High Def Pendulum Swinging to Blu-ray, Sony Chief Says
The greater storage capacity of the Blu-ray Disc high-definition movie disc format is giving it an edge over the competing HD DVD format among Hollywood studios, according to Sony Corporation Chairman and CEO Howard Stringer, as the first Blu-ray titles are released by studios.
"I begin to sense in Blu-ray that the pendulum is swinging," he said at a briefing with reporters in Tokyo. "It's swinging for one clear reason and that is, when you bring in new technology, do you go for cheaper, transitional [technology] or do you take a chance on future-proof, high technology that will keep you going for many, many years to come?"
Features such as multichannel audio, multiple language tracks and interactivity are all increasing the amount of data that needs to be stored on discs, Stringer said, so studios will come to realize the 50G-byte dual-layer Blu-ray Disc suits their needs better than the 30G-byte dual-layer HD DVD format.
"This capacity, which seemed too luxurious a year ago, suddenly seems to be absolutely necessary," he said.
BLU-RAY CLINCHERS
Sony has been Blu-ray Disc's biggest backer and is due to use the format in its upcoming PlayStation 3 console, as well as a consumer video disc player due out in October. Last week Sony Pictures Entertainment, the company's movie arm, began releasing films on Blu-ray Disc. Seven discs have gone on sale including classic films like The Terminator.
However, Sony has been beaten to market by Samsung who last week began selling a Blu-ray Disc player. Sony was originally due to launch its player in June, but rescheduled it to August, and the player is now not expected until October. Also last week, Samsung said it is considering selling a player later this year that supports both Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD.
Things are also cloudy for the entire high-definition movie disc market. Having two battling formats isn't good for business, and consumers may decide to wait until a winning format emerges, rather than risk buying a player and discs for a format that is taken off the market.
HEAD TO HEAD
The first Blu-ray DVD discs were released in the US last week ahead of the launch of the first Blu-ray player yesterday. The move marks the start of a Sony-led campaign in the next generation DVD format wars against the Toshiba-led HD DVD system.
The battle to win consumers started when when Toshiba released the first HD-DVD player in March this year.
The introduction of two different formats has split the electronics industry and Hollywood film studios. Some observers liken the fight to the 1980s tussle between VHS and Betamax. Then, Sony lost out to rival JVC in the format wars.
This time, the electronics giant will be hoping that it will come out on top.
Backers of Blu-ray technology include Samsung, Dell and Apple, while Toshiba, with NEC, Microsoft and others, is pushing HD DVD.
In Hollywood, companies like Disney and 20th Century Fox have sided with Sony, while the followers of HD DVD include Universal. Warner Bros and Viacom have said they will support both.
Blu-ray and HD DVD systems can both store large amounts of data, important for high-definition video. Blu-ray uses a blue laser to write information. It has a shorter wavelength so more data can be stored.
STORE WARS
The first Blu-ray discs can store 25GB of high-quality data, but will eventually be able to store 50GB. Toshiba's HD DVD will hold 30GB. By comparison, a standard single-layer DVD holds just under 5GB of data
Both disc formats offer much better quality audio and video, and the ability for film-makers to pack many more extras onto a single disc. They will also be more user-friendly, allowing users to switch languages or skip scenes without having to return to the main menu.
The first Blu-ray players are made by Samsung and will retail at $1,000 (£550) in the US, nearly twice the price of the first HD-DVD players.
GAMESMANSHIP
Sony plans to use Blu-ray in the PlayStation 3 Owners of the Xbox 360 will have to buy a separate HD DVD drive
Even before the players have hit the shelves, backers of the HD-DVD format have upped the stakes. Toshiba has said it will offer the first HD-DVD recorder in Japan from mid-July 2006. The recorder will sell for nearly 400,000 Yen (£1,900).
But many people are waiting for what could be the "killer application" for Blu Ray. Sony's PlayStation 3, which will be launched in mid-November, will come with a Blu-ray drive as standard. In comparison, owners of Microsoft's Xbox 360, which is already available around the world, will have to buy a separate HD DVD drive when they become available.
Games consoles tend to drive early adoption of technology because hardcore gamers, keen to get their hands on the latest titles, are prepared to buy the latest technology. The games industry is estimated to be worth $25 billion (£13.5 billion) dollars annually.