Some interesting happenings in Australia - Blu-ray Forum

pretender2j · 11-30-2006, 08:07 AM

After the fairly recent release of Blu-Ray to the Australian market there has been some minor coverage of "the replacement of DVD". Now this does not reflect my opinion nor am I in favour of this type of reporting, but there is a marked lack of coverage of anything to do with HD-DVD while Blu-Ray is the 'talk of the town' so to speak.

A bit over an hour ago I finished watching a five minute segment on Channel 9's 'A Current Affair' and they did not even mention HD-DVD. They were extremly complementory of Blu-Ray talking about it's superior picture quality. Which was stated as having 6 times more pixels than DVD. They also talked about better sound and so on.

There was a report on Channel 10's 5pm News on the day before the official release of Blu-Ray in Australia (I think this was early October). This report talked up Blu-ray's advantages and then at the end the reporter made a quick remark that there was a competing format called HD-DVD and left it at that.

One part of of me loves this and I'm glad that Blu-Ray is getting most if not all the publicity. But then I have to remind myself that the media should not present facts in a way that swings people to one side of discusion/argument. And then I remind myself that in the end people still have to go to a shop and the sales people will talkup which ever format they/the company see is the best, or makes them the best profit margin. And then I think maybe people will make up there own minds in the end. I'm known to give people less credit than they deserve when it comes to intelligence, so maybe I'm completely wrong and people will do whatever they feel.

Confused, JB

Blue · 11-30-2006, 10:53 AM

Remember HD-DVD has not been released in Australia yet, although rumour has it that today is the day for the release. The interesting thing is that Blu Ray has been released into the low end, discount chain stores. The US equivilent to Wall mart. A couple of the big Hi Fi specalist stores don't have Blu Ray prominantly displayed (I suspect they may push the HD-DVD)

pretender2j · 11-30-2006, 12:04 PM

*SHOCKED* I didn't realise that. I thought HD-DVD had released in Australia around June/July. I looked up the date and yes HD-DVD movies were first released today. *less shocked* That is interesting what you say about what stores Blu-Ray is in. I haven't actually seen ANY HD stuff instore, yet. I'll go to some bigger places in Melbourne and see what they have.

Not sure if this is true but here is a qoute from The Age.
"Blu-ray and HD DVD players have been on sale in Australia since early this year, but it's only now that movie titles for the next-generation DVD formats are reaching our shores."

I know this is off topic but how is this for biased reporting from ITWire. "Major movie studios and Australian film distributors have lined up in support of HD DVD, including Universal Pictures." - *chough* *chough* More like only Universal

Good to see another Australian, and Victorian I might add.

JB

Blue · 11-30-2006, 01:17 PM

I guess I should have qualified my statement. You are correct for a couple of over priced laptops. As there has been no prerecorded media available (unsure about region requirements) and the drives were only players not burners, I don't count that as a release as offically it's as useful as tit's on a bull! Yes I'm sure the HD-DVD camp will call it an amazing success.

One review I read canned the available PC blu ray drive because it couldn't burn a CD, but was in raptures over the HD-DVD drive as it could burn a CD (the HD-DVD drive could NOT burn a HD disk whereas the bu ray could burn a blu ray disc). They couldn't test the HD-DVD part of the drive as there was no media. How's that for biased!!!

Today is supposed to be the release day for the set top box players and the movies
As for Blu Ray both Harvey Norman Chadstone (used to be Myer Mega Store) has a blu ray demo (at least for the last 2 weeks) and so has Chadstone JB (you have to walk past it to get to the TV's).
As Harvey Norman and JB don't seem to stock Toshiba, I'm guessing the so called specalist (called specalist because the sales people are not only specalist at being ignorant, but specalist at being RUDE, there are a few exceptions like Carlton HiFi) I will check out Chappel St Encel and Klapp tomorrow

pretender2j · 12-04-2006, 02:57 AM

It's interesting what you say about some stores not stocking Toshiba. Come to think of it I can't remember seeing alot of Toshiba hardware in any stores that I have ever been to. I mean aside from laptops but then there are more HP's, LG's, Acer's and other brands.

This brings a whole new dimension to what I thought of the Australian market. I'll have to think about this and check out some stores to recalculate my projected postion of HD-DVD and Blu-Ray. Not to say that I thought that HD-DVD would win just (without having done any analysis) it seems that they are going to get there but kicked more convincingly by Blu-Ray (In Australia at least).

JB

Blackraven · 12-04-2006, 03:34 AM

I checked the Toshiba Australia and New Zealand site and looked for HD-DVD players (HD-E1 and HD-XE1). Yet, it still said: "COMING SOON".

Huh?

So the units are not out yet? If that's the case, the more Toshiba delays, the more Blu-ray gains a foothold on the AU and NZ markets.

I think there are two players out now from Blu-ray over there: Samsung BDP-1000 and Panasonic DMP-BD10.

Blue · 12-04-2006, 11:13 AM

As I mentioned in passing in another thread can you imagine seeing a Toshiba HD-DVD player hooked up to a Samsung monitor - or better yet a Sony!!!!!!!!!!!! Think NOT. The only real outlet is going to be the high end Audiophile (well at least they think they are), but HD-DVD is using price as it's only real weapon, in a store where the cheapest RCA cable is $500, (the diamond encrusting dampens sound waves making a beeter connection, Ok I'm being a little synical - then again I know them only too well). Aus may only be a small market, it only takes a few small markets to topple an already unstable empire.

Blue · 12-05-2006, 01:56 PM

http://dvdownunder.com.au/news/editorial.php#24-11-2006
No HD-DVD until the end of the year - or according to this site most likely next year. To make things even more interesting no Warner titles until Feb unsure about the rest. As for pricing if comparing apples with apples Samsung and Toshiba are the same price (according to the announcements). Oz misses out the first generation HD-DVD (note second generation Toshiba = Panasonic's first generation assuming Toshiba haven't gone and stuck and PC in DVD case again - it was a smart move to get to market quickly, but not very sustainable) so in reality Blu Ray was quite some time ahead of HD-DVD.

Now for Blu Ray to swamp the market with titles.

pretender2j · 12-05-2006, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue

Now for Blu Ray to swamp the market with titles.

I'm looking forward to this ^^

I really am seeing that Blu-Ray will have the Australian market stiched up fast than most other markets.... I suppose only time will tell.

JB

11-30-2006, 08:07 AM	#1
pretender2j Member Member since:Nov 2006	Some interesting happenings in Australia After the fairly recent release of Blu-Ray to the Australian market there has been some minor coverage of "the replacement of DVD". Now this does not reflect my opinion nor am I in favour of this type of reporting, but there is a marked lack of coverage of anything to do with HD-DVD while Blu-Ray is the 'talk of the town' so to speak. A bit over an hour ago I finished watching a five minute segment on Channel 9's 'A Current Affair' and they did not even mention HD-DVD. They were extremly complementory of Blu-Ray talking about it's superior picture quality. Which was stated as having 6 times more pixels than DVD. They also talked about better sound and so on. There was a report on Channel 10's 5pm News on the day before the official release of Blu-Ray in Australia (I think this was early October). This report talked up Blu-ray's advantages and then at the end the reporter made a quick remark that there was a competing format called HD-DVD and left it at that. One part of of me loves this and I'm glad that Blu-Ray is getting most if not all the publicity. But then I have to remind myself that the media should not present facts in a way that swings people to one side of discusion/argument. And then I remind myself that in the end people still have to go to a shop and the sales people will talkup which ever format they/the company see is the best, or makes them the best profit margin. And then I think maybe people will make up there own minds in the end. I'm known to give people less credit than they deserve when it comes to intelligence, so maybe I'm completely wrong and people will do whatever they feel. Confused, JB

11-30-2006, 01:17 PM	#4
Blue Super Moderator Top contributor Member since:Jan 2005 Location:Melbourne Australia Blu-ray collection:206	I guess I should have qualified my statement. You are correct for a couple of over priced laptops. As there has been no prerecorded media available (unsure about region requirements) and the drives were only players not burners, I don't count that as a release as offically it's as useful as tit's on a bull! Yes I'm sure the HD-DVD camp will call it an amazing success. One review I read canned the available PC blu ray drive because it couldn't burn a CD, but was in raptures over the HD-DVD drive as it could burn a CD (the HD-DVD drive could NOT burn a HD disk whereas the bu ray could burn a blu ray disc). They couldn't test the HD-DVD part of the drive as there was no media. How's that for biased!!! Today is supposed to be the release day for the set top box players and the movies As for Blu Ray both Harvey Norman Chadstone (used to be Myer Mega Store) has a blu ray demo (at least for the last 2 weeks) and so has Chadstone JB (you have to walk past it to get to the TV's). As Harvey Norman and JB don't seem to stock Toshiba, I'm guessing the so called specalist (called specalist because the sales people are not only specalist at being ignorant, but specalist at being RUDE, there are a few exceptions like Carlton HiFi) I will check out Chappel St Encel and Klapp tomorrow Last edited by Blue; 11-30-2006 at 01:27 PM.

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11-30-2006, 10:53 AM	#2
Blue Super Moderator Top contributor Member since:Jan 2005 Location:Melbourne Australia Blu-ray collection:206	Remember HD-DVD has not been released in Australia yet, although rumour has it that today is the day for the release. The interesting thing is that Blu Ray has been released into the low end, discount chain stores. The US equivilent to Wall mart. A couple of the big Hi Fi specalist stores don't have Blu Ray prominantly displayed (I suspect they may push the HD-DVD)

11-30-2006, 12:04 PM	#3
pretender2j Member Member since:Nov 2006	SHOCKED I didn't realise that. I thought HD-DVD had released in Australia around June/July. I looked up the date and yes HD-DVD movies were first released today. less shocked That is interesting what you say about what stores Blu-Ray is in. I haven't actually seen ANY HD stuff instore, yet. I'll go to some bigger places in Melbourne and see what they have. Not sure if this is true but here is a qoute from The Age. "Blu-ray and HD DVD players have been on sale in Australia since early this year, but it's only now that movie titles for the next-generation DVD formats are reaching our shores." I know this is off topic but how is this for biased reporting from ITWire. "Major movie studios and Australian film distributors have lined up in support of HD DVD, including Universal Pictures." - chough chough More like only Universal Good to see another Australian, and Victorian I might add. JB

12-04-2006, 02:57 AM	#5
pretender2j Member Member since:Nov 2006	It's interesting what you say about some stores not stocking Toshiba. Come to think of it I can't remember seeing alot of Toshiba hardware in any stores that I have ever been to. I mean aside from laptops but then there are more HP's, LG's, Acer's and other brands. This brings a whole new dimension to what I thought of the Australian market. I'll have to think about this and check out some stores to recalculate my projected postion of HD-DVD and Blu-Ray. Not to say that I thought that HD-DVD would win just (without having done any analysis) it seems that they are going to get there but kicked more convincingly by Blu-Ray (In Australia at least). JB

12-04-2006, 03:34 AM	#6
Blackraven Expert Member Member since:Jan 2005 Location:Makati, Philippines	I checked the Toshiba Australia and New Zealand site and looked for HD-DVD players (HD-E1 and HD-XE1). Yet, it still said: "COMING SOON". Huh? So the units are not out yet? If that's the case, the more Toshiba delays, the more Blu-ray gains a foothold on the AU and NZ markets. I think there are two players out now from Blu-ray over there: Samsung BDP-1000 and Panasonic DMP-BD10.

12-04-2006, 11:13 AM	#7
Blue Super Moderator Top contributor Member since:Jan 2005 Location:Melbourne Australia Blu-ray collection:206	As I mentioned in passing in another thread can you imagine seeing a Toshiba HD-DVD player hooked up to a Samsung monitor - or better yet a Sony!!!!!!!!!!!! Think NOT. The only real outlet is going to be the high end Audiophile (well at least they think they are), but HD-DVD is using price as it's only real weapon, in a store where the cheapest RCA cable is $500, (the diamond encrusting dampens sound waves making a beeter connection, Ok I'm being a little synical - then again I know them only too well). Aus may only be a small market, it only takes a few small markets to topple an already unstable empire.

12-05-2006, 01:56 PM	#8
Blue Super Moderator Top contributor Member since:Jan 2005 Location:Melbourne Australia Blu-ray collection:206	http://dvdownunder.com.au/news/editorial.php#24-11-2006 No HD-DVD until the end of the year - or according to this site most likely next year. To make things even more interesting no Warner titles until Feb unsure about the rest. As for pricing if comparing apples with apples Samsung and Toshiba are the same price (according to the announcements). Oz misses out the first generation HD-DVD (note second generation Toshiba = Panasonic's first generation assuming Toshiba haven't gone and stuck and PC in DVD case again - it was a smart move to get to market quickly, but not very sustainable) so in reality Blu Ray was quite some time ahead of HD-DVD. Now for Blu Ray to swamp the market with titles.

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