If Sony has a problemâ€¦

Posted by David Aiken (A) on April 13, 2008 at 15:00:25

In Reply to: RE: a high-definition optical player posted by bubbles on April 13, 2008 at 14:17:24:

it may well be shooting themselves in the foot with software support.

I think one of the major reasons for SACD never really catching on was simply that Sony didn't issue a significant proportion of their own new releases in SACD format as well as CD. Yes, re-issues of old material sells but many aren't going to pay for a second copy of something they already own. You really need a high proportion of new material to 'break the ice' in my view. I think this is an issue for the other studios as well.

I'd hate to see Sony repeat that blunder with BD. I just bought a PS3 a week ago as a movie machine and I'm very happy with its performance on both BD and DVD. So far the few discs I have are duplicates of DVDs I own. Unfortunately here in Australia the range of discs available is still not good and a lot of what is available in the US is not available here. The region system also doesn't help. What would have me buying more discs is a solid new release schedule which goes a long way towards duplicating the upcoming DVD release schedule, and that still seems a way off here in Australia.

But I think it's that factor which may make or break BD in the near future and that's the time frame in which it really has to start making its mark. I don't think many people will seriously consider it until the range of new releases is comparable to what's coming out on DVD and the market does need to build. Wait too long to do that and people won't be interested if and when you finally decide to deliver the software. People buy players to buy software and you need to have the software there. Sony makes both and if their software side doesn't support the hardware side by getting the releases out there, they're shooting themselves in the foot again, and badly.

David Aiken

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - "HD-DVD Lost, but Did Blu-ray Win?" A lengthy article with great good sense. - clarkjohnsen 10:58:42 04/13/08 (30)

DVD sales shrunk in 2008 for the first year since the format's launch - Jazz Inmate 09:23:35 04/14/08 (16)

RE: DVD sales shrunk in 2008 for the first year since the format's launch - bubbles 13:57:43 04/14/08 (2)

RE: DVD sales shrunk in 2008 for the first year since the format's launch - Hornlover 08:34:47 04/15/08 (0)

RE: DVD sales shrunk in 2008 for the first year since the format's launch - Jazz Inmate 17:12:20 04/14/08 (0)

Media cards - TK421 10:41:51 04/14/08 (4)

No, Apple TV could replace Blu-Ray ;-) - 4season 13:28:47 04/14/08 (0)

I was reading about 16 & 32 gig SDHD cards.... - JMCIII 12:36:12 04/14/08 (0)

Exactly my point; thank you. - grantv 12:20:57 04/14/08 (1)

Good luck getting the industry to agree on such a format and successfully bring it to market - Jazz Inmate 17:35:05 04/14/08 (0)

2012? - grantv 09:51:36 04/14/08 (7)

Exactly. Same thing happened with CDs, especially classical. - Dalton 21:38:04 04/16/08 (0)

RE: 2012? - Jazz Inmate 10:55:05 04/14/08 (4)

RE: 2012? - Jim in Blacksburg 16:01:45 04/14/08 (2)

a lot depends on infrastructure for massive downloads. - oscar 16:49:44 04/14/08 (1)

Works OK if you have 7 mb/s internet or better - 4season 06:09:56 04/15/08 (0)

Formats - grantv 12:15:28 04/14/08 (0)

There you go. nt - clarkjohnsen 10:18:45 04/14/08 (0)

RE: "HD-DVD Lost, but Did Blu-ray Win?" A lengthy article with great good sense. - Hornlover 08:29:24 04/14/08 (4)

You make a good point... - Crazyhorse 04:59:38 04/15/08 (1)

"is the average consumer going to notice a difference between SD and hi-def on his 42" screen?" Of course... - Jazz Inmate 11:22:44 04/15/08 (0)

Blu-ray is not $30-$40 per disc - Jazz Inmate 22:06:26 04/14/08 (1)

RE: Blu-ray is not $30-$40 per disc - Hornlover 08:26:49 04/15/08 (0)

Reasonable article (nt) - Jack G 05:33:54 04/14/08 (0)

You may have a point there - late 18:30:00 04/13/08 (1)

BDs have a scratch resistant coating - Jack G 05:21:57 04/14/08 (0)

a high-definition optical player - Joe Murphy Jr 13:01:07 04/13/08 (4)

RE: a high-definition optical player - bubbles 14:17:24 04/13/08 (3)

read sentence #2 from the original post - Joe Murphy Jr 15:53:43 04/13/08 (0)

If Sony has a problemâ€¦ - David Aiken 15:00:25 04/13/08 (1)

"People buy players to buy software." And there you have it. nt - clarkjohnsen 08:44:00 04/14/08 (0)

Follow Ups

If Sony has a problemâ€¦ - David Aiken 15:00:25 04/13/08 (1)

"People buy players to buy software." And there you have it. nt - clarkjohnsen 08:44:00 04/14/08 (0)

If Sony has a problemâ€¦

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