Article: High-definition DVD market facing static (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

Read all about it HERE

 

[Tim Glover]

Good article....I wish there had been some quotes from the same electronics store owner of how good HD-DVD looked instead of just how bad Blu-Ray disappointed them.

Regardless, we all knew the upgrade bug would be rather slow compared to vhs to dvd. Going to be a long process. Studios will have to stay focused on the big picture instead of daily numbers.

Thanks for sharing....

 

[FrancisP]

There is a real possibility that the upgrade bug may never hit and all you have is a niche market. The weakness in the model is that consumers will be required to purchase something they already have. I bought The Searchers over the summer and I'm expected to buy a high def copy a few months later? There are plenty of SD discs that I have on my list. They may not be as big a leap over videotape as HD ism but it is still a huge leap.

 

[Bob_L]

The concern I have is that this migration to HD ultimately requires a COMPLETE replacement of the consumer's hardware: DVD player, TV (if you don't already have HDTV), and--in many cases--audio system (to support HDMI).

As a home theater enthusiast/addict/victim, I'm prepared to do this. But I think the consuming majority will display a lot of sales resistance to this.

At least at the time of the tape to DVD transition, you could just hook your new DVD player up to your existing TV and get the benefit.

 

[Sami Kallio]

Majority of the TVs sold today are HD, aren't they? I think SDTV's and EDTV's will dissappear from the market fairly soon. In the future I think you are forced to buy into HDTV and I see the same being for HD-DVD/BR as well. It won't happen overnight but it will happen.

 

[Glen C]

 

[MarekM]

no this quote is telling nothing......... there is NO RELEVANT info from first six weeks......., if you will have statistic DATA after first 6 months maybe or one year, then you can tell......

Marek

 

[Frank@N]

This diode shortage thing has me worried...

Second gen units on both sides will be delayed and there still won't be enough PS3s to go around (most of which will be bought by gamers).

More cold water being thrown on HD home playback, as if there wasn't already enough problems.

 

[Felix Martinez]

You know what? I just realized that I see movies in my dedicated home theater and then watch all the supplements, and sometimes audio commentaries, etc. in the bedroom or computer. Guess that will all have to change :frowning:

 

[Shawn Perron]

Seems like neither camp has anything to crow about.

Consumers have the choice between:

1) a format with only 3 studio support and less capacity (45gigs while talked about are not in the existsing spec)

2) a format with $1,000+ players and hit or miss video quality.

Also the possibility that buying either of these formats can leave you with a player and library from the dead format. Not exactly a situation compelling consumers to buy now instead of later.

 

[Chris S]

This seems hard to believe. Especially considering the reports of retailers complaining about how bad some of the early titles looked.

 

[Jay Taylor]

That statement got my attention too. There's no way that Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is unaware of what the distributors think about the early titles.

 

[Ryan-G]

Four major problems with this line of thinking.

1. There is no requirement to upgrade DVD's. That SD disc you have today will play just fine in an HD Player tomorrow. Unlike DVD, HD discs do not invalidate a person's entire collection. As such, for those who do not wish to repurchase, they can enjoy the discs they have without issue as they would with an SD player.

2. If the above quote was true throughout the market, then Double & Triple dips wouldn't be economically feasible. If people weren't willing to pay for new or better versions of their movies, then there'd be no market, and no double and triple dips. If the above is true, then multi-dips must be money losers. Since studios don't like losing money, and they do like multi-dips, then the above quote cannot be true.

3. Nearly the entire U.S. market, at least, will be HD in a few years. HDTV's will not be a niche product. As DVD players get replaced, it'll be HD Players that take their places, and the market will be invisibly migrated. Especially after the market actually gets exposed to 720p and higher broadcast material, when DVD will start looking weak in comparision.

4. Most people don't buy every release. They buy the movies they like, and the movies they'd really like to see but didn't get a chance to go to a theater. Most people don't have hundreds or thousands of discs. Replacing a dozen or two favorites is no major issue for them, that's what a favorite movie is, something enjoyed so much that they *want* to own it in the best manner possible. Heck, the rental/netflicks crowd doesn't even buy them, they rent them, and they don't worry about rebuying. They're not out there saying "Dang it! Another new format! Now I have to go and rerent Star Wars all over again in a new format!"

HD will not be a niche market. The market will migrate, invisibly this time, without any major need for a marketing push. Just release the Players and the Media and let the inevetible slowly take place. HDTV's will lead to HD Players as people get exposed to HD broadcast and suddenly find that those SD DVD's no longer look as nice as they once did.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I don't see anything in that article that makes me more concerned about either format. This ballgame is still early with plenty of innings left to play.




Crawdaddy

 

[Lew Crippen]

I agree Robert. I found the article to be long on individual quotes and short on data such as the actual number of units and disks sold over time. There was a ‘first six weeks’ for each format comparison that had the Toshiba sales 33% higher than the Samsung, but no actual numbers. Otherwise, I thought the article devoid of hard content.

 

[Qui-Gon John]

I think they went about HD completely wrong. For one thing, it should have been done so it could still connect using component cables to either a regular or HDTV. Obviously the better PQ when hooked to HDTV, but still a very good picture connected to a regular TV.

 

[Sami Kallio]

You can.

 

[Steve Tannehill]

Right, both HD DVD and BD players currently support high definition over component video.

And both HD DVD and BD software can change to eliminate that, although at this point it would be seriously foolish.

- Steve

 

[Qui-Gon John]

OK, I had thought at one time that you had to have HDMI, or something like that.

 

[FrancisP]

Actually there is a little time bomb in the AACS specifications. It would phase out non-HDMI interfaces beginning around 2010. Hardware manufacturers would have to comply beginning around 2010. Who gave them the statuatory right to do this is beyond me. It certainly seems to violate anti-trust laws. It
certainly fits in with the studios' determination to gain complete control over content.