I bought an HD-DVD player back when I worked at Microsoft and I evangelized for the format. As Christopher Coulter loves making fun of, the format I bet on today turned out to be the wrong format.
Am I going to run out and buy a BluRay player? Maybe, I’ll definitely be looking at those next week at CES. One thought, though, is that I can’t watch all the HD movies I’m getting from NetFlix, my Xbox, and my DirecTV dish so there’s not a pressing need on me to go out and get a box immediately.
Scobleizer 
The forumla still holds, bet against Scoble, can’t lose. Sorry, but your rap sheet is a long list of losers. 🙂
LikeLike
The forumla still holds, bet against Scoble, can’t lose. Sorry, but your rap sheet is a long list of losers. 🙂
LikeLike
There is a certain ‘coolness’ attached to choosing the wrong technology. Just think, in a decade or so you can talk about how you went HD and Betamax while the infidels went VHS and Blue Ray.
LikeLike
There is a certain ‘coolness’ attached to choosing the wrong technology. Just think, in a decade or so you can talk about how you went HD and Betamax while the infidels went VHS and Blue Ray.
LikeLike
Robert don’t buy a player when for a little more money you can buy the PS3 with the player. Plus you’ll be able to try out the HOME network when it launches later this year.
LikeLike
Robert don’t buy a player when for a little more money you can buy the PS3 with the player. Plus you’ll be able to try out the HOME network when it launches later this year.
LikeLike
What’s wrong is that movie studios put only 1 movie per Bluray or HD-DVD disc in the Mpeg2 format or in the H264 or VC1 formats. When that kind of disc could easilly fit 5-10 movies encoded in h264 or Mpeg4 at 1080p or 720p.
I don’t think that Sony should be allowed to corrupt Warner with a billion dollars or whatever was passed from one swiss bank account to the other to convince Warner to sign exclusively with Bluray. That kind of business is illegal, a free market economy doesn’t like monopolies and there are anti-trust laws. But there shouldn’t have been different blue-laser standards.
I just want one of those burners and blank discs to get more affordable per GB then hard disks for storing my data. I hope that there isn’t a conspiracy by Bluray and HD-DVD format companies in keeping blank media prices artificially high.
LikeLike
What’s wrong is that movie studios put only 1 movie per Bluray or HD-DVD disc in the Mpeg2 format or in the H264 or VC1 formats. When that kind of disc could easilly fit 5-10 movies encoded in h264 or Mpeg4 at 1080p or 720p.
I don’t think that Sony should be allowed to corrupt Warner with a billion dollars or whatever was passed from one swiss bank account to the other to convince Warner to sign exclusively with Bluray. That kind of business is illegal, a free market economy doesn’t like monopolies and there are anti-trust laws. But there shouldn’t have been different blue-laser standards.
I just want one of those burners and blank discs to get more affordable per GB then hard disks for storing my data. I hope that there isn’t a conspiracy by Bluray and HD-DVD format companies in keeping blank media prices artificially high.
LikeLike
I +love+ Christopher Coulter!
LikeLike
I +love+ Christopher Coulter!
LikeLike
I remember when Chris Coulter argued with me about this, saying the movie studios would go exclusively Blue-ray. I love it when he turns out to be wrong. It doesn’t happen that often.
Doesn’t happen ever. 🙂 And I was saying that nearly three years ago. And for the record it’s BluRay (no e). And I wasn’t so much as making fun of THAT format, rather your blind allegiance to an obvious loser, that only suited the Microsoft political considerations of the time.
Far from being “cool”, it’s just foolish to waste time, effort and money on a doomed technology. The wrong choice and lack of preparation for such, can sink Companies, and wipe Nations and Empires off a map (Byzantine vs. Ottoman per the invention of gunpowder), not a wise choice for a 20 years-later-hearty-laugh with geeky beer buddies. Indeed, Toshiba and Microsoft are sporting big-time body-blows, right before CES no less. It will be the talk of Vegas. Will put pressure on Paramount now, paid off as they were. Another casualty? Adams Media Research and all the ‘conclusions for sale’ (hi, Jeremiah) analyst companies.
LikeLike
I remember when Chris Coulter argued with me about this, saying the movie studios would go exclusively Blue-ray. I love it when he turns out to be wrong. It doesn’t happen that often.
Doesn’t happen ever. 🙂 And I was saying that nearly three years ago. And for the record it’s BluRay (no e). And I wasn’t so much as making fun of THAT format, rather your blind allegiance to an obvious loser, that only suited the Microsoft political considerations of the time.
Far from being “cool”, it’s just foolish to waste time, effort and money on a doomed technology. The wrong choice and lack of preparation for such, can sink Companies, and wipe Nations and Empires off a map (Byzantine vs. Ottoman per the invention of gunpowder), not a wise choice for a 20 years-later-hearty-laugh with geeky beer buddies. Indeed, Toshiba and Microsoft are sporting big-time body-blows, right before CES no less. It will be the talk of Vegas. Will put pressure on Paramount now, paid off as they were. Another casualty? Adams Media Research and all the ‘conclusions for sale’ (hi, Jeremiah) analyst companies.
LikeLike
Christopher Coulter: the obvious loser (HD-DVD) outsold the winner (Blu-Ray)in the United States.
LikeLike
Christopher Coulter: the obvious loser (HD-DVD) outsold the winner (Blu-Ray)in the United States.
LikeLike
Really? What “sales” are you talking? If players, “yes” as WalMart had then cheap, and lots of the analyst reports didn’t pencil in the PS3 factor. But in terms of “content” (70% of the high-definition movie sales), BluRay won bigtime. And it’s not so much PAST sales as FUTURE, and BluRay holds the best ground for that. But, even there, sales leads alone are not enough, the story has many chapters and many volumes. And tons of hired-research flimsy data on both sides.
LikeLike
Really? What “sales” are you talking? If players, “yes” as WalMart had then cheap, and lots of the analyst reports didn’t pencil in the PS3 factor. But in terms of “content” (70% of the high-definition movie sales), BluRay won bigtime. And it’s not so much PAST sales as FUTURE, and BluRay holds the best ground for that. But, even there, sales leads alone are not enough, the story has many chapters and many volumes. And tons of hired-research flimsy data on both sides.
LikeLike
How much did Sony pay Warner?
LikeLike
How much did Sony pay Warner?
LikeLike
@christopher coulter – while I have absolutely no problem with you pointing out Scoble was wrong about the format he backed, when correcting him on the name Blu-ray, you could at least get it right. It’s not BluRay just as it’s not BlueRay – it’s Blu-ray, dash and all.
LikeLike
@christopher coulter – while I have absolutely no problem with you pointing out Scoble was wrong about the format he backed, when correcting him on the name Blu-ray, you could at least get it right. It’s not BluRay just as it’s not BlueRay – it’s Blu-ray, dash and all.
LikeLike
OK – I’ll ask the dumb question. How does Warner going Blu-ray exclusive mean that the format war is over?
LikeLike
OK – I’ll ask the dumb question. How does Warner going Blu-ray exclusive mean that the format war is over?
LikeLike
Well, insofar as the ‘dash’ and ‘small r’ goes, blame Verizon for that, posting on my V phone. Mea culpa, blog comments aren’t exactly WYSIWYG. Sigh. Looked right here. Honest. Back on Tablet now.
Simon: it means all the content will be in one format, the majority already. So if the content is one format, then then the war is over. HD-DVD has been a dead-duck for a good while, but they been fighting hard, pretending not to notice. The studios just want to kickstart a market.
If format = no content, then format = dead.
If format = content, then format = alive.
But done tit-for-tatting, just after two years worth of Scobleing ‘you are wrong’, nice to be right. Not that I care much for Sony, or have any care which format wins.
LikeLike
Well, insofar as the ‘dash’ and ‘small r’ goes, blame Verizon for that, posting on my V phone. Mea culpa, blog comments aren’t exactly WYSIWYG. Sigh. Looked right here. Honest. Back on Tablet now.
Simon: it means all the content will be in one format, the majority already. So if the content is one format, then then the war is over. HD-DVD has been a dead-duck for a good while, but they been fighting hard, pretending not to notice. The studios just want to kickstart a market.
If format = no content, then format = dead.
If format = content, then format = alive.
But done tit-for-tatting, just after two years worth of Scobleing ‘you are wrong’, nice to be right. Not that I care much for Sony, or have any care which format wins.
LikeLike
@10. Scoble bet on the format that every knows how to spell. That was smart. The idiots who proposed and approved a name with such peculiar and orthography should be shot. And why, why, why would anyone want to label a high-definition format with a word that is so close to “blurry”?
By the way, it’s a hyphen not a dash.
LikeLike
@10. Scoble bet on the format that every knows how to spell. That was smart. The idiots who proposed and approved a name with such peculiar and orthography should be shot. And why, why, why would anyone want to label a high-definition format with a word that is so close to “blurry”?
By the way, it’s a hyphen not a dash.
LikeLike
oops. there’s an extra “and” in that comment. And I didn’t mean shot, literally.
LikeLike
oops. there’s an extra “and” in that comment. And I didn’t mean shot, literally.
LikeLike
Ok yes. I was just following the ‘dash’ convention, laid down by MG Siegler. So, finally, Blue (minus e)(hyphen) + (small r) ay. Egads. The naming sucks, but then so does “Tombstone” as a Pizza, and it leads, and has clever twist marketing.
Well that’s over. Now about InPhase/Lucent vs. Optware/Hitachi. Optware has Fuji, Konica Minolta, Oerlikon, CMS (yuck), and a slew of Japanese Chemical companies. InPhase has Hitachi Maxell, Bayer and Cypress Semi, with ALPS backing both. HVD seems to have the upper-hand, standards and a longer list of backers, but Tapestry is no lightweight, nor is Hitachi, and seems to be room for market overlap.
What we really need is for Scoble to back one, then the answer will be dead obvious, whichever he backs not. 😉 Or failing that, wait until Microsoft chooses, then same outcome.
LikeLike
Ok yes. I was just following the ‘dash’ convention, laid down by MG Siegler. So, finally, Blue (minus e)(hyphen) + (small r) ay. Egads. The naming sucks, but then so does “Tombstone” as a Pizza, and it leads, and has clever twist marketing.
Well that’s over. Now about InPhase/Lucent vs. Optware/Hitachi. Optware has Fuji, Konica Minolta, Oerlikon, CMS (yuck), and a slew of Japanese Chemical companies. InPhase has Hitachi Maxell, Bayer and Cypress Semi, with ALPS backing both. HVD seems to have the upper-hand, standards and a longer list of backers, but Tapestry is no lightweight, nor is Hitachi, and seems to be room for market overlap.
What we really need is for Scoble to back one, then the answer will be dead obvious, whichever he backs not. 😉 Or failing that, wait until Microsoft chooses, then same outcome.
LikeLike
Chris, I still don’t get how Warner’s decision to go Blu-ray exclusive means the format war is over. Surely, there are companies that have decided to be HD-DVD exclusive; and companies that produce content on both formats.
So, I ask again, if Warner’s decision means the format war is over, when will Paramount, Dreamworks and Universal reverse their decisions to be HD DVD-exclusive; and when will the companies that currently produce content on both formats announce that they are going Blu-ray exclusive?
LikeLike
Chris, I still don’t get how Warner’s decision to go Blu-ray exclusive means the format war is over. Surely, there are companies that have decided to be HD-DVD exclusive; and companies that produce content on both formats.
So, I ask again, if Warner’s decision means the format war is over, when will Paramount, Dreamworks and Universal reverse their decisions to be HD DVD-exclusive; and when will the companies that currently produce content on both formats announce that they are going Blu-ray exclusive?
LikeLike
Only reason corporations love Blu-ray is the region coding, blah. There are no technical advantages to Blu-ray. HD-DVD is cheaper to press (therefore, lower prices for consumers).
LikeLike
Only reason corporations love Blu-ray is the region coding, blah. There are no technical advantages to Blu-ray. HD-DVD is cheaper to press (therefore, lower prices for consumers).
LikeLike
This is not about choosing or not the RIGHT or WRONG technology… do not forget that all this format war is based on MARKETING and the power of lobyying in the USA. So, by the end of the day, the format with the best PR will win. Technology does not win.
LikeLike
This is not about choosing or not the RIGHT or WRONG technology… do not forget that all this format war is based on MARKETING and the power of lobyying in the USA. So, by the end of the day, the format with the best PR will win. Technology does not win.
LikeLike
buy a playstation 3. i mean the fact that if you ever wanted to buy a game and pop it in instead of watching a movie is a pretty compelling argument.
LikeLike
buy a playstation 3. i mean the fact that if you ever wanted to buy a game and pop it in instead of watching a movie is a pretty compelling argument.
LikeLike
Also, it is sad to see that the movie industry is the only one playing this game, and we, the consumers are at the mercy of those guys…. but there will be revenge!! The NET will be the new format… you will see !
LikeLike
Also, it is sad to see that the movie industry is the only one playing this game, and we, the consumers are at the mercy of those guys…. but there will be revenge!! The NET will be the new format… you will see !
LikeLike
Simon – There are no studios supporting both formats anymore. HD-DVD has Universal, Paramount and Dreamworks for 30% of the content market. Blu-ray has the other 70% of the content market (Warner, Sony, Disney, etc.). With 70% of the content on Blu-ray then very soon the retailers will no longer want to devote shelf space to a niche format, and HD-DVD will disappear.
LikeLike
Simon – There are no studios supporting both formats anymore. HD-DVD has Universal, Paramount and Dreamworks for 30% of the content market. Blu-ray has the other 70% of the content market (Warner, Sony, Disney, etc.). With 70% of the content on Blu-ray then very soon the retailers will no longer want to devote shelf space to a niche format, and HD-DVD will disappear.
LikeLike
The NET will be the new format… you will see !
And somewhere in Cupertino, California, a man wearing jeans and black mock turtleneck stands watching the debate over what flavor of shiny plastic disc should be used to hold movies…
…and he laughs maniacally….
LikeLike
The NET will be the new format… you will see !
And somewhere in Cupertino, California, a man wearing jeans and black mock turtleneck stands watching the debate over what flavor of shiny plastic disc should be used to hold movies…
…and he laughs maniacally….
LikeLike
OF course, Warner Bros. is going with Blu-Ray. They idea is to stay in bed with the movie studio family (meaning Sony). The old regime has got to try a keep a lock on their place in the world.
LikeLike
OF course, Warner Bros. is going with Blu-Ray. They idea is to stay in bed with the movie studio family (meaning Sony). The old regime has got to try a keep a lock on their place in the world.
LikeLike
Simon: it’s a numbers game, eventually one will win out, happens all the time, market inertia. Tosh and Microsoft can maintain their illusory fantasies as long as they wish, but they will eventually have to pay for retail space. Besides the war was over 2 years ago, for all practical purposes.
Buts it be high time to thinks abouts HVD vs. InPhase, being those early adopters ya’ll are, yessiree (Billy Ray Cyrus lingo there). Watching the kiddies, and the heavy Tennessee drawl from Hannah Montanaified Disney is like sandpaper on skin. 142 years of rising again, only never making it out of bed. 😉
LikeLike
Simon: it’s a numbers game, eventually one will win out, happens all the time, market inertia. Tosh and Microsoft can maintain their illusory fantasies as long as they wish, but they will eventually have to pay for retail space. Besides the war was over 2 years ago, for all practical purposes.
Buts it be high time to thinks abouts HVD vs. InPhase, being those early adopters ya’ll are, yessiree (Billy Ray Cyrus lingo there). Watching the kiddies, and the heavy Tennessee drawl from Hannah Montanaified Disney is like sandpaper on skin. 142 years of rising again, only never making it out of bed. 😉
LikeLike
Who seriously cares about the format wars? By the time the studios sort out which format they prefer, the world will already be getting all of their content on the web.
The format wars are another example of how absolutely clueless Big Media is to what’s happening in the real world. My local video store charges double for the same movie on Blu-Ray. They should be selling it to me for the same price as DVD and thanking me for purchasing it rather than downloading it, or renting it, or watching it on cable, or whatever.
John Q can’t tell the difference between DVD and HDDVD/Blu-Ray anyway.
LikeLike
Who seriously cares about the format wars? By the time the studios sort out which format they prefer, the world will already be getting all of their content on the web.
The format wars are another example of how absolutely clueless Big Media is to what’s happening in the real world. My local video store charges double for the same movie on Blu-Ray. They should be selling it to me for the same price as DVD and thanking me for purchasing it rather than downloading it, or renting it, or watching it on cable, or whatever.
John Q can’t tell the difference between DVD and HDDVD/Blu-Ray anyway.
LikeLike
Clueless monopoly which clearly had some bribes help it steer other companies one way or another.
Oh, wait, they call it Major Business Deals or something?
Either format players technically come cheap, in PS3 or XBox360 add-on, but their inability to sort this out PRIOR to introducing formats into the market, Hurt Their Own Disc and Player sales!!!
I am going with HD over the web and IPTV myself, and so far I only rented HDs via Netflix and I refuse to buy any Disc until they shake hands and agree. Seriously, Big Media, Grow Up or Die Out already!
LikeLike
Clueless monopoly which clearly had some bribes help it steer other companies one way or another.
Oh, wait, they call it Major Business Deals or something?
Either format players technically come cheap, in PS3 or XBox360 add-on, but their inability to sort this out PRIOR to introducing formats into the market, Hurt Their Own Disc and Player sales!!!
I am going with HD over the web and IPTV myself, and so far I only rented HDs via Netflix and I refuse to buy any Disc until they shake hands and agree. Seriously, Big Media, Grow Up or Die Out already!
LikeLike
Follow up comment to my comment 28 above, just trying to figure out why my profile photo isn’t working, lets see if it’s fixed now…
LikeLike
Follow up comment to my comment 28 above, just trying to figure out why my profile photo isn’t working, lets see if it’s fixed now…
LikeLike
My fave wrong bet of yours is when the Windows Digital Media team convinced you that they were going to win versus iPod in 2004. 🙂
http://radio.weblogs.com/0001011/2004/01/26.html#a6361
Lot of good gems in that one. 🙂
LikeLike
My fave wrong bet of yours is when the Windows Digital Media team convinced you that they were going to win versus iPod in 2004. 🙂
http://radio.weblogs.com/0001011/2004/01/26.html#a6361
Lot of good gems in that one. 🙂
LikeLike
Should be a Scobleizer blog template, every month, a “I bet on the wrong ________” WordPress pop-up fill-in box. Would save time, adjustable to weekly or daily if needed.
LikeLike
Should be a Scobleizer blog template, every month, a “I bet on the wrong ________” WordPress pop-up fill-in box. Would save time, adjustable to weekly or daily if needed.
LikeLike
#27 “Who seriously cares about the format wars? By the time the studios sort out which format they prefer, the world will already be getting all of their content on the web.”
Getting all their content on the web? This statement shows that someone doesn’t know what goes on “in the real world”. My Mom, or Joe SixPack ain’t gettin’ their movies “on the web” anytime soon. Until Joe Sixpack can sit in front of his TV with a cable plugged into the internet and can choose to watch a movie “from the web” as simply as changing he channel, the primary means of movie dist will still be DVD’s/HD-DVD/Blu-Ray, and premium cable services.
LikeLike
#27 “Who seriously cares about the format wars? By the time the studios sort out which format they prefer, the world will already be getting all of their content on the web.”
Getting all their content on the web? This statement shows that someone doesn’t know what goes on “in the real world”. My Mom, or Joe SixPack ain’t gettin’ their movies “on the web” anytime soon. Until Joe Sixpack can sit in front of his TV with a cable plugged into the internet and can choose to watch a movie “from the web” as simply as changing he channel, the primary means of movie dist will still be DVD’s/HD-DVD/Blu-Ray, and premium cable services.
LikeLike
#32: “My Mom, or Joe SixPack ain’t gettin’ their movies “on the web” anytime soon. Until Joe Sixpack can sit in front of his TV with a cable plugged into the internet and can choose to watch a movie “from the web” as simply as changing he channel, the primary means of movie dist will still be DVD’s/HD-DVD/Blu-Ray, and premium cable services.”
Your mom and Joe Sixpack have lots of options to watch content on their TV’s without buying a Blu-Ray drive, eg. Digital Cable Box, Apple TV, XBox, Tivo, etc. Granted, video quality varies, but your mom probably doesn’t care about how many lines of resolution she gets.
ZDNet: “Album sales plunge while digital growth slows” – http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6224597.html
Looks like your Mom and Joe SixPack are becoming much more comfortable buying music online rather than purchasing CD’s already. I don’t know anybody that bought audio DVD’s when that format came out even though the sound quality was superior.
The recording industry, who lives in the real world as well, will be the first to concur that sales of physical media are dwindling. It’s only a matter of time before you can apply the same logic to the video formats.
So my point is if Toshiba/Microsoft throw in the towel in 2009 or 2010 and begin to support Blu-Ray it won’t matter because ZDNet will likely publish another article similar to the one above showing dwindling sales of content on physical media.
Of course, in the mean time, the studios are cleaning up by collecting fat cheques from Sony and Toshiba for switching from one format to the next.
LikeLike
#32: “My Mom, or Joe SixPack ain’t gettin’ their movies “on the web” anytime soon. Until Joe Sixpack can sit in front of his TV with a cable plugged into the internet and can choose to watch a movie “from the web” as simply as changing he channel, the primary means of movie dist will still be DVD’s/HD-DVD/Blu-Ray, and premium cable services.”
Your mom and Joe Sixpack have lots of options to watch content on their TV’s without buying a Blu-Ray drive, eg. Digital Cable Box, Apple TV, XBox, Tivo, etc. Granted, video quality varies, but your mom probably doesn’t care about how many lines of resolution she gets.
ZDNet: “Album sales plunge while digital growth slows” – http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6224597.html
Looks like your Mom and Joe SixPack are becoming much more comfortable buying music online rather than purchasing CD’s already. I don’t know anybody that bought audio DVD’s when that format came out even though the sound quality was superior.
The recording industry, who lives in the real world as well, will be the first to concur that sales of physical media are dwindling. It’s only a matter of time before you can apply the same logic to the video formats.
So my point is if Toshiba/Microsoft throw in the towel in 2009 or 2010 and begin to support Blu-Ray it won’t matter because ZDNet will likely publish another article similar to the one above showing dwindling sales of content on physical media.
Of course, in the mean time, the studios are cleaning up by collecting fat cheques from Sony and Toshiba for switching from one format to the next.
LikeLike
Nothing to be ashamed of, Robert. You were assimilated with The Borg at the time. We understand.
LikeLike
Nothing to be ashamed of, Robert. You were assimilated with The Borg at the time. We understand.
LikeLike
Hello Mr Scoble,
I was quite surprised you backed HD-DVD. I imagine it was because you where so close to Microsoft and the Microsoft-propaganda engine.
I predicted BD would win very early on and break it down to the following reasons. See
http://www.crafted.com.au/blog/2007/06/20/blue-disk-bd-will-inevitablely-be-the-winner/
I have also done a recent post on predictions of 2008 that you may find interesting.
James
LikeLike
Hello Mr Scoble,
I was quite surprised you backed HD-DVD. I imagine it was because you where so close to Microsoft and the Microsoft-propaganda engine.
I predicted BD would win very early on and break it down to the following reasons. See
http://www.crafted.com.au/blog/2007/06/20/blue-disk-bd-will-inevitablely-be-the-winner/
I have also done a recent post on predictions of 2008 that you may find interesting.
James
LikeLike
Most consumers have waited to buy either because they weren’t sure which format was going to “win”. Joe Every Day isn’t going to be shelling out top dollar for new technology, so they wait for us geeks to do it.
We went Blu-ray. It added to our thinly applied “logic” veneer when trying to justify our purchase of a PS3. That, and with HD players so cheap, it seemed almost obvious that the “winning” format would be Blu-ray.
LikeLike
Most consumers have waited to buy either because they weren’t sure which format was going to “win”. Joe Every Day isn’t going to be shelling out top dollar for new technology, so they wait for us geeks to do it.
We went Blu-ray. It added to our thinly applied “logic” veneer when trying to justify our purchase of a PS3. That, and with HD players so cheap, it seemed almost obvious that the “winning” format would be Blu-ray.
LikeLike
I’m actually glad that this format war is over, or nearly over. Hopefully it won’t be long before Blu-ray discs and burners get cheaper. I can’t wait to be able to back up all of my info on Blu-ray discs.
LikeLike
I’m actually glad that this format war is over, or nearly over. Hopefully it won’t be long before Blu-ray discs and burners get cheaper. I can’t wait to be able to back up all of my info on Blu-ray discs.
LikeLike
Well, “obvious” is a word that doesn’t enter into the Scobleizer Lexicon, nor it seems in the Redmond Haze. 😉 Plus you have to look beyond JUST the American market, where HD-DVD has almost zero play, Blu-ray domination long been established, HD-DVD only really got a foothold in the American market.
PS3 was the factor, but it came at a year-long-plus delay in the videogame market, thankfully for Sony, Microsoft can’t make hardware that works, Microsoft had to shell out billions in warranty repairs. Had Toshiba and Microsoft managed to get HD-DVD in 360s on time, at a reasonable price, the gameplan might have been different. Sony took their lumps and lost a key battle, to win the greater war. Now the best way to develop that market is to lower media prices. But Sony, characteristically, seems to be letting it slide, their focus shifted to OLED’s. The upcoming sub-$200 player is a good start however.
Media is passive, no matter HOW good or easy internet downloads get, people don’t want to fuddle with things even for a few seconds, they want to pick things up at Wally World and go, pressing play, no hassle, no fuss, impulse emotional purchasing and all that. You will always have the underground xvid/divx markets, and the semi-prosumer media center markets, but the mass market is, and forever will be, physical media.
LikeLike
Well, “obvious” is a word that doesn’t enter into the Scobleizer Lexicon, nor it seems in the Redmond Haze. 😉 Plus you have to look beyond JUST the American market, where HD-DVD has almost zero play, Blu-ray domination long been established, HD-DVD only really got a foothold in the American market.
PS3 was the factor, but it came at a year-long-plus delay in the videogame market, thankfully for Sony, Microsoft can’t make hardware that works, Microsoft had to shell out billions in warranty repairs. Had Toshiba and Microsoft managed to get HD-DVD in 360s on time, at a reasonable price, the gameplan might have been different. Sony took their lumps and lost a key battle, to win the greater war. Now the best way to develop that market is to lower media prices. But Sony, characteristically, seems to be letting it slide, their focus shifted to OLED’s. The upcoming sub-$200 player is a good start however.
Media is passive, no matter HOW good or easy internet downloads get, people don’t want to fuddle with things even for a few seconds, they want to pick things up at Wally World and go, pressing play, no hassle, no fuss, impulse emotional purchasing and all that. You will always have the underground xvid/divx markets, and the semi-prosumer media center markets, but the mass market is, and forever will be, physical media.
LikeLike
Once HD-DVD is gone, how long until the cheapest Blu-Ray player is $500 again? You didn’t actually think loss of competition yields lower prices, did you?
LikeLike
Once HD-DVD is gone, how long until the cheapest Blu-Ray player is $500 again? You didn’t actually think loss of competition yields lower prices, did you?
LikeLike
Reminds me of the Betamax/VHS battle where Betamax was declared the early winner – and then VHS became the defacto format – cheaper to produce, plus VHS like HD-DVD has the porn content that Joe Sixpack wants.
LikeLike
Reminds me of the Betamax/VHS battle where Betamax was declared the early winner – and then VHS became the defacto format – cheaper to produce, plus VHS like HD-DVD has the porn content that Joe Sixpack wants.
LikeLike
To be clear: Including the PS3, HD-DVD players outsold Blu-Ray players in 2007.
Blu-Ray discs outsold HD-DVD discs by a margin of 3:2. So that would be 60% of all HD content discs were Blu-Ray — not 70%. That’s far less of a margin than Sony would like you to believe.
Anyone who says Blu-Ray is a better TECHNOLOGY doesn’t have their facts straight. While a Blu-Ray disc has more STORAGE space, HD-DVD players had AT LAUNCH a level of interactivity that current Blu-Ray players do NOT support. Consumers will have to purchase NEW Blu-Ray players to employ this future interactive technology when it is finally released.
To sum up: HD-DVD players are BETTER, CHEAPER, and probably just lost the format war.
The real loser here: consumers.
LikeLike
To be clear: Including the PS3, HD-DVD players outsold Blu-Ray players in 2007.
Blu-Ray discs outsold HD-DVD discs by a margin of 3:2. So that would be 60% of all HD content discs were Blu-Ray — not 70%. That’s far less of a margin than Sony would like you to believe.
Anyone who says Blu-Ray is a better TECHNOLOGY doesn’t have their facts straight. While a Blu-Ray disc has more STORAGE space, HD-DVD players had AT LAUNCH a level of interactivity that current Blu-Ray players do NOT support. Consumers will have to purchase NEW Blu-Ray players to employ this future interactive technology when it is finally released.
To sum up: HD-DVD players are BETTER, CHEAPER, and probably just lost the format war.
The real loser here: consumers.
LikeLike
Blu-Ray may win at the home media/theatre. However – Microsoft and Intel still back HD DVD fully so don’t be surprised if the next generation of data-storage/home storage ends up going on to HD DVD. Its certainly a possibility. HD DVD is cheaper for fickle consumers who for data-storage purposes may just go for the cheaper option.
I can’t see Microsoft switching from HD DVD to Blu-Ray for some time (if it ever did, might not even do that).
I’d discount HD DVD as the winning home theatre media (despite owning an HD DVD player myself) – but don’t discount it completely. Given the choice right now, for data storage purposes, I’d chose HD DVD over Blu-Ray anyday.
Dual-format for everyone? I’d like to think so. Best of both worlds!
LikeLike
Blu-Ray may win at the home media/theatre. However – Microsoft and Intel still back HD DVD fully so don’t be surprised if the next generation of data-storage/home storage ends up going on to HD DVD. Its certainly a possibility. HD DVD is cheaper for fickle consumers who for data-storage purposes may just go for the cheaper option.
I can’t see Microsoft switching from HD DVD to Blu-Ray for some time (if it ever did, might not even do that).
I’d discount HD DVD as the winning home theatre media (despite owning an HD DVD player myself) – but don’t discount it completely. Given the choice right now, for data storage purposes, I’d chose HD DVD over Blu-Ray anyday.
Dual-format for everyone? I’d like to think so. Best of both worlds!
LikeLike
Scoble you better stay away from HVD….it sounds too cool to lose…espescially with 3 TB’s of storage…not that that will be impressive in the “next generation” any-who…or is it anywho?….hmm…..
LikeLike
Scoble you better stay away from HVD….it sounds too cool to lose…espescially with 3 TB’s of storage…not that that will be impressive in the “next generation” any-who…or is it anywho?….hmm…..
LikeLike