So, which side are you on?
- Thread starter Ilya
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Perhaps to you. But the remaining 99% of us without robot ears can enjoy quality sound as long as the proper algorithm and mastering are utilized.
I voted neutral because I want the consumer to win regardless of the finer points of either technology. However, as a SuperBeta HiFi owner, I will tell you why Blu-Ray will lose: Sony.
The reason there are two camps and two technologies is because Sony wants to own the technology and wield it over the rest of the market like a conquering king, as they have always done.
There are members here who can point out the finer details that provide a solid foundation for why they chose one or the other technology. Most consumers aren't going to do that. They are going to look at the demos at the store, the Titles available, and the price tag and that will decide for them. On Demand DVRs will likely kill the disk shaped delivery technology in favor of immediate availability without a separate piece of hardware to play it.
The reason there are two camps and two technologies is because Sony wants to own the technology and wield it over the rest of the market like a conquering king, as they have always done.
There are members here who can point out the finer details that provide a solid foundation for why they chose one or the other technology. Most consumers aren't going to do that. They are going to look at the demos at the store, the Titles available, and the price tag and that will decide for them. On Demand DVRs will likely kill the disk shaped delivery technology in favor of immediate availability without a separate piece of hardware to play it.
Blu-ray has prominent end-caps at all major CE retailers, HD DVD doesn't.
Blu-ray has more titles available, more titles announced, and more day and date new releases.
Despite HD DVD owners always comparing the most expensive Blu-ray players to the least expensive HD DVD players, the reality is that the entry price is about the same between formats.
As far as disc prices go, titles released by neutral studios are actually less expensive on Blu-ray because of the combo format HD DVD is pushing.
Last count had HD DVD with a slight lead (for now).
I guess you consider the PS3 as entry level BD, eventhough it is not very user friendly for watching movies (no universal remote, akward PS3 game menus). OK, I 'll spend $180 on the HD DVD add on and hook it to my computer, which has been done, to watch movies. That's about the same as using the PS3 for the dedicated Blue-ray player. Way cheaper.
Yes,
These are all very good reasons for believing that BD will win the war for HD disk delivery. In fact, had Sony been able to flood the market with millions of PS3s instead of the few hundred thousand they were able to get out, things would look even more sure for BD.
BUT: Sony is still Sony. Maybe they have learned from their mistakes but like every even numbered update of Microsoft software, disaster waits impatiently for a decision to be made based on pride and politics.
I also remember when Disney and several other big names jumped onboard Circuit City's DIVX disk delivery system. Maybe that's an Apples vs Oranges comparison.... we will see; and I wait until the champion rewards the consumer.
I still marvel that people making millions of dollars actually believed they could get people to buy into that DIVX "stuff."
What speculation? Who has the most movies out right now -- BD. Who has the most movies being release over the next 3 months -- BD. Who has the biggest titles coming out over the next 3 months based on ticket sales -- BD. Who has the most players -- BD. Who has the most players coming out thru the end of 2007 -- BD. Who has the most standalone sales -- BD. Who is outselling HD-DVD at a minimum of 2-1 every week since XMAS 2006 -- BD!
Comeon Bob, tell the truth -- HD-DVD fanboys are the ones really speculating -- hoping somehow the HD-DVD camp finds a way to turn it around. You guys have stated Disney will be doing HD-DVD but Disney says NOPE! You guys say Fox is just around the corner but Fox says NOPE! Now you guys say this increase in BD sales is only temporary but every week that goes by since Xmas 06 BD sales keep increasing.
No Bob, on the issue of who is doing better it is the HD-DVD fanboys who are speculating -- I just hope you guys aren't betting the farm. And btw-- here in my area (Raleigh N.C.)on the Craig's list you can find several HD-DVD players (usually HD-A1) for sell. However, I haven't found a BD player on there lately -- wonder why?
Comeon Bob, tell the truth -- HD-DVD fanboys are the ones really speculating -- hoping somehow the HD-DVD camp finds a way to turn it around. You guys have stated Disney will be doing HD-DVD but Disney says NOPE! You guys say Fox is just around the corner but Fox says NOPE! Now you guys say this increase in BD sales is only temporary but every week that goes by since Xmas 06 BD sales keep increasing.
No Bob, on the issue of who is doing better it is the HD-DVD fanboys who are speculating -- I just hope you guys aren't betting the farm. And btw-- here in my area (Raleigh N.C.)on the Craig's list you can find several HD-DVD players (usually HD-A1) for sell. However, I haven't found a BD player on there lately -- wonder why?
Nice try. The reference was to people moving up the intro and reducing the price of the anticipated Chinese HD-DVD players, based upon wishes and desires, not any actual data.
whose wishes and desires? got a source? Are they credible? Please dont mislead people with sources that are not credible.
One more try. I was not misleading. Not a claim. I was noting that the original article said Chinese players would come out at the end of 2007 for less than $200, IIRC. People then posted "mid-summer" and "less than $100" with no sources. I was pointing out that others were making posts about how soon and how little HD-DVD players would be, without any proof. We won't see $100 high def players this year or next, IMHO.
Let us approach these Chinese players from another perspective. How many of you believe these low cost HD-DVD players will have all the bells and whistles of their more expensive brothers and sisters? Or will they simply be like the XBOX360 HD-DVD player -- 1080i PQ without the HD sound?
I just dont care who wins but right now HD DVD since I have a $200 HD addon to my Xbox 360 and I really prefer to use my Xbox navigation since its programed into my setup. If they came out with a BD addon then I would support it. Until then, I dont care about BD and dont support it. I just know that somepoint I willl have to but until then its HD DVD all the way.
I don't care as I probably won't buy them. I just like that they will put downward pricing pressure on the market, expand the base to help the format survive and flourish, and put pressure on the big manufacturers to make their anti piracy measures less onerous (Chinese players have a history of ditching inconvenient standards - remember the Apex players that let you disable region coding on DVD players via a menu setting).
I also call it the JetBlue effect. I prefer Continental Airlines since I live in NJ and they fly just about everywhere I need to go with a nonstop flight out of Newark. However, they do overcharge when they can. Prices fell by 50% to Aruba when JetBlue started flying there. I'm hoping for a similar dynamic here....
Bob, if the Chinese players do not get here till 2008 it might be too late. Toshiba, Universal and M$ need to do something drastic to get HD-DVD to survive. I can tell you that those $39.00 combo discs from Universal are not going to fly. That price is just ridiculous.
Here is a senario, M$ brings out their XBOX360 with HD-DVD and HDMI internally for $499. This would be a killer combo and I believe would really bolster sales especially with the current game titles for the XBOX360. Toshiba comes out with a HD-DVD player with analog out for $299 and Universal knocks off those stupid combo discs and goes back to just HD-DVD discs and drops the starting price to $24.00. Then stop those Chinese players from coming into the US for till at least 2009. Then you might be able to get Fox and Buena Vista to play nice in 2008.
Otherwise it might be lights out by Xmas!
I don't see MS putting in an HD player. They've got 10 million units out there with a regular drive, and just in case HD DVD does fail, it is just as easy to come out with a BluRay drive that plugs into the USB.
I agree that the disc prices need to come down. This is what killed the SACD/DVD Audio combo.... If they REALLY want to get people to abandon DVD they need to price it the same AND come up with added content to compel people to make the switch.
MS likes the current price advantage they have and don't need to push a next gen technology that may or may not survive. Via their Video Marketplace they are already delivering TV over IP in both SD and HD (yeah, we know... not REALLY (it's HD Lite Lite)... but Joe Six Pack doesn't seem to know the difference). The Sony juggernaut was partially created by their juggernaut of exclusives of MGS/GTA/Final Fantasy etc... For whatever reason they have forgotten the power of exclusives, or have been unable to convince publishers to put all their eggs in one basket this time around. GTA will be day and date for both. Assassins Creed went to both, and Square Soft is making content for XBox360 now. Meanwhile, MS has Gears of War at 3 million units sold so far and a little thing called Halo 3 that is so anticipated that the simple right to play a Beta of part of the multiplayer game has propelled Crackdown, a GTA knockoff, to bestseller status as it is the best way to get access to the Beta program. Another 5 million consoles might get sold off of that game alone when it ships in November.
The bigger problem is the content gap. HD DVD has the early adopters with the lack of region coding, better interactivity, and lower entry costs, but their is a serious lack of content right now. BluRay has 15 new and catalog titles coming out this month, while HD DVD has 5. They've got to kick it into gear and get Spielberg's stuff out there NOW or the media will start sounding death knells......
I agree that the disc prices need to come down. This is what killed the SACD/DVD Audio combo.... If they REALLY want to get people to abandon DVD they need to price it the same AND come up with added content to compel people to make the switch.
MS likes the current price advantage they have and don't need to push a next gen technology that may or may not survive. Via their Video Marketplace they are already delivering TV over IP in both SD and HD (yeah, we know... not REALLY (it's HD Lite Lite)... but Joe Six Pack doesn't seem to know the difference). The Sony juggernaut was partially created by their juggernaut of exclusives of MGS/GTA/Final Fantasy etc... For whatever reason they have forgotten the power of exclusives, or have been unable to convince publishers to put all their eggs in one basket this time around. GTA will be day and date for both. Assassins Creed went to both, and Square Soft is making content for XBox360 now. Meanwhile, MS has Gears of War at 3 million units sold so far and a little thing called Halo 3 that is so anticipated that the simple right to play a Beta of part of the multiplayer game has propelled Crackdown, a GTA knockoff, to bestseller status as it is the best way to get access to the Beta program. Another 5 million consoles might get sold off of that game alone when it ships in November.
The bigger problem is the content gap. HD DVD has the early adopters with the lack of region coding, better interactivity, and lower entry costs, but their is a serious lack of content right now. BluRay has 15 new and catalog titles coming out this month, while HD DVD has 5. They've got to kick it into gear and get Spielberg's stuff out there NOW or the media will start sounding death knells......
