MikeB said: DVD has often been hailed as the fastest-adopted consumer technology ever, significantly outperforming the adoption of VHS video. Blu-Ray adoption is happening even faster due to the PS3. The PS3 plays a crucial role in making the Blu-Ray movie format a success. And IMO Blu-Ray makes the game console by far the best specced gaming console out today. It's a most excellent gaming format as well (sustained predictable streaming speeds, scratch resistant discs and most importantly far more available storage space which will lead to far less storage related sacrifices). More and better HD content (games and movies) will considerably help HDTV sales for the long run. IMO the inclusion of Blu-Ray technology was absolutely the right decision for Sony looking from the grand and long term perspective.

Everyone here will say that Blu-Ray is only as successful as it is because Sony included it with the PS3, but had the PS3 not included Blu-Ray would Blu-Ray's release had any reaction except for yawns? On top of this does anyone beyond PS3 owners actually care about Blu-Ray?

It can be argued that Blu-Ray was (or was not) a good edition to the PS3 but I think it is fair to say that Blu-Ray adoption has been less than stellar being that the majority of people who own Blu-Ray players bought it for something besides watching Blu-Ray movies.

 

disolitude said: Euphoria14 said:  PS3 is $50 more than 360 and 360 takes that $50 back for online. Stop with the complaints about pricing on consoles. Want to complain about gaming prices, ask MS why the 360 has had only a $50 drop in over 2 years and why their DVD games cost the same as my BD games. The BD owners should be happy, it isn't us who are overpaying. 1. You are speaking for America there. Xbox is a lot cheaper than ps3 in Europe and Japan. Xbox sells well in America as is so they really didn't have to cut their profit margins on a console ike Sony... 2. Dvd games cost the same as bluray games (meaning 360 vs ps3) because in a lot of instances, the dvd ones are better than the same versions of the bluray ones. Also, in Europe, ps3 games are more pricey than 360 ones... 3. Agian as a video junkie, you are probably very happy to get a ps3 for 399 as the cheapest player by insignia is that much. As a gamer however you are getting a toaster tossed in with your microwaive. Great deal, totally unecessary... 4. I've been playing a few online games on ps3 for a couple of weeks now. (mortal kombat 2, Warhawk and GT5P)  If I send them a 50 dollar check, will they make it better?

Only have to speak for America, for one I live here. Two, PS3 outsells 360 in Europe and Japan so why bring it up? If a more expensive console outsells the cheaper one... then price obviously isn't it's main problem. Neither is the Blu-Ray.

HappySqurriel said: MikeB said: DVD has often been hailed as the fastest-adopted consumer technology ever, significantly outperforming the adoption of VHS video. Blu-Ray adoption is happening even faster due to the PS3. The PS3 plays a crucial role in making the Blu-Ray movie format a success. And IMO Blu-Ray makes the game console by far the best specced gaming console out today. It's a most excellent gaming format as well (sustained predictable streaming speeds, scratch resistant discs and most importantly far more available storage space which will lead to far less storage related sacrifices). More and better HD content (games and movies) will considerably help HDTV sales for the long run. IMO the inclusion of Blu-Ray technology was absolutely the right decision for Sony looking from the grand and long term perspective. Everyone here will say that Blu-Ray is only as successful as it is because Sony included it with the PS3, but had the PS3 not included Blu-Ray would Blu-Ray's release had any reaction except for yawns? On top of this does anyone beyond PS3 owners actually care about Blu-Ray? It can be argued that Blu-Ray was (or was not) a good edition to the PS3 but I think it is fair to say that Blu-Ray adoption has been less than stellar being that the majority of people who own Blu-Ray players bought it for something besides watching Blu-Ray movies.

 Yes their are,  you can find some at movie fan forums.  But if I look to myself, I only buy Blu Ray movies that are new and were not yet on DVD;  For every 20 DVD's I buy I buy one Blu Ray movie...


I think we will see a massive shift next year at the christmas period 2009 Christmas. From dvd to Blu Ray especially if their are only Blu Ray movies who don't see a release on DVD.

HappySqurriel said: MikeB said: DVD has often been hailed as the fastest-adopted consumer technology ever, significantly outperforming the adoption of VHS video. Blu-Ray adoption is happening even faster due to the PS3. The PS3 plays a crucial role in making the Blu-Ray movie format a success. And IMO Blu-Ray makes the game console by far the best specced gaming console out today. It's a most excellent gaming format as well (sustained predictable streaming speeds, scratch resistant discs and most importantly far more available storage space which will lead to far less storage related sacrifices). More and better HD content (games and movies) will considerably help HDTV sales for the long run. IMO the inclusion of Blu-Ray technology was absolutely the right decision for Sony looking from the grand and long term perspective. Everyone here will say that Blu-Ray is only as successful as it is because Sony included it with the PS3, but had the PS3 not included Blu-Ray would Blu-Ray's release had any reaction except for yawns? On top of this does anyone beyond PS3 owners actually care about Blu-Ray? It can be argued that Blu-Ray was (or was not) a good edition to the PS3 but I think it is fair to say that Blu-Ray adoption has been less than stellar being that the majority of people who own Blu-Ray players bought it for something besides watching Blu-Ray movies.

 If it wasn't in the PS3 of course people wouldn't care as much. Just as they didn't care for DVD that much when it first came out. Remember, DVD took just short of 5 years before it hit mainstream.

Does BD need to sell Wii like before people give it any credit?

Magnific0 said: One advantage BR vs DVD has over DVD vs VHS is backwards compatibility. Millions of people ended up "upgrading" their old movie collection. I doubt anyone who still has an old VHS collection still watches any of those movies instead of the digital versions. With BR players people don't need to feel compelled to re-buy old movies, as long as it's not a favorite or the newer HD version comes packed with some very desirable features. Moving into BR will eventually come as a regular player upgrade (when the prices get friendly enough), just like right now if someone plans to change their old TV set they are most likely thinking of buying one of those nice slim flat LCD/plasma screens.

This is one of the most intelligent forum resposes all day

colonelstubbs said: Magnific0 said: One advantage BR vs DVD has over DVD vs VHS is backwards compatibility. Millions of people ended up "upgrading" their old movie collection. I doubt anyone who still has an old VHS collection still watches any of those movies instead of the digital versions. With BR players people don't need to feel compelled to re-buy old movies, as long as it's not a favorite or the newer HD version comes packed with some very desirable features. Moving into BR will eventually come as a regular player upgrade (when the prices get friendly enough), just like right now if someone plans to change their old TV set they are most likely thinking of buying one of those nice slim flat LCD/plasma screens. This is one of the most intelligent forum resposes all day

 Agreed. This is part of a point I brought up much earlier in this thread.

This is the same thing that happened when my Fathers TV gave out. He realized "Why spend this much on an SDTV when a little more gets me this flatpanel HDTV?"

This was around the same time when people were saying HDTV's weren't going to sell well either.

XBL isn't worth the $50/yr unless that's your only option for gaming online. With enough friends on the service, sure it's not a bad way to keep in touch, but what friends you happen to have on the service really has nothing to do with the service itself.

I could send MS $50/month and it still wouldn't make the service any better, although at that price, I'd expect glitch free service, which is something XBL has had trouble delivering during high traffic load periods. Memories run short if you can't recall that.

Cost of the media has had no bearing on the cost of games. Even for the 360, if a game is published on 4 DVDs, it's still going to cost the same as single disc game, but I don't see the point in comparing bad to average games published on BR-D with better than average games on 360 DVD. I'm pretty sure no one's under the delusion that publishing a game on BR-D somehow magically makes the encoded data on it "better."

Anyway, this added cost argument could just as easily go: why did I have to pay for DVD playback on my 360 when I already have half a dozen DVD players? Why not just publish games on multiple CDs?

Because it's mass market technology, that's why.

And eventually the same will apply to BR-D and there will be no "premium" in paying for that added functionality.

colonelstubbs said: Magnific0 said: One advantage BR vs DVD has over DVD vs VHS is backwards compatibility. Millions of people ended up "upgrading" their old movie collection. I doubt anyone who still has an old VHS collection still watches any of those movies instead of the digital versions. With BR players people don't need to feel compelled to re-buy old movies, as long as it's not a favorite or the newer HD version comes packed with some very desirable features. Moving into BR will eventually come as a regular player upgrade (when the prices get friendly enough), just like right now if someone plans to change their old TV set they are most likely thinking of buying one of those nice slim flat LCD/plasma screens. This is one of the most intelligent forum resposes all day

 I agree :).

greenmedic88 said: XBL isn't worth the $50/yr unless that's your only option for gaming online. With enough friends on the service, sure it's not a bad way to keep in touch, but what friends you happen to have on the service really has nothing to do with the service itself. I could send MS $50/month and it still wouldn't make the service any better, although at that price, I'd expect glitch free service, which is something XBL has had trouble delivering during high traffic load periods. Memories run short if you can't recall that. Cost of the media has had no bearing on the cost of games. Even for the 360, if a game is published on 4 DVDs, it's still going to cost the same as single disc game, but I don't see the point in comparing bad to average games published on BR-D with better than average games on 360 DVD. I'm pretty sure no one's under the delusion that publishing a game on BR-D somehow magically makes the encoded data on it "better." Anyway, this added cost argument could just as easily go: why did I have to pay for DVD playback on my 360 when I already have half a dozen DVD players? Why not just publish games on multiple CDs? Because it's mass market technology, that's why. And eventually the same will apply to BR-D and there will be no "premium" in paying for that added functionality.

 I think the price argument only has to do with the fact that a BD costs more to manufacture than a DVD9. Of course it has nothing to do with the games development.

I was getting a little lost in your post (probably just me) but are you in support of BD or no?

@ HappySqurriel

Many consumers are blown away by the quality upgrade enjoyed from Blu-Ray/HDTV compared to NTSC targeted content. But without the PS3 the price would be quite a hurdle at this point, especially considering you need a HDTV to truly enjoy the difference (apart from maybe audio). Also the HD DVD vs Blu-Ray format would have raged on for longer, also having a negative impact.

With regard to market penetration please understand it took 5 years before DVD started to outsell VHS. Rome isn't build in a day, I'm always scratching my head when people bring forward the argument DVD is still outselling Blu-Ray at this point. I think..... Duh.....