Anyone else afraid studios will abandon regular DVD in favor of HD? (1 Viewer)

[Carlos Garcia]

Here's a tip on who will win the HD war and why...HD-DVD will beat out BluRay, not because it's better, but because Joe Sixpack knows the term "High Definition" (HD). Joe Sixpack does not know what BluRay means, even if it is a better format, they won't know. When they go into a store looking for a high definition DVD player, they will figure they are called HD...If anyone tries to sell them on "BluRay", they'll be like, "What's that?" No way will they buy a format they've never heard of before. Simple reasoning on why I believe HD-DVD will win...Check back here in a few yrs and see if I was right.

 

[MarkHastings]

Ah, but what about the average Joe 6 pack who will buy BluRay because it sounds better than HD? All SONY needs to do is add some kind of "Highest Possible Quality" (or something like that) and anyone (who doesn't know) would be convinced that BluRay is something even newer than HD.

 

[Carlos Garcia]

I don't know Mark, if I were Joe Sixpack and someone tries to sell me on BluRay, I'd be scared because that sounds like some new outer space thing...HD is safe since we've all heard of the term High Definition by now...I still think HD has the name Joe Sixpack trusts, BluRay sounds like some new fancy stuff a slick salesman would try and sell...Me? I'd keep clear of such a fancy term as BluRay and stick to a proven name like HD...LOL!

 

[Cheetah]

Here is a link regarding TV Shows and HD.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/carroll/?p=1576

 

[Tony J Case]

And when was that again? 2005? Oh - no, it was pushed back to 2006. Isnt it now mandated (again) in 2009?

The govenrment mandate will keep slipping and slipping. I'm not to worried.

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

Although it doesn't necessarily mean that HD versions will be released any time soon, I would be VERY surprised if any new transfers are not being done in hi def and downconverted to SD for DVD releases. The studios know HD is the future (both for broadcast and home video). Even tape based series will be remastered to hi def, even if it doesn't have as great an improvement as film based transfers.

 

[MatthewA]

Do you mean shows shot on videotape like All in the Family? I don't think there would be ANY improvement on the original source material.

 

[Mark_TS]

on and on it goes-its been mentioned elsewhere on HTF that VMD/VHD is waiting in the wings to outdo HD in a couple years.
When will a perfect picture be enough?

 

[MarkHastings]

I don't think people will be happy until it looks and sounds better than real life.

 

[Anthony Hom]

There is a way to make a switch to HD (BD or HD), just stop selling STD DVD and force everyone to buy HD discs. If the industry forces consumers to switch, they will have to buy new HD players. Of course, that would just open the bootleg market wide open.

 

[Jason_V]

If the studios stop making/selling standard DVD's to "force" people into one of the HD formats, they're going to get a backlash of epic proportions, more than pirating has done since its inception. People don't like being forced to do anything and would, I think, throw their hands up on the entire legal DVD market. Then we'd hear the studios whining about the pirates again, this time in a different way.

 

[Jay_B!]

why can't people just see SACD/DVD-A coming? Many people were comfortable with their standard cd's, audiophiles wanted more. There's a niche market for hi-res but most consumers who still physically buy music (instead of digitally) are just fine with their CD's and don't want to upgrade again.

I think the same goes for DVD and HD-DVD/BluRay. Many people are secure and comfortable with DVD's for the time being. Videophiles and those with great home surround systems want more, but I think many people are just fine with DVD as is.

If they took standard DVD off the market, people would revolt instead of converting. People point out the vinyl-cd shift in the late 1980's, but CD's were actually seen as more convienient to people, they could play them in their cars, they were smaller, etc... We've already had that shift from VHS to DVD. BluRay/HD-DVD will be seen as a nice upgrade for the video enthusiasts the way SACD/DVD-A was for audiophiles, but for most people, they're fine with DVD as is for the time being.

 

[MarkHastings]

I agree that taking SD-DVD off the market would be a very bad idea.

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

They won't take SD off the market until every last penny has been squeezed out of the format, in fact, the longer it stays around the better as that means more SD product sold which can and will be upgraded to whatever HD format is around later.

As for shows like All in the Family, while an increase in resolution may not do much if anything, there certainly could be work put ito things like color correction and other fixable problems.

 

[MarkHastings]

Yeah, I have to use the high grade gas in my car, so I assume everyone would be ok if I said that I wish they'd get rid of the lower grades and forced everyone to buy the expensive grade? I completely agree, but the one nice thing about HD media is, I think more average consumers will buy into it vs. average consumers buying into high res audio.

But I have two trains of thought here:

I think consumers didn't really buy into high res audio mainly in part of CD's give them more flexibility...With an HD player, the consumer just needs to replace their "one" player and that's it. This will make the HD video more enticing to the average consumer vs. the high res audio route.

but then on the other side:

I can just imagine all of these consumers with their DVD players in their SUV's....Imagine being forced (as was suggested) into buying a kiddie movie on HD and finding out that their newly installed DVD player (in the car) won't play it. I don't think people want SD-DVD going away right now.


But overall, while it may start out as a niche - I think the HD video route will be less of a niche product vs. high res audio.

 

[John Berggren]

VHS hung on until it stopped selling. DVD will do the same.
As long as you're there with your wallet, the studios will be there ready to take the cash.
If you're still on SD-DVD when they don't sell enough to be profitable, that's just too bad, but that day isn't coming anytime soon.

 

[Carlos Garcia]

It wouldn't make me switch. I've been collecting DVDs since the late 90s, and outside of a handful of TV shows, which either have yet to be released (Batman) or have yet to complete all their seasons (Mary Tyler Moore, Leave it to Beaver, The Odd Couple), I don't need to collect anymore. I am perfectly happy with the quality of standard DVD and none of the oldies shows I enjoy would benefit in quality enough from HD transfers to warrant my switching over to the format. Unlike VHS, standard DVD will never die because it's a digital format and HD-DVD as well as BluRay players will always have the ability to play standard DVDs. In other words, even if people like me choose to never upgrade to the new DVD formats, eventually when our current players die off and they no longer produce standard DVD players, the replacement machines (whether they be HD-DVD or BluRay) WILL play our collection, so no need to worry...Plus, if I wait another 8-10 yrs until my current machine dies out, I'll probably get to pick up a new HD-DVD/BluRay machine for $100 or less, just like SD DVD machines today cost so cheap when compared to their introductory prices some 8-10 yrs ago.

 

[Jay_B!]

I agree. While there are a few movies (like the Star Wars and Alien movies) and a couple series (Buffy and Angel come to mind) that would make me consider upgrading to hi-def, most of the stuff I have on DVD, I am content with. I have a lot of older series and movies that really aren't meant to look "perfect" (like tv shows that were shot on videotape and movies that were lower budget).

 

[Cheetah]

Especially with either HD or Blu-ray likely ending up as the equivalent of Beta after the format war is eventually won.