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Toshiba To Stop HD DVD Player Production
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johnnyjibbs
macrumors 68030
I notice there is no mention of BluRay in the press release - Toshiba doesn't even mention anything about high definition DVDs - I wonder if they will start producing BluRay players or whether they will promote other HD technologies, as the press release has a big bias to.
I'm sure glad I didn't buy a next-gen player and sure as hell glad Apple didn't place one (even if it was BluRay) into any of its computers. HD in terms of DVD discs is still not mass market and will not be for another year or two, or maybe longer. There is just too little incentive to upgrade from the success of DVD.
And who wants to buy their DVD collection again? Not everyone has a 50" 1080p TV...
takao
macrumors 68040
even more so in europe where tv sizes have been generally smaller than in the states.. i read somewhere that the difference in average is for some countries even as high as 10-15" which i found quite massive
If I did have one, it would be sit beside my SegaCD, Nintendo and Betamax 😉
Im no stranger to losing out due to technology. I bought a PS3 (Dec 06)because of the future possibilities with games (that I love..MGS, Ratchet), I did not think much of BD until Feb last year.
Buyer beware thats all I can say.
diamond.g
macrumors G5
Above was what I was really getting at. BD has 6 times the resolution of DVD, you would think that only increasing the bitrate by 2.5-3 or so would have poor quality.
I thought that was why the max bitrate of BD was 40 mbps due to Sony wanting to use MPEG2.
Cousin Dirk
macrumors 6502a
No, that's still hearsay. 😛
But that is as official as you can get:
http://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/press/2008_02/pr1903.htm
http://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/press/2008_02/pr_j1903.htm
DakotaGuy
macrumors 601
I guess all I can do is use the thing now. I'm just going to stick with standard upconverted DVD for rentals and might even look into an Apple TV. If Blu-ray gets cheaper then I might buy a player, but I am in no hurry. It will take a year or so for the sting of being wrong to go away.
jaw04005
macrumors 601
Not that it's unexpected, but Universal announces Blu-ray support
"While Universal values the close partnership we have shared with Toshiba, it is time to turn our focus to releasing new and catalog titles on Blu-ray," said Craig Kornblau, president of Universal Studios Home Entertainment.
"The path for widespread adoption of the next-generation platform has finally become clear. Universal will continue its aggressive efforts to broaden awareness for hi-def’s unparalleled offerings in interactivity and connectivity, at an increasingly affordable price. The emergence of a single, high-definition format is cause for consumers, as well as the entire entertainment industry, to celebrate."
http://www.homemediamagazine.com/news/html/breaking_article.cfm?article_id=12118
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Universal/Breaking:_Universal__Studios_Goes_Blu/1483
"While Universal values the close partnership we have shared with Toshiba, it is time to turn our focus to releasing new and catalog titles on Blu-ray," said Craig Kornblau, president of Universal Studios Home Entertainment.
"The path for widespread adoption of the next-generation platform has finally become clear. Universal will continue its aggressive efforts to broaden awareness for hi-def’s unparalleled offerings in interactivity and connectivity, at an increasingly affordable price. The emergence of a single, high-definition format is cause for consumers, as well as the entire entertainment industry, to celebrate."
http://www.homemediamagazine.com/news/html/breaking_article.cfm?article_id=12118
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Universal/Breaking:_Universal__Studios_Goes_Blu/1483
DakotaGuy
macrumors 601
I wouldn't expect prices to go down that fast. The war did create some faster then usual price drops, but from here on out it will follow a slow, gentle pattern down. This is brand new tech and corporations are going to profit all they can while it is still new.
jaw04005
macrumors 601
Universal is pretty competitive on their HD DVD pricing. With the addition of Paramount, surely Blu-ray will drop to around $20 as standard pricing.
Fox can shove their $35 new release Blu-ray discs. Ridiculous even with the 10 % Amazon discount that was supposed to expire two months ago. 🙂
jaw04005
macrumors 601
They're switching, but no details on the transition have been released.
"While Universal values the close partnership we have shared with Toshiba, it is time to turn our focus to releasing new and catalog titles on Blu-ray."
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Universal/Breaking:_Universal__Studios_Goes_Blu/1483
gkarris
macrumors G3
After today's announcement - there's not going to be any "Blu-ray" price drops. No more competition, so they can call the price shots. Expect all $35 Blu-ray releases here on out....
chillywilly
macrumors 6502a
Are you serious? I really doubt that. I don't think most of the recent and current sales on BD movies were due to competition with HD DVD. I think it's Blu-Ray's best interest to woo the DVD users over, especially so with recent movies that really show off the HD content.
I am just glad this over as I no longer have to listen to debates on the topic. I own both, like both, knew neither was going to be much more than a small market in the mainstream for some time, oft repeated but until Blu players get to under a $100 and on new release Tuesdays, I can pick up a movie for $14.99, all they have "won" is the chance to be only one in that small market.
I am not saying I had not hoped that HD DVD or Bluray for that matter gets there, just that I understood that neither would anytime soon if at all.
I am not saying I had not hoped that HD DVD or Bluray for that matter gets there, just that I understood that neither would anytime soon if at all.
jaw04005
macrumors 601
diamond.g
macrumors G5
You know, if you could include a dvd version with the BD version you could stop production of just the dvd's. Then slowly but surely stop making the combo discs.
havent bought a DVD in 3 years (way before BD existed). never will. got Transformers for Xmas (thanks sis).
lately Ive bought up to 30 BD's 😉 it used to be about SFX stuff (CG artist by trade), but when I picked one of my all time faves Trading Places, I was hooked with non SFX movies 😉
gkarris
macrumors G3
DVD falls way short of 1080p - Blu-ray has no other competition...
You get what you pay for...
jaw04005
macrumors 601
So? If the studios want Blu-ray to replace DVD, they're going to have to have to match DVD pricing.
DVD didn't have format competition either, and at $7.99 for library titles at big box retailers like Wal-Mart or Target seems to be doing well.
Blu-ray will not always be at the $25-$35 price point (or $20-$27 at Amazon).
I haven't confirmed this, but I heard that Panasonic increased one of their (sold at a loss?) players from $440 to $749 after Toshiba threw in the towel.