Blu-ray - did it really win the HD format wars?
Uptake on Blu-ray, despite it killing off HDDVD earlier in the year has proven slower than expected. It is still being constantly out-sold by DVD, and despite Sony trying to hush claims, BR sales include PS3 games so will be artifically inflated anyway.
So why is it doing so bad?
Well, earlier in the year the CEO of THX claimed that with current technology, streaming media, and downloadable content is the way forward. What would be better than to walk into Blockbusters and insert your USB stick into a machine that puts the movie straight on it for you to watch
at home?
Not only does this cut down costs, as you do not have to pay for manufacturing costs of the disk itself, but it is also much more portable; You would only be able to watch a Blu-ray movie on a device that has a BR drive. It is also worth pointing out that BR has patents
that prevent a game/movie being played on ANOTHER device after it has been used once.
That is, it can only be used on the machine/device it was first watched on.
Toshiba has now also announced plans to release a series of STBs and portable players that will play digital content from SD cards. After being left with its tail between its legs when announcing the end of
HDDVD, Toshiba did not rush out and back BR as was widely expected. It looks to be reigniting the war on BR in what could be the end of consumer optical media.
Apple is already selling HD movie downloads so watch this space - you might also want to reconsider that BR player purchase…
Tags: apple, blu-ray, BR, format wars, HD movies, hd-dvd, optical media, THX, Toshiba