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Captive of History (Why Sony is betting the house on Blu-ray)
The Weekly Standard ^ | June 8, 2006 | Jonathan V. Last

Posted on 06/08/2006 3:06:44 AM PDT by RWR8189

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To: Echo Talon

Well, that's OK. I've got more than one Kodak that I burned in 1992 that I've abused, scratched, polished back to usability, and still reference occasionally - and I've not lost a single bit of information.

I guess technology just hates you.


41 posted on 06/08/2006 4:52:35 AM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: Spktyr
while Cd's may appear to play fine while scratched for audio and such thats isn't necessialry the case for data, like if you are installing Linux with a scratched CD, i know this from experience(2 days ago) and the CD was only 1 week old, I went from 1 version of Linux back to the other and in that amount of time it had a little scratch on it that would NOT allow the "live CD" to boot. I had to burn a new copy.
42 posted on 06/08/2006 4:53:40 AM PDT by Echo Talon
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To: Spktyr

try it in 2050 or 2092


43 posted on 06/08/2006 4:54:50 AM PDT by Echo Talon
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To: Echo Talon

Get a DiskDoctor, and watch it polish the scratches right out. Problem solved.


44 posted on 06/08/2006 5:08:31 AM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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Comment #45 Removed by Moderator

To: Echo Talon

I read an article on blu-ray several years ago and it described each disk coming in a case and that the disk and case were inserted as one unit. It sort of looked like a see through floppy disk.


46 posted on 06/08/2006 5:31:02 AM PDT by NavVet (O)
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To: NavVet; Spktyr
I read an article on blu-ray several years ago and it described each disk coming in a case and that the disk and case were inserted as one unit. It sort of looked like a see through floppy disk.

did it look like post 18? Spktyr posted that

(Spktyr pinged for courtesy)

47 posted on 06/08/2006 5:34:32 AM PDT by Echo Talon
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To: Echo Talon

Yes, pretty much. Except it was a see through blue.


48 posted on 06/08/2006 5:46:40 AM PDT by NavVet (O)
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To: rdb3; chance33_98; Calvinist_Dark_Lord; Bush2000; PenguinWry; GodGunsandGuts; CyberCowboy777; ...

49 posted on 06/08/2006 5:47:34 AM PDT by ShadowAce (Linux -- The Ultimate Windows Service Pack)
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To: NavVet

I wish they would bring this "case" back, i'd buy a new dvd burner if it used all the formats like drive in post 26


50 posted on 06/08/2006 5:52:51 AM PDT by Echo Talon
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To: Echo Talon

BLURB:
Although Blu-ray and HD DVD are both high-definition media formats that rely on blue-laser technology, there are some important differences between them. One of these is capacity. Because a Blu-ray player utilizes a shorter wavelength blue-violet laser than an HD DVD laser, it can focus even more closely to read more densely packed data. This allows a Blu-ray disc to have higher capacity. A standard HD DVD can hold 15 GB per side (30 GB on a dual-layer disc), whereas Blu-ray can hold 25 GB per side (50 GB on a dual-layer disc). More capacity per disc could mean more extra features included with movies, higer quality audio, or more interactivity wityh titles should the studios choose to incorperate these features on the discs they release.[End quote]

The Blu-Ray players are priced at $1K. That is historically comparable to the cost of other media when new.

Significantly, movies issued on Blu-ray are similar in cost to those issued on DVD when it was new, or on Laserdisc.

All these prices will come down. The Blu-Ray disk will hold more than five times what a DVD will hold, whch will make it the standard for backing up computer files. This space is needed because of the growth in video content on home computers.

I was looking at my hard drives: I have over 100 GB of photos from just one year of shooting with my KM 7D. It would take me about 150 CDs or 25 DVDs to back that up, but only about 5 Blu-Ray disks. Which do you think is most convenient?

The new media always cost much intially. Blank CDs appeared costing about $7 each when they were new! (They probably cost pennies each to make.)

Blank DVDs were similarly expensive at first: now good (Taiwanese, not mainland Chinese junk) ones are readily available for about 35 cents @.

Sony may have a winner with Blu-Ray.

BUT (very important!) the format designer does not always reap the profits. Many manufacturers will be making and selling Blue-Ray equipment. The royalties are only a small proportion of the sales price of a player or recorder.

I am reminded that Zenith designed the system we use for stereophonic FM broadcasts; and when this became known, I rushed out and bought Zenith stock. Everyone benefited from this innovation, except Zenith, which was run into the ground by inept management, and eventually sold to a South Korean company. The value of my stock went from $18/share to $0 (nothing). Not one of my better investments!

Sony will make more money just selling those movies than on the format royalties. The importance of the format is that it will make the movies desirable. A good movie, even an old one, will look great on Blu-Ray. The garbage dumps will fill with discarded VHS tapes: just wait and see!


51 posted on 06/08/2006 7:10:56 AM PDT by docbnj
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To: docbnj

we will see, we will also see what kind awful copy protection comes with it. I'm hoping to skip both of them and go to holographic storage. :)


52 posted on 06/08/2006 7:14:19 AM PDT by Echo Talon
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To: RWR8189
HD-DVD is a less robust medium, but it is both first and cheaper.

I'll say it's less robust - it apparently isn't big enough to hold a full 1080p movie (which Blu-ray can) and supports only 1080i. That doesn't mean it won't eventually "win", though I suspect movies will eventually be distributed on 100GB flash memory cards and through Internet downloads to multi-terabyte home theater systems, killing both disc formats and making any such "win" short-lived.

53 posted on 06/08/2006 7:18:52 AM PDT by Mr. Jeeves ("When the government is invasive, the people are wanting." -- Tao Te Ching)
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To: RWR8189
Sony: astonishing good engineering, mind numbingly stupid management.
54 posted on 06/08/2006 7:19:58 AM PDT by chilepepper (The map is not the territory -- Alfred Korzybski)
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Comment #55 Removed by Moderator

To: Echo Talon
Yeah Holographic storage is pretty awesome. And there's plenty of reasons to skip both the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray formats. Namely the oppressive copy protection (AKA D.R.M.) that's built into them.

Bluraysucks.com makes a good listing of the D.R.M. that's built into them. Of course wikipeda also has entries on both Blu-ray and HD-DVD.

All that said, it would be a shame if the companies working on Holo-format decide to treat their customers like thieves and include DRM specs into the formal format.

56 posted on 06/08/2006 8:40:38 AM PDT by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.)
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To: RWR8189
The people who run Sony aren't stupid; quite the opposite.

Yeah, pretty much, they are stupid. Or blind.
57 posted on 06/08/2006 8:44:07 AM PDT by mysterio
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To: DB
They want you to scratch it.

I used to work in a warehouse for Polygram/Universal that recieved new and returned cds and dvds. They had 3 or 4 massive crushers that ran 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They don't care that cds and dvds scratch or are easily destroyed, even when they take the hit. They figure you'll buy more the flimsier the product is. And if their pet politicians stay in their pocket, pretty soon they'll be making sure you don't make yourself a backup copy of the cd.
58 posted on 06/08/2006 8:48:58 AM PDT by mysterio
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To: RWR8189

CD/DVD is a short-lived technology. Fortunately, it is digital and can be downloaded and converted.


59 posted on 06/08/2006 8:55:49 AM PDT by Poser (Willing to fight for oil)
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To: RWR8189; Quick1; indcons; somniferum; KoRn; Duke Nukum; expat_brit; Galactic Overlord-In-Chief; ...
Video game ping!

If you want on or off this list, Freepmail me

60 posted on 06/08/2006 3:23:51 PM PDT by Sofa King (A wise man uses compromise as an alternative to defeat. A fool uses it as an alternative to victory.)
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