Can you help me with these questions about those new types of DVDs?
(1) What’s the difference between Blu-Ray and HD-DVDs?
(2) Will those new DVDs play in a regular DVD player, and render as well on a tube TV as ordinary DVDs do?
(3) Those new ones seem to be priced higher. So are they really more expensive to produce, or are the manufacturers taking unfair advantage of the consumers?
Thanks!!
To "Broadcast Engineer" — What a great and comprehensive answer. That was exactly thin information I needed! Thanks — and have a very Merry Christmas!!
Typo correction to the above: "thin" = "the."
To "jwplaster" — Your response, while not quite as detailed as the above-referenced one, was also excellent and helpful, and helped me to get a clearer picture of what’s happening. So my thanks to you too, and my best wishes to you to have a very Merry Christmas!
To "drunkenchicken55" — Thanks for your answer. I don’t yet have an HDTV; I’m waiting, since the prices of them are continuing to drop. But wanted to know this since all my future DVD purchases will probably be oriented to playing them on HDTV. Which I can then watch, once I have one.
Based on the answers so far, I’m concerned that one of the two formats may become extinct, as happened to Beta. I don’t want to find myself with a stack of DVDs I can’t watch.
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(1) Blue Ray and HD-DVD are two incompatible formats of high definition DVD media. Neither of which is compatible with DVD Video, the original home DVD video format.
(2) Blue Ray DVD only play on a Blue Ray player, a Playstation 3, a Blue Ray DVD recorder (as in a computer) or the LG dual format Blue Ray and HD-DVD player. Most of these will also play the DVD video discs.
HD-DVD only play on HD-DVD players, a XBox 360 with HD-DVD optional accessory, a HD-DVD recorder or the LG dual format Blue Ray and HD-DVD player. Most of these also play DVD video discs.
(3) The discs are more expensive to produce due to the HD content on them. As for the blank media it probably still costs more due to the higher sales of the DVD video media. But that will change over time as consumer choices change. Electronic media costs less when the public demand increases. Initial costs always include some portion of the cost of the initial development of the technology and the manufacturer’s cost of producing the first runs of the product.