Mass'Debater
Posts: 2,039 
Location: Atlantic Canada
Location: Atlantic Canada
February 19th, 2008, 11:12 AM
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...0219?hub=World
So all those people who bought an HD-DVD player or whatever to use those discs.... are now SOoL and basically blew their money on nothing? Now they have to go out and buy a bran new Blue-Ray and now the HD-DVD has gone the way of Beta?
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAR HAR HAR Hack *cough gag choke*
That'll teach you silly people who did, to not buy these things while they are competing for main distribution.
Sucks to be you guys with the HD-DVD's.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...0219?hub=World
Quote:
Here's a question: Toshiba bowed to business reality and announced it would end its HD DVD product line and cede the field to Sony's Blu-ray disc technology.
"We concluded that a swift decision would be best," Toshiba President Atsutoshi Nishida told reporters Tuesday at his company's Tokyo offices.
The battle for supremacy in next-generation DVD technology had been fought for several years.
But Nishida said Warner Bros. Entertainment's decision to only release movies in the Blue-ray format made Toshiba's decision inevitable.
"That had tremendous impact," he said. "If we had continued, that would have created problems for consumers, and we simply had no chance to win."
Wal-Mart had also announced on Friday that it would only be selling Blu-ray discs and hardware moving forward. Netflix Inc., the online DVD rental company, said it would stop renting HD DVD titles.
Other major U.S. retailers like Target Corp. and Blockbuster Inc. had made similar decisions.
While Sony has won this battle, consumer technology expert and CTV columnist Kris Abel warned the victory might be short-lived -- and that the fight somewhat pointless.
"I think it was a battle that wasn't really to the benefit of consumers," he told CTV.ca. "It was a battle between these companies over who was going to control what they thought was going to be a lucrative business, but their greed may have ruined that."
A foolish fight
High-definition DVDs are to replace traditional DVDs, which are becoming steadily less profitable as the format ages.
The differences in image quality between the competing HD formats of Sony and Toshiba would be undetectable to an average person simultaneously watching them, Abel said.
However, Sony Blue-ray discs won't play in a Toshiba HD DVD machine and vice versa.
But Abel said there's no reason for that other than greed.
"In late 2005, this was something that both Sony and Toshiba sat down and took a look at," he said.
"There was encouragement from the industry for these two to sit down" and develop a common format, he said, but the talks collapsed in acrimony.
"Obviously the consideration wasn't for the consumers, it wasn't for the format or the industry. It was all about who was going to be in charge of this format and therefore, who was going to collect the greater share of profits."
But even with the format war over, a competitor has already started to emerge.
Apple is now in the movie downloading business in the United States -- and it offers titles in HD, Abel said, adding it will soon be coming to Canada.
Microsoft -- which had supported the HD DVD format -- is also in the movie distribution business through its Xbox gaming and home entertainment console, he said.
Sony's PlayStation 3 console, a major competitor of the Xbox, also works as a Blu-ray player.
Abel said the Toshibas and Sonys would prefer movies to be distributed on a physical disc because they see more profit potential, but as with music, the world is changing.
"It may not be developed to the point where it's viable to the average consumer, but early adopters and home theatre buffs are starting to take a look at it," he said.
Apple announced in January it has already sold seven million movies, he said.
To enjoy high definition, one needs an HD television and a player to view such titles on disc.
Consumers who want to enjoy this new technology will need a major hardware upgrade, Abel said.
"We concluded that a swift decision would be best," Toshiba President Atsutoshi Nishida told reporters Tuesday at his company's Tokyo offices.
The battle for supremacy in next-generation DVD technology had been fought for several years.
But Nishida said Warner Bros. Entertainment's decision to only release movies in the Blue-ray format made Toshiba's decision inevitable.
"That had tremendous impact," he said. "If we had continued, that would have created problems for consumers, and we simply had no chance to win."
Wal-Mart had also announced on Friday that it would only be selling Blu-ray discs and hardware moving forward. Netflix Inc., the online DVD rental company, said it would stop renting HD DVD titles.
Other major U.S. retailers like Target Corp. and Blockbuster Inc. had made similar decisions.
While Sony has won this battle, consumer technology expert and CTV columnist Kris Abel warned the victory might be short-lived -- and that the fight somewhat pointless.
"I think it was a battle that wasn't really to the benefit of consumers," he told CTV.ca. "It was a battle between these companies over who was going to control what they thought was going to be a lucrative business, but their greed may have ruined that."
A foolish fight
High-definition DVDs are to replace traditional DVDs, which are becoming steadily less profitable as the format ages.
The differences in image quality between the competing HD formats of Sony and Toshiba would be undetectable to an average person simultaneously watching them, Abel said.
However, Sony Blue-ray discs won't play in a Toshiba HD DVD machine and vice versa.
But Abel said there's no reason for that other than greed.
"In late 2005, this was something that both Sony and Toshiba sat down and took a look at," he said.
"There was encouragement from the industry for these two to sit down" and develop a common format, he said, but the talks collapsed in acrimony.
"Obviously the consideration wasn't for the consumers, it wasn't for the format or the industry. It was all about who was going to be in charge of this format and therefore, who was going to collect the greater share of profits."
But even with the format war over, a competitor has already started to emerge.
Apple is now in the movie downloading business in the United States -- and it offers titles in HD, Abel said, adding it will soon be coming to Canada.
Microsoft -- which had supported the HD DVD format -- is also in the movie distribution business through its Xbox gaming and home entertainment console, he said.
Sony's PlayStation 3 console, a major competitor of the Xbox, also works as a Blu-ray player.
Abel said the Toshibas and Sonys would prefer movies to be distributed on a physical disc because they see more profit potential, but as with music, the world is changing.
"It may not be developed to the point where it's viable to the average consumer, but early adopters and home theatre buffs are starting to take a look at it," he said.
Apple announced in January it has already sold seven million movies, he said.
To enjoy high definition, one needs an HD television and a player to view such titles on disc.
Consumers who want to enjoy this new technology will need a major hardware upgrade, Abel said.
So all those people who bought an HD-DVD player or whatever to use those discs.... are now SOoL and basically blew their money on nothing? Now they have to go out and buy a bran new Blue-Ray and now the HD-DVD has gone the way of Beta?
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAR HAR HAR Hack *cough gag choke*
That'll teach you silly people who did, to not buy these things while they are competing for main distribution.
Sucks to be you guys with the HD-DVD's.
World Police
Posts: 4,391
Videos: 1
Location: toranna
Videos: 1
Location: toranna
February 19th, 2008, 11:17 AM
I have owned both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray. I sold the HD-DVD player months ago so fortunately I'm not stuck with a paperweight.
I have owned both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray. I sold the HD-DVD player months ago so fortunately I'm not stuck with a paperweight.
February 19th, 2008, 11:23 AM
I'm going to wait a little while yet, while all the HD-DVD owners buy new systems. Though I heard on the news that supply and demand won't be favourable, to me at least, for a while yet. Not many manufacturers of the discs themselves.
Anyways, good for Sony. Nice for them to finally put one in the win column.
Quoting DurkaDurka
Nice move
I have owned both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray. I sold the HD-DVD player months ago so fortunately I'm not stuck with a paperweight.
I'm going to wait a little while yet, while all the HD-DVD owners buy new systems. Though I heard on the news that supply and demand won't be favourable, to me at least, for a while yet. Not many manufacturers of the discs themselves.
Anyways, good for Sony. Nice for them to finally put one in the win column.
World Police
Posts: 4,391
Videos: 1
Location: toranna
Videos: 1
Location: toranna
February 19th, 2008, 11:28 AM
Buying a PS3 is the most economical solution if you are looking at buying a BluRay player. The 40gb model can be had for $399, compared to $499 for a stand alone player.
The picture quality on both HD-DVD and Blu Ray is amazing, as long as you have a TV set that can output at 720p/1080i/p.
Buying a PS3 is the most economical solution if you are looking at buying a BluRay player. The 40gb model can be had for $399, compared to $499 for a stand alone player.
The picture quality on both HD-DVD and Blu Ray is amazing, as long as you have a TV set that can output at 720p/1080i/p.
Chief Mogrifier
Posts: 8,479
February 19th, 2008, 11:49 AM
Quoting DurkaDurka
Does this mean I should sell my Sony Beta machine....?......
I don't think backwards compatible goes back to the 70's
Mass'Debater
Posts: 2,039
Location: Atlantic Canada
Location: Atlantic Canada
February 19th, 2008, 12:35 PM
Quoting #juan
Not to mention Blue-Ray just sounds cooler then HD-DVD.... DVD is so 1994.
Seriously. The biggest cause of the death of HD DVD was probably the decision by Walmart, and Best Buy, to back Blue Ray...
World Police
Posts: 4,391
Videos: 1
Location: toranna
Videos: 1
Location: toranna
February 19th, 2008, 12:47 PM
Quoting #juan
Sony paid off 2 of the big studios so they would exclusively support BluRay. The winner of the war was not at all based on technical superiority.
Seriously. The biggest cause of the death of HD DVD was probably the decision by Walmart, and Best Buy, to back Blue Ray...
Chief Mogrifier
Posts: 8,479
February 19th, 2008, 01:14 PM
Quoting DurkaDurka
Sony probably didn't want another disaster like Betamax.......
Sony paid off 2 of the big studios so they would exclusively support BluRay. The winner of the war was not at all based on technical superiority.
Knows No Bounds
Posts: 2,829
Location: USA
Location: USA
February 19th, 2008, 01:23 PM
But if we didn't buy HD-DVDs we would have missed out on a lot over the years. It is just like VHS players. Blue Ray will be surpassed someday I am sure.
Sort of like giving everyone who bought a Sony walkman cassette player a hard time when CDs came out. The same with Atari, Playstation I, PS 2, XBox.
Anyone still using their Commodore 64?
But if we didn't buy HD-DVDs we would have missed out on a lot over the years. It is just like VHS players. Blue Ray will be surpassed someday I am sure.
Sort of like giving everyone who bought a Sony walkman cassette player a hard time when CDs came out. The same with Atari, Playstation I, PS 2, XBox.
Anyone still using their Commodore 64?
World Police
Posts: 4,391
Videos: 1
Location: toranna
Videos: 1
Location: toranna
February 19th, 2008, 01:27 PM
From what I have read, digital downloads are going to be the real competition to Blu-Ray. Already with the XBOX 360, you can download full length feature movies in high definition and save them to the units hard drive. I personally cannot wait until this is a standard. Why keep all your movies stores on an optical disc, when you can store hundreds of them on a hard drive, available on demand?
From what I have read, digital downloads are going to be the real competition to Blu-Ray. Already with the XBOX 360, you can download full length feature movies in high definition and save them to the units hard drive. I personally cannot wait until this is a standard. Why keep all your movies stores on an optical disc, when you can store hundreds of them on a hard drive, available on demand?
Mass'Debater
Posts: 2,039
Location: Atlantic Canada
Location: Atlantic Canada
February 19th, 2008, 01:30 PM
Now how was I supposed to detect the soldiers walking nearby in Airborne Ranger?
Man that game was fun.... Gunship wasn't so bad either, but that was more my Dad's game.
Quoting EagleSmack
Not since the fuse in the Keyboard kepts blowing out and leaving me with no sound.
Anyone still using their Commodore 64?
Now how was I supposed to detect the soldiers walking nearby in Airborne Ranger?
Man that game was fun.... Gunship wasn't so bad either, but that was more my Dad's game.
