It's just too bad that all BD discs come region coded, which makes it difficult to import titles and enjoy them in states. I've had UK version of Harry Potter in HD-DVD for about 4 months now and be able to play it due to lack of region coding on all HD-DVD movies.
erm... SD-DVD is region coded too... so... theres not really much difference in THAT particular problem.
funny really as im just riping some region 1 discs at the minute
erm... SD-DVD is region coded too... so... theres not really much difference in THAT particular problem.
funny really as im just riping some region 1 discs at the minute
If anything, Blu-Ray's region coding is handier than SD-DVD's. Japan and the US fall under the same code, so at last I have the option of importing unreleased movies/anime without worrying about resetting the region on my player.
Huzzah.
HD-DVD's regionless system, of course, would be nicer, but so far I've got no complaints.
But hmurchison is right: the format war HAS led to lower prices on hardware and software and probably to more titles as well. Did anyone honestly think, a year and half ago, that we'd already see players of either format selling for $400 and discs for $18? It wasn't so long ago that people thought discs would be $40 and I fully expected the cheapest player would be $800.
Yes. The only way for studios and CE companies to make money on the next generation is to replace the previous generation. The PACE of drops may or may not have been impacted but frankly the PS3 would have provided downward pressure anyways. If nothing else the PS3 would have provided the volume to rapidly reduce production prices that enables price drops.
Hell, Sony is STILL complaining that DVD players dropped in price too fast and they couldn't make any money!
Quote:
Originally Posted by vinea
Yes. The only way for studios and CE companies to make money on the next generation is to replace the previous generation. The PACE of drops may or may not have been impacted but frankly the PS3 would have provided downward pressure anyways. If nothing else the PS3 would have provided the volume to rapidly reduce production prices that enables price drops.
Exactly. Where was the format war that made DVDs an affordable household item? Answer: there was none. The name of the game is competition, but it's silly to assume that must mean a competing format. Competing companies are all that's needed. Blu-ray already has that with several companies making players, and that would have pushed down prices in due time. Where's Toshiba's competition if only HD DVD existed? Maybe HD DVD needed a format war to get its price down, but Blu-ray didn't.
If nothing else the PS3 would have provided the volume to rapidly reduce production prices that enables price drops.
Vinea
That was what everyone expected, but the exact opposite is happening at the moment. Sony is purposely making less or stopped 20GB version to lessen the loss or increase the profit. I don't believe Sony will offer 20GB version in Europe for the very same reason. So, when the prices do go down, would product price go down accordingly for the consumers or the unit profit go up accordingly for Sony?...
That was what everyone expected, but the exact opposite is happening at the moment. Sony is purposely making less or stopped 20GB version to lessen the loss or increase the profit. I don't believe Sony will offer 20GB version in Europe for the very same reason. So, when the prices do go down, would product price go down accordingly for the consumers or the unit profit go up accordingly for Sony?...
Or perhaps they're making fewer 20GB units because the 20GB was selling like ass? I've always wondered why. Its not like bundled wifi or flash readers were all THAT useful but for $100 I guess the delta just isn't worth it not to get the bigger HDD and start with at least some WiFi capability.
No conspiracy thinking required. That Sony was willing to take the larger loss on the 20GB to increase share is an indicator that your assertion is without much merit.
Or perhaps they're making fewer 20GB units because the 20GB was selling like ass? I've always wondered why. Its not like bundled wifi or flash readers were all THAT useful but for $100 I guess the delta just isn't worth it not to get the bigger HDD and start with at least some WiFi capability.
No conspiracy thinking required. That Sony was willing to take the larger loss on the 20GB to increase share is an indicator that your assertion is without much merit.
Vinea
I just learned that 20GB PS3 is currently available at BB online. So, perhaps Sony have not stopped 20GB. There was a poll to survey BD player purchases at avsforum/BDhardware and 60GB version did out sold 20GB by more than 2 fold, and there were many cases where some of the purchases of 60GB was chosen due to lack of 20GB. Moreover, around where I live in Socal, I've yet to see 20GB on the shelves but 60GB versions have been available at multiple occasions. So, from what I've seen, either the 20GB is more popular, nor just more scarce at the retail stores. It just reminds me of those auto-dealer adds claiming a great price of an automobile at the dealer, but the fine print referring to only one or two in the lot with specific vin#. It's a good advertisement scheme to lure people in for sure. However, I do know a co-worker who did take advantage of such auto advertisement scheme. He actually went down to the dealer at 6 am, and located the automobile with specific vin#, which dealer claimed that such vehicle was sold off the lot, but they still ended up selling to him because he dragged the sales manager and showed him where the vehicle was located. Anyway, the great Sony would not do such act to lure in people to BD or PS3. Sony would always deliver and strive to make products for the best interest of the people. I better get rid of my macs and replace them with Sony vio.
Exactly. Where was the format war that made DVDs an affordable household item? Answer: there was none. The name of the game is competition, but it's silly to assume that must mean a competing format. Competing companies are all that's needed. Blu-ray already has that with several companies making players, and that would have pushed down prices in due time. Where's Toshiba's competition if only HD DVD existed? Maybe HD DVD needed a format war to get its price down, but Blu-ray didn't.
Nobody's saying a format war is NECESSARY to drive down prices. What drove down DVD prices was no-name manufacturers jumping in and releasing cheap players - which is what Sony is whinging about to this day.
And I'll believe that Sony's Blu-ray price cut was solely due to falling component costs and competing BD players when I see the other manufacturers follow suit. I have a hard time picturing Sony as swell corporate citizens who just wanted to share the love with their customers.
Yes I don't dispute the number for January. There were few HD DVD titles released. It wasn't like both formats were going balls out and Blu-ray just kicked arse.
Well it's now two consecutive months of 2:1 sales. Eventually if this continues, and there is no real sign it won't as the companies involved push harder, something will give.
Am I the only one who doesn't need high-definition video formats in their life right now? I recognize that eventually HD will outstrip SD - I've seen Blu-Ray and HD-DVD in action, and while 'tis verily an impressive beast, I can't see either outselling SD-DVD sales for a good while yet, at least not here in the UK. Mostly because the benefits of HD haven't really been made apparent to Joe Public, save for a few "Hey, HD is coming... any minute now... wait... wait..." - style advertisements from a few electronics shops and television channels.
Well it's now two consecutive months of 2:1 sales. Eventually if this continues, and there is no real sign it won't as the companies involved push harder, something will give.
Wait until you see the results for March. It'll be 4:1 for Blu-ray at the least. I guarantee it.
Democaster. HD isn't going to take off until consumers have a couple more years of low cost HDTV (xmas 2006 was huge for sales) and the price of players drops down to under $200. We'll have that by end of 2008 IMO. It's fairly easy to show people the advantages of today's players...they just don't want to pay $500 quid for those advantages.
Well it's now two consecutive months of 2:1 sales. Eventually if this continues, and there is no real sign it won't as the companies involved push harder, something will give.
Wow, is it just me, or does Universal sound desperately defensive in that article? "We'll be back! We will! It's just a fad! We're not backing the wrong format!"
The authors of Penny Arcade made an extremely good point in their (extremely funny) podcast; they said that Blu-Ray will probably win the format war sheerly because of the PS3, and that Sony'll shove that technology down your throat whether you want it there or not. I never had a DVD player until I had a PS2, so I don't think this'll be much different.
I just learned that 20GB PS3 is currently available at BB online. So, perhaps Sony have not stopped 20GB.
Gee really? Imagine that.
Quote:
There was a poll to survey BD player purchases at avsforum/BDhardware and 60GB version did out sold 20GB by more than 2 fold, and there were many cases where some of the purchases of 60GB was chosen due to lack of 20GB. Moreover, around where I live in Socal, I've yet to see 20GB on the shelves but 60GB versions have been available at multiple occasions. So, from what I've seen, either the 20GB is more popular, nor just more scarce at the retail stores. It just reminds me of those auto-dealer adds claiming a great price of an automobile at the dealer, but the fine print referring to only one or two in the lot with specific vin#.
So surveys (and articles in game mags and sites) say the 60Gb is more popular than the 20GB which is available from BB online but becuase you've never seen ANY 20GB ANYWHERE in SoCal it must be some bait and switch ploy on the part of Sony?
Never mind that retailers will stock the version that sells more often than the version that doesn't and Sony will make more of the units that were in higher demand than the one in lower demand.
Quote:
Anyway, the great Sony would not do such act to lure in people to BD or PS3. Sony would always deliver and strive to make products for the best interest of the people. I better get rid of my macs and replace them with Sony vio.
Yes, conspiracy theories and hating large companies is fun isn't it? Would you like to bash microsoft a little next? How about the Wii? I'm sure Nintendo is artificially constraining the availability of the Wii to make it seem more in demand and selling units on EBay through employee's posing as private sellers.
Get over it. The 20GB turned out not to sell and consumers choose the 60GB as the better deal. Why make a SKU that costs more, offers less and few folks like? Eliminating the 20GB version will only hasten the price drop the PS3 needs.
We can only hope. But I still remember Beta-max and DAT.
Neither of those had the industry backing behind Blu-Ray. Matsushita, Sony, Pioneer, Samsung, Sharp and Philips are all exclusive. Those are some awfully big and trusted CEs companies.
Well it's now two consecutive months of 2:1 sales. Eventually if this continues, and there is no real sign it won't as the companies involved push harder, something will give.
from that link
Quote:
At an HDTV conference last week, noted speaker Vito Mandato made the claim that the total number of hardware sales for both formats is about the same, after one weeds out all the PS3s that are not being used to play Blu-ray movies.
be interesting to see how Murch or bitemymac spins THAT! hardware sales about the same but BD STILL outselling 2:1 ....
ok, i was in the local GAME yesterday and the guy "said" they had 100 pre orders "at the moment" and were expecting to fill all of those orders with stock.
ive been umming and ahhing about wheather to get one on release day, i was a Day One PS2 purchaser WAAAY back and i PLAN on getting one at some point soon, its just a matter of getting on on DayOne agian or not? is there any point? will i be dissapointed? is it worth it?
has anyone HERE got one and thinks i should go for it?
i cant work at the moment, (long drawn out recovery, long story) so i have time to kill.... PLENTY of time to kill
i dont really hang out on "gaming" forums so this is one of the few places i feel i can ask, and, despite the "widely differing views" on the 2 formats i would value some contribution from any and all poster here.
go on, help me decide on WHEN to go Blu-ray might be an interesting experiment?
Comments
It's just too bad that all BD discs come region coded, which makes it difficult to import titles and enjoy them in states. I've had UK version of Harry Potter in HD-DVD for about 4 months now and be able to play it due to lack of region coding on all HD-DVD movies.
erm... SD-DVD is region coded too... so... theres not really much difference in THAT particular problem.
funny really as im just riping some region 1 discs at the minute
erm... SD-DVD is region coded too... so... theres not really much difference in THAT particular problem.
funny really as im just riping some region 1 discs at the minute
If anything, Blu-Ray's region coding is handier than SD-DVD's. Japan and the US fall under the same code, so at last I have the option of importing unreleased movies/anime without worrying about resetting the region on my player.
Huzzah.
HD-DVD's regionless system, of course, would be nicer, but so far I've got no complaints.
But hmurchison is right: the format war HAS led to lower prices on hardware and software and probably to more titles as well. Did anyone honestly think, a year and half ago, that we'd already see players of either format selling for $400 and discs for $18? It wasn't so long ago that people thought discs would be $40 and I fully expected the cheapest player would be $800.
Yes. The only way for studios and CE companies to make money on the next generation is to replace the previous generation. The PACE of drops may or may not have been impacted but frankly the PS3 would have provided downward pressure anyways. If nothing else the PS3 would have provided the volume to rapidly reduce production prices that enables price drops.
Vinea
I only need enough bits to capture the movie with a minimum of fidelity loss. I watch movies I don't watch specs.
You'll want higher bitrates for more challenging movies.
Vinea
Hell, Sony is STILL complaining that DVD players dropped in price too fast and they couldn't make any money!
Yes. The only way for studios and CE companies to make money on the next generation is to replace the previous generation. The PACE of drops may or may not have been impacted but frankly the PS3 would have provided downward pressure anyways. If nothing else the PS3 would have provided the volume to rapidly reduce production prices that enables price drops.
Exactly. Where was the format war that made DVDs an affordable household item? Answer: there was none. The name of the game is competition, but it's silly to assume that must mean a competing format. Competing companies are all that's needed. Blu-ray already has that with several companies making players, and that would have pushed down prices in due time. Where's Toshiba's competition if only HD DVD existed? Maybe HD DVD needed a format war to get its price down, but Blu-ray didn't.
If nothing else the PS3 would have provided the volume to rapidly reduce production prices that enables price drops.
Vinea
That was what everyone expected, but the exact opposite is happening at the moment. Sony is purposely making less or stopped 20GB version to lessen the loss or increase the profit. I don't believe Sony will offer 20GB version in Europe for the very same reason. So, when the prices do go down, would product price go down accordingly for the consumers or the unit profit go up accordingly for Sony?...
That was what everyone expected, but the exact opposite is happening at the moment. Sony is purposely making less or stopped 20GB version to lessen the loss or increase the profit. I don't believe Sony will offer 20GB version in Europe for the very same reason. So, when the prices do go down, would product price go down accordingly for the consumers or the unit profit go up accordingly for Sony?...
Or perhaps they're making fewer 20GB units because the 20GB was selling like ass? I've always wondered why. Its not like bundled wifi or flash readers were all THAT useful but for $100 I guess the delta just isn't worth it not to get the bigger HDD and start with at least some WiFi capability.
No conspiracy thinking required. That Sony was willing to take the larger loss on the 20GB to increase share is an indicator that your assertion is without much merit.
Vinea
Or perhaps they're making fewer 20GB units because the 20GB was selling like ass? I've always wondered why. Its not like bundled wifi or flash readers were all THAT useful but for $100 I guess the delta just isn't worth it not to get the bigger HDD and start with at least some WiFi capability.
No conspiracy thinking required. That Sony was willing to take the larger loss on the 20GB to increase share is an indicator that your assertion is without much merit.
Vinea
I just learned that 20GB PS3 is currently available at BB online. So, perhaps Sony have not stopped 20GB. There was a poll to survey BD player purchases at avsforum/BDhardware and 60GB version did out sold 20GB by more than 2 fold, and there were many cases where some of the purchases of 60GB was chosen due to lack of 20GB. Moreover, around where I live in Socal, I've yet to see 20GB on the shelves but 60GB versions have been available at multiple occasions. So, from what I've seen, either the 20GB is more popular, nor just more scarce at the retail stores. It just reminds me of those auto-dealer adds claiming a great price of an automobile at the dealer, but the fine print referring to only one or two in the lot with specific vin#. It's a good advertisement scheme to lure people in for sure. However, I do know a co-worker who did take advantage of such auto advertisement scheme. He actually went down to the dealer at 6 am, and located the automobile with specific vin#, which dealer claimed that such vehicle was sold off the lot, but they still ended up selling to him because he dragged the sales manager and showed him where the vehicle was located. Anyway, the great Sony would not do such act to lure in people to BD or PS3. Sony would always deliver and strive to make products for the best interest of the people. I better get rid of my macs and replace them with Sony vio.
Exactly. Where was the format war that made DVDs an affordable household item? Answer: there was none. The name of the game is competition, but it's silly to assume that must mean a competing format. Competing companies are all that's needed. Blu-ray already has that with several companies making players, and that would have pushed down prices in due time. Where's Toshiba's competition if only HD DVD existed? Maybe HD DVD needed a format war to get its price down, but Blu-ray didn't.
Nobody's saying a format war is NECESSARY to drive down prices. What drove down DVD prices was no-name manufacturers jumping in and releasing cheap players - which is what Sony is whinging about to this day.
And I'll believe that Sony's Blu-ray price cut was solely due to falling component costs and competing BD players when I see the other manufacturers follow suit. I have a hard time picturing Sony as swell corporate citizens who just wanted to share the love with their customers.
Yes I don't dispute the number for January. There were few HD DVD titles released. It wasn't like both formats were going balls out and Blu-ray just kicked arse.
Well it's now two consecutive months of 2:1 sales. Eventually if this continues, and there is no real sign it won't as the companies involved push harder, something will give.
Well it's now two consecutive months of 2:1 sales. Eventually if this continues, and there is no real sign it won't as the companies involved push harder, something will give.
Wait until you see the results for March. It'll be 4:1 for Blu-ray at the least. I guarantee it.
Democaster. HD isn't going to take off until consumers have a couple more years of low cost HDTV (xmas 2006 was huge for sales) and the price of players drops down to under $200. We'll have that by end of 2008 IMO. It's fairly easy to show people the advantages of today's players...they just don't want to pay $500 quid for those advantages.
Well it's now two consecutive months of 2:1 sales. Eventually if this continues, and there is no real sign it won't as the companies involved push harder, something will give.
Wow, is it just me, or does Universal sound desperately defensive in that article? "We'll be back! We will! It's just a fad! We're not backing the wrong format!"
I just learned that 20GB PS3 is currently available at BB online. So, perhaps Sony have not stopped 20GB.
Gee really? Imagine that.
There was a poll to survey BD player purchases at avsforum/BDhardware and 60GB version did out sold 20GB by more than 2 fold, and there were many cases where some of the purchases of 60GB was chosen due to lack of 20GB. Moreover, around where I live in Socal, I've yet to see 20GB on the shelves but 60GB versions have been available at multiple occasions. So, from what I've seen, either the 20GB is more popular, nor just more scarce at the retail stores. It just reminds me of those auto-dealer adds claiming a great price of an automobile at the dealer, but the fine print referring to only one or two in the lot with specific vin#.
So surveys (and articles in game mags and sites) say the 60Gb is more popular than the 20GB which is available from BB online but becuase you've never seen ANY 20GB ANYWHERE in SoCal it must be some bait and switch ploy on the part of Sony?
Never mind that retailers will stock the version that sells more often than the version that doesn't and Sony will make more of the units that were in higher demand than the one in lower demand.
Anyway, the great Sony would not do such act to lure in people to BD or PS3. Sony would always deliver and strive to make products for the best interest of the people. I better get rid of my macs and replace them with Sony vio.
Yes, conspiracy theories and hating large companies is fun isn't it? Would you like to bash microsoft a little next? How about the Wii? I'm sure Nintendo is artificially constraining the availability of the Wii to make it seem more in demand and selling units on EBay through employee's posing as private sellers.
Get over it. The 20GB turned out not to sell and consumers choose the 60GB as the better deal. Why make a SKU that costs more, offers less and few folks like? Eliminating the 20GB version will only hasten the price drop the PS3 needs.
Vinea
We can only hope. But I still remember Beta-max and DAT.
Neither of those had the industry backing behind Blu-Ray. Matsushita, Sony, Pioneer, Samsung, Sharp and Philips are all exclusive. Those are some awfully big and trusted CEs companies.
Well it's now two consecutive months of 2:1 sales. Eventually if this continues, and there is no real sign it won't as the companies involved push harder, something will give.
from that link
At an HDTV conference last week, noted speaker Vito Mandato made the claim that the total number of hardware sales for both formats is about the same, after one weeds out all the PS3s that are not being used to play Blu-ray movies.
be interesting to see how Murch or bitemymac spins THAT! hardware sales about the same but BD STILL outselling 2:1 ....
i cant wait to see how they turn THAT around
ok, i was in the local GAME yesterday and the guy "said" they had 100 pre orders "at the moment" and were expecting to fill all of those orders with stock.
ive been umming and ahhing about wheather to get one on release day, i was a Day One PS2 purchaser WAAAY back and i PLAN on getting one at some point soon, its just a matter of getting on on DayOne agian or not? is there any point? will i be dissapointed? is it worth it?
has anyone HERE got one and thinks i should go for it?
i cant work at the moment, (long drawn out recovery, long story) so i have time to kill.... PLENTY of time to kill
i dont really hang out on "gaming" forums so this is one of the few places i feel i can ask, and, despite the "widely differing views" on the 2 formats i would value some contribution from any and all poster here.
go on, help me decide on WHEN to go Blu-ray
thanks in advance
Rod