What I think will happen with HD DVD and BluRay players in the coming years.
I have come to this (one person's opinion only)
I think it will end up being: HD DVD =VHS, BluRay =Betas
Why I say this? It's cause Sony is known for format failures. Remember the miniDisk, the camcorder Digital 8, and Betas? Sony was basically the inventor of these (from what I heard). These failed. As I see it, Sony is the inventor of the Blu Ray. Evidently Blu Rays are very costly compaired to HD DVD.
I think HD DVD will win. WHY I say this? It's cause HD DVD is much cheaper to buy. People are always eager to get the best prices on the latest products. Lower price = more people being attracted to the HD DVD. It's just simply how the nature of economics is. SO maybe Blu Rays are a little better than HD DVD in certain ways. BUT remember this: Many people especially the not so gifted people with tight McDonalds type incomes will comment.... "Why do I want to pay more $$ for a next generation DVD player, when I can get the other next gerneration DVD player for 1/2 the price!" We ALL know how some people are with paycheck to paycheck incomes. Many times people can be quite stingy. Thats the nature of economics.
One other thing too. It is VERY difficult to adjust to anything entirely new. I have heard the Blu Ray makers were MEANT to make an entirely new and differet format. HD DVD is meant to be just an upgrade of the DVD format.
Speaking of which! As of January 2008! I went to Circuit City. There, I saw a Blu-Ray play and a HD-DVD player. I was looking at the Blu-Ray player. $399. That's not bad! Just a year ago, it was $1000. Next to it, I saw a nice eye catching promotion sign. It states : Get 5 free Blu-Ray movies instantly and 5 more in mail with purchase of ANY Blu-Ray player!
When I see this, WOW! I comment. A very nice deal! That's a really nice way to get me to buy!
THEN, as I was walking around the store more, I then saw the HD DVD player. I saw an even better price. $199 for an HD DVD player. Now GET THIS... I saw the same exact thing on the HD DVD player.... The eye catching promotion sign stating the EXACT same thing! Get 5 free HD DVDs instantly, and 5 more in mail with purchase of any HD DVD player! WOW, these high definition formats really are at a war! It's crazy!
But still yet, there are players that play both! But they're very expensive!
Still one other thing. I saw the demonstration of both players. It all the SAME quality to me! But both of these are definitly better quality than the standard DVD! I watched the demo movie on the lesser price HD DVD player, I was SO impressed with the quality of picture, that I stayed watching the demo movie for a 1/2 hr straight, I couldn't resist!
************************************************************************************
UPDATE!!! Well it looks like the HD-DVD (VHS) have LOST the war... TOO BAD. HD DVD didn't even try! I can't believe HD DVD (VHS) lost even though these player cost TONS of money LESS to buy! I can see because some movie company decided to do blu-rays(beta) instead! 8888
I have commented this just days or week before Toshiba announced they will pull the plug at the end of Feb 2008.
SO NOW THAT THIS HAPPENED, please advise yourself... IT IS POINTLESS TO BUY A DUEL FORMAT DVD PLAYER, buy ONLY the blu-ray. It cost MORE to buy a duel format player than to buy a blu-ray player AND an HD DVD player! Unless you were unfortunate to have bought an HD DVD player and a big collection of HD DVDs.
)