Video Asylum

Multi-format players will come down in price as well, and trust me, this war isn't ending anytime soon.

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This Post Has Been Edited by the Author

In Reply to: RE: You won't need an "expensive" Multiformat player if a single format prevails in this war. posted by oscar on August 22, 2007 at 07:07:32

[Image from Erich Von Stroheim's silent classic GREED]

>>> "And that's just one of the problems with having a raging format war. A lot of people just aren't ready yet to commit money to a "potential Betamax"." <<<

But Oscar, you're trying to compare apples and oranges, or rather Apple & an an Orangutan! The VHS/Beta war had no compromise solution; to my knowledge there were never any videotape machines manufactured or marketed to consumers capable of playing both formats. Returning to my analogy, that's the monkey wrench, my friend: this is an 800lb gorilla, and it ain't goin' away anytime soon, at least not without making a grab for all the bananas!

This isn't just about software capacity or consumer hunger for a high definition delivery system for movies. From my ringside seat it looks like another heavy-weight grudge match between Bill Gates and Steve Jobs! In one corner you have Microsoft, with it's formidable clout and industry dominance, backing HD-DVD, and in the other you have SONY, partnered with Disney which owns PIXAR with Steve Jobs it's largest shareholder.

Here's another analogy (Oh, nooooOOOOO! -grin); this time boxing (Don King would be envious):

The strategies include rope-a-dope (heavy promotion to lure sideline gamblers, or rather, early adopters), fading (dropping prices), one-two punches (up to 5 'free' movies with either boxer's p-o-p label), below the belt jabs (exclusivity deals), hitting side-lined consumers with sucker punches (ring side seats for those willing to invest in early round players offered at rock bottom prices) and finally, the most devious strategy of all, hanging back for later rounds (holding back key titles for later rounds)

Don't hold your breath waiting for someone to blink, oscar. I suspect that this format war (Boxer rebellion? -grin) is going to be with us much longer than any of the others. Might as well settle in and opt for a decent multi-format player with the right features when the prices come down. Keep in mind that Microsoft is still an undefeated heavyweight, and Apple, all the hype aside, is still the hungry contender trying to figure an angle to knock the champ out for the count with a well placed haymaker; depending upon who is officiating, the best one can hope for is that this bout will end in a draw. ;0)

Cheers,
AuPh

Steve Jobs (SONY/Disney/Pixar) - Old news, but it's easy to see where this is leading. (Open in New Window)

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