Arch, it’ll be easier for me to work my way backwards on the points raised in your post.
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Originally Posted by archibael
I personally think this has been a good thing, as otherwise we'd be getting red-laser HD-DVD-9 only: that was what was originally proposed, and it wasn't until it became clear that Blu-ray was not going away that AOD was proposed to the Forum.
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We’re in absolute agreement on this one, and had the solution been HD-DVD-9, it is unlikely that we would be having this discussion, particularly at a forum inhabited by videophile enthusiasts. As we know, Toshiba and Sanyo diddled with blue laser, didn’t make much headway, and rejected it. So if not for BD, we’d be seeing nothing more than the incremental change to HD-DVD-9, which based upon most of the opinions expressed at this forum, would not be particularly desirable or represent the technological progress of choice for the next decade.
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| Well, I don't think Sony intended Blu-ray to necessarily be a "unified approach" to HD disks. I think they looked at the composition of the DVD Forum, realized that they'd not be able to push through a blue-laser format with their specs and technology and patents, and formed an external group, hoping to make the DVD Forum's approval irrelevant by moving quickly and decisively. |
Yes and no. No question that at least part of Sony’s motivation was the politics within the DVD Forum where Toshiba and TW held a fair amount of influence, as well as a desire to re-orient the schema of patent royalties for disk technologies. Nevertheless, from what I’ve read, both of those companies were approached to become part of a new CE and studio-based consortium, but rebuffed the overtures out of their own self-interest.
I don’t think for our purposes here, there is any doubt that blue laser technology is the better method for achieving the PQ we desire, and had Toshiba and TW climbed on board in favor of the better technology, we would have seen a ‘unified’ effort toward accomplishing this goal; and as there would have been no competing alternative, those who wanted to be difficult (rhymes with sox) would ultimately be compelled to bend to the will of the majority or be left behind. IOW, there wouldn’t have been any orchestrated bluff by TW, Par & Uni to promote Toshiba’s HD-DVD, and we might already be enjoying the benefits of much Hi Def disk content, as opposed to sitting on our hands for a good portion of this new year.
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Originally Posted by archibael
I see it a little differently than you: I think MS was perfectly willing to maintain a neutral stance on the format war until BD+ came on the scene; the refusal of iHD and the other stated reasons for their hostility toward the format weren't in and of themselves sufficient to push them into moving against it. But BD+ threatened MMC, which was central to a great deal of their business model with the new disc formats (and, as far as I can tell, Intel's, too), and that was the straw that broke the camel's back. I think they intended to support AACS-only, put a lot of effort into it, and when it suddenly came out that BD+ would be something further to deal with, they went on the offensive.
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But based upon the claims coming out of AACS, at least some portion of the purported delay is being attributed to the incorporation and implementation of BD+ within AACS. So what did MS actually accomplish here other than delaying the inevitable, and resurrecting a format battle that seemed on the path to some kind of resolution? Had MS hooked up with the BD, they could have influenced the course of events internally as a
partner, rather than relying upon their traditional strong arm tactics arising from one individual’s strategy. I have never gotten the impression that the BD generally had any philosophical objection to MMC, but rather had to make concessions to maintain unity among the studios, in order to offset the competition. So, IMO, MS by its own course of conduct, helped to create some of the obstacles they are now railing against.
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Palladin
Chance favors the prepared mind
