Target sides with Sony on Blu-ray

Target sides with Sony on Blu-ray
Starting in October, the only standalone hi-def player on Target shelves will be the Sony BDP-S300. They will continue carrying Microsoft's Xbox HD DVD Player which requires either an Xbox 360 or computer.

Target is expected to officially announce the agreement today.



Sony executives expect the company’s endcaps at Target will feature the player, titles from a variety of Blu-ray-backing studios and marketing messages promoting consumer benefits of Blu-ray.

"Target already has a strong market share for Blu-ray, where they are among our Top 5 markets," said David Bishop, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment president. "I think this will accelerate their position in the marketplace. This is going to mean more dedicated shelf space to Blu-ray titles. This will start to build the next phase of the business."

At least for now, Toshiba's HD DVD players will still be sold through the retailer's website and HD DVD movies will still be available both online and in stores, at least giving the appearance that the company isn't convinced of Blu-ray's success.

As good as this sounds for Blu-ray, and especially Sony, right now, it may ultimately provide ammunition for an investigation into the format's developers by the European Commission.

However, in a market that could easily cost backers more money than it makes them, at least until they manage to expand their customer base to include more than early adopters and hardcore console gamers, it can be difficult to distinguish business as usual from anti-competitive practices.

It's also been a major complaint of retailers that consumers are confused by two competing technologies that do the same thing, but aren't compatible. Last month Blockbuster settled on Blu-ray, with the company saying it was the result of trials that showed it to be the more popular of the two.

Unless HD DVD wins on the strength of sales it's likely to be a moot point anyway, as any legal action could easily be completed too late to figure into the format war.

Source: Video Business

Written by: Rich Fiscus @ 26 Jul 2007 10:00
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  • 39 comments
  • ugc

    Well, looks like blu-ray is on it's way to winning. I was hoping that HD-DVD would hop in the lead, because I can't stand SONY.

    26.7.2007 10:07 #1

  • hughjars

    It's still the case that both high def formats are 'invisible' to the wider public.

    Until that changes all these little moves don't count for much at all.

    26.7.2007 10:11 #2

  • tucker001

    i'm fine with blueray I am planning on buying a PS3 when there is a working ISO Loader out, then I will probably upgrade my AnyDVD to HD and eventually buy a blueray burner

    26.7.2007 10:18 #3

  • hughjars

    BTW, I hear they're still stocking HD DVD movies and this only applies to the XBox HD DVD add-on.

    26.7.2007 10:24 #4

  • blackvamp

    Bill: " Doh!"

    26.7.2007 11:33 #5

  • ZippyDSM

    So...let me get this right...they sale the movies but not the players...and this helps how?
    "Normal" people are not going to buy a Hdef player much less from wallywolrd and tis clones....

    I see the war raging well until the market is sautared with 300$ stand alone dual players,thats when you will see the war shifting, these little battles wont help.

    now if a place purges one format from their stock and only offers the other that is a solid foothold get enough places to do that and there you go,however most retail would rather make money from both than just from one.

    26.7.2007 12:07 #6

  • Pop_Smith

    Well they still will be carrying the HD DVD titles, which is good. Sony must be paying out the nose to BlockBuster and Target to get them to side with Blu-Ray.

    I wonder why the HD DVD camp hasn't done something similar.

    26.7.2007 12:28 #7

  • Bladerz05

    Sure they would rather just make money from both, but sony has a deep pocket book, im sure they can kick down enough money for it to be worthwhile to retail companies

    26.7.2007 12:30 #8

  • ZippyDSM

    Originally posted by Pop_Smith: Well they still will be carrying the HD DVD titles, which is good. Sony must be paying out the nose to BlockBuster and Target to get them to side with Blu-Ray.

    I wonder why the HD DVD camp hasn't done something similar.

    if they are 3 billion in debt on the PS3 makes you wonder how the BR debt is raking up 0-o

    26.7.2007 12:31 #9

  • vurbal

    Quote:Originally posted by Pop_Smith: Well they still will be carrying the HD DVD titles, which is good. Sony must be paying out the nose to BlockBuster and Target to get them to side with Blu-Ray.

    I wonder why the HD DVD camp hasn't done something similar.

    if they are 3 billion in debt on the PS3 makes you wonder how the BR debt is raking up 0-o

    $3 billion loss for a product != $3 billion in debt for the company. As a matter of fact the financial figures Sony released yesterday showed a pretty decent profit.

    26.7.2007 12:47 #10

  • blackvamp

    Originally posted by vurbal :
    $3 billion loss for a product != $3 billion in debt for the company. As a matter of fact the financial figures Sony released yesterday showed a pretty decent profit.
    Yes. It's the same deal with many companies, even mine. We sell rage price war against our competitors on one of our products, lossing 6 mil a year. But we gain market share, and keep our customers, which we sell our unique and patented products to. That's where we reap the profits.

    26.7.2007 12:57 #11

  • ZippyDSM

    Quote:Originally posted by vurbal :
    $3 billion loss for a product != $3 billion in debt for the company. As a matter of fact the financial figures Sony released yesterday showed a pretty decent profit.
    Yes. It's the same deal with many companies, even mine. We sell rage price war against our competitors on one of our products, lossing 6 mil a year. But we gain market share, and keep our customers, which we sell our unique and patented products to. That's where we reap the profits.
    and sony has lost momentum over that without market share to cover the losses what then?
    I think sony will do ok in the long run but they are far from the WIN they once where,Nin has replaced them as number 1 and will so for 3 years and by 011 the 8th generation of gaming will start rolling in.. so sony will stop limping by the time everyone else will have a new product on the way.


    I think sony bit off more than it can chew,if it handled the price of the PS3 differently and not went over 490 they would be where nintendo is.

    26.7.2007 13:06 #12

  • ZippyDSM

    Quote:Quote:Originally posted by Pop_Smith: Well they still will be carrying the HD DVD titles, which is good. Sony must be paying out the nose to BlockBuster and Target to get them to side with Blu-Ray.

    I wonder why the HD DVD camp hasn't done something similar.

    if they are 3 billion in debt on the PS3 makes you wonder how the BR debt is raking up 0-o

    $3 billion loss for a product != $3 billion in debt for the company. As a matter of fact the financial figures Sony released yesterday showed a pretty decent profit.
    I dont think in the red on the "game devision" is the same as over all debt,look at MS it has at least 5 billion is losses on the xbox/360/game dev yet overall they seem fine.

    26.7.2007 13:08 #13

  • stumpied

    Oh no! Everyone new Target was going to be the one to decide which format wins.
    What about all the other BD player manufactures? I can't imagine they'd be very happy not being able to see the shelves of Target as well if there is money to be made?
    This is getting to be a big joke already.

    26.7.2007 13:32 #14

  • ZippyDSM

    Originally posted by stumpied: Oh no! Everyone new Target was going to be the one to decide which format wins.
    What about all the other BD player manufactures? I can't imagine they'd be very happy not being able to see the shelves of Target as well if there is money to be made?
    This is getting to be a big joke already.
    its mostly lil pointless skirmisher's but if you gain enough ground you will win only when the big guns start firing and its another 2-4 years for that.

    26.7.2007 13:59 #15

  • spydah

    I dont think it will really matter which format you use in a couple years the dual format players and burners should be capable of handling both. At that point it will be a preference rather then either one winning.

    26.7.2007 15:35 #16

  • spydah

    I dont think it will really matter which format you use in a couple years the dual format players and burners should be capable of handling both. At that point it will be a preference rather then either one winning.

    26.7.2007 15:36 #17

  • spydah

    double post my bad

    26.7.2007 15:37 #18

  • Cinnjerm

    Quote:Originally posted by stumpied: Oh no! Everyone new Target was going to be the one to decide which format wins.
    What about all the other BD player manufactures? I can't imagine they'd be very happy not being able to see the shelves of Target as well if there is money to be made?
    This is getting to be a big joke already.
    its mostly lil pointless skirmisher's but if you gain enough ground you will win only when the big guns start firing and its another 2-4 years for that.
    I still say price decides everything and its not going to matter how much sony is paying people to endorse BD once HDDVD dips below that 200 dollar sweet spot. Clearly HDDVD is going to be the first to do it and unless sony follows immediately after toshiba will most likely corner the market.

    26.7.2007 22:27 #19

  • russwhit

    Come on people, enough small wins like this and the battle will be over. If places like Target stock blue ray then people without any previous knowledge of the formats will just buy what is on offer.

    Its people that shop in these stores that will decide the format war the more normal stores blue ray is in then the more it is sold, customers like my mum who just wants to buy one of those new fangled HDDDDDD players with RAYBLUE on it.

    Mass coverage to all the masses young and old will decide what will win.

    27.7.2007 02:10 #20

  • borhan9

    The only reason IMO companies are choosing one format over the other is the fact they want to minimize cost and choosing one format over the other is cost cutting for them. They are not really choosing which format they think will win but which format is cheaper to buy.

    27.7.2007 02:15 #21

  • NexGen76

    Just another nail in HD-DVD coffin.Blockbusters first now Target who's next?

    27.7.2007 02:26 #22

  • hughjars

    It's just another ridiculous little bit of PR more like.

    What kind of ludicrous version of the definition of "exclusive" are we supposed to believe in now, huh?

    "Exclusive" as in not at all "exclusive"?!

    BlockBuster was supposed to be Blu-ray "exclusive" but carries HD DVD in 250 stores and has a regular unaffected on-line service.

    Target have an excusive deal on one blu-ray player (which Sony are paying for)......but still do HD DVD discs on-line and in their stores.

    And now East Coast chain BJ’s Wholesale Club are still selling HD-DVD online.

    It's just symptomatic of the laughable spin & BS the Blu-ray side have indulged in since this so-called 'war' began.

    Some of us aren't so easily fooled.......and with high def of both flavours still less than 1% of the total movie disc market the idea that everything is being decided right now or that things are set in stone is just absurd.

    27.7.2007 04:41 #23

  • NexGen76

    Quote:BlockBuster was supposed to be Blu-ray "exclusive" but carries HD DVD in 250 stores and has a regular unaffected on-line service.250 stores lol.... BB currently have 5192 stores across the U.S. International stores totaled 4,291, in 2006 including 426 in Canada, 897 in Britain, and 408 in Australia. It has been claimed that there are more than 43 million U.S. households with Blockbuster membership.Majority of BlockBuster revenue comes from in store not online.So 250 stores is needle in a Hay stack don't you think.Blu-Ray movies are now visible in BB Rental chainS as of July 5 2007 thats almost 6,000 stores we talking about but you claim of 250 is not even noticeable.

    Quote:It's just symptomatic of the laughable spin & BS the Blu-ray side have indulged in since this so-called 'war' began.When are you going to look past your childish rant & raves to see that Blu-Ray camp had nothing to do with this or Targets move it was a business decision.Right now Blu-Ray is selling better than HD-DVD no matter how HD-DVD try to tell people that a PS3 isn't a high def player.If it plays high def movies it a HD play not matter what system its on, i guess the 360 add-on isn't a HD player also but it only play HD-DVD movies.... go figure.

    Quote:Some of us aren't so easily fooled.......and with high def of both flavours still less than 1% of the total movie disc market the idea that everything is being decided right now or that things are set in stone is just absurdYes the market would be small right now because this market only a year old compared to the DVD market thats been around for years which is pointless for you to bring up.Because DVD market when first launch didn't do half as good when it first was born it took DVD 3 years before it seen any boost in the market place it hasn't took HD that long.We can only compared number from DVD past not now which would be completely dumb.

    27.7.2007 05:23 #24

  • vurbal

    Originally posted by hughjars: It's just another ridiculous little bit of PR more like.

    What kind of ludicrous version of the definition of "exclusive" are we supposed to believe in now, huh?

    "Exclusive" as in not at all "exclusive"?!

    BlockBuster was supposed to be Blu-ray "exclusive" but carries HD DVD in 250 stores and has a regular unaffected on-line service.

    Target have an excusive deal on one blu-ray player (which Sony are paying for)......but still do HD DVD discs on-line and in their stores.

    And now East Coast chain BJ’s Wholesale Club are still selling HD-DVD online.

    It's just symptomatic of the laughable spin & BS the Blu-ray side have indulged in since this so-called 'war' began.

    Some of us aren't so easily fooled.......and with high def of both flavours still less than 1% of the total movie disc market the idea that everything is being decided right now or that things are set in stone is just absurd.

    There you go bringing facts and reason into it again. How are we supposed to have a good old fashioned corporate PR Jihad if we let facts get in the way?

    In all seriousness, this is the real problem with people saying the format war is over. What neither side wants you to know is that nobody can be sure either one will survive. Neither product is popular enough to sustain the market without raising prices on hardware and discs. If one of them does disappear that doesn't guarantee the other any sales. It's entirely possible the "winner" could be relegated to the status of modern day laser disc, and how many people here bought into that technology?

    27.7.2007 05:53 #25

  • dblbogey7

    The problem for HD DVD is not exclusivity - its visibility.

    Even if Blockbuster, Target and BJ's still carry HD DVD harware and software - they're not "visible" to the type of consumers that frequent these retailers. HD DVD has to counter with endcap purchases and other advertising efforts that emphasize its strengths. It's simply losing the visibility battle and the sooner it realizes this the better.

    27.7.2007 07:57 #26

  • hughjars

    The problem both formats have is that despite what the fanclub thinks both are pretty much invisible to the mainstream mass-market.

    High def sales numbers are tiny compared to the mass-market so all talk of anybodies' moves ot this kind of thing being hugely significant is just wishful thinking.

    When high def starts taking 20%+ of the total market then it'll worth talking about.....right now they are being out-sold by UMD & are still trailing VHS video.

    Leave the PR fantasy behind and look at the reality, high def sales numbers are tiny.

    27.7.2007 08:23 #27

  • Mr-Movies

    Actually HiDef TV’s are on the rise as there price has started to drop enough for the average person to get one. When the players come down in price and the format speeds increase you’ll see the players market share increase and this won’t take three years like with DVD’s. Both formats will survive for some time, but in the long run BD will conquer simply because the format allows more capacity.

    I wish stores wouldn’t play these marketing games but this is all apart of big business today. Look how MS has bought out most of their competition and if they haven’t bought them out they have stolen from them in order to squash them. Good formats don’t always win like beta/vhs or firewire/usb but I think this time BD’s greater capacity will be the deciding factor.

    27.7.2007 10:03 #28

  • error5

    Originally posted by hughjars: high def sales numbers are tiny.True but it looks like only the BluRay side is doing something to increase those numbers. dblbogey7 is right - it's all about visibility if you're trying to break into the mainstream. If the HD DVD Promotions Group doesn't get off its ass and do something to counter the current BluRay PR juggernaut then prospects look bleak for their format.

    27.7.2007 10:05 #29

  • dblbogey7

    Originally posted by hughjars: Leave the PR fantasy behind and look at the reality, high def sales numbers are tiny.HDM sales are indeed tiny but that's a poor excuse for sitting idly by and doing nothing while your competitor gets all the publicity. BluRay is indeed in the middle of a PR juggernaut and it's massive. HD DVD supporters are left thinking if their Promotion Group and Ken Graffeo have an answer to this. It seems the format is content to stay as a niche product with no intention of breaking into the mainstream.

    27.7.2007 10:43 #30

  • error5

    Originally posted by dblbogey7: It seems the format is content to stay as a niche product with no intention of breaking into the mainstream.At this point coming out with cheaper players is not enough. More content and more public education adding up to more visibility are what's needed.

    27.7.2007 14:27 #31

  • DragonRM

    Walmart selling the cheapest hd-dvd players will probably be a bigger deciding factor than Blockbuster... I'm holding off any final judgment until seeing the hardware sales around Christmas :)

    29.7.2007 12:24 #32

  • hughjars

    Originally posted by dblbogey7: HDM sales are indeed tiny but that's a poor excuse for sitting idly by and doing nothing while your competitor gets all the publicity. - .....and what would you have them do when the story turns out to be a lie?

    Quote:False alarm: Target's not giving up on HD DVD
    Posted Jul 28th 2007 5:21PM by Paul Miller
    Filed under: HDTV

    As noted on Engadget HD the other day, and further clarified by Major Nelson this morning, that story about Target going exclusively Blu-ray was false. Turns out they're just installing Blu-ray aisle end caps, thanks to a new promotional deal with Sony, but HD DVD isn't going anywhere. Hopefully you haven't chucked out your HD DVD collection just yet in a concession to defeat at Thursday's "news," but if you have it's always good to know you can score replacements at your local Target, just like always.
    http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/28/false...g-up-on-hd-dvd/

    Originally posted by dblbogey7: BluRay is indeed in the middle of a PR juggernaut and it's massive. - A bunch of lying shills are attempting to talk up a format that is to all intents and purposes invisible to the mass-market.

    That is all.

    Their sales numbers in no way justify the notion that they have had any big impact, for all the bluster, at all.

    Blu-ray = PS3.
    It's as simply as that.
    .....and whilst that has been their tactical strength it is also their strategic weakness.
    A games console is not going to 'win' the high def war in the homes & living rooms of the adult a/v market.
    No matter how they try and spin it.

    Originally posted by dblbogey7: HD DVD supporters are left thinking if their Promotion Group and Ken Graffeo have an answer to this. It seems the format is content to stay as a niche product with no intention of breaking into the mainstream. - .....or alternatively if you want actual & serious 'news' you won't get lying & manipulative BS from the HD DVD side.
    You won't get a shower of stories that turn out to be either out and out lies or so heavily biased & selective that the actual truth in the tale compared to how it is presented is laughable.

    The facts here are
    (1) primarily underwriting all of this is a high def 'market' where retail disc sales are less than 1% of the total retail disc market and
    (2) this particular Target story is actually false and so distorted from reality one has to wonder who put out the fake lying BS in the first place.

    29.7.2007 14:22 #33

  • error5

    This article seems to sum up the whole situation very well:

    http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/21...End_for_HD_DVD_

    Quote:The war between Blu-ray and HD-DVD is evolving into a battle that is being fought behind the scenes. The idea that the consumer will be the one to decide the winner of the format war is an illusion. Forget about features, price, technology — none of that matters anymore. It's now about smoke and mirrors.

    The format war will be won by partnerships, because an HD-DVD player will not come out on top if nobody can find it. And Microsoft's Xbox 360 HD-DVD add-on will not be the saving grace for the format. Consumers, Ma and Pa, will want a stand-alone player, not a gaming console.

    The problem with the format war now, is that it is fighting on three fronts; in North America, in Europe and in Japan.

    In North America, we hear about Blu-ray sales doing well; Digital Entertainment Group (a group that promotes both formats) says 1.5 million Blu-ray players have been sold in the U.S. (1.4 million of those players were PlayStation 3 consoles). HD-DVD, on the other hand, has only sold 300,000 HD-DVD players according to Digital Entertainment Group (and half of those are the external HD-DVD drive that comes with the Xbox 360). Sony's PS3 has been an enormous success for Blu-ray in North America.

    But in Europe, the game is much different, as HD-DVD stand-alone players have outsold Blu-ray three-to-one according to Reuters.

    And finally, the mess is made more confusing by executives who spin numbers to make them look like they are out ahead; take a look at how HD-DVD exec Ken Graffeo spins increased sales percentage to sound like Toshiba has sold more units in total than Blu-ray competitors. He notes how HD-DVD sales are up 37 per cent while Blu-ray is down 27 per cent. Of course he's paid to spin the numbers to sound great, but when you aren't working with real numbers of units shipped, a percentage increase or decrease means absolutely nothing. Total unit sales are all that matters.

    And so we leave you, Mr. and Mrs. consumer in a tricky spot: The bad news is that it's still not quite over, and both Blu-ray and HD-DVD teams have so much money invested in winning that they will do whatever it takes to win — even if it means deceiving or confusing you to the point where you think you should be locked up in a padded room out of sheer frustration. Numbers are twisted almost everywhere they are reported and the talking heads from both sides spew more emissions than coal-fired plants.

    But the good news is, perhaps we are all lucky Blu-ray is strong-arming the industry from behind the scenes. At least it will put an end to this battle and we can all pick up a Blu-ray player knowing it won't be obsolete in six months.

    29.7.2007 14:49 #34

  • dblbogey7

    @hughjars: Your points are well taken and I think it's good that you point out the facts here in these forums as they bring a sense of balance to the issues.

    The problem is if you go out into the real world, majority of those who follow this so called war are thinking that BluRay is winning. You and I may not agree with this perception but the fact is we're seeing more and more articles of late that side with the blue rather than the red. This not the fault of the media either. They're not biased at all - they just echo what's being fed to them by those "in the know."

    You may not agree with the BDA's tactics but you have to agree that they are effective. Take for example the Target story. The noise from the initial announcement has done the damage that it was meant to. Even if Target releases a statement to clarify the issue do you think people will listen or care? I think the BDA has to be pretty happy with what they are seeing right now.

    If the HD DVD Promotion Group and Toshiba are at all serious about staying alive in this war then they need to find a way to level the playing field. I'm not condoning underhanded or unethical tactics but the fact is the BDA has changed the rules and changed the conditions of the battlefield. error5's article hits it right on the head:

    Quote:Forget about features, price, technology — none of that matters anymore. It's now about smoke and mirrors. You've said that they're saving their resources and biding their time waiting for the holiday season before making their move. I say this is a big mistake. You just don't sit idly by while you're in the middle of a PR battle. There are a lot of people out there who are just starting to learn about the new formats and there are some who are about ready to take the plunge. They're all getting bombarded with nothing but positive spin from the BluRay side. HD DVD doesn't have to prove anything to their supporters but these undecided and presently uninformed consumers are now seeing nothing but blue.

    I still think the war has several years yet to go. However, I think the next three to four months are crucial for HD DVD. They have to turn public perception over to their side or else they could be in for a very disappointing holiday season.

    29.7.2007 15:24 #35

  • hughjars

    Decent article there error5 & I appreciate the comments dblbogey7, this is a decent discussion, thanks.

    The point I think one should not lose sight of is Blu-ray = PS3 right now.

    That's why the HD DVD group can 'spin' numbers favourable to them when they compare like with like (ie HD DVD stand-alones to Blu-ray stand-alones).

    As error5's article says (tho it picks the XBox 360 HD DVD add-on to make the point.....a more relevant point would surely have been about PS3?) a games console is not going to win this 'war'.

    .....and without PS3 Blu-ray has nothing and actually 'died' long ago.

    I have to say that I do not go along with the idea that the period around X-mas decides anything.

    I think 2008 with be the interesting year but even into 2009 things may not be clear.....it could well be that by then we can see both formats dying on their feet and failing to escape the niche with SD DVD remaining 'king' and PVR/DVR satellite/cable boxes and downloads ending up the 'winner' if there is to be a 'winner' at all.

    HDD's are an extremely cheap alternative to all of the disc based media (save CDs & SD DVD).
    I would not dismiss the impact downloads will have for many (which is something, like it or not, that is going to grow massively in the coming years.)

    ......and just for zippy it appears that the Samsung dual format player is going to come in a lot cheaper than some imagined, if it or later version(s) can get cheaper in the course of 2008 it might be that Blu-ray, and HD DVD for that matter, have 1 year only to 'win' (which looks extremely unlikely even now) before dual format players make the whole debate fairly moot
    (but Blu-ray's DRM is never going to do anything but put me off of it).

    29.7.2007 16:41 #36

  • vurbal

    Whether either format is successful or not it's not unexpected to see low sales numbers for the first 2-3 years, or maybe the first 1-2 generations of hardware. DVD was declared dead many times in the first 2 years it existed. With better competition from DVD (compared to VHS when DVD took off) and between competing hi-def formats, it may take longer to get a definitive answer to whether either format will survive, and if it does whether it will ever go mainstream.

    When digital televisions become the norm it becomes much easier for the consumer to use computer based devices that could conceivably receive content from networked locations. For regular consumers a Tivo style device could be used to retrieve high quality hi-def content either from the internet or a service provided by their ISP. Power users could use an HTPC for the same thing.

    If the signal could be made fairly generic (not to mention open and relatively short on patents to pay for), and especially if the Chinese can build inexpensive hardware that implements this standard, we could have a completely different ball game.

    And of course something we can't even conceive right now could come in to cloud the picture even more. Or it could come in and become the defacto standard and make current technology an abandoned novelty. If there's one thing we can say based on sales information so far, it's that we can't tell anything from the sales information so far. Assuming we understand the market as well as we think we do, we also need to predict what new technology will emerge in the next 1-2 years, how well it will be implemented, and how the public will react.

    29.7.2007 22:28 #37

  • dblbogey7

    Originally posted by vurbal: Whether either format is successful or not it's not unexpected to see low sales numbers for the first 2-3 years, or maybe the first 1-2 generations of hardware. DVD was declared dead many times in the first 2 years it existed. With better competition from DVD (compared to VHS when DVD took off) and between competing hi-def formats, it may take longer to get a definitive answer to whether either format will survive, and if it does whether it will ever go mainstream.There's a couple of thing I see right now that could also factor into the eventual outcome:

    1. The competition between BD and HD DVD is driving hardware prices down faster than when DVD was starting. If only one format was present at this time we wouldn't be seeing the extremely rapid fall in prices of players.

    2. Both formats have the most dedicated and rabid supporters I have ever seen judging from the back and forth especially on avsforums and other places. Like error5 mentioned in another thread, the studios and CE companies have taken notice and are listening closely to what they have to say. I think this factor as much as anything else will ensure the survival of one or both formats in the long term even if they don't break into the mainstream.

    Quote:When digital televisions become the norm it becomes much easier for the consumer to use computer based devices that could conceivably receive content from networked locations. For regular consumers a Tivo style device could be used to retrieve high quality hi-def content either from the internet or a service provided by their ISP. Power users could use an HTPC for the same thing.Internet-based delivery is viable but I think it's still at least 5 - 10 years down the road. Even here in the US I think we've got a long way to go before the our broadband infrastructure can handle the massive traffic and bandwidth problems that will ensue with HD content over the internet. Also, I would imagine most AV enthusiasts will still prefer the elegance, straightforwardness and relative permanence of disc based HD media.

    30.7.2007 05:00 #38

  • Mr-Movies

    I agree with dblbogey7 DVD movies won't be downloaded as a main staple anytime soon they are just too big and HD movies would be even more insane to download and retain there HD qualities.

    To say BD/HD is invisible is just not true most of my illiterate to technology friends know about BD/HD they might not understand what the differences are but they are well aware of how nice they are. They aren't buying the new players for one reason and ONLY one reason, too expensive, otherwise they really like the better picture and would prefer to rent or buy the higher quality format. My DVD purchases have decreased since I'm waiting to buy BD or HD that way I don't have to buy that 3rd iteration of my initial movie purchased, VHS->DVD->BD/HD...

    30.7.2007 08:40 #39

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