You're right, the MBA is the present, but its form is the future of keyboard based labtops.
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Apple in Talks with Sony about Blu-ray Drives
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You're right, the MBA is the present, but its form is the future of keyboard based labtops.
Well, of course, they're not going to last "forever." What technology has? Everything is replaced. However, I can see DVD & Blu Ray having a shelf life of at least another decade or so. Optical discs are a convenient, portable storage format for movie and software distribution. Downloading is often inconvenient and impractical. Moreover, selling their movies, games, software, etc., has been extremely profitable for many companies. As such, they're not all that eager to embrace a new model.
Down the Floppy Disk Driveway to the Graveyard
Is it conceivable that any perceived reluctance by Apple to commit to BR is simply part of a grander scheme to offload content to the network and do away with drives on all but perhaps a select few models? Isn't this the disappearance of the floppy disk drive played out all over again?
Is it conceivable that any perceived reluctance by Apple to commit to BR is simply part of a grander scheme to offload content to the network and do away with drives on all but perhaps a select few models? Isn't this the disappearance of the floppy disk drive played out all over again?
DVD's have been in the market for more than ten years-just several weeks shy of 11 years. Keep in mind that DVD's were rolled out to a few selected (U.S.) markets prior to their eventual nationwide release.
I was one of the VERY early adopters to DVD in Los Angeles. I remember my Panasonic DVD A300 and the 27 DVD titles available during test city launch...ah yes, my first ever DVD was "Blade Runner" which I bought a week after the format's
release (and I bought it at Tower Records {RIP}
).
I dunno... I'm in the process of putting my entire 300+ CD library onto a sata hard drive right now on my PowerMac (have a 2nd internal sata drive for a backup of the first one). Once complete, why would I ever want to use a CD again except for some mix discs for the car changer and to load new lossless music onto the server? Heck, if car makers would get with it, you could put a single 32 GB SDRam (or whatever size/format memory storage) into a slot on the thing and have most or even all your music available. CDs are archaic. The only good use for them is getting a better original format (than the stuff they sell on places like iTunes which are lossy compressed), but really, how long would it take to download a full uncompressed album? Even on a common 5Mbit connection, you could expect a full album in under 20 minutes, half that with lossless compression pre-applied. That's not too terrible so I don't know why no one is selling them that way already or better yet, even higher resolution recordings (DVD-A and SACD were flops, but straight to a computer, you could have 24-bit/96k distributed quite easily).
As hard drive sizes keep on increasing, the idea of storing something like HDTV movies en masse won't be any different. And I seriously doubt you're going to see a replacement format for HDTV in the next 50-100 years, so I think it's a safe bet that blu-ray will be the last major pre-recorded format as such. I think everything will simply be easy storage methods in the future. You may eventually see download stations in stores for something like a credit card sized storage device (heck this 4GB sony micro USB drive I have in front of me is small enough to fit about 4 in one credit card sleeve in my wallet) that will hold the movie until you transfer it to your computer at which point you could clear it for more shopping (reusable so no waste). Or you could download off the net if you have a good connection and/or maybe even store ALL you movies on one small card/device some day (capacity will only get larger, maybe even holographic storage methods to store in 3-dimensions). The only real issue will be this DRM business. It makes life difficult for legitimate customers while true pirates get around it every time. Hopefully, the industry will wise up and get rid of it.
As hard drive sizes keep on increasing, the idea of storing something like HDTV movies en masse won't be any different. And I seriously doubt you're going to see a replacement format for HDTV in the next 50-100 years, so I think it's a safe bet that blu-ray will be the last major pre-recorded format as such. I think everything will simply be easy storage methods in the future. You may eventually see download stations in stores for something like a credit card sized storage device (heck this 4GB sony micro USB drive I have in front of me is small enough to fit about 4 in one credit card sleeve in my wallet) that will hold the movie until you transfer it to your computer at which point you could clear it for more shopping (reusable so no waste). Or you could download off the net if you have a good connection and/or maybe even store ALL you movies on one small card/device some day (capacity will only get larger, maybe even holographic storage methods to store in 3-dimensions). The only real issue will be this DRM business. It makes life difficult for legitimate customers while true pirates get around it every time. Hopefully, the industry will wise up and get rid of it.
"A cheap HDV camera can be had for about £500. Round about half a hour of filming the baby or the family dog with that will go over 10GB when uncompressed for editing with iMovie."
These figures are probably wrong, but DVDs, especially single layer ones are becoming increasingly insufficient for data storage. I know I'm using dvd-r a lot less than I used to, as single layer is just not enough, and dual layer is far too expensive in the shops.
These figures are probably wrong, but DVDs, especially single layer ones are becoming increasingly insufficient for data storage. I know I'm using dvd-r a lot less than I used to, as single layer is just not enough, and dual layer is far too expensive in the shops.
there are already talks about 2160p, it still is Hdtv. Cable companies can't even stream in 1080p and most people who bought hdtvs in the last 2 years got a 720p model...so yeah, hdtv is going to last a couple years but I really doubt it will still be hdtv in 100 years lol...look at how the world world changed in 50 years....do you really believe it will be the same in 50 years....when there is technology and profits ahead, don't worry, they'll come up with something more amazing year after year...
I agree!
Yes! The future is with floppies. The hell with Apple phasing those out let alone the optical drives!
Yes! The future is with floppies. The hell with Apple phasing those out let alone the optical drives!
BLU-RAY != Only HighDef Movies!
I don't know why everyone gets hung up on High Definition movie discussions when it comes to Blu-Ray in Apple Computers and laptops, etc.. The reason why I want blu-ray in my apple laptops is so I can backup my data easier for long-term storage. 50 GB is significantly larger than 8GB backups. I know right now a burnable 50GB disc is expensive, but eventually the prices will drop to be more affordable to backup projects to a blu-ray disc.
I don't know why everyone gets hung up on High Definition movie discussions when it comes to Blu-Ray in Apple Computers and laptops, etc.. The reason why I want blu-ray in my apple laptops is so I can backup my data easier for long-term storage. 50 GB is significantly larger than 8GB backups. I know right now a burnable 50GB disc is expensive, but eventually the prices will drop to be more affordable to backup projects to a blu-ray disc.
I agree. The HDTV Broadcast standard was old the moment that the first HDTV was sold. The HDTV broadcast standard uses mpeg2 conventions. I like the clarity that Broadcast HDTV brings, but the artifacts in fast/action and dark scenes is ridiculous. The HDTV broadcast standard needs to incorporate the ability to use other codecs such as H.264. The broadcast companies should have the option to use any codec they want.
In the HDTV broadcast world sometimes a specific channel will have several "sub channels" so it's like channel 5-1, 5-2, 5-3. They could offer 5-1 as Mpeg2 conventional for old HDTV's and then 5-2 with the H.264 codec and then slowly phase out the 5-1 as HDTV receivers integrated the newer codecs.
Anyway.. it's just stupid to have such great resolution and such terrible compression.
Hitachi have been developing 100GB discs http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/10/03/hitachis-100gb-blu-ray-disc-drive/
I have no problem if Apple wants to add Blu-Ray as long as its optional and not forced on all of their computers. I will probably never use it but others may have a need for it but I don't want to pay extra. I'd rather use a portable hard drive/flash drives in lieu of Blu-ray disks. Those portable hard drives/flash drives would be perfect for smaller back-ups (as much as 320 GB and can also fit in safeboxes) or for data on the go. Plus I'm assured that that all computers will be able to access my portable hard drive/flash drives (as not all computers today have a Blu-ray drive does rendering my Blu-ray disk useless). As time goes by, Blu-ray might get cheaper but so will be those portable hard/flash drives.
"in talks with sony"
I'd have thought those sort of talks would have happened long ago. Why have they waited until now to begin "talks"?
Why sony too? They don't have the absolute monopoly on blu-ray player distribution. Why don't they go to some small obscure chinese factory like they usually do to secure the distribution of SSD drives, 1.8" iPod drives, multi touch technology etc.
This is a nothing story, Apple have probably put this out as it's easier than them saying "Blu-Ray is coming to the mac" - why make such a public show of meeting sony? They usually keep their future component acquisitions under wraps. We didn't hear anything about Apple buying up huge supplies of SSD drives - why are we hearing about "talks with sony"
bit strange if you ask me
I'd have thought those sort of talks would have happened long ago. Why have they waited until now to begin "talks"?
Why sony too? They don't have the absolute monopoly on blu-ray player distribution. Why don't they go to some small obscure chinese factory like they usually do to secure the distribution of SSD drives, 1.8" iPod drives, multi touch technology etc.
This is a nothing story, Apple have probably put this out as it's easier than them saying "Blu-Ray is coming to the mac" - why make such a public show of meeting sony? They usually keep their future component acquisitions under wraps. We didn't hear anything about Apple buying up huge supplies of SSD drives - why are we hearing about "talks with sony"
bit strange if you ask me
Optical storage media does have a finite lifespan, however until we see reliable wi-fi worldwide, cheap, high volume SSD and a means of verifying digital distribution (i.e. Steam) then it'll be around for quite a while yet.
I'm galled how many people here seem to think that hard media (whether optical disks or crystals or bio-goop whatever the heck they come up with next) is going to disappear because of internet downloading.
The number of reasons to preserve hard media are too numerous to cite, and proclamations of its demise strike me as being ill-informed and carelessly speculative. A clear and thorough understanding of all the uses of hard media warrants an extremely sceptical attitude toward these sorts of knee-jerk responses. How can you account for 2k and 4k resolution movies? There are prosumer cameras that are already able to shoot at these resolutions, and the resolution of real hard celluloid is so much greater than that, that for the consumer, there is quite a bit more detail and information in a frame of 35mm film for the end-user to enjoy -- never mind the usefulness and security of backing up to hard media.
I have over 2,000 CD's (which I own, incidentally) copied to my HDD. But, I know that bit errors occur, and I like to have my CD's just in case that happens. I'm not going to risk losing my one copy of Glenn Gould playing the Goldberg Variations because my Seagate farts out a few critical bits. And when I have a really important film job, or a recording gig -- I'm not ever going to hand someone an IP address and say, "Here, go download it." I will always be handing them a pristine, hard copy master -- be it a roll of film, an optical disk, crystal thingy, or bio-goop.
I'm galled how many people here seem to think that hard media (whether optical disks or crystals or bio-goop whatever the heck they come up with next) is going to disappear because of internet downloading.
-snip-
And when I have a really important film job, or a recording gig -- I'm not ever going to hand someone an IP address and say, "Here, go download it." I will always be handing them a pristine, hard copy master -- be it a roll of film, an optical disk, crystal thingy, or bio-goop.
You are certainly correct. Right now at this time. But there will certainly be a time in the future where everything will be downloaded. When the time comes when internet is fast, secure and reliable, downloading would be more practical than physically handing out crystal thingies and/or bio-goops.
. But until then....I would love to see a USB blue-ray player for my xbox, it will save me buying a ps3.
As for mac I think it is long over due on the mac pros for the pro video work. Would be nice on the notebooks too to watch movies on the go.
As for mac I think it is long over due on the mac pros for the pro video work. Would be nice on the notebooks too to watch movies on the go.
You are certainly correct. Right now at this time. But there will certainly be a time in the future where everything will be downloaded. When the time comes when internet is fast, secure and reliable, downloading would be more practical than physically handing out crystal thingies and/or bio-goops.
Totally agree..
The world evolves around the demand. If there is less and less demand for the physical storage, then it'll fade away, or the business won't make enough profit to pursue any further.
The internet download already reached 15mbps/15mbps in many areas, and some areas up to 50mbps download speed. This is happening today, and if you could imagine what it'll be like in 3-5 years, I don't see a whole lot of bright future for the physical storage like BD.
I have all of my CDs in lossless format in HDD also, and finding the song that I wanted to hear is as easy as scrolling through or searching several keywords. If I were to find them in my original CDs, I would have to dig around, trying to figure out where those things are, which gets only more difficult as I add more CDs to the collection. I had spent many hours to rip all these songs to HDD, but it was the worth the time and effort.
BTW, do we all know that some of these Asian countries can reach 100mbps or close to that already?
What an awesome thought! A next-gen games console with a Blu-Ray drive! More data for games with the ability to watch high-definition films!
It's a wonder no-one's thought of it before.
Steve