Remember the 80s, when pink leg warmers, hooped earrings and stonewash jeans were high fashion? For some, the image is one they would rather forget, since there are probably several photos as evidence for loved ones to use as blackmail material lying around in a dusty box on top of the cupboard.
The most predominant memory I have of the era was our first Betamax video machine, the little single-roll tapes that held all the wonder of the home theatre. This great format unfortunately did not last terribly long, regardless of the fact it was better quality than its rival at the time, VHS.
VHS won the format battle of the 80s, primarily because it was the cheaper of the two available then. Twenty years on, the battle between HD-DVD and Blu-Ray has echoes of the rivalry between Betamax and VHS, with one big difference: the cheaper technology is taking more casualties.
According to a BBC technology article I read this morning, it has become clear Blu-Ray is winning the war of the formats and HD-DVD will slowly fall by the wayside, much like the Betamax in its day.
No consolation prize
There has been an ongoing tug-of-war between the two formats; I can't see it changing any time soon.
Candice Jones, journalist, ITWeb
A few days ago, Warner Bros Entertainment announced it would drop Toshiba's HD-DVD and provide an exclusive space for the Blu-Ray format.
The Web is abuzz with media speculation that this makes Sony's Blu-Ray the leading technology. Indeed, investors are already cheering. In the two days since Warner's decision, Sony shares have gained 4.1% in Tokyo.
Then rumours started seeping through the news, claiming Paramount Pictures, HD-DVD's primary backer, would pull its exclusive support of the format. The entertainment company has subsequently denied these claims.
As far as I can tell, the move on Warner Bros' part is just really an ego boost for Sony. After all, it's just one company and HD-DVD has had the same backing from Paramount since August last year. There has been an ongoing tug-of-war between the two formats; I can't see it changing any time soon.
Quiet rival
So the format war continues, but there is a third player: a quiet and far more pervasive rival that may prove to be the decider. Broadband is playing it smart, coming up from behind. Maybe it took a peek at the Art of War.
Some analysts claim people were not buying high-definition players because they were confused, or did not understand which technology is the best to buy. I think they haven't been buying high-def players, because they don't need to.
Broadcasting, even in SA, is moving more towards high-definition and why should I spend a fortune on a Blu-Ray version of a movie, when I can just "Tivo it"? And this is exactly what I think will decide the fate of the video storage formats.
Delivery of media will become more important than the method of storage. Already there are signs that people are moving towards more immediate ways to consume media. MultiChoice recently introduced its DSTV Broadband package, allowing subscribers to access programmes as and when they choose.
You can order a movie online, watch it when you choose, no driving to the store, no late fees, it makes sense. Friends of mine have hard drives the size of Angola to accommodate all the movies and series shows they can cram onto their disks.
Of course, with SA's appalling broadband, this may take a while to take off. With that in mind, maybe Toshiba and Sony should shift the war to Africa. It is more likely the war will play out here and they can settle the war after finding a clear winner.
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