Quote: "Because the data on a BD is stored much closer to the readable side, unlike DVD and HD-DVD who stores it in the middle, the BD can achieve read speeds twice that of HD-DVD. For example there was this hybrid player I read about not long ago that had 3x HD-DVD and 6x BD read speeds."
Don't be confused about the speed here.
It's like saying "OMG! DVD are slower than CD cause my CD-ROM runs at 52x but my DVD runs at 24x!! that's like twice as slow!?!"
Cause it's bullcrap at the end of the day.
Both HD-DVD and BluRay will read at >3Mbit (in-fact both run at around 133Mbit/second), which given you only need 3Mbit even for 1080p reading speeds any more than that is just fluff.
As for booting times.. I don't have either as dedicated players attached to my TV.
I do however have BluRay on my PS3 and HD-DVD on my 360 (will upgrade to the hybrid HD-Player Unit when it's released later this year) and both take about 10seconds to load a movie, which is about the same as DVDs do on both.
On my PC it's bloody instant though, so go knows why it takes so long on the consoles.
As far as the formats go, tbh I'm still not impressed by either.
I've said it before, yes picture quality is better and colour resolution is better. So you have more life-like pictures, but honestly the difference only is noticeable as much when you're viewing things recorded SPECIFICALLY for HD format; which right now is only a handful of things.
Everything else just looks a little more chrisp. Then again I might be the only weird person who actually prefers 1280x720p over 1920x1080p ... I can't watch anything in 720i/1080i though, for some reason it gives me a headache to look at for a while.
I'm like this with video games too though, I mean my graphics cards perfectly handle most games now at some ridiculous resolution but I still prefer them at 1280x720. Just like even older games I prefer in 1024x768. Higher resolutions are not always best.
Still don't believe BluRay has a definite advantage yet, or that any of the rumours going around will be true.
In any-case I'm with Chenak, DVDs are almost half the price in basically every-case. Why the hell pay far more for slightly better picture quality that frankly if you own one of the consoles or a Media PC, the graphics cards really do make normal DVDs look so much closer to HD-Formats (especially in HD resolutions) whats' the point? seriously?
Only reason I have either on my consoles is cause they came free; and for my PC it's for back-up and reading reasons.
50GB BluRay disc for £15 ... that said I still tend to get a new 250GB HDD for £25. So doubt I'll have a HD format on my next PC.
right now while so many argue over these formats, DVD is still absolutely owning the sales charts. this will be just like Video CD, by the time a clear winner is drawn, the next big format will be out.
what's possibly more important here is there are very few people willing to drop the better part of £1,000 just to get the equippment to buy and watch higher definition movies.
ESPECIALLY when NetFlix and BitTorrent.com have allowed us to download-rental HD movies to our PCs for the past two years, AND also Microsoft provide them as downloadables on Marketplace with Sony no doubt providing the same soon.
VirginMedia here in the UK also provide this with their V+ HD Box (which I have)
So end of the day, should I go to the shops and buy a HD-DVD or BluRay then worry if I can run it at home for double the price of a DVD... or just download onto my cable box which I know can run it for half the price?
Sorry but neither format will really win. I think quicker internet connections, and digital distribution will.
