Blu-Ray Over The World

[Gorkab]

This topic has been created to post informations about the number of Blu-Ray player that are now in each country.

I begin with France. There's just 20 players in my whole country, they are sold 5000 € per player whereas no Blu-Ray media is imported... And also, that player (SONY BDZ-S77), that is Zoned 6, is incompatible with all the DVDs sold (Zone 2). But it's good to see that we've got Blu-Ray players ! :lol:

[zombie]

It's quite impressive that you've got such a large selection in France already. I wonder if the region coding you mention is a given for BDs as well. I'd think so but I haven't read anything definitive. I don't believe any Blu-ray players are available here in the States yet. There is an LG Blu-ray DVR coming out soon though.

[Rob]

Originally Posted by n2blu

It's quite impressive that you've got such a large selection in France already. I wonder if the region coding you mention is a given for BDs as well. I'd think so but I haven't read anything definitive. I don't believe any Blu-ray players are available here in the States yet. There is an LG Blu-ray DVR coming out soon though.

I think he means only 20 units have been sold in total in France, (imported), not 20 different players as I first (mis)read it. AFAIK Japan is the only region where Blu-Ray players have been released. And then only the Sony and Pan. Regional coding is a given IMO. Infact, have heard it will be even more difficult to crack this time. Still, they said the same about the GC til Datel produced a disc that would allow games from any region to work any GC in any region. Anyway, as BD-ROM discs will not play on current BR machines there's little point owning one. Unless you want to record hi-def tv.

[zombie]

Originally Posted by Rob

I think he means only 20 units have been sold in total in France, (imported), not 20 different players as I first (mis)read it. AFAIK Japan is the only region where Blu-Ray players have been released. And then only the Sony and Pan. Regional coding is a given IMO. Infact, have heard it will be even more difficult to crack this time. Still, they said the same about the GC til Datel produced a disc that would allow games from any region to work any GC in any region. Anyway, as BD-ROM discs will not play on current BR machines there's little point owning one. Unless you want to record hi-def tv.

Ah, I'm sure you're right. Twenty units sold in the entire country sounds much more realistic than 20 different models. For a moment there I thought France was heaven. You're right about the current players being useless except for those who do a lot of HD recording. While I'd like the ability to be able to record HD on a disc I don't know what I'd actually want to archive other than maybe each year's Super Bowl. It's the pre-recorded movies I'm aching to buy ASAP.

[Gorkab]

Originally Posted by n2blu

Ah, I'm sure you're right. Twenty units sold in the entire country sounds much more realistic than 20 different models. For a moment there I thought France was heaven. You're right about the current players being useless except for those who do a lot of HD recording. While I'd like the ability to be able to record HD on a disc I don't know what I'd actually want to archive other than maybe each year's Super Bowl. It's the pre-recorded movies I'm aching to buy ASAP.

You should have read more closely, so you would have found that I was talking about one player, the SONY BDZ-S77, that is exactly a japan import because the remote control was in japanese. But it was quite impressive to see a Blu-Ray HD presentation ! The first time I saw that Blu-Ray player was in the Sony Dream World 2003 (Or should I say the UNIQUE Sony Dream World... :roll: ). In France, buy one of these wonders to record HDTV is currently possible because we've got one HDTV channel : EURO 1080. (This channel is European also)

[ph303]

I think there is absolutely no reason to buy a Japanese Blu-Ray recorder to record HD1 (Euro1080). Don´t get me wrong, I love HD1 for being the first European HDTV channel, but as they don´t broadcast movies but only stuff like Live Concerts, several Sport Events I wouldn´t spend many 1000 Euros for a recorder that will not be compatible to prerecorded Blu-Ray Discs nor to Blu Ray recorders that will be released in US / Europe in future.
You can get a DVB-S Capturecard for about 80 Euros which is capable to record HDTV. And this solution even provides much better quality because
you don´t reencode the mpeg2 stream.

//Phil.

[Rob]

The only reason I would want a Blu-Ray recorder as opposed to a Blu-Ray player, (assuming a rec is significantly more expensive), is to record Sky's high def service in 2006, (terrestial hi-def unlikely til 2010-2012, possibly later). Problem is, a lot of Sky's content will be HDCP protected preventing recordings from being made. The only concession to this would be to provide flagged recordings allowing the program to be recorded, but watched only once before erasing itself. However, Sky has ruled this out for being to confusing to the average consumer.

Hence a the recording capabilities of the Blu-Ray format may be of little use initially. Plus, Sky's hi-def box will have a HDD and Sky+ functionality anyway. If this is the case, then Blu-Ray cetainly loses part of it's advantage over HD-DVD and pre-recorded disc availability and price will determine success initially.

[zombie]

Originally Posted by Gorkab

You should have read more closely, so you would have found that I was talking about one player, the SONY BDZ-S77, that is exactly a japan import because the remote control was in japanese.

You should have worded your post better then. I'm sure at least one person in every wealthier country has imported a Blu-ray deck from Japan. Your first post states "This topic has been created to post informations about the number of Blu-Ray player that are now in each country." If you're not talking about the number of Blu-ray players which are domestically available in each country then perhaps your wording shouldn't have been so vague. Also, where did you find information that there are 20 Blu-ray decks in France? I can't imagine anyone could possibly know exactly how many units have been imported into France from Japan.

[Gorkab]

Originally Posted by n2blu

You should have worded your post better then. I'm sure at least one person in every wealthier country has imported a Blu-ray deck from Japan. Your first post states "This topic has been created to post informations about the number of Blu-Ray player that are now in each country." If you're not talking about the number of Blu-ray players which are domestically available in each country then perhaps your wording shouldn't have been so vague. Also, where did you find information that there are 20 Blu-ray decks in France? I can't imagine anyone could possibly know exactly how many units have been imported into France from Japan.

No one can know how many Blu-Ray players have been imported in a country ? You're wrong, FNAC knows how many have been imported because they are the first to have imported it in France. Sorry for my first post. I should have say that 20 models of this Blu-Ray recorder are available and also that it's the only BD player imported.

Originally Posted by ph303

I think there is absolutely no reason to buy a Japanese Blu-Ray recorder to record HD1 (Euro1080). Don´t get me wrong, I love HD1 for being the first European HDTV channel, but as they don´t broadcast movies but only stuff like Live Concerts, several Sport Events I wouldn´t spend many 1000 Euros for a recorder that will not be compatible to prerecorded Blu-Ray Discs nor to Blu Ray recorders that will be released in US / Europe in future.
You can get a DVB-S Capturecard for about 80 Euros which is capable to record HDTV. And this solution even provides much better quality because
you don´t reencode the mpeg2 stream.

//Phil.

You're right, I wouldn't spend any Euro in a recorder like this one but it's good to see some Blu-Ray players available (few but available). And because of it's uncompatibility with pre-recorded movies, I wouldn't spend anything on it myself. But some will surely buy one to record SDTV with medias directly imported from Japan (if it's possible to record SDTV with a 6 Zoned player...)

[zombie]

Originally Posted by Gorkab

No one can know how many Blu-Ray players have been imported in a country ? You're wrong, FNAC knows how many have been imported because they are the first to have imported it in France. Sorry for my first post. I should have say that 20 models of this Blu-Ray recorder are available and also that it's the only BD player imported.

What is FNAC? I've never heard of them. I'd imagine U.S. stores may be able to collectively come up with the number of Blu-ray players they've imported here but that would still leave out those units which were imported either directly from Japan, from another country perhaps, or online auction sites like ebay. I just doubt that in America at least there's any way to know for certain how many Blu-ray players have entered the country. So I'm curious to know who or what FNAC is. Sounds like someone's keeping a closer eye on imports in France than here. Please clarify. Thank you.

[Gorkab]

Originally Posted by n2blu

What is FNAC? I've never heard of them. I'd imagine U.S. stores may be able to collectively come up with the number of Blu-ray players they've imported here but that would still leave out those units which were imported either directly from Japan, from another country perhaps, or online auction sites like ebay. I just doubt that in America at least there's any way to know for certain how many Blu-ray players have entered the country. So I'm curious to know who or what FNAC is. Sounds like someone's keeping a closer eye on imports in France than here. Please clarify. Thank you.

You don't know the FNAC ? Then perhaps you should take a look on the website, there's nothing on Blu-Ray in but if you go to one of their stores, you can ask a seller about Blu-Ray players. 8)

www.fnac.com

[zombie]

Originally Posted by Gorkab

You don't know the FNAC ? Then perhaps you should take a look on the website, there's nothing on Blu-Ray in but if you go to one of their stores, you can ask a seller about Blu-Ray players. 8)

www.fnac.com

Okay based on your link it's a French website. Being that I'm in the USA how exactly did you expect me to be familiar with them? Do you know the names of every American company? I'm not impressed with your constant badgering and am closing this thread.