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BD: I Ain't No Stinkin' Laserdisc
February 5, 2008

Although there are signs the format war is winding down, Blu-ray Disc is not a clear winner, according to this USA Today article. Consumers still need to be convinced that Blu-ray is spectactular enough to convince them to replace their DVD player and DVD titles. A promise of higher video/audio quality with BD might not cut it, as earlier high quality formats such as laserdisc and DVD Audio never really jumped into mainstream favor. However, the studios seem to be on top of the problem. Seeing earlier format failures, studios realize they need to make BD more than simply a quality technology and are continuing to add new bells and whistles. 
Fox, for instance, is starting to include digital copies of films onto BD titles: both standard two-disc special edition and BD versions of April 1 release Alvin and the Chipmunks will come loaded with a digital copy that can play on Apple iPods, Macs, PCs, and most Windows-based portable devices. Sony is planning something similar for Godzilla, where a copy can be transferred from Playstation 3 for viewing on Playstation Portables.
I say that studios are going in the right direction in ensuring BD becomes a mainstream format. But I say they could do even more, including the release of some A-list films onto BD.  Fox - where's Star Wars??  Or New Line - where's Lord of the Rings? Either of these properties on BD would garner mainstream attention for the format.

Posted by Susanne Ault on February 5, 2008 | Comments (1)