HD-DVD/Blu-Ray Merger Possible? (1 Viewer)

[David Allum]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4468047.stm

More signs that things may be happening.

 

[Steve Kuester]

same but different as above...


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...generation_dvd

 

[Craig W]

It appears that Toshiba wants a compromise to use their disc structure with Sonys multiple layer technology and Sony wants a compromise to use their Blu-Ray structure with some of Toshiba's components.

It is going to be interesting to see how this shakes out.

Again Warners can say all they want about HD-DVD. Unless manufacturers put equipment on store shelves its meaningless.

Its in the hardware makers' best interest to have a unified standard. It makes selling them a lot easier with consumers knowing they are not going to get stuck with another dead format.

 

[Daniel-M]

I recommedn to you all to go over to dvd.ign and thedigitalbits.com

 

[DaViD Boulet]

I hope that a "hybrid" consists of using Sony's physical disc framework and maybe incorporating some of Toshiba's software encoding aspects. There's no way that taking 30 gigs in favor of Sony's 50 gig capacity will benefit consumers...and production costs will become negligible soon enough so let's not short-change our long-term format for a short-term cost advantage. Charge me a dollar more for the discs if you must...I'll survive.

 

[Grant H]

Good point, Dave. I'm hoping Warner actually has something positive to offer toward a HD-DVD/Blu-Ray hybrid.

The fact that Sony extended its hand makes me think they might allow Warner to "contribute" in one fashion or another in favor of a unified format.

The one article mentioned the companies tried to downplay that something could happen in a month's time. I believe the Japan Today actually suggested a WEEK. Maybe they just meant (or said) the talks would happen in that time. I read it rather quickly since I was a bit giddy.

At least they're talking. This is like rooting for long-estranged lovers to get back together, or in this case get together in the first place.

 

[Ed St. Clair]

They were "together in the first place". Both are members of the DVD Forum. Sony, 'broke it off'.

 

[Paul Sandhu]

Wow.... this is very interesting. I know for sure that the true winners of this story are people like us, the consumers.

 

[Patrick McCart]

I think it'll be worth it to both camps if they work together.

By putting the best of the two formats into one even superior format, everyone wins!


Even though it wasn't the same type of situation, it worked for DVD. DVD took the portability, lower cost, and popularity of VHS... but also better a/v like laserdisc, as well as the inclusion of bonus features and digital audio.

 

[John H Ross]

Let's just hope they manage not to scratch every fifth disc that comes out of the warehouse, a la DVD!!!

John

 

[Joshua Clinard]

I would much rather have Toshiba's disc structure with Sony's software and recording techniques. Studios will be much more likely to convert less known titles to a hi res format because they will not have to pay as much to get the discs manufactured.

 

[Tom_Bechet]

I have to say that I'm surprised by this, maybe the industry has learnt from the DVDA-SACD debacle afterall.

This certainly sounds promising, lets hope they can reach common ground.

 

[Yee-Ming]

All I can say is, I hope this works out, and if it puts back the launch of hi-res video, that's fine, better a delayed unified format than a format war later this year.

 

[Jonathan Kaye]

As has been cited by others elsewhere, the one thing to guarantee quick lowering of prices would have been competition (a "format war"). If one unified hi-def DVD successor is all that comes to market, expect prices to start off at least as high as the first batch of DVD players nearly a decade ago, and probably a bit higher.

If it's cheaper players and software you want, then two competing formats are better than one. If on the other hand you want a unified software base and a better chance of not having an obsolete format sitting in your house in a couple of years' time, then a single format is better.

 

[Manus]

This would indeed be great. Manufacturers could build players with a specific design. Disc manufacturers may have to re-invest in production lines but a least it would be for a format with very strong support. And consumers could buy with confidence cos everyone else is not just the audio/video phile community.

I sincerely hope manufacturers, retailers, music and movie industries and forums like this one let all involved that they have our full support.

Hi-Def Lord of the Rings in mlp 7.1 anyone ?



M

 

[PeterTHX]

I hope you like comprimised discs Joshua.
Less quality, less features, so the studios can save literally a buck.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

If you want to give up 20 gigs of capacity to appease a *short-term* replication cost saving...do it on your own format...

All studios will need to do is charge a dollar or two more per disc. That's more than worth it to get a Blu-ray 50 gig platform IMO. Those extra 20 gigs could make the difference between a high-res audio soundtrack, special feature, or not needing to spread a movie across 2 discs.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Well, there does seem to be truth to this story. This was even in the Los Angeles Times business section yesterday. So, it looks like a format war is being averted. As others are saying here, I'm for that even if it means a delay in the format launch.

 

[Mike D]

More Electronics Firms Join Debate to End DVD War
http://www.reuters.com/audi/newsArti...toryID=8265870

 

[Joshua Clinard]

When you already have 30 GBs of space, adding 20 more is going to make a negilible difference in quality. The quality increase will probably not even be noticable on most people's equipment, inlcuding most Hi-Def sets made before 2004. So it is a moot point. And the manufactuing cost will be a lot more than a dollar per disc. The price per disc will probably increase by at least 30%. The investment to get Blu-Ray off the ground will be huge! Someone will have to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to build new facilities and manufacturing eqipment. For the first few years, the installed base will not be high enough to let them skate by with only increasing the price by a dollar, because they won't be able to sell enough discs. When the installed base hits 10 or 20 million homes, then the cost will probably start to come down. They are going to want to pay off the start up costs pretty quickly, especially considering that no one is for sure that a Blu-Ray format would succeed in a dual-format world.