Excellent news for PS3 owners!... Now, it sets the bar even higher for $699 BD players to come in the future. So, how does PS2 games look upscaled to 720p/1080p?
Indeed, this is good news. From what I've been reading, this update makes everything look fantastic...
Weren't we supposed to get managed copy on both HD-DVD and BR?
Never looked into this much as I haven't invested in a huge NAS at home but I would have hoped that the studios would have made sure that the desire to break AACS by honest folks would have been vastly reduced by user friendly managed copy.
I think many, if not most, folks would be happy to buy discs and do a single managed copy to a media server so they could lock up their disks from rampaging 3 year olds.
Vinea
I couldn't agree more with you with what you said in bold. With the 4th one on the way, durability of the originals as well as the capacity to utilize MMC is huge. Anyhow, here is some info in this regard, so hopefully, we'll be seeing it soon...
Whither managed copy? In the early, posturing stages of the battle between Blu-ray and HD DVD, proponents of the new high-definition discs heavily promoted a feature called managed copy, which promised to enable legal consumer copying of content from a Blu-ray or HD DVD disc to another device or disc. But the first high-def players released before managed copy was finalized, and discussion of the feature waned--until now.
Managed-copy proponents are once again bringing up the concept, raising hopes that it is closer to becoming reality. Representatives for the group behind the Advanced Access Content System (AACS) expect that the 1.0 version of AACS will be ready before the end of the year. "That's our goal," says Michael Ayers, spokesperson for the AACS Licensing Authority. "We think we're on a fairly good track."
Unfinished Spec
When the first high-definition players appeared last year, the respective coalitions used what was referred to as an "interim" version of AACS. Vendors were eager to release their players, but critical technical and licensing aspects of AACS were still not ready to go--most notably (but not limited to) the portion of the AACS spec that handled managed copy. So an interim spec that left out managed copy was created to bridge the gap. In March of last year, when the interim spec launched, insiders estimated the spec would be final a few months later.
Fast-forward to May 2007. "We're at the 0.93 version of the spec; it's not the final version. It's been taking a while to roll out," says Ayers. He notes that the ongoing attacks on AACS are delaying the eventual finalization of the spec. "It is disruptive to respond to the various attacks. It means we're putting aside finalizing the agreements and getting managed copy out."
As anticipated, says Ayers, "The final version will include things like managed copy--which will address the main thing that hackers claim they're interested in." Specifically, using the content you purchase on other devices.
More on Managed Copy
The concept of managed copy is not new; it has been part of AACS from the beginning. "All of the studios are interested in doing it," says Ayers. "The studios have been looking forward, and realize they need to meet this consumer need for flexibility in the use of their content, whether they're making a backup or putting something on their home media jukebox server platform or their car. [The studios] have bought into the idea of managed copy, but there had to be a demonstration that the managed-copy scheme was secure."
So why has it taken so long for managed copy to take shape? "The structure of managed copy, how it's technically going to work, what will the rules and conditions for the offer of a managed copy be--part of it is just understanding the rights in offering a managed copy, the rights a content owner may or may not have," explains Ayers. "Potentially, you could have a situation where somebody has the right to distribute on disc, but nothing else; or, the distribution rights are limited to a specific region or continent."
How studios will implement managed copy, and what business model will back it, remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: Studios won't take a one-size-fits-all approach to managed copy. The options that studios will offer (x number of legal disc backups, x number of transfers to another device) and the cost for those options (transfers could be free or sold on a per-copy basis) will vary, even among titles distributed by the same studio.
It's too early to tell which of the first- and second-generation high-definition players will be able to handle managed copy. Any players that will do so will need a firmware update to add support for AACS.
The pool of possible contenders is small, limited to players with an Internet connection. All HD DVD players have an ethernet connection; on the Blu-ray side, Sony's PlayStation 3, Samsung's BD-P1200, and Pioneer's BDP-HD1 have ethernet ports.
"The concept is that managed copy will be authorized via an online transaction, so there would need to be an online connection in order to do that transaction," explains Ayers. "Some players already have ethernet on the back. Or," he postulates, "you could have a small add-on device that authorizes the transaction."
Come hmurch, you know what I'm saying. It's pushing 3 to 1 Blu-ray now. The nails are now in the coffin. They are just waiting to be hammered in.
Are you sure about that?... what do you think the full AV functioning PS3 would do to already starved standalone BD player market. Unless BD standalone players can be priced at significantly lower, no one will buy them over PS3. HD-DVD players can be had for below $299 with coupons and free movie rebates.... so, no worries.....
Are you sure about that?... what do you think the full AV functioning PS3 would do to already starved standalone BD player market. Unless BD standalone players can be priced at significantly lower, no one will buy them over PS3. HD-DVD players can be had for below $299 with coupons and free movie rebates.... so, no worries.....
I'm not sure I see where you are going. It's the media, not the player, that will drive the winner and loser. Who cares what kind of Bluray player one has? If the PS3 is the best choice, that's what people will use. Even with HD-DVD coming down in price, Blu-ray is only widening it's lead.
In this case the price cuts may actually be a bad thing. It's a sign that HD-DVD is not doing well.
I'm not sure I see where you are going. It's the media, not the player, that will drive the winner and loser. Who cares what kind of Bluray player one has? If the PS3 is the best choice, that's what people will use. Even with HD-DVD coming down in price, Blu-ray is only widening it's lead.
In this case the price cuts may actually be a bad thing. It's a sign that HD-DVD is not doing well.
cheaper players mean more players sold.........more players mean more movies sold......
More PS3 means less BD standalone BD players sold but more PS3 games sold?...
the added upconverting PS3 features will not make people go out and buy PS3 tomorrow, however, $299 PS3 would sell a lot better.
Off topic, I'm still having trouble finding Wii around socal... I'd be visiting family in Seattle for the coming week and does anyone know where I can get Wii for my nephews?
I think it's time for everyone to begin acknowledgng what some of us have been saying for about three months now.
For HD-DVD, it's....
Only in your wildest dreams. Both sides have shown a willingness to spend and loose big bucks on their format. On the Blu-ray side, full featured and I don't mean a stripped down models are needed with a pricepoint between $300 and $400. IMO, especially if Blu-ray discs are selling at the ratio noted in this thread and that trend keeps up, the single biggest setback to HD-DVD would be if the HD-DVD only studio (Warner?) goes neutral and opens up their cartalog to Blu-ray.
Only in your wildest dreams. Both sides have shown a willingness to spend and loose big bucks on their format. On the Blu-ray side, full featured and I don't mean a stripped down models are needed with a pricepoint between $300 and $400. IMO, especially if Blu-ray discs are selling at the ratio noted in this thread and that trend keeps up, the single biggest setback to HD-DVD would be if the HD-DVD only studio (Warner?) goes neutral and opens up their cartalog to Blu-ray.
You mean Universal, and yes I agree with you. If Universal goes neutral, this war is over.
On another note here is the latest sales figures with Blu-ray pretty much keeping the 60/40 split advantage over HD DVD...
I fully expect this to widen significantly with the onset of POTC. Now, if Warner would finally get on the ball and quit screwing the BD (release Batman Begins, V for Vendetta, and Harry Potter already!), I wouldn't be a bit suprised to see the ratio go to 80/20. It'll be an interesting week next week.
Come hmurch, you know what I'm saying. It's pushing 3 to 1 Blu-ray now. The nails are now in the coffin. They are just waiting to be hammered in.
3:1 ??? Not even Marzetta7's Videoscan numbers corroborate this fantasy. It's more like a 60/40 split in favor of Blu-ray which is understandable considering the advantage in playback devices and studio content. Normalize those and HD DVD is doing much better.
Quote:
Originally Posted by marzetta7
You mean Universal, and yes I agree with you. If Universal goes neutral, this war is over.
On another note here is the latest sales figures with Blu-ray pretty much keeping the 60/40 split advantage over HD DVD...
I fully expect this to widen significantly with the onset of POTC. Now, if Warner would finally get on the ball and quit screwing the BD (release Batman Begins, V for Vendetta, and Harry Potter already!), I wouldn't be a bit suprised to see the ratio go to 80/20. It'll be an interesting week next week.
LOL you speak as though your some neutral investigative reporter. What's a Blu-ray fanboy going to say? " I fully expect things to stay the same" ?
It's currently ranked #11 as the top Blu-ray title.
Planet Earth is ranked #9 as the top HD DVD title.
Note the disparity in price. POTC is $24 PE is $67.
Reports of HD DVDs death are greatly exagerrated.
I'll tell you one thing PE is the most phenomenal series I've witness in Documentary form. I'm glad that it's selling like hot cakes. POTC being the top Blu-ray choice points to the younger generation. This paradigm has manifest itself with regularity. Clearly HD DVD owners are a bit older and the programming that does well tends to reflect the interests of those over 30 IMO.
People that have families or other committments are choosing HD DVD.
cheaper players mean more players sold.........more players mean more movies sold......
More PS3 means less BD standalone BD players sold but more PS3 games sold?...
the added upconverting PS3 features will not make people go out and buy PS3 tomorrow, however, $299 PS3 would sell a lot better.
Off topic, I'm still having trouble finding Wii around socal... I'd be visiting family in Seattle for the coming week and does anyone know where I can get Wii for my nephews?
1. Not really. It COULD mean more sold. It could also be too little, too late so to speak.
2. No, it means people have a Blu-ray player. That's all that really matters.
3. Agreed, but apparently people are buying them anyway, at least in enough numbers to sell Blu-ray discs more than HD-DVD discs.
Only in your wildest dreams. Both sides have shown a willingness to spend and loose big bucks on their format. On the Blu-ray side, full featured and I don't mean a stripped down models are needed with a pricepoint between $300 and $400. IMO, especially if Blu-ray discs are selling at the ratio noted in this thread and that trend keeps up, the single biggest setback to HD-DVD would be if the HD-DVD only studio (Warner?) goes neutral and opens up their cartalog to Blu-ray.
If you're saying "in my wildest dreams" then two things are true. 1) you have no idea what my stance on the HD wars actually is and 2) it's a blatantly inaccurate statement. Why? Because right now, Blu-ray is kicking HD-DVDs ass all around town. And it's only widening it's lead. Perhaps you may disagree that the war is over, but to say it's one of my "wild dreams" is, well, unsupportable and illogical. Current events and logic suggest Blu-ray is winning and will win. That's just the way it is, even if HD-DVD comes back from the dead.
Why are $300 Blu-ray players needed? Because that's when you'll buy one? Apparently they are doing pretty well even without that option, hmm?
Normailize??? what is that? like some kind of aggregate scoring in soccer or just another way of saying "fixing the numbers in my favour"
Because I'm sure we could all do that, and you could accuse others of doing that, but we all recognise you are above such pettymindedness
There, that should stir things {you know we love you really, murch}
-
Oh yeah RE the cheap price of HD-DVD player and perceived "desperation" does anyone remember if divX players got REALLY REALLY cheap just before they disappeared into the mists of time?
-----
On a completely different note, I gave Black Hawk Down a good screening last night and its pretty amazing to look at, out of shock I kept pausing and rewinding. I fear a new addiction comming on! The PQ is STUNNING.
Casino Royal FINALLY showed up but I haven tgotten round to watching it yet.
I did the firmware update but haven't had time to check out upscaled SD-DVDs apart from shoving 2001 in for a scene or 2, but I don't think it was the best option, although I did notice I slight difference on faces. perhaps more later if I get time.
For me the "war" is over.
Next up is to get my movie collection streamable to the PS3 (which the new firmware can do) if anyone can recommend a good app for the Mac?
I'm looking into an AirPort Extreme so I can hook up my 1.6 TB of drives away from the TV room.
A better word would have been "parity". Hearing Blu-ray fans crow about a 60/40 sales split is rather daft when you look at a BD player being packed into the PS3 AND a 4 studio advantage. If you had asked me what the percentages would have been 6 months ago (when I thought there'd be a studio defection or two) if I had known what I know today I would have said we'd be looking at 75/25.
HD DVD is hanging in there amazingly close. Close enough that I think Universal going neutral in early 2008 may not happen. If CES 2008 comes and goes with Universal staying the course the Blu-ray fans holding out and hoping they don't have to get a HD DVD player will crumble. Player pricing will be a couple hundred bucks for a new player and the shift to neutrality will ensue.
The same thing will happen for many HD DVD owners. Tired of waiting for Disney/Fox/Columbia they'll begin to add low cost Blu-ray players. Eventualy the market will even itself out. If Disney and Fox can hold out and remain exclusive then so can Universal.
Re: cheap players = desperation.
I think that's a matter of personal perception. Why should a player cost $500 today? The ASICS from NEC and Broadcom are highly integrated. The optical drives are coming down in price and HD DVD design is and has been cheaper from day 1. There is no money pot coming for hardware sales. The money is going to be in the services (Managed Copy). Hence you don't see many other companies other than Funai that are looking at jumping into the player mix.
Casino Royale, BHD and other movies are good but that quality is easy to get on HD DVD as well.
You have a loud game console that cost 2x what I paid for my HD DVD player. My player and 20 movies cost less than your PS3. I'm going to enjoy The Matrix Trilogy, Heroes and many of the other titles coming. In fact I'll enjoy movies like the The Prestige and other Blu-ray North American titles when they hit the UK. Gotta love Region Free.
Comments
Excellent news for PS3 owners!... Now, it sets the bar even higher for $699 BD players to come in the future. So, how does PS2 games look upscaled to 720p/1080p?
Indeed, this is good news. From what I've been reading, this update makes everything look fantastic...
http://forums.highdefdigest.com/showthread.php?t=8201
Excellent 1080p upscaling of DVDs
For those with 720p only sets it now does 720P downscaling for BD along with upscaling for DVD
1080p24 support
Blacker-than-Black (BTB) and Whiter-than-White (WTW) support with (full range/limited) the BTB has been confirmed by DVE
HQV DVD test and the PS3 1.80 firmware passes ALL tests!! Cadence, interlacing, artifacting, you name it, it passed!!!
For HD-DVD, it's....
Weren't we supposed to get managed copy on both HD-DVD and BR?
Never looked into this much as I haven't invested in a huge NAS at home but I would have hoped that the studios would have made sure that the desire to break AACS by honest folks would have been vastly reduced by user friendly managed copy.
I think many, if not most, folks would be happy to buy discs and do a single managed copy to a media server so they could lock up their disks from rampaging 3 year olds.
Vinea
I couldn't agree more with you with what you said in bold. With the 4th one on the way, durability of the originals as well as the capacity to utilize MMC is huge. Anyhow, here is some info in this regard, so hopefully, we'll be seeing it soon...
Blu-ray, HD-DVD Managed Copy Nearing Reality
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,13...y/article.html
Whither managed copy? In the early, posturing stages of the battle between Blu-ray and HD DVD, proponents of the new high-definition discs heavily promoted a feature called managed copy, which promised to enable legal consumer copying of content from a Blu-ray or HD DVD disc to another device or disc. But the first high-def players released before managed copy was finalized, and discussion of the feature waned--until now.
Managed-copy proponents are once again bringing up the concept, raising hopes that it is closer to becoming reality. Representatives for the group behind the Advanced Access Content System (AACS) expect that the 1.0 version of AACS will be ready before the end of the year. "That's our goal," says Michael Ayers, spokesperson for the AACS Licensing Authority. "We think we're on a fairly good track."
Unfinished Spec
When the first high-definition players appeared last year, the respective coalitions used what was referred to as an "interim" version of AACS. Vendors were eager to release their players, but critical technical and licensing aspects of AACS were still not ready to go--most notably (but not limited to) the portion of the AACS spec that handled managed copy. So an interim spec that left out managed copy was created to bridge the gap. In March of last year, when the interim spec launched, insiders estimated the spec would be final a few months later.
Fast-forward to May 2007. "We're at the 0.93 version of the spec; it's not the final version. It's been taking a while to roll out," says Ayers. He notes that the ongoing attacks on AACS are delaying the eventual finalization of the spec. "It is disruptive to respond to the various attacks. It means we're putting aside finalizing the agreements and getting managed copy out."
As anticipated, says Ayers, "The final version will include things like managed copy--which will address the main thing that hackers claim they're interested in." Specifically, using the content you purchase on other devices.
More on Managed Copy
The concept of managed copy is not new; it has been part of AACS from the beginning. "All of the studios are interested in doing it," says Ayers. "The studios have been looking forward, and realize they need to meet this consumer need for flexibility in the use of their content, whether they're making a backup or putting something on their home media jukebox server platform or their car. [The studios] have bought into the idea of managed copy, but there had to be a demonstration that the managed-copy scheme was secure."
So why has it taken so long for managed copy to take shape? "The structure of managed copy, how it's technically going to work, what will the rules and conditions for the offer of a managed copy be--part of it is just understanding the rights in offering a managed copy, the rights a content owner may or may not have," explains Ayers. "Potentially, you could have a situation where somebody has the right to distribute on disc, but nothing else; or, the distribution rights are limited to a specific region or continent."
How studios will implement managed copy, and what business model will back it, remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: Studios won't take a one-size-fits-all approach to managed copy. The options that studios will offer (x number of legal disc backups, x number of transfers to another device) and the cost for those options (transfers could be free or sold on a per-copy basis) will vary, even among titles distributed by the same studio.
It's too early to tell which of the first- and second-generation high-definition players will be able to handle managed copy. Any players that will do so will need a firmware update to add support for AACS.
The pool of possible contenders is small, limited to players with an Internet connection. All HD DVD players have an ethernet connection; on the Blu-ray side, Sony's PlayStation 3, Samsung's BD-P1200, and Pioneer's BDP-HD1 have ethernet ports.
"The concept is that managed copy will be authorized via an online transaction, so there would need to be an online connection in order to do that transaction," explains Ayers. "Some players already have ethernet on the back. Or," he postulates, "you could have a small add-on device that authorizes the transaction."
It's more like "Game On"
I'm enjoying my HD DVD player and 20 movies. When Blu-ray drops to under $300 I'll buy one of those as well.
Hell I don't know how the battle is going to end but it's certainly going to be fun to watch.
"fan boy" gloating, I see.
No, not really. Just fanning the flames. Don't want the thread to die. It has the chance to become the longest ever.
SDW2001
It's more like "Game On"
I'm enjoying my HD DVD player and 20 movies. When Blu-ray drops to under $300 I'll buy one of those as well.
Hell I don't know how the battle is going to end but it's certainly going to be fun to watch.
Come hmurch, you know what I'm saying. It's pushing 3 to 1 Blu-ray now. The nails are now in the coffin. They are just waiting to be hammered in.
Come hmurch, you know what I'm saying. It's pushing 3 to 1 Blu-ray now. The nails are now in the coffin. They are just waiting to be hammered in.
Are you sure about that?... what do you think the full AV functioning PS3 would do to already starved standalone BD player market. Unless BD standalone players can be priced at significantly lower, no one will buy them over PS3. HD-DVD players can be had for below $299 with coupons and free movie rebates.... so, no worries.....
Are you sure about that?... what do you think the full AV functioning PS3 would do to already starved standalone BD player market. Unless BD standalone players can be priced at significantly lower, no one will buy them over PS3. HD-DVD players can be had for below $299 with coupons and free movie rebates.... so, no worries.....
I'm not sure I see where you are going. It's the media, not the player, that will drive the winner and loser. Who cares what kind of Bluray player one has? If the PS3 is the best choice, that's what people will use. Even with HD-DVD coming down in price, Blu-ray is only widening it's lead.
In this case the price cuts may actually be a bad thing. It's a sign that HD-DVD is not doing well.
I'm not sure I see where you are going. It's the media, not the player, that will drive the winner and loser. Who cares what kind of Bluray player one has? If the PS3 is the best choice, that's what people will use. Even with HD-DVD coming down in price, Blu-ray is only widening it's lead.
In this case the price cuts may actually be a bad thing. It's a sign that HD-DVD is not doing well.
cheaper players mean more players sold.........more players mean more movies sold......
More PS3 means less BD standalone BD players sold but more PS3 games sold?...
the added upconverting PS3 features will not make people go out and buy PS3 tomorrow, however, $299 PS3 would sell a lot better.
Off topic, I'm still having trouble finding Wii around socal... I'd be visiting family in Seattle for the coming week and does anyone know where I can get Wii for my nephews?
I think it's time for everyone to begin acknowledgng what some of us have been saying for about three months now.
For HD-DVD, it's....
Only in your wildest dreams. Both sides have shown a willingness to spend and loose big bucks on their format. On the Blu-ray side, full featured and I don't mean a stripped down models are needed with a pricepoint between $300 and $400. IMO, especially if Blu-ray discs are selling at the ratio noted in this thread and that trend keeps up, the single biggest setback to HD-DVD would be if the HD-DVD only studio (Warner?) goes neutral and opens up their cartalog to Blu-ray.
Only in your wildest dreams. Both sides have shown a willingness to spend and loose big bucks on their format. On the Blu-ray side, full featured and I don't mean a stripped down models are needed with a pricepoint between $300 and $400. IMO, especially if Blu-ray discs are selling at the ratio noted in this thread and that trend keeps up, the single biggest setback to HD-DVD would be if the HD-DVD only studio (Warner?) goes neutral and opens up their cartalog to Blu-ray.
You mean Universal, and yes I agree with you. If Universal goes neutral, this war is over.
On another note here is the latest sales figures with Blu-ray pretty much keeping the 60/40 split advantage over HD DVD...
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/hom052707/
I fully expect this to widen significantly with the onset of POTC. Now, if Warner would finally get on the ball and quit screwing the BD (release Batman Begins, V for Vendetta, and Harry Potter already!), I wouldn't be a bit suprised to see the ratio go to 80/20. It'll be an interesting week next week.
5-6
5-13
5-20
Come hmurch, you know what I'm saying. It's pushing 3 to 1 Blu-ray now. The nails are now in the coffin. They are just waiting to be hammered in.
3:1 ??? Not even Marzetta7's Videoscan numbers corroborate this fantasy. It's more like a 60/40 split in favor of Blu-ray which is understandable considering the advantage in playback devices and studio content. Normalize those and HD DVD is doing much better.
You mean Universal, and yes I agree with you. If Universal goes neutral, this war is over.
On another note here is the latest sales figures with Blu-ray pretty much keeping the 60/40 split advantage over HD DVD...
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/hom052707/
I fully expect this to widen significantly with the onset of POTC. Now, if Warner would finally get on the ball and quit screwing the BD (release Batman Begins, V for Vendetta, and Harry Potter already!), I wouldn't be a bit suprised to see the ratio go to 80/20. It'll be an interesting week next week.
LOL you speak as though your some neutral investigative reporter. What's a Blu-ray fanboy going to say? " I fully expect things to stay the same" ?
POTC isn't a Magic Bullet. In fact
http://www.eproductwars.com/dvd/
It's currently ranked #11 as the top Blu-ray title.
Planet Earth is ranked #9 as the top HD DVD title.
Note the disparity in price. POTC is $24 PE is $67.
Reports of HD DVDs death are greatly exagerrated.
I'll tell you one thing PE is the most phenomenal series I've witness in Documentary form. I'm glad that it's selling like hot cakes. POTC being the top Blu-ray choice points to the younger generation. This paradigm has manifest itself with regularity. Clearly HD DVD owners are a bit older and the programming that does well tends to reflect the interests of those over 30 IMO.
People that have families or other committments are choosing HD DVD.
cheaper players mean more players sold.........more players mean more movies sold......
More PS3 means less BD standalone BD players sold but more PS3 games sold?...
the added upconverting PS3 features will not make people go out and buy PS3 tomorrow, however, $299 PS3 would sell a lot better.
Off topic, I'm still having trouble finding Wii around socal... I'd be visiting family in Seattle for the coming week and does anyone know where I can get Wii for my nephews?
1. Not really. It COULD mean more sold. It could also be too little, too late so to speak.
2. No, it means people have a Blu-ray player. That's all that really matters.
3. Agreed, but apparently people are buying them anyway, at least in enough numbers to sell Blu-ray discs more than HD-DVD discs.
4. Nope, sorry dude. Good luck.
Only in your wildest dreams. Both sides have shown a willingness to spend and loose big bucks on their format. On the Blu-ray side, full featured and I don't mean a stripped down models are needed with a pricepoint between $300 and $400. IMO, especially if Blu-ray discs are selling at the ratio noted in this thread and that trend keeps up, the single biggest setback to HD-DVD would be if the HD-DVD only studio (Warner?) goes neutral and opens up their cartalog to Blu-ray.
If you're saying "in my wildest dreams" then two things are true. 1) you have no idea what my stance on the HD wars actually is and 2) it's a blatantly inaccurate statement. Why? Because right now, Blu-ray is kicking HD-DVDs ass all around town. And it's only widening it's lead. Perhaps you may disagree that the war is over, but to say it's one of my "wild dreams" is, well, unsupportable and illogical. Current events and logic suggest Blu-ray is winning and will win. That's just the way it is, even if HD-DVD comes back from the dead.
Why are $300 Blu-ray players needed? Because that's when you'll buy one? Apparently they are doing pretty well even without that option, hmm?
So with that can I just point and laugh
Normalize those and HD DVD is doing much better.
Normailize??? what is that? like some kind of aggregate scoring in soccer or just another way of saying "fixing the numbers in my favour"
Because I'm sure we could all do that, and you could accuse others of doing that, but we all recognise you are above such pettymindedness
There, that should stir things
-
Oh yeah RE the cheap price of HD-DVD player and perceived "desperation" does anyone remember if divX players got REALLY REALLY cheap just before they disappeared into the mists of time?
-----
On a completely different note, I gave Black Hawk Down a good screening last night and its pretty amazing to look at, out of shock I kept pausing and rewinding. I fear a new addiction comming on! The PQ is STUNNING.
Casino Royal FINALLY showed up but I haven tgotten round to watching it yet.
I did the firmware update but haven't had time to check out upscaled SD-DVDs apart from shoving 2001 in for a scene or 2, but I don't think it was the best option, although I did notice I slight difference on faces. perhaps more later if I get time.
For me the "war" is over.
Next up is to get my movie collection streamable to the PS3 (which the new firmware can do) if anyone can recommend a good app for the Mac?
I'm looking into an AirPort Extreme so I can hook up my 1.6 TB of drives away from the TV room.
A better word would have been "parity". Hearing Blu-ray fans crow about a 60/40 sales split is rather daft when you look at a BD player being packed into the PS3 AND a 4 studio advantage. If you had asked me what the percentages would have been 6 months ago (when I thought there'd be a studio defection or two) if I had known what I know today I would have said we'd be looking at 75/25.
HD DVD is hanging in there amazingly close. Close enough that I think Universal going neutral in early 2008 may not happen. If CES 2008 comes and goes with Universal staying the course the Blu-ray fans holding out and hoping they don't have to get a HD DVD player will crumble. Player pricing will be a couple hundred bucks for a new player and the shift to neutrality will ensue.
The same thing will happen for many HD DVD owners. Tired of waiting for Disney/Fox/Columbia they'll begin to add low cost Blu-ray players. Eventualy the market will even itself out. If Disney and Fox can hold out and remain exclusive then so can Universal.
Re: cheap players = desperation.
I think that's a matter of personal perception. Why should a player cost $500 today? The ASICS from NEC and Broadcom are highly integrated. The optical drives are coming down in price and HD DVD design is and has been cheaper from day 1. There is no money pot coming for hardware sales. The money is going to be in the services (Managed Copy). Hence you don't see many other companies other than Funai that are looking at jumping into the player mix.
Casino Royale, BHD and other movies are good but that quality is easy to get on HD DVD as well.
You have a loud game console that cost 2x what I paid for my HD DVD player. My player and 20 movies cost less than your PS3. I'm going to enjoy The Matrix Trilogy, Heroes and many of the other titles coming. In fact I'll enjoy movies like the The Prestige and other Blu-ray North American titles when they hit the UK. Gotta love Region Free.
Don't hate me for making the sensible choice.
You have a loud game console that cost 2x what I paid for my HD DVD player.
Whisper-quiet = loud?
Whisper-quiet = loud?
whisper quiet?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5wWoD4_PB0