Blockbuster Goes Blu-ray

Blockbuster Video announced today that they will rent only in Blu-ray format when it expands its high definition offerings next month. This decision serves as a huge setback to rival high definition formant, HD-DVD. Blockbuster based its decision on consumer behavior over the last several months. Blockbuster rents DVDs in both formats, Blu-ray and HD-DVD, in 250 of their stores. According to CNN, consumers chose Blu-ray titles over 70 percent of the time when choosing between Blu-ray and HD-DVD. The decision to carry only Blu-ray will take place next month in 1,450 stores, who will not offer the HD-DVD format. The 250 stores who initially carried both Blu-ray and HD-DVD will continue to offer both formats to movie renters.

Blu-ray and HD DVD are rival, but completely incompatible formats. Each format holds far more data on a single disc than the current standard DVD formatting. This allows for higher video resolution and better sound quality. Many major companies support one format or the other. Some, Samsung and LG, have developed players that will support both formats.

How does this affect your selection of high-definition movies at Blockbuster? It shouldn't make much of an impact. According to CNN, all major studios except one offer Blu-ray formatted movies. Walt Disney releases titles exclusively in Blu-ray format. Only Universal Studios exclusively supports HD-DVD.

Neither of these formats play on standard DVD players, and therefore will require consumers who are interested in the sharper images of high definition television to purchase a new player that will support high definition formats. Sony has favored the Blu-ray format over the past months as the battle between Blu-ray and HD-DVD has raged on. The Playstation 3 has Blu-ray capabilities built into each console. This may serve as a boost for Playstation 3 sales. Competitive prices for Blu-ray players still approach $500. Purchasing a Playstation 3 would give consumers interested in gaming the option of both video games and playing Blu-ray movies for approximately the same price. Microsoft, on the other hand, has been an ardent supporter of HD-DVD. Their gaming console, the Xbox 360, has the option of installing a separate HD-DVD drive for an extra cost. Intel also supports the HD-DVD format. It will be interesting to see how Blockbuster's decision to carry Blu-ray exclusively in so many stores will affect the sales of these two major companies. Thanks to Blockbuster, Sony and other Blu-ray supporters won a significant battle against these major PC manufacturers and other HD-DVD advocates.

However, this technological struggle is probably not going to end anytime soon. If other major retailers follow Blockbuster's lead, however, the future certainly looks bright for Blu-ray.

Sources:

CNN, "http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/biztech/06/18/blockbuster.blu.ray.ap/index.html"

San Jose Mercury News, http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2007/06/blu-ray_beats_out_hd-dvd_at_blockbuster.html

Pocket-lint.co.uk, http://news.google.com/news?um=1&tab=wn&channel=s&client=firefox-a&hl=en&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=blu-ray+v.+hd+dvd&ie=ISO-8859-1&sa=N&start=10