Posted by One-Shot Scot on 12/24/90 11:28

karlpov <karldotpov@deletethisverizon.net> wrote:

>The remasterings are, of course, not high-def. Is it likely that we
>will see triple-dipping in the future with high-def editions, or would
>high-def be likely to enhance movies this old?

<<Triple-dipping is the point of the push for a new format. The DVD market
is no longer expanding at 100% per year, and the companies think they can
re-create that.>>

<<Any movie, no matter how old, can benefit from a proper transfer to a
higher-resolution format, but the main questions are, how much of a
difference will it make on a standard home screen, and how many people will
actually notice the difference? I'm not talking about DVD geeks who already
know what the formats are, I'm talking the average person who still has an
SD TV, thinks VHS looked pretty good at the SLP speed, and wishes that DVD
movies didn't have those black bars on the top and bottom of the picture.
This is the market where the majority of sales are made. Re-buying stuff
that's been out on DVD ain't gonna have much appeal to them. Whatver hi-def
format survives the format war is probably going to be merely a niche
format, like LD was during the heyday of VHS, so expect sustained high
prices and limited releases.>>


I am in total agreement with your premise: After the introduction of DVD, we
reached the point of diminishing returns. I think that Hi-Definition DVD
will receive the same piss-warm reception that DVD-A and SACD have gotten.
The quantum leap between other audio formats (LPs and tapes) and CDs was
easily discernible to the average consumer. But there is not enough
discernable difference between audio CDs and the warring DVD-A and SACD
formats to interest the majority of consumers. Besides, you don't need DVD-A
and SACD sources to create music files for your iPod.

With the possible exception of DVD, it seems that home video and audio
cannot change formats without a format war: Beta vs. VHS, LaserDisc vs.
SelectaVision and DVD-A vs. SACD. Now, we have to endure the Blu-ray vs.
HD-DVD bullshit. But, when and if this new format war ever ends, the average
consumer -- the people who REALLY drive the marketplace -- will not be
interested in investing in a new video format that only provides what they
will perceive as marginally-better picture and sound. Nearly all new DVD
single and double-disk sets sell in the $15 - $20 range. Later, many of
these same titles will sell for under $10. In addition, good-quality DVD
players are readily available for under $80. If this DVD price structure had
not come about, DVD would never have become as popular as it did, in so
short a time.

I can only hope that the movie industry will not resort to releasing
exclusive Hi-Definition DVD titles in an attempt to force consumers into
changing formats. They will only be cutting their own throats if they try
this. We can look back at the DIVX fiasco to see how such an arm-twisting
strategy turned out.

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