Swanni says Blu-Ray mfgrs shot themselves in the foot

[allargon]

Even I think this isn't that big of an issue. (However, I hope there are some nasty lawsuits just for the sake of consumer protection.) This affects a few early adopters. However, all the current Blu-ray advertising trying to make Blu-Ray mainstream may bite a few people in the butt if they don't get those profile 2.0 players out there-- ASAP.

Blu-ray Shoots Itself In the Foot -- Again

Blu-ray Shoots Itself In the Foot -- Again
New players will enable interactive features, causing one newspaper to write you shouldn't buy a current model
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (March 19, 2008) -- The next series of Blu-ray players will offer several interactive features not available on current models.

That's according to an article by USA Today, which advises its readers to wait before buying a current Blu-ray player.

The publication reports that the new players will be compliant with an upcoming "Profile 2.0" standard, adding an Internet connection feature called "BD-Live."

While the Blu-ray picture will not improve on the Profile 2.0 players, they will allow you to chat on-screen with other Blu-ray owners, retrieve free ring tones and play games.

The Sony BDP-S350, which will be available in the summer for $399, will be compatible with Profile 2.0 as will the BDP-S550, which will retail for $499 this fall.

"Technology always evolves, and new features are added to platforms continually, whether it's a Blu-ray machine or other consumer electronics products," says Chris Fawcett, vice president of home video at Sony Electronics.

While current standalone Blu-ray players are not compatible with Profile 2.0, Sony's Play Station 3, which has a Blu-ray player inside, can download updates for the new standard, USA Today reports.


Commentary:
While some industry officials, tech geeks and tech journalists will get weak at the knees over the new interactive features, few consumers will actually use them.

People want to watch movies, particularly in gorgeous 1080p high-def video.

Downloading a free ring tone or playing a silly game while they watch might make advertisers excited, but it will make movie lovers yawn.

Interactive TV is dead -- despite dozens of attempts to revive it by industry officials clueless about what their consumers really want.

By introducing these Profile 2.0 players, Blu-ray makers are just giving tech journalists an excuse to tell their readers to wait before buying a Blu-ray player.

Here's the lead paragraph of today's USA Today article:

"The High-Definition-video war may be over now that Toshiba has conceded defeat for its ailing HD DVD format, but those interested in buying a high-def Blu-ray player still might want to wait for new features coming in the fall."

For Blu-ray companies to allow this to happen is dumb -- almost as dumb as engaging in a format war.

 

[diogen]

From the article:

Downloading a free ring tone or playing a silly game while they watch might make advertisers excited, but it will make movie lovers yawn.

I'm one of those that doesn't care about extras in 99% cases. But I doubt I'm the majority (what this quote implies).

Ringtones cost more than songs on iTunes ("public performance" or some such crap) and remains a very profitable business.
Hence, somebody buys them. I can understand why BDA wants this incorporated in BD-Live.
Wasn't one of the points to go hidef to create an "experience" instead of just watching a movie?

BTW, I don't believe BD-Live is "for the consumer".
Studios want to now what you watch, when, how many times, etc.
Sony's rootkit experience combined with a fully functioning TCP/IP stack and BD-J native code, will help to achieve this...

Diogen.

 

[r.jones1116]

Another fine example of a half baked format.

 

[mike123abc]

Only thing I usually watch in extras are deleted scenes or alternate endings.

 

[navychop]

I'm one of those that doesn't care about extras in 99% cases. But I doubt I'm the majority.

I think you are.

BTW, I don't believe BD-Live is "for the consumer".
Studios want to now what you watch, when, how many times, etc.
Sony's rootkit experience combined with a fully functioning TCP/IP stack and BD-J native code, will help to achieve this...

Diogen.

I have this nagging fear that you may be right. It's one reason I don't like Tivo. But I guess I'll get used to it. Who knows how many companies are tracking my surfing, even with AdAware & Spybot, etc. Same tracking probably would have come about with HD DVD, had it lived. ("she" lived?) The temptation must be too great; money on the table.

I wonder if that kind of tracking is illegal in Europe? They seem to have stricter privacy laws than us. Ask MicroSoft.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Another fine example of a half baked format.

Will someone please slap the record player.

 

[meStevo]

Only thing I usually watch in extras are deleted scenes or alternate endings.

...and the most important extras.... outtakes!

 

[nonrev]

Will someone please slap the record player.

Keep sweeping BD flaws under the rug and knocking alternitives. I wonder who really needs to be slapped?

 

[gadgtfreek]

Keep sweeping BD flaws under the rug and knocking alternitives. I wonder who really needs to be slapped?

:haha:river

Keep RE-informing us of the flaws like we are two year olds and maybe itll bring HD-DVD back. Or you could always go perform a seance.

 

[navychop]

Will someone please slap the record player.

:up:up:up

 

[riffjim4069]

I'm one of those that doesn't care about extras in 99% cases. But I doubt I'm the majority (what this quote implies).

Me too! I used to watch the "extras" when I bought my first DVD player...but that was in 1998. I can't recall the last time I viewed any of the bonus material.

 

[r.jones1116]

:haha:river

Keep RE-informing us of the flaws like we are two year olds and maybe itll bring HD-DVD back. Or you could always go perform a seance.

It will be the flaws and pricing that will keep Blu Ray and High Dollar Media from being mass adopted. Then we both can have a seance

 

[haertig]

Why do you need a ring tone on a BluRay player? Are the things going to start answering telephone calls? Seems like a rather useless feature to me.

I agree the interactivity is nothing special to me. I couldn't care less about it. The problem with consumers though, is they always want the latest and greatest. Even if the latest and greatest is of dubious value, e.g., 1080p vs. 1080i players. Over even 1080p displays vs. 720p displays (even that difference can be a dubious improvement in many setups).

So you never want to announce the latest stuff is "coming soon" if you're a manufacturer. Because people will stop buying your current stuff and wait for the latest stuff. Unfortunately BluRay really didn't have any choice in announcing. They had to say Profile 2.0 was "coming soon" when they were still fighting with HDDVD. Interactivity was a catch-up feature that they needed to advertise in advance. Now that BluRay has won, they can't really un-announce Profile 2.0 though, so they might get shafted a little bit while trying to sell off their remaining current product. Probably not too much though. Most consumers will never know the difference between profiles, or even that they exist. Those who do know the difference will probably wait for 2.0, even though intellectually they know it's not a big deal, but we're all consumers and tend towards the latest and greatest no matter what. Those who know the profiles are a small minority that won't affect the bottom line all that much.