Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD: Who's The Winner?
Where Did The Cards Fall in the Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD Battle?
Many of us who like to get the latest in home entertainment electronics have been putting off the purchase of a new DVD player due to the Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD war. Finally, it appears we can begin our shopping search. The war is pretty much over. But who was the winner, and why? Read on to find out...
And the Winner Is...
It seems that Blu-Ray has won the war. Why? It might have something to do with the fact that all of the "big boys" (Sony, Apple, Dell, Hitachi, Disney, Warner Bros. and another 150 or so companies) were in the Blu-Ray camp. Some from the start, some as HD-DVD defectors. And that, my friends, is the problem.
Blu-Ray did not win because of better technology. It did not win because it was superior to HD-DVD. No, it won due to nothing more than a big-name popularity contest. And what does this mean to us, the average consumer?
Well, instead of getting sensibly-priced HD-DVD players, we're gonna have to fork out a lot more money for Blu-Ray. It's not better technology, it's just better marketed - and you and I will be paying for the marketing budget.
What You Need to Know
Fortunately, contrary to what some people believe, getting a Blu-Ray DVD player does not mean investing a few hundred bucks into a PS3. You can get Blu-Ray players that aren't even made by Sony at all. This, hopefully, will keep the costs of Blu-Ray players at a somewhat-reasonable level -- in the future. Right now you should still plan on spending a minimum of $400 on a Blu-Ray player for your home entertainment system.