[analogue SPRINKLES]

Originally Posted by icruise 

I think the fact that Digital Video Essentials is the #5 seller on the HD-DVD side tends to support my theory that HD-DVD buyers are largely home theater buffs and not the general public.

good point.

[Eug]

Originally Posted by icruise 

I think the fact that Digital Video Essentials is the #5 seller on the HD-DVD side tends to support my theory that HD-DVD buyers are largely home theater buffs and not the general public. (Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it ties in with my prediction that the PS3 owners will start buying more movies when there are more big name releases out.)

That's the classic "Just wait until..." argument.

That said, I think there is merit in the argument that buying practices will change. However, I don't think the PS3 buyers are the answer. Blu-ray has to move standalones, and so far they simply have not been able to. I suspect there will be cheaper Blu-ray standalones in Q4 2007, but there will be cheaper HD DVD standalones then too, and probably lower priced than the Blu-ray players.

[icruise]

I certainly agree that for Blu-ray to succeed they will have to get more reasonably priced standalone players out there. In a couple of years, when you can buy a Blu-ray player for ~$300 or less, the PS3's ability to play Blu-ray discs will be largely irrelevant (like the PS2's ability to play DVDs). But my point is that until then it will play a role, and a bigger one than you seem to think.

[analogue SPRINKLES]

Blu Ray add on for 360 by Xmas? - Xbox 360 & Xbox Forums

[Eug]

Originally Posted by icruise 

I certainly agree that for Blu-ray to succeed they will have to get more reasonably priced standalone players out there. In a couple of years, when you can buy a Blu-ray player for ~$300 or less, the PS3's ability to play Blu-ray discs will be largely irrelevant (like the PS2's ability to play DVDs). But my point is that until then it will play a role, and a bigger one than you seem to think.

Don't get me wrong. I think the PS3's role is huge. Without it, Blu-ray wouldn't matter at all. However, if the guesstimates are correct that there is currently a 9:1 advantage of Blu-ray players (including the PS3) out there compared to HD DVD players, then it does show that the PS3's impact is nowhere near is large as Sony hyped it up to be, considering that year-to-date disc sales are only about 2:1.

Now, you say PS3 owners' buying habits may change with time, but I suggest that by the time that would happen, the PS3 will be a lot less relevant, for a number of reasons:

1) Blu-ray standalones will come into their own with significantly increased numbers.
2) HD DVD standalones will significantly increase in number as well.
3) Both HD DVD and Blu-ray standalones will be substantially cheaper than the PS3.
4) Combo players will be hitting the market, and likely will be priced close to the PS3 by next year.

In other words, the PS3's importance is now, and will only diminish with time. Unfortunately for Blu-ray, Sony hasn't been able to push as many PS3s as they had originally hoped. By brute force of millions of PS3 players out there, Blu-ray has achieved a 2:1 sales ratio for discs over HD DVD, but I'm pretty sure that the Blu-ray Association was hoping for a clean win, which would have been possible had disc sales been consistently closer to 5:1 and growing. That might have been achieved had Sony sold 6 million PS3s in 2006 like they said they would, but we all know what happened.

[icruise]

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES 

Blu Ray add on for 360 by Xmas? - Xbox 360 & Xbox Forums

The article mentioned seems really fishy to me, since nobody can seem to find the original online (just people quoting it). One place that claimed to be linking to the Japanese article was in fact just linking to a general article about the console wars and PS3 that mentioned nothing whatsoever about the content of the article. I'm calling BS.

[Montezuma58]

Originally Posted by icruise 

I think the fact that Digital Video Essentials is the #5 seller on the HD-DVD side tends to support my theory that HD-DVD buyers are largely home theater buffs and not the general public. (Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it ties in with my prediction that the PS3 owners will start buying more movies when there are more big name releases out.)

I suspect DVE would also be a big seller for Blu-Ray if it were available on the format. I would hardly classify most people buying Blu-Ray movies at the moment as the general public either.

[Eug]

Originally Posted by Eug 

Now, you say PS3 owners' buying habits may change with time, but I suggest that by the time that would happen, the PS3 will be a lot less relevant, for a number of reasons:

1) Blu-ray standalones will come into their own with significantly increased numbers.
2) HD DVD standalones will significantly increase in number as well.
3) Both HD DVD and Blu-ray standalones will be substantially cheaper than the PS3.
4) Combo players will be hitting the market, and likely will be priced close to the PS3 by next year.

In other words, the PS3's importance is now, and will only diminish with time.

Speaking of which...

The Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD player is now $283.05.



It also comes with 5 free HD DVDs from Toshiba.

Originally Posted by Montezuma58 

I suspect DVE would also be a big seller for Blu-Ray if it were available on the format.

Likely true.

P.S. I'm not sure if I should bother getting it. I already have the DVD version, but the settings on my TV for HD are a bit different. I think I may just hold off for the moment, cuz I have my TV dialed in pretty close to where I want it anyway now.

[icruise]

Originally Posted by Montezuma58 

I would hardly classify most people buying Blu-Ray movies at the moment as the general public either.

Well, actually I think they are (to the extent that someone spending $600 on a video game console can be considered a member of the "general public"). When you consider how expensive stand-alone players are at the moment, my (totally unsupported) guess is that most of the BR sales are to PS3 owners. While some people may have bought the PS3 primarily as a movie player, I think they are a definite minority. Most people buy the PS3 as a gaming machine that also happens to be able to play HD movies. These are the people who may buy something like Pirates of the Caribbean or Casino Royale, but are somewhat less likely to buy random catalog titles. My point is this: even with a library that doesn't really appeal to its core audience (assuming my theory is correct, and it's more the general public and not movie buffs), BR is outselling HD-DVD. When more big name titles like this come out (and BR's larger stable of studios will mean more big-name titles) BR sales will increase even more, perhaps dramatically.

There's a lot of speculation here, I'll admit.

[icruise]

Originally Posted by Eug 

P.S. I'm not sure if I should bother getting it. I already have the DVD version, but the settings on my TV for HD are a bit different. I think I may just hold off for the moment, cuz I have my TV dialed in pretty close to where I want it anyway now.

According to comments on Amazon's product page, DVE still doesn't work with the Xbox 360 drive, even after the new update.

[Eug]

Originally Posted by icruise 

According to comments on Amazon's product page, DVE still doesn't work with the Xbox 360 drive, even after the new update.

The update for DVE hasn't happened yet. That's next week or later.

The Dashboard update that came out this past week wasn't for HD DVD stuff.

[analogue SPRINKLES]

"I think the single greatest thing we can do right now is to not waffle, but to be very, very blunt about it, to continue our support of Blu-ray because we sense a real advantage. The best thing that could happen is for the format war to end, which will be very pro-consumer, particularly as hardware comes down.
The other thing I want to note is, if you look across the globe, the only place there is really a format war is in the United States. In other markets where next-gen DVD is starting to penetrate, Blu-ray is winning, and substantially; so much so there isn’t even a perceived format war."

Transcript: Disney CEO Iger Talks Up Blu-ray in Analyst Call | High-Def Digest

[Eug]

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES 

The other thing I want to note is, if you look across the globe, the only place there is really a format war is in the United States. In other markets where next-gen DVD is starting to penetrate, Blu-ray is winning, and substantially; so much so there isn’t even a perceived format war.

As others have said, that only is true if the only country outside the US is Japan.

[Montezuma58]

Originally Posted by Eug 

Speaking of which...

The Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD player is now $283.05.



It also comes with 5 free HD DVDs from Toshiba.

That's getting close to the price I would like. When it gets to $250 I'd be happy getting one and renting movies. I'm still hesitant to plop down a bunch of money to build my own library of either format at the moment. The HD-XA2 prices have been wildly fluctuating on Amazon though. It was down to $519. Now it back up to almost $600.

[Eug]

Sweet. The 25th anniversary edition of Blade Runner is coming to HD this year.

Warner confirmed this last year (as they own the rights now), for both HD DVD and Blu-ray, but we recently got reconfirmation at least on the HD DVD side: In the Matrix Trilogy Ultimate box set there is an insert saying that Blade Runner is due October 2007.


Disc 1 - The Final Cut (2007):

Ridley Scott's definitive new version of his science-fiction masterpiece includes added & extended scenes, added lines and new and cleaner special effects.

Disc 2 - 3 Complete Film Versions:
’82 U.S. Theatrical version
’82 International Theatrical version
’92 Director’s Cut

Disc 3 - “Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner” Documentary

Newly created documentary: Through interviews with the cast and crew, critics and colleagues, this feature-length documentary provides a mainstream-friendly yet meaningful in-depth look at Blade Runner’s literary genesis, its challenging production and controversial legacy. When all is said and done, this will be the definitive documentary on the film.

Disc 4 – Enhanced Content Bonus: (TBC)

INCEPTION - Featurettes and galleries devoted to Philip K. Dick, the birth of Cyberpunk and adapting the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.
PRE-PRODUCTION - Featurettes and galleries devoted to script development, conceptual design and abandoned sequences.
PRODUCTION - Featurettes and galleries devoted to principal photography and locations.
POST-PRODUCTION - Featurettes and galleries devoted to deleted scenes, music and visual effects.
RELEASE - Featurettes and galleries devoted to marketing and reaction including Trailers, TV Spots and Promotional Featurettes
LEGACY - Featurettes and galleries devoted to the film’s resurrection and impact.

Disc 5 - Work Print Version & Enhanced Content:

Including the rarely seen Work Print version and potentially the 52 min.
Channel Four (UK) documentary which was the first serious documentary created for the film.

[analogue SPRINKLES]

Originally Posted by Eug 

Sweet. The 25th anniversary edition of Blade Runner is coming to HD this year.

Oh goodie. I could already see the wires holding up the flying taxies in the DVD version so I can't wait to see what HD reveals.