PS3 sales could see a significant bump thanks to the HD DVD vs Blu-ray war
By Sean P. Aune
As the evidence mounts that HD DVD has lost the high definition format war, could Sony’s next generation video game console, the Playstation 3, be the best option for a Blu-ray player?
Besides the obvious choice all early adopters had to make in the HD format war, HD DVD or Blu-ray, there was another problem for Blu-ray supporters: Will my player be compatible with discs released in the future?
While HD DVD was a finalized format when it came out, Blu-ray was not. The first generation of players were Profile 1.0 players, with no way to upgrade as changes were made to the format standard. The current generation of players are Profile 1.1, and will access some features on the movies that prior players can not. And, to muddy the waters even further, Profile 2.0, the supposed final profile, is due out in October of this year.
So how does a new adopter guard against the future of the profile? Look no further than the Playstation 3 made by the backers of the format, Sony. As Profile 2.0 is set to add local storage and Internet connectivity to Blu-ray, you are ahead of the curve with the current gaming system. And considering the price of the low-end PS3 ($399 for the 40 GB version), it also makes it one of the cheapest Blu-ray players on the market.
In a recent talk with Beta News at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), even the workers at the Blu-ray booth said that the only player they would recommend would by the Playstation 3 due to the changes that are to come.
So for those just looking to get into the HD formats, or those who now need to switch from HD DVD to Blu-ray, it appears a video game system may be your best option.
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January 18th, 2008
ya lets all get a ps3. i hear they make a good heater for those long cold winter nights.
January 18th, 2008
LOL at dale
If a heater is what you want, you should invest in an Xbox 360. The RROD has been a serious issue due to the heat produced by the unit. The PS3 is by no means as hot as you are implying. The Xbox 360 is so hott that the system ceases to function. I’ve got the PS3 and couldn’t be happier, a game console and a high definition bluplayer in one.
January 18th, 2008
or we can get an xbox but you might break it if you use it as a heater
January 18th, 2008
Has anyone acutally done the research to realise that the 40GB PS3 is a cut down version that doesn’t support HDMI 1.3 therefore wil not support Hidef audio or BD profile 2.0?
January 18th, 2008
@ Frank… Source please? Oh wait, you don’t have one. If you had a PS3 you’d see on page 21 of the manual the technical spec HDMI 1.3, it does not have the 1.3a spec. But then again your Xbot FUD almost got me, oh wait not it didn’t… the newer 360’s are HDMI 1.2 spec and don’t support the audio or video colour depths the PS3 can. Get your facts straight. I’ll be waiting for your sources…
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,131416/article.html
January 19th, 2008
Wait, so the people who went out and bought a Blu Ray player are not going to be able to watch blu – ray movies at their fullest soon? And HD-DVD had all of this functionality and was cheaper? What bonehead execs thought Blu – Ray would be better?
January 19th, 2008
@Bigfella – The older blu-ray players will still be able to play blu-ray movies, but not all of the extra features on the discs will work.