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Format Wars: Blu-ray vs. HD DVD
The format war. Over the last few decades it has played out across various forms of tech -- AC vs. DC, VHS vs. Beta -- usually with fierce battle lines drawn and millions, or even billions, of dollars at stake. Recently, none has burned so brightly as the battle of HD DVD vs. Blu-ray (read our blow-by-blow retrospective of the 2005-2007 battle here). And it brought all the classic elements: Sides were divided between titans of the industry, led by Sony pressing the Blu-ray side and Toshiba backing HD DVD, with the PS3 and Xbox 360 ready to serve as Trojan horses. As if the stakes weren't high enough already, the specter of an oncoming internet-streaming winter loomed like Game of Throne's army of White Walkers. So what really happened? Who won in the end? And, most importantly, was that victory actually worth it all?
Revved up USB 3.0 carries 10 times the power of Thunderbolt
Wow. Those rockstars at the USB 3.0 promoter group haven't taken the threat of Thunderbolt lying down. They've been working long into the night (we imagine) screaming "More Power!" and "Liiiiive, damn you, liiiive!". In a press release, the group announces a new power delivery specification which will push USB 3.0's limit from 4.5 watts all the way up to 100. You all of course remember that Thunderbolt's maximum is a mere-by-comparison 10 watts. Brad Saunders, the promotion group's chairman, believes that the new standard could enable USB 3.0 to supply a laptop with energy at the same time as it delivers data between your devices. (After all that time sponging off your laptop's meager battery it's about time your USB-powered foot warmer started returning the favor.) At the moment it's only a specification and won't be implemented until 2012 at the earliest, but this could just turn into an arms race of electrifying proportions.
Google defends H.264 removal from Chrome, says WebM plug-ins coming to Safari and IE9
Google renewed a heated discussion when it said it was dropping H.264 support from Chrome's HTML5 video tag last week, but it seems the company's ready and willing to push its WebM alternative video format hard -- not only is hardware decoder IP now available for the VP8 codec, but the project team is presently readying WebM plug-ins for Safari and Internet Explorer 9, neither of which include it themselves. As to the little matter of whether any of this is the right move for the web at large, we'll paraphrase what Google had to say for itself: H.264 licenses cost money; Firefox and Opera don't support H.264 either; and big companies like Google are helping the little guy by championing this open alternative. We have to say, the eternal optimist in us is cheering them on. Oh, and the linguist in us, too. Read Google's own words at our source link, and decide for yourself.
Google will drop H.264 support from Chrome, herd the masses towards WebM and Theora
We knew Google was rather fond of its WebM video standard, but we never expected a move like this: the company says it will drop support for the rival H.264 codec in its HTML5 video tag, and is justifying the move in the name of open standards somehow. Considering that H.264 is presently one of (if not the) most widely supported format out there, it sounds a little like Google shooting itself in the foot with a .357 round -- especially considering the MPEG-LA just made H.264 royalty-free as long as it's freely distributed just a few months ago. If that's the case, Chrome users will have to download a H.264 plug-in to play most web video that's not bundled up in Flash... which isn't exactly an open format itself. Or hey, perhaps everyone will magically switch to Chrome, video providers will kowtow, unicorns will gaily prance, and WebM will dominate from now on.
MPEG-LA makes H.264 video royalty-free forever, as long as it's freely distributed
The H.264 codec that makes a good deal of digital video possible has actually been free to use (under certain conditions) for many years, but following recent controversies over the future of web video, rightholders have agreed to extend that freedom in perpetuity. Whereas originally standards organization MPEG-LA had said it wouldn't collect royalties from those freely distributing AVC/H.264 video until 2016, the limitless new timeframe may mean that content providers banking on WebM and HTML5 video won't have an expensive surprise in the years to come. Then again, patent licensing is complicated stuff and we'd hate to get your hopes up -- just know that if you're an end-user uploading H.264 content you own and intend to freely share with the world, you shouldn't expect a collection agency to come knocking on your door. PR after the break.
Know Your Rights: H.264, patent licensing, and you
Know Your Rights is Engadget's technology law series, written by our own totally punk ex-copyright attorney Nilay Patel. In it we'll try to answer some fundamental tech-law questions to help you stay out of trouble in this brave new world. This isn't legal advice or analysis, so don't get all donked in the head. What on earth is going on with H.264, patents, and video encoding on the web? It seems like ever since Steve Jobs published his Thoughts on Flash the world has gone crazy. We know what you mean! It's getting pretty silly out there. OSNews just declared that H.264 would be the death of video art and culture because professional video cameras are only licensed by AT&T for personal and non-commercial usage. Terrifying, although most of the creative people we know have continued working free of devastating laser attacks from space.
Deadlands 2 cancellation puts an unnecessary nail in HD DVD's coffin
We're sure there's a few people out there still waving the Red flag, unfortunately for them a planned last hurrah for HD DVD won't go off, as the release of Deadlands 2: Trapped on the format has been cancelled. Director Gary Ugarek had attempted a limited edition pressing of the flick to raise dormant HD-A1s and the like from the dead but ran into "one too many roadblocks" including U.S. printers backing out and has been forced to end the project. Those already on the preorder list can email Anthem Pictures at info@anthemdvd.com for a refund, while others can check the trailer after the break and wonder what might have been..
HD DVD rides again: TCL brings China Blue HD & Blu-ray together for a CES face-off
Ah, HD DVD, our old friend - we thought we'd never see you again. But there was no mistaking it, here's the logo tucked away in Chinese manufacturer TCL's booth on a China Blue HD deck next to a similar Blu-ray player. The Blu-ray demo appeared to be down when we stopped by making this not much of a fight -- although with recent gains by CBHD like adding studio support from Paramount, it may want to take this challenger more seriously. We'll move the threat level on this conflict to yellow. %Gallery-82741%
China Blue HD crosses over to the UK, third Opium War inevitable
We've given HD DVD's bastard child China Blue HD its due for a good start in its native land, but now that U.K. Importer GBAX has made a few units available it's time for English language buyers to at least consider this Blu-ray alternative. Of course, with a £259.99 ($413.22 U.S.) pricetag for this plain TCL player, AV and HD cables, plus 14 CBHD movies (The Aviator, Blood Diamond, The Invasion, The Island, Flood, Poseidon & 8 Chinese-only flicks) to get you started the barrier to entry is high, but as shown in the unboxing / preview video -- embedded after the break, watch for ninjas -- the experience is very familiar. As Format War Central points out, the 220/240Hz power cord makes things complicated for the U.S. and other places outside Europe, but hardcore HD DVD holdouts are used to a world filled with only Warner and Universal movies already, so why not give the other blue laser flavor a try? [Via Format War Central]
China Blue HD adding supporters and talking trash to Blu-ray
It momentarily slipped under our US-centric noses, but another log was thrown on the Chinese high definition format war recently when Universal Studios and National Geographic joined Warner in supporting China Blue HD. Format War Central also reports 8 new manufacturers have signed up to join the CHDA backing the format. That plus a claimed 3-1 sales advantage have the CHDA calling the format war "a game no one played" thanks to Blu-ray's high prices and licensing fees. It's still unlikely China's son of HD DVD could affect that high definition movie marketplace anywhere else, but it will be interesting to see if the country's manufacturers choose that path and upgrade their existing DVD equipment instead of replacing it to produce the even cheaper Blu-ray players we'd hoped for. [Via Format War Central]
Toshiba applies for BDA admission, Blu-ray players and laptops coming soon
We'd already heard that Toshiba -- the outfit best known for solidly backing HD DVD during the two-year format war of the early 21st century -- was preparing to swallow its pride and kick out a Blu-ray player by the year's end, but now it's official. The outfit just announced moments ago that it has "applied for membership of the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) and plans to introduce products that support the Blu-ray format." Sadly, Tosh doesn't bother to mention exactly what kinds of BD-capable wares it hopes to produce, nor is it ready to disclose product launch time frames. We'd tell you exactly how it wants us to just be patient and all, but you're probably better off hearing it directly from the horse's trap:"In light of recent growth in digital devices supporting the Blu-ray format, combined with market demand from consumers and retailers alike, Toshiba has decided to join the BDA. Toshiba aims to introduce digital products that support the Blu-ray format, including BD players and notebook PCs integrating BD drives, in the course of this year. Details of the products, including the timing of regional launches, are now under consideration. We will make announcements in due course."
Blu-ray reportedly trailing CBHD in China, the second theater of the format war begins
Just because Toshiba has given up on HD DVD and moved on, doesn't mean the format war is totally over for red. According to a report by a Japanese TV station, its successor, China Blue HD is actually leading Blu-ray in marketshare in that country. Of course, based on the article found by our friends at FormatWarCentral, all we have to go on is a machine translated description of a video in a language we don't speak describing the apparent initial success of the government backed format in a socialist republic. If you need more evidence than that to declare the format war officially restarted, you're probably a communist, but before we drag you in front of the Un-American activities committee check out the video for a peek at the slick new CBHD cases that The Onion will surely be shipping its videos in very soon.[Via FormatWarCentral]
Toshiba launching Blu-ray player by year's end
Need a little something to get you over the Saturday lull? Gnaw on this. Japan's own Yomiuri is reporting today that Toshiba is expected to finally admit defeat and enter the dark, devious world of Blu-ray later this year. For those keeping tabs, we've heard both confirmations and denials about the outfit finally caving and supporting the format it once battled so valiantly, but this seems to solidify it. If machine translation is to be believed, the company's first DVD / Blu-ray deck is slated for release somewhere in the world by the year's end. The article also mentions that Tosh is strongly considering a Blu-ray recorder for the Japanese market, though no further details on that are available. C'mon Toshiba -- get this bad boy to the States before Christmas. We're anxious for a BD price war.[Thanks, Rata]
Toshiba CEO mentions the possibility of supporting Blu-ray
Though some iffy poll results & a Chinese spinoff may have you thinking HD DVD is just on the cusp of a comeback, Toshiba president Atsutoshi Nishida suggested today that the company might join the rest of the consumer electronics community and support Blu-ray. In the midst of defeat last year he said it had "no plans" to switch sides, focusing on flash memory and DVD upscaling tech instead, but after a few billion in losses that might have changed, as the prez indicated just losing the format war wasn't enough reason to skip out on the Blu-ray market and that Toshiba "would like to keep our options open." Besides enjoying the good news that our exes have found gainful employment as executive speechwriters, we'll be keeping an eye out for another Cell-based Blu-ray player to join the PS3, if not tomorrow, someday.
New CES, same doubts about Blu-ray
You know the drill by now, every year around this time the Blu-ray disc format enters under suspicion that it won't measure up, with too many competitors already in place or on the way. Despite delivering improved second gen players in 2007, and a surprise victory over HD DVD to open CES '08, today's New York Times leads up to the electronics show with an article pointing out Blu-ray's fuzzy future. Whether or not 2009 is Blu-ray's last, best chance to prove it can properly replace DVD, we all know what's necessary to leave the niche product tag behind. In the face of growing Internet video delivery and tightening consumer spending, we'll see if there's at least one more command performance left in discs.
China's Blu-ray rival lacks key manufacturer support
HD DVD's strike from beyond the grave may be falling short before it even gets started, as Digitimes reports no Taiwan drive manufacturers have joined the China Blue HD team so far -- and according to the always talkative anonymous sources, there's little optimism they will. Unfortunately the manufacturer support stage is where VMD, EVD and FVD failed before it and with no Hollywood support and cheaper Blu-ray hardware on the way, it's hard to see how CBHD will ever have much impact.
HD DVD sales apparently still going strong
Sure, sure, the format war is over, but we never expected HD DVD to just disappear overnight, and it looks like the combination of deeply-discounted hardware, cheap media, and a weak economy are keeping Red alive even as Toshiba pretends no one really wants true HD anyway. Players are going for as little as $60 with movies available for $10, and retailers like Buy.com say that "sales are still very strong." Of course, eventually all this stock has to run out, so we doubt this'll be a long-lasting phenomenon, but hey -- stranger things have happened.
Poll: Did you purchase an HD DVD player post-format war?
While scads of HD DVD adopters took advantage of extended return periods in order to rid themselves of the defunct format, we wonder who ran out to acquire a player at rock-bottom prices? Even now, the cost of entry into Blu-ray is still ridiculously high, and it's not like we ever had any issues with the image / audio quality of HD DVDs. Rather than beating around the proverbial bush, we'll get right down to it: did you rush out to buy an HD DVD player soon after the format war concluded? Did you stock up on HD DVD titles at bargain basement prices? Are you still enjoying your HD DVD player right now? Tell us how your unit is faring after a few months of being shunned by everyone else, and don't even think of being shy. %Poll-17883%
China's Blu-ray competitor CBHD brings HD DVD back from the dead
CBHD, née CH-DVD -- the Chinese version of the now-deceased HD DVD format -- is in production, gearing up for a fourth quarter launch. DigiTimes cites reports from enorth.com.cn that Shanghai United Optical Disc has laid out the first production line, although Taiwanese disc makers (already burned by HD DVD) aren't as confident it can take on Blu-ray, even with considerably lower royalty fees and hardware costs for disc replicators. Coming alongside news that Chinese-built Blu-ray players based on increasingly affordable hardware is on the way, plus a decided lack of studio support, it's not hard to see how this one will turn out (again.) Not to underrate China's national pride, but unless it can gain an unexpected foothold among DVD pirates, CBHD will probably be on the high definition scrap heap alongside HD DVD, EVD and the rest before long.
87% of PlayStation 3 owners watching Blu-ray movies? Survey says yes
Buried under predictions that 2012 will bring dominance for Blu-ray over DVD and breaking news that the PS3 just may have had a hand in winning the format war the Entertainment Merchant's Association 2008 Annual Report on the Home Entertainment Industry holds survey results showing 87% of PS3 owners reported they watch Blu-ray movies on their console. That's a stark contrast to last year's NPD survey indicating 60% of owners didn't even know it played them. We don't know what's behind the jump, be it better marketing/consumer education, or something wrong with how one the surveys were conducted. You can mull that one over during the fast money round while also peeping results that say 22% of HDTV owners think they're watching HD programming, but in fact are not -- not like we haven't heard that before.[Via PS3 Fanboy]
