If Blu-Ray Launched And No One Noticed, Would It Matter?
from the just-saying dept
We've noted recently that we honestly couldn't care much less about the supposed "battle" over next generation DVD formats -- as the industry is doing pretty much everything in its power to make sure that no one cares. Including extra, cumbersome copy protection combined with a standards battle that will confuse and alienate customers and suppliers. On top of that, recognize that other forms of media delivery using hard drives and networks are becoming more reasonable every day, and the advantages to disc-based content continues to decrease. Still, that didn't stop someone from submitting a story excitedly talking about how Blu-Ray players and a few movies will hit the stores soon. Of course, they'll be coming to the stores at a price of "around $1,000" which should convince perhaps the four or five people who are excited about Blu-Ray to buy into it, but few others. Honestly, if they really want people to adopt this new format when there are so many other choices, why put up such a huge barrier? Most people are going to have no clue why they should buy this new system, and at a price many times more than existing DVD players not many are going to be convinced. Of course, the industry response is just that this is how they always price new offerings (they did the same thing with DVD players after all) and prices will drop after (a) all the suckers with too much money have bought in and (b) economies of scale kick in. The problem, though, was that when DVD players were introduced they didn't have quite the same level of competition as exists today. So, either the industry needs to go on quite the "education" (some might say "brainwashing") campaign about why these new DVDs are worthwhile, or it will end up in the (large) pile of over-hyped new technologies that it turns out customers never actually wanted.
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No Subject Given
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why bother?
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And NOW they want me to ditch all that and go out and buy another format....for what, HD quality perhaps, but what else? I've never been much of an early adopter, but this definitely turns me away from all the breathless hype that is coming from the purveyers of Blu-Ray....
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Re: why bother?
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Fragility?
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Re: Fragility?
Early adopters of HDTV (like me with my component inputs), will see 25% resolution in return for good consumer behaviour.
That's 25% of SOMETHING I ALREADY PAID FOR. And the disks are more expensive.
It will be a cold day in hell when I will ante up for another Hollywood kidney punch.
Damn them all.
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DVD format?
Hm. So, not only do i have to buy a separate version of a movie for my PSP/Video iPod (because i dont want to break the law and break the encryption on my LARGE DVD library) i have to buy a new version for my HD-DVD.
I am hoping the Video iPod does for Movies what the normal iPod did for music; Nobody CARES how good it looks, as long as i am seeing it.
What is the equivalent of 128kbps AAC file? 320 by 240? 640 by 480? I don't know, but all I know is DVD-Audio is "High quality"; How is THAT going?
Am i going to buy new copies of all my movies in HD and plop down a grand for a player?
Will you?
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DRM - Neccesary Evil
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Re: DRM - Neccesary Evil
China? Hell been to new york lately? You see bootlegs everywhere. I have even seen a convience store in the bronx with very questionable looking dvds. of course the clerk claimed they were legit but the photocopied cover did not convince me. anyways why bother with bluray or hd-dvd when holographic discs should be out at the beginning of next year and beat the hell out of both formats in storage space.
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Re: DRM - Neccesary Evil
Desperation, I can understand, but DRM is hardly a "necessary evil." That's a bogus excuse by those in the industry.
I could go through many of the reasons why, but reading through this talk covers most of the bases.
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Re: DRM - Neccesary Evil
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format wars
I picked up a Samsung HD841 DVD Player, and it plays Super Audio CD and DVD-Audio discs as well as Divx(avi) files, mpg, VCD the whole bit.
I love my DVD-Audio discs, but I could only find like 4 I actually wanted to purchase, and it's certainly not for lack of trying. The quality is amazing, and hearing your favorite bands in full on 96khz 5.1 surround is killer, but if the industry ever wants us to step up to their newer "high quality" formats, they have to actually provide us with content for the bloody thing!
and that won't happen till the standards war is over, thus sticking us in a perpetual catch 22. Screw the industry, my dvd's make me happy :)
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Maybe WiMax First?
I don't own a HDTV, and I don't plan on getting one until the majority of TV channels start broadcasting in HDTV signal and the extra price goes down. So, no stand-alone player for me. And I'm not getting a drive for my computer either. Surely, some of you have read that the *EXTRA* equipment and connections you'll need isn't even really out yet? Why even bother spending all that extra money?
This is one consumer who won't even consider purchasing any new players/drives until one format wins over another, the confusion over the equipment needed is ended, and, obviously, the price comes down. At this rate, I expect we'll see WiMax before we see that happen! ;)
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Blu-Ray & Games
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Re: Blu-Ray & Games
Correct me if I'm wrong. And what games would you have to switch on? the only game I've ever had to switch on is a really old DX5 game (i can't remember the game). It had about 24 levels, on 4 disks. Even though, newer games on cds have more levels and better graphics... OH there was one other thing i had to switch discs on, the extended edition of the LOTR.
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The PS3
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No Subject Given
What the article fails to note is that early adopters have already bypassed DVD as the primary delivery vehicle for movies. Many of my friends have over a terabyte of media storage on RAID arrays. They want downloadable movies released concurrently with movie release or, at least, with DVD release. Until then, they rent a DVD, rip it, and then send it back to Blockbuster or Netflix.
Buying the new DVD players is like buying the latest model of buggy whip.
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whatever
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This has been discussed over at slashdot
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I say screw them...
I am a huge movie fan, I have seen probably 2 movies or more a week for the past 25 years. That is a LOT of cash I threw towards hollywood. If they want to screw themselves out of my money by wasting their own business on DRM, let them do it.
They will die, the indies will swoop in and clean house.
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who wants it?
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