We recently discussed the future of DVD, and analyzed Blu-Ray’s benefits and drawbacks. While Blu-Ray may or may not become the next mainstream consumer video format, it’s worth remembering that it has already triumphed once: over HD-DVD.
The Blu-Ray/HD-DVD format war occurred between 2006 and 2008. Both formats featured a larger-capacity DVD disc that could display high-definition video. The battle began when the blue laser diode was invented, which Sony developed into a new DVD format that it chose to call Blu-Ray.
While some companies allied with Sony to back the new disc, others, such as Toshiba and Microsoft, were vocally wary of the format’s price tag. These tensions came to a head when the Blu-Ray coalition turned down Microsoft’s interactivity feature, HDi, in favor of a different technique called BD-J (based on Java code). Shortly thereafter, Toshiba and Microsoft announced they were developing an alternative high-definition disc, which they dubbed “HD-DVD.”
Both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD were released to consumers in 2006. Blu-Ray scored its first major victory when Sony added the technology to its popular Playstation 3. By the time Toshiba and Microsoft had included HD-DVD in the Xbox 360 as well, Blu-Ray already had growing acceptance by Playstation users. But during the next few years, both formats grew slowly, as consumers waited out yet another format war.
Finally, Warner Brothers–one of HD-DVD’s most important backers–defected to Blu-Ray in 2008. Within the next few weeks, other manufacturers and studios abandoned HD-DVD as well. Toshiba eventually discontinued the format in February 2008.
Like all format wars, this one largely came down to smart marketing by Sony–same as JVC with VHS, all those years ago. But can Blu-Ray continue its success in a marketplace that’s moving to digital delivery? We’ll see.
