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Toshiba To Stop HD DVD Player Production

HD is still a niche market, and Blu ray and HD DVD combined hardly made a dint into the SD DVD market which is also in decline.

Download services like AppleTV and pay per view are the biggest threat to all forms of optical disks.

Sure you don't get 1080p or HD sound, but not everyone is a Home Theatre buff,
so 1080i or 720p will look good enough on their new Plasma or LCD, and as long as the 5.1 sound makes their speakers vibrate and subwoofer rumble they will be happy.

I like HD DVD because not being from the US meant cheap purchases from amazon and no region locking, some new releases are well over the $US40 mark locally, plus the top of the line Toshiba player is an excellent upscaler with it's REON chip
 
Abercrombieboy said:
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.
Click to expand...

You weren't wrong... it's just the bad guys won.

:cool:
 
I don't think is so simple...

Nermal said:
DVD SP will still produce discs, your players will still work, and so will your HD DVDs. Nobody is obligated to refund or replace anything.
Click to expand...

Agree that the player and current disc will "still working"... however if the player stop working, I'm not sure about what to expect in regards service.

What will happen with the current titles that includes enhanced content over the Internet, do we have the warranty that those titles will still working during the life of the HD-DVD media?

What will happen to firmware updates?

Also new Warner brothers titles will not work on HD-DVD players. And that's why I disagree with WB new decision to SWITCH and take a supposed decision to "end" a media war... New WB titles should remain working on HD-DVD regardless that WB wants also to offer BR version(s) at least for 10 more years. Personally, I believe that WB decision has little to do with "ending a market war" it sounds more to end a "piracy war" using the coming BR+ and I'm not talking about piracy as those criminals who sells millions of piracy copies but normal consumers like us who have the legal right to make a backup to protect our investment and as today can't do... (More when we are talking about a media as fragile as BR. -regardless of the advertisement that they use a hard-coat material that supposedly prevents scratching, a media that was originally enclosed on a caddy/case to protect it).

Also. the problem I have with BR, is that they use Java"s". That means developing for multiple platforms rather than authoring on a standard... To produce an advance interactive title compatible with all those coming players will be a nightmare, so with BR, I'm expecting a very mediocre interactivity or basically forcing me to pick a "sony brand" player under the assumption that this player firmware will be constantly maintained to keep peace of all coming problems I believe will come (as in other platforms that used Java for Interactive TV applications). HD-DVD is a more stable platform that BR in terms of interactivity... and that's why I like it.
 
Stupid question, perhaps, but...

Wasn't this more-or-less a fait accompli for a while now? I mean, come on: difference in storage capacity, difference in media durability and protection, being originated from and pushed by the de facto owner of half of Hollyweird (that is, Sony)...

Was there anyone out there who didn't see this coming? (Well, ok, maybe all those HD-DVD player purchasers, I suppose...) Poor suckers, them.

Glad I haven't been in the market to buy a new player.

BluRay players do come with COAX and S-Video out ports on the back, right? :p
 
MikeTheC said:
Seriously?

I was just kidding. I can't imagine wanting to buy a Blu-Ray player to watch Blu-Ray movies on a 27" RCA ProScan. (Which is what I've got in the living room, btw.)
Click to expand...

Gotcha. :)

I think the wealth of ports is just to provide a broad compatibility with any TV, regardless of it being HD or not, since most Blu-Ray players also support SD DVD playback.
 
rodolfo said:
I hope we will get our money back or at least a Bluray replacement for the HD-DVD stuff we got (HD-DVD authoring SW, HD-DVD players and Warner-brothers HD-DVD titles)
Click to expand...

That has to be the funniest response I've ever read. What's next? Blaspheming Apple for dropping the price on the iPhone in order to get some money back? Oops, that already did happen. :rolleyes:

While I do feel for those that paid full boat for their iPhones, that is the way the cookie crumbles. It's a calculated risk. Sometimes the bones bounce the way you want 'em to, sometimes you're staring at snake-eyes.

Apple did themselves a huge disservice by pandering to the whiners. Now, whenever they release something new or drop prices to help bump up their installed base, there will be a group of people who will cry crocodile tears. What people aren't considering is the fact that the iPhone base exploded exponentially once the price was dropped. I would have NEVER considered an iPhone at it's release price, but I was happy to part with $399 for my 8GB model.

Innovation costs money people. Either pay up or put up.
 
takao said:
actually last year DVDs sales were still on the rise .. in double digits percentages
Click to expand...

MikeTheC said:
I was just kidding. I can't imagine wanting to buy a Blu-Ray player to watch Blu-Ray movies on a 27" RCA ProScan. (Which is what I've got in the living room, btw.)
Click to expand...

1) These are the two points a lot of people forget to think about. For every person who owns a Plasma/LCD and an HD DVD or Blu-Ray player, there are 100 people out there who have a 19" CRT, a VCR and their $25 Wal-Mart DVD player, who are just as happy as pigs in slop.

2) There are still people out there sputterin' and spittin' mad that they can't get (insert new hit movie of choice here) on VHS anymore. The fact that you can now purchase a DVD player for the cost of a case of beer and that DVDs have dropped to 'impulse buy' category.
 
zioxide said:
Good, now the widespread adoption can begin, which will bring prices down :)
Click to expand...

I think you got that backwards. Already articles are writing about Bluray players going up in price (they were cut to compete with HD DVD).
Look forward to price increases on Bluray discs, players and an end to discounting for bundles.
 
rodolfo said:
Agree that the player and current disc will "still working"... however if the player stop working, I'm not sure about what to expect in regards service.

What will happen with the current titles that includes enhanced content over the Internet, do we have the warranty that those titles will still working during the life of the HD-DVD media?

What will happen to firmware updates?

Also new Warner brothers titles will not work on HD-DVD players. And that's why I disagree with WB new decision to SWITCH and take a supposed decision to "end" a media war... New WB titles should remain working on HD-DVD regardless that WB wants also to offer BR version(s) at least for 10 more years. Personally, I believe that WB decision has little to do with "ending a market war" it sounds more to end a "piracy war" using the coming BR+ and I'm not talking about piracy as those criminals who sells millions of piracy copies but normal consumers like us who have the legal right to make a backup to protect our investment and as today can't do... (More when we are talking about a media as fragile as BR. -regardless of the advertisement that they use a hard-coat material that supposedly prevents scratching, a media that was originally enclosed on a caddy/case to protect it).

Also. the problem I have with BR, is that they use Java"s". That means developing for multiple platforms rather than authoring on a standard... To produce an advance interactive title compatible with all those coming players will be a nightmare, so with BR, I'm expecting a very mediocre interactivity or basically forcing me to pick a "sony brand" player under the assumption that this player firmware will be constantly maintained to keep peace of all coming problems I believe will come (as in other platforms that used Java for Interactive TV applications). HD-DVD is a more stable platform that BR in terms of interactivity... and that's why I like it.
Click to expand...

First of all if your player breaks and you can buy another one on eBay if needed. There were enough players built that you should be able to get a pretty decent one for a few years to come. I am sure some people will buy a back-up player or even a dual format player if they are deeply invested. LG has stated they will continue selling dual format players.

As far as internet extras go, I suppose in time those will be turned off, but the movie will still play.

I am not sure what you mean about Warner disks not playing. How are they going to turn them off? Maybe you mean that going forward they will no longer make HD DVD's. In that case you are right.

Last, I would not worry much about firmware upgrades. Toshiba is a good company and will continue to support the products with firmware upgrades. Since there will be no more new HD DVD's in a few months the final firmware upgrades for all players should play everything just fine.

I looked at some of the prices on eBay and decided just to keep my stuff. It is not worth the loss and they are still great movies. Besides I still have my 5free HD DVDs being sent. I called the rebate program last night just to check because I do want to get them before it is all over and she said they are on the way!
 
I spent less than 160 dollars on my last Toshiba HD DVD player and got 10 HD DVDs free. Looks like no loss there. It is also one of the best upconverting players I own.
I also own about 50 classic titles in HD DVD with beautiful transfers.
I will eventually rip them to lossless before my old HD DVD players turn to dust.
I bought a couple of Bluray players as well and they are decent. For many reasons stated by others I like the HD DVD more, but as we all know both formats are doomed by downloadable media. This is where the smart money is.
Sorry Walmart, Good Guys, etc. You decided too late to save a stop gap technology for your old fashioned bricks and mortar super boxes.
 
Abercrombieboy said:
... It is not worth the loss and they are still great movies. Besides I still have my 5free HD DVDs being sent. I called the rebate program last night just to check because I do want to get them before it is all over and she said they are on the way!
Click to expand...

I just got my 5 Blu-ray movies last night from my PS3 purchase over Christmas! :)

Just went over to CC over lunch to grab the last A3 for $99. Looks like another 7 free movies for me! :D

(let's do the math, if HD DVD's are worth $10/each right now, times 7, $99 - $70 = $29, for an HD DVD player :eek:)

Don't you love competition?

(BTW, while at CC, I checked out the 80 Gig Zune - great job MS! Keep Apple on its toes!)
 
BOSS10L said:
1) These are the two points a lot of people forget to think about. For every person who owns a Plasma/LCD and an HD DVD or Blu-Ray player, there are 100 people out there who have a 19" CRT, a VCR and their $25 Wal-Mart DVD player, who are just as happy as pigs in slop.

2) There are still people out there sputterin' and spittin' mad that they can't get (insert new hit movie of choice here) on VHS anymore. The fact that you can now purchase a DVD player for the cost of a case of beer and that DVDs have dropped to 'impulse buy' category.
Click to expand...

When it comes to VHS... I'm certain you're probably right, but considering just how long the DVD standard has been both the defacto standard as well as the most popular format, to say nothing of how long it's generally been out for, I can't see anyone other than sheer utter technophobes buying them.

I actually have a nicer Sony DVD player, and I've owned it since about 2003, but I've probably used it no more than maybe a dozen and a half-ish times since then, so it's been a complete and total waste. Wish I'd never spent the money on it.

C 'est la vie...
 
BOSS10L said:
That has to be the funniest response I've ever read. What's next? Blaspheming Apple for dropping the price on the iPhone in order to get some money back? Oops, that already did happen. :rolleyes:

While I do feel for those that paid full boat for their iPhones, that is the way the cookie crumbles. It's a calculated risk. Sometimes the bones bounce the way you want 'em to, sometimes you're staring at snake-eyes.

Apple did themselves a huge disservice by pandering to the whiners. Now, whenever they release something new or drop prices to help bump up their installed base, there will be a group of people who will cry crocodile tears. What people aren't considering is the fact that the iPhone base exploded exponentially once the price was dropped. I would have NEVER considered an iPhone at it's release price, but I was happy to part with $399 for my 8GB model.

Innovation costs money people. Either pay up or put up.
Click to expand...

You sir, are the king of clichés.

:cool:
 
gkarris said:
Yea, but if you've seen what Apple can do with 720p, DDS5.1, and all under 5Gigs with HD on iTunes, then you'd know why they've "overlooked" high-def discs so far... :eek:
Click to expand...

True, but it's the ability to create HD content on disc that will help video professionals. 5gb isn't a lot when compared to local storage. But when you get 100's of people moving 5gb files over bandwidth on a regular basis, it's easier to pop in a disc then wait the 1-2 hours (average users bandwidth) to download each video.
 
chillywilly said:
True, but it's the ability to create HD content on disc that will help video professionals. 5gb isn't a lot when compared to local storage. But when you get 100's of people moving 5gb files over bandwidth on a regular basis, it's easier to pop in a disc then wait the 1-2 hours (average users bandwidth) to download each video.
Click to expand...

Actually, my download of "Transformers" that I rented took close to 12 hours on my slow 768 DSL. The other thread has people complaining that the HD downloads take a ton of time in certain cases.

I'm a movie collector and prefer something to "hold" in my case. I just wanted to see what HD rentals on Apple were like and I was impressed.

I downloaded some TV shows in HD on XBLive and was impressed with that too.

The studios like downloads because there's no physical media to deliver and, of course, has a lot of DRM.
 
gkarris said:
The studios like downloads because there's no physical media to deliver and, of course, has a lot of DRM.
Click to expand...

Yes, they do.

Personally, I wish the studios would include an iPod copy of the movie on disc, like what Fox did with Blue Harvest DVD. Then offer the download, too. Give multiple users some choices.

12 hours??? sheessh.. That's a long time, even if you are downloading it at night.
 
gkarris said:
The studios like downloads because there's no physical media to deliver and, of course, has a lot of DRM.
Click to expand...

It reminds me of this Penny-Arcade comic. I would IMG tag it but there is some swearing in the comic.

I know it isn't completely the same thing, but you have to admit, the studios are getting what the originally wanted. And people are eating it up.
 
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