More Research Asserts that Blu Ray Adoption Isn't Apt to Surge - Page 2

Rachael B · 05-16-2008, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

In 2010, 2011, 2012. What happens to all of these people who have component and the studios use ITC?

Trust me, they are chomping at the bit to get ITC in on the action, a couple are even thinking of renegging on the agreement not to use it until 2012.

That's someday.....however, my biggest set is stille 1080i and has HDMI inputs but neither Sony or Panasonic Blu-ray players work correctly with it. If I'm stille using that TV and they try to invoke ITC, I'll file a complaint with the F.C.C. and anybody else I can. The analog sunset is rather mirthful given how disjointed HDMI is! By 2012 Blu may be so hacked and cracked that the annie-log sunset might not be that important to it's perpetrators....?

Man-Fai Wong · 05-16-2008, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Dirk

I think the majority of consumers would still have difficulty picking out the BD content in blind tests, all other things being equal. Not that the difference isn't significant, but most people watch a film for the story, action etc, and have little interest in the quality of the actual presentation.

This may well be true to a great extent, but...

Quote:

It's similar to the anamorphic widescreen vs pan & scan situation. Studios could not get away with charging more for the [obviously superior] widescreen version because the average consumer could care less.

... I don't think this is a good/valid example to support that argument. In the eyes of the mainstream consumer, it was never that obvious that widescreen offers better quality than P&S (and open-matte) -- it still isn't that clear for the majority of folks who are still using 4x3 SD TVs.

And if the mainstream consumer has his/her way, we could still end up w/ lots of P&S HDM albeit in 16x9, instead of 4x3. Heck, as it is, we don't even need the mainstream consumer to have a say before even Criterion's putting out The Last Emperor cropped to 2.0:1 at the request of Storaro -- and there will be more of those to go w/ TLE and Reds too.

Quote:

Until a Blu-Ray disc costs the same as its SD cousin, and the players reach comparable prices to a decent SD player, I think BD will remain a nich'e product.

I think many of us would be fine w/ Blu-ray staying somewhat niche though -- not LD-like niche of course, but some sort of happy median between that and the current state of SD DVD. I certainly don't mind paying a little more for Blu-ray than for SD DVD -- and really, lots of SD DVD pricing (beyond that of recent releases) has gone pretty nutty of late, and you can't really expect Blu-ray to follow that trend anytime soon, if ever.

_Man_

Mark Talmadge · 05-16-2008, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronald Epstein

Bottom line....

These BR players and software need to come down in price if you want
to entice the common consumer into purchase.

Now that the format war is over there seems to be no incentive
for many of the major companies to drop prices.

Ronald, I think you said it best. Blu Ray manufacturers of the hardware and software have become complacent since HD-DVD is no longer a factor and they're unlikely to drop prices anytime soon. Plus, the studios who release their own titles aren't likely to drop retail prices on their titles either.

I wouldn't mind jumping into the format but the hardware and software are both too expensive to be worth making the switch. With TV on DVD sets fetching between $65-$100 at discount stores such as Best Buy and Circuit City, even those discounted prices are prohibitively high. I'm just satisfied with the standard DVD player and software that I currently own.

With no HD-DVD format to compete against, it's highly doubtful that prices for blu ray will drop. If they do, it won't be by much to convince consumers to buy into it.

Market research also doesn't bode well for the short term for this format. Check out this link: I4U News - Blu-ray uphill Battle ahead this Holiday Shopping Season

Adam Gregorich · 05-16-2008, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Dirk
I think the majority of consumers would still have difficulty picking out the BD content in blind tests, all other things being equal. Not that the difference isn't significant, but most people watch a film for the story, action etc, and have little interest in the quality of the actual presentation.

It would be interesting to see, but after watching Blu-ray/HD DVD, I have a hard time going back to my over-compressed Comcast HD, let alone DVD!

Norman Matthews · 05-16-2008, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChristopherDAC

Actually, it's better than that. The relevant number is 9% of 2500, or 225, out of 35% of 2500, or 875, which makes 26%.

That's assuming no overlap between the 4% and the 5%, which is a pretty big assumption. It could be as low as 14% of HDTV owners owning a player (which is certainly absurd, that the 4% is all captured in the 5%, but I think it's wishful thinking to assume no one surveyed falls into both the 4% and 5%).

Robert Crawford · 05-16-2008, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Dirk

I think the majority of consumers would still have difficulty picking out the BD content in blind tests, all other things being equal. Not that the difference isn't significant, but most people watch a film for the story, action etc, and have little interest in the quality of the actual presentation. It's similar to the anamorphic widescreen vs pan & scan situation. Studios could not get away with charging more for the [obviously superior] widescreen version because the average consumer could care less.

Until a Blu-Ray disc costs the same as its SD cousin, and the players reach comparable prices to a decent SD player, I think BD will remain a nich'e product.

John

I can't agree. Most people will see and hear a night and day difference on their HT equipment that has been properly setup.

Goko · 05-16-2008, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam Gregorich

It would be interesting to see, but after watching Blu-ray/HD DVD, I have a hard time going back to my over-compressed Comcast HD, let alone DVD!

Interesting you should say that because I have the exact opposite opinion.

Now I have Dish Network and I'm pleased as punch with the quality of the HD channels that I subscribe to. In fact, just recently, I decided to spend money I was saving for a Blu-ray player and decided to buy an external 750GB HDD and upgrade to some premium HD channels for the movie content. In just 3 weeks I've stored 50 HD movies and I only have about 200 GBs left! I haven't had this much fun since my heavy S-DVD buying days.

Mark Talmadge · 05-16-2008, 08:11 PM

The whole problem is rising out of the fact that your average consumer doesn't see the blu ray format as the new alternative to home video. When you look at everything needed in order to enjoy the HD format, an HD LCD television set, a blur ray player, along with the software which often costs as much as 50% to 100% over the cost of standard DVD, most don't see the benefits.

Sony seems to be having a hard time selling the blu ray format to the average consumer and has been relying too much on the support from the early adopters. Consumers aren't fooled by the free offers for 10 blu ray movies, especially when you have to send through the mail in order to get the free movies and the movie selection is severely limited by what the manufacturer will offer with the pruchase of their model.

Add to the growing problem that the industry keeps pressing out newer blu ray models every 3-4 months with better features, that also doesn't help the home video market. Not considering the fact that the consumer can purchase an upconvertable DVD player, that'll convert standard definition DVD's to 1080p, consumers are going to be satisfied with the DVD Upconvertable player until prices on blu ray players come down.

The biggest problem will be from the hardware makers and hoping that they can keep the prices for blu ray players under the $250 price range. With the way the economy is right now, consumers just have other things on their mind without having to think about paying $300 and $400 for a blu ray player when they need to use that money to fill up their gas tanks.

Edwin-S · 05-16-2008, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford

I can't agree. Most people will see and hear a night and day difference on their HT equipment that has been properly setup.

I agree.

I still see the major problem as being pricing. Prices are too high....especially for software. I check out the stands at my local shop regularly. There are several titles that I would buy if they were at a lower price point; however, every time I see a 32+ dollar price tag I just put it back on the shelf. I like films, but I have come to realize that there are very few films that I'm willing to spend more than 26 bucks on. There are exceptions but so far most of the releases on the shelf today are "like to have" not "must have".

Master and Commander is a perfect example. I would badly like to upgrade my DVD copy, but 32 bucks (not including 11% in sales tax) for a bare bones copy.......well, it just becomes a "forget it" moment.