By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close

Forums - General Discussion - Toshiba to exit HD DVD, end format war-NHK

madskillz on 17 February 2008
Famine said:
madskillz said:

LOL ... you're funny. Competition bring lower prices - lack of it = stagnant prices. There's no real reason to lower prices when there is just one dominate format. Lower prices? LOL ... I expect prices to stay the same for a long, long time.


You are aware that electronic companies will be making cheaper players, probably something you forgot with VHS and DVD. I think it's safe to say that $500 priced DVD players and $300 VHS players didn't stay that high for too long.

 Oh yes, I am aware that companies will make cheaper players eventually, but with Blu Ray on top now, when do you think a Blu Ray player will break the $199 mark? There's no incentive for Blu makers to lower their prices. They are like 'Folks will buy it, regardless.' They will hit that mark, but I doubt it happens until the end of the year. 

Around the Network
Aj_habfan on 17 February 2008
madskillz said:
Famine said:
madskillz said:

LOL ... you're funny. Competition bring lower prices - lack of it = stagnant prices. There's no real reason to lower prices when there is just one dominate format. Lower prices? LOL ... I expect prices to stay the same for a long, long time.


You are aware that electronic companies will be making cheaper players, probably something you forgot with VHS and DVD. I think it's safe to say that $500 priced DVD players and $300 VHS players didn't stay that high for too long.

 Oh yes, I am aware that companies will make cheaper players eventually, but with Blu Ray on top now, when do you think a Blu Ray player will break the $199 mark? There's no incentive for Blu makers to lower their prices. They are like 'Folks will buy it, regardless.' They will hit that mark, but I doubt it happens until the end of the year. 

There are already companies aiming to release lower scale players around the $200 mark.

And DVD is still a competition. If blu-ray sales do not impress them they wouldn't hesistate to lower prices, along with ability to thanks to lower production costs.



Famine on 17 February 2008
madskillz said:
 Oh yes, I am aware that companies will make cheaper players eventually, but with Blu Ray on top now, when do you think a Blu Ray player will break the $199 mark? There's no incentive for Blu makers to lower their prices. They are like 'Folks will buy it, regardless.' They will hit that mark, but I doubt it happens until the end of the year. 

There is an incentive: Which company can hook people into buying their model and not the competition's, and the best way to lure customers is just that, price.

Maybe not $200, but I wouldn't be too surprised in seeing a few players priced even below $500.

Now that Blu will probably get all the attention from the movie studios, I'm hoping for more complete seasons of a few series: Oz, the Sopranos...Gilmore Girls!!! Start making those 100GB, even those 200GB disks, and start flaunting what made it stick out from HD-DVD: More space.



DOATS1 on 17 February 2008
madskillz said:

No, what I don't like is how easily folks will line up behind a format that is really, really lacking. Storage and better sound vs. region-free format and Web content in-movie ... folks don't have a defense for why Blu Ray is lacking. Yeah, it has studio support, yeah, it WILL have bigger storage (HD DVD has 51gb) but that's weak. And folks are willing to accept that. That's what I don't understand ...

ok, web content is not an essential feature to enjoy a movie. when i buy a movie, a want to watch it. not browse the internet. that's what my computer is for.

second, by your logic, you should also be wondering why lots of people like the wii. it's technically also "really, really lacking" yet it's in pole position, and doesn't look like budging either. so was vhs against betamax, remind me who won again?

 i know you really wanted hd-dvd to win. but it's over man. the bda played a better game.




madskillz on 17 February 2008
DOATS1 said:
madskillz said:

No, what I don't like is how easily folks will line up behind a format that is really, really lacking. Storage and better sound vs. region-free format and Web content in-movie ... folks don't have a defense for why Blu Ray is lacking. Yeah, it has studio support, yeah, it WILL have bigger storage (HD DVD has 51gb) but that's weak. And folks are willing to accept that. That's what I don't understand ...

ok, web content is not an essential feature to enjoy a movie. when i buy a movie, a want to watch it. not browse the internet. that's what my computer is for.

second, by your logic, you should also be wondering why lots of people like the wii. it's technically also "really, really lacking" yet it's in pole position, and doesn't look like budging either. so was vhs against betamax, remind me who won again?

i know you really wanted hd-dvd to win. but it's over man. the bda played a better game.


Yeah, I hear you but you can't even compare the Wii to this. For one, the Wii is cheaper than the PS3, and it offers a new way to play games - and it has a lot of games geared to casual gamers - the PS3, not so much.

And regardless, I am old enough to remember VHS/Beta Max fight. When I bought HD DVD, I was already prepared for it to win or not. Once it's gone, guess what - I can still play my movies and have a blast.

And while Web content isn't necessary, it's sure nice to have the option vs. the millions of BR owners who didn't have a choice. Basically, all the consumers are really, really getting is a sharper picture and slightly better sound. That's it. It's not innovative one bit. It's just an upconverted film.

As I stated, I will keep supporting HD DVD until it's completely gone. I would much rather go back to DVD and return to Blu Ray when they start offering more than just a sharper image and better sound. Give me value with my HD movies - but that'll never really happen, will it? Dang ... some BR players can't even play movies like 3:10 to Yuma, even with a firmware upgrade? ROTFL ... that's crazy.

Nice win for a format that's still trying to find its way ... 



Around the Network
Kyros on 18 February 2008

"competition bring lower prices - lack of it = stagnant prices."

weird that people still have not understood it. Competition is between companies not between formats. DVD prices came down without any competition from competing formats. There is perhaps a case for competition between HD-DVD and BluRay players (although there is an even stronger case for competition between Sony and Samsung BluRay players because its easier to compare them) The only exception was that Toshiba was heavily discounting HD-DVD players to push its dying format, but this wouldn't have worked for a long time.
For the discs? Why would Universal make HD-DVD discs cheaper than BluRay discs? They do not care on what format their movies are bought.

Here the only thing that helps is a broader userbase with lots of users outside the early-adopter circle. And this will only happen once the format war is over. (Which seems to be the case)



Dallinor on 18 February 2008

Bring on the new HD era.



 

highwaystar101 on 18 February 2008

I have blu ray and HD, i'm set no matter what lol
(note: the HD dvd player is my dads... not mine)



Magnific0 on 18 February 2008


Kyros on 18 February 2008

"
It may take a while, but I think we would have to wait for a very large installed base of HD displays before HD players really take over people's living rooms"

Eh, we HAVE a large installed base of HD displays. Effectively no SD-TVs are sold anymore (here in Germany there are really no SD-TVs for sale anymore outside of grocery discounters) and I may be wrong but I think end of 2008 over a third of all households in America will have an HD-TV. (numbers vary but it at least qualifies as "large installed base").

So the problem is not that there are not enough HD capable TVs out there.