Dual Format Discs/Players, Good for Blu-ray? - Blu-ray Forum

Kenshiro · 01-06-2007, 06:43 AM

Its obvious the HD DVD fans are busy popping champange and celebrating LG making a dual format player, calling it a defection from the BDA. They are also praising the "neutral" studio Warner for offering dual format TotalHD discs thinking that this signals the merging of formats.

I actually see this as signs of things moving towards Blu-ray only. Why are they so happy about a dual format player? Because they want to watch Blu-ray exclusive movies of course. This dual format player will give them a smooth transition to Blu-ray and allows them to keep their collection of HD DVDs. And by Warner releasing movies on dual format discs, the movies that they buy will still be viable when Blu-ray eventually wins out.

I actually wouldn't be surprised if the BDA wanted LG to make this player to give HD DVD fans an easy route to Blu-ray. These announcements in no way affect the huge studio support advantage of Blu-ray. With many more titles coming to Blu-ray this year, owners of this player will still be buying more BDs than HD DVDs anyway.

Just my 2 cents...

phloyd · 01-06-2007, 07:28 AM

Have you been reading my posts on the 'other' forum?

I agree.

In fact if dual players become the majority, there is no need for the BD only studios to ever make HD DVDs. Cos most people have dual players.

And even Warner can ditch the dual disc in favour of the larger capacity BD only.

For the dual disc though I really think it will cost more and therefore be a white elephant. I won't pay $5 more for the SD DVD, I sure as hell ain't paying extra to have an HD format on there I have no interest in.

Kenshiro · 01-06-2007, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phloyd

Have you been reading my posts on the 'other' forum?

I agree.

In fact if dual players become the majority, there is no need for the BD only studios to ever make HD DVDs. Cos most people have dual players.

And even Warner can ditch the dual disc in favour of the larger capacity BD only.

For the dual disc though I really think it will cost more and therefore be a white elephant. I won't pay $5 more for the SD DVD, I sure as hell ain't paying extra to have an HD format on there I have no interest in.

Lol, actually on other forums I tend to not read all the posts by Blu-ray supporters. Since we are in agreement I already understand the logical way of thinking. Instead I try to figure out the minds of the HD DVD fanbots... its scary

SpdDmon · 01-06-2007, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kenshiro

Its obvious the HD DVD fans are busy popping champange and celebrating LG making a dual format player, calling it a defection from the BDA. They are also praising the "neutral" studio Warner for offering dual format TotalHD discs thinking that this signals the merging of formats.

I actually see this as signs of things moving towards Blu-ray only. Why are they so happy about a dual format player? Because they want to watch Blu-ray exclusive movies of course. This dual format player will give them a smooth transition to Blu-ray and allows them to keep their collection of HD DVDs. And by Warner releasing movies on dual format discs, the movies that they buy will still be viable when Blu-ray eventually wins out.

I actually wouldn't be surprised if the BDA wanted LG to make this player to give HD DVD fans an easy route to Blu-ray. These announcements in no way affect the huge studio support advantage of Blu-ray. With many more titles coming to Blu-ray this year, owners of this player will still be buying more BDs than HD DVDs anyway.

Just my 2 cents...

LOL if this becomes true then its one sneaky tactic by the BDA to win! But hey anything goes to beat the competition right. I guess you could say that LG is the army Delta force inffiltrating HD DVD. ( sorry just watched Blackhawk Down for the gazillionth time.)

dialog_gvf · 01-06-2007, 05:13 PM

Thinking about the Warner announcement, I see the following:

- For Warner titles (and any other studio's that follows this) the sales of each format become next to impossible to determine. That means there is no exit strategy (no disrespect) and studios releasing on this are stuck doing this forever.

- The added cost of such of thing will be borne by the consumer. If not in higher prices initially, then in slower to drop prices later.

- Warner gets its DVD/HD DVD patent royalties for all discs sold to BD owners.

For a company lauded as being pro-consumer, this is the most anti-consumer move yet made by any CE or studio.

The one and only thing I see positive about this is that it would help with shelf space issues. But, so would HD DVD dying.

Gary

phloyd · 01-06-2007, 05:16 PM

Well, I still would not call it a win for BD - I think that the BDA is probably not impressed really.

For the HD DVD side, they finally have someone other than Toshiba doing hardware and effectively a defection depending on how you look at it. But it is a BD player as the BDA says, so all that are sold benefit the BDA as much as HD DVD.

On the third hand (

) it does give HD DVD supporters a path to BD with less humiliation, which is a good thing for the BDA. We know that they secretly want a number of the BD titles and this way they can get a 'great HD DVD player with free BD included!'.

Then they can buy BDs (you know, just those special titles) and the downward spiral to a BD collection has begun

thunderhawk · 01-06-2007, 05:48 PM

Downward spiral?

Anyway, there's more in it for BD then for HD DVD, that's a fact. But I'm afraid more combo players will emerge and the war will prolong till.... Just look at DVD+ vs DVD-.

Alex Pallas · 01-06-2007, 06:18 PM

i think it depends on the studios that implement this new disc. for example, if all studios implement it BR will be loosing more exclusive support. if universal holds back then HD may have more exclusive titles. furthermore, i cant see studios which favour BR to encoding the HD-DVD layer well, lol.

dialog_gvf · 01-06-2007, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phloyd

Well, I still would not call it a win for BD - I think that the BDA is probably not impressed really.

It's a push at worse. And a big win potentially.

Since there are fence sitters waiting to see how the war goes, anything that gets them off the fence is great. It doesn't matter if this LG player sells (in fact, it is BETTER if it doesn't!). Its EXISTENCE is all that matters, because the fence sitters will now see it doesn't matter which format they buy into, they will be able to play the discs in a future player.

In which case, it becomes the exact same arguments as before the universal player. Nothing has changed. What makes sense to get now?

Clearly, $500 for a great player and 7/8 studios makes a heck of a lot more sense than $500 for subpar player and 3/8 studios.

It does nothing to help HD DVD win, because it's now all about when people go Blu-ray. Now or later?

Gary

sticks · 01-06-2007, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

It's a push at worse. And a big win potentially.

Since there are fence sitters waiting to see how the war goes, anything that gets them off the fence is great. It doesn't matter if this LG player sells (in fact, it is BETTER if it doesn't!). Its EXISTENCE is all that matters, because the fence sitters will now see it doesn't matter which format they buy into, they will be able to play the discs in a future player.

In which case, it becomes the exact same arguments as before the universal player. Nothing has changed. What makes sense to get now?

Clearly, $500 for a great player and 7/8 studios makes a heck of a lot more sense than $500 for subpar player and 3/8 studios.

It does nothing to help HD DVD win, because it's now all about when people go Blu-ray. Now or later?

Gary

I don't see the dual player having any impact , would most likely be even more expensive than Pioneers player and most HD-dvd followers say that cost is a big factor , also I see the dual disk as costing more.

Deane Johnson · 01-06-2007, 09:13 PM

The price of the LG combo player is rumored to be $1200. If that turns out to be the case, I can't imagine it doing much of anything. Knowledgeable early adapters are going to pay $1200 for an LG product. The masses aren't going pay $1200 for any brand player, not even if it plays both formats and makes their morning coffee.

What would make a much bigger difference would be Universal going format neutral.

01-06-2007, 06:43 AM	#1
Kenshiro Active Member Top contributor Member since:Sep 2006 Location:Ft Lauderdale, FL Home Theater Gallery:34 Blu-ray collection:62 DVD collection:10	Dual Format Discs/Players, Good for Blu-ray? Its obvious the HD DVD fans are busy popping champange and celebrating LG making a dual format player, calling it a defection from the BDA. They are also praising the "neutral" studio Warner for offering dual format TotalHD discs thinking that this signals the merging of formats. I actually see this as signs of things moving towards Blu-ray only. Why are they so happy about a dual format player? Because they want to watch Blu-ray exclusive movies of course. This dual format player will give them a smooth transition to Blu-ray and allows them to keep their collection of HD DVDs. And by Warner releasing movies on dual format discs, the movies that they buy will still be viable when Blu-ray eventually wins out. I actually wouldn't be surprised if the BDA wanted LG to make this player to give HD DVD fans an easy route to Blu-ray. These announcements in no way affect the huge studio support advantage of Blu-ray. With many more titles coming to Blu-ray this year, owners of this player will still be buying more BDs than HD DVDs anyway. Just my 2 cents...

01-06-2007, 05:16 PM	#6
phloyd Blu-ray Guru Member since:Dec 2003 Location:California Trading Score:5	Well, I still would not call it a win for BD - I think that the BDA is probably not impressed really. For the HD DVD side, they finally have someone other than Toshiba doing hardware and effectively a defection depending on how you look at it. But it is a BD player as the BDA says, so all that are sold benefit the BDA as much as HD DVD. On the third hand () it does give HD DVD supporters a path to BD with less humiliation, which is a good thing for the BDA. We know that they secretly want a number of the BD titles and this way they can get a 'great HD DVD player with free BD included!'. Then they can buy BDs (you know, just those special titles) and the downward spiral to a BD collection has begun

01-06-2007, 06:18 PM	#8
Alex Pallas Active Member Member since:Sep 2005 Location:The Belly Of The Beast (USA)	i think it depends on the studios that implement this new disc. for example, if all studios implement it BR will be loosing more exclusive support. if universal holds back then HD may have more exclusive titles. furthermore, i cant see studios which favour BR to encoding the HD-DVD layer well, lol. Last edited by Alex Pallas; 01-06-2007 at 06:27 PM.

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01-06-2007, 07:28 AM	#2
phloyd Blu-ray Guru Member since:Dec 2003 Location:California Trading Score:5	Have you been reading my posts on the 'other' forum? I agree. In fact if dual players become the majority, there is no need for the BD only studios to ever make HD DVDs. Cos most people have dual players. And even Warner can ditch the dual disc in favour of the larger capacity BD only. For the dual disc though I really think it will cost more and therefore be a white elephant. I won't pay $5 more for the SD DVD, I sure as hell ain't paying extra to have an HD format on there I have no interest in.

01-06-2007, 05:13 PM	#5
dialog_gvf Moderator Member since:Nov 2006 Location:Toronto Blu-ray collection:320	Thinking about the Warner announcement, I see the following: - For Warner titles (and any other studio's that follows this) the sales of each format become next to impossible to determine. That means there is no exit strategy (no disrespect) and studios releasing on this are stuck doing this forever. - The added cost of such of thing will be borne by the consumer. If not in higher prices initially, then in slower to drop prices later. - Warner gets its DVD/HD DVD patent royalties for all discs sold to BD owners. For a company lauded as being pro-consumer, this is the most anti-consumer move yet made by any CE or studio. The one and only thing I see positive about this is that it would help with shelf space issues. But, so would HD DVD dying. Gary

01-06-2007, 05:48 PM	#7
thunderhawk Moderator Member since:Jul 2004 Location:Belgium	Downward spiral? Anyway, there's more in it for BD then for HD DVD, that's a fact. But I'm afraid more combo players will emerge and the war will prolong till.... Just look at DVD+ vs DVD-.

01-06-2007, 09:13 PM	#11
Deane Johnson Active Member Member since:Nov 2006 Location:Omaha, NE	The price of the LG combo player is rumored to be $1200. If that turns out to be the case, I can't imagine it doing much of anything. Knowledgeable early adapters are going to pay $1200 for an LG product. The masses aren't going pay $1200 for any brand player, not even if it plays both formats and makes their morning coffee. What would make a much bigger difference would be Universal going format neutral.

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