One Man's Indie Question # 1

Adimike · 07-29-2007, 08:56 AM

This is the most basic of Questions: Why Hi-Def, and why two competing formats?

This is the question my customers would ask me. How do I essentially explain that the "Tide Detergent" they have been usuing was great, but now with "New and Improved Tide", their old detergent is lacking? it took many of them many years to convert to DVD, and there are still VHS only customers.

Some would say that the age of the customer is an impedence to adoption of DVD, because they believe that DVD is too complicated. would you believe it if I told you that I still get a question about rewinding a DVD every so ofetn?

The adoption and expense of going Hi-Def DVD is coupled with the need to buy a new HDTV, and should that be 720 or 1080, because of the analog Broadcast sunset in February 2009.

All advancements in home video have come in twos:VHS and Beta, Laser and CED, DVD and Hi-def DVD. Everyone has had a winner and a loser. The only different one, is really the revolutionary one, DVD. DVD had two competing companies and technologies, the one backed by Sony and Columbia, and the one backed by Warner. Thankfully, only one got to the marketplace, thanks to Warren Lieberfarb.

Now we have two Hi-Def formats, which are evolutionary in nature, becuase they are advancements on existing formats, competing in the marketplace, and I still believe only on survives, but how much confusion for the average customer will be created as they try to choose?

Adrian

Raul Marquez,MD · 07-29-2007, 10:11 AM

Hi Adrian,

Again, it all boils down to consumer education.

"Power Users" are really nothing more than "Educated Consumers".

I really believe that EDUCATION is the target both EMA and the iDEA group should be pointing their guns at. An ad campaign in the mainstream media, not just the specialty and high end video magazines coupled with "tech" segments in various talk and news will help you accomplish this.

I know this may sound like an oversimplification of the issue, but I really believe it's a good start. A new generation of consumers is rapidly growing up (I have an 11 year old kid.... I know) who is more technologically oriented than previous generations. Educate them on these technologies (Hi Def) and they will actively seek your products. Tie in the visual advantages of a Hi Def system when it comes to gaming as well.

Just my thoughts....

Ronald Epstein · 07-29-2007, 11:23 AM

Adrian,

This format war has created complete chaos for the consumer.

Problem is, it's all about studio greed. You have one studio in
particular that saw how much money Warner made off each DVD
sold and vowed from the beginning that they would put out their
own format and fight for dominance till the better end.

None of the two camps seem to be working for the benefit of
the consumer. Like most everything else, whomever has control
of the technology is going to reap the benefits off every piece of
software sold for it.

Andrew M · 07-29-2007, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adimike

This is the most basic of Questions: Why Hi-Def, and why two competing formats?

Greed. Follow the money. The two competing HD formats are primarily supported by two competing consumer electronics giants. Toshiba and Sony have been fighting it out for years. There are decades of bad blood between them. Sony especially doesn't belive in forgive and forget when it comes to losing out to Toshiba in the past. It must burn them that each DVD player they sell is based on Toshiba owned patents, with money going to Toshiba. Maybe not a lot, but still enough to constantly remind them who won the original DVD format war. Each figures who ever wins the High Definition format war will be on top of the consumer electronics heap for decades to come. In actuality, this war is as meaningless as the war fought between the Lilliputians in Gulliver's Travels as to which end of the egg must be opened up first. Unless there's a major collapse of support by either Toshiba or Sony and the other participants, these formats will probably remain just a niche market.

Now, do I personally want a HD format in the marketplace? Yes. Do I think the marketplace really needs a High Definition format? Yes, but only one. Do I know who's going to win? No. Do I care who wins? Not really. I have major home theater product from both Toshiba and Sony in my household. If I were a video store retailer whose customers were asking questions as to which format to buy or if I were an electronics retailer, I would spend considerable time with the customer explaining the pros and cons of each format, including the availability of titles in each format, allowing the customer to make the decision based on their own perceived needs. And I'm glad I don't have to do that.

<b>Note: I wrote this before I read Ron's post just before this one!</b>

Sam Posten · 07-29-2007, 05:50 PM

Very VERY few HTF members will tell you they are in favor of a format war. Some may be deluded into thinking that it will result in reduced prices for both, but that is a silly thing to think given the meteoric rise of DVD and the significant price plummet that that tech faced, especially given chinese competetion. In fact, the format war participants are losing, badly, to both standard DVD and downloadable content, and will continue to do so for a long time, perhaps permanently.

I am neutral in the war in that I have both decks, but if I had my druthers I would want the one that had the most space on the disk and the _potential_ for the least restrictive DRM. At this point, I'd say BR has the first and HD the latter.

At this point I dont care who wins but I want one format in the near future, despite the investment I have made in both. I suspect it will be BR in the end and I am fine with that. If its a draw I dont see a good result for consumers no matter how it plays out. I am sick that all involved would put consumers in the middle, and I am disgusted that no parallel to Warren Lieberfarb came around this time to make one format, no matter what the cost to the studios, to put the consumer in the drivers seat.

In the end, early adopters like me are going to find that at least one of the dogs in the fight doesn't last, we can only hope that its not both. For the record, I sat out SACD/DVD-A and continue to buy both of those at firesale prices when possible out of sheer gruesome morbidity than any real interest in the formats.

Sam

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Dan_Ohio · 07-29-2007, 07:08 PM

I think Hi-def DVDs are really going to get more consumers confused. Not only do we have HD-DVD and Blu-ray, now we have a new type, the flipper. Once side DVD, the otherside HD-DVD. How many questions are the retailers going to get because one side does not play. Is there only going to be small print around the center of the DVD to know the difference? Remember back to the flippers. This was abandoned for the two disk set or buy a full or widescreen DVD. The mass market consumers can not handle to many choices. People want to look at the DVD, know exactly what it is and which side is up.

While I agree with most of the posts above, I think another player has entered the war, Microsoft. This is more than Toshiba against Sony. The war has added Microsoft Xbox against the Playstation 3.

I don't think consumers know what to do and early adopters (including sales reps) usually help steer them in one direction or another. For example my brother-in-law asked what to buy. I told him a PS3, if you wan a multiple purpose player, or just get an upconverting DVD player and wait.

I agree with a saying I heard in Babylon 5. The truth is like a two edge sword and the truth is somewhere in the middle. It is human nature to use facts in a way that supports your interests. I think both sides are doing this and the consumer is in the middle. I have not seen a good unbias article that shows a side by side comparison. Anyone know where there is one?



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