Reid Rosefelt
12-06-2007, 11:43 AM
The article in Variety today is a little strange. First off, I don't understand where you get the idea that Blu-Ray is clearly superior. When the first Blu-Ray discs were released they were universally savaged in the videophile community. HD DVD was considered to be much better quality and this, along with the lower-priced players, is why HD DVD trounced Blu-Ray in early sales.
It was very similar to a lot of news that's coming out of Sony lately, like batteries that explode, the delays in the PS3, etc. Poor technology put out before it's ready. (In fairness you can say the same thing about the 360)
Since then, they have said that Sony got their act together and started to make some good discs. But to this day, I have never read a review that said that Blu-Ray gives a better picture. Have you? Unless I'm mistaken, this guy named Michael Bay saw a TRANSFORMERS HD DVD and he liked it.
Everyone knows that Blu-Ray was sold to the media companies on the shoulders of the PS3. The PS3 was going to have a 100 million users like the PS2. Well...that didn't happen, and it isn't going to happen.
The higher capacity is a non issue to most people. Most people are able to handle listening to Tom Cruise talking without seeing him in a little window.
Truly. It might even be better to not be distracted while watching the movie. There hasn't been anything that has truly been revolutionary in 60 gig over 30. And if there is, there is a solution--two discs!!! If that's done, I bet the vast majority of people will still rent just the movie.
I know that for you the price is no object, but a lot of us are out here and it's pretty rough. Wal-Mart recently offered a HD DVD player for a hundred bucks. That means something to us. Just because we're broke doesn't mean that we don't love high-quality movies and TV.
I have nothing against Blu-Ray. If I had the money, maybe I'd buy it, simply because there are more titles. But please be reasonable and recognize that your belief that Blu-Ray is clearly a superior technology might be mistaken. And be understanding that for some people, pricing is important.
Finally, you are totally correct. There's a ticking clock on these players. In a few years they may lose their value. A new technology of some kind will come along. And that's the tragedy of the format war. In the brief window that it will exist, the media conglomerates will lose a ton of money trying to win a battle for dominance. They're all going to lose. And us too.
It was very similar to a lot of news that's coming out of Sony lately, like batteries that explode, the delays in the PS3, etc. Poor technology put out before it's ready. (In fairness you can say the same thing about the 360)
Since then, they have said that Sony got their act together and started to make some good discs. But to this day, I have never read a review that said that Blu-Ray gives a better picture. Have you? Unless I'm mistaken, this guy named Michael Bay saw a TRANSFORMERS HD DVD and he liked it.
Everyone knows that Blu-Ray was sold to the media companies on the shoulders of the PS3. The PS3 was going to have a 100 million users like the PS2. Well...that didn't happen, and it isn't going to happen.
The higher capacity is a non issue to most people. Most people are able to handle listening to Tom Cruise talking without seeing him in a little window.
Truly. It might even be better to not be distracted while watching the movie. There hasn't been anything that has truly been revolutionary in 60 gig over 30. And if there is, there is a solution--two discs!!! If that's done, I bet the vast majority of people will still rent just the movie.
I know that for you the price is no object, but a lot of us are out here and it's pretty rough. Wal-Mart recently offered a HD DVD player for a hundred bucks. That means something to us. Just because we're broke doesn't mean that we don't love high-quality movies and TV.
I have nothing against Blu-Ray. If I had the money, maybe I'd buy it, simply because there are more titles. But please be reasonable and recognize that your belief that Blu-Ray is clearly a superior technology might be mistaken. And be understanding that for some people, pricing is important.
Finally, you are totally correct. There's a ticking clock on these players. In a few years they may lose their value. A new technology of some kind will come along. And that's the tragedy of the format war. In the brief window that it will exist, the media conglomerates will lose a ton of money trying to win a battle for dominance. They're all going to lose. And us too.