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Hi-Def Media Lovefest: The war is over and we can all go home.

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A

Argyle

Member
Elios83 said:
Wal Mart goes Blu Ray exclusive!?

http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9873029-7.html
Click to expand...

Bu-Bu-Bu Wal-Mart was pushing HD DVD when they were selling the A2s for $100!

Someone asked earlier "hey where's Thaivo?" I have no idea, but I do recall running into this guy in line at Wal-mart the morning they were running the A2 for $100...he was a devout Sony hater and swore he would give up high definition altogether if HD DVD failed. I wonder what he's doing now...
 
X

xS1TH L0RDx

Banned
when's nico gonna come in and explain how fucking great it is wal-mart isn't carrying hd-dvd?

"Well, this is good news because people don't buy hd-dvds and wal mart anyway, now all that stock will be allocated to best buy and nobody will have trouble finding titles such as 2001 on hd-dvd anymore! We don't need wal-mart!"
 
R

Raistlin

Post Count: 9999
Valcrist said:
I'm personally not invested, but I would guess it changes the value of some people's players. They bought the players with the promise of being able to watch movie releases in hidef, but now they have to switch to blu ray in order to watch future releases.
Sure, it's current value doesn't change. But it's potential value has been slashed.
Click to expand...


But everyone knew this going in ...
 
B

borghe

Loves the Greater Toronto Area
speculawyer said:
Yep. Me too. I have a PS3 and the 360 HD add-on. Any time there was a choice of formats, I would buy the Blu-Ray (such as planet Earth). However, I've bought some HD-DVDs when they were on sale. I look forward to an upcoming clearance sale on HD-DVD discs.
Click to expand...
exactly... even knowing all the warner titles are coming on BRd, if I see Batman Begins or Matrix Trilogy for like 75% off... you know I'm going to buy them.

I DID buy BRD versions of warner titles. don't get me wrong. but at the same time I love my HD-DVD exclusive collection and don't have to wait for Universal and Paramount to slowly release hose titles on BRD now. The thought of having to wait until 2009 to buy Serenity on BRD? No way.
 
Insane Metal

Insane Metal

Member
xS1TH L0RDx said:
when's nico gonna come in and explain how fucking great it is wal-mart isn't carrying hd-dvd?

"Well, this is good news because people don't buy hd-dvds and wal mart anyway, now all that stock will be allocated to best buy and nobody will have trouble finding titles such as 2001 on hd-dvd anymore! We don't need wal-mart!"
Click to expand...
Bu-bu-bu-but BestBuy is Blu-ray exclusive now too! :lol :lol :lol :lol
 
R

Raistlin

Post Count: 9999
Kolgar said:
edit: I'm really not awake yet. ;) But I wanted to somewhat disagree with what you said about "Blu-ray had its act together." The format owes its victory to PS3, plain and simple. Without PS3, I think the format would have been eliminated quickly. But the system brought Blu-ray to millions of tech-hungry early adopters who wanted their high-def toys. And that's something Toshiba simply could not match, aggressive pricing be damned.
Click to expand...

Things would have played out quite differently on both sides, had BD not been in PS3. I'm not so sure I'd automatically assume it meant an HD DVD victory however.
 
E

eLGee

Member
Got my "Children of Men" Blu-ray today. Haven't watched all of it, but skipped through a few sections. Looks awesome. Not "2001" awesome, but still awesome.
 
Xisiqomelir

Xisiqomelir

Member
borghe said:
really? out of all the examples you could choose from, you chose one of the most revered, best loved and still played defunct consoles today? I realize it was unintentional, but you pretty much just made my point completely. I would say well over half of the original dreamcast owners are STILL happy with that console purchase today. A for effort, but boy did you pick the wrong example to lead off with.
Click to expand...

Borghe, it's completely apt. People don't buy into a platform in the early, early stages for current support, they buy into it for future potential. Were Dreamcast owners tranquil about SEGA going 3rd-party? Of course not, they were completely enraged, we even had a mini-insurrection and the formation of a splinter forum. And to complete the analogy, look at the continuing meltdowns on High-Def Digest and AVS. Those aren't the actions of a nonchalant userbase.
 
B

borghe

Loves the Greater Toronto Area
Xisiqomelir said:
Borghe, it's completely apt. People don't buy into a platform in the early, early stages for current support, they buy into it for future potential. Were Dreamcast owners tranquil about SEGA going 3rd-party? Of course not, they were completely enraged, we even had a mini-insurrection and the formation of a splinter forum. And to complete the analogy, look at the continuing meltdowns on High-Def Digest and AVS. Those aren't the actions of a nonchalant userbase.
Click to expand...
you are talking about internet forum posters in both instances. The average internet forum poster is anything BUT nonchalant and laid back. I am talking about normal people.

Every single DC owner I knew (and there were a lot) was shocked at first, and then quickly moved on, yet played their DC until the games were done and the ones that deserved regular play were replaced by a new version on the PS2/Xbox/GC.

Normal people really don't take this shit as seriously as most of you believe. Hell, how many people were still buying combo vcr/dvd players because they still had a ton of VHS tapes that they didn't feel the need to give up? And early adopters? Are you kidding, we are the most nonchalant crowd ready to get screwed at a moment's notice out of anyone!! Christ the number of times an early adopter has been screwed compared to not to has to be something like 6:1.

I really think this is the first new technology that same of you have jumped in early on. Back in the early non-Direct3D 3D card days. original HDTVs with no digital-in. AC3-RF Dolby inputs with no bitstream support. VCD. yadd yadda yadda. The entire thing about early adopting is you are more likely to get screwed than come out on top.
 
S

sonycowboy

Member
It's pretty funny. I was reading the USA Today over breakfast and on the front page of the money section was this article.

Is the tug of war over high-def DVD format over?
http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2008-02-14-high-def-dvd-blu-ray_N.htm

It's the biggest homer HD-DVD article I've read in quite awhile. Every topic it covers, it portrays HD-DVD in the best possible light, leaving out scores of facts that woud damn HD-DVD. The sales commentary doesn't reflect current trends, it lists all of the positive virtues of HD-DVD, but none for Blu-Ray.

I guess it was a few months too late, though.
 
Insane Metal

Insane Metal

Member
sonycowboy said:
It's pretty funny. I was reading the USA Today over breakfast and on the front page of the money section was this article.

Is the tug of war over high-def DVD format over?
http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2008-02-14-high-def-dvd-blu-ray_N.htm

It's the biggest homer HD-DVD article I've read in quite awhile. Every topic it covers, it portrays HD-DVD in the best possible light, leaving out scores of facts that woud damn HD-DVD. The sales commentary doesn't reflect current trends, it lists all of the positive virtues of HD-DVD, but none for Blu-Ray.

I guess it was a few months too late, though.
Click to expand...
Hurry up, Nico! This is your (only) chance!
 
K

Kintaro

Worships the porcelain goddess
This was probably posted already, but... http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ib77125d96b22e86027d0bfb0c25aa58d

Toshiba is widely expected to pull the plug on its HD DVD format sometime in the coming weeks, reliable industry sources say, after a rash of retail defections that followed Warner Home Video's announcement in early January that it would support only the rival Blu-ray Disc format after May.

Officially, no decision has been made, insists Jodi Sally, vp of marketing for Toshiba America Consumer Products. "Based on its technological advancements, we continue to believe HD DVD is the best format for consumers, given the value and consistent quality inherent in our player offerings," she said.

But she hinted that something's in the air. "Given the market developments in the past month," she said, "Toshiba will continue to study the market impact and the value proposition for consumers, particularly in light of our recent price reductions on all HD DVD players."
Click to expand...

But in the end, sources say, the substantial loss Toshiba is incurring with each HD DVD player sold -- a figure sources say could be as high as several hundred dollars -- coupled with a series of high-profile retail defections has driven the company to at last concede defeat.
Click to expand...

Weren't there people saying they weren't selling at a loss? If this is true of course, it's Hollywood Reporter after all.
 
D

djkimothy

Member
Costanza said:
:lol @ Walmart news, I wish they'd just end it now instead of June though.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing they want to sell of as much stock as possible and join Warner at the same time frame.

And yah Kintaro, that has already been point out. ;)
 
R

Raistlin

Post Count: 9999
Elios83 said:
NO COMMENT!! from Toshiba UK:

http://whathifi.com/home-cinema/arc...culation-that-the-end-is-nigh-for-hd-dvd.aspx

Toshiba UK is refusing to comment on widespread speculation on the net that the company is just weeks away from pulling the plug on the HD DVD format.

A spokeswoman for the company's London PR agency, Nelson Bostock, told us: "We are aware of the speculation, but have no comment – there is no information I can give you at the moment."
Click to expand...

Oh ... WOW :lol



Elios83 said:
Wal Mart goes Blu Ray exclusive!?

http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9873029-7.html
Click to expand...

That was fast.



speculawyer said:
Although the end of the format war will help, I really don't think Blu-Ray is going to get a big bump in sales. Most consumers are not even aware there was a format war going on.
Click to expand...

While true, were now in a situation where electronics stores are actively demonstrating and discussing the benefits of HDM to HDTV purchasers.
 
J

Jim

Member
Walmart was the 3rd announcement that Penton-man alluded to (which he confirmed) along with BB and Netflix, not the Toshiba thing. Though his and Bill Hunt's hints were pretty obvious after that HR report. That HR report is hitting mainstream media everywhere... Toshiba is not going to have a good morning.

Seriously, seeing the format war practically happening in real-time is really interesting. The game industry seems so slow and boring now :)
 
D

dallow_bg

nods at old men
A friend just pointed this out to me.
Just to confirm the Wal-Mart news.


Go to Wal-Mart.com

Go to the bottom of the page and hit "Wal-Mart Blog".
 
E

Elios83

Member
More details from Wal*Mart:

http://money.cnn.com/2008/02/15/technology/wal-mart_blu-ray/index.htm?postversion=2008021511

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- National discount retailer Wal-Mart announced Friday that it had decided to only sell Sony's Blu-ray hi-definition movie discs, and will phase out Toshiba's competing HD-DVD formatted discs over the next several months.

Wal-Mart said that by June, its 4,000 Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores would sell only Blu-ray discs and Blu-ray hardware players. Blu-ray and Toshiba's HD-DVD format are not compatible.

"We've listened to our customers, who are showing a clear preference toward Blu-ray products and movies with their purchases," said Gary Severson, Wal-Mart's Senior Vice President of Home Entertainment in a statement.


Wal-Mart said it would continue selling HD-DVD products, but over the next 30 days, customers will see a significant shift in emphasis to Blu-ray in both brick-and-mortar stores and online. The retailer said it will continue to sell DVDs and standard-definition hardware.

Wal-Mart is the latest movie vendor to choose Blu-ray over HD-DVD. Earlier this week, online movie rental company Netflix (NFLX) announced its support for Blu-ray, and said it would phase out HD-DVD as well. Video publishers Walt Disney (DIS, Fortune 500), Sony's Sony Pictures, News Corp.'s (NWS, Fortune 500) Twentieth Century Fox, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer have all endorsed Blu-ray.

In a rivalry that mirrors the Betamax-VHS dispute of the 1970s, Sony (SNE) and Toshiba have been battling each other to define the industry's hi-definition video standard. The winner will see a boost in the sale of hardware needed to play the hi-definition discs.
Click to expand...
 
D

djkimothy

Member
It's on CNN so you know this shit just got real.

edit: oops, posted already.

I think at this point it's just a matter of time (sometime today) for Toshiba's announcement for an exit strategy and indicating plans on making Blu-ray capable machines within the year.
 
B

Bulla564

Banned
What a freaking avalanche...

It shows me that the industry was desperate to focus on one format in order to speed up the adoption, in order to make money on the technology replacing DVDs.

Warner must feel like the guy with the biggest cock in the room, after having so much influence, so fast.
 
D

djkimothy

Member
_leech_ said:
WELL, TIME TO BOYCOTT WAL-MART.
Click to expand...

:lol I've actually been doing that for a while.

though I bought my PS3 from them, don't tell anyone!

If Walmart is only backing Blu-Ray, you know HD DVD is in it's death throws now.
Click to expand...

Oh it's dead, we're just covering it's grave with dirt at this point.
 
E

Elios83

Member
Well so now it's official, this war ends in the worst case by June by the hand of retailers.
Toshiba has no other option to announce its exit strategy as soon as possible.
 
S

SolidSnakex

Member
Elios83 said:
Well so now it's official, this war ends in the worst case by June by the hand of retailers.
Toshiba has no other option to announce its exit strategy as soon as possible.
Click to expand...

With all these announcements happening, it'd seem like they've already notified some of these retailers about what they're going to do and they're just getting everything worked out now. The avalanche that's happened in the last few days can't just be a coincidence.
 
E

Elios83

Member
SolidSnakex said:
With all these announcements happening, it'd seem like they've already notified some of these retailers about what they're going to do and they're just getting everything worked out now. The avalanche that's happened in the last few days can't just be a coincidence.
Click to expand...


Yup I was thinking the same, probably these announcements are all timed and approved by Toshiba which is going next....
 
C

captive

Joe Six-Pack: posting for the common man
Elios83 said:
Well so now it's official, this war ends in the worst case by June by the hand of retailers.
Toshiba has no other option to announce its exit strategy as soon as possible.
Click to expand...
June? More like March at this point. :lol
 
G

GeoramA

Member
All these announcements wouldn't mean a thing if Toshiba conceded a month ago like they should have. I guess they like being humiliated.
 
V

VanMardigan

has calmed down a bit.
I know what Toshiba is thinking: When it rains, it pours.

When business majors in colleges are doing a case study on this 2 years from now, they'll hopefully realize that the format war was settled decisively by video game players.

Sony's decision to pack BD into EVERY console, combined with the inability of Toshiba and MS to do the same, allowed Blu Ray to gain a software edge that it never relinquished. There were other factors, like CE manufacturers being hesitant to put out HD DVD products, or Toshiba's refusal to relent on region coding or enhanced security measures (if only to pander to Fox and Disney). But in the end, even a slow start by the Ps3 was enough to overwhelm standalone sales and drive software sales to put BD in a dominant position, for both hardware and software.
 
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