HD Disc Format War Not Over By a Long Shot

[gstarr]

I think during the next decade there will still be a large market for disc sales. Many people like to "own" a solid product with a written insert. It seems and is a lot more "tangible". I even know a lot of people that do a lot of downloading music and when they hear something they really like they buy the disc.

Plus, gaming with discs will be around for quite awhile, not to mention the interactivity that will be on future Blu Ray discs.

Greg

[kennyt]

Originally Posted by Vinyl Rules!

And for those of you who have mentioned how expensive "big" bandwidth is, well, I just received an offer from Embarq (former Sprint/Earthlink carrier) today to upgrade from my current 5MB download speed to 10MB speed for only an extra $10/month.

Bandwidth costs, both now and in the future, are NOT going to be an impediment to the adaption of HD downloads to consumers who would rather buy their content this way than buy the physical media.

As always, YMMV, of course. But pleeease, don't keep constructing the idiotic argument that bandwidth speeds and bandwitch costs are going to limit the quick adaption of HD downloads in the major metro markets. It ain't gonna' happen with the Telco's and the Cable Companies competing to steal each others customers!:

Vinyl,

10 Mbps is no where near what a Blu-ray disc puts out! This is where the problem arises now, and I have to continue my stance that bandwidth DOES cost. If you are the only one downloading something, Apple probably couldn't even tell, but when ten million people all want the next POTC in 1080p with uncompressed audio the day it comes out, it will tie up even massive bandwidth, and thereby add cost. I agree it likely won't be the impediment to the format, but it is significant now, and for the foreseeable future.

KT

[deacongreg]

It will be a while before we see down loadable stuff due to these bandwith issues.

[bootman]

Originally Posted by AudAdv

The title of this thread is now awesomeness. It was only about a month ago that it was started, and now ... it is dead along with HD DVD.

All hail the king, long live Blu-Ray ... well at least until downloads ramp up and start delivering the same bit rates and picture quality as discs. ;-)

As I stated very early in this thread, studio support is key.
Still don't know why the leaders here failed to see that, but it is all a moot point now.

Downloads will be interesting to watch.
Apple does have all of the studios on board.
The real question becomes if it takes off as quickly as some here think it will.
After all what percentage of people with HD sets have an internet connection at the set?
If wireless N routers finally get their act together this year, they should start to sell.
(I'm now looking at one)
But a G wireless network will barely cut it with a HD stream now.
Again, lots of things need to happen to make this a seemless experience to the customer.
Will all of this happen before the 2008 holiday season?
That may turn out to be the real "HD download" question.

Who knows, in the end HD VOD may just be all that America wants anyway.
We will see. Has SD-VOD killed off DVD sales?

[prerich]

Originally Posted by gstarr

I think during the next decade there will still be a large market for disc sales. Many people like to "own" a solid product with a written insert. It seems and is a lot more "tangible". I even know a lot of people that do a lot of downloading music and when they hear something they really like they buy the disc.

Plus, gaming with discs will be around for quite awhile, not to mention the interactivity that will be on future Blu Ray discs.

Greg

There was an article on www.windrivers.com that spoke of "boxless gaming" (link was to toms hardware http://www.n4g.com/industrynews/News-111881.aspx) games no longer being sold but downloaded. It was very interesting - seeing my son (who has now moved out) download games to his Wii that he used to have. The POTC game online ect. Disc may be on their way out. I also work in instructional technology, we are steering away from disc and going for online training and downloadable content. It saves us heaps of money - not having to have a physical medium for over 10,000 PC's. It's also a better way of protection - software owners (the companies not the users) can immediately spot pirated software, or software not on the "right" PC. Movie studios will soon take advantage of this type of technology if it saves them money and protects their loaned content - I say loaned becasue we do not own any content - we just have the rights to use it in our homes - (Get the picture - specific PC's, specific homes - not for you to take to your friends house an enjoy - do we do this with OS's? - Same principle). It's coming - I don't know how soon, but I know it is. Disc will be out within 5 years - mark it. Hard drives as we know them will be leaving too - solid state is ramping up.

As I see it - eventually you will be able to carry your pc with you on something as small as a thumb drive - plug it into a PC "shell" and work from where ever - licences attached to the drive itself. That's scary - but people say I have a pesimsitic view. So if it doesn't happen I will just be surprised. - I stand by my optical disc call - 5 years. Heat mizer and Snow mizer ... I mean Apple and Microsoft are hard at work to make it happen.

[prerich]

Originally Posted by AudAdv

The title of this thread is now awesomeness. It was only about a month ago that it was started, and now ... it is dead along with HD DVD.

All hail the king, long live Blu-Ray ... well at least until downloads ramp up and start delivering the same bit rates and picture quality as discs. ;-)

So are you saying that you would go to downloads if this were to happen?