Blockbuster to favor Blu-ray HD discs over DVD format (1 Viewer)

[Jason Seaver]

I'd be shocked if Universal didn't have some sort of incentive - maybe not cash, but reduced royalty rates, priority access to replication, etc. Same goes for the Weinsteins, Disney, Fox, Lion's Gate, and, yeah, Blockbuster (and maybe Starz and First Look). Toshiba, Sony, and company would have to be foolish not to do so ath this point.

 

[ppltd]

We are in total agreement here.

 

[ppltd]

Jason, I too would probably be shocked if these companies did not have financial arrangements with each other. It makes valid and good business sense. And the way you posed this is the proper way to do it. As we can verify none of it, it is our opinion. I think the only time I actually come unhinged on this issue is when posts are made that state emphatically that it is fact, not opinion, because someone has inside knowledge in another forum because they overheard someone talking to someone who was standing next to the person who was married to a reporter that knows some industry insider . (I am not implying that this has happened in the current context of this thread)

The funny thing is how many dealing the competing companies in this format debacle have with each other that have nothing at all to do with HD and BD.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Really? You seriously doubt that? We're all very surprised! Guess I better tell all my un-named insiders to change their minds now...

 

[ppltd]

Good for you, Dave. I would rather be able to get my BD and HD titles at the same spot.

 

[Cees Alons]

No malicious intent was assumed, Jim. And I did add a smiley!

(No need to leave the thread either, IMO.)


Cees

 

[Jason Harbaugh]

They will have gained me as a customer. I'm with Netflix now and so far I am happy, but there are a lot of appealing aspects of BB Total Access. I hadn't rented from a BB for years because of their choice of sticking with Fullscreen for quite a few movies. So they lost me with that decision. But if my local BB has Blu-ray movies, then you bet I'll be a customer of theirs again. And the fact that they made a bold decision to only expand one of the formats, the format I believe to be the best choice, I'll have more reason to shop there. The quicker we get to one format, the better IMO and I'll support the companies that help get us there.

Now let's just hope they stock it in quantity.

 

[ppltd]

Jason, I have a question for you. Would you support them if they choose HD DVD instead of BD and made that bold decision?

 

[Jason Harbaugh]

Absolutely not, because I don't think HD DVD has any chance of being the sole victor of the format war. The most they could do is coexist, Blu-ray on the other hand can. Sony spent a lot of money to make sure of that. Thankfully, it also happens to have the best specs and most opportunity for growth in both the home entertainment and PC world. I wouldn't be happy if it was the weaker of the formats.

My support goes to getting us down to a single format. Supporting HD DVD won't get us there because thanks to the PS3, the BD format will be with us for at least 5+ years.

 

[ppltd]

As far as the PS3, Toshiba has countered with the announcement that all Toshiba laptops would be equipped with HD drives. This will account for near 9 million yearly, based on last years figures, and will pretty much nuetralize the PS3 argument.

 

[Paul McElligott]

Unless those laptops have HDMI or component outputs and people keep them permanently hooked to one's home theater (which would sort of negate the purposed of buying a laptop), they're talking apples and oranges.

 

[Jason Harbaugh]

Not even close to countering it. Every PS3 is hooked to a TV. How many people are going to watch HD DVD's on their tiny laptop screens? The few that do, how many will actually notice a difference from a DVD? How many will be able to take advantage of the advanced audio codecs, or even simple old DD5.1 sound? It is a good attempt by Toshiba, but unfortunately will have little effect on the actual format war and not even close to being the same thing as putting a BD drive in every PS3. Now if they are all HD DVD burners, then they might actually put a dent in the storage battle, but why would I spend the same amount of money for a 15gig disc when I can get a 25gig disc for the same price? (this is just from walkby pricing at Microcenter the other weekend)

 

[ppltd]

Or Media Center, or any number of like products. The drives being in the laptops will drive the sale of HD DVD content probably on a smaller level than the PS3, but with many more units out, it could go a long way to effectively neutralizing the PS3 effect. Conjecture, I know. But this is a pretty ballsy move by toshiba.

Even if it doesn't combat the PS3 effect, it could go a long way in locking up HD in the PC market. that along would give it a foot up in the format competition. So Apples to Apples comparison may not matter in this circumstance.

Anyway, I am finding it fun to watch the companies act and counteract each other.

 

[Paul Arnette]

I have a question regarding these HD DVD drives in Toshiba's laptops. Are they planning to charge extra for them? Will Toshiba's HD laptops be priced competitively with other laptop manufacturers that won't be including an HD drive of any kind?

I really do not see this having much effect of the outcome of the format war. Of course, I personally abore the idea of watching a movie on a laptop, so, yes, there is some bias there. In my opinion, if HD is niche, then HD on a HTPC or any other PC-related product is a niche of a niche and not destined for great impact.


What you call 'ballsy', some might call 'desperate'. Tomayto, tomahto.

 

[FrancisP]

CC went blu-ray only initially and had to abandon that. Apparently blu-ray only was not a winner. I'm sure Netflix will be happy over BB decision.

 

[Jason Seaver]

CC didn't "go' Blu-ray only; they just weren't stocking Toshiba products before this thing started. They just had BD by default; if they hadn't been stocking Samsung last year, they would have been HD-only for a while.

 

[Douglas Monce]

At least ALL of the laptop screens will be able to display a 1080p picture, unlike the vast majority of the TVs that the PS3s are hooked up to.

Doug

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Can't wait to watch some HD on my computer! Oh yeah... me and my buddies all crowded around a 15" screen. It will be awesome.




Please educate yourself before posting content like this. BB will CONTINUE to rent HD DVD on-line. They are only choosing not to push it in their retail locations due to the usual considerations of limited shelf-space etc.

Since Netflix doesn't even *have* retail locations, I fail to see how this decision on the part of BB has anything to do with competition between them since the both will be renting both formats on-line as usual.

 

[Douglas Monce]

I have that version of T2 that has the HD windows media file on it. It actually looks amazingly good on my 15" laptop screen. Which really shouldn't be surprising. The dot pitch on a computer monitor is typically much tighter than on even an HDTV. It's actually pretty good for a long flight.

Doug

 

[John Berggren]

I saw 2 women in the Best Buy today (where I tried to buy my sold-out Panny) who were fretting over HD-DVD versus Blu Ray. I explained the blockbuster situation, and they decided to go ahead and pick up the Sony TV/PS3 deal that's in place.