Re: With Blu the victor, it's time to demand some changes....
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Edwin-S
I don't get some of the arguments that are being used to put forward the notion that the BDA will have no incentive to lower prices, improve players, or engage in competition once HD DVD fades from view. If, in fact, it does fade away.
Using DVD as argument is fallacious, because DVD is no less a proprietary format than either HD DVD or Blu-ray. DVD belongs to Toshiba and, I believe, Phillips. Every manufacturer, outside of Toshiba, has to pay some sort of royalty or fee to Toshiba in order to produce machines. Every disc sold results in a royalty to Toshiba. If that isn't the definition of proprietary then what is.
DVD was a single format without competition, yet software and hardware prices fell to unprecedented levels. If the prices on DVD fell without a competing format then I see no reason that prices for the Blu-ray format will not come down over time as well. There is going to be internal competition between the entitities that make up the BDA. Competition is not going to come to a grinding halt just because HD DVD disappears. There are going to be at least six, if not more, manufacturers of BD players. Every one of these manufacturers are going to want to capture as much of the market as they can. The only way to do that is through price competition and/or improvements in the features on players. I do not believe the HDM market will become static just because HD DVD goes away.
|
I was not aware of the exact origins of the DVD format. Thanks for the info. I still think it naive to assume that the BDA will be compelled to address "demands" from its consumer base, because they appear completely willing to accept the horrendous offering that has already been put forth. People are cheering Blu Ray as if it actually does something meaningful for them. It doesn't.
We chose DVD over DIVX because the format did not attempt to gouge us on price and offered features clearly beyond what any VHS product could achieve. Both HD DVD and Blu Ray have failed [IMHO] to offer a format compelling enough to universally unseat DVD. As I said in another thread, as an enthusiast, I like the idea of HDM, but even I will sit it out until concerns of instant obsolescence have been permanently addressed. But beyond that, the real people who must be convinced are people like my wife. When I auditioned HDM, She was not impressed with either format, and insisted that the picture looked no better than standard DVD. Since my Sanyo PLV-Z5 upconverts all content to 720P, she did have a point.
Until the average Joe sees HDM as a worthwhile investment, I do not believe that either format can establish itself. As it stands, I doubt this type of consumer would pay even $1.00 more for Blu Ray or HD DVD, [much less what they are asking], even if the media played on their current SD units. Studio support for Blu Ray is not the same as widespread consumer support. It is my contention that for the average consumer, DVD will remain the solid choice for the forseeable future. At best, this will produce a chicken and egg dynamic for HDM pricing.
For either would-be SD DVD successor to come to the table with such lackluster offerings tells me something. They care more about getting the jump on the market than they do about the actual product being sold to consumers. If they want my support, this attitude will need to change.
John
