Fiddling With Formats While DVDs Burn (Who needs High Definition DVDS? <Yawn)

New York Times ^ | 12/25/05 | Ken Belson

[goldstategop]

There are growing signs, though, that the battle for supremacy in this multibillion-dollar market may yield a hollow victory. As electronics makers, technology companies and Hollywood studios haggle over the fine points of their formats, consumers are quickly finding alternatives to buying and renting packaged DVD's, high-definition or otherwise.

"While they fight, Rome is burning," said Robert Heiblim, an independent consultant to electronics companies. "High-definition video-on-demand and digital video recorders are compelling, and people will say, 'why do I need it?' " when considering whether to buy a high-definition player.

[goldstategop]

Color me unimpressed in the format war over the future of hi def DVD. Do I want Blu-ray or HD DVD? It solicits a big yawn from me. I'm not interested in spending money all over again to replace my current DVD collection.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[ChadGore]

After what Sony pulled with their auto-install root kit, I will never use their format.

[goldstategop]

Considering the crappy product Hollywood puts out, why on earth do they think I will watch it if it looks better on my plasma TV? Not that I have one. If they didn't produce dreck, one could justify an upgrade. Like I said, what's wrong with my current collection? Its fine and I can watch whenever I want.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[Always Right]

Color me unimpressed in the format war over the future of hi def DVD. Do I want Blu-ray or HD DVD? It solicits a big yawn from me. I'm not interested in spending money all over again to replace my current DVD collection.

I agree. For 99% of the customer base, current DVD quality is good enough. For those with a projector and projecting the image on a very large screen, the it makes a significant difference.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

I have Hundreds of dollars of VHS tapes still [OBSO]

Now i have hundreds of dollars worth DVD's [soon to be OBSO ?]

IBD if i'm buying DVDS to replace my DVD's

[TheLion]

I finally got rid of my Beta Max this year and all the tapes. It will be awhile before I get rid of VHS.

[Terpfen]

I'm not interested in spending money all over again to replace my current DVD collection.

Really tired of hearing this fallacy. Both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray are backwards compatible. You do not have to repurchase your entire DVD collection. Your Lord of the Rings box set will work on a Blu-Ray and/or HD-DVD player.

The entire point of moving to higher-capacity DVDs is due to the move to HDTV, higher hard disk storage capacities, and 720p/1080i/1080p support for new movie releases.

Next-gen DVD is going to happen.

[Terpfen]

Blu-Ray and HD-DVD players are backwards-compatible with existing DVD movies. You don't have to re-purchase anything.

[goldstategop]

LOL. And they still have yet to produce a consumer quality HI-DEF TV set. I'm not talking about the high end products in the speciality stores. What I have in mind are TVs targeted to the Walmart/Kmart crowd.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[goldstategop]

Maybe. But most people are gonna wait til one format is the clear winner. No one wants to get stuck with the HI DEF DVD version of Sony's ill-fated Betamax video recorder.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[Terpfen]

Sony BMG developed the rootkit, not Sony Electronics. Separate divisions. Blu-Ray is also not a Sony format, at least not in the way Betamax was a Sony format. Sony developed Blu-Ray's laser: the format itself is the product of a consortium.

The rootkit was BS, but the people responsible for the rootkit have nothing to do with Blu-Ray.

[KarinG1]

The stuff I download from the internet is good enough for me. Those MPAA types need to wise up. Why in the world would I spend somewhere in the neighborhood of thirty bucks (when you include snacks) to sit in a theatre where I can't drink and there are a bunch of irritable smokers who can't hit pause when I can watch King Kong in the privacy of my living room for the same seventy-five bucks I'm already paying for internet access?

[Terpfen]

Of course people are going to wait for the winner: that goes without saying. But what relevance does that have to the fact that Blu-Ray and HD-DVD players are both backwards-compatible, which was the substance of your complaint? Not much.

And as it stands, Blu-Ray is going to win. HD-DVD has been delayed, and Blu-Ray not only has most of the relevant companies on board, but will launch in the form of the PlayStation 3.

[goldstategop]

I see home entertainment settling down in two complementary formats. Hi speed broadband to watch on demand when you want and buying a DVD to keep the title if its grown on you after you've seen it before on demand.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[RayChuang88]

If high-definition DVD's are to succeed they must store the video so it plays back in 1920 x 1080 progressive scan mode natively. That is essentially the resolution of digital cameras used to make theatrical movies (for example the second and third Star Wars prequels).

I've seen real 1080p-resolution video shown on a 1080p Mitsubishi DLP rear projection TV and the video quality is outstanding. It's so sharp you can see the sweat on a winded athlete or all the small text in movie credits very easily.

[zeugma]

The rootkit was BS, but the people responsible for the rootkit have nothing to do with Blu-Ray.

I fail to see how that has anything to do with it whatsoever. Is Sony BMG listed separately from Sony Electronics on stock exchanges? The two are a distinction without a difference. I'm not buying anything with "Sony" or "BMG" on the label for any reason. They've proved their antipathy towards the consumer already. I'll not support them for any reason.

[CondorFlight]

Bring back beta-max. It had a great picture (better than VHS), and I've still got a lot of old Beta movies (stored away with my Confederate money, my Biafra pounds, and my Goldwater for President buttons.

[jimtorr]

Sony developed Blu-Ray's laser: the format itself is the product of a consortium.

Beta also was the product of a consortium. JVC and Phillips jointly developed it and owned the licenses.

You can't separate the sins of one division from the corporation. Sony, Inc. approved the whole deal and will share the guilt for some time to come.

[Terpfen]

The two are a distinction without a difference.

Not so, and your usage of the stock market as a reason to differentiate the two is meaningless. In all applicable methods of discerning the difference between Sony Electronics and Sony BMG, the only similarity between the two is the presence of the Sony name. They both have completely different employees, executives, markets, products, philosophies, methods, manufacturing, media, and audiences. Following your analogy, I'd better sell my PlayStation 2 and forget the PS3, all because Sony BMG did something that Sony Computer Entertainment isn't. Being PO'd about Sony BMG's rootkit is one thing: to avoid Blu-Ray, a format developed by a consortium with Sony as a member, because of the actions of a Sony subsidiary that has nothing to do with said consortium is a bit silly. Of course, judging by this thread, not many people really know what Blu-Ray is about in the first place, so I can't really blame you...

By the way, Sony owns patents related to the Compact Disc. Better swear those off too.

[Terpfen]

You can't separate the sins of one division from the corporation.

Of course not, and the rootkit approval makes me wonder what Howard Stringer is thinking. But to hold, say, Ken Kutaragi or Kaz Hirai responsible for the rootkit is really reaching.