Posted by Derek Janssen on 01/06/08 01:19

Lloyd Parsons wrote:

> In article <KEVfj.59111$rc2.45784@bignews1.bellsouth.net>,
> "Mark A" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote:
>
>
>>"Lloyd Parsons" <lloydparsons@mac.com> wrote in message
>>news:lloydparsons-D9EB73.18420405012008@news.individual.net...
>>
>>>The competition that was good for the consumer was the phony war. The
>>>prices of both BD and HDDVD would never have gotten as low as they have
>>>if BD had been the only one. Or have you forgotten Sony's very vocal
>>>indication that profits and prices weren't going to be anything like DVD?
>>>
>>>Now we'll see some improvements and price reductions, but at a far
>>>slower pace than if the war kept going for a bit longer.
>>>
>>>I've got both HDDVD and BD players so I really don't give a damn which
>>>one ended up, just wanted it delayed some more. I most likely won't buy
>>>many (maybe none) more HDDVD discs.
>>
>>That really makes no sense. Assuming that BD wins out, you will have the
>>same number of hardware manufacturers competing with each other, including
>>Toshiba to drive prices down. Admittedly, BD will always cost a bit more
>>than HDDVD because of its technical design, but if you look at the way
>>computers, flat panel TV's and even regular DVD players have declined in
>>price over the last 5 years, one can expect similar declines in BD player
>>prices.
>>
>>This may not help the early adopters much, but companies like WB are looking
>>at the long term view with the bulk of consumers who are not going to
>>purchase BD or HDDVD in mass any time soon anyway.
>
>
> You are not listening to the BD mfgs at all are you? They have said
> that today's prices are artificially DEFLATED! Doesn't that give you
> any hint at to what to expect them to do?

Yes, it means they'll stop losing money on trying to clear unsold
product by slashing it below safe profit margins, and gaining *negative*
income on each "cheap player" sold--
And start trying to balance output with income, streamlining and
improving their own product for the marketplace, and bringing their
production up to a point where production costs no longer sabotage their
hopes of a low shelf price.

Just because Sony, Panasonic and Samsung aren't competing with Toshiba
anymore doesn't mean they aren't competing with EACH OTHER...

> Really take a look at the BD machines out there. With a couple of
> exceptions, they are grossly overpriced for the crappy way they operate.

Well, then, um, maybe those players won't sell.
Unless they find a way of competing with said PS3 exceptions, which does
seem to be selling/functioning at the moment, and trying to keep up with
the race.

....Welcome to capitalism. :)

Derek Janssen
ejanss1@verizon.net

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