The decision to include a Blu-ray drive in its current-generation console ensured that Sony would be able to compete with Toshiba and its HD DVD technology (and ultimately defeat it). Basically, the PS3 acted as Sony’s Blu-ray Trojan horse. For now, it seems it was a wise decision. (though that could change if it fails to overtake standard DVD’s.)
Sure, it made the console more expensive. However, the Blu-ray enabled system gave Sony a significant edge in hi-def disc sales. This was despite the fact that the sales of HD-DVD standalone players outpaced those of their Blu-ray counterparts.
Unlike some PS3 owners, I never really saw my shiny beast as a movie player. In fact, I swore that I would never use my PS3 to play anything but games.
Learn why after the jump.
Like most consumers, I sat on the sidelines and watched Blu-ray and HD DVD duke it out for hi-def supremacy. The thought of choosing the wrong format quelled my desire to choose a side.
As most of you probably know, Blu-ray emerged victorious.
Barrier number one officially demolished.
The second reason was born of sheer paranoia.
During the PS2 era, I heard (from no one credible) that watching DVD movies on your PS2 would wear down the console’s disc reader. Though I never watched a movie on my “fat” PS2, I did encounter the infamous DRE (disc read error). I had a similar problem with my PSone (the larger grey version).
Therefore, based on previous experiences and unsubstantiated rumors, I perceived Sony’s PS2 to be somewhat fragile and did everything I could to protect it.
This was new territory for me. After all, my NES and Nintendo were both very durable (and continue to be to this day).
Fast forward a few years and you will find that I have done a complete 180.
Continue on to the next page for the scoop.
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4 responses so far ↓
1 Keith K // Jun 26, 2008 at 11:52 am
The PS3 is not without its failures and the most commonly reported cause of death is a failing disc drive.
However, though I see at least a couple new posts on the official forums every day regarding it, it’s stilll clearly a very small percentage. Of the 4 friends I know, all of whom have owned 60GB PS3s for over a year, not one person has experienced a hardware related issue.
My problem with BD, is the same issue I had with HD-DVD and ‘HD media’ as a whole: It’s not HD. It is rescanned film, scanned to a higher resolution. You do not gain any additional detail in the scene or characters, you only get a clearer, larger picture of the flaws on the master. Even today in Hollywood, film studios continue to scoff at digital video and are robbing their consumers of the quality we deserve and have paid for. This is not Sony’s fault, Toshiba’s fault or Microsoft’s fault. It is Hollywood’s. The people who backed Blu-ray and lifted them above HD-DVD.
2 SarcasticSparki // Jun 26, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Ugh… BR might be nice, but you’re buying them??? Those are expensive disks… All rentals here, blockluster and netflix both allow BR rentals, I think?
And Keith, you have very misunderstood beliefs about HD Media.
Sure Hollywood does not like digital vid, compressing film from it’s analog world. But, the truth is, there aren’t many ppl out there with a film projector in their living room… they aren’t available for sale in any stores that I know of. So the film is going to be converted into a digital signal for the TV at some point. And some amount of detail will be lost.
HD-media allows for much more detail to be saved. Detail that is very noticeable in characters, scenes, or anything else on screne. And if you can’t notice it, chances are you are sitting past the optimum viewing distance for your HDTV.
3 Havok Saunders // Jun 26, 2008 at 1:25 pm
@ SarcasticSparki
I only buy from Amazon. The prices are much lower than most retail chains. For instance, ID4 was $20 when I bought it from Amazon. The same film costs $34.99 at Best Buy.
However, you are correct. Renting from Blockbuster and Netflix would be much cheaper. My only problem with Netflix is that there are only a few films I would like to see at any one time, so I don’t know if a membership is worth the money. Though, I might try the free trial offer.
4 penguinfury // Jun 26, 2008 at 6:42 pm
I just saw Independance Day yesterday for the first time, although it was on a VHS
Great movie.
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