Example 1: All HD-DVD players can play standard music CDs. However, the first Sony and Pioneer Blu-ray Disc players that came out did not have CD playing capability. This had nothing to do with the Blu-ray or HD-DVD format - it was a marketing decision made by the Sony and Pioneer Executives as to what to include in those specific players.
Example 2: With regards to audio, even though both formats have the capability of using the same audio formats, there may be differences as to which audio format decoding capability is included in a specific player, or on specific discs. This is not a format issue, it is a business decision.
Example 3: Another factor to take into consideration is the actual video processing circuitry used in a specific player, which can affect the final result you see on the screen. An example of this is the Samsung BD-P1000. When this Blu-ray player first came out, its video noise reduction chip was improperly set, resulting in images that looked softer than they should have. Many reviewers (including myself ) were concerned that this softness was the result of possible deficiencies of the actual Blu-ray format, but when it was found out that it was the video noise reduction chip setting, Samsung eventually provided a firmware upgrade to correct the problem.
Example 4: Many people think that HD-DVD is only 1080i capable and not 1080p capable. This is not true. However, what is true is that some HD-DVD players output in 1080i rather than 1080p - but the movies on the discs are mastered in 1080p/24. In other words, the HD-DVD format conforms to 1080p, but some of the players don't execute the 1080p feature. Is the 1080i vs 1080p difference a problem? Not really. If you have a 1080p Television, the TV itself will convert the incoming 1080i signal to 1080p. The only issue here is how good the 1080p processor is in the TV.
Example 5: The Samsung BD-P1000 outputs in 1080p, or does it? The video processor in this Blu-ray Disc player takes the 1080p/24 signal off of the disc, then converts the 1080p/24 signal to 1080i, then reconverts it to 1080p/60 for final output.
Example 6: The LG BH100 Blu-ray/HD-DVD Combo player outputs the 1080p/24 signal off both Blu-ray and HD-DVD discs, however, if your HDTV does not accept 1080p/24 and only accepts 1080p/60, the BH100 will detect that and automatically reset itself to 1080i output.
Example 7: The LG BH100 Blu-ray/HD-DVD Combo player does play both Blu-ray and HD-DVD discs. However, with HD-DVD discs, the BH100 cannot access the interactive menu functions of HD-DVD discs. This has nothing to do with the capabilities of the HD-DVD format, LG made the decision that including access to all HD-DVD format features would increase the price of the combo player too much.
Final Comments
I hope that the above explanations and illustrations clear up the many misconceptions about both the Blu-ray and HD-DVD formats, and serves to guide you to a more balanced view regarding the capabilities and limitations of both formats, and how they are actually implemented in the marketplace.
For those of you that are considering a Blu-ray or HD-DVD player purchase, also check out my article: Before You Buy a Blu-ray or HD-DVD Player.
As of February 19, 2008 Toshiba has formally discontinued the HD-DVD format.
However, the high-def DVD story still isn't over. Although the Blu-ray Camp is celebrating the fact that they have won the format war, they still have to face the standard DVD juggernaut, which certainly won't yield much anytime soon. After all, DVD is the most popular home entertainment format in history. With that in mind, Blu-ray still has an uphill battle in terms of long term survival. For more perspective on this, check out my commentary: The Demise of HD-DVD and Future Challenges for Blu-ray.
