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

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.
 
but why can't player manufacturers just decide to not make players for 1 to make it easier on them?
 
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: Eghck
don't you want choices?
Click to expand...

In this case choices are disadvantageous to the consumer.
Click to expand...


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.

 
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: Eghck
don't you want choices?
Click to expand...

In this case choices are disadvantageous to the consumer.
Click to expand...

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.
 
Originally posted by: Tom
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: Eghck
don't you want choices?
Click to expand...

In this case choices are disadvantageous to the consumer.
Click to expand...


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.
Click to expand...

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.
Click to expand...

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).
 
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: Tom
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: Eghck
don't you want choices?
Click to expand...

In this case choices are disadvantageous to the consumer.
Click to expand...


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.
Click to expand...

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.
Click to expand...

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).
Click to expand...

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?
 
Originally posted by: Eghck
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: Eghck
don't you want choices?
Click to expand...

In this case choices are disadvantageous to the consumer.
Click to expand...

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.
Click to expand...

HD-DVD is definitely the way to go.
 
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: Tom
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: Eghck
don't you want choices?
Click to expand...

In this case choices are disadvantageous to the consumer.
Click to expand...


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.
Click to expand...

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.
Click to expand...

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).
Click to expand...


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.



 
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?
Click to expand...

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)
 
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.
Click to expand...

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.
Click to expand...

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.
Click to expand...

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.
Click to expand...

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

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.
Click to expand...


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.

 
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