Sony CEO sees ‘stalemate’ in disc fight (1 Viewer)

[Norman Matthews]

And let's not forget where Disney threw their support in the DVD/DIVX "war."

 

[Jari K]

I fully agree.

This "format war" has really brought the "ugly side" from many average consumers, who just a couple of years back bought DVDs and talked about them in the forums in the laid back manner. Now some are almost full of hate toward that other format - or Sony, or Microsoft, or Paramount, or Fox, etc. Whatever is the company releasing HD-titles in that "other format". It´s sad. Just some months ago these same people were happy if some great film was released on DVD - regardless of the company. Now the format of choice is the key to satisfaction, not films. Again, very sad.

I know that many people disagree with me, but this format war has brought very little positive effects on the average consumers. Few cheap players won´t cut it, at least not for me. With one format, we probably would´ve twice as many HD-titles now..

 

[Jari K]

Again I agree. Perhaps even the CEOs are starting to see that "one format" would´ve been better for everybody. Still, too late now.

But I believe it already shows in the forums that even us "fans/early adopters/etc" are getting a bit tired of the whole "format war" talk. It´s probably not that "heated" or childish anymore (unless you´re 15-16 years old).

 

[Demise]

Or, perhaps, a dramatization on HBO, like "The Late Shift." Come to think of it, that had Howard Stringer in it, too.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Interesting note. . .I was in Target today, and the blu-ray section had doubled in size, while the HD-DVD section was the same size as it was last week.

Note that "doubled in size" doesn't mean too much -- there were probably 20 HD-DVD titles and 40 BD titles, whereas last week there were about 20 of each. Just something I noticed.

 

[bigluigi]

I didn't mention software in my analysis because....well, who knows from day to day which way that monkeys gonna jump. But lets talk more about software. You mention that software is arguably the deciding factor in virtually every format war since the start of consumer electronics.

It's funny when I think about it but years ago I bought a laserdisc player when they finally came down in price and I had a lot of titles to choose from....literally thousands of titles. But, for the next 8 years, I only bought 9 titles. Why? Because they were so bloody expensive. So, in a round about way, I'm saying software really is just part of the equation - not the whole equation.

I believe a lot in 'common sense' mostly and, ultimately, this format war will be decided by the Walmart type masses applying this very same trait. All things being relatively equal would you, as a consumer, buy the less expensive product or the more expensive product. Yes...I believe it's that simple.

But, I don't want to pay a premium for Hi Def either. I paid $400 for that laserdisc player years ago. Last week I paid $98 for the Toshiba HD-A2. I know a lot of people see this as a one time 'sale' but it's really more properly described as being part of a ongoing process of significantly underselling the competition to gain mass market share and, thereby, eventually replacing standard DVD as the format of choice.

 

[Lyle_JP]

I guess your statements have a lot to do with your definition of a successful format. This is why I brought up the question of niche vs. mainstream. If your expectation is for one of these formats to replace DVD and be the standard for the average Walmart consumer then I realistically don't think either format will ever be "successful" by your definition.

On the other hand, if your definition of success is merely full studio support, a decent number of titles each month, and moderately more expensive hardware and software, all living in harmony with the more mainstream DVD, then I think blu-ray has a chance. HD-DVD would too if more studios weren't put off by the lack of region and copy protections.

My point is that if we use the success of DVD as the only measuring stick then both formats are bound to come up woefully short.

 

[Jarod M]

So, if BD+ proves to be completely ineffective (it is headed that direction), do you predict that Disney and Fox will stop all Blu-ray releases?

 

[Lyle_JP]

I think that every copy protection system will be broken eventually. So long as Norwegian teenagers have computers, its an inevitability. But since Disney and Fox have both called HD-DVD out for not having enough, they are highly unlikely to reverse themselves now, and risk alienating the content producers who they claim to be fighting for.

When the time comes that BD+ is busted wide open, they will spin it as "its still the best content protection out there, will keep 99% of casual copiers away, etc., etc..."

 

[ReggieW]

Disney did not reject HD-DVD for technical reasons. This is a myth.

My understanding was that Disney actually was instrumental in not only developing HDi, but also approving the specs for the HD-DVD format. They then decided to bail and join the BD group for a plethora of political reasons. They did not start taking issue publicly with HD-DVD's so-called technical limitations until after both formats had launched.

Also, the only studio that appears to have a problem with the lack of region coding on HD-DVD are Fox and New Line for day/date titles. Disney has never made region coding a big issue. I am sure that if Fox or Disney expressed interest in ever releasing on HD-DVD, I'm pretty certain the HD-DVD group would attempt to accomodate many of their demands.

 

[Jeff Adkins]

People really need to do their research on the DVD/DIVX war.

Disney's first DVD releases: December 1997
Disney's first DIVX releases: July 1998

 

[Norman Matthews]

That's a bit disingenuous, don't you think, considering DIVX wasn't launched until 1998?

 

[FrancisP]

Disney content has been distributed and re-distributed endlessly. Disney is no more a knockout than PS3 was. They see the disney feature in blue packaging and say I've already got it.

The closest thing to a killer title would be the Star Wars movies and those Fox ain't got. As far as Fox and Disney never releasing on hd-dvd, Never Say
Never Again.

 

[Bob_L]

For me, the key question here is why would this person make this statement at this point in time? I can't imagine Stringer would make a public pronouncement like this as an offhanded remark. Going into the highly competitive Christmas season, this seems like a strange thing to say in public, IMO. Also, it appears to give more credence to the Paramount deal that I think any of it us really gave it.

 

[Peter Overduin]

I think he is missing the point on his Paramount comments. For all the fuss that is made about that, and the equal amount of fuss made by some about the number of BD exclusive studios, the emerging phenomenon is that Fox is doing didly, and MGM now, after cancelling a number of releases, has exactly ONE title coming this fall. Disney is likewise doing very little, as is Speilberg. The Paramount thing is over-rated, it seems to me, when BD exclusive studios, including one controlled by Sony is showing up at the fight with pellet guns. Give HD credit; they sent men to war while BD is sending Girl Guides.

I share Ron's feelings on this...they had an opportunity and blew it, screwing the customer. It seems now they are screwing themselves, and with all the sales and giveaways, I am happy to tell them to continue to "stick it."

 

[FrancisP]

I suspect that Stringer has more access to inside information than we do. Everyone bandies around the weekly HD-BR sales figures like they are gospel.
I think the figures are murkier due to all the software that is being given away on both sides. It is interesting that Transformers and Spiderman 3 sales in the first week were roughly equivalent in the 150-200,000 neighborhood. Certainly not the 2-1 advantage BR is supposed to have. If Stringer says it is a stalemate then I tend to believe that is the true state ofthis format war.

 

[Jeff Adkins]

Your original statement implied that Disney chose DIVX over DVD, or at the very least favored it over DVD. Neither of which are true. Disney simply took a big paycheck but never "threw their support" to DIVX over DVD.

 

[Paul_Scott]

that's what I was left with too. Very bizarre to be leaving doubt in anyones mind- at the most critical point in the year- especially after the endless chest thumping.
My first reaction was "this is refreshing..." but then it hit me "why now?"
I have to wonder if Stringer, as well as Shephards earlier comments weren't indicitive of some more aniticpated bad news around the corner.
If they were still in "we've won mode", and disappointing news would be met with a much greater loss of faith and face.
If they dampen the mood a bit now, then they can turn around 3(or 5 or 7) months from now and say "we've been saying for awhile now that these formats are in a stalemate, and this new news (whatever it turns out to be) doesn't really change that much".

thing is though- a stalemate does not mean both are on equal footing when one side will continue to operate with considerably higher infrastructure costs.

 

[Dave H]

But, there's only one studio today doing that.

 

[Norman Matthews]

Yeah, it's not like they were releasing titles on DIVX before DVD or anything. Oh, wait, yeah they were.