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PaperNotes · Oct 30, 2007, 08:08 AM

Originally Posted by jokell82

Well I wonder what Fox and Disney will do now that BD+ is cracked:
SlySoft claims to have cracked BD+, naysayers fall quiet - Engadget HD

No more than anyone did when DVD got hacked and shared. Pirates can't kill a format any more than a forum fanboy. Most of the buying public (like 99.9%) don't even know you exist.

Eug · 08:39 AM

Originally Posted by PaperNotes

Even if that last sentence of yours is wrong (Unprotected non-commercial content in the right format can be played back from Blu-ray and HD-DVD discs) I have been telling you the rest of that for months back when I was breaking my awesome NDA.

Stop trying to tell us that sticking a few video files or whatever on a Blu-ray disc is "Blu-ray". Tiger never had any support for Blu-ray in DVD Player.app, but you could play some video files off Blu-ray discs.

P.S. Since when do you have to have an NDA to DVD Studio Pro?

Originally Posted by PaperNotes

No more than anyone did when DVD got hacked and shared. Pirates can't kill a format any more than a forum fanboy. Most of the buying public (like 99.9%) don't even know you exist.

Weirdest post in this thread this week.

exca1ibur · Oct 30, 2007, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by jokell82

Well I wonder what Fox and Disney will do now that BD+ is cracked:
SlySoft claims to have cracked BD+, naysayers fall quiet - Engadget HD

Who knows. You'd be a fool to think it wouldn't. What DRM hasn't been cracked? Which is why we are all bitching on here now. My point is if you have a problem with one, you have a problem with them all. Case proven.

analogue SPRINKLES · Oct 30, 2007, 01:31 PM

"One thing that may be changing is our strategy," he said. "When both formats launched and hardware prices were high, we made a decision to support both formats and let the consumer decide. But now that hardware pricing is affordable for both Blu-ray and HD DVD, it appears consumers no longer want to decide — so the notion of staying in two formats for the duration is something we are re-evaluating now that we are in the fourth quarter."

Warner Mulls Change in High-Def Strategy | High-Def Digest

Circuit City lists LG's BH200 combo HD DVD / Blu-ray combo at $799 - Engadget HD

Eug · Oct 30, 2007, 02:23 PM

^^^ Interestingly, the above had already been pretty much said a while back. The statement was they're going to look hard at player sales in Q4 2007, and then make their decision for 2008.

Originally Posted by Warner Home Video prez Ron Sanders

It’s really hard to handicap. I can’t tell, which side, if any, will win. Right now it’s like a Mexican standoff. If the consumer continues to support both formats, the industry will as well. It will be really pivotal what Toshiba does this fourth quarter in hardware. If they sell through everything they ship, and it’s a big number at the price points that are coming out, then I think [HD DVD] will be around for a long time. If they don’t, then it could go Blu-ray’s way. But Toshiba is getting very, very aggressive on pricing, which is putting pressure on Blu-ray player manufacturers to bring prices down. As a content company we just want more hardware in the homes. So what ever drives more hardware is good to see. Right now it looks like there is price pressure on both sides because there are two formats — more pressure than there would be if there was only one format. So, for our interests, more razors means we’ll sell more razor blades down the road.

There are rumours that Warner was bumping up the sched for a Oct/Nov announcement, but I think that's unlikely.

Eug · Oct 30, 2007, 03:35 PM

First Profile 1.1 Blu-ray player announced

The DMP-BD30 will ship Nov. 5 and should be in stores nationwide within a week, according to Eisuke Tsuyuzaki, VP of corporate development for Panasonic and GM of its Blu-ray Disc Group. Tsuyuzaki expects stores to have the new player in time for the holiday season “by the bucketload.”

Well, it's good for stores to have them by the bucketload, but at $500, methinks they may not sell that many of them...

goMac · Oct 30, 2007, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by Eug

First Profile 1.1 Blu-ray player announced

A $500 Bluray 1.1 player vs. a far cheaper HD-DVD player with the same capabilities... hmmm...

Shaddim · Oct 30, 2007, 06:46 PM

I dunno, this BD player looks decent for $419.

Newegg.com - SAMSUNG BD-P1400 Blu-ray disc player

voodoo · Oct 30, 2007, 07:43 PM

The format that gets Apple support wins. In media, Apple is infallable.

V

Eug · Oct 30, 2007, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by voodoo

The format that gets Apple support wins. In media, Apple is infallable.

V

DVD-RAM all the way!!!

Originally Posted by Shaddim

I dunno, this BD player looks decent for $419.

Newegg.com - SAMSUNG BD-P1400 Blu-ray disc player

That's a Profile 1.0 player.

voodoo · Oct 30, 2007, 10:53 PM

Originally Posted by Eug

DVD-RAM all the way!!!

That is wrong on so many levels.

V

- - e r i k - - · Oct 30, 2007, 10:57 PM

I think a touché is in order.

exca1ibur · Oct 30, 2007, 11:16 PM

Damn, I gotta give him credit for that one. That was a good one.

Eug · Oct 31, 2007, 09:08 AM

BTW, The Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD player is now $179.99 at Best Buy USA.
It's sold out online, but some stores still have some stock.

analogue SPRINKLES · Oct 31, 2007, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by goMac

A $500 Bluray 1.1 player vs. a far cheaper HD-DVD player with the same capabilities... hmmm...

Just so I understand with Bluray spec 1.1 it means movies can have PiP using 2 different video streams.

Currently BR disks have done PiP for ages but it was done with the PiP placed in 2 versions of the same film but since BR had double the capasity of HD it made no difference in the end.

So now with 1.1 I can have the same PiP my BR movies have had for over a year the only difference being if I look it up on the internet I can find out it was done with Java instead.

Goodie, that greatly enhances my movie watching experience knowing that.

Eug · Oct 31, 2007, 11:42 AM

Not very impressive overall.

analogue SPRINKLES · Oct 31, 2007, 01:37 PM

Wow, BR still leading even with transformers. But don't people know they can get a stand alone player for $200 plus a million free HD-DVD's!???

Eug · Oct 31, 2007, 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES

Wow, BR still leading even with transformers. But don't people know they can get a stand alone player for $200 plus a million free HD-DVD's!???

Heh. I knew you would say that.

But just for those who aren't aware... Transformers (112300) was out for 6 days in the table. Casino Royale (127300) has been out for how long?

exca1ibur · Oct 31, 2007, 04:39 PM

and 300 is doing better than both combined.

olePigeon · Oct 31, 2007, 05:29 PM

I was at Blockbuster the other day, and there was a couple going through a stack of Blu-ray DVDs with an assistant. They were checking the production company & date of the movies they wanted to rent. The last time they rented there, only 1 of the Blu-ray DVDs worked properly on their player. I found that hard to believe, but they told m they had called Samsung and were told that their DVD player didn't work with some of the newer titles, and were given a list of "friendly" DVDs they could watch.

I think I'll avoid Blu-ray.

icruise · Oct 31, 2007, 05:33 PM

I'd be surprised if their DVD player worked with *any* Blu-ray movies...

mdc · Oct 31, 2007, 09:19 PM

Cars and Ratatouille are listed on Amazon for release on the 6th of November for Blu-ray.
This is probably the first release that I've been upset that I can't buy.

I hope for everyone's sake they sort this stupid war out soon. We can dream, can't we?

icruise · Oct 31, 2007, 09:40 PM

Sign me up for those two! I'd really like to see Ratatouille again. I just saw it once in the theater, and my wife hasn't seen it at all.

Eug · Oct 31, 2007, 09:46 PM

Wal-Mart has some TV ads now touting Black Friday coming early (ie. this week), and highlights the Toshiba HD-A2.

Considering Wal-Mart just got a bazillion of these HD DVD players into tons of its stores this past week, this seems pretty big.

Eug · Nov 1, 2007, 12:15 AM

On Friday, November 2 at 8:00 am, the Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD player is $98.87 at Wal-Mart.

icruise · Nov 1, 2007, 12:43 AM

If HD-DVD doesn't finally get some critical mass after this, I'd say its price-based strategy is doomed. You can't get much cheaper, after all.

Eug · Nov 1, 2007, 12:50 AM

Originally Posted by icruise

If HD-DVD doesn't finally get some critical mass after this, I'd say its price-based strategy is doomed. You can't get much cheaper, after all.

I think this is exactly what Warner was talking about.

"We're talking to both sides and it's crazy right now. We remain committed to both for the time being. We'll see how the fourth quarter plays out. The consumer is still kind of divided, and we still believe that we should offer the content in both formats. Now, we will watch the marketplace very closely, and see how it plays out, but for now we are supporting both."

"It's really hard to handicap. Right now it's like a Mexican standoff. If the consumer continues to support both formats, the industry will as well. It will be really pivotal what Toshiba does this fourth quarter in hardware. If they sell through everything they ship, and it's a big number at the price points that are coming out, then I think [HD DVD] will be around for a long time. If they don't, then it could go Blu-ray's way. But Toshiba is getting very, very aggressive on pricing, which is putting pressure on Blu-ray player manufacturers to bring prices down. As a content company we just want more hardware in the homes. Right now it looks like there is price pressure on both sides because there are two formats — more pressure than there would be if there was only one format. So, for our interests, more razors means we'll sell more razor blades down the road."

It sounds like Warner said to HD DVD: "If you can get a bazillion HD DVD players out in people's hands by the end of 2007 (and you give us lots of promotional considerations), you've got our backing.

This basically pre-empts any PS3 strike, and likely kills any chance of competition from the Blu-ray standalones. This is huge, and a bigger turn of events than I would have expected. I thought $198 was huge. Well, this is a hundred bux per unit huger.

Eug · Nov 1, 2007, 01:09 AM

Wal-Mart HD DVD TV spot

exca1ibur · Nov 1, 2007, 02:29 AM

Can't get much more desperate than that. Will probably add another year to the war.

goMac · Nov 1, 2007, 02:48 AM

Originally Posted by exca1ibur

Can't get much more desperate than that. Will probably add another year to the war.

Sounds like a repeat of the Wii vs. everyone else to me.

icruise · Nov 1, 2007, 04:30 AM

Originally Posted by Eug

Wal-Mart HD DVD TV spot

Interesting that they don't mention the price.

Eug · Nov 1, 2007, 09:52 AM

Originally Posted by icruise

Interesting that they don't mention the price.

I suspect that after the sale is over, the price will be back up to $198.

ie. $198 is the new line-in-the-sand from Toshiba.

Who'da thought a price INCREASE after a sale would bring it to a price of $198 in 2007? I had long guessed $149-199 on Black Friday, with prices higher than that afterwards.

With these types of prices, the players will move good numbers, and Warner will have a very good incentive to go HD DVD exclusive in 2008. I wouldn't count on it, but I now think that is the more likely scenario come January.

As the Warner Home Video CEO said: "It will be really pivotal what Toshiba does this fourth quarter in hardware."

pman68 · Nov 1, 2007, 10:08 AM

I'm done waiting now. Going to Walmart and picking up that Toshiba PLUS 5 FREE movies!!

ort888 · Nov 1, 2007, 10:58 AM

For $100 I'm in. It's worth it just as an upconverting DVD player at that price.

I'll be there tomorrow to get one.

pman68 · Nov 1, 2007, 11:03 AM

Yeah, I was pricing Upconverters too and they're like $120 for a decent one. So this deal is killer.

Eug · Nov 1, 2007, 12:13 PM

This is hilarious. There are some Blu-ray crazies at an unnamed forum suggesting Blu-ray fans go line up at Wal-Mart to buy up the $99 HD DVD players tomorrow, and then return them several weeks later.

There are zealots on both sides, but this just takes the cake.

Dakarʒ · Nov 1, 2007, 12:16 PM

No one should care that much.

ort888 · Nov 1, 2007, 12:23 PM

So now I'm wondering if they are going to have these in a decent supply or if I'm going to have drag myself out of bed early. Anyone know?

Eug · Nov 1, 2007, 12:39 PM

Best Buy now has the deal too - $99 for the Toshiba HD-A2

Sold out online, but some Best Buy stores still have it.

goMac · Nov 1, 2007, 01:20 PM

There supposedly was a comment on Engadget that claimed that this price will stick for the entire holiday shopping season.

icruise · Nov 1, 2007, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by Eug

This is hilarious. There are some Blu-ray crazies at an unnamed forum suggesting Blu-ray fans go line up at Wal-Mart to buy up the $99 HD DVD players tomorrow, and then return them several weeks later.

There are zealots on both sides, but this just takes the cake.

That's even dumber than those coordinated buys people were doing. Don't people have better things to do with their time?

Eug · Nov 1, 2007, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by goMac

There supposedly was a comment on Engadget that claimed that this price will stick for the entire holiday shopping season.

I think that's BS.

Wal-Mart is still sticking to that $198 price as their regular price, at least according to those who work there. The $99 price is a specific sale.

scottiB · Nov 1, 2007, 04:13 PM

Pardon this dumb question, but I have a 27 inch 720p LCD. Will HD-DVD (or BR) give me much benefit, or should I just wait to get a 1080 set?

Thanks.

Stogieman · Nov 1, 2007, 04:41 PM

Wow, $99 bucks! I'm thinking of getting one... and I don't have an HD-TV yet.

mrtew · Nov 1, 2007, 05:43 PM

Wow, is the price really going to convince people to buy a player and start investing in a format or were you guys in the HD camp already? Aren't you worried that you are jumping onto the tail end of a dying format? I don't care that much about the price of the player as ending up in 10 years with a stack of practically useless discs like my stack of DVDs over there that now look too blurry to watch.

Eug · Nov 1, 2007, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by mrtew

Wow, is the price really going to convince people to buy a player and start investing in a format or were you guys in the HD camp already? Aren't you worried that you are jumping onto the tail end of a dying format? I don't care that much about the price of the player as ending up in 10 years with a stack of practically useless discs like my stack of DVDs over there that now look too blurry to watch.

Personally I think this pricing (mainly the $198 for the holidays) gives HD DVD the momentum. However, even if you don't agree with this, it's pretty hard to argue with $99 including 5 free HD DVDs. This pricing is better than many upconverting players, and the Toshiba upconverts too.

At $198, it's a very good deal, but you actually need to want one IMO. At $99, it's a complete no-brainer.

goMac · Nov 1, 2007, 07:51 PM

At $99 for a player + 5 free movies you can afford to be wrong.

mrtew · Nov 1, 2007, 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by goMac

At $99 for a player + 5 free movies you can afford to be wrong.

Well the 5 free movies are basically worth nothing right because you will only end up watching one if you're super bored and there's NOTHING on HDTV for a week because they totally suck, so is it really worth $99 to get started on buying movies in a format that you will probably not continue with. Or is the idea to rent HDDVD movies until BluRay comes down next year and then get one of those and you'll have two players and the format of any movie will be irrelevant to you from then on. I might buy that reasoning. Maybe I'll go get one. Has the X-box addon one come down yet or is there no comparison to the Toshiba?

Weezer · Nov 1, 2007, 08:10 PM

Scored 2 of them for $99, plus 4 free HD-DVDs of my choice (got Transformers, 300, Blue Planet, King Kong), plus 10 free from mail in rebates, from the Best Buy promotion. 14 HD-DVDs, 2 HD-DVD players, for $200+tax. Hotness

7 Free HD DVDs with Purchase of Any Toshiba HD DVD Player

Hope HD-DVD wins now

pman68 · Nov 1, 2007, 09:49 PM

DAMN! I just missed the last unit at my BestBuy after work today. And they too were offering two free movies in the store and 5 more through the mail.

Blu-ray will have a tough time beating this deal.

Off to Walmart tomorrow morning!!