HD-DVD versus Blu-Ray: The Format War (old)

[SlickSnake]

I bought my HD-A2 unit for 3 reasons.

1) I had just purchased a $1600 46 inch Sharp Aquos, and was on a tight budget.
2) I needed a cheap upconverting DVD player, and the Toshibas were affordable at $100.
3) The HD-DVD playback plus 5 free HD movies was a bonus for that price.

The BR-DVD PS3 at $400 was not even a consideration, at $300 more. And I do all my gaming on my PC, like most other knowledgeable adults do, who have spent butt loads of cash already on the PC. Also it's kind of glaringly obvious why Disney went to the BR camp, can you say junior with his shiny new PS3 wanting kiddie movies? 😛

The major question still remains for the studios, will the parents buy the kids the cheapest format, rather than the most expensive one just because the PS3 plays BR? I doubt most preschoolers give a crap in their diapers about the Blu-Ray experience on their PS3. They are too busy putting a nice hole in their parents new HD TVs with their Wii controllers. :laugh: (Wii outsells PS3 in nearly every market, including Japan, BTW.)

I know a lot of parents who still buy their kids VHS tapes of kiddie movies, because they are the cheapest and also are more kid proof than DVDs are, as far as scratches are concerned. And the parents don't want little snot nose sticky fingers messing with the DVD player and loading tray. And if the parents see some kid movie on VHS or DVD at $5.00, they will not spring for the movie on HD or BR for $25-35 a pop. It's not gonna happen. But in spite of that fact just look at the kind of crazed movie studio marketing hype that these questionable PS3 sales numbers have generated. :thumbsdown:

And don't forget the fact that the PS3s are built like a piece of ugly consumer junk, and will not outlast most well made stand alone high definition players, especially with junior knocking them over and generally abusing the PS3 all while constantly loading the PS3 with game after game with peanut butter and jelly on his fingers. PS3 really sounds like the long term winner in the Hi-Def wars to me. :roll:

 

[cubby1223]

Well, SlickSnake, congratulations on being the late-comer to the high definition format war, focusing solely on the current player prices and not what occurred between the two sides over the previous year & a half.

When I bought into the high definition format war, the HD-A2 was $399 and HD DVD discs had to be boiled to play without error. The PS3 on the other hand was $599 and played all Blu-ray discs quickly and flawlessly. Blu-ray had the industry and greater studio support, and enjoyed a nearly 2.5:1 software sales ratio for the first few months of the year.

 

[SlickSnake]

Originally posted by: cubby1223
Well, SlickSnake, congratulations on being the late-comer to the high definition format war, focusing solely on the current player prices and not what occurred between the two sides over the previous year & a half.

When I bought into the high definition format war, the HD-A2 was $399 and HD DVD discs had to be boiled to play without error. The PS3 on the other hand was $599 and played all Blu-ray discs quickly and flawlessly. Blu-ray had the industry and greater studio support, and enjoyed a nearly 2.5:1 software sales ratio for the first few months of the year.

Funny how you completely ignored the main thrust of my post about the PS3 being primarily an ugly, crappily built kids game machine in a limp rag attempt to make me look bad. Your false flag sarcastic congratulations toward me for being late to the Hi-Def war only make you look like the bitter winner. How weird is that?

I wanted a cheap upconverting standard definition DVD player, and I got HD-DVD in the process for the same price. This is an prime example of what will determine which side will win in the Hi-Def format war, over the long term. What part of that can your simple me love me Sony PS3 gamer mind not grasp?

Unfortunately, a good example of this media blind Sony love affair is my sister who rabidly LOVES her PS3, and is completely adamant about how great it is. She bought it completely for the games, not the BR. She hasn't bought one single BR, and has had the stupid PS3 since it came out! Of course, she only just recently bought a 32 inch HD-TV, too. But she's a cheapskate, and she won't be buying any expensive BR media anytime soon for it. She don't even own a PC. She is practically in the digital stone age. She's also has many friends who also have PS3s, too, and they don't have HD-TV or BR media, either. I know because I asked her. And she's no kid, shes 40 years old. I would really like to know how falsely inflated PS3 sales figures translates into instant BR media sales, when so many PS3 gamers out there may never buy a single BR-DVD.

But of course, when a major media company pays another minor company for a market analysis, like on HD versus BR sales, they can get any facts and figures they want to out of that market analysis company, can't they? And yea, they do. They are not actively looking at the actual HD media production figures from the warehouses of the studios, either. They are looking very selectively at certain stores, in certain demographic areas for these questionable retail sales numbers.

I had a long post attached to one of my other posts here about the questionable statistical analysis that are done by one such company in Europe who's figures are partly used to gauge these so-called sales at select retail stores, but since it was specific to that companies practices, I decided to delete it.

So, to be more vague about it, the point is this is slight of hand and a retail sales numbers shell game about retail HD media sales. The well paid marketing geniuses who run these market analysis companies frequently don't even use actual sales numbers at the select retail stores they monitor. This leaves them free to use a method where they go into a predetermined select store and physically count the stock to determine a base sales number once or twice a week! Then they randomly add in the vast majority of the other retail stores they do not count, and pull a sales number out of thin air! Talk about lousy retail sales market analysis! But this questionable market research technique is undoubtedly good for the media company that is actually paying for the ongoing market analysis, isn't it?

Yet another skewed research marketing factor may be selectively sampling a retail store that does not even sell any HD media or players and may be favoring PS3 and BR only or is only offering a a small or poor selection of HD titles. Yet the news media points to these sales numbers like they are completely accurate, when they can be completely false and made up, or only really accurately apply to a small market sampling of a few retail stores in select demographics, such as in high income areas. And you can also forget about including sites like Amazon or Overstock and including their huge online HD and BR sales numbers in the marketing research mix. And how about Ebay sales? It just goes on and on with what they do not include in their sales research statistics.

So tell me again about how BR is totally decimating the market in media sales again, when you clearly have no clue how these retail sales numbers are juiced up for whatever side is paying the marketing company the money for the sales studies in the first place.

And I also read a statement recently from one such marketing company concerning this very same Hi-Def war that claimed its retail sales figures were not meant to be released to the public and were leaked. They also implied in the statement they were averaged sales figures, not actually gross retail sales numbers. So obviously, these fattened up BR sales figures are just fat BS.

Recent Retail Sales Trends For HD And BR Media

You will notice a large trend of tapering off HD and BR sales, just as I predicted in a previous post, and now confirmed with this slightly older link from September 6, 2007. And this in spite of made up PS3 sales figures.

Leaked PS3 Sales Figures Spark Investigation

Funny how in this link from April 12, 2007 it only sparks an investigation when the retail sales figures don't benefit the company paying for those figures. Where as the leaks of supposed BR sales figures that benefit the paying company go completely unabated.

The HI-DEF marketing war also continues unabated.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: SlickSnake

Funny how you completely ignored the main thrust of my post about the PS3 being primarily an ugly, crappily built kids game machine in a limp rag attempt to make me look bad.

Yeah those God Damned PS3's and that RROD..wait that's not the PS3..DOH.

Your slip is showing.:roll:

 

[cliftonite]

Originally posted by: TheVrolok

Originally posted by: cmdrdredd

Originally posted by: TheVrolok

Originally posted by: Genx87
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.

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).

The issue is for people buying new HDTVs and new adopters. People who are buying new units.

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.

HD-DVD does not have the same content only about 25% of the releases will be released in HDDVD come June.

 

[TheVrolok]

Originally posted by: cliftonite

Originally posted by: TheVrolok

Originally posted by: cmdrdredd

Originally posted by: TheVrolok

Originally posted by: Genx87
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.

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).

The issue is for people buying new HDTVs and new adopters. People who are buying new units.

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.

HD-DVD does not have the same content only about 25% of the releases will be released in HDDVD come June.

Did I say anything about 6 months from now? Not to mention 6 months from now there will STILL be a good number of HD-DVD exclusives (content that is NOT available on BR). My point is that you can get a HD-DVD player and a solid number of HD-DVDs (neutral releases included) at a DRASTICALLY cheaper price than a BRD player with BD titles. Will you get all the BRD exclusives? No. But if you're that obsessed with Disney movies then so be it. What I'm saying is that for a fraction of the cost you can get HD movie content that's going to last you for a decade by still buying a HD player. Right now, you can pick up a HD-DVD player and about 20 movies for the price of JUST a decent BRD player. So I would STILL do that if I were new to HDTV and then wait on BRD exclusives when the prices come down. It's just being smart with money. I have no problem seeing HD-DVD go away and die forever even though I was an early adopter, but it's inane for all the BRD supports to assume that it will. HD-DVD is going to be around for at least another year, might as well make some smart consumer choices while you still can.

 

[cliftonite]

Originally posted by: TheVrolok

Did I say anything about 6 months from now? Not to mention 6 months from now there will STILL be a good number of HD-DVD exclusives (content that is NOT available on BR).

Only around 25% And for how long will those studios support a format that is being outsold nearly 4:1 now?

My point is that you can get a HD-DVD player and a solid number of HD-DVDs (neutral releases included) at a DRASTICALLY cheaper price than a BRD player with BD titles.

My point is why waste the $100 on teh HD-DVD. Put it towards a Blu-Ray player, buy the movies that are currently out (soon around 75 to 80% of the movies will be available for the format) and wait for inevitable day when University, Paramount, and Dreamworks release on Blu-Ray.

Will you get all the BRD exclusives? No. But if you're that obsessed with Disney movies then so be it.

Disney, Fox, Sony pictures, and soon Warner (includes smaller studios like HBO, New Line).

What I'm saying is that for a fraction of the cost you can get HD movie content that's going to last you for a decade by still buying a HD player.

I guess I dont see the point in wasting money/shelf space on something which is not guaranteed to have any releases in a year or two.

Right now, you can pick up a HD-DVD player and about 20 movies for the price of JUST a decent BRD player. So I would STILL do that if I were new to HDTV and then wait on BRD exclusives when the prices come down. It's just being smart with money.

Fortunately there a few manufacturers that are including Blu-ray players with the purchase of hdtvs (panasonic, sharp, sony(for awhile not sure anymore))
I have no problem seeing HD-DVD go away and die forever even though I was an early adopter, but it's inane for all the BRD supports to assume that it will.

Why is it inane if the studios drop support for it?


HD-DVD is going to be around for at least another year, might as well make some smart consumer choices while you still can.

I guess for me the smart decision would be to not waste $100 on a soon to be "obsolete" player.

 

[TheVrolok]

Originally posted by: cliftonite

Originally posted by: TheVrolok

Did I say anything about 6 months from now? Not to mention 6 months from now there will STILL be a good number of HD-DVD exclusives (content that is NOT available on BR).

Only around 25% And for how long will those studios support a format that is being outsold nearly 4:1 now?

My point is that you can get a HD-DVD player and a solid number of HD-DVDs (neutral releases included) at a DRASTICALLY cheaper price than a BRD player with BD titles.

My point is why waste the $100 on teh HD-DVD. Put it towards a Blu-Ray player, buy the movies that are currently out (soon around 75 to 80% of the movies will be available for the format) and wait for inevitable day when University, Paramount, and Dreamworks release on Blu-Ray.

Will you get all the BRD exclusives? No. But if you're that obsessed with Disney movies then so be it.

Disney, Fox, Sony pictures, and soon Warner (includes smaller studios like HBO, New Line).

What I'm saying is that for a fraction of the cost you can get HD movie content that's going to last you for a decade by still buying a HD player.

I guess I dont see the point in wasting money/shelf space on something which is not guaranteed to have any releases in a year or two.

Right now, you can pick up a HD-DVD player and about 20 movies for the price of JUST a decent BRD player. So I would STILL do that if I were new to HDTV and then wait on BRD exclusives when the prices come down. It's just being smart with money.

Fortunately there a few manufacturers that are including Blu-ray players with the purchase of hdtvs (panasonic, sharp, sony(for awhile not sure anymore))
I have no problem seeing HD-DVD go away and die forever even though I was an early adopter, but it's inane for all the BRD supports to assume that it will.

Why is it inane if the studios drop support for it?


HD-DVD is going to be around for at least another year, might as well make some smart consumer choices while you still can.

I guess for me the smart decision would be to not waste $100 on a soon to be "obsolete" player.

This is a fundamental difference in philosophy and something that can not be rectified. I'm glad you put obsolete in quotation marks because the reality is that there is nothing that will be obsolete about HD-DVDs in a decade (I suppose an argument could be made for any online features). They will look/sound (depending on what kind of audio format you prefer) identifical to BRDs. Period. Someone buying a HD-DVD will not be behind in quality when BRD finally takes the solo role. Also, I didn't mean inane for studios to drop support (although they may as well still sell neutral releases as long as there is a market - timeline tbd) I meant the BRD early adopting consumers. HD-DVDs will still be sold new for another year or so including some new releases/exclusives. The aforementioned difference in philosophy comes with your last line. If $100 is too much for you to spend then so be it, it is what it is. If you prefer buying 1/4th of a player instead of a player with 20 or so titles then fair enough. But I prefer to HAVE a product rather than not. The thrust of my argument is that for the price of a BD player I can have a HD player and 20 or so films. This way I'll have identical HD content to last me until BRD players/media come down in price.

I'm in NO way trying to argue that HD should/will win out over BRD, it won't. All I'm saying is that you can save a hell of a lot of money for now if you want to still have HD content by still buying a HD player. If you're too worried about feeling like you're part of a "losing side" by doing this, then don't. I'm just saying I, personally, would rather have 400 dollars turn into a HD player and 20 titles rather than a player by itself. Oh, and Transformers in still exclusive damnit. 🙂 Fanboys like myself still have to hang on to our HD players for a bit longer. On another personal note, hopefully BRD players come down in price before New Line puts LOTR out - since that'll be the date I pick up a BRD player (if I don't settle for LG's combo internal).

 

[Arkaign]

Buy both, or buy Blu.

 

[Ricochet]

cliftonite, some of us bought into HD DVD because that was/is the most affordable entry into HD. Given a choice of enjoying HD content now versus waiting 6 or more months down the road, I'd choose NOW. It was not an investment decision.

Some of us spend more money on the latest videocard, only to find a better card 6 months later at half the cost.

 

[dainthomas]

Originally posted by: TheVrolok
Oh, and Transformers in still exclusive damnit. 🙂 Fanboys like myself still have to hang on to our HD players for a bit longer. On another personal note, hopefully BRD players come down in price before New Line puts LOTR out - since that'll be the date I pick up a BRD player (if I don't settle for LG's combo internal).

Same with Bourne. In fact I just watched Supremacy last night (I could watch that Moscow car chase over and over). Great flick!

Agree 110% with bolded part. Although I imagine PJ's not going to be in a huge hurry to do it any time soon. Especially given his recent spat with New Line and production of The Hobbit (hopefully) beginning soon. By the time he does get around to it players should be sub $100.

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: SlickSnake

Originally posted by: cubby1223
Well, SlickSnake, congratulations on being the late-comer to the high definition format war, focusing solely on the current player prices and not what occurred between the two sides over the previous year & a half.

When I bought into the high definition format war, the HD-A2 was $399 and HD DVD discs had to be boiled to play without error. The PS3 on the other hand was $599 and played all Blu-ray discs quickly and flawlessly. Blu-ray had the industry and greater studio support, and enjoyed a nearly 2.5:1 software sales ratio for the first few months of the year.

Funny how you completely ignored the main thrust of my post about the PS3 being primarily an ugly, crappily built kids game machine in a limp rag attempt to make me look bad. Your false flag sarcastic congratulations toward me for being late to the Hi-Def war only make you look like the bitter winner. How weird is that?

It was ignored b/c your "point" has no relevance. This sounds like the ravings of a madman.

Unfortunately, a good example of this media blind Sony love affair is my sister who rabidly LOVES her PS3, and is completely adamant about how great it is. She bought it completely for the games, not the BR. She hasn't bought one single BR, and has had the stupid PS3 since it came out! Of course, she only just recently bought a 32 inch HD-TV, too. But she's a cheapskate, and she won't be buying any expensive BR media anytime soon for it. She don't even own a PC. She is practically in the digital stone age. She's also has many friends who also have PS3s, too, and they don't have HD-TV or BR media, either. I know because I asked her. And she's no kid, shes 40 years old. I would really like to know how falsely inflated PS3 sales figures translates into instant BR media sales, when so many PS3 gamers out there may never buy a single BR-DVD.

See, you sound like a child. Why does it bother you that your sister likes her PS3? Is it possible, in this incredibly tiny world of ours, that somehow, someway, two individuals may have different tastes?

Why are you so angry and deluded over this? You bought into it before the war was over (albeit late), with the understanding that you could potentially back the wrong horse (and those markings were on the wall when you bought in). So why can't you accept that you made a bad choice?

Many people did this, yet not all of them act like children when they bet wrong. WTF is your malfunction? Deal with it, or at least stop posting in this thread.

You haven't offered one shred of insightful or relevant information to this thread in any of its various forms.

 

[bigdog1218]

Originally posted by: ricochet
cliftonite, some of us bought into HD DVD because that was/is the most affordable entry into HD. Given a choice of enjoying HD content now versus waiting 6 or more months down the road, I'd choose NOW. It was not an investment decision.

Some of us spend more money on the latest videocard, only to find a better card 6 months later at half the cost.

That's not a very good analogy. In 6 months games will still be released that work on your videocard. You'll be lucky if you can buy new HD-DVDs next year. If the cheap players are such a great deal you wouldn't see so many people trying to justify their purchase.

Maybe you guys will get a thank you letter from Toshiba for buying all their dead technology.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: ricochet
cliftonite, some of us bought into HD DVD because that was/is the most affordable entry into HD. Given a choice of enjoying HD content now versus waiting 6 or more months down the road, I'd choose NOW. It was not an investment decision.

Some of us spend more money on the latest videocard, only to find a better card 6 months later at half the cost.

Pretty much. If I didnt get an HD-DVD player for 100 bucks. I would still be on the sideline and probably for years to come judging by the price of Blu-Ray players.

That's not a very good analogy. In 6 months games will still be released that work on your videocard. You'll be lucky if you can buy new HD-DVDs next year. If the cheap players are such a great deal you wouldn't see so many people trying to justify their purchase.

Maybe you guys will get a thank you letter from Toshiba for buying all their dead technology.

I have 20+ HD-DVD movies and a player. Grand total was ~350 bucks. Tell me where I can get a decent BluRay player for that much, much less have 20+ movies to enjoy.

So come next year if your prediction comes true. If I didnt have an HD-DVD player with the movies. I would still be watching regular old DVD. For that money it is more than worth it.

Plus when they do cease selling HD-DVD's I can cash in an buy them in the 5 dollar bin at any electronic retailer 😀

Someday, maybe BluRay will have a good player for 100 bucks. When that happens, ill fill in the voids of my HD movie collection with BluRay.

 

[DaveSimmons]

FYI, at least some Walmart and Circuit City stores are closing out their stock of HD-DVD players (photos at TheDigitalBits).

NPD hardware sales for 1-20 have standalone blu-ray players outselling HD-DVD 2-to-1 despite Toshiba cutting player prices in half. This is not including PS3 sales.

On the bright side, if you own a HD-DVD player you'll still get WB releases through May and can enjoy the 400+ titles already in print. I'm tempted to pick up a cheap player just to watch titles like Heroes in 1080i (or 1080p with a more expensive player).

 

[cliftonite]

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: ricochet
cliftonite, some of us bought into HD DVD because that was/is the most affordable entry into HD. Given a choice of enjoying HD content now versus waiting 6 or more months down the road, I'd choose NOW. It was not an investment decision.

Some of us spend more money on the latest videocard, only to find a better card 6 months later at half the cost.

Pretty much. If I didnt get an HD-DVD player for 100 bucks. I would still be on the sideline and probably for years to come judging by the price of Blu-Ray players.

That's not a very good analogy. In 6 months games will still be released that work on your videocard. You'll be lucky if you can buy new HD-DVDs next year. If the cheap players are such a great deal you wouldn't see so many people trying to justify their purchase.

Maybe you guys will get a thank you letter from Toshiba for buying all their dead technology.

I have 20+ HD-DVD movies and a player. Grand total was ~350 bucks. Tell me where I can get a decent BluRay player for that much, much less have 20+ movies to enjoy.

So come next year if your prediction comes true. If I didnt have an HD-DVD player with the movies. I would still be watching regular old DVD. For that money it is more than worth it.

Plus when they do cease selling HD-DVD's I can cash in an buy them in the 5 dollar bin at any electronic retailer 😀

Someday, maybe BluRay will have a good player for 100 bucks. When that happens, ill fill in the voids of my HD movie collection with BluRay.

Here, its around 298 with cat6off coupon.

 

[NamelessMC]

I think it's stupid that people with the ability to spend $400 on a player try to shove it down other peoples' throats. Working at Best Buy I can tell you, the only time Blu-ray players sell is when people come in specifically to buy them or MAYBE when someone with money comes in to buy a TV and realize they get $100 off Blu-ray or HD DVD players. And even then, the HD-A3 bundled with 300/Bourne Identity + 2 free movies from the shelf and 5 free by mail for $50 is way more attractive to them.

Will Blu-Ray take over? Yeah, but that's 6 months from now at the earliest, not to mention just because Blu-ray is the only format doesn't mean people are going to buy it. I'd flinch at $300-400 for a player just as much 6 months from now as I would now.

People spend $100-150 now, get free movies and HD content for the next 6 months to 1 year or longer and can prolong the time it takes for them to get a Blu-ray player. I'm not looking forward to Sony being the proprietary HD format provider to be honest with you. They have a habit of "taxing" the public for their hardware. I'd rather upconvert regular DVD's for the next 3-4 years than ever give in to a $300-400 price tag on a player. Back when DVD players came out, I BARELY justified paying $200 for a very good Pioneer unit and we're talking about a much higher quality jump from VHS to DVD than the jump from DVD to BR, so I won't bite until at least $150 is what a Blu-ray player costs.

Not to mention the fact that people with regular DVD's and regular home theater systems get BETTER sound than people with HD DVD/BR + regular home theater.

They need to include DTS regular sound tracks on HD DVD and BR disks until True HD/ DTS lossless receivers become more affordable. 9/10 people that buy a new TV and consider the HD jump don't have $2000 to spend on a home theater system. If people knew that regular DVD's with DTS will sound better than HD DVD/BR without a lossless audio receiver that's $1000 at the minimum, they wouldn't consider the HD jump at all.

 

[Ricochet]

Originally posted by: bigdog1218

Originally posted by: ricochet
cliftonite, some of us bought into HD DVD because that was/is the most affordable entry into HD. Given a choice of enjoying HD content now versus waiting 6 or more months down the road, I'd choose NOW. It was not an investment decision.

Some of us spend more money on the latest videocard, only to find a better card 6 months later at half the cost.

That's not a very good analogy. In 6 months games will still be released that work on your videocard. You'll be lucky if you can buy new HD-DVDs next year. If the cheap players are such a great deal you wouldn't see so many people trying to justify their purchase.

Maybe you guys will get a thank you letter from Toshiba for buying all their dead technology.

That's not the trend I'm seeing for PC games. The latest and greatest PC games will choke most peoples videocard. Games like Oblivion and Crysis proved to us that hardware is playing catchup to software. But that discussion belongs in another forum.

I was not attempting to make an analogy. I was just saying it's not uncommon to spend money on depreciating technology (ie computer hardware). The upgrade path for some of us on this forum dwarf our spending on Hi-Def. Spending $100 on a player + 7 free movies is relatively nothing by comparision.

Whether the cheap Toshiba players are a great deal is a matter of opinion. No justification needed. I'm still looking to buy their top of the line player (A35?) for cheap. There are hundreds of HD DVD titles already out and still more to come. For years to come this so called "dead technology" will continue to play my movies just fine, plus all the extras. It's no big deal to have both red & blue on the same shelf space. In the end what matters is content not the format.

 

[cubby1223]

Originally posted by: NamelessMC
I think it's stupid that people with the ability to spend $400 on a player try to shove it down other peoples' throats.

Toshiba was losing the format war and tried a last ditch effort to slash prices. If HD DVD were more competitive in disc sales throughout 2007 the HD-A2 would have been much higher in price, and we would have never seen the $99 sale at Wal*Mart.

Originally posted by: NamelessMC
I'm not looking forward to Sony being the proprietary HD format provider to be honest with you.

In terms of importance to the format, it actually goes (1) Panasonic, (2) Samsung, (3) Sony, (4) Philips, (5) Pioneer http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb...=12894761#post12894761 There is nothing proprietary about Blu-ray.

 

[cubby1223]

Originally posted by: SlickSnake

Originally posted by: cubby1223
Well, SlickSnake, congratulations on being the late-comer to the high definition format war, focusing solely on the current player prices and not what occurred between the two sides over the previous year & a half.

When I bought into the high definition format war, the HD-A2 was $399 and HD DVD discs had to be boiled to play without error. The PS3 on the other hand was $599 and played all Blu-ray discs quickly and flawlessly. Blu-ray had the industry and greater studio support, and enjoyed a nearly 2.5:1 software sales ratio for the first few months of the year.

Funny how you completely ignored the main thrust of my post about the PS3 being primarily an ugly, crappily built kids game machine in a limp rag attempt to make me look bad. Your false flag sarcastic congratulations toward me for being late to the Hi-Def war only make you look like the bitter winner. How weird is that?

And it's supposed to be funny that your main point is a subjective opinion, not an objective analysis? Why do you _think_ I ignored it? The point still remains that your analysis of the format war is flawed, because you are looking only at player price differences at the end of the 2007 year, and taking nothing else into consideration.

Your whole rant can be summed up by I hate the PS3, therefore HD DVD should win.

Originally posted by: SlickSnake
So tell me again about how BR is totally decimating the market in media sales again, when you clearly have no clue how these retail sales numbers are juiced up for whatever side is paying the marketing company the money for the sales studies in the first place.

Nielson/Videoscan and NPD are not paid off by the corporations to fudge numbers.

 

[Ricochet]

Originally posted by: cubby1223

Originally posted by: NamelessMC
I think it's stupid that people with the ability to spend $400 on a player try to shove it down other peoples' throats.

No, Toshiba was losing the format war and tried a last ditch effort to slash prices. If HD DVD were more competitive throughout 2007, instead of losing every week of sales, the HD-A2 would have been much higher in price, and not closed out with a $99 sale at Wal*Mart.

I don't get your response to his statement. He's commenting about the elitist attitude some on this forum has over those who went the cheap route, not about the state of the price war.

 

[Jumpem]

Why don't you kids stop arguing and just get a player for each format.

 

[cubby1223]

Originally posted by: ricochet

Originally posted by: cubby1223

Originally posted by: NamelessMC
I think it's stupid that people with the ability to spend $400 on a player try to shove it down other peoples' throats.

No, Toshiba was losing the format war and tried a last ditch effort to slash prices. If HD DVD were more competitive throughout 2007, instead of losing every week of sales, the HD-A2 would have been much higher in price, and not closed out with a $99 sale at Wal*Mart.

I don't get your response to his statement. He's commenting about the elitist attitude some on this forum has over those who went the cheap route, not about the state of the price war.

It's not an elitist attitude by the rich, or at least I don't think it is, that someone like myself is trying to shove Blu-ray down other's throats. (I don't know how to word it properly)



Many people still believe that since HD DVD players dropped to $99, that format should inherently win out over Blu-ray. But that's just not the way it works.

My personal purchases have influenced exactly zero studios to adjust their HD plans. Likewise I believe that collectively, even all of AnandTech users' personal purchases have influenced exactly zero studios to adjust their HD plans.

It's not that I'm shoving expensive technology down people's throats, I'm shoving the technology that will realistically be around for years to come, down people's throats.

 

[TheVrolok]

Originally posted by: ricochet

Originally posted by: cubby1223

Originally posted by: NamelessMC
I think it's stupid that people with the ability to spend $400 on a player try to shove it down other peoples' throats.

No, Toshiba was losing the format war and tried a last ditch effort to slash prices. If HD DVD were more competitive throughout 2007, instead of losing every week of sales, the HD-A2 would have been much higher in price, and not closed out with a $99 sale at Wal*Mart.

I don't get your response to his statement. He's commenting about the elitist attitude some on this forum has over those who went the cheap route, not about the state of the price war.

It's just the way the arguing on this forum has gone. Like I was writing about earlier, I think it's a solid financial decision to buy a HD-DVD player at this point because I want my HD content NOW and I want it CHEAP. I'm getting both of this things with HD-DVD. I don't see that as a stupid decision just because HD-DVD titles won't be coming out in a year or so since I'll still be able to play then in 10 without a problem. It's a matter of opinion, and on this forum, even opinions are wrong sometimes. :roll:

 

[JC86]

I think an HD-DVD player is worth getting if for nothing else, as an upconverting DVD player. I don't think it's going to change to tide of the format war simply because the content won't be there but if its cheap enough, why not get it? I'd like to watch Transformers in HD without waiting for if and when Paramount goes neutral or Blu. I'd imagine they'd switch to neutral or blu by the end of the year but that's pure speculation.