Universal released “Serenity” on HD-DVD today; it represents the studio’s first title in the new high-def format. The studio will release “Apollo 13” and “Doom” next week.
Warner Home Video released three HD-DVD titles as well, with “Million Dollar Baby,” “The Phantom of the Opera” and “The Last Samurai” hitting shelves today. Warner plans to release a dozen more titles in May. The first titles in the format have a MSRP of $29-$35.
But before you rush out and buy one of the $500 HD-DVD players, be warned that there is a format battle brewing, and it’s not unlike the Beta/VHS war in the ’80s. Blu-ray is HD-DVD’s main competitor and it’s unclear which format will win out. Sony and Pioneer have backed Blu-ray, and once the Playstation 3 hits shelves, the format will get a big boost. The two formats are identical in picture quality, but Blu-ray boasts 67% more capacity and that may put the format over the top. If you remember, Beta actually had a better picture quality, but was limited to two hours of recording time. VHS tapes were capable of recording up to 6 hours, and the picture quality was “good enough” for consumers, allowing the format to ultimately win out.
One thing hindering Blu-ray’s progress is the lack of available players and the initial cost of those players once they are available. Toshiba has a HD-DVD player for $499 but the first Blu-ray player from Samsung will cost $1000. It is doubtful that the PS3, which will double as a Blu-ray player, will have a price tag this high. LG and Samsung each plan to release a player that will play both formats.
These HD discs will be an improvement over current DVDs, but with the uncertainty in the marketplace, I’m going to stick with my trusty progressive-scan DVD player for now.
