The only comment worth my time to post is this: When, when will fanboys be able to separate HD disc format from gaming? (I'm not referring to any of you guys posting..I'm referring to PS3 fanboys right now.)

Case in point: this week's news about Blu-ray (or more importantly, this week's news about Warner Bros.) So fine, it's one more drop in the bucket to send HD-DVD the way of Beta...I can respect that. But why is it that when fanboys see this information they IMMEDIATELY begin saying things like "Playstation 3 will be on top in 2008 because of this," or " This has totally put the 360 in THEIR place! Bwahaahaaaa!"

If anything, the one thing I believe is what happens in front of me and cold hard numbers. Both say that the Playstation 3 is still not selling as much as the Xbox 360, and that HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HD DISC FORMAT. If it was, as some of these PS3 fanboys seem to think, so weighty on the issue, wouldn't the PS3 be selling leaps and bounds above what they are currently?

My bottom line; Blu-ray may 'win' this format war, but it has nothing to do with the Playstation 3 so stop being a dip about it.

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The only comment worth my time to post is this: When, when will fanboys be able to separate HD disc format from gaming? (I'm not referring to any of you guys posting..I'm referring to PS3 fanboys right now.)

Case in point: this week's news about Blu-ray (or more importantly, this week's news about Warner Bros.) So fine, it's one more drop in the bucket to send HD-DVD the way of Beta...I can respect that. But why is it that when fanboys see this information they IMMEDIATELY begin saying things like "Playstation 3 will be on top in 2008 because of this," or " This has totally put the 360 in THEIR place! Bwahaahaaaa!"

If anything, the one thing I believe is what happens in front of me and cold hard numbers. Both say that the Playstation 3 is still not selling as much as the Xbox 360, and that HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HD DISC FORMAT. If it was, as some of these PS3 fanboys seem to think, so weighty on the issue, wouldn't the PS3 be selling leaps and bounds above what they are currently?

My bottom line; Blu-ray may 'win' this format war, but it has nothing to do with the Playstation 3 so stop being a dip about it.

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Honestly, and I say this as a huge supporter of HD-DVD, Microsoft better get a blu-ray player out on the market sooner than later. Because how it will play out is this... people in the next few months will see that HD-DVD is dead, then they'll see the PS3 is the cheapest and best Blu-Ray player on the market for the price. They'll start buying PS3's as Blu-Ray players with the added bonus that they'll also play games. This will show a huge surge in PS3 console purchases. All this will happen around the same time a lot of the PS3 exclusive games are coming out, and 360 doesn't really have any big bullets to fire this year... not like Halo or Bioshock at the very least. So... unless Microsoft can come out, VERY quickly with a better priced Blu-Ray add-on... then this one little hitch might just give the PS3 the foothold it needs to get back on top in the gaming world. Gamers are fickle when it comes to loyalty... and if there is a sudden surge in PS3 popularity because of Blu-Ray, gamers won't care why, they'll just want to jump on that band wagon. Honestly, I'm not a big Sony fan, I love my 360 and I love HD-DVD... but I will be buying a PS3 in the next few months just so I can have it as a blu-ray player. Then all of a sudden I have a console that has free online play, and some neat games coming out this year. But if I knew that Microsoft was going to come out with a blu-ray player by the end of spring/early summer for say $199, I'd hold of. But they'd have to stop being coy about right now and not play the waiting game, because by the time they wait and THEN act... it'll be too late. Remember Microsoft, it's the early bird that gets the worm.

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This is a no-brainer, the entire reason to release the HD-DVD drive separately is so they could change formats easily depending on who won the war. Microsoft was in-effect hedging it's bet on HD-DVD.

I predict that if (when) one of the last 2 major studios ditches HD-DVD that we'll see an external Blu Ray drive for the 360 within 6-12 months, and a 360 with integrated Blu Ray within 12-18.

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I was hoping HD DVD would be the winner.. i like the picture better..but so much for that idea

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I think that people who believe that this is all about console sales are incorrect in assuming so. Console sales do not make money, software sales do. From what I am seeing with the numbers Microsoft has the highest attachment rate compared to the PS3 and Wii.

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Seems to me that if MS had sold and HD DVD 360 after a year of the consoles launch the format war would be much clearer.

The fact is neither HD DVD or Blu Ray will win as the bulk of consumers are just not ready to accept either format. Its only gamers and enthusiasts who are buying HD movies...

I pose this question:

Would a PS3 owner buy a Blu Ray player if it wasnt built in to the PS3? (I doubt it)

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I am deeply saddened that I spent 180 buckaroonies for the beautiful and personally no different than blu-ray (concerning quality) HD DVD peripheral. I didn't start the fire, why should the consumer have to suffer/spend extra to have high quality HD movie experience. I seriously doubt i will by the Blu-Ray Peripheral. I tend to look back at all the $$$$ i have gladly donated to M$ and developers in the year of 2007 and think that my wife may well leave me if i buy an extra ANYTHING for my habit. er uh hobby.

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Let’s dispose of the PS3 and 360 having anything to do with this format war. Truly it is about consumer choice so the consumers are saying give me more Blu-Ray, that’s fine that’s their choice.

Pitting one format to another wouldn't show a real winner as each has winning capabilities and shortcomings. For instance….
Blu-Ray is larger capacity (+1)
HD-DVD is smaller capacity (-1)

Blu-Ray has a higher Bit rate ( -+?)
HD-DVD has the same thing (+-?)

Blu-Ray used MPG-4 Codec (Seriously please they started this way that’s why they needed all the damn space, now the use the VC1 Codec Same as HD-DVD) Not part of the sum, don't bother.
HD-DVD Used the VC1 codec from the start, so big deal.

Blu-Ray looks better (60' and above guys +1)
HD-DVD Looks worse (60' and above guys -1)
**This is of course perspective as the average consumer is most likely playing these Hi-Def movies on a 42' LCD HDTV running at 720P. Don't be so quick to crucify me, what were the best deals this Christmas on hi-def televisions, the 42' LCD. And the last time I checked consumers went for the best buy for the buck and these units sold at this price to make way for newer version this year that start at 1080P. So who is going to see the quality difference....Not your average Joe!)***

Blu-Ray requires special hardware manufacturing due to the hardware specifications. Players and Discs (For the studios -1)
HD-DVD can continue to utilize current disc manufacturing plants only adding a new type of disc to the line (for the Studios +1)

Blu-Ray requires Sony's proprietary Disc interface programming. Production studios would need to hire or send current Digital Media creators to special courses to learn new software to create Blu-Ray DVD's (Studio Cost -1)
HD-DVD utilizes the current software program capabilities just adding in the ability to program Digital Media in HD (Studio Cost +1)

Blu-Ray Discs write the critical data closer to the surface of the disc. Producing a more prone to disc damage product (Families -1)
HD-DVD still has the same resistance to damage as current DVD's (Families +1)

Blu-Ray DRM updates your hardware with each new BR Disc and thus writing this new security DRM back to your other discs. Hmmmm, sounds like a root kit to me just on your Blu-Ray Player (Tech -1)
***Go ahead and nail me up on this one but my company is a develops software and my Lead Programmer gets his hands in all sorts of stuff. He told me about this one day and proceeded to show me where he found the information. Of course he is a Sony hater so I have to take this with a grain of salt. ***
HD-DVD DRM Still a cracked security DRM and could be pirated but units don't update the security software on the player (Tech +1)

Let’s not forget the big one Blu-Ray will fork over lots of cash to sell your soul to them (Studios $$$$ +1, who cares if it’s better or not look at all those zeros!)
HD-DVD they court the studios too but the pockets isn’t as deep (Studios $$$$ -1, you want to pay me what, Sony offered me more!)

So Now that I have taken at least 3min of your time, flame away at me I don't care. If my info is off I don't care. I'm still waiting for all this crap to end one way or the other.

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@ 23.
I was terribly familiar with Sony development behind Betamax..some things work, and some just don't. Maybe this time they'll actually win out in a format war.

(My family had both Beta and VHS back in the day)

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now you're gonna need 3 posts a week
-this week in blu-ray
-" " " hd dvd
-" " " games
right?

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Personally I think they should definitely pursue a BR drive add-on. The hope of that alone will keep me from buying a PS3. I love my 360 and hate Sony, but as a BR player it's one of the best out there at the moment. Please MS, don't make me turn to the enemy...

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Microsoft should get Samsung to build an extrenal BR drive and then sell it for about 100 bucks. Nice cheap price would sell boatloads and piss Sony off

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