why isn't it easy to just decide to switch the industry over to hd-dvd or blu-ray?

Falloutboy

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2003
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because its not about whats best for teh consumer its whats best for the corporations wallet.
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
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Same old BS as the betamax VHS format back in the early days of home video players...each company has lots of money invested in their technology, and wants to see it adopted, instead of the competing technology.
 

dpopiz

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2001
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but why can't player manufacturers just decide to not make players for 1 to make it easier on them?
 

Tom

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
13,293
1
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Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: Eghck
don't you want choices?

In this case choices are disadvantageous to the consumer.


probably not. competition will improve the products and force prices down.

It's only a problem for early adopters, which usually isn't the most prudent thing to do anyway.

 

Skunkwourk

Diamond Member
Dec 9, 2004
4,662
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Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: Eghck
don't you want choices?

In this case choices are disadvantageous to the consumer.

in my worthless opinion, its always better to have a choice. Though you're probably right for now, since I don't know what I would choose right now between Blu-Ray and HD-DVD.
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
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Originally posted by: Tom
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: Eghck
don't you want choices?

In this case choices are disadvantageous to the consumer.


probably not. competition will improve the products and force prices down.

It's only a problem for early adopters, which usually isn't the most prudent thing to do anyway.

Competition would do that whether there is one standard or two - competition between manufacturers. The disc standards aren't going to change, it's the players that will change. Better to have one format for companies to focus on building players for.

Originally posted by: Eghck
in my worthless opinion, its always better to have a choice. Though you're probably right for now, since I don't know what I would choose right now between Blu-Ray and HD-DVD.

Major disadvantages of two competing standards:
1. Many people could end up with discs that can't be played by new players if/when a winner emerges.
2. Many people are delaying adopting the new formats because they want to wait and see which format wins (or if dual-format players will be inexpensive).
3. The winning format will be chosen by people who likely have no idea about the technical merits of the two formats. It's more likely that the winner will be chosen based on the name (HD-DVD has a big advantage there) or brand loyalty (Sony) or anti-loyalty (Sony).
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
56,536
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Originally posted by: KLin
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: KLin
Why isn't anything easy? Why ask why? Drink budlight.

Bud Dry. Not Budlight.

meh tomato tomato. :p

No, one is the most popular light beer in the country, and the other was a miserable failure.
 

Skunkwourk

Diamond Member
Dec 9, 2004
4,662
1
81
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: Tom
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: Eghck
don't you want choices?

In this case choices are disadvantageous to the consumer.


probably not. competition will improve the products and force prices down.

It's only a problem for early adopters, which usually isn't the most prudent thing to do anyway.

Competition would do that whether there is one standard or two - competition between manufacturers. The disc standards aren't going to change, it's the players that will change. Better to have one format for companies to focus on building players for.

Originally posted by: Eghck
in my worthless opinion, its always better to have a choice. Though you're probably right for now, since I don't know what I would choose right now between Blu-Ray and HD-DVD.

Major disadvantages of two competing standards:
1. Many people could end up with discs that can't be played by new players if/when a winner emerges.
2. Many people are delaying adopting the new formats because they want to wait and see which format wins (or if dual-format players will be inexpensive).
3. The winning format will be chosen by people who likely have no idea about the technical merits of the two formats. It's more likely that the winner will be chosen based on the name (HD-DVD has a big advantage there) or brand loyalty (Sony) or anti-loyalty (Sony).

I really haven't researched the issue enough to argue it, but I guess my feeling in general is that I would rather be given a choice than not. I know the format war is a headache for consumers, but being forced to adopt something is just as bad. Unfortunately I don't have a solution, maybe what you're getting at is that its a necessary evil?
 

Shawn

Lifer
Apr 20, 2003
32,236
53
91
Originally posted by: Eghck
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: Eghck
don't you want choices?

In this case choices are disadvantageous to the consumer.

in my worthless opinion, its always better to have a choice. Though you're probably right for now, since I don't know what I would choose right now between Blu-Ray and HD-DVD.

HD-DVD is definitely the way to go.
 

Tom

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
13,293
1
76
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: Tom
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: Eghck
don't you want choices?

In this case choices are disadvantageous to the consumer.


probably not. competition will improve the products and force prices down.

It's only a problem for early adopters, which usually isn't the most prudent thing to do anyway.

Competition would do that whether there is one standard or two - competition between manufacturers. The disc standards aren't going to change, it's the players that will change. Better to have one format for companies to focus on building players for.

Originally posted by: Eghck
in my worthless opinion, its always better to have a choice. Though you're probably right for now, since I don't know what I would choose right now between Blu-Ray and HD-DVD.

Major disadvantages of two competing standards:
1. Many people could end up with discs that can't be played by new players if/when a winner emerges.
2. Many people are delaying adopting the new formats because they want to wait and see which format wins (or if dual-format players will be inexpensive).
3. The winning format will be chosen by people who likely have no idea about the technical merits of the two formats. It's more likely that the winner will be chosen based on the name (HD-DVD has a big advantage there) or brand loyalty (Sony) or anti-loyalty (Sony).


I don't agree with you that it's better to have one standard, early on at least. Having one standard would greatly reduce innovation in performance and cost. One standard or the other will probably end up having a significant advantage over the other in terms of performance or cost/benefit.

Having two standards isn't the reason people aren't buying these.

The main reason is cost, these players will eventually be as cheap as CD and dvd players are now.

The other reason, there's no real benefit over dvds, for most people.

When there's no price advantage to not adopting HD tv or movies, is when the switch will really get going. There isn't any reason why HD tv or these new disk standards should cost more than the old standards, and eventually that price point will be reached.



 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
46
91
Originally posted by: Eghck

I really haven't researched the issue enough to argue it, but I guess my feeling in general is that I would rather be given a choice than not. I know the format war is a headache for consumers, but being forced to adopt something is just as bad. Unfortunately I don't have a solution, maybe what you're getting at is that its a necessary evil?

Taking DVD as an example of a single standard emerging before going to market, I think it worked pretty well in comparison to HD-DVD/Blu-Ray. Now we have the HD-DVD/Blu-Ray fight polluting the game console market too. :(

(And before anyone brings up DIVX as a competitor to DVD - it was never a competitor to DVD, it was a competitor to DVD rentals. It was intended to complement DVD)
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
46
91
Originally posted by: Tom

I don't agree with you that it's better to have one standard, early on at least. Having one standard would greatly reduce innovation in performance and cost. One standard or the other will probably end up having a significant advantage over the other in terms of performance or cost/benefit.

The standards are established, they're not going to change to better compete with each other. The players will improve in performance and cost regardless of whether there is one standard or two - look at DVD.

Having two standards isn't the reason people aren't buying these.

It certainly is one reason. Look at any poll on the topic here to see that.

The main reason is cost, these players will eventually be as cheap as CD and dvd players are now.

That is true, and having two competing standards is not going to accelerate that.

The other reason, there's no real benefit over dvds, for most people.

This is true, and it's why I'm happy to wait for a standard to emerge.
 

Raduque

Lifer
Aug 22, 2004
13,140
138
106
Originally posted by: KLin
Why isn't anything easy? Why ask why? Try Bud dry.

Fixed.

As for the topic, I'm tentatively going with HDDVD right now. Sony can burn.

 

Tom

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
13,293
1
76
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: Tom

I don't agree with you that it's better to have one standard, early on at least. Having one standard would greatly reduce innovation in performance and cost. One standard or the other will probably end up having a significant advantage over the other in terms of performance or cost/benefit.

The standards are established, they're not going to change to better compete with each other. The players will improve in performance and cost regardless of whether there is one standard or two - look at DVD.


Here is why I think it's better to have two standards at this point.

At some point there will be technical breakthroughs that increase performance, improve reliability, or reduce cost to manufacture. This applies to both standards, but no one can say which will benefit the most.

There also will be new ideas for how to use the technology, that might apply to one kind of device and not the other.


As long as there is reason to try and win the race, both sides have a big incentive to try to win. If there was only one standard, there's a lot less reason to try to win, so less reason to innovate.

Remember why vhs won the video tape wars ? 6 hour tapes. I'm pretty sure this was an accidental benefit of their standard, something they came up with after the initial design phase, but Sony's beta design could not adapt to match it.