Blu-ray still overshadowed by standard DVD

Since the start of the HD-DVD/Blu-ray war, I've consistently been arguing that standard DVD remains a worthy and acceptable medium—and now that Blu-ray has won the aforementioned war, I still maintain this stance.

But it appears that others are sharing my view, too, though for different reasons. For many, it's a matter of money—i.e., a Blu-ray player is simply too expensive at nearly $400 a pop. For others, it's the greater availability of movies and TV shows that are only available in standard DVD. Plus, the market demographics themselves present a number of obstacles.

The format also faces sales challenges that DVDs did not when they took over from VHS in the late 1990s. It doesn't save any space compared with DVD, and there's no need to replace a DVD collection once you buy a Blu-ray player because it will play your old discs.

There also is a proliferation of direct-to-home offerings appearing on cable, satellite and the Internet that threaten to stop Blu-ray growth in its tracks. Blu-ray backers say, however, consumers prefer physical copies of movies over virtual ones, especially when some online rental services impose a time limit.

The overall consensus is that, if Blu-ray ever were to dominate over standard DVD, it won't be for a few years yet. Doesn't bother me, any, because as I've stated many times before, standard DVD is good enough for me.