Tux Love : Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD : The perils of early purchase

If you purchased a high-definition HD-DVD player... bummer. I did try to warn you last year, and Warner Brother's recent announcement that they'll only release movies in the competing Blu-ray format seems to be another nail in the HD-DVD coffin. But that's no reason for Blu-rayers to feel smug.

If you recently purchased a Blu-ray player, you may have also been screwed. That's because Blu-ray players come in what are known as "profiles". All players released before November 2007 were profile 1.0 machines, those since are profile 1.1. The kicker is that 1.0's aren't upgradeable to 1.1, so while they'll still play hi-def, "owners may find themselves frozen out of future developments in the technology".

If you managed to get a 1.1 profile, you're still screwed. Later this year profile 2.0 -- also known as "BD Live" -- will be out, and guess what? 1.1's aren't upgradeable either! (Profile 2.0 -- which allows players to connect to the internet and download all sorts of related content -- will presumably be upgradeable, but don't quote me on that.)

And just to add to the confusion, there's an exception to all of the above: Blu-ray players in the PlayStation 3 can be upgraded because they have the right hardware and online access.

It's not called the "bleeding edge" for nothing!

Comments

Thats how technology changes...its always fast paced

Posted by: Adult Bluray | January 4, 2010 11:43 PM

Blu ray has won now

Posted by: adult blu ray | March 12, 2009 10:32 AM

These PS3 guys didnt choose blu-ray... blu-ray chose them because they were stuck with it!!! Thats the FACT! It was gaming FIRST then BLU_CRAP second. So to say now "yeah BLU_CRAP won" is just an after thought after the warner news. The real people who decided what format should win for HI DEF movies are the ones that bought stand alone HD DVD players. Buncha bakas!

Posted by: j_beppoy | January 27, 2008 10:01 PM

Stick with DVD, and all these problems will be irrelevant. I feel so smug.

Posted by: Alex | January 26, 2008 9:16 AM

Actually the Ps3 DOES upscale DVD's to 1080p, why don't you actually buy one and find that out for yourself before you talk all this trash. Even if hd dvd fanboys do have a few better points it still doesn't matter cause hd dvd will lose anyways and that's what matters.

Posted by: Rick | January 26, 2008 7:59 AM

Playstation 3's actually upscale regular dvd's to 1080p

Posted by: blurayboy | January 26, 2008 5:35 AM

I like cheap... i don't care about Ray and whoever its stupid the consumer decided over the christmas season which format would win as HD doubled in sales because it was cheaper oh well i won't be buying anything now for a long time until blu rau gets there shit together and lowers there prices

Posted by: Mitch Dunphy | January 26, 2008 2:41 AM

I am only 19, so i don't know if that counts as being "Adult" to you guys, but i bought a Playstation 3 and there is no way in hell i would trade it for a HD-DVD player in a million years, there goin out of fassion like ice is at the north pole, or a blu-ray player. The Playstation does everything you want it to, and more! Even contributing to trying finding a cure to cancer, lets see ur HD-DVD player do that! And why would you spend like £300 on a decent Blu-ray player when the playstation is the same price, does everything the bl-ray player does and so much more! Plus if you have a mice glossy black HDTV they look awesome together.

Posted by: Scott | January 26, 2008 2:02 AM

THE PS3 UPSCALES 480p STANDARD DVD'S TO 1080p. FACT!

It is also the best upscaling tech I have seen, and is being updated regually. Sony have said that because the PS3 has a hard drive the upscaling quality can be improved by as much as 60%....

Another point is that all blu-ray discs released now and in the future will play (the main movie) on any profile, only the extras (online, PIP) will be incompatible.

Considering that I have watched maybe one or two DVD's with commentaries, these added features hold little interest to me, but I'm still glad I got a 'future proof' PS3...

Posted by: James | January 26, 2008 12:18 AM

Most people attack the owers of the new systems and not the systems themselves .. I own a PS3 and am proud of it .. It not only plays the latest HD superior format but my kids get to play with it as well .... why buy two system when you get an upgradable system all in one.

Posted by: Cappy | January 25, 2008 9:19 PM

Sigh... the big electronics companies just can't seem to ever get together to stop the "Betamax vs VHS" thing happening over and over again.

This time it's Blu-Ray vs HD-DVD. I wonder what the next round will be... :-/

Posted by: Andy | January 25, 2008 7:22 PM

Most adults I know would choose to buy the most economical yet most advanced blu-ray player they could find. That happens to be the Playstation 3. This adult loves his and so do all his friends that have one (all adults as well). Lets see how perfectly HD-DVD players work when their is no longer any discs to buy for them. I love how HD-DVD people think calling someone a blu boy is an insult. Now name calling is something my adult friends with Playstations don't even do.

Posted by: Hanso | January 25, 2008 4:00 PM

I would like to consider myself an adult and there is nothing i would like more than a PS3 'stuck' under my tv! Not only does it look much better than a dvd player it also has so many more features. Not to mention firmware upgradeability so who knows what else it will be able to do next year.

Posted by: Harry Barnes | January 25, 2008 12:39 PM

but most adults do not want a games console stuck under there tv
so they go out and buy a blu ray player and guess what?in 6 months its out dated and wont play half the contents.
unlike hd dvd that worked perfectly at a lower price with all the specs,
you get what you asked for bluboys so live with it.

Posted by: klrgklgkoa | January 25, 2008 10:23 AM

Sorry Art but Playstation 3 consoles do indeed upconvert standard DVDs to high definition just like your hd-dvd paper weight does.

Posted by: Hanso | January 25, 2008 9:00 AM

Yes, but playstation 3's don't upgrade regular dvd's except to 480p, so maybe that "old" hd dvd player will be handy.

Art

Posted by: Arthur Hagen | January 25, 2008 3:03 AM

But... most blu ray owners have ps3.

Posted by: soandso | January 24, 2008 8:01 PM