre-HDMI) out of luck."

HDMI Only?

[mbelly]

This comes just weeks after early indications that HD-DVD will only allow playback of full 1080 resolution video signals through HDMI connectors, leaving consumers with older HDTVs (pre-HDMI) out of luck.

This could be both good and bad for HD-DVD. Film makers will like the HDMI only for the DRM capability. On the other hand, consumers who are not ready to upgrade their TV's will shun away from them. It's going to be a toss up.

That really hurts HD-DVD

[EggyToast]

I used to say that, on a purely economic point, that HD-DVD had an advantage based on the fact that the initial discs would be cheaper, and that the hardware doesn't require two separate lasers in order to read HD-DVD and older DVD.

But that HDMI fact I did not know about. To me, that really, really hurts HD-DVD as a format. My TV supports HD up to 1080i, but has no HDMI connectors. So the format is entirely useless to me if I want to buy a TV. I just bought a TV.

Blu-Ray already fits more space per disc. I really see little reason at this point to not say "let's just go blu-ray, start retooling machines, and let the price come down." I hate the fact that Sony has its grubby mitts on it, but I'd rather have a format I can actually use without having to buy entirely new hardware. Just a player.

Retailers are taking a page from Politicians

[ICLKennyG]

This is great politicing. Everyone reads: "One format is better than two." Sneak in the copy protection through the back door. I want Blue-Ray to win personally, but right now I just want a frickin' 'HD'-DVD player - and content for it.

Re:HDMI Only?

[Solr_Flare]

What is really ironic here is....

Isn't HD-DVD's one big touted advantage supposed to be, and correct me if I'm recalling wrong here, easy backwards compatability?

It is rather self defeating if its backwards compatable in one way but forces hardware upgrades the other way. This will probably play more against the standard than for it.

why not just let them fight it out?

[Eugene]

sometimes I'd want to see another messy product war just so the manufactures behind the format war to see it's a no win situation for anyone. I guess most people forgot about the VHS vs Beta, or MD vs DCC (well, this one really isn't a war. since both lost to CD-R)

Same story, different product

[MudButt]

The consumer electronics industry will always have "compatibility wars". It was no different with the 56K modem wars (X2 vs K56Flex [zoltrix.com]). Consumers: Don't go out and by the latest HDDVD player if you aren't prepared to have a worthless heap of circuits laying around 2 years later. Case in point: my very own K56Flex modem, retailing for $89.95. DOH!

hummm

[Anonymous Coward]

Hd-DVD or Blu-ray..

HDMI = BAD

however.. for blu-ray.. unless you have a HDCP enabled device on the DVI (-d) cable then your only gonna get 480i.. or perhaps 480p anyway..

SO.. they both suck..

but blu-ray sucks less because atleast component out is still going to be available and you don't have to by an interface box.

The chinese will fix it however.. shhh.. you can already get HDCP disabled devices, just don't let hollyweird know. Leave it to a communist regime to set the capitialist markets straight.

Bias inherent to this document?

[Sv-Manowar]

The document published by the VSDA appears to set out a large number of criteria, all of which they seem to rate as essential for the end product. However, the fact that they've released this now, instead of when the new standards were under development would lead me to believe it is biased in the direction of one of the established formats and is more of a party piece to try and rally retailer support behind a particular format (HD-DVD springs to mind). Not to mention the talk of two competing formats being unworkable, and the need for a single format..

In 1989...

[michaelmalak]

I, and a bunch of others on CompuServe's CEFORUM, were putting off buying new TVs because HDTV was "just around the corner." 16 years later, evidently, it still is. 10 of those years were the broadcast standard wars, which was silly, because, overpaid steroid-pumped entertainers aside, the real value of HDTV was prerecorded movies, not over-the-air broadcasts. I.e. the important standard was HDMI, not what they were dickering over in the early 90's.

The other 6 of those years was, in my personal theory, due to DVD. DVD came out at just the wrong time (from the consumer's perspective). DVD purchasers in the late 90's thought they were getting HDTV. The manufacturers, I believe, let this myth continue and held off on HDTV-DVD so that all the consumers could finish buying all their movies in DVD, before they learned the bad news that they would have to buy them all over again in HDTV-DVD.

The only technology that is more laggard than home entertainment is space exploration.

Re:The question and answer is:

[Anonymous Coward]

I see this comment often here (and modded insightful/interesting). I don't think that the "porn" issue is going to effect HDDVD at all.

In the beta vs. vhs format war it was first time people were easily able to watch porn in their homes.

Now we have the internet its irrelevant.

Anyone else notice the anti-copying suggestions?

[Anonymous Coward]

Did anyone else notice this particular statement from the Video Software Dealer's Association's list of criteria? And I quote...

"Also, in light of the triennial rulemaking to consider exceptions to the prohibition against circumvention of access controls, increased durability will undermine efforts to excuse or gain legal authorization for the circumvention of copy protection measures for the purpose of making so-called "back-up" copies to guard against degradation or damage."

The industry's crusade to curb piracy is understandable and expected, but a statement that blatently urges designers and manufacturers to "undermine efforts" of completely legal consumer copying for backup purposes is extremely disturbing.

I realize I shouldn't be surprised, but it hurts nonetheless.

Wow, read this part

[rbarreira]

Device keys and media keys are still there, with a major change, in the first steps of content decryption, a player has to find its specific key in a big ternary tree of keys, where each leaf corresponds to the key of a given device (brand and model). By denying a drive to find its key in the tree, Blu-ray and HD-DVD can easily revoke a single given device. If for instance a given player is cracked and its keys are published, the licensing authority will send new keys and navigation information to disc manufacturers. As a result, all discs pressed after the player has been cracked will refuse to play on this specific drive, but will play perfectly on all other (including older) devices.

This blacklisting of a single player model is quite powerful and can slow down mass piracy, but on the other hand it can also have some significant drawbacks for legitimate consumers. For instance, you could one day suddenly be unable to watch new movies on your player because it has been revoked after someone has successfully compromised this model. Practical use (as well as explanations to future customers) of this new revocation system will be very interesting to watch.

That absolutely sucks, and I had never heard about it... :(

Re:What's in a name?

[The Lynxpro]

"The only reason HD-DVD is a competitive is because it's got the better name. Sure it'll cost lest to manufacture and be...*cough*... more compatable, Blue-Ray offers so much more, it only has a crappy name. Maybe this group can think of a better name. Any ideas? HDVD? DVD-Ultra? Super-DVD?"

Are you crazy? Blu-Ray has the catchy name. HD-DVD sounds like a naming convention nightmare. Like something someone from BMW dreamed up working the night shift and running out of other lettered combos to affix "iii" to.

When someone asks what Blu-Ray is, they'll be informed that it is "DVD's successor" along with all the benefits. In comparison, "HD-DVD" sounds like a *riced out* addition to DVD, like a Ferrari F40 wanna-be spoiler affixed to a 10 year old Honda Civic.

Re:who cares?

[evilviper]

Much like CDs, DVDs provide more than acceptable quality to the masses.

No, with audio CDs, almost everyone literally can't hear the difference with a higher-quality format. With HDTV, people can easily see the difference between 480 and 1080.

I'm not saying you're right or wrong, but your rationalle is certainly wrong.

Re:who cares?

[BillyBlaze]

I think there's a significant overlap between the audiophiles who want better-quality audio and the technophiles who want to organize and use it with their computers. Since DVD-Audio/SACD doesn't provide that flexibility, it isn't worth it to people in that overlap.