Archived: Ask the Insiders: Judgment Day Edition

[Raikun]

Okay so Kosty asserts that this was all decided in December, the advertising campaign approved, etc...

But yet they let CES go by with the media having a field day, without using this to try and retaliate and stem a bit of the damage caused to them by Warner?

I doubt that. =)

[mycroft]

Originally Posted by Balian

Most technologies are ticking bombs of obsolescence ...some have shorter fuses than others.

"Being released to the public is what makes technology obsolete!" "Everybody knows this years Blu-ray, is gonna be Red-ray"
(Around about the middle is the funniest commentary of the format war i've heard yet)

[johnmhemp]

This reminds me of when my brother dumped his girlfriend and a while later got engaged to another girl and his ex started trying to sabotage his wedding...calling the new girl and lying about him.....changing orders at the florist by saying that she was the bride....anything to screw things up. Just accept defeat and don't screw up the whole potential market by dragging a lost war on and on. It is poor sportsmanship to do everything that you can to screw up the other team when you have already lost.

[phloyd]

Originally Posted by eat_me_cool

A good explanation here by Ian_S

http://www.avforums.com/forums/showp...7&postcount=25
"So, IMO, no-one bar Sony knows if the PS3 can or will ever send HD bitstream audio."

And Silicon Image, who made the chip and have confirmed that it cannot bitstream the lossless codecs...

[phloyd]

Originally Posted by eat_me_cool

Silicon Image IMPLY it is on their website, but nobody except Sony can say for sure.

Friends of mine have spoken to Silicon Image reps on this. They made the chip. They know what it can and cannot do.

[atomik kinder]

Originally Posted by Nooff

Any insider care to comment on this? I find it highly amusing

Do you think that at this point Toshiba is going to admit to anyone that this is a firesale? Their sales would fall flat instantly. I would still like to know what they are going to do when people find out that you are only going to be able to get HD DVD from two major hollywood studios.

[john_nemesh]

Originally Posted by CptGreedle

I think they are just fooling themselves with the latest attempt as "a new strategy" (which looks to me like the exact same strategy they always use: spread FUD, lower prices). The way I see it, Tosh might be in denial, but they must realize that they can not win without making at least a hybrid player.
They will have to start making Blu or they will die. The sooner they get into where the market really is, the better it will be for them to not loose even more, and look even worse.

No A4 means little to me. The A2 and A3 suck as they don't even support 1080p. Why continue to go that route when clearly people want good image and clarity over interactive web content?

Just got this in from Toshiba (laugh, its funny!):



KEY MESSAGES FROM TOSHIBA:

·Our HD DVD players are an incredible value to the HDTV consumer:

·Approx 400 HD DVD movies titles now available in the U.S. (1,000 titles available worldwide with no region coding). Currently the quantity and quality of available high def titles between the two formats is equal. (The change in Warner’s support is June 1st.)

·Our new player prices we will be half the retail price of the BluRay players with more features and similar software availability.

·New MAP pricing effectively narrows the gap between standard def DVD players and HD DVD

·New HOT titles coming out like American Gangster, Bee Movie, Beowolf - to name a few

·Supports playback of all studio’s content with backward compatibility for DVDs with upconversion

·Consistent experience: all of our players support advanced interactivity: picture in a picture, web enabled network connectivity, and full support for all high def audio formats

o An Ethernet port on every model: future proof, on line features, path for digital delivery

·Two movie titles included with every 3rd gen player – bundled in box. 5 free titles by mail thru 2/28/08 = a $200 retail value

[RUR]

Originally Posted by john_nemesh

Just got this in from Toshiba (laugh, its funny!):



KEY MESSAGES FROM TOSHIBA:

...... and similar software availability.

Must be in some alternate universe we're unaware of.

·Supports playback of all studio’s content .

All two major studios.

[john_nemesh]

Originally Posted by RUR

Must be in some alternate universe we're unaware of.


All two major studios.

No, the funny thing is they are promoting the things can play back any studio's content, JUST NOT IN HD! LOL this is gonna be a laugh riot for the next month or two while Toshiba just keeps getting pummelled!

[RUR]

Originally Posted by john_nemesh

No, the funny thing is they are promoting the things can play back any studio's content, JUST NOT IN HD!

That's a truly sad bit of sophistry.

[CptGreedle]

I can not believe they are really stooping this low.
They are now trying to say "who cares what happens in 5 months! Right now we still have WB" and "we are cheaper and can upsample DVDs!" (just like Blu-ray players)

they are really desperate. Why are they even trying!? It is just going to further confuse people and when your format DIES in 5 months, they will be very upset with you and you will loose customers as well as HD DVD.

When will Paramount or Universal go Blu already?!?

[Bullseye]

It appears Toshiba is also going after the European market with these price drops.

From Clare Newsome is Editor of What Hi-fi? Sound and Vision
http://whathifi.com/forums/p/6156/34028.aspx#34028

Watch this space for news of massive UK HD DVD-player price cuts - rumoured for tomorrow.

The BBC story is nothing different to what we've been saying here and in-mag for months: Blu-ray's got some way to go yet....and it makes the PS3 (yet again) seem a great buy in the meantime, if you intend to use any other of its many features.


And to think people mocked when we gave a good-ole DVD player (albeit an exceptional upscaling one in the shape of the Marantz DV7001) our movie-player Product of the Year in last October's Awards...

[Bullseye]

Originally Posted by CptGreedle

I can not believe they are really stooping this low.
They are now trying to say "who cares what happens in 5 months! Right now we still have WB" and "we are cheaper and can upsample DVDs!" (just like Blu-ray players)

they are really desperate. Why are they even trying!? It is just going to further confuse people and when your format DIES in 5 months, they will be very upset with you and you will loose customers as well as HD DVD.

When will Paramount or Universal go Blu already?!?

They have actually gone lower $99 plus 15 free movies.

[Blu-Light]

Originally Posted by john_nemesh

Just got this in from Toshiba (laugh, its funny!):



KEY MESSAGES FROM TOSHIBA:

·Our HD DVD players are an incredible value to the HDTV consumer:

·Approx 400 HD DVD movies titles now available in the U.S. (1,000 titles available worldwide with no region coding). Currently the quantity and quality of available high def titles between the two formats is equal. (The change in Warner’s support is June 1st.)

·Our new player prices we will be half the retail price of the BluRay players with more features and similar software availability.

·New MAP pricing effectively narrows the gap between standard def DVD players and HD DVD

·New HOT titles coming out like American Gangster, Bee Movie, Beowolf - to name a few

·Supports playback of all studio’s content with backward compatibility for DVDs with upconversion

·Consistent experience: all of our players support advanced interactivity: picture in a picture, web enabled network connectivity, and full support for all high def audio formats

o An Ethernet port on every model: future proof, on line features, path for digital delivery

·Two movie titles included with every 3rd gen player – bundled in box. 5 free titles by mail thru 2/28/08 = a $200 retail value

There is NOTHING future proof about owning an HD-DVD player.

[eat_me_cool]

Originally Posted by phloyd

Friends of mine have spoken to Silicon Image reps on this. They made the chip. They know what it can and cannot do.

Sorry, but thats bull****, unless you have solid evidence its worthless.

[Swede]

Originally Posted by Bombthroat

I think it's more a case of Toshiba needing to get rid of inventory while not giving consumers a reason to return that HD Dead player while it's still within the return period they got for Christmas.

That would be my guess too, Toshiba's trying to sell off existing stock while trying to keep up appearances as if they still have a chance...

Totally pathetic, very UGLY & completely immoral - then again, if Toshiba had any sense of consumer relations they wouldn't have set hddvd on an unsuspecting public in the first place

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Nooff

Any insider care to comment on this? I find it highly amusing .........

Posted by Kosty..........

What Toshiba does here on out is predictable as their options are limited.
What I find disheartening is that HD DVD advocates (whether they be Insiders or in this case just vocal proponents) are continuing to raise false hopes for HD DVD supporters and neutral bystanders in the final days of the format war.

I hope that people have long memories as to what others are saying and selling as HD DVD has its final swan song……. or Schwanengesang for those that viewed that funny YouTube video that someone posted a little ways back.

[Mr_Bester]

Penton-Man,
Any comment on Bill Hunt's piece that says Toshiba ahas convinced Uni/Para not to make any announcements/decisions for a couple of months(March or april)?

[phloyd]

Originally Posted by eat_me_cool

Sorry, but thats bull****, unless you have solid evidence its worthless.

We were at CES and so was Silicon Image. I didn't personally speak to them but he did.

I am sure what ever information you have to offer is much more worthwhile? I don't really give a crap what you choose to believe. It is what it is.

You can also read the same information at FormatWarCentral (see the comments)

[hollywoodguy]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

I believe the red velvet suitcases have made their way to Universal...

Man, I wish one of those would ever make it around to me, seeing how many are in circulation...

Edit: Max, Penton, any educated guesses when Toshiba might run out of refills for those?