BDA chairman believes format war over within 18 months

[Blus Brother]

http://www.tech.co.uk/home-entertain...eid=1772504357

[Smallville206]

Means little to me, Sony announced victory a while ago and the war still continues strong. I want to see aggressive moves made by the BDA that ensure victory.

[Lord_Stewie]

Originally Posted by Smallville206

Means little to me, Sony announced victory a while ago and the war still continues strong. I want to see aggressive moves made by the BDA that ensure victory.

what do you mean by war continues STRONG. BD Discs are still 2:1 ratio. there is nothing about strength. and Paramount joining the exclusivity monkey club of HDDVD, means HDDVD group realized their ULTIMATE DEMISE. SO, they went ahead and gave paramount money. and on paramount side. i believe paramount knew that HDDVD are going no where, but with FREE MONEY. they should take advantage of the dying format before it is out the door.

[Smallville206]

By strong, I mean this was well on the way to being over by the end of the year or early next and now there is a good chance it will go on another 18 months which is a long time to confuse consumers.
People are still nervous about what Warner is going to do, and if they do switch HD exclusive this whole thing could get quite ugly. Right now there is no guarantee either format will survive and unless we start seeing some big news such as Universal going neutral or something on that level there is reason to be concerned. I just purchased 9 more Blu ray movies last week bringing my total to 71 so I still have faith, however it's time for this to end in a swift manner, not another year or two so we can bring this out of more than being a niche market, which is exactly what HD discs are right now.
I feel like a part of a huge group when I am on this forum, but outside of this forum I am the ONLY person among my friends and acquaintances who even buys Blu ray discs. Most people I know still have no clue what they are and that is in no way healthy for the format as they are a reflection of the average consumer.

[Slapper]

Originally Posted by Smallville206

I feel like a part of a huge group when I am on this forum, but outside of this forum I am the ONLY person among my friends and acquaintances who even buys Blu ray discs. Most people I know still have no clue what they are and that is in no way healthy for the format as they are a reflection of the average consumer.

I know what you mean...my own brother thinks DVDs are "good enough" and he has a Sony 55" SXRD. No matter how many times I explain the benefits of having hi-def, he brushes it off and says, "well my DVD upscaler still gives me a great picture." Man my brother is thick-headed...I think I'll disown him...

[bootman]

Originally Posted by Slapper

I know what you mean...my own brother thinks DVDs are "good enough" and he has a Sony 55" SXRD. No matter how many times I explain the benefits of having hi-def, he brushes it off and says, "well my DVD upscaler still gives me a great picture." Man my brother is thick-headed...I think I'll disown him...

This is the real war.
When people are saying they see no difference between bluray and dvd on their ps3 and later you find out that they only have a crt and are using the composite cables that came with the unit, what do you say?
You need to spend more $$$ to see the difference???

[The Guardian]

Originally Posted by Slapper

I know what you mean...my own brother thinks DVDs are "good enough" and he has a Sony 55" SXRD. No matter how many times I explain the benefits of having hi-def, he brushes it off and says, "well my DVD upscaler still gives me a great picture." Man my brother is thick-headed...I think I'll disown him...

You should show him this site:

http://xylon.haloapplications.com/bl...ngdomofheaven/

compares frames of upconverted DVD and Blu-ray. Point out the detail of blu-ray and how blurry the DVD looks

[joeorc]

Originally Posted by Smallville206

By strong, I mean this was well on the way to being over by the end of the year or early next and now there is a good chance it will go on another 18 months which is a long time to confuse consumers.
People are still nervous about what Warner is going to do, and if they do switch HD exclusive this whole thing could get quite ugly. Right now there is no guarantee either format will survive and unless we start seeing some big news such as Universal going neutral or something on that level there is reason to be concerned. I just purchased 9 more Blu ray movies last week bringing my total to 71 so I still have faith, however it's time for this to end in a swift manner, not another year or two so we can bring this out of more than being a niche market, which is exactly what HD discs are right now.
I feel like a part of a huge group when I am on this forum, but outside of this forum I am the ONLY person among my friends and acquaintances who even buys Blu ray discs. Most people I know still have no clue what they are and that is in no way healthy for the format as they are a reflection of the average consumer.

well that would be HD DVD that is the niche market because HD DVD is not being used for SOFTWARE...if you are trying to make your format a viable OPTION to replace DVD you do not say your format is not needed for SOFTWARE. which is the message from Microsoft and the REST of the companies that back HD DVD have not even commented on that and even stated that HD DVD is being used for SOFTWARE.

While on the BDA group backers all of them have commented on the fact that BLU-RAY is not only being used for Movies but SOFTWARE also. that is Quite Telling which side is backing their format to replace DVD not just put out a format just to put as a stop gap until digital downloads is their goal.

[Chris Gerhard]

Originally Posted by shadblz

what do you mean by war continues STRONG. BD Discs are still 2:1 ratio. there is nothing about strength. and Paramount joining the exclusivity monkey club of HDDVD, means HDDVD group realized their ULTIMATE DEMISE. SO, they went ahead and gave paramount money. and on paramount side. i believe paramount knew that HDDVD are going no where, but with FREE MONEY. they should take advantage of the dying format before it is out the door.

Yes, Blu-ray has had two-thirds of a very small market this year. The sales for Blu-ray are absolutely pathetic, and it is nice that HD DVD is doing even worse, but that hardly means that HD DVD is about to end its run. Until Blu-ray leads in stand alone sales and has software from Universal, Paramount and DreamWorks, I don't think the war is near its end. We are farther away from victory now than a month ago. If HD DVD has 40% of the market the next few weeks, which I believe is very likely, this idiotic format war is continuing on and Blu-ray will have completely lost its momentum. ITD software sales are about 60% to 40% and if current periods are the same, it will be very difficult for anybody to claim the end is near.

If Blu-ray has an ace in the hole, it is time to play it.

Chris

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by Smallville206

Means little to me, Sony announced victory a while ago and the war still continues strong. I want to see aggressive moves made by the BDA that ensure victory.

The war is not over until 100% studio support is achieved for one of the formats.

It was probably over early next year without the Paramount move. That has tipped it back into an ongoing war, if for no reason that it defines (accurately or not) and reversal date for their move (18 months).

Gary

[JTK]

Originally Posted by Smallville

Smallville206 View Post
Means little to me, Sony announced victory a while ago and the war still continues strong. I want to see aggressive moves made by the BDA that ensure victory.

Me, too.

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

The war is not over until 100% studio support is achieved for one of the formats.

It was probably over early next year without the Paramount move. That has tipped it back into an ongoing war, if for no reason that it defines (accurately or not) and reversal date for their move (18 months).

Gary

And that should rightfully anger all of us. I don't blame the BDA for that necessarily, but I still maintain that who they are and the resources those big boys have...another two years of this nonsense is just really hard to swallow.

It's always been their game to win so I say: Win it!

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by JTK

And that should rightfully anger all of us. I don't blame the BDA for that necessarily, but I still maintain that who they are and the resources those big boys have...another two years of this nonsense is just really hard to swallow.

It's always been their game to win so I say: Win it!

Well, my position is the BDA wouldn't do blatently illegal moves, so all they could have done is offer Paramount cash for the status quo, if they had known about the deal before the ink was dry.

If there is a worse waste of $150 million than the anti-trust act, it would have been to spend it to change nothing.

Gary

[JTK]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

Well, my position is the BDA wouldn't do blatently illegal moves, so all they could have done is offer Paramount cash for the status quo, if they had known about the deal before the ink was dry.

Hopefully this Gluckman piece lives up to billing and everything that some of our insiders have said and maybe some real backlash happens on that stinker. It needs to.

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

If there is a worse waste of $150 million than the anti-trust act, it would have been to spend it to change nothing.

Gary

Sure, that's all good and fine.

My answer to that is: Spend it on Warner. Spend it on Universal. Buy out 51 percent shares of Toshiba for control.

I really don't care.

Do whatever it takes, preferably within the letter of the law.


My stance on it is this: I feel like I've seen several occurrences, starting with the "less than stellar" BD launch itself where HD-DVD simply has been ALLOWED to stay alive and even get stronger at times.

The cockaroach keeps getting some stray scraps and finding a way to stay alive. Right now, they're as improbably strong as they've ever been, regardless of what we think of the methods and obviously regardless of sales figures and the rest of it.

They're still here, still chugging along.

Doom for them should have been this Christmas and the fact that it almost certainly will not be is simply unacceptable to me.

I'll use a recent analogy that a good number of my fellow Americans in the audience should appreciate from this past weekend :

HD-DVD is Appalachian State. Blu-Ray is Michigan (Go Blue even.)

On paper, that should have been a devastating squash and a tune up match for bigger and better things.

To make a long story short: Michigan was clearly unprepared to play the game and they absolutely got caught not taking App. St. seriously whatsoever.

The end result was a 34-32 loss and arguably THE biggest upset in College Football history.

My point? I'm tired of seeing HD-DVD being ALLOWED to stay as close as they are in this game.

I'd prefer it to be done by the letter of the law always, of course, but I'm not naive enough to think that "my side" doesn't know how to play hardball like anyone else. Big business is what it is. "My side" isn't a bunch of lilly white knights on white horses, either.

So honestly? Just get it done. Win. Finish it.

I almost don't care how they do it at this point.

That's war. You do whatever it takes to win and then you deal with the fallout afterwards after you've gotten the job done.

For anyone who saw that college football game I'm using as my analogy here this past weekend, I feel like we're about down to those two blocked field goals and that just shouldn't be.

The first blocked field goal was the BD launch itself. I hope the Paramount thing isn't a second blocked FG, but the idea that this damned format war is extended to at least another 18 months really looks like it to me. It angers me. It's unacceptable. I want real reaction and real results.

I'm very eager to see how the BDA responds between now and Christmas time.

My message to the BDA is: Don't be like Michigan.

[shug7272]

Originally Posted by Smallville206

Means little to me, Sony announced victory a while ago and the war still continues strong. I want to see aggressive moves made by the BDA that ensure victory.

Sony never announced victory. You want to provide a link? Sony said something and the article that was written about it said they claimed victory but they never did. I am surprised people still say this.

[JTK]

Originally Posted by shug7272

Sony never announced victory. You want to provide a link? Sony said something and the article that was written about it said they claimed victory but they never did. I am surprised people still say this.

http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/08...y-over-hd-dvd/

http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/02/12...s-over-really/

http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/08/b...y-over-hd-dvd/

http://www.blurayfreak.com/2007/02/sony_decided_th.html

http://forum.doom9.org/archive/index.php/t-120694.html

^^ People spun it off of stuff like this.

[shug7272]

Originally Posted by JTK

http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/08...y-over-hd-dvd/

http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/02/12...s-over-really/

http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/08/b...y-over-hd-dvd/

http://www.blurayfreak.com/2007/02/sony_decided_th.html

http://forum.doom9.org/archive/index.php/t-120694.html

^^ People spun it off of stuff like this.

Your right, and this is the closest they got to saying they "won".

"The message that we’re going to put out to the consumer now is, now it is safe to make a choice," explained Bishop. "No more fence-sitting is needed... We have a critical mass of content, we have the biggest mass of consumer electronics companies in the world supporting this format. That has moved Blu-ray into the forefront."

There is no quote of them saying "war over" or "we won". A bunch of articles spun it and people still say "oh sony declared victory." Well no they didnt, they just said it was safe to buy into blu ray. Which I believe it is or I wouldnt have.

[T-Wrecks]

movie sales: 6:1

player sales: 3:1

until then...

[ReduxInflux]

http://www.tech.co.uk/home-entertain...eid=1772504357

its no coincidence that paramount's contract expires in 18 months. so im assuming they're expecting full cooperation from all studios in that time.

now about your posts about general consumer ignorance. true that. i have plenty of friends who i had to educate. and the reason they're remaining out of the game: the war. not worth the risk to them either way. they want to wait for the market to mature and unify before throwing their money down. they know blu is better (thanks to yours truly) but its their money and they respect it...so i respect them. they're waiting for the green light.

meanwhile, ive addressed this problem and what i plan on doing about it in an action thread i posted not too long ago. check the link on the bottom of my signature. nov 2nd. keep that date open and join us....

[JTK]

Originally Posted by bosels11

http://www.tech.co.uk/home-entertain...eid=1772504357

It's nice talk, but I want to see results.

Personally, I feel like this Christmas should be/should have been the end of it, not another two years almost.

Honestly? It doesn't HAVE to take that long if the nukes and the shock and awe come out. Wanna make it happen? Then do whatever it takes and get it done.

[BluDrew]

Originally Posted by bosels11

http://www.tech.co.uk/home-entertain...eid=1772504357

Is this for real?? The way it reads, it seems like not even the BDA chairman is as confident in Blu-ray anymore??