CES 2008 BD Predictions!

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by kennyt

War will not be over....

Too much $$ on either side for one to bow out.

I don't see either bowing out, but the "war,' aspect will be over. Nobody is going to "win," but the consumers. Because both will be around a long, long, time if that happens.

[TheMoose]

Originally Posted by Lotus

Then it will be like choosing between Cable and Satelite or any of the other things with two formats. Consumers will win. That is who wins.

I really can't understand your thinking at all!
How is having 2 incompatible formats good for the consumer?
Cable & satellite are not the same as Blu-Ray & hd-dvd!
I can get the same channels on either, if you could get HBO, ABC & CBS only on cable & Showtime, NBC & Fox only on satellite then you might be able to compare them to the HDM format war.
If you want to get all of your favorite movies you have to invest in 2 separate players or spend $800-$1000 for a dual format player.
Joe 6 pack will not invest in either format until there is a winner & the longer HDM stays a niche market the worse it will be.

There is no way the continuation of a format war is good for the consumer.

One of these formats must lose for HDM to take off in the mainstream & that will be good for the consumer.

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by TheMoose

I really can't understand your thinking at all!
How is having 2 incompatible formats good for the consumer?
Cable & satellite are not the same as Blu-Ray & hd-dvd!
I can get the same channels on either, if you could get HBO, ABC & CBS only on cable & Showtime, NBC & Fox only on satellite then you might be able to compare them to the HDM format war.
If you want to get all of your favorite movies you have to invest in 2 separate players or spend $800-$1000 for a dual format player.
Joe 6 pack will not invest in either format until there is a winner & the longer HDM stays a niche market the worse it will be.

There is no way the continuation of a format war is good for the consumer.

One of these formats must lose for HDM to take off in the mainstream & that will be good for the consumer.

What you aren't understanding is that if there are two formats then there will be increased studio neutrality. By 2010 if there are two formats you will see studios releasing on both including Sony.

Right now it's ugly, but trust me the larger these markets get the more interest the other Studios will have.

[TheMoose]

Originally Posted by Lotus

What you aren't understanding is that if there are two formats then there will be increased studio neutrality. By 2010 if there are two formats you will see studios releasing on both including Sony.

Right now it's ugly, but trust me the larger these markets get the more interest the other Studios will have.

I do not agree at all.
Joe 6 pack is who we need to start buying to get HDM in the mainstream & it will be too confusing if there are 2 formats.
The markets growth will be way too small & slow with 2 formats.
With all the HDTV's being sold now can you imagine where HDM would be right now if there was only 1 format?

IMO Unless Blu-Ray is gone & buried Sony will never release a movie on HD-DVD.
They are way too stubborn for that!
With Blu-Ray being required for PS3 games Blu-Ray will be around a long time.

[kennyt]

I just want SOMETHING to win.....

I will gladly throw out my players from EITHER format if one wins tomorrow, but i know that will never happen.

Both formats have a strong enough foothold that we are stuck with both for now, and likely for a while. Studios will vacillate between formats, and go to who pays the most (don't you with jobs?) but we, the consumer are the ones suffering.........

I would love to have never had this 'war' but my wishes matter for naught. I keep both formats in my main rig, and Blu-ray in my bedroom, but i doubt I need it there. If I want to watch something in HD, I go to my 1080p set (Sony 70" XBR2 RPTV) the bedroom set (Pannie plasma) is for TV and when I am ready to go night night....

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by TheMoose

I do not agree at all.
Joe 6 pack is who we need to start buying to get HDM in the mainstream & it will be too confusing if there are 2 formats.
The markets growth will be way too small & slow with 2 formats.
With all the HDTV's being sold now can you imagine where HDM would be right now if there was only 1 format?

IMO Unless Blu-Ray is gone & buried Sony will never release a movie on HD-DVD.
They are way too stubborn for that!
With Blu-Ray being required for PS3 games Blu-Ray will be around a long time.

This isn't the music industry. Sony can't push around the big boys of Hollywood.

First movies cost an absurd amount of money to make. Studios don't pay for them all themselves. Sony pictures needs investing firms to keep them afloat.

Those firms will demand Sony release on HD DVD sooner or later. At that point Sony will. They won't argue because they need to stay in business.

Same goes for Universal.

Sooner or later there will be too much profit to ignore in either format.

Also consumers won't care. If both work and both have every studio, a consumer is just going to pick what is best for their wallet or sensibilities.