-
We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.
HD-DVD versus Blu-Ray: The Format War (old)
Page 4 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Shawn
Lifer
That's the theory. However at the moment, there are 400 HD DVD titles available and both Universal and Paramount are still HD DVD exclusive. If Paramount is in fact locked into an exclusivity contract for 18 months then that means they will remain HD DVD exclusive until Feb 2009. Even if they can back out of their contract, they will still likely release HD DVDs for some time. The same is true for Universal. Universal has always been strong supporters of HD DVD. If they go neutral they will probably still release on HD DVD as well until there is no longer any demand.
The way I see it HD DVD is still guaranteed to be around for another year with new releases coming out. Warner will still be releasing HD DVDs until June 2008. Universal and Paramount will likely continue to release titles on HD DVD for the rest of this year, if not longer. I'm sure that Toshiba will continue to support HD DVD for at least 3 or more years.
Also another thing to consider is there are still 229 HD DVD exclusive titles to date (see here). Even if Universal and Paramount go format neutral today it could still take up to 2 years for all of those exclusive titles to be released on Blu-ray. So until then the only way to get those titles is to have an HD DVD player. That's why I am happy to be format neutral.
So for $100 you get a nice upconverting DVD player, 7 free HD DVD movies, and the ability to play 400 HD DVD movies now and any more they may release in the future.
With the pricing of HD-DVD players. Toshiba could in theory just keep selling them as DVD and upscaling units until demand for DVD and upscaling units runs dry. Which I am guessing wont be for 5 years at the current rate of adoption of HD content. The guesstimates I have heard is ~45% of movies being sold will be hidef by the end of 2009. That is ~24 months from now and nobody expect it to be the majority format by then.
That would require marketing, which is a rare for the HD DVD camp. I've seen them air the same Shrek HD DVD commercials recently, but that's it. It's not being marketed as a DVD/upscaling player at all, outside of a single press-release.
There are problems with that approach as well. Advertising the machine as a DVD/upscaling machine puts it in direct competition with units that are far cheaper (both to produce and in retail price). Robert (owner of Value Electronics) mentioned on AVS forum that Toshiba is losing money on HD-A3s with the new pricing. $149 with 7 free movies for an HD-A3 is not Toshiba's ideal price, but recent events left them with no choice.
It would be a different argument entirely if Toshiba was introducing the new MSRPs with additional studio and industry support, but that's not the case. Without the possibility of gaining back the support of 4 major studios, they have no incentive to keep HD DVD alive longer than it takes to empty their warehouses. Sony would be the last studio to switch; Fox and WB were bought; Disney is a long-shot, with the amount of parading they've done on Blu-Ray's behalf.
The problem I see with this strategy of marketing their players as upconverting players first and then HDDVD players second is that its almost conceding the fact that they've lost the format war. Plus, people who buy them will have to also buy a separate BD player if they want to watch any titles from the other studios that don't support HDDVD
Like I have said in the past. At 100 bucks it is a throw away item. My entire collection with the player cost me ~350 bucks. That is 20+ movies and an A2. I couldnt even get a player on the BluRay side for that kind of money. Well not one worth purchasing.
People still buy DVD players at ridiculous rates. And I believe the avg cost of a DVD player was ~100 bucks.
People still buy DVD players at ridiculous rates. And I believe the avg cost of a DVD player was ~100 bucks.
That's my thought, too. I just bought another 5 HD-DVDs today from Amazon, why? Because they were 15 bucks a piece. That's cheaper that a good number of DVDs. HD-DVD is dying? So what, these movies will still player at the same quality as BD in 10 years and I have the player anyway. If my player dies, I can always pick up a combo player when they come down in price (or an internal drive for my HTPC).
sciencewhiz
Diamond Member
I have a friend at a major electronics retailer. He said the store's margin for the HD-A3 @ $150 was 20% and the HD-A30 @ 200 was 24%. The sony BDP-300 and Playstation 3 80GB margin were in the 1-3% range. It would seem that the retailers would want HD-DVD to win.
I still think those educated consumers that are just now buying HDTVs STILL get a benefit from HD-DVD. Same content, MUCH cheaper. I don't think this style is for the average Joe, but I know that if I was just buying a HDTV now, I'd probably still buy a HD-DVD player. It's just flat out cheaper HD content that won't "expire" like a lot of BD people make it seem.
TRENDING THREADS
-
Discussion Zen 5 Speculation (EPYC Turin and Strix Point/Granite Ridge - Ryzen 9000)- Started by DisEnchantment
- Replies: 25K
-
Discussion Intel Meteor, Arrow, Lunar & Panther Lakes + WCL Discussion Threads
- Started by Tigerick
- Replies: 25K
-
-
-
