Posted by Ray S on 01/05/07 16:48

Tim Smith wrote:
> In article <E9inh.7486$kB3.1060@trnddc08>,
> "CJ" <cjmartin04@verizon.net> wrote:
>> What's the point?? A dual player still forces the customer to choose one
>> format over the other, now they just get to do it on a per-movie-basis based
>> upon quality or price of the individual movie in HD-DVD or Blu-Ray rather
>> than forking over money for a player that is a future doorstop. They're not
>> going to want to have an entire library full of future coasters, so they're
>> just as likely to stay away from HD-DVD or Blu-Ray altogether even with a
>> player that will play both.
>
> I believe that the expectation is that most manufacturers will offer
> dual players, and even if the format war ends with the death of one of
> HD-DVD or Blu-Ray, they will keep making dual format players, so people
> with large numbers of discs in the losing format will still be OK.
>
>> The biggest thing I see that could tip the balance in this war in 2007
>> is PS3. Once PS3 is available in large numbers in the United States in March
>> or April, that will introduce thousands of Blu-Ray players into homes that
>> ordinarily probably would have sat this format war out, but now get a player
>> because they bought the PS3 for video games. Yes, it's probably not a top
>> quality player and videophiles will laugh at it, but it's better than none
>> at all, and Sony, for all their fumbling and stupidity in 2006, knows it.
>> Introduce people to the format using something they bought for another
>> reason and they'll stay along for the ride.
>
> Actually, the reviews I've seen say the PS3 player is better than the
> current stand-alone Blu-Ray players, from a videophile point of view.
>
> However, you might be overestimating the pent-up demand for PS3. They
> are fairly easily available in the United States now, and in Japan now.
> When new shipments arrive in stores, they can take days to sell out now.
> Of you can order online from Best Buy--they've had the 60 GB model in
> stock for a couple days. So have a couple other major online retailers
> (although some of them require purchasing bundles of a few games and
> movies).
>
> The problem is that, as a game console, the PS3 is very expensive and
> doesn't have an impressive line-up of titles right now. Most game
> console purchasers are price sensitive, so there is a good chance the
> PS3 won't become a really mass market item until the price comes down,
> which will probably be at least a year or so out.
>

There seems to be such a huge competition for peoples disposable gadget
money these days, that you better be able to make people say. - Wow, I
gotta have that! if you expect widespread success. So far, I don't
believe there has been much in the way posted here that did a whole lot
more than damn the whole HD rollout with faint praise.

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