 |
 |
|
|||||||||
March 7, 2006
Dear CNET members, It seems like you can't read tech news without learning about some kind of a format war: Windows vs. Mac, PlayStation vs. Xbox, and the infamous VHS vs. Betamax (for those who remember). The home-video wars left many families without movie rental options once Betamax started fast-forwarding to obsolescence. My family was one of them, watching in horror as one by one, all the rental places in town switched over to VHS only. In those days, it wasn't just a matter of dropping $60 and walking home with a new VCR. It was a major purchase that had to be saved for. We were stranded. Because of this defining time in my life, I am always wary when a company announces a new audio or video format. I never want to be left with another Betamax--which is why I'll be taking the "wait and see" approach in the next-gen DVD wars.
The two formats vying for superiority in this war are Toshiba's HD-DVD and the Sony-backed
|
|||||||||||
|
This week's hot topic:
HD-DVD vs. Blu-rayBy being first to market with its HD-DVD format, Toshiba is hoping to win the high-definition DVD format wars against Sony's upcoming Blu-ray technology. Though neither is publicly available yet, the debate over the better platform is well underway. Blu-ray gets the blue ribbon CNET member Flatworm is going with Blu-ray because he feels it's the far superior format. While it will be more expensive, its larger storage capacity will be able to fit a full-length movie encoded at 1080p on a single disc. He also compares this format war to the classic VHS vs. Betamax battle but hopes that Sony will win this time. Read Flatworm's full post in CNET TalkBack Go for the more affordable CNET member Azzuro10 is rooting for the HD-DVD format to win for one simple reason: it's more affordable. He states that while Blu-ray's one advantage is more storage per disc, the extra space simply isn't necessary. Read Azzuro10's full post in CNET TalkBack None of the above Though several of you disagreed, CNET member ryanrev3 theorizes that neither high-definition DVD format will be worth the money, and you'll likely not be able to tell the difference in quality when compared to today's DVDs. Read ryanrev3's full post in CNET TalkBack Speak Up! Do you know who will win the high-definition DVD format war? Or do you plan to simply wait to buy a next-generation DVD player? Check out David Carnoy's latest Fully Equipped column, then speak up in the TalkBack section. • First Take: Toshiba's HD-DVD players From CNET Reviews • HDTV World From CNET At Home • 1080i vs. 1080p HDTV From Fully Equipped • Home audio & video forum From CNET Forums  Here are some interesting comments you've recently submitted
on CNET. Read up and talk about it.
• Are turntables worth the quirks? Of all the format wars, the one that just doesn't end is vinyl vs. digital. While many believe vinyl delivers superior sound quality over anything digital, it's such a hassle! Records have to be flipped after just 5 or 6 songs, they scratch easily, and needles break often. Is it worth the extra effort to you? Let us know! • Origami preview? Molly Wood blogs about the new Ultra Mobile PC devices unveiled at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco on Tuesday. They run the version of Windows XP designed for Origami. So is this it? Or something entirely different? Tell us what you think. • Run 1980s-era computers on your PC Do you ever regret tossing that Commodore 64? Well, now you can get it back--sort of. Tom Merritt describes how you can put old computers on your current machine, using emulators. Do you have a favorite emulator? Tell us what it is. |
Weigh in on this week's hot topic:
 Blu-ray all the way (tell us why) HD-DVD, that's for me! (tell us why) Too early to tell; I'm waiting it out(tell us why) Not interested (why not?) What the heck are you talking about?
Vote and
discuss it here!
Last
week's poll results
What feature would you most like to see in the next iPod? What's next? Want
to sound off on a future hot topic?
Dive into some of our community hotspots. Or if you have a
special topic in mind, e-mail
us.
Hot Products |
|||||||||
The e-mail address for your CNET Community newsletter is test.tester@cnet.com. Click here to manage your newsletters, including this one.
If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, please unsubscribe. Privacy statement CNET Networks takes your privacy seriously. Because we gather certain types of information about our users, we want you to clearly understand the terms and conditions surrounding the collection and use of this information. We encourage you to review our privacy policy. |
|||||||||||
TalkBack about the DVD wars!
Copyright 2006 CNET Networks, Inc. All rights reserved. CNET Networks, Inc. 235 Second Street San Francisco, CA 94105 U.S.A. |