If Toshiba does halt HD-DVD player production how long do you think before the BD market explodes?

[ArmchairAthlete]

Maybe when prices are lower... but right now I don't care, dvd is fine.

It won't make a significant push until BR players are under $100 and movies can be regularly bought at a retail store for less than $15.

What he said... because most people probably share my feelings on it. Not worth my money.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: Pale Rider
I don't think it will explode any time soon. Once HD-DVD is gone completely there will be no incentive for Sony to lower prices.

i don't know why people automatically assume that.
competition is not the only thing that drives prices down.

 

[Extelleron]

For mass market adoption, not only will Blu-Ray players have to come down to $100-150 or lower, the price of movies will have to come down. The public isn't going to pay $25-30 for a new movie when they can go to Wal-Mart and get a new release DVD for $15.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: Pale Rider
I don't think it will explode any time soon. Once HD-DVD is gone completely there will be no incentive for Sony to lower prices.

Ignorance ftl.

There are a number of BD manufacturers. Competition will increase among Samsung, Sony, Panasonic, etc to lower prices to sell their BD players.

 

[thomsbrain]

There will be no explosion. Most people barely appreciate their DVD's, let alone anything better. I think when players fall below $100, you'll see adoption trickle in as people see no reason to buy the old players. I don't think average joe is going to replace his DVD player unless it breaks or he needs a new one for some other reason.

 

[conehead433]

Originally posted by: Extelleron
For mass market adoption, not only will Blu-Ray players have to come down to $100-150 or lower, the price of movies will have to come down. The public isn't going to pay $25-30 for a new movie when they can go to Wal-Mart and get a new release DVD for $15.

I think part of BD's success has been lots of sales on software titles. This week Best Buy has a few titles for $14.99 each. Amazon and others have B1G1 sales regularly. Coincidentally there are no HD DVD titles listed in the sales ads this week at any of the B&M stores. Toshiba did a good job of getting HD DVD players in a large number of households. The studios and retailers failed to pick up the ball and have only recently started offering decent prices on titles. The average consumer is not going to pay ~$30 for a movies title, regardless of how great it looks. If they can get a new release BD for ~15 you could see BD sales gain significantly. Not everyone rushes out to buy new release DVDs though. I wait until everything is in the $5 bin or less.

 

[sdifox]

BT FTW?

 

[Sphexi]

I've never liked Blu-Ray, and the fact that the cheapest player is the PS3, I'm still not going to be buying one anytime soon. $150 for a HD-DVD player, that comes with 2 movies plus 5 more by mail, that's just a steal. Even if/when HD-DVD dies, I'll still get in on that deal, and wait for the bargain movies come out so I can get a bunch of those. I have so many DVDs now I need a new player anyways, so an upconverting one that also happens to play some HD movies will work fine for me.

As far as Blu-Ray is concerned, it'll probably be dead in another couple of years once online delivery takes off (hopefully), so I won't even have to bother with it. I mean, stores are still selling VHS, and it's been years since DVD has come out. No chance they'll drop DVD movies in the next 5 years at least, and by then we'll have those fancy holographic whatever discs or something else cool and exciting to play with.

Edit:

Scratch that, I just realized that LG has an internal drive capable of reading Blu-Ray, HD-DVD, and burning DVD/DL for like $270 (CDN). I hadn't seen that previously, so I guess there is something cheaper than the PS3 that can play Blu-Ray discs.

 

[mrSHEiK124]

Wow, the mod that merged my thread completely missed the point that (*cough* parody)

 

[LS21]

does anybody get turned off by the idea of multi-functional devices? i dont like the idea of buying a "gaming device" to play movies. i like all of my machines discrete. its probably old fashioned and technically unrational thinking, but im just "programmed" that way

 

[WHAMPOM]

Originally posted by: Locut0s
http://www.pcworld.com/article...ivesmedia/article.html

Right away? Or do you think it will take some months? Do you think major studios have been waiting for one format or another to cave to release the floodgates at the drop of a hat. Or do you think they will will play it safe for some time after? Or do you think it will take a very long time?

I see a two tiered market, regular dvds and players for most people, Blue-ray for the trophy home theatre market. "sniff!"

 

[dmcowen674]

It's dead Jim

2-17-208 Report: Toshiba may end HD DVD format

TOKYO - Japanese electronics maker Toshiba might withdraw its HD DVD next-generation video format, Kyodo News agency reported Saturday.

The report cited unidentified individuals from the industry as saying Toshiba Corp. is reviewing its operations, with the timing of the withdrawal to be decided later, depending on U.S. demand for its HD DVD products and other factors.

 

[sonambulo]

It's going to take a couple of years at least.

 

[StageLeft]

Blue and HD are still a waste of time for most people. I know I won't rush out and I do own a 1080p capable player. I just could not care any less actually. Get back to me when they're $79

 

[TheTony]

I don't think HDM will truly gain traction until the prices come way down - a modest premium over the cost of SD DVD is all I think the market will bear out. I consider myself an occasional early adopter, and I'm not willing to even consider BD yet, not for several months to a year at least, based on what I've seen.

Can BD survive? Sure. But as things stand today, BD is poised to become a fairly popular niche format. To be more, they've got to get their act together. I'll definitely be watching, but find it hard to believe that the incentives people have seen to invest in HDM will continue at this pace, or quicken. The competition between two formats was what was driving progress at the pace it was happening.

RIP to HD DVD. For all its shortcomings, it seemed to be doing a MUCH better job at delivering value to folks who supported the format.

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: LS21
does anybody get turned off by the idea of multi-functional devices? i dont like the idea of buying a "gaming device" to play movies. i like all of my machines discrete. its probably old fashioned and technically unrational thinking, but im just "programmed" that way

One issue with having multi-functional devices is that if one functional component breaks, you might not be able to use any of the other functions either. For example, if the disc motor breaks in a PS3, you would be unable to play games or watch movies.

That is one reason why I would never buy one of those printer/scanner combo units.

 

[secretanchitman]

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: LS21
does anybody get turned off by the idea of multi-functional devices? i dont like the idea of buying a "gaming device" to play movies. i like all of my machines discrete. its probably old fashioned and technically unrational thinking, but im just "programmed" that way

One issue with having multi-functional devices is that if one functional component breaks, you might not be able to use any of the other functions either. For example, if the disc motor breaks in a PS3, you would be unable to play games or watch movies.

That is one reason why I would never buy one of those printer/scanner combo units.

i see your point, but imo, i think its better to have one do it all machine and get a warranty with it, then have several machines that do all the functions. it just ends up being a space saver and less of a hassle.

 

[Foxery]

Explode? BluRay will never truly explode unless the industry forces the issue by killing off DVDs. (Which will not be a realistic option for many years.) The average WalMart shopper doesn't even know what it is right now, let alone care about the difference in quality. At best, it'll take off after the 2009 switch to digital TV broadcasts forces more people to buy new sets. Only the tech savvy will buy into it in 2008.

To those heralding downloadable movies: Hold it. How many people do you honestly think want to sit at their computer desk and watch anything on a 17" screen? Only the tech savvy hook up your computera to a real TV and speakers. The only downloadable content that will succeed is what comes through a set-top box like AppleTV or similar Cable On Demand services, where it's in the average joe's living room.