In the war between the hi-def formats (Blu-ray supported by Sony and HD DVD supported by Microsoft), HD DVD has served Blu-ray a potentially fatal blow. Canadian electronics manufacturer Venturer is making available the first hi-def disc player for under $200.
Featuring 1080i video output and an HDMI connection, the SHD7000 is designed to be compatible with the vast majority of HDTVs already in North American consumers’ homes. With Ethernet connectivity to the network , the SHD7000 also allows users to access bonus features from movie studio web servers and unlock special prerecorded content on some HD DVD discs. Dolby TrueHD rounds out the high definition experience by presenting the HD DVD disc soundtrack as it was meant to be heard, virtually equal to the studio master. In addition to its HD DVD playback capability, the SHD7000 will upconvert standard DVDs to near HD picture quality via its HDMI connection, allowing a consumer’s existing library of DVDs to look better than ever. CD playback is also supported.
But, as Gizmodo points out, the machine will not qualify for the five free movie deal; so in the end, you may not be saving money.
Still, if HD DVD machines are going to be cheaper than Blu-ray devices, then the format war has been decided. Betamax was killed by the lower cost of VHS, despite being the superior format.
Personally, I’m expecting the EVD to win the hi-def format wars. But then, I was rooting for DCC, Betamax, 8-track, and Edison’s 80 rpm gramophone discs.
8 Comments
too bad the 80GB PS3 can be bought with motorstorm and 8 free blu-ray movies for $499… That’s $250 worth of movies, and a $60 game tally the cost of that blu-ray player to UNDER $200.
Touche, I say.
True. That’s exactly what Gizmodo was saying.
The question is, what happens when the free movie deal is extended to increasingly cheaper HD DVD machines? Also, how long can Sony afford to churn out $500 PS3s?
hey, this new ggl format sucks.
also… what’s the point in having HD DVD if your cheap, canuck-made player only outputs 1080i… that’s right… “i”… not “p”. I say… poop on that for a minute!
lunkhead, can you be more specific?
hd dvd will certainly win the war.
@kunochan:
By the time HD-DVD does a deal like that, Blu-Ray and the PS3 will be doing something else to sweeten the deal up even more and keep it’s edge in price.
and kam-RA is right, 1080i is certainly NOT 1080p, and HD-DVD will only win when the world gives up on the idea of full 1080p. What are the chances of that happening? slim to none.