Expect Two Winners in the HD Disc Format War

[westcott]

Prices are getting manageable and performance is improving but I do not want to have three different disc players in my audio rack, have to program them, and teach the wife which is which, and why you use one vs. the other. Just too much of a pain and consumes too much valuable rack space. Then you add the price of a quality 4x2 video hdmi switcher to manage all of the different players and you have a real mess to contend with. Forget about losing out if one goes away. It would not be so bad if they supported DVD Audio, SACD, and DVD +/-R's but alas, none are real universal players.

You can try to get us to be the first so the content providers can justify their expenditures but I am tired of being that person!!!!!!

[cinereal.com]

Originally Posted by AVRevForum.com

I have heard it so many times from readers. They say, “I am waiting to see which format wins before I buy an HD disc player.” Notable online review sites, AV print magazines and chatrooms alike have fostered the "Beta versus VHS" fears in consumers over two HD disc formats.

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It's time for consumers across the country to man up and get into the HD game. Yes, the early players on both sides were heavily flawed, overpriced, slow to load and had “handshake” issues. Today’s Blu-ray and HD DVD players for $300 to $500 per unit are significantly better than first generation units, plus some of the game machines, such as Playstation's Blu-ray capability and Xbox's add-on HD DVD drive that priced at the same level, are possibly even better on some levels. Waiting for an end to the format war isn’t going to help fill the HD void in your life.

by: Jerry Del Colliano

It is not - all about price or even quality. It is about broken promises. You remember when the industry said they would get it together and produce one format. They had learned their lessons.

Personally, I am not going to participate in this format war. A plague on both their houses.

There is another side to this debate. That of the small video producers, of which we are one.

We have been forced into an impossible situation where our clients who are interested in having their productions created in HD do not know which one to request because they cannot make up their minds which way to go. Even dedicated corporate clients are being forced to produce both versions just so their customers can make a choice.

In reality there are three formats since most of their clients are staying with standard definition DVD's.

All this despite claims by both HD camps claim that they are winning the battle.

If you think that your costs are high, consider the small video producer who has to purchase both production systems, editors, burners et al. To show the product, they then have to purchase both players. All for nonexistant-frustrated clients.

The result: small video producers continue to produce SD DVD's awaiting the final deathnell. Some are actually shooting in High Definition, converting to SD but storing the HD edited tape for the clients until they can make up their minds.

Essentially, standard definition DVD's are winning until one of the two combatants perish in a Betamax firestorm.

Can this go on and on. Yes. VHS vs Beta had a relatively quick result because there was no other option. Today, consumers still have the DVD/vhs formats.

As we said earlier. A plague on both of their houses and broken promises.

[BYU Cougar]

I agree, waiting is still the best option. My TV will be just fine playing very nicely with DVD. I'll let you rich guys pay the big bills and drive down the price for me. Because the consumer in this country holds ALL the power. If the consumer is patient, won't spend ridiculous amounts on all the new stuff, we'd be amazed at what would happen to pricing.

The problem with our country, is everyone insists on having everything. A year or two later, I'll still enjoy the great picture, but I can wait. I can also drop $15 and see a great film on a digital screen, with digital sound I can't touch at home.

Here's a good one, my buddy spent $10K on a SIM2 projector, another $10K on his sound system, and who knows how much to have it all installed and built. Let's say he's into it all $40K.

Uh, for $40K, at $20 a pop, to go to the movies, he could have gone to a theater with a freakin 60' screen....2000 times!!!! That's a WHOPPIN 2 movies a week for 19.23 YEARS!!!!!! And there are NOT enough good movies made to waste that much time each week....

Let me know when the prices are way down, I'll buy then.

[J.J.]

I remember when I first bought a DVD player, which I still have in the kids room, and I paid $600.00 for it and that was quite a few years ago. It was well worth it then. I kind of think of the "format war" like that. The crossover products like the PS3 and X-Box 360 give you hope that even if one format wins out that you will continue to be able to buy games and probably movies as well. Also, you can enjoy HD at it's best NOW!!!

I do think, however, that both formats will survive for a long time to come. The studios may not have their Sh*# together about deciding on one format, but the equipment manufacturers are getting it together. Combi players will help the consumer fears and maybe one day even a true UNIVERSAL player (HD DVD, BD, DVD, DVD-A, SACD, DVD-R/+-, and even a CD).

I am glad that I did not buy the first gen. players with all the flaws! They also say "never buy a car the first year it is introduced".

[J.J.]

[QUOTE=BYU Cougar;4110]I
Uh, for $40K, at $20 a pop, to go to the movies, he could have gone to a theater with a freakin 60' screen....2000 times!!!! That's a WHOPPIN 2 movies a week for 19.23 YEARS!!!!!! And there are NOT enough good movies made to waste that much time each week....QUOTE



You can't sit around in your underwear and watch the movie with a cold beer! (you could try, but would probably get kicked out)

Maybe not worth $40K!

[AJones]

I think the last message says it all, to be able to sit at home, with a beverage of your choice and be able to control the volume and not have to sit next to some unruly, cell phone bearing people makes is all worth it.