THE DOC’S LAB: Blu-ray Vs. HD-DVD

[Editor’s note/update: Soon after this article was published Tobisha (HD-DVD’s creator) ceased manufacturing HD-DVD disks and players, effectively killing the platform. This decision followed a number of studios and stores deciding to use Blu-Ray over HD-DVD. And so this format war ends like those before, with one format taking over the marketplace and the other one going the way of Betamax. —Bill Peters]Getting a scoop on today’s technologyBy Dren AhmetajWhen we sit down to watch a movie these days, watching a DVD via a DVD player has always been the obvious choice to see the movie in good resolution. As the New Year has rolled in, so have two new DVD formats that continue to battle it out. In this edition of the Doc’s lab, I will be looking at the new way we will be seeing movies via Blue-ray (Blu-ray) disc and High Definition (HD)-DVD disc. Unlike other editions of the Doc’s lab, I will not be rating anything but will be looking at two emerging DVD formats. These two formats were introduced a few years ago, but the battle is on who will emerge on top, promising to deliver better resolution, crystal clear picture, and crisper audio than a standalone DVD disc. HD-DVD is mainly supported by Microsoft and Toshiba, and Blu-ray is supported by Sony and many others. In order to play these new formats, you have to purchase either an HD-DVD player or Blue Ray player. This leads to another dilemma: how does decided which one is best? Let’s find out how they stack up against one another.Blu-ray’s biggest advantage is its storage. A Blu-ray disc uses a blue laser that is unlike the traditional red lasers that companies have used for years and has a capacity advantage, offering 25GB of storage on a single-sided disc and 50GB on a double-sided disc. HD-DVD also uses blue laser, but the discs hold 15GB (single sided) or 30GB (double-sided). Blu-ray supports 7.1 channels of high definition surround sound which means audio will sound clear (depends on speaker system you have).When comparing HD-DVD and Blu-Ray players, HD-DVD players are more affordable than their Blu-Ray counterparts. You can find an HD-DVD player for less than 300 dollars (Xbox 360 owners can add external one.) whereas Blu-ray players still remain above the 500 dollar price tag (LG has one that plays both but expensive.). Blu-ray players have one unique feature called BD live, which you connect via internet. This feature allows the movies to get updated, which could include extra bonus features, games, and other possibilities. Blu-ray does have major support from movies, one of them recently being Warner Brothers going exclusive with Blu-ray in which HD-DVD took a big hit. Also electronics, such as dell implanting Blu-ray recorders and video game developers supporting PS3, have blue ray built in and many more. HD-DVD movie prices are cheaper than Blu-ray movies and are available in stores now. There are more HD-DVD selections than Blu-Ray. In the end, you don’t have to worry about throwing away your old DVD collection; both players are backward compatible. With the current trend of HDTV’s getting more affordable, getting the Blu-ray or HD-DVD will become a must for consumers in the future to see the maximum use of their HDTV. While Blu-Ray seems to be getting the advantage especially in quality, I still wouldn’t count out HD-DVD out of the picture. Just as the DVD did it the VHS, only time will tell which one of these new formats will rise to the top.