Why Blu-ray?

re: Why Blu-ray?

BrandoN — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 17:28:39 GMT

Dell, don't jump on a sinking ship!

http://news.digitaltrends.com/talkback158.html

I'm getting worried that your going to let HP one-up you on this (and I hate HP just for the record).

re: Why Blu-ray?

Dell Lied — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 19:54:38 GMT

I should stop posting when I'm tired. It seems I don't bother to spell or grammar check at those times. I wonder if that makes my input any less valuable. (scratches head)

My Wii awaits... oh, darn, still the middle of the workday.

-DL

re: Why Blu-ray?

Aaron — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 19:22:36 GMT

re: Why Blu-ray?

Dell Lied — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 07:45:58 GMT

Steven, techme... just to note.. Sony's authoring tool for Blu-Ray media content that had been provided to studios originally did not support VC1 encoding, which is what HD-DVD uses. Blu--Ray has the option of using mpeg2 or VC1. Now, studios are able to use VC1 encoding with Blu-Ray movies, and there is no discernable difference in picture quality, other than that which may be caused by any imigae processing in the playback device itself.

A few movies have been released on Blu-Ray using the newer VC1 encoding and they're indistinguishable from their HD-DVD counterparts.

Now, when more sets on the market support 1080p, moreplayers do as well, and Sony moves Blu-Ray storage capacity for encoded video up to 50GB or more.. Blu-Ray will be the clear visual quality leader.

Not to mention, Blu-Ray stores more data per disk, had a swifter path to larger storage capacity, and unlike HD-DVD, is already being geared towards 100GB disks.. granted.. we won't see those for awhile.

So, the only real issue holding Blu-Ray back, despite HD-DVD's tenuous early start in the market.. is the price point. Eventually Sony will realize they have to be competitive and they'll have to provide affordable and competitivly priced recorders/players/media.

I'm pretty sure Dell sees the long term Sony strategy and benefits and these are also reasons they chose Blu-Ray to support.

Sony's playing the same game with their PS3's.. getting them into the market now.. getting the manufacturing glitches and other issues out of the way.. getting production ramped up so they can reduce production costs.. and knowing they'll have a great gaming system in another 18 months.. when nex gen games are added to their already vast ps2/ps1 library. Sony like to play long term strategy. Now if only they'd stop looking so far ahead that they can't see their customers here and now.

Now, I just wish The Fifth Element would get re-released using the VC1 encoding on Blu-Ray media. The first time around it was encoded with less effecient mpeg2/

Welp, off I go back to playing Wii Sports.

re: Why Blu-ray?

techme — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 19:19:08 GMT

HD DVD is more price effective and better quality for movies. You can get a good Toshiba HD DVD player for $500, and most Blu-ray players are $800 to $1000.

Quote from PC Magazine- "...most people agree that the HD DVD movies are superior overall."

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2015177,00.asp

re: Why Blu-ray?

BrandoN — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 18:59:37 GMT

HD-DVD All the way!

re: Why Blu-ray?

Craig — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 14:03:57 GMT

Does Dell have a timeline as to when they will offer a Blue-ray reader/writer in a Dell PC?

Blue-ray RW disks could replace some of the smaller tape backup systems that people use like the TR40 and DDS4.

-Craig

re: Why Blu-ray?

Steven — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 08:51:24 GMT

Well...the only reason Dell is "supporting" Blu-Ray is because its patent owner Sony has a lot of money to ensure that second largest PC maker Dell supports it. The first largest, HP, is supporting HD-DVD - the rival and better technology - as is Microsoft the largest software vendor and Intel the largest chip maker...and the list goes on and on.

HD-DVD is less expensive, more versatile, more compatable, and currently has better video quality. The discs can be manufactured on the same production lines as standard DVDs since they are similar, opposed to Blu-Ray which requires complete retooling and new DVD machinery at DVD factories.

The 1080P issue is moot, now that both formats output 1080P images. HD-DVD uses a new modern compression type whereas Blu-Ray disc uses a much older high compression which degrades the video and all online reviews show that currently Blu-Ray is nowhere near the higher video quality of HD-DVD.

Now...a couple of points to bring up regarding Dell's explantion by Brian above:

"Why did we do it? Because of the many benefits it provides...Content protection system that satisfies the major movie studios’ content protection requirements as well as providing flexibility for the consumer"

Not a good argument, since both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD both have equally competent copy protection countermeasures.

"More storage capacity than both DVD and HD-DVD 50 GB for a dual-sided disc, compared to 8.5GB for DVD and 30GB for HD-DVD—to handle the huge storage requirements of high-definition movies and interactive content, as well as PC data storage and sharing requirements. This kind of capacity provides enough headroom for years to come"

Again, very misleading. Both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray have multiple layer capacities and the technology is still increasing. Saying one can hold greater than the other is not arguable at this point since nothing beyond two layers for Blu-Ray and three for HD-DVD are available right now. Besides...current movies do not even utilze all the space on a HD-DVD, so the rest is wasted and on a Blu-Ray disc, that leaves even more wasted space which is being paid for whether its used or not.

There are other things I could go on about, but most everything is posted al over the web. There is however one last thing: The proprietary Sony products like Blu-Ray that have always flopped. Here are Sony's past proprietary failures:

Betamax - failed and abandoned

UMD discs for PSP - failing as no one studio is producing them

Memory Stick - failed, only Sony uses them - other manufactures use standard CF and SD cards

MiniDisc - failed

Rootkit Copy Protected CDs - failed (plus got sued big time)

Sony Connect (iTunes rival) - is failing

Atrac (audio compression algorithm) - failed

...I could go on and on, but I won't, since most educated consumers know Blu-Ray isn't currently the best technology. Things may change, but given Sony's less than stellar track record...I doubt it.

I assume still Sony's Blu-Ray may find itself into Dell's computers and laptops, but if it does, I guess it will be another failure for Sony and Dell just like those 4.2 million explodig Sony batteries Dell used in their laptops. ;)

re: Why Blu-ray?

Joseph — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 01:57:03 GMT

Glad to hear you're supporting Blu-Ray. I agree that capacity is critical. HD-DVD may be adequate for movies thanks to MPEG-4, but the more critical point for me on my PC is that Blu-Ray can hold almost twice as much. This means fewer DVDs when I back up or archive.

re: Why Blu-ray?

Thomas Purves — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 01:15:59 GMT

Isn't the real question who really cares about optical media anymore?

the internet is the solution for content distribution for years to come.

I can't imagine any reason I'd want to content on a disc format ever again. (and haven't barely for years)

blueray RW technology is really the only thing i could find interesting.