Time Warner Chief - PS3 Won't Drive Blu-ray Adoption

[mwgiii]

PS3 Won't Drive Blu-ray Adoption, says TW CEO

Will the PlayStation 3 be the key to success for Blu-ray? Time Warner CEO Richard Parsons (right) doesn't believe that to be the case. He's clearly disappointed that the format war between HD DVD and Blu-ray is continuing as well.

One of the biggest features of the PlayStation 3, and indeed one of the reasons why it's been in short supply (blue laser diode shortage) and is so expensive, is its Blu-ray drive. With Blu-ray in the PS3 Sony is betting heavily on the notion that this proprietary disc format will beat out HD DVD as the next-gen format to replace today's DVDs.

Much like Sony packed in a UMD of Spider-Man 2 with the initial run of PlayStation Portables to help push that format (which hasn't exactly been a huge success), the company is including a Blu-ray copy of Taladega Nights - The Ballad Ricky Bobby with the PS3.

With that said, however, according to reports in Reuters and the AP, Time Warner CEO Richard Parsons doesn't believe the PS3 will have the same effect on the Blu-ray format as the PS2 did on DVD. Speaking at the Credit Suisse media and telecom conference in New York, he said referring to Blu-ray on PS3, "Do I think that the game console platform is really going to drive the conversion? I don't think so. People get those things to play games, not watch movies."

Parsons also called the format war "unfortunate," noting that it's causing confusion among consumers and that it wouldn't make sense for a major studio to only back one format at this time—Warner Bros. has been essentially neutral, putting its movies on both HD DVD and Blu-ray thus far.

Of course, Time Warner may have bigger plans for its movie business if the digital download revolution takes off as many suspect it will. "We're looking at ways of working with (movie) studios to have some sort of subscription format that's electronically distributed through the existing windows," Parsons explained.

Source: http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=14665

 

[korsjs]

People get those things to play games, not watch movies."

don't tell joe

 

[JoeSp]

TOO LATE!! I already read the article. You know, oppinions is just like a--ho--s -- everyone has one. And he is right about the PS2's inpact on DVD. It was my first DVD player. However, if the PS3 does well (and all indications and early reviews say that it will) as a BluRay player then early adopters might try one. As for its impact on BluRay sales -- I think that Sony's standalone along with Panasonic, Phillips, Pioneer, LG and other manufacturer's standalones will have just as much impact as the PS3 on BluRay sales. I purchased my PS3 as a BluRay player first and a games player second. Maybe others who kept their PS3s did the same? Lets revisit this in March 2007.

 

[Ramy]

TOO LATE!! I already read the article. You know, oppinions is just like a--ho--s -- everyone has one. And he is right about the PS2's inpact on DVD. It was my first DVD player. However, if the PS3 does well (and all indications and early reviews say that it will) as a BluRay player then early adopters might try one. As for its impact on BluRay sales -- I think that Sony's standalone along with Panasonic, Phillips, Pioneer, LG and other manufacturer's standalones will have just as much impact as the PS3 on BluRay sales. I purchased my PS3 as a BluRay player first and a games player second. Maybe others who kept their PS3s did the same? Lets revisit this in March 2007.

You are one of the few who bought it as a Blu-Ray player first and game console second.

 

[hpman247]

I bought it for both. BD is without question the superior format it just costs more right now. Transfers are identical on HDDVD and BD of movies that I have seen.

 

[mastermesh]

I think combo drives that do both formats will end out in the end, just like your combo dvd/cd drives work now...except in the future it'll be combo dvd/cd/blueray/hd drives... and that'll be the default for all of 2-3 years before holographic drives take over... then all the dvd/cd/blueray/hd stuff will be gone like 8 tracks where when casettes came along.

You see, this is the way the industry works. Always make just enough changes to get people to buy new stuff in 5 years or so, and say stuff is backwards compatible, but only make it backwards compatible for up to say 3 years or so of stuff, and then force them to upgrade or die.

You can't play your snazzy analog cassetes or vinyl directly in a computer but if you have the right gizmos to attach to your sound card it makes a pretty good transition. Of course, you had to buy those gizmos, cards, and other technology to do that, and I almost bet they were happy to take your money to buy those things, just like someone will be happy to take your money when you buy a blue ray drive in a year or so only to see it outdated in 6 months with newer combo drives, which will then be outdated in another year or two... and along the way, maybe you can buy a new Windows Vista that will be outdated in a couple of years and won't play windows 95/98 games due to com no longer existing in the way that it did back when those games were brand new. And while you have the bucks to spend, why not buy a new car too that will depreciate in value the second you drive it off of the lot.

 

[navychop]

Are you saying they actually PLAN OBSOLESCENCE? Say it ain't so!

But after believing in FMDs, I won't count on HVDs until they actually hit market.

 

[BobMurdoch]

If it were VHS/Beta I wouldn't care. Studios released films for both formats in their heyday.

The problem is that you have studios choosing sides. I would have bought Ice Age 2 on HD DVD if it were available, but had to settle for DVD. Their loss. They left money on the table.

 

[Sapient]

If it were VHS/Beta I wouldn't care. Studios released films for both formats in their heyday.

The problem is that you have studios choosing sides. I would have bought Ice Age 2 on HD DVD if it were available, but had to settle for DVD. Their loss. They left money on the table.

I think HD DVD's strong showing will have most, if not all, studios releasing on both BD and HD DVD within a few months.

 

[Sapient]

I bought it for both. BD is without question the superior format it just costs more right now. Transfers are identical on HDDVD and BD of movies that I have seen.

I would not say "without question". Both have advantages, and cost really is an issue when deciding which is better.

 

[navychop]

I think he meant technical merits/specs. But cost and getting off to a good start are also factors not to be ignored.

 

[JoeSp]

Bob, how is it their loss? You still purchased the Ice Age 2 title in DVD. You just could not get it in HD-DVD. Get use to that for awhile because BluRay is just getting cranked up. All the supporting studios started releasing in BluRay in November along with the 50gb disc and most of those release are getting very good reviews. There are going to be alot of releases only on BluRay that you will end up purchasing on DVD.

If the HD-DVD crowd wants to effect change quicker you have to NOT puchase the DVD of a title you want. You must write a letter to the studio and state that you support HD-DVD and will not buy any more titles from their studio until they start releasing HD-DVD. I personally am not buying any titles from Universal because they do not support BluRay. And I am seriously considering not purchasing BluRay titles from Warner anymore if they don't stop shorting the BluRay on the Audio side of the equation. No reason for that BS.

I still believe there is plenty of money to go around and both formats can survive. Maybe a standalone that can do both is the only way out of this for everyone. But then where does that leave the consumer? You have to buy another player and I seriously doubt that a combo will be able to deliver the same quality as a single format player. We'll see.

 

[tonyp56]

Over the years, I've slowly but surely decided that I don't like Sony, or anything that they help release (I know Sony isn't the only one that is for Blu-Ray, but I'd put them at the top of the list). How many things in the past was sony a part of and it failed?

Everyone that I know automatically think, "it's Sony, it has to be good" and I'm sorry, my experience with Sony has not been that good. Over several years and several products, I have found Sony to be lacking in quality, customer service, and easy product use.

So, until either HD-DVD becomes the only HD format or manufactors start selling Blu-Ray/HD-DVD combo players, I won't buy into HD DVD players or discs.

If Blu-Ray, by chance, wins the format war, well, I'll eventually buy a player, but it won't be from Sony.

 

[Sapient]

I think he meant technical merits/specs. But cost and getting off to a good start are also factors not to be ignored.

I don't think you can judge technical merit without considering cost. The superior product is the one that gives you the most for the least.

 

[mikley28]

I don't think you can judge technical merit without considering cost. The superior product is the one that gives you the most for the least.

Fully agreed!! Although I plunked down $640 for a new Xfx Geforce 8800 GTX with overnight shipping.

 

[Kevinw]

Bob, how is it their loss? You still purchased the Ice Age 2 title in DVD. You just could not get it in HD-DVD.

They lost because he bought the 14.95 DVD instead of a 24.00 HD-DVD. He lost because he could not get a HD-DVD.

 

[Paradox-SJ]

I still cant believe people actually BUY DVD's.....go figure.

 

[meStevo]

I feel bad cause this is basically trolling and I like to consider myself more than just that on this board but... whenever I come to this forum and see the title of this thread I think:

"There aren't enough PS3s to drive PS3 game adoption!"

Sorry, had to share.

 

[BobMurdoch]

They lost because he bought the 14.95 DVD instead of a 24.00 HD-DVD. He lost because he could not get a HD-DVD.

Exactly, they left money on the table..... All because they failed to bully me into getting the OTHER guys format.

 

[Neutron]

I am not getting into the High Definition disc format until one of the formats prevails (Hopefully HD-DVD).