- Joined: May 2007
- Location: Helsinki
- Post Count: 2,026
Re: Breaking News!! Warner is soon to be Blu-Ray Exclusive!
Related link (found from the AVSforum):
http://blogs.reuters.com/mediafile/2...tes-unplugged/
"Q=Warner Brothers said last week it was backing Blu-ray exclusively. Will Microsoft remain committed to the HD DVD format even if it appears that the media companies are backing Blu-ray?
A=Certainly we supported both Blu-ray and HD DVD as Windows peripherals. The last announcement was Paramount opting for HD DVD and now this one is going the other way. I still think a format battle is going on there. Our contribution is the HDi Interactive format piece has been really well received. We hope to see that used broadly. ****I think the real competitor in the long run is digital (video) download****. Just like in music, it is going to be the biggest of the three.
Q=You kind of sound agnostic about the formats.
A=No, not really. We have definitely worked with HD DVD in a very strong fashion. Our codecs and HDi are available on the other format and we are a leader in digital download so we have some involvement in all three approaches. ****In the long run, people don’t want physical media****. You don’t say to yourself, what’s the format battle after CD. If someone tried to introduce a new music format, you’d laugh and say ‘well isn’t that my phone, my iPod and my Zune?’ And you’d be right."
So at least MS is not really worried. They want digital downloading...
Rewind - DVDcompare/Site Administrator
*US PS3 (1080p) - Xbox 360 Elite (HDMI) - Nintendo Wii (Euro) - Sony PSP-2000 - Nintendo DSi
*HD DVD Toshiba XE1 (1080p) - Sony Bravia KDL-40W2000 (1080p) - Yamaha RX-V1800 (HDMI 1.3)
-
Douglas Monce
- Douglas Monce
-
- offline
- Joined: November 2006
- Location: Phoenix, Arizona
- Post Count: 3,817
Re: Breaking News!! Warner is soon to be Blu-Ray Exclusive!
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Carlo Medina
Counterpoint 1: DVD had no format war competition. Yet prices still declined significantly over time. That is the natural way of electronics since I can remember. You will always be able to buy something better for cheaper, given the passing of time. I bought my Toshiba SD-2006 in May of 1997 for $499 and that was the cheapest player of the launch batch. Yes, Sony released their initial DVD player at $1000.
Does that pricing structure look familiar?
Counterpoint 2: There are many reasons for lower MSRP, competition is only one of them. Another, as was mentioned above, is cost of components. The longer, and the more, of the components are made over time, naturally the price drops. As the price of components drop, the price of the whole item drops. They are interested in maintaining a healthy profit margin, not keeping prices high. As soon as production for players ramps up and costs go down, so will MSRP. And while the "big boys" may not be trying to one-up each other to the death, Funai and the rest of the Chinese/SE Asian manufacturers aren't going to play by the pricing rules of the big boys. The fact that Funai has announced is a big deal.
Sure, BD player prices are not going to drop to DVD player prices any time soon, but people who weren't in the market when DVD launched in 1997 don't remember that pricing for those players followed a very similar trend to BD players.
|
DVD players became cheap for one reason, Apex introduced a DVD player for $80 at wal-mart and it was all over. With in a few months it was down to $60. It was cheap and it did things most $250 or $300 DVD players couldn't. So I think you are right on the mark with Chinese and Korean companies.
Doug
"I'm in great shape, for the shape I'm in."
Bob Hope in The Ghostbreakers
-
Douglas Monce
- Douglas Monce
-
- offline
- Joined: November 2006
- Location: Phoenix, Arizona
- Post Count: 3,817
Re: Warner Brothers is now Blu-ray Exclusive
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Marc Colella
If you look at the market now, people are already buying their 2nd or 3rd DVD players now... and also buying replacement players. The hot item in DVD players are ones that play Divx. Funny how people are going out of their way to play movies that look worse than DVD. Sounds like the whole MP3 phenonenon.
How long will it take for Blu-Ray player prices to come down to $39? I suspect at least another 2 or 3 years - during that time frame more and more DVD players and DVD movies are being sold. The manufacturers will keep making DVD players, and the studios will keep selling DVD movies for cheap. People will be even further into DVD making it even tougher to switch people over especially when a Blu-Ray disc will only play in a Blu-Ray player, and the disc is useless on all the other players they have in their home.
This thing has niche written all over it. I have no problem at all with a niche, but the studios and BDA want this thing to take over DVD. Not gonna happen.
|
Players that play DIVX codec are popular because there are a number of camcorders that record to disc in that format.
Doug
"I'm in great shape, for the shape I'm in."
Bob Hope in The Ghostbreakers
- Joined: August 1999
- Post Count: 338
Re: Breaking News!! Warner is soon to be Blu-Ray Exclusive!
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by DaViD Boulet
Is Microsoft's long-term agenda finally becoming clear???
|
Next week at MacWorld Expo, expect Apple to announce agreements with most studios (possibly including Warner) for movie downloads through iTunes store (both purchases
and rentals). I've heard that this was a rub for Microsoft.... that Apple was going to best them once again.
Three cheers for Apple! (I'm no Microsoft fan!)
Mark
As of July 2009, I own more movies in High-Definition than in Standard-Definition.
http://mydiscs.markshangout.com
-
Dave Moritz
- Dave Moritz
-
- offline
- Joined: July 2001
- Location: Whittier, California
- Post Count: 2,598
Re: Breaking News!! Warner is soon to be Blu-Ray Exclusive!
Quote:
| MS doesn't own movies and they can't make money off disc media... only royalties for the codecs that get used on them. They can make even MORE money of downloads if they have the exclusive rights to the contracts to control that content flow. That was their goal. |
I would not be surprised if MS ends up buying a movie studio in the near future. The truth is that MS is not satisfied being the primary platform that people use for games, they are not satisfied having the majority of the OS market, and the money they make offering software to other companies like Ford, Nokia, LG, Samsung and many others for cell phones and other devices is not enough for MS. Now they would love to push downloads and not only control movie distribution but to make alot of money off of the revenue stream that they would most likely control as well. This is based on what MS is trying to accomplish every day, its not a MS is evil thing. MS is a company that does a good job at taking over other companies and taking over as much of the market as they possible can. They are a very monopolistic company and they always have been!
I am very interested in what Blu-ray titles WB will be releasing this year. IMHO it was a smart move and they helped bring the end of the format war one step closer to ending. I have nothing against movie downloads and it does have its place. But it is worthless as far as collectors go, downloads will not be worth any value as a collectable. Only a physical format can hold value as a collectable IMHO. I would be interested in HD downloads in situations where I was uncertain if I wanted a title, I could rent the download and buy it on a physical media if I liked it. I could also see renting a download for titles I do not want bad enough but will rent it if I have guests over that want to see a particular title.
To WB I just want to say, thank you for taking the step to go Blu-ray and to help bring the format war to an end.
And as far as the Look And Sound Of Perfect site goes, dam that site is messed up right now.
1080p High Definition SupporterLossless Audio Supporter Current Library: 221 DVD's / 70 HD-DVD's / 181 Blu-ray's (251 HD Titles)
- Joined: October 1998
- Location: Boise ID
- Post Count: 7,206
Re: Breaking News!! Warner is soon to be Blu-Ray Exclusive!
Here's a real story - from the London Times.
Blu-Ray takes inside edge in war with HD-DVD - Times Online
Quote:
| As many as 20 companies currently part of the HD-DVD Promotion Group could be preparing to remove their names from the alliance’s 130-strong membership list, The Times has learned. |
Maybe this is why the HD-DVD website is down. Companies may have pending instructions to remove their names from the "list".
Feline videophiles Susie and Dukie.
- Joined: February 2002
- Post Count: 10,068
Re: Breaking News!! Warner is soon to be Blu-Ray Exclusive!
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Bryan X
That's not the case if I understand correctly. Anyone receiving their programming through Cable or Satellite, for instance, will not be affected by the switch. It's really only those who get their programming over-the-air.
|
Correct. I'd like to upgrade my TV to HDTV, but the switch to digital isn't going to force my hand or anyone else's. Most will just get a converter box from the cable company.
Uncle Joe: I'll never marry you, Selma Plout! You may as well take off that wedding dress and put it back in your Hopeless Chest!
--Petticoat Junction--
-
Dave Moritz
- Dave Moritz
-
- offline
- Joined: July 2001
- Location: Whittier, California
- Post Count: 2,598
Re: Breaking News!! Warner is soon to be Blu-Ray Exclusive!
This keeps looking like a runaway train and its not in favor of Toshiba that is for sure. All of the press that has been surfacing the past two days will definantly not help HD-DVD. Especially when Toshiba is basically now where to be found. They made one statement to the press and it was very brief, but if the bad news of defection keeps coming out. Even if it is speculative then because Toshiba is not challenging the articles. This makes me really wonder what is going on behind the scenes and has Toshiba on the verge of surrender?
If Toshiba is in this fight, they should act like it! It does not matter if the are actually going to consider surrender in a few months. Toshiba's actions lead me to think that with the possible defections that are said to be taking place. It is clear to others that HD-DVD has the stink of death on it and they feel it is time to end the war and remove there support for HD-DVD.
About two weeks ago the most I figured was that WB would drop the bomb at CES and announce they where going Blu. Well we all see that WB did not wait for CES to begin as the dropped the bomb before the opening keynote took place. Some may feel that MS involvement may end up saving HD-DVD but I do not see MS at this point being a real factor. If Toshiba can not retain movie studios then there will be no future for HD-DVD, MS or not MS. And now they are saying that HD-DVD hardware supporters may end up pulling there names of Toshiba's "The Look And Sound Of Perfect web site". This is definantly spiraling out of Toshibas control and it must be looking like something out of a nightmare for them. Toshiba is not helping the situation by remaining silent when they need to be trying to control the situation. Why would anyone that is seeing the news that has been coming out about HD-DVD, why would anyone make a first time HD-DVD player purchase?
Anyone heard or seen information on WB Blu-ray titles for this year yet?
WB going Blu.
1080p High Definition SupporterLossless Audio Supporter Current Library: 221 DVD's / 70 HD-DVD's / 181 Blu-ray's (251 HD Titles)
- Joined: August 2001
- Post Count: 1,827
Re: Breaking News!! Warner is soon to be Blu-Ray Exclusive!
Dave, you hit the main issue for me. It no longer matters if all this info flying around is true. I bet the purchases of HD-DVD players has all but stopped. The public perception that HD-DVD is dead is what is going to be the thing that ends the war.
-----
Scott
View My DVD Collection
Stop the on-screen Bugs!!!!!!
-
Ronald Epstein
- Ronald Epstein
-
- offline
- Joined: July 1997
- Post Count: 20,192
Re: Breaking News!! Warner is soon to be Blu-Ray Exclusive!
The news has spread like wildfire to the most average of consumers.
I went to UPS today to return my Toshiba XA2 for a repair. The
UPS guy looks at the box and says "You know, you got a real
dinosaur there. You heard the news didn't you...."
Talking to the guy I could tell he had very little knowledge
of home theater, but he certainly knew that HD-DVD was dead.
I'm just a little baffled as to why Toshiba and the three remaining
studios want to continue the fight. As someone pointed out,
retailers are going to further kill HD-DVD, convincing their
customers that it's a dead format.
I wish the HD-DVD camp the very best and we here at HTF will
continue to support both sides until one collapses.
Ronald J EpsteinHome Theater Forum co-ownerEmail me at:
repstein@hometheaterforum.com To View My Massive DVD Collection
Click Here
HTF Rules and Regulations
