If you haven’t already heard, Sony’s Blu-Ray won the high-definition video format war. If you didn’t know, then you probably don’t care; I sure don’t. But as the resident technical expert around these parts, I feel it is my duty to enlighten you to why it is I didn’t care.
A short history lesson though; let’s calls it Josh’s Format History 101. Launched in 1975, Sony’s Betamax was a new form of home videocassette. However, as you’ll be well aware, it was the VHS that came out on top (whether we thank the porn industry or not, is another discussion entirely). Then came the DVD, and that swept in easily without any problems. It was the next step up; logical.
However next was the high-definition format war, and this was to be fought out by two competitors; HD-DVD – backed by Toshiba, Microsoft, and others – and Blu-Ray – backed by Sony and a whole host of studios and tech companies.
The long and the short of it is that Blu-Ray has just won, thanks to major studios swapping to Blu-Ray’s side, price drops, the Sony Playstation 3, and much more.
However, the reason I don’t care is that none of this actually matters. We don’t need another physical format, and most of you have already encountered the next leap anyway. It isn’t anything new or overly exciting, it’s just what is next; digital downloads.
"We can use HD discs to train consumers to move into digital, but it's a transition," said Warner Bros.' Dan Silverberg. "Downloaded content will come, but the consumer will get quicker tutorial into video-on-demand, etc., by owning a Blu-ray player or HD DVD."
This is the statement of someone who wants to acknowledge what is coming, but doesn’t want to shoot themselves in the foot. In other words, while people know that downloadable content is next, they still want to make some money from Blu-Ray.
But even that is a pipe-dream, in my – and many others – opinion. Downloadable content (and streaming content) is already here and beginning to perpetuate itself effectively. Apple’s iTunes is continually making strides forward with studio deals and new programming. Amazon’s Unbox is definitely competing with iTunes, if not beating it – which is a statement in and of itself. Everywhere you look, TV shows are available for download.
Not just that, but extras for TV shows being aired on TV are being offered for download as well. So it isn’t just that we’ve got TV shows coming your way over the internet, but all that exciting extra stuff you had to wait for the DVD to get is also downloading everywhere.
Netflix, one of the most popular companies in the US, base their operations on providing customers with movies via the mail system. However even they saw the writing on the wall and began offering movies to watch over the air. Cable networks are following suit, by allowing people to choose what they want to watch via the internet, and providing that through their cables.
No matter what you think of the quality or capacity of Blu-Ray, it dwindles in to insignificance when compared alongside downloadable content.
Blu-Ray can’t even make a good storage medium, considering that there are discs being made specifically for this arena that can store more than the Blu-Ray disc can.
So as my own public service announcement to all of you, here’s my advice: don’t buy a Blu-Ray player. If you want a higher quality disc player, get an upconverting DVD player. The picture is comparable to the high definition players, and it is much cheaper and saves you having to re-purchase your collection of movies.
But if you aren’t picky, then keep your DVD player for all you currently own, and find yourself what you want online; it’s all there! iTunes can send stuff to your computer, and thus to your iPod, or to your Apple TV (which is finally a decent product to buy, thanks to its recent software upgrade). The Microsoft Xbox 360 is providing digital downloads, as will the PS3 once it gets around to it. Netflix is providing downloads and so is your cable company.
Trust me, Blu-Ray is good for 5 years, at best; downloadable digital content is good for now, and on for many decades to come (in various incarnations).
Joshua Hill, a Geek’s-Geek from Melbourne, Australia, Josh is an aspiring author with dreams of publishing his epic fantasy, currently in the works, sometime in the next 5 years. A techie, nerd, sci-fi nut and bookworm.
