The way I see it...
This format battle is getting much more interesting than all the previous ones.
First we have two leading technological groups investing tons of money on the development and release of incompatible formats... just like they were saying "may the strongest one survive!"
Second, we have (half a year later) a major Studio (Warner Bros, no less) announcing they've created a disc who can accomodate both formats... just like if they were saying "to hell with you both, we'll release our own discs with both formats in it".
Third, we have (at the same time) a major CE company (LG) announcing an universal player who will read both formats... just like they were saying "forget about the discs, our players will read them all".
Now, several things come to my mind:
First: everybody seems to be interested in solving the conflict except the two parties who are fighting. The winner will probably be the one who better takes advantage of this effort lead by others.
Second: not only we have now a battle format, but also a technological crossroad. What will be the the way to take? The universal disc (software) or the universal player (hardware)????? Both are promising to make the war irrelevant (for now) but also... one makes the other quite redundant. We don't need universal discs if we have universal players OR we don't need universal players if we have universal discs.
Third: the battle will never end with universal discs or universal players. That's an illusion because... at one point the production of one type of disc (in the case of universal players winning over universal discs) will be cheaper than the other. And then the weight will present itself. The same thing will happen if universal discs win: at some point the production of one player will come cheaper. So, all these efforts will drag the war. The difference is that it will be more silent. That's all. But the battle will quietly go on.
Fourth: don't these people talk to each other before announcing their news?
Fifth: Warner is developing its own disc capable of carrying both formats? Well... to me that can be the sign of a new era. If Sony can make movies... why can't Warner Bros. make its own technology? I always were very critical of Sony (or any CE company) invading the film/music industry like they did. To me that should be illegal. They can blackmail the consumer easily if they have both things in their hands: content and the technology to explore it. They should be forced to split just like it happened in the 50's when movie studios owned production, distribution and exhibition.
Sixth: I can understand why Warner is acting the way they do. Fellow studio Sony is a CE company and is trying to push its format... and it is up to the other studios like Warner and Paramount to pick a side (with no guaranty of victory) or pay the bill for having to double its disc releases, productions costs and inventory...
It's not fair.
Seven: anyway... if universal players become the norm (like is the tradition - the hardware way), then studios like Warner and Paramount may stop releasing both formats. And the who know what comes next...
This format battle is getting much more interesting than all the previous ones.
First we have two leading technological groups investing tons of money on the development and release of incompatible formats... just like they were saying "may the strongest one survive!"
Second, we have (half a year later) a major Studio (Warner Bros, no less) announcing they've created a disc who can accomodate both formats... just like if they were saying "to hell with you both, we'll release our own discs with both formats in it".
Third, we have (at the same time) a major CE company (LG) announcing an universal player who will read both formats... just like they were saying "forget about the discs, our players will read them all".
Now, several things come to my mind:
First: everybody seems to be interested in solving the conflict except the two parties who are fighting. The winner will probably be the one who better takes advantage of this effort lead by others.
Second: not only we have now a battle format, but also a technological crossroad. What will be the the way to take? The universal disc (software) or the universal player (hardware)????? Both are promising to make the war irrelevant (for now) but also... one makes the other quite redundant. We don't need universal discs if we have universal players OR we don't need universal players if we have universal discs.
Third: the battle will never end with universal discs or universal players. That's an illusion because... at one point the production of one type of disc (in the case of universal players winning over universal discs) will be cheaper than the other. And then the weight will present itself. The same thing will happen if universal discs win: at some point the production of one player will come cheaper. So, all these efforts will drag the war. The difference is that it will be more silent. That's all. But the battle will quietly go on.
Fourth: don't these people talk to each other before announcing their news?
Fifth: Warner is developing its own disc capable of carrying both formats? Well... to me that can be the sign of a new era. If Sony can make movies... why can't Warner Bros. make its own technology? I always were very critical of Sony (or any CE company) invading the film/music industry like they did. To me that should be illegal. They can blackmail the consumer easily if they have both things in their hands: content and the technology to explore it. They should be forced to split just like it happened in the 50's when movie studios owned production, distribution and exhibition.
Sixth: I can understand why Warner is acting the way they do. Fellow studio Sony is a CE company and is trying to push its format... and it is up to the other studios like Warner and Paramount to pick a side (with no guaranty of victory) or pay the bill for having to double its disc releases, productions costs and inventory...
It's not fair.
Seven: anyway... if universal players become the norm (like is the tradition - the hardware way), then studios like Warner and Paramount may stop releasing both formats. And the who know what comes next...
