If Microsoft is smart, they'll release a BR player add-on for the 360 for $150 and thus blunt 17 million+ 360 owners from also buying a PS3. Then eventually incorporate BR into the Elite.
Here's what Microsoft says about putting out a Blu Ray attachment for 360. I guess we have to wait until HD DVD dies completely before that happens. It's funny how this guy below says he wants consumers to have a voice in all this. You are not giving us much of a voice when all you offer is the HD DVD attachment and the majority of movies are on Blu Ray. If you really wanted to give consumers a voice, then you would let us choose the attachment we want to go with. He's trying to tell us HD DVD owners that we are the decider in how this shakes out. I'd like to flip this guy off to his face and tell him to STFU and offer us a Blu Ray attachment for 360 already. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080108/tc_nm/show_xbox_dc_1 LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp's (MSFT.O) Xbox video gaming unit still fully backs Toshiba Corp's (6502.T) HD-DVD high-definition DVD format but could consider supporting Sony Corp's (6758.T) rival Blu-ray technology should consumers want it, an executive said on Tuesday. ADVERTISEMENT "It should be consumer choice; and if that's the way they vote, that's something we'll have to consider," Albert Penello, group marketing manager for Xbox hardware said when asked whether Microsoft would support a Blu-ray DVD accessory in the event that HD-DVD failed. Microsoft does not believe the surprise decision last week by Time Warner Inc (TWX.N) unit Warner Bros, the top seller of home movies, to abandon HD-DVD format in favor of Blu-ray should affect sales of its Xbox 360 video game console, Penello said. "I fundamentally don't think ... this has a significant impact on Xbox 360 versus (Sony's) PlayStation 3," Penello told Reuters in an interview at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. "With the PlayStation 2, DVD was a big part in the beginning, but over time, people were not buying it as a DVD player after first year or two," Penello said. The Xbox 360 supports a plug-in HD-DVD accessory that is bought separately, while Sony, hoping to give its next-generation video format a leg up, built a Blu-ray player into its PlayStation 3 machine. "You can't say it's not a bummer, not a setback, but I've seen this battle declared over so many times," Penello said of Warner's decision. "I want consumers to have a voice in this and I think there are a lot of consumers who bought HD-DVD who are going to have a say in how this shakes out." Warner Bros is the movie division of media conglomerate Time Warner Inc (TWX.N). (Reporting by Scott Hillis, editing by Gerald E. McCormick, Richard Chang)
Thinking we might see more on this in the very near-future (sounds like the release clause was definitely activated). Seems like a bunch of reliable (or semi-reliable) sources are hinting at something going on here. I might be misunderstanding you, but I'm pretty sure they backed both formats. They started off with just Blu-ray, but I think they declared support for HD DVD as well later on (once Intel and MS declared support IIRC). Here's a press release from the HP website: http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2005/051216a.html Don't think they really did much for HD DVD though...not even sure if they've actually released any Blu-ray or HD DVD products either. But why bother if it is all about digital distribution now? Just kidding. It would be a good move for everyone involved, so it would be nice if MS did go ahead with this idea (although depending on the circumstances, not sure if they could get it at $150). I've yet to get the impression that they'd actually consider doing this, but maybe things will change with the format war more or less over.
I work for HP, which is why I wanted to clarify. Plus, we've been having conversations at work lately about this very issue, so it was fresh in my mind. Although HP itself was part of Blu-Ray development (and shares in royalties), the desktop/notebooks group(s) are format neutral. And BTW, after a year selling HD DVD drives only (due to drive availability and cost), the HP laptops group just announced Blu-Ray support last month. The desktops group uses HD DVD/Blu-Ray combo drives. As for your comment about not doing much for HD DVD, well, I think our market share and sales figures speak for themselves.
I thought you were trying to clarify that HP (or at least the desktop/notebooks groups) did not support HD DVD, which I couldn't understand. Thanks for the clarification. I was thinking along the lines of HP aiding in the development of HD DVD when I posted that comment (feel free to correct me here though). Although to be honest, I thought it was the case either way. I have no idea what sales of these drives/PCs are like, as you can tell by the next comment I made. I can only think of Toshiba really pushing HD drives in their PCs, although I'm sure there are many more.
We're one of the few companies out there that has taken a neutral stance with respects to products (yes, even though we helped develop Blu-Ray). Everyone else is firmly in one camp or another. With the format war raging, being neutral has given us a fairly nice advantage. When the "tipping point" needle finally falls over to Blu-Ray's side completely (which could happen as early as next week or as late as a year from now), we'll end up in the same boat as everyone else with respects to supply and cost. Sales (to this point) haven't been bad at all for HD DVD-enabled PCs and laptops. Unfortunately, that's all I can say about that.
Buyers Beware: Current Blu-ray Players Won't Correctly Play Future Discs Look, it will play *something*, just buy it already. After the past week, it seems more and more likely that Blu-ray will be the movie disc format of the future. But with the exception of the Playstation 3, current Blu-ray disc players were built without future-compatibility capabilities, so come this October owners won't be able to take advantage of features like Internet connectivity or enhanced interactivity (whatever that means—details are sketchy). "One key Blu-ray developer told BetaNews that although he builds discs for studios including Fox and Lionsgate, he did not buy a Blu-ray player for personal use." Regarding current Blu-ray player owners, Blu-ray developers told BetaNews, "They knew what they were getting into." Representatives at the Blu-ray booth at CES told BetaNews that the PlayStation 3 is currently the only player they would recommend, due to upcoming changes to the platform. But Pioneer, Samsung, Panasonic and Sony have all been selling standalone Blu-ray players to customers. So here's how it's going to work: current players are Profile 1.0, and can play future hi-def discs but no bonus stuff. Profile 1.1 dics will include additional bonus material that won't play on 1.0 players—these discs will have a "Bonus View" sticker. Come October, Profile 2 capability will come to the market, which includes Internet activity, but only on Profile 2.0 players—these discs will have a "BD Live" sticker. When asked why current players were released to the market when in such a primitive state, manufacturers blamed the release of HD DVD and said it forced them to come to market too soon. "We should have waited another year to introduce Blu-ray to the public, but the format war changed the situation." Okay, well how about we just don't buy any Blu-ray players for a while (not counting the PS3) until you guys decide to get your act together? http://consumerist.com/344116/buyers-beware-current-blu+ray-players-wont-correctly-play-future-discs
p*rn Providers Rethinking Next-Gen DVD Plans 01.10.08 by Chloe Albanesius CES 2008 Coverage LAS VEGAS—The adult film industry is still taking a wait-and-see approach to the Blu-ray /HD DVD wars. But while Blu-ray's perceived costs have pushed some companies into the arms of the HD DVD camp, Warner Bros.' decision last week to exclusively support Blu-ray has some thinking that the end of HD DVD is nigh. Executives in the adult-film industry spoke Wednesday during the opening day of the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo 2008, which briefly overlaps with the more mainstream Consumer Electronics Show ending Thursday. "It could be a real sign that things will shift," Jeff Thill, director of video operations for the Hustler Video Group, said about the Warner decision. Thill said he sees no advantage of one format over the other, but is "leaning Blu-Ray" after Warner's announcement. The Blu-ray camp, led by Sony, has been fighting Toshiba and its HD DVD format for years in a battle reminiscent of the VHS versus Betamax battle. In that fight, Betamax maker Sony's refusal to work with the p*rn industry helped usher in a VHS victory when the adult industry capitalized on the burgeoning popularity of VCRs and video rentals. Hustler had some success recently with the Blu-ray release of Jenna Haze Oil Orgy, said Thill, who was on hand to showcase Hustler's latest releases at the annual AVN Adult Entertainment Expo. The company packaged the "Jenna" disc with an HD DVD and standard version in case users had trouble with Blu-ray, but has thus far not received any complaints. In March, Hustler will release its latest "Barely Legal" DVD in the Blu-ray format, he said. Hustler has released two titles using the HD DVD format, Thill said. The company expects to release between 15 to 25 high-definition videos in 2008, most of which will probably be Blu-ray, Thill said. Blu-ray is "a little bit of a headache" because of royalty fees, but it's "six of one, a half dozen of the other" with the format wars, he said. Blu-Ray also "sounds sexier," according to Thill, and there's "an important base in the gaming world" because the popular PlayStation 3 runs Blu-Ray while Microsoft has released an optional HD DVD drive for its Xbox 360 console, Thill said. Vivid Entertainment, home to p*rn star Jenna Jameson, has also released videos on Blu-ray and HD, said David Peskin, Vivid's national sales manager. It currently has two Blu-ray titles and three HD DVD titles on the shelves. Vivid was initially "conservative" with its high-definition re-order numbers, but is "starting to stock a little heavier" since sales have been promising, Peskin said. Vivid has seen Blu-ray sell more units online while HD does better in retail stores, he said. The company doesn't yet have a format preference. "Both have surpassed expectations," he said, though Peskin also pointed to the PlayStation 3 connection as a plus for Blu-ray. Some companies have had to bypass Blu-ray altogether. Jackie Ramos, vice president of DVD production for Wicked Pictures, "looked to Blu-ray" when the company was first exploring high-definition about a year ago, but had trouble finding a provider that would produce Blu-ray discs for the adult industry. Wicked has since released about a half dozen HD DVD titles, but Ramos managed to track down some p*rn-friendly Blu-ray producers and is now "aggressively" looking at those options. With the Warner decision, things are "a little more serious," Ramos said, and, to him, it makes sense to examine Blu-Ray should it become the industry standard. Ramos also had concerns about the Blu-ray price point. There's a copyright aspect you can't get around with Blu-Ray, whereas HD DVD allows you to choose whether or not you want that copyright protection, he said. "With adult industry, HD DVD was friendlier price wise." Ramos expects to select a Blu-ray producer in the next few weeks and hopes to release Wicked's first Blu-ray title in the next few months, he said. But he was not convinced that the p*rn industry was driving the debate as it did with VHS and Betamax. "What really drives it is the availability of players" and what the consumers want, Ramos said. HD capitalized on that by selling cheaper players, but now that many of the major studios have jumped on the Blu-Ray bandwagon, "we'll have to see," Ramos said. Albert Lazarito, vice president of Silver Sinema, also believes the consumer is key to winning the DVD battle. "With the Warner Brothers decision, the market will direct the outcome," he said. Lazarito is "more than confident that it won't be the adult realm" that selects a final DVD format. Silver Sinema has been filming in HD because Blu-ray is too expensive, Lazarito said, but his company is "ready to go depending on how the market shifts." Pink Visual was also turned off by the cost of Blu-ray, explained director of marketing Kim Kysar. "HD DVD was affordable; it was doable. Blu-ray was too expensive," she said. Pink Visual will release its first HD-DVD video next week. "Everybody's going to want to have both options," Kysar said. "Blu-Ray could be the next step, but not if nobody uses it and it stays too cost prohibitive." Kysar also expressed concern about how much the camera would capture in high-definition, a sentiment echoed by Lazarito. "Imperfections are magnified," Lazarito said. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,2247595,00.asp
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/14/hd-dvd-fires-back-slashes-hardware-and-software-prices/ HD DVD fires back, slashes hardware & software prices HD DVD's response to being unceremoniously jilted by Warner going into CES was ... nothing. A canceled press conference, downtrodden Toshiba press conference and rumors of further losses left great doubt that red had anything left in 2008, but now HD DVD is firing back. Leveraging its "approximately 50% market share in 2007" -- we're not sure where that number comes from either, we've contacted Toshiba for clarification -- indisputable lead in the notebook market and 100% compatibility with internet-enabled HDi features, Toshiba has announced it is not laying down yet. Effective yesterday, the HD-A3 MSRP has dropped to $149.99, the 1080p-capable HD-A30 to $199.99, and the top of the line HD-A35 to $299.99. Combined with an extended "perfect offer" of 5 free HD DVDs with every purchase, Toshiba's HD DVD Concierge service, and a sudden 50% off sale on Amazon, it seems this format will not go quietly into the dark. Fire sale to clear suddenly obsolete inventory or real chance to hang onto its remaining supporters? This could be the best -- or worst -- time to pick a side in the HD war. Update: Amazon is also having a 50% off Blu-ray sale, so whatever your format of choice, pick up some discs and let the movie studios know who you rep.
they are desperate, but they should have done that BEFORE the Warner decision and the bad press, then the market will be different IMO.
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yeah. HDDVD didnt take advantage of their strength...and that was price! They should have been selling at a breakeven, or even a loss for the last 8 months.
http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9864122-1.html Five reasons you shouldn't buy a Blu-ray player yet * John P. Falcone With HD DVD looking more and more like it's on the ropes, it would seem like the ideal time to commit to Blu-ray--right? Not so fast. There are at least five reasons to stick with your good old-fashioned DVD player--at least for the next few months. (And, as always, there are some key caveats and insider secrets for those who can't resist pullling the trigger as soon as possible.) 1. Nearly all current Blu-ray players are obsolete: The Blu-ray standard is still evolving. Most models currently available use the original Profile 1.0 standard, while some newer models use Profile 1.1 (which adds the ability to show picture-in-picture commentaries). Later this year, the first Profile 2.0 players--which add the ability to deliver online special features (BD Live)--will become available. Ironically, both of these are designed to bring the Blu-ray standard in line with HD DVD players, which have long been able to deliver these features. A couple of the most recent Blu-ray players (the combo players from Samsung and LG) can be updated from Profile 1.0 to 1.1 with a downloadable firmware update. But the PlayStation 3 is, supposedly, the only existing Blu-ray player that will be fully upgradeable to Profile 2.0. So if you don't want your Blu-ray player to be obsolete, the PS3 is your only choice until 2.0 models--such as the Panasonic DMP-BD50--hit later this year. Caveat: Does anybody really watch those PiP-enabled commentaries? Or want updated trailers downloaded from the Web? Beyond the hardcore cinephiles, I think the answer is a big "no." In other words, if you're among the vast majority who only wants to watch the movie, you're not really gaining anything with a 1.1. or 2.0 player. Those older Blu-ray players should play everything else on the disc (the non-playable features are just grayed out on the menu). With the older players hitting the discount racks to make way for newer models, getting a Profile 1.0 player is a nice way to score a Blu-ray player on the cheap ($300 or less). 2. Blu-ray is best on a big-screen TV: Can you see the difference between standard DVD and Blu-ray? Yes--but it may not be as noticeable as you would think. Like all high-definition material, Blu-ray discs look their most-impressive at bigger screen sizes, where DVD can sometimes start to look a bit soft. Put another way: if your TV is 37 inches or smaller, you probably won't be getting a huge advantage from Blu-ray. Caveat: Eagle-eyed videophiles--or those who sit especially close to their 1080p TVs--may well see a difference. Rule of thumb: if HDTV programming looks noticeably better than DVD playback on your TV, then Blu-ray will be a worthwhile investment. 3. There are still very few movies available on Blu-ray: As of February 5, 2008, there are less than 450 current Blu-ray titles available in North America (not counting discontinued and adult titles). That stacks up well to HD DVD (around 400). But it's a drop in the bucket compared to standard DVD, which has at least 90,000 titles available (including TV shows). Caveat: Sure, it's small now, but the number of Blu-ray titles is growing slowly but surely. In fact, Blu-ray and HD DVD adoption (combined) has actually outpaced that of the original DVD format, which took three or four years before it really went mainstream. 4. Blu-ray still has growing pains: How many times have you popped a brand new DVD into your player, only to be greeted with a message that you need to update the firmware to view the movie? Probably never, but Blu-ray early adopters have faced this message more than they would like to admit. (To be fair, HD DVD has had its share of disc compatibility issues as well.) To make matters worse, many early Blu-ray players can't update via Ethernet, so you'll need to burn a CD to update the player. If you're reading Crave, burning a disc probably isn't a problem--but there are many less-tech-savvy people that love DVDs, but have no idea what an ISO file is. 5. Prices have nowhere to go but down: Even without competition from HD DVD, Blu-ray prices seem to be on a one-way ticket downward. Older players can be purchases for about $300, so don't be surprised to see Black Friday 2008 specials at $249 or $199. Caveat: See item number 1: the cheaper players are likely to be older models that are effectively "obsolete." So there you have it: there's absolutely no compelling reason to dive into Blu-ray, at least for the next few months. But as with all of the items above, the conclusion comes with a big caveat of its own: the Sony PlayStation 3. It's the only player that's futureproof, it doubles as a top-notch game machine and network digital media streamer, and it's readily available for $400. Oh--it also happens to be a great Blu-ray player, and it does a fine job of upconverting your standard DVDs to high-definition resolutions. As such, it remains the exception to the rule, and the only Blu-ray player that we can enthusiastically recommend for the time being.
Damn!!! Anyone want to buy a slightly used HD-DVD player? Netflix picks Blu-ray as exclusive high-def DVD format BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Netflix, the online movie rental company, said today it is switching exclusively to the Blu-ray format for high-definition DVDs, following four major movie studios in selecting the Sony technology over one pushed by Toshiba. Toshiba and Sony have been vying to set the standard for high-definition DVDs for several years. The stakes are high because the winner will also get a boost in sales of DVD players needed to read the new format. Walt Disney, Sony Corp.'s Sony Pictures, News Corp.'s Twentieth Century Fox and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer have endorsed Blu-ray. Paramount and Universal Studios publish their high-definition DVDs in Toshiba's HD DVD format. Netflix has stocked both formats since they became available in 2006, but said the decision of four of the six major studios to issue films only in Blu-ray format made it likely that the Sony format will prevail. "From the Netflix perspective, focusing on one format will enable us to create the best experience for subscribers," the company said, adding that not many customers order high-def DVDs. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5530772.html
