3 ways Blu-ray can win -- sooner than later (short video)

[HDTV1080P]

This is a short video clip on 3 ways BLU-RAY can win the format war. Before Paramount went HD-DVD exclusive BLU-RAY players selling for $399.99 at retail this Christmas would have been fine since many people who have HDTV sets are willing to pay that price. Now since BLU-RAY has begun to lose some studio support to HD-DVD the BLU-RAY camp needs to offer at least one BLU-RAY player for $199.99 with no free movies this Christmas season. At $199.99 millions of standalone BLU-RAY players could be sold even if the HD-DVD camp goes to a $50 retail price. If the BLU-RAY camp does not win this format war this Christmas season we will start to see a flood of combo players on the market for under $500 in late 2008 that play both HD-DVD and BLU-RAY discs and both formats will coexist. The more exclusive studios HD-DVD signs up the more they will create a demand for combo players.
Here is a link to the short video clip from TV predictions.
http://www.tvpredictions.com/swannibluray082307.htm

[jw]

well I have read all those ideas over the past few days on this forum

[E-Dogg]

I agree that we need a player at that $199.99 mark as well as continue to offer exclusive films that only BD can provide. Of course us loyalists also need to continue to blow all of our $ as well.

[CAB]

I can't agree with the $199 player price if other BD player makers can't follow suit. Sure Sony could afford to lose the money but it would be terrible for the future because they would price their competition out of the fight. Second, Sony CAN"T talk pricing with their competition or even debate profit margin targets. That would get someone a ticket to "Federal pound you in the ass prison". I don't want to see the BD player market turn into a single source like it has for Toshiba. There is absolutely no one of quality annoucing plans to make an HD-DVD standalone, is there?

BD will win because of hardware support, studio support, content, better video and audio quality today, better technology base for future features. BD doesn't need gimmicks and cheats. Those are for the other guys.

-CB

[buckshot]

I keep saying it I am getting tired of it. make the 5 free movies thing in store at least to the ps3 buyers. get the ps3 buyers into the game and its over. but with 40% not knowing they are playing blu ray games on the system and that it will play the movies too it is hindering sales. if every ps3 owner bought 1 blu ray let alone 2 its all over.

[CAB]

Originally Posted by buckshot

I keep saying it I am getting tired of it. make the 5 free movies thing in store at least to the ps3 buyers. get the ps3 buyers into the game and its over. but with 40% not knowing they are playing blu ray games on the system and that it will play the movies too.if every ps3 owner bought 1 blu ray let alone 2 its all over.

Sorry I'm late to your idea - I think it's a great one. I'd like to see them put something free in the box also. Spiderman Trilogy comes to mind. Oh and a coupon for a free Sony HDMI cable so people don't plug into their composite connection at home and say, "Damn this blu-ray looks like my DVD!"

-CB

[Blu Tiger]

They should make a cheaper 1080i blu-ray player to compete with HD DVD's cheaper 1080i player.

[BigB88]

Originally Posted by CAB

I can't agree with the $199 player price if other BD player makers can't follow suit. Sure Sony could afford to lose the money but it would be terrible for the future because they would price their competition out of the fight. Second, Sony CAN"T talk pricing with their competition or even debate profit margin targets. That would get someone a ticket to "Federal pound you in the ass prison". I don't want to see the BD player market turn into a single source like it has for Toshiba. There is absolutely no one of quality annoucing plans to make an HD-DVD standalone, is there?

BD will win because of hardware support, studio support, content, better video and audio quality today, better technology base for future features. BD doesn't need gimmicks and cheats. Those are for the other guys.

-CB

Huh? We are not talking a Sony $199.99 player, we are talking a Funai Chinese BluRay player. Sony players would still be in the $399/$499 range, I would assume. This is talk of a $199.99 Funai player being sold by Wal-Mart exclusively. Isn't this what we were talking about?

[katharsis]

I'd rather like to see a Blu-Ray player with 1080p and better audio options for $50-$75 more than the cheapest HDDVD with only 1080i

[katharsis]

If they start selling a $199.99 Funai player at Walmart it'll all be over within weeks... pretty similar to all the small mom and pop electronics stores being pissed that walmart offers HDTVs for far less money, sometimes they dont break even, all in the hopes that once people are in the store buying it, they will end up buying all kinds of accessories as well and cashing in on that

[CAB]

Originally Posted by BigB88

Huh? We are not talking a Sony $199.99 player, we are talking a Funai Chinese BluRay player. Sony players would still be in the $399/$499 range, I would assume. This is talk of a $199.99 Funai player being sold by Wal-Mart exclusively. Isn't this what we were talking about?

Sorry, I didn't see any reference to a new manufacturer entering the market. If it's possible to make a $199 while not being a POS giving BD a black-eye then I'm all for it. I've heard the stories of HD-DVD players lacking quality and I fear what that would do to Blu-ray.

*hugs*
-CB

[Ascended_Saiyan]

The BDA really only needs to do one thing (2 things if they want to crush HD DVD) this holiday season going forward...

Buy all major retailer out on the Blu-ray exclusive players and discs idea. If you can buy HD DVD in B&M stores, it can't do big numbers...period.

The second thing would be to offer a buy 2 BDs and get the Spiderman Trilogy for free deal for all BD player (that includes the PS3 of course) sales only. The end.

[buckshot]

Originally Posted by CAB

Sorry I'm late to your idea - I think it's a great one. I'd like to see them put something free in the box also. Spiderman Trilogy comes to mind. Oh and a coupon for a free Sony HDMI cable so people don't plug into their composite connection at home and say, "Damn this blu-ray looks like my DVD!"

-CB

thank you. I was thinking the same thing about the hdmi cable too. even a cheapo $5 one in the box would suffice. it gets the people going hmmmm what's this thing that's not color coded?

[BTBuck1]

IMO getting Best Buy to sell ONLY Blu-ray would end this once and for all. say what you want about their disc pricing etc. they are THE destination for this stuff and the #1 electronics retailer in the world. If they take a stand, it's GAMEOVER for Microsofts plan.

[Viquist_Zius]

...sleeps with Microsoft too much to go BD exclusive anytime soon. Their whole pitch is on how they are more alike than different and that they can co-exist together... sound familiar? It's all hog wash as far as I'm concerned. Love me some Best Buy but hate me their dealings with the Devil (M$)!!!

[Ascended_Saiyan]

Originally Posted by Viquist_Zius

...sleeps with Microsoft too much to go BD exclusive anytime soon. Their whole pitch is on how they are more alike than different and that they can co-exist together... sound familiar? It's all hog wash as far as I'm concerned. Love me some Best Buy but hate me their dealings with the Devil (M$)!!!

Remember, their god is cash. The BDA has it and you better believe Best Buy wants it. It just has to be enough of it.

[BTBuck1]

Originally Posted by Viquist_Zius

...sleeps with Microsoft too much to go BD exclusive anytime soon. Their whole pitch is on how they are more alike than different and that they can co-exist together... sound familiar? It's all hog wash as far as I'm concerned. Love me some Best Buy but hate me their dealings with the Devil (M$)!!!

However, M$ got BBY in a heap of shit with their "Sell more 360 accessories than the other retailers and we'll give you guys the lions share of consoles" deal at launch. If you remember BBY did all kind of unethical bundling etc during that "Launch Partnership" to try and meet the demand of the consumers, and M$'s BS rule for allocations.. IMO BBY has and will continue to favor Blu-ray. All the Margins are in Blu-ray and while Walmart is trying to strip the margins out of the CE industry...stores like Best Buy and CC are trying to save it...and the CE industry. If Wal-Mart has their way guys, our hobby is going to suck...BIG TIME!

[KingDeezie]

Didn't Best Buy just also get into some sort of deal with Apple as well? The three Best Buys that are in my area just opened up Apple Stores next to their computer sections to sell Imacs and Ipods....

Isn't Apple a supporter of Bluray??

[JTK]

Originally Posted by BTBuck1

IMO getting Best Buy to sell ONLY Blu-ray would end this once and for all. say what you want about their disc pricing etc. they are THE destination for this stuff and the #1 electronics retailer in the world. If they take a stand, it's GAMEOVER for Microsofts plan.

Totally agreed.

Rumors still have WalMart maybe doing something, among other things.

It's obviously not going to be the studios who decide to take a stand. It's going to up to other venues: CE hardware, customers, and retailers. Some of the retailers have already made a chance.

Paramount and anyone else that goes HD-DVD exclusive will have screwed the pooch royally if all of a sudden a bunch of these retailers shut them out.

You'll see Paramount scramble for a "null and void" contract faster than you can blink.

The retail sector may be our best hope for putting an end to this nonsense. Most of the CE world is already behind BD as is.

Originally Posted by Viquist_Zius

...sleeps with Microsoft too much to go BD exclusive anytime soon. Their whole pitch is on how they are more alike than different and that they can co-exist together... sound familiar? It's all hog wash as far as I'm concerned. Love me some Best Buy but hate me their dealings with the Devil (M$)!!!

You're way out in left field. This is the same store you see HD-DVD zealots bashing for having Blu-Ray endcaps and "favoring" Blu-Ray for months now. How many ***** about Best Buy's "bias" threads have we all seen at AVS and other forums?

Countless.

I'm all for the idea of making the pot sweet for them and Circuit City to just go ahead and finish it, like Brian suggests.

Whatever it takes.

[Aaron]

Great video!

http://www.tvpredictions.com/swannibluray082307.htm