A retailer's comment on HD (1 Viewer)

[Rob Young]

Because it is the cheapest bluray player on the market. Seems pretty simple.

I was given a PS3 as a xmas gift (didnt ask for it nor really interested in having one at this time) which made me format neutral and I have 2 games for it but rarely play them since I have a xbox 360. I use my PS3 as a bluray player.

My dad just got a ps3 on saturday so he can borrow my bluray movies as he realizes whatever I buy is going to be in high def from now on. He's a guy who could easily afford whatever player out there but I said he should just get a PS3 since it does what he wants it to do.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Where the heck have you been???

Most AVS and HTF members who have purchased a PS3 bought it because:

1. It's the most affordable (movie) BD player.
2. It's produces the highest-quality picture of any BD player regardless of price.
3. It very likely will be upgradable to DTS-MA decoding and already decodes Dolby Digital True HD (the only BD player that does so presently)
4. It has HDMI 1.3... again, something that no other BD player has.

Are those good enough reasons?

 

[PopBodhi]

That makes sense. I still believe the PS3 gamers are skewing the sales numbers in favor of Blu-ray for now.

 

[Doug^Ch]

I have to agree with most people in this thread. I own an HD-DVD Player (Toshiba A2), with about 20 movies, and my interest in HD content has also begun to fade. For months I have frequented these HD forums and threads, and quite frankly it has started to bore me. The same old arguments about the format war, studio support, etc. have been rehashed a thousand times. I also believe that the real victor in the battle is the good old fashioned standard DVD. 95% of people are more than satisfied with standard definition. I agree with what others have said that even without the format war people will not buy into the "hi-def revolution" without players and software being priced nearly at standard def levels.

Most people love their libraries of SD material, and you know what, a well mastered SD DVD at 480p looks pretty damn good on most systems out there. Most people are just being weened from lousy analog cable signals and to them a SD DVD looks like HD. Most people in my circle could give a crap about HD material. You can show them the difference and they will say "Oh that's nice" but they are far from awed by it. What does awe most people are "Discovery HD Theater" type shows, and these are not what HD movies look like. Yes, they have more resolution and are more vibrant, but it is is not as dramatic as going from VHS to DVD.

As for me, I have started buying Standard Definition material again in large amounts, because it would be at least 10 years for much of what I enjoy to ever make it to HD, and I am not willing to wait for it any longer. I will occasionally buy a new HD-DVD, but much of the excitement is now over for me.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Randall,

you are aware that X-box 360 gamers have had available to them for some time a $200 HD DVD add-on?

With X-box add-on allowing HD DVD playback, and the PS3 allowing BD playback, how do PS3 "gamers" offset the balance of HD software sales? Wouldn't the X-box users be negating that by enhancing sales of HD DVD software?

And that being said, if PS3 users (gamers or otherwise) still offset the numbers in favor of BD sales, then that's simply more evidence that BD is better supported. Why is a gamer buying a BD movie any less a consumer than anyone else?

 

[PopBodhi]

I've been in the SD DVD areas ignoring the format war. This thread originated in the SD DVD software forum. This is really the first time I've had a lot to say about high def.

 

[PopBodhi]

That's interesting. My impression (from the media) is that PS3 is far more popular than the X-Box.

 

[ppltd]

Someone posted those numbers and a link in another post, but wasn't able to find it. I believe it showed that the BD and HD hardware sales (excluding the PS3) were pretty close. This would make sense, as the purchasers were early adopters, where price is not a major consideration. We are the same people that will buy a new car model at sticker or above, just to be the first to have it, even though we know we would be able to buy 6 or 9 months down the line discounted.

 

[MarkHastings]

Enthusiast isn't an all-encompasing term. I consider myself an SD-DVD enthusiast. I know HD is much better, but until the crap is out of the way, I will not consider myself an HD enthusiast right now.

 

[ppltd]

I and many others don't have a lot of issues with the price of the hardware. The content, now that is another matter intirely. But for these formats to succeed, price is paramount. The average consumer will not spend the money on a player that is 10 to 20 times more expensive than a SD DVD player. I firmly believe that what is driving the large sales of HDTV's this year is the simple fact that they are currently at the price point regular TV's and projectors were a years ago. These people aren't necessarily buying HD TV's for the content they can watch, but rather that the price point makes it silly not to buy it.

 

[Lars Vermundsberget]

Somewhat high prices and limited selection of titles about a year into the game doesn't mean that the HD formats are never going to "get there". But I'd say players that play both HD formats could be a step in the right direction - so they could call off this stupid gamble.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

It most certainly would not. Many HT enthusiasts waited explicity for the PS3 as the most affordable/best-quality BD-player option for their first-gen player. Many HD DVD enthusiasts who already owned an X-box purchased the HD DVD add-on the same way... a cost effect solution for a first-generation product you know you don't plan to keep over the long-haul.

 

[PopBodhi]

Well, let me just say that the friend who enthusiastically introduced me to DVD back in 1997 and who has a lot of disposable income hasn't bought an HDTV or one of the competing disc formats! He has watched HD content, but it failed to compel him to get rid of his regular analog SONY TV set. This is a significant hurdle for both formats, since I'm sure he's not alone.

 

[Jason Seaver]

The closest I can come is that BD sales to PS3 owners will drop of substantially as soon as the PS3 starts getting decent games. But, as with a whole lot of the PS3/BD situation, I doubt anyone can quantify how much of an issue that is.

 

[ScottJH]

David, the add-on drive came out early November. PS3 mid-November. 2 weeks is not a "LONG" time.

 

[aaron campbell]

I live in SW Ohio(Dayton) & I see the opposite of the op. Stores are making space for titles , and Blu-ray discs are taking up more of that space constantly.

 

[MarkHastings]

Yeah, the price wouldn't be an issue to most of us here if it weren't for the fact that you are limited as to what you can play on it.

Not buing into it doesn't mean you're no longer enthusiastic about it, it just means that you don't want to buy into the 'game'...and I wouldn't fault anyone here for that.

 

[ppltd]

Actually it was only 7 days.

 

[ppltd]

David, I believe you meant the XBox, not the add-on. The add-on hit the stores only a week before the release of the PS3, with little fanfare and virtually no advertising. In fact, I still do not think I have seen any advertising for the add-on.

 

[thalazy]

I must say since I have purchased the 360 add on in Jan I am addicted to HD DVD. I have a hard time watching SD DVD it hurts my eyes. I find myself appreciating PQ and AQ much more than I did with SD DVD. I watch on a Sony KD-30XS955 30'' widescreen tv and still the difference is staggering. I think as the price goes down on HDTV's and HD movie players sales will skyrocket. I think curiosity will get most HDTV owner's and once they see them in action they will be hooked. I don't see this happening for another few years but I see there will be one format to rule them all and eventually dvd will go the way of VHS.