Samsung announces combo player (4 Viewers)

[Tim Glover]

I truly believe if HD disc does go the way of DVD-A & SACD, it won't be due to the "war" or any confusion. Mainstream loves their sd-dvds, love their audio to be portable, and just don't see the reason to join in.

The more the merrier for me. It will only help get the name out. Most of my buddies only know about HD media because of me. Some are still using the freakin' composite cable for the dvd player to their TV!

They think I'm just anal about all this HT stuff....and they're right.

Samsung going neutral opens the door for other mass electronic companies to follow suit.

 

[Ryan-G]

There's a good reason to support a format, the heck with the fact that it's inferior in capacity, it's name sounds like DVD!

Additionally, IIRC, wasn't there a ban on inflamatory sigs? Cause I can't read a single post you make without seeing that sig and completely disregarding everything in the post out of hand, because it's clearly made from an extremely biased point of view.

 

[Tim Glover]

Ryan, there are many here that have sigs like that. Things like the Casino Royale logo with I'm Blue all over it. ...Only thing missing from ole Sam's sig is blue pom poms streaming from Bond's arms.

 

[PeterTHX]

Difference is that it may say "I'm blue" but *not* "red sucks" or "evil" or something else.

Example:

"I love the Zune!" = OK, fine, good for you

"I love the Zune and iPods are the devil's tool!" = nasty

see the difference?

 

[Cees Alons]

Speaking of caffeine.

Will you all please stick to the subject of the thread, and in particular stop trying to discredit posters because of the way they look, they write, they choose their (legal) signatures or clothes, or whatever that's equally irrelevant.

Biased opinions can also easily be found here where sigs aren't telling us the preference of the poster.

You're free to cordially attack an opinion, not the very fact that the opinion is published, or the way a member chooses to do so (how much that happens to irritate you personally notwithstanding.)


Cees

 

[Manus]

Amen !
Given that supporters of either BD or HD Dvd ALL ostensibly support HD in its wider sense you would think an announcement like this would unite rather
than push farther apart :frowning: I mean picking on somebody for inserting a hyphen between HD and Dvd just about takes the biscuit.

I'm really running out of rational , fair-minded sites to refer any interested neutrals to where they can participate/learn without prejudice.

Pity,

~M~

 

[g-man]

I think this is great idea, assuming Samsung gets it right this time,for everyone that has one player. I thought the main objective was to get the most hd movies and have something to play them on. Am I missing something

 

[Rob Young]

This is good news as long as the price is around the cost of sep format players. If it is a lot more in price then it is pointless...but i doubt that will be the case.

I think anyone who thinks it is pointless in theory just is a cheerleader of a certain format and that IMO is lame. I can say being format neutral is far better than being a cheerleader for one format and trashing the other like it just violated you.

 

[Chris S]

It's still all going to come down to price. Assuming by the end of the year there will be players in the $200 & $400 range (street price), is anyone really willing to spend ~$200 more just to have a single unit? I know I'm not and I can't imagine J6P is either.

And to say Samsung won't cancel this player too is to neglect the history of their proposed dual format players. This is the third time that I recall hearing Samsung say they will be producing a dual format player so I'm a little skeptical at the moment, although this does look a little more promising than in the past.

 

[David Wilkins]

This is a very interesting development. Note the remark about their being open to a stand-alone HD-DVD player in the future, "whenever consumers demand it". But, hey...the dual-format player is music to my ears.

Hmm... follow the link:

http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/news/...DVD_Player/578

 

[Cees Alons]

One post removed.
Please read my suggestion in post #25.


Cees

 

[Scott Jentsch]

I think combo players are the next best thing to having all the studios step up and produce movies in both formats. It's probably a more viable alternative, since a combo player covers all the bases, with the only downside being a potentially higher price. Keeping the price as low as possible will directly impact its sales potential.

Given the fact that the newly released BD-P1200 is missing quite a few key Blu-ray features, I'm doubting whether Samsung can deliver on their press release announcement that it "will fully support both HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc formats and their interactive technologies, HDi and BD-Java." Can we assume from this that it will support at least Dolby TrueHD (an HD DVD requirement), if not also DTS-HD MA? How about 1080p/24?

Considering that their release date is "in time for the holidays," hopefully they can deliver a really kick-butt unit at a sub-$800 MSRP. For mainstream acceptance, that price actually should be below $500, but I can't imagine that will happen.

 

[Kevin C Brown]

It doesn't have to be at a mainstream price though! Sure, later on combo players will get cheaper. Me for one, I'd just like to see someone do it correctly first, then at a cheaper price second. Shoot, how long did it take manufacturers to get universal SACD/DVD-A players out there that could compete pricewise with individual DVD-A and SACD players? The first universal machine, the Pio AX10 or something was at least 2g's, I remember. Just seems like no one has any patience any more.

 

[PeterTHX]

Well by then it was way too late.
Combos will only confuse.

 

[Adam Gregorich]

I disagree that combos will confuse. They will just do the opposite. Even salespeople from the big box stores can understand a concept as simple as "if its round, shiny and contains a movie you can play it on this". If they understand it then they can repeat it to customers.

 

[Tim Glover]

Exactly.

 

[Harpozep]

Ditto s well. It should be "One box to play them all" As I said when I bought my Pioneer Elite DV-59dvi
Ok, it was outdated soon there after, but you get the picture ( pun intended!).

Really though, since the big boxes have taken over and their staff knowledge is going to remain low on the subject, the one box to play them all is really the only logical step in this evolution. Stupid format wars...................:frowning:

 

[Chris S]

But one machine that plays everything still doesn't address retailers concerns about having to carry the same title in two separate formats. While it is makes the job of the sales associate easier, the boss above them still isn't going to be any happier.

 

[Harpozep]

Of course, hence I ended my post with "Stupid format wars!'
As a retailer, I can only carry so much stuff, and repeat titles in differing formats can be a real horror show. The sooner one format wins, the better.
Stupid format wars.......if only the material did not looks so good.sigh......

I was going to wait, but got the add-on for the 360 and a Sony PS3. Justified because of their gaming abilities. If I had to get both formats in their own free standing boxes alone, I would not at the current price points asked. The game/combo set up made more sense.

 

[Kevin C Brown]

No one said that any given retailer has to carry *any* HD format discs at all. Up to each of them to decide what to carry. Maybe this is changing more now, but earlier on, most titles were not duplicated between HD DVD and Blu-ray. So a retailer would have to carry both formats anyway to offer the maximum selection of movies.