Apple Backs Blu-Ray
 

From DigitalBits:

Some more major news today. The Blu-ray Disc Association has announced that Apple Computer has become its latest member, making Blu-ray Disc its choice in the coming next-generation optical disc format war. Apple CEO Steve Jobs issued this quote today: "Apple is pleased to join the Blu-ray Disc Association board as part of our efforts to drive consumer adoption of HD. Consumers are already creating stunning HD content with Apple's leading video editing applications like iMovie HD and are anxiously awaiting a way to burn their own high def DVDs."

This is a big deal, folks. The Blu-ray Disc Association already has the support of PC giants Dell, Sony and HP. It's long been our belief that on the technical merits of the Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD specs alone, Blu-ray is the clear winner. It seems that most of the computer and electronics industries agree. Keep in mind that Sony's forthcoming PS3 videogame platform is going to use Blu-ray Disc as its storage format. It seems now that the only real war between these two formats is going to be waged in Hollywood between the studios already supporting Blu-ray (Disney, Sony, MGM and possibly Fox, which we hear is leaning toward Blu-ray) and those supporting HD-DVD (Warner, Universal, Paramount and New Line). There are also rumors that a number of major retailers like WalMart and Best Buy may be planning to carry one format or the other exclusively. It's gonna get very ugly before all this is over, folks.

This is actually pretty good, because I'm looking to buy a G5 around Christmas -- which will be connected to a true-HD monitor -- so, hopefully, a Blu-Ray drive will come as standard.

Or am I dreaming?

EDIT: [hijack] I haven't been following the War for a while... Has the issue of region coding become any clearer?

This isn't really a major surprise considering Apple's recent ties with Sony. Still, it all hinges on whether or not the public even cares. And I have a feeling that they won't... not for a long time.

Maybe on their highest-end model, but I wouldn't look for it on the others (Apple typically releases three different CPUs each time, an entry-level, a mid-level and a high-end).

Exactly. Just because Apple is backing it doesn't equal a successful format. How many of us can remember some other Apple-backed "standards" that got pushed by the wayside for cheaper alternatives from the PC world: NuBus or GeoPort, anyone?

Apple's backing of Blu-Ray might actually be the kiss of "Betamax" for the format (well, that's not exactly true so much anymore, but Apple used to be known for adopting oddball technologies that no one else adopted). By the way, I'm very much an Apple fan!

USB? Firewire? DVI standard? Dual processors? First "super-drive" that burns DVDs and CDs? The first PDA? How about a GUI interface? I don't see anyone backing any of that nonsense. :rolleyes:

Apple has developed/ushered in far more standards, that the PC world adopted for the masses, than failures.

there's an interesting article about apple here:apple's blueprint for genius

there is a price to leading innovation and, for apple, one big miss could be devastating.

however, as we've seen with that whole ipod thing, the rewards for leading the pack could amount to billions.

unless titles are exclusively released in either blu-ray or hd-dvd but NOT on regular dvd, i plan to stay out of the fray until one standard is adopted. given the huge current market for standard dvds, i do not envision studios decreasing availability until the new standard(s) are well established.

kms

You make a good point, kms. This will only slow the consumer adoption of either HD DVD format.

I don't understand why there's so much resistance on this forum to high-definition DVD.

If you have a HD TV, and movies are being released in both HD and SD DVD, and all you needed was to spend $200 to buy a player in order to watch the HD version, why wouldn't you?

And if you don't have a HDTV, you probably will by the end of next year, when HD broadcasting will be widespread.

The demand for HDDVD will be created by the existence of HDTV, and it will roll over the market like an avalanche.

RichC

Noone wants to upgrade to a temporary format - if the High Def DVD format they choose winds up losing the war.

With 1 format being released and embraced by manufacturers and by all studios, consumers can purchase with much more confidence.

If it was only $200 for a player, I might take a flyer on it. At $1,000 for a player (if that is the price they end up going for), I'm going to wait, as will a large majority of the market.

Of course, I may not have an HDTV yet by the end of the year, either (as of right now, it seems like an expensive upgrade for so little content, especially since I'm limited to over-the-air HD since my cable company doesn't broadcast any HD), which would prevent my purchase of a Blu-Ray or HD-DVD player regardless of price.

You say it is a temporary format, and I disagree. Who's right? Let's hop in the time machine to find out.

RD is right. There is a lot of resistance to next gen formats here, and I am not talking about those who say "I'll wait a while and see" I am talking about "niche" and "neverwills." There was a lot of that resistance in the laserdisc vs DVD transition.

What if you got a BR version of a four disc set where it was one disc, and the player was $200. Would it be worth it to you then even if you could only watch the discs at SD?

It is looking more and more like BR is going to be dominant to me.

But HP, Dell and Sony (of course) computers are also backing Blu-Ray. Along with Apple on board, that covers a very large percent of computer makers. I'm not sure how the stand alone player market will end up, but as far as optical drives for computers go, the format war almost seems to be already over, in Sony's favour.

I agree. This format war is so much bigger than just movies. While the studios are split over the two formats for films, Sony is winning on every other front. The computer industry seems to be going in their favor. The Adult industry is 100% backing Blue-Ray. Sony will more than likely win the game industry again with PS3. The more you look at it Warner-Bros is the only chance HD-dvd has. I think we are waiting on two things now. 1. Fox to back Blue-Ray only. 2. Sony to announce final replication costs and consumer prices.

Incorrect.

Many inside the adult film industry are leaning towards HD DVD, as the discs would be much easier and cheaper to produce by being able to work with existing production lines.

I don't see how Sony can include Blue Ray in the PS3 at a reasonable cost to the consumer by next year. I highly doubt 1st generation players, which the PS3 will probably fall in, will be under the $300 range. I'm betting closer to $700-$1000 range. Much less provide the games at a reasonable cost.

They will probably sell it at around $400 and take a loss on every unit. It's not unusual or unacceptable to do so with a game system. The hardware is simply there to sell games. Just like printers are sold almost below cost because they make money on ink cartridges. I will proably buy a PS3 just for the HD-DVD if it is cheap and the home players are high.

you obviously own an XBox so you should understand the concept of loosing money on every unit sold. (I also own one so don't think I am bashing XBox)

Actually you are incorrect. The biggest adult companies want Blue Ray. The lesser companies are worried about price.

http://www.cdfreaks.com/news2.php?ID=11186

Well if that's the case, then how do you come to the conclusion that "The Adult industry is 100% backing Blue-Ray" ?

One of them is very likely going to be a temporary format. For fear of picking the wrong one, a lot of people will wait for a shake-out, even some early-adopters who otherwise wouldn't be thrown-off by a high price.

Seems a little strange to me also. I'm really looking forward to the improved image quality that should be availabe with either format. I tend to hope that blu-ray will win out because it seems to have the potential for much more storage content, but I will be looking closely at the different players and making my choice for what I think is best. :)

In regards to tv sets:
This is one area I consider "grey." Storage space. Even with a 50GB disc, your average HD hour long show in full 1080 resolution is probably close to 8GB. Therefore we will still only be seeing 4-5 episodes per disc.

I look forward to the better image because of higher bit rates, but with modern movies and shows maxing out their bitrates I don't see my available shelf space shrinking because of a higher capacity disc.

Yaaaaaaaaaawwwn....Both these formats will not takeoff..I have been wrong before with my "world exclusive predictions"

Yes, I agree. Simply because there is more storage space on the disc itself will not result in more storage space on one's shelf.
For me at least it will ultimately depend on the quality of the image that either camp is able to produce. However, I don't think I am going to wait around untill only one side is left standing - I will want to enjoy that superior image quality as soon as possible.

i've always felt blu-ray is the better format and i hope it wins. it seems to support all the same compression formats and audio formats as hd-dvd plus it holds more space. that is good for movies, but also further down the line it will be good for recordable blu-ray discs for storing regular data from our computers.

plus i already know for a fact no matter what i will have a blu-ray player since the ps3 is going to use one, not that a ps3 will give optimal pq, but it's an introductin to the blu-ray world.

of course they already announced dark city and matrix and some other films i want for hd-dvd exclusively (for now?) which throws a wrench into my plans.

Ok 99% :)

Larger companies usually lead the way. Thats why no one cares who Anchor Bay, Lions Gate, Criterion, Blue Underground, or Image is backing on the movie side.

Apple supports HD-DVD
MicroSoft will support HD-DVD
XBox will support HD-DVD

I bet is with Blue-Ray not making the cut, HD-DVD should end up the winner.

This whole format war seems awfully familiar. Like we did it about 5 years ago or so.

:)

Well I guess we'll see which way they move. I would think (even for a larger porn company) they would want to reduce the costs of productoin as much as possible - therefore - HD DVD.

??? The thread title is "Apple backs Blu-Ray"... so we already know that Apple won't support HD DVD.

Microsoft may be supporting HD DVD, but they haven't said no to Blu-Ray yet.

The specs for the XBOX came out a few days ago - and it looks like it will come with a standard DVD Player... no high definition.

Off the top of my head, USB and GUI the interface are nothing that Apple developed.

PC's had USB before Apple did and you can thank Zerox for GUI interfaces.

I'd say that PDAs were something that would eventually come around whether or not Apple did it first. Their first PDA was far from a success and PDAs didn't really take off until the PalmPilot came out.

I think PDAs are something that would have been done until they were successful as they are a device that a large section of the population can use and not some technology that only a small percentage would find useful.

If we are just going to list techologies that Apple has used and been successful later on, you might as well add things like monitors which computers didn't have back in the days when we all used punch cards to post messages on the net.

I refuse to turn this into an Apple fight so I am banning myself from this thread, I just wanted to get some stuff off my chest.

If you mean a consumer-level Blu-Ray burner in Macs within a year, then yes, I think you're dreaming. A BR-ROM, though? Perhaps, though I'm even skeptical about that happening so soon. The players are simply going to be too expensive at the start.

I'm very happy Apple's supporting BR, though, as it's definitely the superior format.

Good thing b/c you obviously missed the "ushered" in part. Sure PCs had USB first, but why do they still have serial ports? Parallel ports? Adopt a standard. Apple made them standard long ago forcing consumers to change with the times while PCs still can't make up their mind. They have to 'baby' along every consumer.

Not sure about the GUI part but as personal computers go, there is a reason Bill Gates bought the OS interface from Apple.

And lastly, just b/c one idea doesn't become mass marketable, first PDA, doesn't make the originality of the idea any less for others to build on.

But anyway, I doubt BR will be found in any G5s anytime soon. Maybe a top of the line $3000 model next year. But one thing is for sure, it will be included in a mac long before you see it in a pc model. This is probably why Jobs wants in on it so early, so he can get his hands on the technology first, to get it to the Apple faithful.

Considering how few people own Macs I don't see this mattering at all.

I don't know which format will win and I don't have a favorite either way. However, I am not investing in any of the HD formats until there is a clear winner. My old DVDs will do just fine until this mess is sorted out. I've seen HDTV and watched movies and sporting events in HD and no it didn't make me want to run out and buy a HDTV. If they drop to the price of a regular TV when I decide to get a new TV in a couple of years I will get one, but the technology did not impress me enough to even consider replacing all my equipment or my 800+ DVDs.

Yeah, those few people that own and support Macs have not pushed DVI, USB, Firewire, the SuperDrive etc forward. They should be counted out. [END SARCASM]

That is like saying so few people have Mercedes, when they do something it probably doesn't matter. The Mac user base is not nearly as small as many think - and in general it isn't the mindless heard the PC base is. I figure the first computers to see BR are Sony and Apple. Probably both around the end of the year to the first of next year. It will be as expensive hell and only be available in the top models.

Are you honestly going to tell me Mac owners will make the difference in a HD-DVD format war. :lol:

I can see PC developers stealing good computer ideas from the Mac, but this is something entirely different.

I'm almost 100% sure that the above statement is incorrect.
So he didn't BUY it. He was inspired by it, just as Apple had been inspired by Xerox, who are officially the first company to produce a GUI.
I don't see how Sony will let someone else steal the limelight on technology that they pretty much invented and pioneered. Sony had the first DL DVD Burners on the market and I'd take a gamble on them bringing out the first PC based BR recorder (they have already released a HT one for the Japanese market).

Why wouldn't they. Those mac owners made a difference in the mp3 world - so much that they started making it available to PC counterparts. Apple's whole strategy is based on recording and editing movies and music at home, etc. Exactly what BR burners will be used for. Why would they not be a leader in shaping the future of the HD-DVD format. No offense, but even though you can do editing on a PC, they are not built in general with that in mind. The masses do not shape technology the herd follows the leaders. Apple is a leader despite its size. Just because you don't use and Apple does not mean they are not influential and important in the technology world.

Yeah, that is dead wrong. He stole it from them. There were court cases for years that ended in back and forth decisions which were finally ended when Microsoft invested in Apple a few years ago. As part of the investment, Apple stoped suing and the case was basically closed. That is the short version.

The only thing made available to PC counterparts by Apple were iPods and iTunes. The MP3 revolution was started long before Apple jumped on the bandwagon with their iPod.

Yes, but would you like to argue that iTunes Music Store and iPod are not key and integral parts of mp3 revelotion. Being first is not always the most important thing.

Sony will probably be first with BR. Apple and DELL and HP and others will be key to success though. Apple is more likely to give a heavy early push than the others since Apple does not sell or build based price like the others. They build based on performance and technology and then et it filter down as it becomes more affordable. They will likely be one of the first to offer it no matter what the price. That is why it "could" be a very big deal to have them on board.

I am not saying this is the savior of BR. I am just saying this could be a big step for Sony. As more and more people get on the BR bandwagon, Sony has a better shot at winning with BR and a key technology driver like Apple is a good friend to have. Mac users are loyal and have deeper pockets often times - that is the right kind of customer to seek out when you are in a format war.