The Blu-ray Disc could jump-start the transition to high definition television.

Sony’s Blu-ray became the official format for high-definition media, much like the DVD and the VHS tape before it, after Toshiba’s HD DVD dropped out of the format race in February.

Ben Tigner, Broadcast and Cinematic Arts Department video labs manager, said the industry had been uncertain which format would be used to produce and distribute video content up until Blu-ray’s victory.

“If you wanted to distribute true HD content that you could put on an HD television in your home, there were two mediums available and neither one had been widely accepted,” Tigner said. “When Time Warner switched over to Blu-ray (in January), that’s what ended it.”

Tigner said the biggest differences between HD DVD and Blu-ray were the Hollywood studio supporters in addition to Microsoft’s support for HD DVD and Sony for Blu-ray.

Tigner said Sony’s victory with Blu-ray is new for them after failed losses of the Sony Betamax players to VHS tapes and the Sony MiniDisc to traditional CDs.

‘We have the right one’

Colorado junior Krystyl Garrett said she was happy to hear Toshiba’s announcement because her husband bought a Playstation 3, which includes a built-in Blu-ray player.

“I’m very happy they decided to go with Blu-ray,” she said. “We were like ‘Yes, we have the right one.’”

Garrett said she thinks Blu-ray still may take some time to catch on with consumers.

“When the price of the players and discs themselves go down, more people will buy it, I think,” Garrett said.

However, Harrison Township freshman Richard Hebel owns an HD DVD player and said he would not buy a Blu-ray player.

“If I ever wanted Blu-ray, I would probably get a Playstation 3,” he said.

Hebel said he figured one format would win eventually, but not so soon.

“I just figured it wouldn’t happen for at least three years,” he said.

New changes

Tigner said the format war is not the only change in the television industry.

He said in February 2009, there will be a government-mandated switch from an analog broadcast signal to a digital.

Tigner said every household will receive a coupon to purchase a convertor for older TVs that will not support a digital signal.

“If you have an analog television set or receiver, you’ll need to buy an adapter,” he said.

Peter Orlik, BCA department chairman, said all HD content comes from a digital signal but not all digital signals are HD.

Orlik said the BCA department and Moore Hall Television are ready for the digital conversion, but is not capable to broadcast in HD.

“We are a significantly long ways away from sustaining a significant HD environment,” he said.

Orlik said the MHTV control room is prepared for the digital conversion, but materials such as cameras, cables and the general infrastructure of the studio needs to be converted for HD content.

“It means refurbishing the studio at about a half a million dollar cost,” he said.

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