Blu-Ray available now for PC

waste of money. Too damn expensive right now.

Sony announced their first computer with Blu-Ray...A vaio laptop to the tune of $3500....they have truly lost it.
 
The Sarlacc said:
Sony announced their first computer with Blu-Ray...A vaio laptop to the tune of $3500....they have truly lost it.
Click to expand...
Every brand-new technology is extremely expesive right out of the gate. I remember when CD burners cost $2,000. Give it a year and it'll be a lot more reasonable.
 
If HD-DVD wins over Blu-Ray, it'll be VHS over Beta all over again. I'm counting on that PS3 to get BR into homes. They've already got 200GB technology on the back-burner.
 
^
As someone who plays games, I'm not getting a PS3 because the Blue Ray means that Sony plans to charge $600 for it. Technically I have the money but I'm not going to spend that kind of cash on games. I don't know how many consumers are either.

The same may well extend to Blue Ray outside of the PS3. Blue Ray offers two thirds more space but at twice the price. I have a feeling the average consumer would rather spend $500 for a 15 gig drive than $1000 for a 25 gig one.
 
darwinandpaine said:
If HD-DVD wins over Blu-Ray, it'll be VHS over Beta all over again. I'm counting on that PS3 to get BR into homes. They've already got 200GB technology on the back-burner.
Click to expand...

No, you got it wrong.

Neither are going to win.

The thud surrounding HD-DVDs release is pretty much confirming that. Along with all of Sony's delays and outrageous pricing...and taking into account only about 20% of homes in the US even have HD TVs...
 
Not to hijack the thread, but...I'm amused that people think the $600 PS3 60GB, BR-DVD price is outrageous, when these same people are paying $400 for their iPods that don't do half as much. To me, the PS3 is like getting a slightly better XBox360 PLUS a BR-DVD player with HDMI out. Considering that players are going for $1,000 (as you say), $600 seems like a pretty good deal. No?
 
darwinandpaine said:
Not to hijack the thread, but...I'm amused that people think the $600 PS3 60GB, BR-DVD price is outrageous, when these same people are paying $400 for their iPods that don't do half as much. To me, the PS3 is like getting a slightly better XBox360 PLUS a BR-DVD player with HDMI out. Considering that players are going for $1,000 (as you say), $600 seems like a pretty good deal. No?
Click to expand...

My premium Xbox360 was only $400...which is still a lot...and the 360 does quite a bit if you have never really messed around with one. The features are pretty amazing for a gaming machine.

Having to pay an extra $100 just for an HDMI cable is RIDICULOUS!!! Since a base PS3 will cost $500.
 
the whole blue ray vs. HD-DVD reminds me of SACD vs. DVD-A , which were
supposed to the next generation of CD, with much better sound.

I am a hard core audiophile (tube amps - Vinyl - hell my speaker cables and
RCA' sand XLR's are made of liquid ceramic, not metal)

If they couldn't sell me (a prime candidate) either format, then clearly there was a problem.

Had there been 1 next generation hi res audio format, I definitely would have bought it years ago.

Also similar to when mini disc and DCC (digital compact cassette) were competing to be the digital home recording fromat. Neither won!

When will the equipment maufacturers learn? On the pro side we are used to proprietary and incompatible(since pro gear formats tent to stick around longer than comsumer ones)

But on the comsumer side- we must be presented with a clear path forward, or no one takes the step.
 
This is all true, but HD is an inevitability. At some point in the near future, SD broadcasting will end (2009?) and people will be forced to buy HD equipment. When they do, they'll want their movies in HD. It may not be either format, but something will deliver HD video to people's homes on some kind of disc(?) not too far off.
 
The Sarlacc said:
Having to pay an extra $100 just for an HDMI cable is RIDICULOUS!!! Since a base PS3 will cost $500.
Click to expand...


Actually the extra $100 gives you 40gb more drive space, wifi network capability, sd card/memory stick slots and the latest HDMI spec.

I'm supporting Blu-Ray because if a format's gonna win, might as well be the one that's technically superior. Plus, they have a ton of studios, CE and computer manufacturers behind them.

Believe me, in a year or two, Blu-Ray's prices will fall to managable levels. Nothing's cheap out the gate.
 
Blu Ray discs have data on the very bottom of the disc, where HD-DVD discs (and CDs and DVDs) have data closer to the middle, behind a protective layer. (Er, right?) So wouldn't Blu Ray be even more vulnerable than current optical discs? Then the rental market would be out of the question.
 
Kaz said:
Actually the extra $100 gives you 40gb more drive space, wifi network capability, sd card/memory stick slots and the latest HDMI spec.

I'm supporting Blu-Ray because if a format's gonna win, might as well be the one that's technically superior. Plus, they have a ton of studios, CE and computer manufacturers behind them.

Believe me, in a year or two, Blu-Ray's prices will fall to managable levels. Nothing's cheap out the gate.
Click to expand...

That is good know...but still not worth 600 bucks. A $250 PSP has wifi and memory stick capabilites...

Betamax was technically superior...shat the bed. And I had a betmax player for a good 14 years til it finally croaked, back when companies made products to last.

And Sony sorta did right this time by not making it a total proprietary format...but it does NOT have all the studios support...it is missing Universal's large library.

And just as deadhead put it...consumers havent been shown a clear path which equals uninformed uneducated consumers who will be very confused and decide they dont want either.

In a year or two the next big thing will be around and HD-DVD and Blu-Ray will be a fart in the wind.
 
IF HD-DVD would bring out a burner for $500, that would get many of US content creators buying them for archive purposes, and we would be promoting them when the customer asks us how they can view the HD footage on their HD sets.

IF we had the HD-DVD burner, we would have to push that format, as that would be the system we would be on.

I like HD-DVD due to the data being away from the surface, and it's backward compatibility with DVD.

It is not ready for prime time untill it gets below $500.

Just like printers....give away the printer, charge for the ink.


Better yet, give away the HD-DVD burner and the media, eliminate your competition. (Walmart mentality)
 
Last edited:
The Sarlacc said:
And Sony sorta did right this time by not making it a total proprietary format...but it does NOT have all the studios support...it is missing Universal's large library.

And just as deadhead put it...consumers havent been shown a clear path which equals uninformed uneducated consumers who will be very confused and decide they dont want either.

In a year or two the next big thing will be around and HD-DVD and Blu-Ray will be a fart in the wind.
Click to expand...

Well, I didn't say it had all studios behind it. I said a ton. Though I expect Universal to fall in line once things get going.

And there won't be a next big thing for quite a while. New technology takes time to establish itself. Remember, Blu-Ray has already been around for two years or so in Japan.

Now I'm speaking purely on Pre-recorded content, not archiving. HVD will probably do well in this area if they can actually bring it out.
 
Kaz said:
Well, I didn't say it had all studios behind it. I said a ton. Though I expect Universal to fall in line once things get going.

And there won't be a next big thing for quite a while. New technology takes time to establish itself. Remember, Blu-Ray has already been around for two years or so in Japan.

Now I'm speaking purely on Pre-recorded content, not archiving. HVD will probably do well in this area if they can actually bring it out.
Click to expand...

A bit of history...HD-DVD and Blu-Ray are announced....on paper Blu-Ray is superior but HD-DVD is cheaper to manufacture.

Four Major Studios choose HD-DVD with Fox and some others going Blu-ray and the rest undecided.

HD-DVD is in the lead.

Sony announces the PS3 is definitely Blu-Ray...studios all step back and say "WOAH..we can't miss out on that. A sub $500 gaming machine that can get movies into homes cheaper then players. We're in!!!" and decide to ALSO offer Blu-Ray...all save Universal who says, "No, we stand by HD-DVD."

Not to mention I believe Blu-Ray was supposed to be released first or very shortly after HD-DVD...

So, Blu-Ray poised for the win...

Then, Sony delays release of players, Samsung delays release of players, PS3 is delayed until who knows when....HD-DVD is released......Sony announces the PS3 is $500 and $600 to buy......and the 1st blu-ray laptop, which will cost a whopping $3500.

Sony drops the biggest ball in the world...again.

HD-DVD doesn't take off...the players have problems and are heavily criticized.

Both lose.

Top this with the fact that most of the general public doesn't know or care about either format. So, seeing the same movie on two formats will confuse and anger them. Especially, if they buy the wrong movie for whatever player they have be it DVD, HD-DVD, or Blu-Ray. Only 20% of homes have HD sets right now...so you are expecting people to drop a ton of money to upgrade TVs, buys players, games systems and rebuild their movie collections...

Both Fail.

Vivid Studios...one of the largest porn companies announces it will make DVD quality movie available for purchase and download online....first step in the new direction (George Lucas called it.)

Both fail.

The next big thing is ALWAYS around the corner. Especially at this day in age. Holographic technology is most likely it...and it too has been around for a couple years.

Mini-Disc was highly successful in Japan, too. So what?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top