Is the HD war over?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a @ Aug 3 2007, 04:44 AM) [snapback]489853[/snapback]</div>

Well, here's my (somewhat skeptical) take-away: Consumer electronics are, by and large, a rip-off.
*They answer "wants" which have become "needs."
*They're designed to perpetuate consumerism and their own existence, by "shaming" those without the latest and greatest into a new purchase.
*They are designed to reap big profits for their manufacturers, with planned obsolescence and a "replace, don't repair" philosophy of design and construction.
*They also need to be supplied with content/connectivity...this creates an opportunity for service providers to write contracts and begin charging us a monthly fee (which of course will be mis-billed/increase after the trial period ends)...

Just say "NO" to consumer electronics.

-------

Oh, and don't forget that your iPhone battery will only recharge 300 times...then you get to sent it in to Apple (and pay $85 for the privilege). But --good news-- they'll RENT you a loaner...for $30...

Sweet!

So, how much *is* that iPhone really costing the typical user a month, when you factor in the cost of the service, the cost of the purchase price, and the cost of the battery replacement?

It's sounding, to me, like about $10/month...JUST for the battery replacement/rental of a loaner.

That's a LOT of money!! Approximately $120/year just for maintenance of the power supply (Apple estimates the battery will last about one year).

Isn't that about what it costs to replace the HV battery in the Prius (assuming 10 years of service and a replacement for $1200, which may be optimistic)...?

Hmmmmmm....

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TJandGENESIS @ Aug 3 2007, 02:34 AM) [snapback]489826[/snapback]</div>

it's really too bad that you don't know what the f you are talking about and apparently can't read.
First off lets explain the different formats simply for you
first you have 2 possible display configurations they are progressive and interlaced

On a progressive display you see every line 60 frames a second (60hz)
on an interlaced display you see half the lines alternating between the odd and even number lines giving you 30 frames even and 30 frames odd per second

Now lets explain what each format is and it's typical use
480i - typically regular television, VCR, DVD player (anything connected using a coax, RCA, or S-Video)
480P - DVD player hooked through components
720P - HDTV format available with component and HDMI cables (the standard at ESPN and ABC)
1080i - HDTV format also available with component and HDMI cables (considered best for HDTV movies and not so great for fast action like sports also the HDTV standard at CBS and most Cable channel providers)
1080p - HD format only available with HDMI connection and VGA connections as they are copy protected means of transferring the signal. Currently only high end tv's are capable of 1080p as there are currently limited sources to get this format mainly XBOX, PS3, Blu Ray, and HDDVD. (yes I know there are a few upconverting DVD players that can do it too)


1) yes the xbox VGA cable, yes that is my final answer outputs at 1080p (the xbox is only allowed to output at 720p and 1080i with component cables for movies) for more info look here (do your research next time you want to try to insult someone)
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/x/xbox360vgahdcable/
2) I did not say that there wasn't differences, I said that 480p still looks good and that it isn't as big of a leap as going from VHS to DVD in the past.
3) If you read any article that compares the two especially when they compare movies such as superman that are on both formats they say that bluray and Hd dvd are practically indistinguishable as the studio uses the exact same transfer.

Nice try thanks for playing

 

Paramount and Dreamworks announced today that they will drop Blu-Ray in favor of HD-DVD...

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/technology...and&emc=rss

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a @ Aug 20 2007, 10:21 PM) [snapback]499539[/snapback]</div>

Yep. Apparently counting the Sony Playstation3 gaming consoles isn't very accurate as very few gamers use theirs to view movies. Most movies are viewed with stand alone machines of which the HD DVD machines not only outnumber but also are cheaper.

Anyone know what format the porno industry chose? That's usually the deciding factor. (Really.)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a @ Aug 20 2007, 11:21 PM) [snapback]499539[/snapback]</div>

Well, that is about the dumbest thing I have read in some time. On the other hand, I'm not really bothered, since I have both formats...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TJandGENESIS @ Aug 21 2007, 01:45 AM) [snapback]499614[/snapback]</div>

Well, they were paid 150 million to drop support for Blu-Ray for 18 months.. they'll no doubt be running back the Blu-Ray format when the 18 months are up.

Still, as you said, pretty dumb move.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jonnycat26 @ Aug 21 2007, 08:34 PM) [snapback]500034[/snapback]</div>

That is hearsay, and should not be regurgitated as 'fact'. BTW, the same charges were leveled at the BR camp in the past by their rivals.

Personally, I wouldn't be surprised to find out if both allegations were true. It is a big pie they are fighting over, and I'd not hold either party above market manipulation. Quite the opposite, I expect it.

 

Both of them are duds. Consumers today are very happy with their DVDs, and they need more than just the better picture and the better sound quality of the HD formats to justify making the leap. They also don't want to take a chance on which format is going to win the HD wars, so the are content to stay with what they have.

In terms of the format war, either a single format wins, or nobody wins. The smart money for the moment is on nobody.

 

Do people think that Disney doesn't have some sort of deal for their exclusive support of BD. Let's not forget that Sony is the same company that got busted about 2 years ago for paying radio stations and DJ's to play extra spin's of Sony Artists like J Lo, Celine Dion, etc.... I believe I even read that the EU is investigating why Disney chose to exclusively support BD.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Swanny1172 @ Aug 21 2007, 08:40 PM) [snapback]500066[/snapback]</div>

You're assuming the requirement of a large price difference. Why?

Replacement of DVD will come naturally, when an HD format is delivered for only a small price increase above what consumers are currently paying. (Much like traditional vehicles and hybrids.)

Cheap discs & players will be how the winner is identified.

 

which is unfortunate, because who's got more money and marketing
muscle will be the determining factor, rather than media quality
and versatility. Same ol' same ol'.
.
_H*

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eagle33199 @ Jul 27 2007, 03:44 PM) [snapback]486297[/snapback]</div>

ACTUALLY, the video tape was first developed by RCA and then AMPEX manufactured video tape recorders for the US TV industry in the 60's. Ampex then developed a video cassette mechanism to hold the tape. All three companies, RCA, Sony, and JVC used variations of a Helical Scan method. Sony's method was technically superior. RCA Corporation didn't think video recorders would be a successful consumer product and sold the license for their VHS (Vertical Helical Scan) method to JVC, who then developed a smaller self contained cassette mechanism to hold the tape.

Sony BetaMax cassette was a smaller consumer version of their Professional video cassette used by the Japanese TV industry.

Sony lost out to the VHS system because JVC licensed the technology to virtually anybody. Hence, more market exposure.

Sony was too proud and kept Betamax for themselves, just like they have done on other technologies they developed.

Retailers/rental stores stocked both formats for many years until Sony gave up on Beta and started manufacturing VHS systems. many retailers have not forgotten that and are being more hesitant this go around.

HOWEVER, this time Blu-Ray Disc is a joint venture with Panasonic, Sony, and Samsung.
Blu-Ray WILL be the dominant method after this holiday season, due to the vast numbers of SONY and SAMSUNG LCD 1080P HDTV's sold this last year.

Consumers will start buying Blu-Ray players in large numbers, when the $299 price point is available on leader models early next year. This year is still the year for early adoptors.

Respectfully,
A 37 year veteran of the consumer electronics industry.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a @ Aug 3 2007, 05:44 AM) [snapback]489853[/snapback]</div>

Towards the end of DIVX, Circuit City purchased all the rights to the software and made deals with the hardware manufacturers. That continued DIVX for several more years. The dual DVD/DIVX players had problems reading DVD discs and playing them properly.

Circuit City recently reported comp store sales off by double digits, while Best Buy has had consistant double digit comp store increases. Kind of tells you where most consumers are doing their electronics shopping.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(silver squirell @ Sep 21 2007, 06:48 PM) [snapback]516028[/snapback]</div>

As one 37-year vet to another, don't count on a BD victory yet. The main problem with Blu-ray is manufacturing the discs. It is a totally unique process which means unique equipment (capital investment) is needed. HD-DVD can be and is made on standard DVD-9 manufacturing equipment which can be easily retrofitted for the task. This means that it will always be cheaper to make HD-DVD with the existing (paid for) manufacturing capacity than BD with all new capacity (investment) required.

Another relatively unknown part of the story is that the "guts" of players for HD and BD discs can come from common sources that are now tooled to make a single element that plays both formats! So it won't be long until the combo player becomes the standard. This mean the consumer will buy the disc that's the cheapest.

Now, by way of analogy, here's what happened with the audio disc. Everyone loves CDs. So, some of the same companies in the present format war decided to improve it. Sony came up with Super Audio CD that required a special player to play it. Toshiba (I think) came up with DVD Audio. Both gave technically superior sound compared to regular CD. Each required a special player AND there was no compatibility--consumers with a Super Audio player could not play a DVD Audio disc on it and vice versa. So what happened? Well, ask yourself when was the last time you saw either a Super Audio or DVD Audio disc on a retail rack? And, BTW, how is most music acquired today? MP3--LESS quality than CD!!

So are we about to see the same thing happen with BD/HD discs? IMHO, yes. Here's why.

The Wall Street Journal reported a study that showed most owners of high definition sets don't have access, or are not properly connected if they do, to high definition programming. Yet, they are excited and pleased with the picture they are getting on their flat panels. The color, the brightness, the size! "It must be high def. It says so on the front." How do people what to watch their movies nowadays? On their iPods!!

We'll see what happens.

Dave

 

Advanced technology and better quality are all well and good.

But I'm not replacing a piece of equipment that works perfectly well every few years. Not when it costs hundreds of dollars.

And I'm not replacing every item in my collection at $10-$20 a pop just because a new format comes out.

My CD player works fine and I'm not replacing all of my CDs.

My DVD player works find and I haven't even replaced all of my VHS tapes with DVDs yet.

They need to get a clue.

I'm still watching TV on a cathode ray television that's over 10 years old. Not planning to replace any time soon.

And I don't own an iPod or MP3 player.

 

I have a 40" 1080p Sony LCD TV. It has great picture quality when I use HD Staelite sources(1080i), and is pretty OK with normal TV sources. I have yet to upgrade my Tivo to HD (although I would really like). ANd I use a SOny Progressive scan DVD player, whcih provides a really good picture fro most movies.

I will just wait and see what happens, like most concumers, till the indutry gets their act together. I might buy a triple format player (DVD/HD/BR) if the price is right. Till then you willl not really notice the DVD with progressive scan vs BR/HD on this screen size.

Maybe on larger TVs like 50"+ it might make a bigger difference, but I don't need a TV that big. It seems however consumer taste for TVs are similar to vehicles, buy the biggest not the best or buy more than you need as it is cool.

 

I've got a 13" TV. I really don't care what whichever format looks like on a big screen since when I have to replace my TV, whatever I replace it with has to fit in the same space in the cabinet. So "High Definition" doesn't do a lot for me.

Having to spend money to replace my DVD player and my DVDs (and all of the VHS tapes I still haven't replaced) mean more to me than what the picture on the TV looks like.

Does anyone know the comparison of DVD sales to HD-DVD and BlueRay? Is DVD still ahead? If DVD sales continue to stay ahead....will that send a message?