Interesting thoughts from Universal on SACD and DVD-V (1 Viewer)

[Phil A]

http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News...x?NewsId=11114

 

[Rachael B]

This just begs the question, what in the hell is wrong with Sony that they can't do the same thing this year?

 

[Phil A]

Rachael, my take on Sony, which is wonderful when it comes to innovation and introducing new formats, is that they want their cake and eat it too. So does everyone else, so I'm not at all Sony bashing. They need to come to the reality (as do all record cos.) about music pricing to the general public, digital downloading, Harry Fox Agency, etc. Not every one of these things will go the way they want or expect it. Right now Sony has the power to cement it as a solid niche format with enough releases to make it closer to mainstream. Whether, it will ever get there, is another story. But it's plain as day, it won't get closer to mainstream with what Sony is doing now.

 

[Rachael B]

Aye-Aye, Captain! My thoughts and sentiments nearly exactly.

I'm truly shocked how well SA-CD has done despite Sony's virtual sabotauge of the bleeding thang! IMO, with leadership (read:titles) they could really be getting someplace.

 

[PaulDA]

Can't they just all release hybrid single inventory discs and be done with it? Why bother with separate discs at all if the hybrid format works so well?

 

[John Kotches]

Paul:

Costs. It costs more to produce a hybrid SA-CD than a regular CD or single layer SA-CD.

So, you make SA-CDs for those that are specifically seeking the product and CDs for those that aren't to maximize your profits.

Cheers,

 

[Phil A]

I think the record labels have to come to grips with the fact that most people think CDs are already overpriced. They need to realize that at least part of the reason for unauthorized downloads they dread are due to this factor. Whether they offer the consumer more value thru SACD hybrids, DVD-As, DualDiscs at the same or virtually the same price as CDs or just lower the price of CDs is something that they likely need to do anyway. They also need to understand in a hurting market they need to talk and agree more, look at resources to produce discs for all of them, and agree on one hi-rez format, whatever that is that is best for their current production. The multiple formats are not helpful to getting more hi-rez out the door and are just confusing the average consumer.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

Yes. Supposedly DualDisc is the industry response to adding more value, but the titles announced have not been really interesting IMHO. If they can offer DualDisc at the same cost plus video plus hirez and market the heck out of it then maybe something will happen.

SACDs will likely remain a niche among audiophiles but a profitable one at that. DVDA - I'm not sure they will stick around if DualDisc does well. It would seem to be easier for labels to do a SACD and DualDisc than SACD, DVDA, and DualDisc.

 

[Kevin C Brown]

I agree. I don't see DualDisc affecting SACD (hybrids) that much. I'd bet that producing a DualDisc might actually be a little more expensive than a hybrid SACD. But if DualDisc does catch on, that might be the end of DVD-A as a unique disc format.

But then again, here's a sad take on all 3:

http://www.highfidelityreview.com/ne...umber=16755573

Denon purposefully won't include SACD or DVD-A capability in their cheaper players any more. That can't be good for mass acceptance of any high res audio format.

 

[Marc Colella]

Mass acceptance was never going to happen, and I think everyone has given up on that thought a while ago.

It only makes sense for Denon to pull a move like this. Why increase the cost of a line of players with SACD/DVD-A support when hardly anyone who purchases that line will use it?

 

[Danny Tse]

From a marketing POV, I think the concept of DualDisc has superceded DVD-A.

As for growth of SACD, looks like there's an increase in the number of releases

http://www.sa-cd.net/additions.php

 

[Paul.S]

I mentioned this in another thread but it arguably bears repeating: I think it remains to be seen of what significance the Robert-Murphy announcement is. More than the HFR bit about his new international SACD responsibilities, this CDRinf piece--touting purported UMG synergy between DVD-V and SACD--leads me to question whether UMG will be supporting DVD-A at all in the future. But greater SACD support is hardly predicated upon some middle managment executive shuffle.
Yes, Danny, but there already appear to be significant chasms between "concept," "marketing" and execution. As some of us around here have already gnashed our teeth about, a lot is contingent upon how much hi rez surround content we see on DualDiscs.

Personally I am stubbornly hoping against hope that new DVD-A releases will continue to be a part of the music landscape.

-p

 

[Rachael B]

John, maybe the marginal cost increase of hybrids is a small one compared to, say, further eroded markets, consumer discontent, and loss in faith of the big 4's format intentions? The we-cord kompanies ought to be thinking of how to retain customers by improving their product, going hybrid, instead of looking only for $5, or more, a unit with their little created, skulpted, so-called niche market. Their shenanigans and pricing just drives off potential customers in droves.

Deproving products, litegating against customers & potential customers, playing format roulette, contaminated "compact discs", expensive downloads, and restricting selection is a nice collection of ba-ba ba-bah bad to the bone ideas.

I wish ya'all that write in the press would strike back for consumers more amd more often and with some bite. The silent majority is countin' on you.

 

[ChristopherDAC]

Yep. I make it, about, what? 50 cents as opposed to 10 -- at the outside. The profit margins are still obscene, particularly when you realise that the artists will see basically nothing of the remaining $28.49.
And considering that Sony is a CD format owner, they ought to be less eager to mess up what they have. For instance, I have one of those CDs with the big FBI label on it. Since the CLD player in my secondary system makes a high-pitched squealing sound, I prefer to play CDs through my computer; and to free up a CD-ROM drive it is my habit to copy them down using Windows Media Lossless. Well, it looks like Sony screwed with the headers, since the first half second or so of every track so transferred is missing and the last audio frame [1/75 second] repeats for about a half second. This makes a symphony in which the movements flow together virtually unlistenable.

 

[Paul.S]

"Amen!" re your post #13, Rachael.

-p