tOfficial Blu-ray vs. HD DVD discussion thread

[hexydes]

Originally Posted by Babies Need Tickets

You just make this up as you go along?

Buy the Samsung Blu-ray Disc Player and other Blu-ray Disc players at circuitcity.com

That isn't a normal retail price, it's a special (and temporary) deal that Circuit City has on one player, with an undetermined amount of stock. The normal retail price for it is $399.99 (at Best Buy), same as the PS3. Obviously some of the non-Sony manufacturers are going to make special arrangements from time to time, to do things like clear out stock to make way for newer players, but as I said before, in just about any normal retail scenario, the price of a Blu-Ray player is greater than or equal to a PS3, just as Sony wants it.

[Fish1988]

Originally Posted by hexydes

That isn't a normal retail price, it's a special (and temporary) deal that Circuit City has on one player, with an undetermined amount of stock. The normal retail price for it is $399.99 (at Best Buy), same as the PS3. Obviously some of the non-Sony manufacturers are going to make special arrangements from time to time, to do things like clear out stock to make way for newer players, but as I said before, in just about any normal retail scenario, the price of a Blu-Ray player is greater than or equal to a PS3, just as Sony wants it.

What are you talking about? Nobody pays the listed retail price. We all wait for specials like the one above.

[locd32]

Originally Posted by hexydes

The penetration for broadband in the US is around 20%, depending on whose numbers you use. A lot of people don't have broadband, simply because they don't need it. Why would they get broadband when they don't "do the video stuff", they just check e-mail and surf the web. By your logic, HD-DVD and Blu-Ray shouldn't even be out because only 30% of the population even has an HDTV!

I'm sorry but a lot of people don't have BB because they CAN'T get it. Not everyone lives in a city or suburb. Look to the plains region of the country for examples. I'm sure a lot of people don't have BB because they don't need it but are these people going to pay upwards of $30-40 more per month just to be able to download movies on their TVs? Are you seriously that dense? Players = one time expense + movies. Downloadable movies = TV box with capabilities + BB internet monthly fee + movies. Try pitching that to DVD owners without BB...

Originally Posted by Babies Need Tickets

You just make this up as you go along?

Basically yes he is. I have not seen him get even one single statistic right in this thread. He makes them up on the fly to fit to his arguement. He's emotional right now because the player and HD-DVD's he just bought will be obsolete in a few months. Because of this he thinks Sony is an evil empire that is controlling this country and this market specifically (he's never heard of capitalism apparently). He also thinks that every red blooded American has similar living conditions to him and believes whatever is good for him is good for this country. He believes that the hundreds of people who get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars (or even millions) to disect the market and make long-term decisions have no idea what they are doing, obviously he needs to be the CEO at one of these companies if not all...

[ShowtimeSparty]

Paramount/New Line Pictures announced yesterday that they will go exclusively Blu-Ray

The war is over HD DVD is dead!!! Soon to be followed by the XBox 360. I love it!!!!

[locd32]

Originally Posted by ShowtimeSparty

Paramount/New Line Pictures announced yesterday that they will go exclusively Blu-Ray

The war is over HD DVD is dead!!! Soon to be followed by the XBox 360. I love it!!!!

Uh the 360 isn't going anywhere...MS will discontinue the HD-DVD drive and possibly make a Blu-Ray addon. The HD-DVD drive isn't really a selling point for the 360...

[scimini]

Is will go somewhere unless Microsoft starts making money on the Xbox 360. Infact, many have mentioned that if they don't make money in 2007, with the release of Halo3, they probably never will on the 360.

[Fish1988]

Funai announces Blu-ray player for less than $300

The major gripe against Blu-ray has always been that the hardware is just too expensive, especially when $99 HD DVD players were flying off the shelves at Wal-Mart a few months ago. While videophiles on a budget could opt for the $400 Sony PlayStation3, there hasn't been a real alternative for those looking for a cheaper standalone unit. Funai is looking to fill this gap with its latest announcement of a Blu-ray player slated to come in the second quarter of 2008 for less than $300--which is the lowest price we've seen on any Blu-ray player.

Funai announces Blu-ray player for less than $300 - CES 2008 - Consumer Electronics Show - CNET.com

[hexydes]

Originally Posted by locd32

He's emotional right now because the player and HD-DVD's he just bought will be obsolete in a few months.

What part of "I bought my HD-DVD player two weeks ago and could return it today if I wanted" isn't sinking in with you? I'm not mad that I picked HD-DVD in any way, because I would never go with Sony and Blu-Ray.

Because of this he thinks Sony is an evil empire that is controlling this country and this market specifically (he's never heard of capitalism apparently).

Yes, capitalism is when a company colludes with other companies by paying them money so that they can squeeze the other competition out. Pretty sure that is something closer to corporatism, than anything else.

And yes, I'm aware HD-DVD was doing the same thing, but at least the end-result would have been better for the consumer.

He also thinks that every red blooded American has similar living conditions to him and believes whatever is good for him is good for this country. He believes that the hundreds of people who get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars (or even millions) to disect the market and make long-term decisions have no idea what they are doing, obviously he needs to be the CEO at one of these companies if not all...

My bad. I guess that it is actually in the best interest of the consumer to pay more for the player, more for the movies, have less control over what they want to do with that content, and have the company that controls that entire infrastructure have a track-record of doing things like loading trojan viruses onto CDs and then distributing them to consumers.

You're right. What was I thinking?

[hexydes]

Originally Posted by locd32

I'm sorry but a lot of people don't have BB because they CAN'T get it. Not everyone lives in a city or suburb. Look to the plains region of the country for examples.

Agreed, there are a lot of people that don't have it yet. It's a Catch-22 situation, because many of them aren't asking for it, because they don't think they have a use for it, so the ISP's don't bring it out to them.

I'm sure a lot of people don't have BB because they don't need it but are these people going to pay upwards of $30-40 more per month just to be able to download movies on their TVs? Are you seriously that dense? Players = one time expense + movies. Downloadable movies = TV box with capabilities + BB internet monthly fee + movies. Try pitching that to DVD owners without BB...

I'm sorry, but I think you'd be surprised. Someone with as little foresight as yourself probably made the same arguments about paying $100 for a VCR in 1978 when they could just go to the theater and watch the movie for $1!

People like you are exactly the reason why technology doesn't progress faster, because you sit there and **** all over it, saying it sucks, and that people won't use it. Then, in ten years, when you're proven absolutely wrong, no one is there to remember to call you out on it.

[Trevor Barnes]

Originally Posted by ShowtimeSparty

The war is over HD DVD is dead!!! Soon to be followed by the XBox 360. I love it!!!!

I was one who predicted that the PS3 would "win" this console war. The 360 has proven to be the much better gaming platform. Should Blu-ray prevail, I think the PS3 may rebound but that won't negate the huge lead the 360 already has.

What's ironic is that Microsoft's decision to NOT bundle the HD-DVD drive gave them a price edge over the PS3 and has really boosted the 360's sales.....however that move may have won Sony the Blu-ray vs. HD DVD war. Some say that Microsoft only chose to support HD DVD because they didn't want either side to gain momentum...because what they really want is to own the broadband movie distribution business.

[Trevor Barnes]

Originally Posted by ShowtimeSparty

Paramount/New Line Pictures announced yesterday that they will go exclusively Blu-Ray

Wrong....not yet...

Paramount: "Current plan is to support the HD DVD format." Currently.

Posted Jan 8th 2008 1:51PM by Richard Lawler
Filed under: Blu-ray, HD DVD
Paramount has officially issued its denial of the rumor -- originally printed in the Financial Times -- that it is very close to ending its exclusive support of HD DVD. The quick end to what had been reported as an 18-month agreement could be the result of a "get out" clause triggered by Warner Bros.' sudden departure from HD DVD releases. Whether this will follow last year's "Universal may switch" rumor, that didn't happen, or last month's "Warner may switch" rumor, that did, remains to be seen. Until we hear otherwise, Paramount, Transformers and Shrek are still HD DVD only, whether they like it or not.

[hexydes]

Originally Posted by Trevor Barnes

I was one who predicted that the PS3 would "win" this console war. The 360 has proven to be the much better gaming platform. Should Blu-ray prevail, I think the PS3 may rebound but that won't negate the huge lead the 360 already has.

So then, what you're saying there is that, in theory, should HD-DVD go away, people will rally around Blu-Ray as a format. Doing this will drive sales of the PS3.

So obviously, the PS3 is what people are buying (if I understand correctly, because that is causing the PS3 to rebound). Sony clearly can't afford to lower the price of the PS3 any more than they already have (they're already losing tons of money on it as-is), so they're going to keep it at the $399 mark, maybe dropping to $349 by Christmas. And because they are using the PS3 as the main driver of Blu-Ray players, they will have to fix Blu-Ray prices very near that amount.

This is what I was saying before. You just agreed with me, when you were disagreeing before. That, or you somehow think I'm wrong, and that Sony will be able to cut the price of the PS3 in half somehow (I think you alluded to that before, that because they will theoretically be making licensing money from Blu-Ray, it will subsidize the price somehow)?

What's ironic is that Microsoft's decision to NOT bundle the HD-DVD drive gave them a price edge over the PS3 and has really boosted the 360's sales.....however that move may have won Sony the Blu-ray vs. HD DVD war. Some say that Microsoft only chose to support HD DVD because they didn't want either side to gain momentum...because what they really want is to own the broadband movie distribution business.

Which is also what I said, but then I was told I was wrong because people don't have broadband and thus this will not succeed.

[Goose17]

I guess I am not understanding why everyone on the "Blu-Ray Team" in this thread is gloating like a bunch of elementary school students after they won a football game. All I can think is that you were all terribly worried that your 500 black monstrosity of a gaming machine might become obsolete and now that it isnt you can all wipe the sweat from your brows and thank god you didnt waste all that money on a blu-ray player with limited gaming.

I have an HD player and to be honest, I am just going to wait until all of the HD-DVDs go on clearance and buy every single one I want. Then at that point I will have enough to keep me happy until blu-ray players are as cheap as dvd players. Considering the fact that I already own hundreds of standard DVDs that my HD player can upconvert, I am sittin pretty IMO. I am not some sort of Video Quality snob who needs to prove his worth by having ONLY 1080P DVDs.

Anyways, I am with Hexydes on this, he is right. The two platforms are identical in video quality, but one is already down to 200 dollars. Everyone on here that is justifying the Blu-ray pricing by saying it will go down is a moron because while yes it will go down, if HD stayed around it will only go down even further as blu-ray does. Nothing hurts the consumer more than having only one option... Not to mention the media costing more as well. So while you are all sitting here calling him stupid for complaining, look at yourselves celebrating for getting to pay more for the exact same thing.

[Babies Need Tickets]

Originally Posted by hexydes

That isn't a normal retail price, it's a special (and temporary) deal that Circuit City has on one player, with an undetermined amount of stock. The normal retail price for it is $399.99 (at Best Buy), same as the PS3. Obviously some of the non-Sony manufacturers are going to make special arrangements from time to time, to do things like clear out stock to make way for newer players, but as I said before, in just about any normal retail scenario, the price of a Blu-Ray player is greater than or equal to a PS3, just as Sony wants it.

Buy the Sony Blu-ray Disc Player and other Blu-ray Disc players at circuitcity.com

Here's a Sony one for $369. I checked and it's available at the Lansing store on West Sagniaw Highway, if anyone wants one. Also available at the Dearborn location for those of you living in Detroit.

[Goose17]

I thought you were all "waiting" until the "price went down". God, $369 dollars to see a movie in high def...**** that! That's as bad as paying $400-$500 for a game console with bad games that is the size of a house.

[Babies Need Tickets]

Originally Posted by Goose17

I thought you were all "waiting" until the "price went down". God, $369 dollars to see a movie in high def...**** that! That's as bad as paying $400-$500 for a game console with bad games that is the size of a house.

I am waiting. The examples are given in response to Hex's comment that you never see a Blu-Ray player for less than a PS3.

By the way, you sound 90. Just sayin'.

[wingfanjim]

I don't know what you people are talking about. Best buy had sony blu-ray players on sale for $299 a few weeks ago. The prices will go down..and soon.

[Goose17]

Haha settle down buddy, you seem to be itchin' for a fight or something. Anyways, i guess I'm 90 for some reason...? Apparently something I said makes me sound old? Oh well, either way, I wonder if that sale on the blu-ray players has something to do with the recent claim of victory for Sony?

[Babies Need Tickets]

Originally Posted by Goose17

Haha settle down buddy, you seem to be itchin' for a fight or something. Anyways, i guess I'm 90 for some reason...? Apparently something I said makes me sound old? Oh well, either way, I wonder if that sale on the blu-ray players has something to do with the recent claim of victory for Sony?

I'm never itchin' for a fight. I just thought it was funny the way you worded things.

[hexydes]

Originally Posted by wingfanjim

I don't know what you people are talking about. Best buy had sony blu-ray players on sale for $299 a few weeks ago. The prices will go down..and soon.

I honestly just don't think so. If I'm wrong, I will be the first to admit to it when it happens, but I really think Sony is going to try to force people to buy PS3's if they want Blu-Ray, in an attempt to get more of them out there. I still say, not counting rebates or weekly temporary sales, the retail price of the PS3 and Blu-Ray players is going to walk hand-in-hand, and Sony won't be able to afford to price-cut the PS3 much more than they already do.

I honestly am starting to really believe what a few analysts have said, that Microsoft just backed HD-DVD to make Sony have to fight them on both the console and HD movie front, and knew that they wouldn't have the resources to do both. I think it would be absolutely hilarious if, in winning the HD movie format, they ultimately ended up having to drop out of the console business, and then the HD movie industry shifted to digital downloads.

That, right there, would be karma.

[Goose17]

Heh, that sadly makes no sense. Next time I'm around a 90 year old I'll pay attention to how they type...douche.

[Babies Need Tickets]

Originally Posted by Goose17

douche.

See, this sounds younger.

[Goose17]

Originally Posted by Babies Need Tickets

See, this sounds younger.

I guess I will have to insult people more often. I try not to come off like a ***** all the time though so it may be difficult. Any advice?

[tuff bob]

I remember that there were HD-DVD players for $99 ... I tried to buy one but they were sold out. BR fanboys have to realize the price difference is all licensing costs ... to sony.

[Babies Need Tickets]

Originally Posted by Goose17

I guess I will have to insult people more often. I try not to come off like a ***** all the time though so it may be difficult. Any advice?

Yes. Develop a sense of humor. It was a joke.