Portable Planet

It’s textbook irony:consumers went from having zero high definition DVD formats to havingto choose between two that hitthe market at approximately the same time. So which should we choose this holiday season, Blu-ray or HD-DVD? And for gaming consoles, the question translates into PS3 or Xbox 360?

DVD guru Dan Diotte advises to pick neither.

You dont have to decide yet, said Mr. Diotte in a recent release. History has taught us that only one of these formats is going to come out on top, and consumers who choose the wrong product will lose money, time, and, of course, quality home viewing entertainment. Wait to make this significant purchase until after the holidays, and after one of the two options appear to be leading the way to the next level of home entertainment.

Here’s his reasoning:

There is no guarantee that either HD-DVD or Blu Ray will be the clear leader a year from now.

If consumers invest in one format, and it goes away, they will lose their investment and need to re-purchase a player, discs, accessories, etc.

A universal console may be developed soon after the holidays, allowing consumers to enjoy both of the new format options.

Regardless of which player ‘wins’ the format war, maintenance and repair of current disc collections ( DVDs, CDs, Video Games, data storage) is essential. The new discs will contain so much condensed information; they will be incredibly susceptible to dirt, scratches, and damage to the integrity of the disc.