Read something that Sony's CEO is holding out an olive branch to Toshiba, et al. Maybe there will be some accommodation to the HD-DVD folks, but no trade in program looks likely.
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HD-DVD vs Blu-Ray Battle Over? Warner Switches to Blu-Ray
- Thread starter hvfsl
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Read something that Sony's CEO is holding out an olive branch to Toshiba, et al. Maybe there will be some accommodation to the HD-DVD folks, but no trade in program looks likely.
Well I messed up and bought a Toshiba HD DVD player on Black Friday. There is nothing wrong with the player. It works very well. The picture is outstanding and so is the sound, but with every studio going to Blu-ray now it will be the only format in a few months. Sony is looking to make mega-bucks over the next few years and I would not be surprised if they don't buy up more picture studios. Warner getting bought by Sony? I could totally see that happening. I don't have a problem with Blu-ray, but I guess I am not as trustworthy of Sony as some of you are. Sony wants to ensure that this competitive war does not happen in the future whether it is downloads or disc media. Don't think Sony is Apple's friend, because when push comes to shove Sony will take care of Sony first. The only frustrating thing for me right now is everyone says the only decent Blu-ray player is the PS3. I don't have any use for a PS3 and the current Blu-ray standalones are either an outdated profile or are missing audio decoding.
I guess for myself I will just have to stick with my HD DVD player until pricing gets more aggressive and fully featured Blu-ray players are available at a decent price. I notice on many message board that cater to Blu-ray and PS3 supporters they feel that in a very short time Blu-ray will actually overtake DVD. Will this all go down in a year or two? Who knows, but if it is going to happen there needs to be more affordable players that "just work" with many different TV's and audio systems. I could buy a profile 1.1 Panasonic player today, but it does not decode DD+ and Dolby HD so hooking it up to my receiver would only give me standard Dolby Digital. That is worse then what I get now and puts me back to the DVD days.
I'll update when there is a 1.1 standalone that will output PCM Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby HD for less then $200. When will that come? I hope by this time next year. I guess the only other solution is if dual format players come down in price. Imagine all the $5 HD DVD titles you will be able to buy on eBay and still play on the dual format player.
Some people that own high end systems might ridicule me for wanting a lower price point, but I'd really like to see it before I make the jump again. I only made the jump to HD DVD when the price got under $200 for a fully featured player and I am waiting for Blu-ray to do the same.
I think the BIGGEST problem... my friendcontested that HD DVD just needed to lower prices and become the first to dip under $200 to win. I told him it wasn't the game industry... people had to cut a profit. To my surprise, Toshiba offered up its 1st gen players for under $200 and even less in some cases... AT A LOSS. Then they paid off Paramount for exclusivity. This is an absolute financial disaster for them. It was a risk, and just like the U.S. in Iraq... the situation went bad. All risk calling the round and cashing in its chips.
~ CB
Well it was a disaster, but then again Sony has had it's share of disasters in the past (Betamax anyone?) and still crawled back from it. I think Toshiba will probably throw their towel in on the HD disc media world and focus on other new technologies. They will probably make HD DVD players for the next 6 months or so as a phase out and then move on to new things. I noticed, but don't have a direct link, that they have came up with a new up-conversion technology for all cable broadcasts and DVD's called Super SD2HD conversion. It uses their cell processor. They might be able to sell this technology to cable box manufactures and put it into standard DVD players. Maybe this is also a technology that could help improve the picture on downloaded content without creating huge file sizes. I'd be interested to see exactly how well this technology can up-convert compared to today's up-converters.
Man, rough times for Toshiba! Looks like their SED technology has hit the skids as well.
Link from 2006
dang... maybe that's why Toshiba just majorly dropped the prices on their HD DVD players.. and suckered me into buying one.
well, HD DVD players are still only half the cost of Blue Ray players... and they still make a hell of an expensive regular DVD player with great quality picture
well, HD DVD players are still only half the cost of Blue Ray players... and they still make a hell of an expensive regular DVD player with great quality picture
To tell you the truth, I'm not entirely enamored with HD reproduction.
I see all sorts of compression artifacts and video aberrations.
What I'd like to see is a video version of Apple's lossless compression.
No doubt it would take up an enormous amount of space, but it would be well worth it. So many things that are called HD now that are entirely crap.
The trend, hopefully, is to better quality, and personally I can't wait until HD means at least 1080p uncompressed (or losslessly compressed). I'd actually like it to be better than that, but I guess I'll be waiting a long time.
I see all sorts of compression artifacts and video aberrations.
What I'd like to see is a video version of Apple's lossless compression.
No doubt it would take up an enormous amount of space, but it would be well worth it. So many things that are called HD now that are entirely crap.
The trend, hopefully, is to better quality, and personally I can't wait until HD means at least 1080p uncompressed (or losslessly compressed). I'd actually like it to be better than that, but I guess I'll be waiting a long time.
Could there be a possiblity that it could support both like some of those newer drives out there which support both. Probably not but one can hope
If BD wins and HD-DVD's are no longer made and someone is going out to buy a dual format player. They could buy a dual format player by anyone but imagine if they could now just buy a PS3 and it would support both. More sales for Sony.
Like the Sony dual Beta/VHS players of 1986? There is no way Sony would go out of their way to install a HD DVD laser on their PS3 for a format that is not even going to be produced anymore. Buy the time they'd get it implemented HD DVD sales will be on a sharp decline. It would be a total waste of time and money, and for all of Sony's interests, the sooner HD DVD dies the better for them. They will sell more Blu Ray discs, which will make TONS more money than some players.
Sony can find ways to increase sales that are way more cost effective than changing the PS3 to become a dual-format player. Personally I wouldn't even want them to do that. I'd rather see further development of the PS3 specialize on BD rather than generalize and become a "jack of all trades, master of none" device.
I'm asking if there is a possibility that it already supports both and just needs a firmware upgrade. I'm not advocating they release a special version just for it. I mean unlike Beta Vs VHS, HD-DVD and Blu Ray both use the same size disks and very similary blue lazers. It can't be that hard to support both.
I would think that it would be Toshiba before Sony that will come up with an affordable dual format player to help their customers phase out of HD DVD and move into Blu-ray without repurchasing all of their media. Either they will go that route or just get out of the HD disc media business and focus on other technologies. I might consider a dual format player if the prices come down throughout the year. Imagine all the cheap HD-DVD's that will be for sale in a year or two. You could probably build a decent HD library for pennies on the dollar and still be able to play future Blu-ray releases.
Paramount Switching to Blu-Ray?
"Paramount is poised to drop its support of HD DVD after Warner Brothers recent backing of Sonys Blu-ray technology, in a move that will sound the death knell of HD DVD and bring the home entertainment format war to a definitive end."
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/dc409afa-bd75-11dc-b7e6-0000779fd2ac.html
"Paramount is poised to drop its support of HD DVD after Warner Brothers recent backing of Sonys Blu-ray technology, in a move that will sound the death knell of HD DVD and bring the home entertainment format war to a definitive end."
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/dc409afa-bd75-11dc-b7e6-0000779fd2ac.html
Pioneer supported LD and DVD with combi players for a few years in the US (and a few more in Japan), but that was because they were pretty much the only LD player manufacturer left.
With LG and Samsung(?) having BluRay/HD-DVD combi players just about ready to enter the market, if HD-DVD formally loses all studio support I expect Toshiba will just liquidate their existing stock and let the two Korean manufacturers support it for as long as they wish.
With LG and Samsung(?) having BluRay/HD-DVD combi players just about ready to enter the market, if HD-DVD formally loses all studio support I expect Toshiba will just liquidate their existing stock and let the two Korean manufacturers support it for as long as they wish.
Hopefully Samsung will finally get around to releasing this by May..
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-BD-UP5000-Format-BluRay-Player/dp/B000VBKVOI/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-BD-UP5000-Format-BluRay-Player/dp/B000VBKVOI/
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The BD-U5500 has already been announced for June at a $200 lower retail (IIRC).
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I just bought the LG Super-Blue last night. It plays both formats. I've been in the HD DVD camp and already have about 20 movies in that format. Just tried a Blu-Ray for for the first time last night, no real difference that I can see. I guess when HD DVD folds there will be lots of HD movies in the discount bin that I can enjoy.
Maybe thats why they didnt release their original model in the UK yet then. I dread to think what price it will come in at here in the UK though given that most manufacturers simply replace the $ in the US price with a £ when they release over here despite the exchange rate generally being around the $2 = £1 mark.
Fingers crossed it will come in at a sensible price over here as it will help early HD-DVD adopters migrate to Blu-ray if HD-DVD does end up going the way of Betamax.
Fat Lady Is Singing!
New Line says good-bye to HD DVD...
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/411046/
New Line says good-bye to HD DVD...
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/411046/
I don't think you guys are considering Warner's role in the format war and in the history of the development of the HD DVD format. Initially, Warner rejected the whole concept of the Blu-ray along with Toshiba when Panasonic and Sony offered them partnership in exchange for support for Blu-ray being introduced in the DVD forum as the replacement for DVD. Warner was too invested in DVD patents and royalties to support a DVD killer and they later became one of the founders of the HD DVD format. Warner switching to Blu-ray exclusively means that they are giving up on their baby (HD DVD).
This is as significant as if Sony Pictures had gone neutral or HD DVD exclusive.
To reiterate, the co-founder of HD DVD has abandoned their own format in favor of the competition.
This is as significant as if Sony Pictures had gone neutral or HD DVD exclusive.
To reiterate, the co-founder of HD DVD has abandoned their own format in favor of the competition.