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Hi-Def Media Lovefest: The war is over and we can all go home.
- Thread starter HyperionX
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krypt0nian
Banned
StoOgE said:
Well then you're not doing very well with your predictions.
Hellraizah
Member
Looking at posts in the first pages of this thread, and then looking at posts in the last pages is very funny.
Ignatz Mouse said:
This is exactly what I don´t understand. WHY is this so?
Competition makes sure, that neither the players nor the discs get to expensive. A one-format-future doesn´t.
And don´t give me this "the average consumer gets confused" stuff. Because this average consumer can´t get confused because he doesn´t care at all.
Ignatz Mouse
Banned
Hammer24 said:
You mean like those expensive DVDs? Since that other format is keeping DVD in line? Oh wait, there is no competition to DVD, and hasn't been since 98. Yes DVD player prices dropped at about the same rate, and discs got cheaper as they got mass market.
The current competion means that people have to buy two players, that disc prices will remain high (or go higher if dual-format discs become popular) and that which format gets which movie will depend on nothing but which studio put up the money to get it filmed in the first place.
If all studios were format neutral, there might be some benefit to competition.
BoboBrazil
Member
A two format future will not work in movies and honestly there is really no reason it should. I just want one format I can buy movies on and not have to worry "will this format be dead in 1 or 2 years down the road". I want bluray to win at this point just because it is the better technology. The discs can hold more so we get better video and audio quality. I do have a PS3 and I have bought about 15-20 bluray movies for it also, but if HDDVD came out and got all movie studio support right now and I didn't have to worry I would go buy a player today. This announcement of Paramount switching is just stopping me from buying more bluray movies right now. As it stands I might not buy another hd movie until there is a winner announced...I work in an audio/video store and trust me when I say that more people than not come in and say they are going to wait until a winner is announced.
Pope Benedict XVI
Member
Even if the stalemate between HD DVD and Blu-Ray lasts, I don't think it would mean the end for hd discs. It would just slow down adoption by making people wait for dual format players to become cheaper. Isn't samsung dual player around the same price as their first blu-ray player?
Pope Benedict XVI said:
Its cheaper actually. I really think that is the eventuality we are heading to. If Everyone makes dual format players and they drop in price, it wouldnt matter to the consumer if a movie is HDDVD or BRD. They would just buy the movie... behind the scenes of course the different alliances would care who releases on what, but to the consumer it wouldnt matter.
Ignatz Mouse
Banned
Pope Benedict XVI said:
If dual-format players drop quickly in price, you may be right. That Samsung is the same price as the original Sony, but nobody really bought that, either.
Wii. The fight is not over. Microsoft certainly was strong, but did not win the last time. It's possible that they will win Hollywood, but they will need more than just money I think...WULFER said:
Right now is the key term here. I am saying that the request for HD will grow substantially in the next months. Maybe I am crazy... I wonder how much time it took for VHS to fade out? I can't remember...Onix said:
Yeah, but the only movies that a studio would consider to advertize with a poster at Best Buy would be a blockbuster. A blockbuster that probably is seeing a DVD rerelease anyway. Yeah, I am playing the Devil's Advocate here; I see what you are saying, but I still think that production costs are significantly more important in publishing your content in HD for next-generation formats than marketing.Onix said:It should also be noted that promotion comes in many flavors. It can involve things like getting your titles on and end-display ... or better yet, the 'new release' wall at something like Best Buy. Those things don't come cheap, and have nothing to do with the movies quality
Well, as *I've* said before, higher pricing of DF players is mostly a short-term issue for early adopters. Prices are already coming down and will continue to drop to a point where in 1-2 yrs, they'll be below $200, which will still be ahead of when you'd expect the HD formats to start gaining mass market acceptance.Oni Jazar said:
As for reliability, the only reliability issues I've heard of in early DF players has been related to incomplete compatability with BD and HDDVD specs, which will obviously improve. And it's not as if dedicated BD or HDDVD players aren't already multi-format - they have to support both red laser and blue laser optical disc formats already. Much like pricing, reliability is only a short-term issue.
Specs are in on the Spider-Man Blu-Ray trilogy.
http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/new..._for_Spider-Man:_High-Def_Trilogy_Blu-ray/887
Seems Spidey 1 and 2 are gimped because they aren't including any extras from the DVD versions, but you will get the extended cut of Spider-Man 2.
I think I'm going to go ahead and pre-order it. List price is $99. Amazon has it for $64.99 but if you still have the 10% off all-year-long deal (which I do), then you can get it for $58.50 with free shipping. Not a bad deal at all.
Spider-Man Trilogy at Amazon
http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/new..._for_Spider-Man:_High-Def_Trilogy_Blu-ray/887
Seems Spidey 1 and 2 are gimped because they aren't including any extras from the DVD versions, but you will get the extended cut of Spider-Man 2.
I think I'm going to go ahead and pre-order it. List price is $99. Amazon has it for $64.99 but if you still have the 10% off all-year-long deal (which I do), then you can get it for $58.50 with free shipping. Not a bad deal at all.
Spider-Man Trilogy at Amazon
DarkJediKnight
Member
StoOgE said:
It would matter. Dual Format prices are high because it costs money to implement it. And the average HD user isn't the one buying the Dual Format players. Those who buy dual format players are usually very knowledgable on the war.
When someone can't decide Blu-ray or HD DVD at a store, and is faced with "is one better? Which one has better video? more extras.... blah blah blah." They will simply go the safer and cheaper route and get the DVD. I'm not saying all will, but many will. This is why 2 formats suck. Give them a clear idea on what they are purchasing - HD or standard def DVD. People get that. People don't get, red vs blue.
Pope Benedict XVI
Member
StoOgE said:
Yeah true, the positive thing about that outcome is that the two formats would be competing with each other in terms of licensing fees, etc. Imagine if hd discs didn't come in these silly blue/red boxes and instead just named the format somewhere on the back. Consumer's wouldn't care, and the format owners would be kept honest as neither would have a monopoly.
DarkJediKnight
Member
jjasper said:
AVP.
Of course Dual Format players are more expensive now.. because they are newer and include support for both formats. But its an eventuality that they would come down in price too just like HDDVD/BRD players are. If they are 200 dollars in a year or two, thats perfect for these two formats hitting their stride.. and J6P wouldnt ever know or care that there was a format war. Especially if BRJ is up and running and the interactivity of the two formats is essentially the same. You could feasibly not even know what format the movie was on unless you wanted to know.
Also, I think the Close Encounters release has seamless branching on BRD too.
Also, I think the Close Encounters release has seamless branching on BRD too.
Pope Benedict XVI
Member
What is the major difference between dual and single format players? Is it mainly down to dual players having a more complex laser setup? That doesn't seem like it should be a big deal as time goes on
ManaByte
Member
Another article about Paramount:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/pos...nical-lurk-behind-paramounts-hd-dvd-coup.html
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/pos...nical-lurk-behind-paramounts-hd-dvd-coup.html
Oni Jazar said:Anyone else see Warner going to both BD & HD DVD and going...
"Ok guys, give us $200 million (each) and we won't side with the other group."
They're in a great position to blackmail both sides.
Warner is the only smart one out of the whole lot. Look at sales of 300 and you'll see that they're laughing their dual-format-supporting asses all the way to the bank.
Eh, not laughing to the bank I'd imagine. There is no way 300 sales combined of both blu-ray and HD-DVD even matched 10% of 300 DVD's sales so far. Probably around 5%.CoG said:
The reason these 150 million (or 200 million) deals make sense is because NO company is currently making much of anything off of sales of BD or HD-DVD software. These deals would account for easily over a year worth of potential sales for both formats.
ChrisJames
Member
Man, there's some serious sour grapes in here.
Before it was HD DVD is dead, now it's HD DVD can't win.
Before it was HD DVD is dead, now it's HD DVD can't win.
kaching said:
Good point. However, I still fail to see the illegality of any of this. :lol and I fail to see the concept of multibillion dollar companies releasing press releases about their illegal schemes.. :lol
The tone of Bill Hunt's diatribes has completely changed. It's very surprising, and delicious at the same time.ChrisJames said:
Days like these...
Have a Blessed Day
Mrbob said:
I can't believe some would rather go back to dvds than just keep supporting their format of choice or flip sides. I'd buy a blu ray player before going back to dvds I've been spoilt I can't watch dvds anymore they look so assy or dd.
ChrisJames said:
Here is the complete recap:
Blu Ray is DOA->PS3 will change everything/PS3 won't matter->Takeover->HD DVD is a dying format->HD DVD still has a chance.
My personal take is that while Paramount is a big snag for HD DVD and it will give the format big new blockbusters this holiday (before this they had zero now they have 2-3), I don't think it will really make a big difference this year or maybe even next. I will be interested to see what the ratio changes too I think for Blu Ray at worst it will be 60:40.
Days like these... said:
It isn't like I want to stay with DVD. I just don't want to be a pawn in this stupid format war for anyone. Buying two movie formats which do the same thing is stupid. Perhaps I'll end up getting a HD DVD player anyway, I love me some hi def movies. I just feel slightly sick about doing so as it feels like I'm helping fund a stupid battle which shouldn't be going on.
There's nothing illegal about a studio deciding to support a single format on their own, it's a question of how much they might have been influenced and how legal that is that I believe mrklaw was addressing. They certainly haven't been fully forthright about the particulars of the deal.thaivo said:
So help fund the most logical way out of this mess: take a step back, save some money and then buy a dual format player when they come down in price. Proceed to then buy BD/HDDVD movies with reckless abandon.MrBob said:
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