Dan’s DVDS

According to amazon, the Blu-ray version of Casino Royale has broken into their top ten sellers, the first time a HD DVD has done this. To explain for those that don’t know, two new formats of DVDs are now available on the market. HD-DVDs, and Blu-ray DVDs. These are High definition DVDs. Blu-ray is championed by Sony, while HD-DVDs are fellow Japansese technology giants Toshiba.

I’ve not actually seen one in action, but they are supposed to be of the finest quality in picture and sound. Both HD and Blu-ray players are expensive and being a student I don’t actually know anybody who owns one. But the impending release of the Sony PlayStation3 (I wish I had a spare £425!) means that Blu-ray players will become common up and down the UK.

This news from amazon shows that there is clearly a market for these new formats, and I expect them to feature in the top sellers list soon, and before the end of the year don’t be surprised if one of them becomes the highest selling DVD. Like any new format, they will phase out the old eventually. All new TV’s are HD TVs, so there will be no place for regular. People can moan and be nostalgic all they like but it happens. I don’t use my VHS player any more, and if it wasn’t for Sky+ then I would almost certainly have a DVD recorder at home. You can pick those up now for around £90 whereas two years ago it would have cost £1000.

 What is confusing is the battle between HD and Blu-ray. Will one of them win and the other subside, or will they both co-exist at the top. I have my reservations about that, and while I believ HD DVDs will be strong, I believe Sony’s PS3 will mean Blu-ray will eventually be more successful.

But to answer my point…while yes, one day this blog will be out of date, I will not be changing it’s name! If I made this blog ten years ago then I would have called it Dan’s VHS’s!

Will you be investing in a Blu-ray or HD-DVD player? Can’t see what all the fuss is about? feel free to comment…