We pretty much knew the format war was over when Warner Brothers switched to Blu-Ray only, but now it just seems like people are adding insult to injury.
Granted, HD-DVD hasn’t surrendered yet, so I guess business have no choice but to make these kinds of announcements, but still…it makes you feel bad for the HD-DVD camp.
And for those of us with HD-DVD players. Ugh.
So Netflix earlier this week announced that they were going to only Blu-Ray in the near future and would not stock HD-DVD anymore. This was updated on Engadget later that they’d still have a limited supply, but it’s basically going to be impossible to find available HD-DVD movies to rent I suspect.
Even the comments section of that blog post had people talking of canceling their Netflix membership over it.
And now Best Buy, always at the forefront of these things it seems (like getting rid of all rear projection TVs), announced today that they will “showcase Blu-Ray as the HD format of the future.”
In March they will stock their shelves and promote Blu-Ray to customers as the technology they should be purchasing, despite still saying they’ll have limited stock of HD-DVD.
I stopped by Best Buy today and there was 3 total sections of Blu-Ray compared to 1 second of HD-DVD, so I think it’s already happening.
Anyways, this whole war and subsequent defeat has been interesting to me because I was just kid during the Betamax and VHS wars during the 1970s and 1980s.
Hopefully it will end soon and HD-DVD will just yell “uncle” so we can just move on and stop hearing these sad stories.
…”during the Betamax and VHS wars during the 1970s and 1980s”… Ummmm, the 80’s? =)
I read it started in 1975…and lasted for 10 years?
It’s funny that people are canceling their Netflix subscriptions over the decision… they’ll just be screwing themselves out of DVDs! It’s not like there is an alternative at this point, it looks like the format war has been won. I’m surprised that anybody really made a leap before it was decided… the equipment at this point is so expensive, anyway.
Adam’s last blog post..Sarah Connor Chronicles – Week 5 of 8
Well, the HD-DVD stuff was pretty cheap, I got a player and 10 HD-DVDs for $200.
But yeah, I wish I hadn’t been an idiot…
I wish you would have just sent it back like I did.
I do feel bad for anyone that’s going to be stuck with a HD DVD player. I guess since it plays regular DVD’s it will be a good second DVD player.
Scott’s last blog post..Despite possible recession, these fields remain HOT in 2008
Yeah, I was going to just sell it or send it back, but the problem is that I gave my dad my old Sony Upconvert DVD player and so I’d be left with nothing.
It does a remarkable job at upconverting
Get ready for downloads!
Michael – I really hope downloads are the wave, much simpler and easier.
Scott’s last blog post..Despite possible recession, these fields remain HOT in 2008
@Adam – it’s called “early adopters” – some of us like to jump into the pool ahead of the others.
Admittedly, I did a ton of reading and research before I decided to go Blu.
Red is Dead – embrace your inner Blu!
I can almost guarantee that Microsoft will accelerate their research into HD downloads — mid-2009 you’ll start hearing about getting rid of physical discs altogether, then we’ll have another war brewing…
Make high-definition video, high-density optical blu-ray discs, not war!
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Classic!
Wal-Mart announced today they’re going Blu-Ray exclusive.
Game. Set. Match. The war is officially over.
well its probably officially over when Toshiba stop production of HD-DVD…. which with current reports on the web right now, thats all but certain as they are poised to make the announcement…
then… its officially over.
[...] back we posted that Netflix was going to go exclusively Blu-Ray in the coming future, which was a huge blow to HD-DVD at the time. Well, that “future” [...]