Im really trying to be patient but for the people out there that love new technology and home theatre, what are we supposed to do until we find out who will win the battle for HD discs and dont want to invest $800 to $900 on a combo player? Does anybody have any info on who is winnning the battle or any rumours of who will come out on top. I want a HD dvd player but I dont want to make the wrong decision and be stuck with an updated beta machine that they might quit making movies for..............
I think panasonic is coming out with a dual format player that does both formats for $300. Not sure when or if it's panasonic but someone is.
That *would* be excellent! Can't find anything on this, but I'll keep my eyes open... so far nothing under $1000 that is dual format. Volsfan98> This war bites, bigtime. I don't expect a 'win' on either format for some years yet. It's absurd, and most people are just like you, waiting until combo players come down in price. But not only do you have to worry about playing both formats, you have to worry about playing them correctly. LG Hybrid misleading on playback Then you get to throw in things like 'Total HD' disks, which are supposed to be HD-DVD and Blu-Ray on the same disk. Total HD ready by summer Gah!!!! What's an enthusiast supposed to do?? It's funny... Microsoft sided with HD-DVD, calling Blu-ray 'anticonsumer' Bill Gates: Blu ray stinks but both use AACS and require special cables, etc. I think that label applies to both. My opinion is that hybrid drives will make the issue moot... they will become cheap enough that format doesn't matter. Either format could still 'win', but I seriously believe in five years nobody will think about "format" when they're buying a DVD off the shelf. 'Win', of course, is a misnomer when the majority of consumers are holding off either purchase until the war is settled. Don't these guys ever learn?? Of course, these two could find themselves still wrestling in the mud when the next generation format jumps into the spotlight! Holographic Versatile Disc and HVD on Wikipedia :lol: You ask what we're supposed to do? Well, imo this is the major cause of piracy and the attacks on AACS. Consumers are fed up with this garbage, of being forced to choose or wait, and of paying higher prices to watch and back-up the movies they purchase. HDCP requires special cabling, Blu-ray discs are more expensive to produce, and all that decryption ups the hardware requirements! So people turn to pirated copies of movies with protections removed, that play on their pc or laptop, and can be displayed in high-def with inexpensive connectors. See "Don't these guys ever learn", above. : p .
Don't count on a resolution of the war for several years but I suggest going to a friend's house to watch their HDTV until the picture becomes clearer about which format is going to dominate. Hybrid players in my opinion should make the point moot within a year or two.
