Other Format Wars

[Mikeblu]

I thought it would be interesting to ask: What other format wars have you been in and what format did you support? ex. Laserdisc

[atomik kinder]

Well, I wasn't involved in VHS/Beta. We didn't get a player until VHS was pretty much all that was offered. You really only had the option of renting and buying blank tapes ($2 to $3 each). There were very few tapes you could purchase because the new movies were over $100. That is why I got into Laserdisc. You could get new release movies at $35 to $45 each (so people *****ing about how expensive BDs are seems a little rediculous to me.) I first heard about DVD,(I don't think it had a name yet) A couple years before it was actually released. I was pretty heavily into LD at the time and I just thought whatever, it didn't pertain to me since it wasn't even coming out yet. But when it did, I remember a few of our customers, and myself included were pretty upset. And yes, there was a lot of FUD going around about DVD at the time too, like it wouldn't play for more then five minute with out it pixilating. Supposed it was bad, but I never saw anything like that. The funny thing is when the players finally arrive in my area, about July of 1997, I think, I would frequently go to the local electronics store and check out what they had. I didn't feel too confident in it. There were only a few movies out and it seemed like Warner was pushing it hard. I remember standing and looking at a player and a salesman walked buy and said. DVD, yeah, that will never take off. Shows how wrong he was.
The store that I worked at got a player and all the movies that were available for rental and they pretty much sat there. The real videophiles that were customers bought into DVD quickly. Funny how the prices of these machines were about the same as BD players when they were first released. I paid over $600 for my player. I am not entirely sure, But I think it was Warner and maybe someone else releasing movies. How could DVD survive if only a couple studios were releasing movies? But slowly, over the months, studios started joining in. When I heard the announcement that Disney was going to be releasing DVDs, I bought my first DVD before I bought my player and then became excited about DVD and purchased my first player. In fact that player still works, but it does have issues with Columbia Pictures DVDs. Funny if you think about it because it was a Toshiba. I gave it to my sister a while back and she still uses it.
I don't really consider if a format war because LD had been out for many years before DVD. Most people didn't know about it or even cared. It was more like a gradual phase out of LD as people started to buy DVDs.

Hope that wasn't too long and boring.

[crackinhedz]

Originally Posted by Mikeblu

I thought it would be interesting to ask: What other format wars have you been in and what format did you support? ex. Laserdisc

Laserdisc vs. ?


Didnt realize there was a format war with Laser Disc. (although I use to love going to the local mom and pop video store and renting Laser Disc's. Back then they were cooler'n shit...looking back I laugh though)

[Mikeblu]

Originally Posted by crackinhedz

Laserdisc vs. ?


Didnt realize there was a format war with Laser Disc. (although I use to love going to the local mom and pop video store and renting Laser Disc's. Back then they were cooler'n shit...looking back I laugh though)

laserdisc didn't go into a format war they just got eradicated, but I've always been intrested in laserdisc (although never owning one myself) since i saw a friend of mines player.

[GregBlu5]

Originally Posted by crackinhedz

Laserdisc vs. ?


Didnt realize there was a format war with Laser Disc. (although I use to love going to the local mom and pop video store and renting Laser Disc's. Back then they were cooler'n shit...looking back I laugh though)

Laserdisc vs CED (Capacitance Electronic Disk) from RCA. CED died a quick death in the early 80's. There's a whole Web site devoted to RCA's SelectaVision. They had over 1700 titles, but the device worked like a record player. Laserdisc won the early disk wars and stayed around until they produced the last disc titles in 2000 when DVD finally put them to rest. But you can still get a laserdisc/DVD combo player from Pioneer.

-Greg

P.S. I had both systems and still have laserdisc. But I wasn't about to invest in two disks systems this time and that's why I never bought into HD DVD. Been there; done that.

[Blu As Hell]

Originally Posted by Mikeblu

I thought it would be interesting to ask: What other format wars have you been in and what format did you support? ex. Laserdisc

I fought in the DVD Vs. Divx war, and in the DVD Vs. VHS war, and my wallet has the scars to prove it!!!LOL!!! I supported DVD through both and, of course, I was right and once again...I'm right. Now I must go and ready my troops (check card and Blu-Ray) for the battle against my old ally DVD!!!!!

[Camulus]

As far as VHS vs. BETA, I was 4-5 when VCRs first came out and don't remember much about it. LD was on it's way out when I got interested in home video. I clearly remember DVD vs. Divx (the other Divx http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIVX ). I remember reading on newsgroups about how Circuit City was pushing DIVX and I never made much sense. DVD quickly eradicated DIVX and I don't remember the war going on that long. I was a sweet victory. I was on the DVD side BTW

[npanzeca]

I was in the VHS/Beta war and was on the winning side as I was the first person I knew to have a VHS player in spite of the $800 price tag.

[Galley]

I bought a Technics Digital Compact Cassette deck in '95, but I used it as a cheap digital mixdown deck in my recording studio.

[Clark Kent]

I participated in the DVD vs. DIVX war and was on the winning side from the beginning. Unfortunately I didn't survive the SACD vs. DVD-A war as all participants were wiped out on both sides.

[Mikeblu]

At least if you chose SACD you still have the PS3 (-40GB) to play them.

[darkpoet25]

My family had a Beta Max when it first came out. I think at the time it was $600. It did have good picture quality, but then VHS came out and destroyed it. I didn't buy into DVD until I got my PS2. Now I have a Pioneer universal player that will play both DVD-A and SACD, another format war I was involved in. I also from time to time get UMD's for the PSP. They have them for pretty cheap at Fry's. I used to have a record player also, then went to cassette, then cd, and now downloads and burned cd's. I think my folks still have a couple of Beta tapes lying around somewhere. In fact that was how I would watch Tron growing up, was on a recorded Beta tape. That was around the time that cable was taking off and the Disney channel came out. Crap I'm getting old! I still have some vynil and about 300 cassettes, and 500+cd's. Once I got my PS3 it was only Blu Ray and still is. I wonder how my brother is going to feel once he realizes his add on for the 360 will be obsolete?

[Camulus]

Originally Posted by Mikeblu

At least if you chose SACD you still have the PS3 (-40GB) to play them.

Not to hijack the thread, but was the deal with Surround Audio? Why didn't it take off and is there a chance to revive it? I've been looking into it and the prices for SACDs are not much more than CDs, but the selection is not that good. What is or was DTS audio, SACD and DVD-A? What were the differences and such.

[phlydude]

not sure if it was a war or not but I had a mini-disc player/recorder that I used until it died (picked it up at Sears on the clearance table on a box-less return)...I guess it was competing against the good old cassette tape for a little while there and then recordable CDs came a long and blew it out.
It was good for copying friend's CDs and worked well for making DJ mixes when we used to do school dances and graduation parties and such...

I am also in the current satellite radio war...being a XM subscriber for 5 years now...guess that won't matter after the merger though.

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by phlydude

not sure if it was a war or not but I had a mini-disc player/recorder that I used until it died (picked it up at Sears on the clearance table on a box-less return)...I guess it was competing against the good old cassette tape for a little while there and then recordable CDs came a long and blew it out.
It was good for copying friend's CDs and worked well for making DJ mixes when we used to do school dances and graduation parties and such...

I am also in the current satellite radio war...being a XM subscriber for 5 years now...guess that won't matter after the merger though.

Minidisc had a brief and unsuccessful run as a pre-recorded format. But, it was highly successful as a portable recordable format. Over 100 million MiniDisc players and recorders have sold worldwide. And billions and billions of blank media.

People love to push it as a Sony failure. But, it was wildly successful in its day.

People that disagree can call me on this the day Blu-ray sells its 100 millionth deck or billionth disc.

Gary

[flyingdutchman]

Digital Audio Tape and Minidisc
Laserdisc and early DVD
CDs and LPs
SACDs and DVD-Audio


Participated in them all, still have a DAT player/recorder, a Laserdisc Machine and LDs, LPs, and SACDs.

[Mikeblu]

Originally Posted by flyingdutchman

Digital Audio Tape and Minidisc
Laserdisc and early DVD
CDs and LPs
SACDs and DVD-Audio


Participated in them all, still have a DAT player/recorder, a Laserdisc Machine and LDs, LPs, and SACDs.

You have a good record for picking sides lol.

[flyingdutchman]

Oh, I still enjoy them all. My LD player is still fed by Disney Collector editions and the odd out of print LD. My DAT recorder still records and makes good copy, and I buy classical SACDs all the time. Classical is one area where SACD is still going strong.