Audio Video Revolution Forum - View Single Post - Toshiba Deploys New Marketing Initiatives Based On Strong Fourth Quarter Unit Sales

TheMoose · 01-15-2008

Home media magazine

A Plea for a Unified, Blu Future
Author: THOMAS K. ARNOLD
Posted: January 14, 2008

It’s time to knock it off. Ever since the two rival next-generation formats launched in 2006, I have been calling for an end to the format war, but without specifically telling one side or the other to get out.

I’m doing so now. With Warner Home Video dumping HD DVD, the format has the support of just two of the six major studios. It cannot win. At best, it can be a spoiler, but I’m hoping Toshiba, Universal and Paramount will take the high road and, for the good of the entire industry, bow out. Universal and Paramount, in particular, need to jump on the Blu-ray Disc bandwagon so we can go into the new year with a unified front and a unified mission: To educate consumers about the advantages of high-definition media and convince them the time to transition from standard DVD to Blu-ray is the day they bring that HDTV into their home.

Prolonging a format war that never should have happened in the first place makes no sense at this point. Study after study shows that consumer confusion is the No. 1 reason people aren’t rushing out to buy HD media hardware or software, and the format war is the reason everyone’s so confused — why risk buying something that six months down the road could be obsolete?

01-15-2008	#26
TheMoose Super Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Oklahoma (Go Sooners!!) Posts: 1,191	Re: Toshiba Deploys New Marketing Initiatives Based On Strong Fourth Quarter Unit Sal Home media magazine A Plea for a Unified, Blu Future Author: THOMAS K. ARNOLD Posted: January 14, 2008 It’s time to knock it off. Ever since the two rival next-generation formats launched in 2006, I have been calling for an end to the format war, but without specifically telling one side or the other to get out. I’m doing so now. With Warner Home Video dumping HD DVD, the format has the support of just two of the six major studios. It cannot win. At best, it can be a spoiler, but I’m hoping Toshiba, Universal and Paramount will take the high road and, for the good of the entire industry, bow out. Universal and Paramount, in particular, need to jump on the Blu-ray Disc bandwagon so we can go into the new year with a unified front and a unified mission: To educate consumers about the advantages of high-definition media and convince them the time to transition from standard DVD to Blu-ray is the day they bring that HDTV into their home. Prolonging a format war that never should have happened in the first place makes no sense at this point. Study after study shows that consumer confusion is the No. 1 reason people aren’t rushing out to buy HD media hardware or software, and the format war is the reason everyone’s so confused — why risk buying something that six months down the road could be obsolete?