here it goes again; the ole Sammy.

Apparently, Samsung spokeperson/ marketing Manager; Stephen Mitchell told Poket-lint that Samsung can do HD DVD but is now wait and see....

He also believes that,both competing formats can co-exist saying that Samsung is not ruling HD DVD out 'yet'.


http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.phtml/7001/8025/Samsung-2nd-generation-blu-ray-player.phtml

and oh this one:

"Samsung launched its player in October last year believing that Sony would launch the PS3 the following month, it pushed it launch back by 6 months and so did all the content providers leaving Samsung left out in the cold to defend the cause," an industry insider told us.

here it goes again; the ole Sammy.

Apparently, Samsung spokeperson/ marketing Manager; Stephen Mitchell told Poket-lint that Samsung can do HD DVD but is now wait and see....

He also believes that,both competing formats can co-exist saying that Samsung is not ruling HD DVD out 'yet'.


http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.phtml/7001/8025/Samsung-2nd-generation-blu-ray-player.phtml

and oh this one:


I hope they focus their potential neutrality on neutral players with full HD DVD support, if there were more than one iron in the hybrid fire, we might see those prices ease a bit too. :)

I think it's funny the Samsung guy was complaining that he had 6 extra months of player exclusivity as opposed to just one. Shouldn't he be happy about that?

Read carefully, that wasn't the Samsung guy claiming that they were left out in the cold, it was a nameless "industry insider".

why would samsung not say that? if blu-ray fails, then what samsung should not be able to make a hd-dvd drive?

why would samsung not say that? if blu-ray fails, then what samsung should not be able to make a hd-dvd drive?
Yep. I can totally see Toshiba making similar comments in 5-9 months.

But right now I see no advantage of Samsung making both (especially in Japan). It doesn’t necessarily mean that they are going to switch but more like they are prepared to switch if they have to.
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20070313/buena06.jpg

Yep. I can totally see Toshiba making similar comments in 5-9 months.

But right now I see no advantage of Samsung making both (especially in Japan). It doesn’t necessarily mean that they are going to switch but more like they are prepared to switch if they have to.

Thanks for that picture again Bob, do you have one of Japanese businessmen urinating on the A2? :rolleyes:

Interesting, I'd like to see what samsung would intend for a player price. I don't see them coming in cheap, in which case it would be a waste of time considering Toshibas player would likely be much cheaper.

Sammy did get tossed under the bus last year and the BDA had no support leaving them with little content and a bunch of negative. I think Sammy has cooled a bit on the idea of being Blu-ray only. I wouldn't be surprised to see them hold off and see at how well HD DVD co-ordinates the launch of Reference platform players. I'm sure they also want to see about how HD DVD content goes for the latter half of this year.

Sammy did get tossed under the bus last year and the BDA had no support leaving them with little content and a bunch of negative. I think Sammy has cooled a bit on the idea of being Blu-ray only. I wouldn't be surprised to see them hold off and see at how well HD DVD co-ordinates the launch of Reference platform players. I'm sure they also want to see about how HD DVD content goes for the latter half of this year.


Maybe they will have the Chineese make the and HD DVD player. They just better price it right.

I didn't know this. Samsung and Toshibas optical drive production divisions are the same company, of which Toshiba is the majority owner.

This is similar to NEC which optical drive division is 55% owned by Sony. Both Sony and Toshiba can make HD-DVD and Blu-ray drives.

I've came to the conclusion that there's something good about the way Samsung conducts PR. They don't spin as much as the rest of the companies. If you read a lot their PR, it's like they are really just telling you what they are thinking at the moment.

IMO if universal players become popular and the de-facto standard it will eventually lead to Warner and Paramount only releasing on Blu-ray disc since the universal players and PS3 will have the bulk of the market and standalone HD DVD players will be virtually non-existent in comparison. It wouldn't be worth it for them to sell a dual format disc.

IMO if universal players become popular and the de-facto standard it will eventually lead to Warner and Paramount only releasing on Blu-ray disc since the universal players and PS3 will have the bulk of the market and standalone HD DVD players will be virtually non-existent in comparison. It wouldn't be worth it for them to sell a dual format disc.


I don't. Why would you think Warner would go BD when their support of it is so knee-jerk? Warner was all poised to be HD DVD only, I don't think they would even be messing with "Total HD" if they didn't want to keep HD DVD around as a future option. They aren't joined at the hip with Sony the way FOX is, and there is a world of difference between how they do business compared to to the BD exclusive supporters.

I don't. Why would you think Warner would go BD when their support of it is so knee-jerk? Warner was all poised to be HD DVD only, I don't think they would even be messing with "Total HD" if they didn't want to keep HD DVD around as a future option. They aren't joined at the hip with Sony the way FOX is, and there is a world of difference between how they do business compared to to the BD exclusive supporters.Well, if universal players are the only HD players (with the exception of the PS3) bought from this Christmas and onward. Then the Blu-ray and HD DVD standalones already in homes won't account for much of the market. HD DVD standalones' market share might shrink to somewhere around 2% over the next 3 years (if 50 million universal players and 50 million PS3s are sold).

Would Warner or Paramount go through all the hassle of creating HDi interactivity on all of their discs just for 2% of the market when the other 98% will be able to use BD-J (and 48% can ONLY use BD-J)? I think Amazon's sale has shown us that the magic price point for discs is $19.99. Will they be able to keep their TotalHD disc prices under that and still make an acceptable profit? Would they sell two separate dics like they do now? Would stores be willing to stock two discs? I don't think so.

It's my understanding that Blu-ray has a higher maximum bitrate and file size. Correct? Therefore, their compressionists won't have to do as much "pruning" of the main movie if they were to release only BDs. As opposed to doing the transfer for HD DVD and then using the same transfer on the Blu-ray disc. With BD they have the extra space and bandwidth to either be lazy or to do a better transfer while getting the same or better quality. And at the same time, they'd only need one team, instead of two, to create the interactive features.

IMO those neutral studios won't cater to the HD DVD market once universal players grab market share.

I never really thought of Dual format players that way. They could help end the format war in favour of a single format anyway.
At the moment if a studio wants to gain marketshare in the other format they have to release on both formats which results in higher costs and continues this pointless format war. Whereas if Dual format players were the norm they would just release on the format with the most stand alone players, why bother with the other format at all when universal buyers would be able to view your disc anyway along with the larger market of stand alone players on that format.

IMO those neutral studios won't cater to the HD DVD market once universal players grab market share.


IMO that's where Sony being a studio/competitor will bite them in the rump. Why would Warner and Universal feather their nest? I also think they would choose the cheaper of the two, penetration of either format by Christmas won't trump production cost.

Anyway, affordable Hybrids by Christmas? Ain't gonna happen.

Well, if universal players are the only HD players (with the exception of the PS3) bought from this Christmas and onward. Then the Blu-ray and HD DVD standalones already in homes won't account for much of the market. HD DVD standalones' market share might shrink to somewhere around 2% over the next 3 years (if 50 million universal players and 50 million PS3s are sold).

Would Warner or Paramount go through all the hassle of creating HDi interactivity on all of their discs just for 2% of the market when the other 98% will be able to use BD-J (and 48% can ONLY use BD-J)? I think Amazon's sale has shown us that the magic price point for discs is $19.99. Will they be able to keep their TotalHD disc prices under that and still make an acceptable profit? Would they sell two separate dics like they do now? Would stores be willing to stock two discs? I don't think so.

It's my understanding that Blu-ray has a higher maximum bitrate and file size. Correct? Therefore, their compressionists won't have to do as much "pruning" of the main movie if they were to release only BDs. As opposed to doing the transfer for HD DVD and then using the same transfer on the Blu-ray disc. With BD they have the extra space and bandwidth to either be lazy or to do a better transfer while getting the same or better quality. And at the same time, they'd only need one team, instead of two, to create the interactive features.

IMO those neutral studios won't cater to the HD DVD market once universal players grab market share.

PS2 is not the dominate DVD player by a long shot. The PS3 as a factor in the format war is time-limited. As soon as standalone player are $200 the PS3 is no longer a determining factor. It is all dependent on how soon the player prices drop. If its years from now then yes the PS3 if a factor if it's this fall then the PS3 is not a factor.

If dual format player become the norm we really have one new format that plays two older subsets.

Why HDi on a HD-DVD? Because it likely takes less time to author the content vs. BJ-D and the HD-DVD disc are likely cheaper to replicate. If anything studios that support both formats would overtime drop Blu-ray as universal player become the norm due to the apparent cost advantages.

Who is to say the XBox360 will never have a version with HD-DVD or universal drive in it?

In my opinion, those neutral studios would use HD-DVD format discs to play in universal players and would drop Blu-ray discs as they seem to costs more with NO marketable advantage.

IMO that's where Sony being a studio/competitor will bite them in the rump. Why would Warner and Universal feather their nest?You think a studio would cut off its nose to spite its face? Unless they have a vested interest in one format they'll follow the money. And right now and into the foreseeable future the money is flowing 2:1 towards Blu-ray and the PS3. Would they ignore the PS3's Blu-ray capabilities? Not if you consider that they've paid it quite a bit of attention.
I also think they would choose the cheaper of the two, penetration of either format by Christmas won't trump production cost.Companies usually choose higher profits over lower costs. Anyway, affordable Hybrids by Christmas? Ain't gonna happen.Who knows? LG's hybrid could tank forcing a major price cut.

If Samsung did their homework, maybe they realize there is going to be a sizable market for the dual format players. For example, I fit that bill. If they can offer a player that plays both for about the same price as a BD player that has analog outs, superior upconversion, and supports both formats... take my order.

Lets say one format becomes dominant... wouldn't a dual format player be of interest to early adopters that made the wrong choice so their discs still have value to them? What about people who are confused?

IMO it is a very smart strategy to at least consider. And you know what... whether an industry insider was quoted or the president of Samsung himself... it is what happened. Sony did hang Samsung out to dry when Samsung agreed to be the sacrificial lamb and be the first company to put out a player for an unfinished format to try and save the day for BD. Over the last few years Samsung has built up their brand by offering quality products and their Blu-Ray player was a smudge on an otherwise pretty decent track record (if you forget about their memory chip price fixing fiasco). I wouldn't blame Samsung at all if they felt a bit betrayed over that BD launch situation.

If it's cheaper and faster to release content on HD DVD than BD, in the world of neutrals, the lower cost provider wins. Whether it is 2 disk commemorative editions or interactive online editions - the technical advantage in terms of consumer experience is with HD DVD, for content providers it is the lower cost option. Uber edition for 4 hour plus movies could use BD disks at 2X the price for special collectors edition - say once in 5 or 10 years ;)

If hardware goes format neutral, and people start buying dual format players - BD is pretty much toast. Who's gonna subsidize Fox for their extra layer of security, it won't be worth it to them.....

Leave only Sony, who will probably also go along with the more efficient technology. So, BD for games until the PS3 is retired in early 2009.

Thanks for that picture again Bob, do you have one of Japanese businessmen urinating on the A2? :rolleyes:Hey Bob... Paramount pictures will be releasing "Gung Ho" to Blu-Ray ONLY!

PS2 is not the dominate DVD player by a long shot. The PS3 as a factor in the format war is time-limited. As soon as standalone player are $200 the PS3 is no longer a determining factor. It is all dependent on how soon the player prices drop. If its years from now then yes the PS3 if a factor if it's this fall then the PS3 is not a factor.The PS3 will remain a factor. It is arguably one of the best players out. The PS2 is not a very good DVD player and was difficult to use as a player. That said, IMO the PS3 was never THE determining factor in this war. To me, the most important factor is and will be studio support.
If dual format player become the norm we really have one new format that plays two older subsets. Having a dual format player doesn't create a new format. The format of the discs don't change.
Why HDi on a HD-DVD? Because it likely takes less time to author the content vs. BJ-D and the HD-DVD disc are likely cheaper to replicate. If anything studios that support both formats would overtime drop Blu-ray as universal player become the norm due to the apparent cost advantages.It takes money to make money. Profit trumps cost. Granted HDi is easier to code for now but BD-J tools are coming soon which will make life easier for the folks designing the interactive features on Blu-ray discs. From what I've read the actual pressing costs of the discs are not that different. And I believe any cost difference would very easily be covered by profits from disc sales to PS3 owners whose numbers will just continue to grow. On top of that the LG universal player can't even use HD DVD's interactive features.
Who is to say the XBox360 will never have a version with HD-DVD or universal drive in it?Microsoft sez.
In my opinion, those neutral studios would use HD-DVD format discs to play in universal players and would drop Blu-ray discs as they seem to costs more with NO marketable advantage.The PS3 will be a huge worldwide market. And is a huge advantage. If studios keep Blu-ray, it won't cost them a single penny more to serve both the universal HD player AND PS3 market. It they keep HD DVD and drop Blu-ray they will lose access to 100 million (by some estimates) worldwide PS3 Blu-ray units. Not a smart choice IMO.

If it's cheaper and faster to release content on HD DVD than BD, in the world of neutrals, the lower cost provider wins. Whether it is 2 disk commemorative editions or interactive online editions - the technical advantage in terms of consumer experience is with HD DVD, for content providers it is the lower cost option. Uber edition for 4 hour plus movies could use BD disks at 2X the price for special collectors edition - say once in 5 or 10 years ;)Would you rather spend $1 to make $1 more or spend $1.50 to make $2 more?

If hardware goes format neutral, and people start buying dual format players - BD is pretty much toast. Who's gonna subsidize Fox for their extra layer of security, it won't be worth it to them.....Anyone buying FOX titles.

Leave only Sony, who will probably also go along with the more efficient technology. So, BD for games until the PS3 is retired in early 2009.PS4 FTW!

The PS3 will be a huge worldwide market. And is a huge advantage. If studios keep Blu-ray, it won't cost them a single penny more to serve both the universal HD player AND PS3 market. It they keep HD DVD and drop Blu-ray they will lose access to 100 million (by some estimates) worldwide PS3 Blu-ray units. Not a smart choice IMO.


Its this same logic that suckered all those studios into supporting blu-ray. Well..here we are 4 months after release and.....there tons of these things all over the stores. The fanatics (loyalists) have bought their players. Those of us who are not blinded by a brand name....well...we're waiting. In the meantime...the juggernaut that is supposed to be the PS3 is sitting there...in every store....across the nation....overpriced....doing nothing. But let me be fair....if gamers were really hooked on the next generation format war....then we would already have 10 million 360 add-on owners in this country...but we don't....Hmmm..why is that? Could it be becuz people buy game systems to play games? The PS2 was not that difficult to watch movies on but guess what....no one did anyway. (At least not the majority.) Bottom line.....as for right now.....the PS3 idea is not working. As always...there are tons of pre-orders for the machine but once that phase passes....you then have the regulars who eventually buy the machine because they are attracted to the machine and its gaming lineup. Problem is...based on the machine's price and disappearing exclusives...that machine...is no longer very appealing to the people who made it successful in the first place...GAMERS!

Not to mention....I still can 't figure out why so many companies decided to make blu-ray standalones knowing full well that they were going to compete with what has to be the most affordable and best blu-ray player on the market the PS3. It boggles my mind.

Think about it.....
"Hey buddy....I'm gonna make a car...and you are gonna make a car. My car is gonna go a little faster and do more things than yours but you are gonna sell yours for much more money than mine. You in on this with me or what?"

Just how much money is Sony paying these companies to sit there and produce a product that will not sell as well as the competitioneven though the competition is aware of this?

I'm confusing myself just typing the proposed situation?!?!?!?
:confused: :( :mad:

Its this same logic that suckered all those studios into supporting blu-ray. Well..here we are 4 months after release and.....there tons of these things all over the stores. The fanatics (loyalists) have bought their players. Those of us who are not blinded by a brand name....well...we're waiting. In the meantime...the juggernaut that is supposed to be the PS3 is sitting there...in every store....across the nation....overpriced....doing nothing. But let me be fair....if gamers were really hooked on the next generation format war....then we would already have 10 million 360 add-on owners in this country...but we don't....Hmmm..why is that? Could it be becuz people buy game systems to play games? The PS2 was not that difficult to watch movies on but guess what....no one did anyway. (At least not the majority.) Bottom line.....as for right now.....the PS3 idea is not working. As always...there are tons of pre-orders for the machine but once that phase passes....you then have the regulars who eventually buy the machine because they are attracted to the machine and its gaming lineup. Problem is...based on the machine's price and disappearing exclusives...that machine...is no longer very appealing to the people who made it successful in the first place...GAMERS! Disc sales are 2:1 in favor of Blu-ray. I'd say their logic is working just fine. Thank you. It will be even better when the last holdout goes neutral too. Tick-tock...

Not to mention....I still can 't figure out why so many companies decided to make blu-ray standalones knowing full well that they were going to compete with what has to be the most affordable and best blu-ray player on the market the PS3. It boggles my mind.

Think about it.....
"Hey buddy....I'm gonna make a car...and you are gonna make a car. My car is gonna go a little faster and do more things than yours but you are gonna sell yours for much more money than mine. You in on this with me or what?".Sony doesn't set the features or prices. Each company decides what features to include in their own player versus the cost of that feature. Toshiba is the CE that cut everyone's potential profits by selling the A1 at a loss. It's no wonder the other CEs only want to make Blu-ray or hybrid players that don't totally support HD DVD.

Just how much money is Sony paying these companies to sit there and produce a product that will not sell as well as the competitioneven though the competition is aware of this?

I'm confusing myself just typing the proposed situation?!?!?!?
:confused: :( :mad:You didn't just confuse yourself...I'm sure the profit on Blu-ray players looked attractive to CEs compared to existing DVD player sales before Toshiba did the unthinkable, pricing players well below costs at inception to drive format adoption before they even had a chance of recovering their R&D costs. I take it other CEs are madder than hell at Toshiba. Whereas, they already knew the PS3 was gonna be sold at a loss for Sony. Toshiba was given the chance before either format was released to merge the two formats and chose not to.

It takes money to make money. Profit trumps cost. Granted HDi is easier to code for now but BD-J tools are coming soon which will make life easier for the folks designing the interactive features on Blu-ray discs. From what I've read the actual pressing costs of the discs are not that different. And I believe any cost difference would very easily be covered by profits from disc sales to PS3 owners whose numbers will just continue to grow. On top of that the LG universal player can't even use HD DVD's interactive features.IMO.


Your acting like the profit is even viewable through a telescope for PS3 and BD at this point. Even going $600 (retail) on BD stand alone is going to be a vomit inducing kick in the Sony-jewels.

The LG combo, A1 HD DVD, and Samsung BD, are all first generation tippy-canoes. Funny thing is though, the LG has yet to make enough of them to fill the demand, even at $1200. Ya think no other CE manufacturer is going to ride that train?

"You didn't just confuse yourself...I'm sure the profit on Blu-ray players looked attractive to CEs compared to existing DVD player sales before Toshiba did the unthinkable, pricing players well below costs at inception to drive format adoption before they even had a chance of recovering their R&D costs. I take it other CEs are madder than hell at Toshiba. Whereas, they already knew the PS3 was gonna be sold at a loss for Sony. Toshiba was given the chance before either format was released to merge the two formats and chose not to." <--------- RustyC

Sooo....get mad at the other format for taking a loss. So lets make a super expensive player with less features and more glitches than the best one at the market, sell it at a price that will cover our lossess....and sell very few of them thanx to our direct competition!!

Wow....excellent idea!

WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Your acting like the profit is even viewable through a telescope for PS3 and BD at this point. Even going $600 (retail) on BD stand alone is going to be a vomit inducing kick in the Sony-jewels.And Toshiba's rolling in the HD DVD dough? Or is that...Doh! Whatevers...I guarantee the neutral studios' profits from their Blu-ray sales are at least double their profits from HD DVD. Doh! And I'd bet their costs per disc sold are roughly the same for both if it doesn't favor Blu-ray. Doh!

The LG combo, A1 HD DVD, and Samsung BD, are all first generation tippy-canoes. Funny thing is though, the LG has yet to make enough of them to fill the demand, even at $1200. Ya think no other CE manufacturer is going to ride that train?Funny. Didn't you say hybrid players weren't affordable and wouldn't even be affordable by Christmas? But they're all selling out? Doh!

I wonder what format those LG combo buyers are choosing? HD DVD? Maybe they don't like all those interactive features anyway. I mean those HD DVD guys are putting out cheap interactive features to cut costs anyway, right? LG owners are fast-forwarding-rewinding-chapter-skipping monks. They don't need no stinkin' menus to find a scene! Doh!

Or Blu-ray? In all its HD goodness. "Whoa! Blu-ray menus come with pictures and titles (while HD DVD only has numbers and chapter length?)! Nice!" They'll be taking the train straight to Blu-ville. Doh!

I think it's hilarious that people (seems mostly HDDVD fanboys) try and make samsung being the only player out on the market a "negative".

The only problem with samsung having no competitions for months was their own.
The BDP-1000 is a completely different unit with firmware 1.1 than it was at launch, and it was their fault alone for having not released an update sooner.

You could potentially point to subpar releases initially, but how long did that last? 6 weeks? By august PQ issues were remedied, Heck even some launch titles looked great (see underworld).

I know many people who were waiting eagerly for the Sony BDP-S1, and waited, and waited and finally gave up on waiting and bought a BDP-1000. I myself was one of those people. I am glad I didn't wait, I would have missed out on months of HD content, and my collection would be alot smaller than it is now.

I do still look at the BDP-S1 with envious eyes, even though it doesn't do anything my Sammy doesn't (besides 24p which my tv doesn't support).

I highly doubt Samsung will ever make a standalone HDDVD player...I doubt HDDVD will make it past this fall.

wouldn't be surprised to see them hold off and see at how well HD DVD co-ordinates the launch of Reference platform players.

Me thinks you're right ;)

Sooo....get mad at the other format for taking a loss. So lets make a super expensive player with less features and more glitches than the best one at the market, sell it at a price that will cover our lossess....and sell very few of them thanx to our direct competition!!

Wow....excellent idea!

WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?Where's Samsung's HD DVD-only player again? Oh right, in their M55 laptop. The M55 is only around $3,186. Too bad it doesn't fit it with the rest of your equipment. I'm sure once HD DVD is selling as well as Blu-ray we'll see a Samsung combo player. Oh wait, aren't the SI numbers pretty much even? ...So where's that combo player, Samsung?

Yep. I can totally see Toshiba making similar comments in 5-9 months.

But right now I see no advantage of Samsung making both (especially in Japan). It doesn’t necessarily mean that they are going to switch but more like they are prepared to switch if they have to.
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20070313/buena06.jpg

For some reason, I picture Bob as one of those fat kids that can't get a real job so he's out on the street corner twirling an arrow shaped sign that says "blew ray is the best, ever!" (sorry in advance for the sarcasm. just tired of the sony employee cheerleaders)

And Toshiba's rolling in the HD DVD dough? Or is that...Doh! Whatevers...I guarantee the neutral studios' profits from their Blu-ray sales are at least double their profits from HD DVD. Doh! And I'd bet their costs per disc sold are roughly the same for both if it doesn't favor Blu-ray. Doh!


What profits? -$3, -$2, -$1, 0, $1, $2, $3 ?

I never stated that HD DVD was generating more cash-flow than BD, just that HD in general is so far from being a blip on anyones fiscal radar that characterizing BD, even with twice the software sales, as "success" is wildy overoptimistic.

We know the hardware on both sides is produced at a loss.


Funny. Didn't you say hybrid players weren't affordable and wouldn't even be affordable by Christmas? But they're all selling out? Doh!

I don't know how many LG put out, I'm guessing if it were a large number they would have included it in their boast. Your not going to tell me $1200 is affordable are ya?

Honestly, I'm surprised people will pay that for a machine that's half-baked, but it does make me think the interest in hybrids is there.

I wonder what format those LG combo buyers are choosing? HD DVD? Maybe they don't like all those interactive features anyway. I mean those HD DVD guys are putting out cheap interactive features to cut costs anyway, right? LG owners are fast-forwarding-rewinding-chapter-skipping monks. They don't need no stinkin' menus to find a scene! Doh!

Why spend that kinda dough on a combo and not buy both formats? If I bought a BD player tomorrow I'd only buy the titles not on HD DVD.

I'd be willing to admit that the LG buyers lean BD if that makes ya feel better?

Companies usually choose higher profits over lower costs.


Bingo!!

But the consumer doesn't.

All I see is a normal PR.

"Everything is open for the future, we will look at the market and decide"

It's like a common phrase in the business world, everybody said that. Why the spin ?

Nobody will said "we will never produce the other side disc". Toshiba and Sony included.

If it's cheaper and faster to release content on HD DVD than BD, in the world of neutrals, the lower cost provider wins.I find it interesting that you praise Amir so much, yet when HD DVD wasn't getting many new releases after the beginning of the year he mentioned that the compressionists were putting a lot of effort into encoding movies at the end of last year and Microsoft was even helping them. Yet now you seem to ignore the evidence and tell us that it is faster to release content on HD DVD. Based on what? Are you just guessing? I'll give you a guess about something. It would shock me if "Batman Begins" for HD DVD took only 2 weeks to encode to look like it did within HD DVD's requirements.

I'll give you an example I told somebody the other day:

The analogy I've used is with a builder who builds hundreds of houses a year. Say somebody wants a job as a painter for the insides and the builder tells them to paint some room and then goes away on a trip. A couple of weeks later he comes back and checks and it is one of the best jobs he has ever seen. So, he asks the guy how long he spent on it and the guy says he spent the whole 2 weeks. If the builder was smart he wouldn't assume that all the rooms would look like that or that the guy is even a good person for the job, but would have the guy paint one in the amount of time that the guy would really get if he went to work painting these. That is what would be the most relevant to the real world situation of building and selling houses.

Again, why do you claim it is faster to release content on HD DVD? Are you talking about for the major studios?

--Darin

Again, why do you claim it is faster to release content on HD DVD? Are you talking about for the major studios?

--Darin

Are you inferring that the beginning of the year slow-down in HD DVDs is due to them laboring on the compression?

If so what supports your hypothesis? I mean, couldn't there be many reasons? We don't know why Fox is cherry-picking BD releases out of the schedule either.

Tick-tock...

How ironic.

Originally Posted by SonicSputnik
Who is to say the XBox360 will never have a version with HD-DVD or universal drive in it?

Originally Posted by RustyC
Microsoft sez.

well, Sony "sez" that they will never produce VHS, or CF cards.

What profits? -$3, -$2, -$1, 0, $1, $2, $3 ?

I never stated that HD DVD was generating more cash-flow than BD, just that HD in general is so far from being a blip on anyones fiscal radar that characterizing BD, even with twice the software sales, as "success" is wildy overoptimistic.I don't know how much studios are making. But, I don't think Digital Playground released HD DVD discs just to prop up the format. If Digital is making a profit with their smaller sales then the major studios must be profiting also. With the exception of Sony Pictures, I doubt the studios are selling discs at a loss to themselves. If HD DVD studios are making zero profit, then the Blu-ray Studios' profit is infinitely higher.

Anyway, this is all predicated on universal players becoming the de facto standard HD player as I stated in my first post. Which IMO couldn't happen until Christmas at the very earliest (the reason for me using Christmas and onward). I didn't say universal players WOULD be the standard. I happen to think HD DVD will be on its last legs around Christmas anyway and so far out of the race by March 2008 that universal players will be moot point.

I'm guessing people who want to watch Universal Studios HD DVDs will be able to pick up $50 A2s at Christmas (with ten free Universal titles to boot), on clearance of course, or we could just wait until CES for their Blu-ray press release (if Universal hasn't switched before then). So I can't deny they'll be cheap HD DVD players come Christmas. Not that I can't be completely wrong. HD DVD could still win if Toshiba gets really desperate and gives away the company to win the war.

I don't know how many LG put out, I'm guessing if it were a large number they would have included it in their boast. Your not going to tell me $1200 is affordable are ya?If the LG combos are selling like hotcakes and are sold out everywhere you look like you say they are then buyers are certainly willing and able to bear the cost of the unit. Hence for every single LG combo buyer, it is affordable.

Why spend that kinda dough on a combo and not buy both formats? If I bought a BD player tomorrow I'd only buy the titles not on HD DVD.Maybe they're being bought by Richie Rich HD DVD owners who are transitioning over to Blu-ray who already own all the HD DVD titles they want.

Most likely they're buying the Universal exclusives and must-have-it-now Warner exclusives, and for everthing else they're sticking with Blu-ray titles.

Companies usually choose higher profits over lower costs.Bingo!!

But the consumer doesn't.The consumers' buying habits determine which format will have the higher profit. Way higher profits for one format versus the other determine what format the companies will eventually choose to produce.

"If you wait long enough by the river's edge, the body of your enemy will float past you." -Sun Tzu

Tick-tock...How ironic.Were you waiting up to read my reply? If you were I'm sorry. I didn't know a had a fan base.

Who is to say the XBox360 will never have a version with HD-DVD or universal drive in it?
Microsoft sez.well, Sony "sez" that they will never produce VHS, or CF cards.From: September 2006 we have this http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=34360

In June reports cited Toshiba Australia executive Mark Whittard as saying, "I would imagine that there are plans in place to put an HD-DVD drive internally in future revisions of the product. [Microsoft is] not speaking about it publicly at the moment but I would expect them to do that and fairly soon."In JUNE 2006! What is Whittard's idea of "fairly soon"?

...Microsoft have been adamant only an external HD-DVD drive, pictured below, would be released for the Xbox 360, and at no point would game content be shipped on anything over than a standard DVD. In fact, Microsoft global marketing team member Cesar Menendez promptly relayed a denial via Gamerscoreblog: "...saw a few stories online about an Xbox 360 with a built-in HD DVD drive: not true. We have no plans to release an Xbox 360 with an internal HD-DVD. What we showcased at E3 was an external HD DVD drive, and we're sticking with that."Anyway, SonicSputnik asked "Who is to say...?" The answer is of course Microsoft. NOBODY else can release an internal Xbox 360 HD DVD drive. And no amount of rumor can make it come true.

But I've already said in other threads that I'm waiting for an HDMI 360 with a built-in HD DVD drive. I'd buy one if they made it.

I don't know how much studios are making. But, I don't think Digital Playground released HD DVD discs just to prop up the format. If Digital is making a profit with their smaller sales then the major studios must be profiting also. With the exception of Sony Pictures, I doubt the studios are selling discs at a loss to themselves. If HD DVD studios are making zero profit, then the Blu-ray Studios' profit is infinitely higher.
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Now mind ya, I was never good with figures, but I seem to remember 4000 x 0 being pretty close to 8000x0. :D


Anyway, this is all predicated on universal players becoming the de facto standard HD player as I stated in my first post. Which IMO couldn't happen until Christmas at the very earliest (the reason for me using Christmas and onward). I didn't say universal players WOULD be the standard. I happen to think HD DVD will be on its last legs around Christmas anyway and so far out of the race by March 2008 that universal players will be moot point.

I'm guessing people who want to watch Universal Studios HD DVDs will be able to pick up $50 A2s
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Now your just being a silly goose. They might however pick up a $200 Chinese player.



If the LG combos are selling like hotcakes and are sold out everywhere you look like you say they are then buyers are certainly willing and able to bear the cost of the unit. Hence for every single LG combo buyer, it is affordable..

I think your Richy-Rich assessment was more on the $. I'll bet ya they are counted as BD only in sales totals, so I wouldn't be see eager to see them go if I were BD cheerleader. ;)

Now mind ya, I was never good with figures, but I seem to remember 4000 x 0 being pretty close to 8000x0. :D Touche!
Now your just being a silly goose. They might however pick up a $200 Chinese player.No. They'll pick up the lowest-priced Toshiba or Sony probably. This is the same Wal-mart strategy of advertising low low prices to get customers into their stores and then sell them the next model up. Why buy a cheap, flimsy, inferior, cheesy remote control, no-name brand player when you can get a Toshiba for only $50-$99 more? That's how Wal-mart pricing works.

Samsung's HD DVD player is most likely a crippled dual-format player.