If you’re interested in the impending “format war” for the next generation of DVD players and software (movies, music, etc.), Slate has an excellent and easy-to-understand primer.
A prediction: High-definition DVDs will flop in the marketplace.
There are four simple reasons:
- People are happy with the current DVD format, which is durable, portable, and heads-and-shoulders above videotape in every way.
- There will be no giant leap forward in quality from standard DVD to high-definition DVD, which is the same reason 5.1-channel audio DVDs haven’t caught on; folks are content with their CDs, and the incremental quality isn’t worth it to them.
- At this point, few people can take advantage of high-definition video.
- Format wars only create losers. (See VHS versus Beta, and SACD versus DVD-Audio.)
