First pic of the PS3's Blu-Ray menu.

[Mentok]

http://www.famitsu.com/game/news/200...59151,0,0.html

From famitsu comes a picture of the PS3's Blu-Ray movie playback menu. Looks exactly the same as the PS2's DVD video menu with 4 extra buttons/things up on the top row.

[imdaly]

Yeah....there's absolutely no reason to have 50 icons that take up 1/4 of the screen pop up onto the screen whenever you need to navigate the disc.

It's kinda funny...XBOX360 is accused of only being "XBOX 1.5", but really, which company's system feels just like a new version of the old console? I'm thinking it's the system with the same 15-yr-old controller and the same DVD navigation menu.

[hippie_hunter]

Originally Posted by imdaly

Yeah....there's absolutely no reason to have 50 icons that take up 1/4 of the screen pop up onto the screen whenever you need to navigate the disc.

It's kinda funny...XBOX360 is accused of only being "XBOX 1.5", but really, which company's system feels just like a new version of the old console? I'm thinking it's the system with the same 15-yr-old controller and the same DVD navigation menu.

1. The people accusing the Xbox 360 of being an Xbox 1.5 are misinformed Sony fanboys

2. Sony did try to change the controller, but too many people b***hed about it and they went back to the original design which everyone likes except now that it is wireless and has stolen the center button from the Xbox 360 controller and the motion sensor from the Wiimote.

The same can be said for Microsoft reusing the design of the Xbox 360 controller. It's basically the same thing except that it is extremely confortable (unlike it's predecessor's controller) and has a center button.

And going back to the Dual Shock design was a smart move for Sony. The majority of users like it, it's a proven successful design. It's one of the most confortable controllers ever, right next to the Xbox 360 controller. And the "Batarang" controller was just giving the Playstation 3 unneccessary bad publicity.

3. Okay, I'll admit that the DVD navigation menu on the Playstation 2 sucked hard core ass

[Topdawg]

Who cares about the navigation? You should be happy the thing can play Blu-ray discs.

[Addendum]

Even though it's speculation that Blu-ray will be a success

[imdaly]

Originally Posted by Topdawg

Who cares about the navigation? You should be happy the thing can play Blu-ray discs.

I'd be happy if it played a format that will last.

[Topdawg]

We'll see who wins the HD war, until then the Blu-ray+PS3 is a bargain.

[imdaly]

Originally Posted by Topdawg

We'll see who wins the HD war, until then the Blu-ray+PS3 is a bargain.

Sounds like a good way to spin things when the Blurry...er...Blu-ray movies hit the bargain bins.

[hippie_hunter]

Originally Posted by Topdawg

We'll see who wins the HD war, until then the Blu-ray+PS3 is a bargain.

Considering that a normal blu-ray player costs about $1,000 and can't play Playstation 3 games I guess so. But that still doesn't justify the $600 price tag

And personally, I think that both blu-ray and HD-DVD will lose the format war. It's too soon to put out a new format and both blu-ray and HD-DVD just aren't that huge of a technological leap that records to 8-tracks to cassettes to CDs and movie reels to VHS to DVD was.

I do see blu-ray having a future in the video game industry though with the space that it can hold. Once developers can fully master the technology, imagine how massive games can be. I'm talking bigger than the Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and bigger than the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

[hippie_hunter]

Originally Posted by imdaly

Sounds like a good way to spin things when the Blurry...er...Blu-ray movies hit the bargain bins.

Are you one of the HD-DVD supporters or do you just hate the format because Sony is the major backer of blu-ray

[Mentok]

Originally Posted by Topdawg

Who cares about the navigation? You should be happy the thing can play Blu-ray discs.

Seems to be a popular catch prhase of the Sony camp. 'You should just be happy'...

[THWIP*]

Originally Posted by hippie_hunter

The same can be said for Microsoft reusing the design of the Xbox 360 controller. It's basically the same thing except that it is extremely confortable (unlike it's predecessor's controller) and has a center button.

NO, IT CAN'T. THE '360' CONTROLLER IS 10 X > THE XBOX CONTROLLER "S". MUCH BETTER ERGONOMICS, SHOULDER BUTTONS REPLACING THE BLACK/CLEAR ONES, WIRELESS, TRIGGERS FEEL BETTER, STICKS ARE BETTER QUALITY AND MORE RESPONSIVE, BETTER PLACEMENT OF THE "BACK" BUTTON, CAN BE USED AS A REMOTE (FOR ON/OFF, AND FOR DVD PLAYBACK), AND HAS THE CENTRAL CONTROL FEATURE.

[hippie_hunter]

Originally Posted by THWIP*

NO, IT CAN'T. THE '360' CONTROLLER IS 10 X > THE XBOX CONTROLLER "S". MUCH BETTER ERGONOMICS, SHOULDER BUTTONS REPLACING THE BLACK/CLEAR ONES, WIRELESS, TRIGGERS FEEL BETTER, STICKS ARE BETTER QUALITY AND MORE RESPONSIVE, BETTER PLACEMENT OF THE "BACK" BUTTON, CAN BE USED AS A REMOTE (FOR ON/OFF, AND FOR DVD PLAYBACK), AND HAS THE CENTRAL CONTROL FEATURE.

It's the same basic design and shape as the original, but made much more confortable and added features.

[imdaly]

Originally Posted by hippie_hunter

Are you one of the HD-DVD supporters or do you just hate the format because Sony is the major backer of blu-ray

A mix of both really.

I won't hide the fact that the fact that it's yet another format from Sony that follows the norm for them and their products: make your product do as much as possible even if it's not needed and pay no attention to how much that'll cost your customers.

Yes, Blu-Ray is technically a stronger format than HD-DVD...but so was LaserDisc, and so was Betamax...and look what happened.

So yeah, when I see a new product coming from Sony, my first reaction is "how're they gonna over-hype and screw us over this time?". But even still, I DO pay attention to the product and keep an open mind.


There's just so much going in favor of HD-DVD right now compared to Blu-Ray:

- Larger storage capacity -
For the time being, anyway. As of right now every HD-DVD is on a DL 30Gig disc, while the Blu-Ray discs are stuck at a single 25Gig disc. Yes, a DL Blu-Ray disc would be 50Gigs...but manufacturers are STILL having a hell of a time trying to get DL Blu-Ray discs created at a successful rate.

- Hybrid HD-DVDs -
With hybrid HD-DVDs (something not possible with Blu-Ray discs for some reason), I can buy a HD-DVD now even though I don't have a HD-DVD player, and I can watch it on my standard DVD player now until I do get a HD-DVD player. At that point in time, I can already be started on my HD-DVD collection.

- Movie Selection -
Blu-Ray supporters are always quick to point out that their format has support from more movie studios, thus more selection. But so far, it is definitely not the case. As far as anyone can forsee, HD-DVD continues to have nearly twice as many titles available than Blu-Ray, even with support from fewer studios. Right now there are 60 HD-DVDs available compared to the 33 available for Blu-Ray. And by the end of the year, the difference between the two will be practically the same 30-title difference. More studios supporting means nothing if the studios aren't bringing out as many movies.

- Video/Sound Quality -
So far there have been 3 movies to appear on both formats: Training Day, Good Night and Good Luck, and Rumor Has It. In every case and in every online review comparing the two, HD-DVD has been crowned the better release of the two formats. Better sound, better video, better navigation. This probably has a lot to do with the oddity that is going on with the Blu-Ray movies all using MPEG-2 codecs compared to HD-DVD's VC-1 codecs. Why oh WHY is Blu-Ray using such an outdated codec for it's movies??

- PRICE -
This is the big and, IMO, the most important one. The format war will not be decided by the video/audiophiles out there. They will be decided by Mr. and Mrs. Average Joe. You put the two formats back-to-back and ask anyone to pay DOUBLE for a player that, if anything, is only just as good as the other format, and they'll most likely laugh at your face. Using the PS3 as an example does not count enough either. Sure it'll help Blu-Ray out, but a format cannot survive soley because of a console. It comes down to the average consumer that wants a stand-alone piece to play their software.


Now I will admit that I'm still not entirely sure that either format will gain prominance at all in the end. I work at Circuit City (who's most definitely in Sony's pockets), and I'm still trying to convince people of the evils of Full Frame DVDs. I'm still trying to convince people that not getting the free keychain that came with the first so-many copies of a new release is NOT something worth whining over.

But if either format is going to win, it'll be HD-DVD, and so far, every sign indicates I'm correct.

Check out www.thedvdwars.com where a few charts are updated everyday comparing how the two formats are faring compared to each other on Amazon.com. Note the top 10 selling titles on each format. Almost every day, the 10th best-selling HD-DVD title is outselling the #1-selling Blu-Ray title. That's GOTTA mean something!


Wow...I'm writing way too much. I apologize. But it's just getting frustrating to see some people so convinced that a certain format is going to trample another, even though it's twice the price, half the selection, inferior sound and picture, and led by a company with a track-record such of Sony. Not to mention that HD-DVD is continually outselling Blu-Ray. (Yes I'm aware that Amazon.com =/= the entire DVD industry, but I'm gonna have to say it's a pretty good representation of the industry and how it's selling).

So here it is: HD-DVD will dominate Blu-Ray in the end. Blu-Ray will fix it's problems too little, too late. Will HD-DVD become prominant enough to eventually surpass standard DVDs? I'm not completely sure, but I sure hope so...my 44" HDTV is BEGGING for HD movies.



Sources: www.thedvdwars.com , www.highdefdigest.com , www.hdbeat.com , www.digitalbits.com

[THWIP*]

Originally Posted by hippie_hunter

It's the same basic design and shape as the original, but made much more confortable and added features.

"SAME BASIC DESIGN" MEANS NOTHING. YOU COULD SAY IT'S THE "SAME BASIC SHAPE AND DESIGN" AS EVERY CONTROLLER FROM THE PAST 10 YEARS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPECIFIC CHANGES........OF WHICH THERE ARE PLENTY.

[Mentok]

Meh, both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray have a pretty dodgy future.

At the moment though HD-DVD is clearly the better of the two... That could be down to the first gen Blu-Ray players being crappy though.

[hippie_hunter]

Originally Posted by Mentok

Meh, both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray have a pretty dodgy future.

At the moment though HD-DVD is clearly the better of the two... That could be down to the first gen Blu-Ray players being crappy though.

Yet another reason not to get the Playstation 3 at launch

[Mentok]

Originally Posted by hippie_hunter

Yet another reason not to get the Playstation 3 at launch

Pretty much. The DVD player in the PS2 sucked and The Blu-Ray player in the PS3 will be just as bad.

[imdaly]

Originally Posted by Mentok

Pretty much. The DVD player in the PS2 sucked and The Blu-Ray player in the PS3 will be just as bad.

I agree. And I honestly don't expect too much from the XBOX360 HD-DVD player either. I'm just really cautious of players that are included into game systems (though the XBOX360 DVD player works great).

I'll be passing on the HD-DVD player for the 360, and will opt for a 2nd-gen stand-alone player next year.

[lars573]

Originally Posted by imdaly

I agree. And I honestly don't expect too much from the XBOX360 HD-DVD player either. I'm just really cautious of players that are included into game systems (though the XBOX360 DVD player works great).

I'll be passing on the HD-DVD player for the 360, and will opt for a 2nd-gen stand-alone player next year.

Popular mechanics did a side by side of an HD-DVD player and an up converting DVD player. Both from Toshiba. ITO (in their opinion) the picture and sound quality of the up converted DVD and the HD-DVD was the same. They said the HD-DVD player "reeks of being a first generation product." And recomended that you not waste the grand on it. To go with an upconverting DVD player, at a tenth the price, instead.

[SsM]

Originally Posted by imdaly

Sounds like a good way to spin things when the Blurry...er...Blu-ray movies hit the bargain bins.

Hmm.. I always though HD would lose out in the end.. But searching through these old threads Bluray was the one everyone though would lose? (yes, I resurrected a 2 year old thread, SORRY.)

[KALEL114]

Not everyone.

You want a good read, check this out.

http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=262672

[Havok83]

Originally Posted by SsM

Hmm.. I always though HD would lose out in the end.. But searching through these old threads Bluray was the one everyone though would lose? (yes, I resurrected a 2 year old thread, SORRY.)

haha. I thought it was obvious that BR would win the minute it was placed inside the PS3

[Danalys]

lets just say that certain people like to say things will go horribly for sony ad nauseum.

[SsM]

Originally Posted by Havok83

haha. I thought it was obvious that BR would win the minute it was placed inside the PS3

I always thought bluray would win out in the end... I don't remember why..