Is Sony preparing to raise a white flag?

[CliffH]

I don't know about the rest of you early adopters but my friends and relatives always look to me to recommend what electronics to purchase. As long as there are two formats I am not going to advise them to buy either one. The general population wants to buy a decent product and have it last 5 years or more. They don't care who makes it or about the vagaries of the different features. They want a product that works out of the box. They don't want to flash the bios. I would be making numerous house calls to my friend's homes if they purchased a player at this time. Most of them are usually not even aware of new formats or products until I tell them about it or they see it demonstrated in my home. Until the general population starts to purchase HD players and software it will not become successful.

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by CliffH

I don't know about the rest of you early adopters but my friends and relatives always look to me to recommend what electronics to purchase. As long as there are two formats I am not going to advise them to buy either one. The general population wants to buy a decent product and have it last 5 years or more. They don't care who makes it or about the vagaries of the different features. They want a product that works out of the box. They don't want to flash the bios. I would be making numerous house calls to my friend's homes if they purchased a player at this time. Most of them are usually not even aware of new formats or products until I tell them about it or they see it demonstrated in my home. Until the general population starts to purchase HD players and software it will not become successful.

Exactly. That's why cheap Toshiba HD DVD players that don't rely on firmware upgrades to play movies is gaining steam in the marketplace.

I don't feel bad telling my technology lacking friends to buy a HD DVD player for christmas. They will be available for $199 or less at many places this season and it will work right out of the box. There are enough interesting titles available to keep them happy.

The people I know would want Disney I'm telling to wait a year at least to see how things are going. If they must have HD content buy HD DVD.

I don't want those people calling me mad a title won't work. With BD changing their standards, etc. and more and more firmware upgrades... I just can't recommend BD to my friends right now.

[akbungle]

Originally Posted by deacongreg

Yeah, but you know what, this is why its taking me so long to make a decision. Also why Andrew is tired of all the Blu-Ray nonsense with firmware updates and such. And even kennyt is saying, its great that the HDDVD players, just work, period.

I don`t know, where is it written, that because we are in the so-called high end community, that we are expected to deal with this stuff. This is the same foolishness that for years, has kept more people out. At the end of the day, its about enjoying your music and now movies. Whether by yourself, with your friends, wife, or family. No drama at all, should be associated with buying or renting a movie, that could halt the enjoyment. Its ridiculous. Push play, and be done with it. Even myself, I just want to watch a movie. Period!!
Didn`t Mary J. Blige say - No More Drama!!

That is just not true I've had to do two different Firmware updates to my HD-A2 in order to play certain HD-DVD movies.

[TheMoose]

Would you all rather have to deal with occasional firmware updates that add functionality to your Blu-Ray players or have to worry about if your going to need to replace your HD-DVD players so you can play 51G HD-DVD's?

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by TheMoose

Would you all rather have to deal with occasional firmware updates that add functionality to your Blu-Ray players or have to worry about if your going to need to replace your HD-DVD players so you can play 51G HD-DVD's?

You won't have to replace your player for 51GB discs to work. Universal wouldn't be working on titles for it if that was the case.

[TheMoose]

Originally Posted by Lotus

You won't have to replace your player for 51GB discs to work. Universal wouldn't be working on titles for it if that was the case.

Do you have proof of that statement?
Everything I've read on here has Toshiba saying the 51G should work or May work not that it will work.