The Digital Bits - "Officially Blu-ray" Soapbox - Page 10

ppltd · 06-04-2007, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaViD Boulet

It's been discussed repeatedly here and in other threads. Disagree with me, but let's not ask each other to rehash topics that have already been made clear.

Good side step.

Manus · 06-04-2007, 07:19 PM

Ive had a bit of a Hd-Dvd movie fest this Bank Holiday weekend including King Kong , Batman Begins , The Searchers , The Adventures of Robin Hood , Midnight Run , The Matrix and Constantine .

For someone to go live and tell me the format on which I viewed the above can not be 'morally' recommended to prospective movie lovers is nonsense. Bill's entitled to his opinion and I'm entitled to mine.I think his tawdry tirade was very sad .

~M~

Paul_Scott · 06-04-2007, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Hillenbrand

I can see why Bill Hunt is taking a stand now (it's not that he preferes blu-ray), because there will be no winner. Both formats will die.

I would appreciate it if someone can suggest a successful alternative for saving either format. For the sake of the consumer!

That might be true if both formats were equally as expensive to produce content on. But the truth is the Blu-ray side is more impacted by higher production costs and low sales.
This was one of the points early on that led me to 'gamble' on HD DVD out of the gate. I believe they can ride out a very slow, very protracted adoption without hemorraging nearly as much money.

And I honestly think this is why we see statements on the Bd side that have a tenor of desperation to them. We saw it out of CES, and we are seeing it in Mr Hunts op/ed. They have to win this swiftly and decisively to even hope making Bd an economically viable delivery system (and to get third parties - like independant replicators- to shoulder some of the financial burden-and potential losses- of building up the infrastructure to support the format). There is a relatively limited, short time span before VOD makes hard copies irrlevant and they have to make as much hay while the sun shines. So far, they are still stuck shoulder to shoulder with HD DVD in the door of the barn trying to get out. They're in a pickle and they know it. And whats more, their very size makes them far less agile. So far, they have been wholly re-active in this whole 'war'. HD-DVD goes somewhere, and they have to follow and catch-up- even though they have 10 times the capable players in the marketplace at the moment, they are only selling at a 2 to one margin at best.
They should be dominating in sales, 5 to 1 or 7 to 1 at least, with all these CE and studio advantages they tout- and they just can't manage to do that.

and that obviously worries them.

Brent M · 06-04-2007, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Roer

I don't even like The Matrix all that much, but if I could have purchased it separately from the box set, I would have. Warner Bros. really shot themselves in the foot with this (in terms of trying to get any kind of numbers to use as ammunition for the HD-DVD battlecry. Obviously at some point Warners will release the films separately so that shot in the foot should heal nicely.)

Cheers,

Jason

It will be available separately before the end of the year, I guarantee it. Same deal as the Mission Impossible films. First came the box set and then eventually all the titles were released separately.

Paul Arnette · 06-04-2007, 07:39 PM

Civil as though this thread may be, I find it all together depressing. I am convinced now, more than ever, that these two formats will be the video equivalent of SACD and DVD-Audio. So, when a HT ethusiast feels this way, what do you think the odds of the 'average consumer' mass adopting either one of these formats is? Yep, zip, zero, zilch, nada.

Thomas and I have disagreed on things before, and we're on opposites sides of the format war concerning where are preferences lie, but I think he made an excellent point by saying he is going to enjoy both of them while they're still here. Honestly though, I don't think either will be here to stay.

Douglas Monce · 06-04-2007, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by todd s

Doug, I read over your response so quick. I thought you said

Well its about time...the guy has been a geek all his life. He gets a hot wife he better get busy with her!!!!

Vader · 06-04-2007, 08:39 PM

To be perfectly honest, I hope Hi Def does become a niche format, and that J6P just stays away. Before the pitchforks come out, I understand the benefits of mass adoption, but take a look at LaserDisc as an example. Many of the younger generation considers it a failure, but in reality it was the absolute best in PQ for it's time, and hung in for over 20 years (I would hardly call that a failure - DVD has only been around for 10). The mass populace never caught on (they were more concerned with the convenience of a video tape filling their screens, than PQ), and make no mistake, DVD did not catch on due to PQ, but convenience. J6P would not know decent PQ if it came up and bit them. Consequently, LD has always been aimed at the enthusiast, with intellegent documentaries, commentaries, etc. With DVD catching on with J6P, look at how the format has been dumbed down to accomodate their short attention spans (ie. fluff instead of suppliments with any "meat", etc). Now, consider what will happen to the pinicle of PQ, Hi Def DVD, in the hands of J6P (who outnumber us considerably, and the market will follow). Look at the current state of audio, and how it has become a joke. Digital downloads, so compressed you can't differentiate between Barbara Striesand and Brittany Spears. Hyper-compressed CDs. They may sound kinda-sorta OK on those things you stick in your ears, but they market "docking stations" that pump them through full-blown audio setups. They are selling like hotcakes, and J6P thinks they sound great. Car Subwoofers played 10-20dB above the other two channels so that they become little more than "one-note-wonders". The same will happen with digital video, mark my words. How many inquiries have we had about those "black bars" on HD? How many advocates of HD Pan & Scan (not so much here, but I have seen several posts on other boards)? Sure, it's fun to watch the HT crowd tear those folks a new one (proverbially speaking, of course), but we are a tiny majority in the marketplace. AFAIAC, let J6P keep his 13" b/w TV and P&S videotapes, and let those of us who actually appriciate high quality dictate the Hi Def market.

Rant over.

Dave Mack · 06-04-2007, 08:53 PM

Just IMHO, MS has no problem if both formats stagnate. Because then they clean up with an HDOnDemand scenario which Gates predicts will be the future anyway....

http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/09/t...l-gates-again/

Endgadget:

First off, I wanted to talk about some of the stuff you talked about your keynote, specifically Vongo, which is going to be the first of what I presume will be several online video subscription services that will be announced in the next few months. It's similar to the ToGo services that are available already for music, but do you think that online video download subscriptions have a greater chance of being successful than the rental model has so far been for music? Are customers already used to the idea of renting movies, but it's taking them some time to getting used to the idea of renting music?
"

Gates:

Yeah, I mean, movies are a bit different in the sense that it's often that you'll want to see it once, and then having it in a library wouldn't be that critical to you, whereas with music you're going to want to listen to it many, many times.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=12398

"The future lies not in HD-DVD or Blu-Ray but digital distribution, says MS boss..."

This has NOTHING to do with Bill Gates or MS being "the devil!" Just what this very powerful businessman thinks in regards to this...

Once more...

Gates:

"The future lies not in HD-DVD or Blu-Ray but digital distribution, says MS boss..."

and yet when some (many, actually...) of us who really want a physical HD format to suceed are wary of MS being so involved with HDdvd, (ESPECIALLY after Gates has said he sees no future in HDdvd as well), people think we are behaving strangely...

ppltd · 06-04-2007, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Mack

"The future lies not in HD-DVD or Blu-Ray but digital distribution, says MS boss..."

And this comment has nothing to do with whether or not MS would like to see both formats fail. It is a statement that Bill Gates, and many others believe will happen in the future. I tend to agree with him, looking out 5 to 10 years. Physical media will change as technology changes.

There is a great difference between talking current strategies and future strategies. In the case of these comments, they are most assurdely future.

Dave Mack · 06-04-2007, 09:46 PM

Gates said that "future" comment in 2005. So now IS the future in relation to when he said it.

He also said this...

Gates:

"Yeah, I mean, movies are a bit different in the sense that it's often that you'll want to see it once, and then having it in a library wouldn't be that critical to you, whereas with music you're going to want to listen to it many, many times."

Sorry, Billy. I like to have a film in my library, on a little disc. I personally think it will be terrible if that's where we wind up.

and I wrote, "has no problem if both formats stagnate"
I did not write "would like to see both formats fail"

hey, but what do I know...? It's just my Opinion, that I am entitled to...