Next-gen DVD wars over before they started?
While Microsoft took the simple approach and didn’t side in the HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray wars for the time being, Sony decided to take immense costs, overly expensive consoles and ridiculous delays for granted in their push to make Blu-ray the big winner in the format war. But even before the PlayStation 3 is released, with manufacturers still struggling to build supply for the Blu-ray drive, the first cross-format reader is shown to the masses.
Sony is not going to be happy with Ricoh on this one for sure. As we speak they are demonstrating their invention, which can read and write to Blu-ray Disc, HD-DVD, DVD and classic CD with one pickup and one objective lens, on the International Optoelectronics Exhibition ‘06 outside Tokyo.
Despite the possible implications of the device Ricoh will initially only be supplying it in read-only devices, as using it for writing would require a blue laser with higher power than currently being used. The first full products based on the technology are expected to be announced at the end of this year.
For more detailed technical information check the EETimes article.
Microsoft went the easy way with a modular add on.
Haha, thats excellent! Now everyone will buy that player to get the best of both worlds, but then think “Well HD-DVDs are cheaper, I’ll get them now”. I guess it was only a matter of time!
And where you talk about the blue laser, I pruseme you mean “higher power than necessary”? Since you put “high”.
Typo fixed, thnx
It’s all about the pricing though.
Not really: pricing is all about demand. Imagine that Microsoft tells Ricoh tomorrow that they want 5 million combo mechanisms to include in their new peripherals, then price will be very negotiable
Oh thats brilliant!!!
Ha ha, another blow to the arrogance of Sony.
I don’t know. I think if people were worried they might buy the machine that will “fail”, but definately want to get “next-gen”, they might opt for this regardless of price to a) get the best of both worlds and b)as a safer, “future-prrof” option. Because imagine if you opted for a Blu-ray player, only for the media to fail- you would feel really stupid, and think “damn, shoulda gone for that Ricoh player”.
Damn, should have clicked “reply”, then I would have been next Curry, saying the same thing!
Does anyone know an estimate they read anywhere that says what the price of the hd-dvd add-on will/might be? $179? $150?
you wanna know wats funny some guy said oh they’ll never be able to copy bluray disc for ps3 well looks like itll happend
So I can watch Kate Beckinsale and Milla Jovovich in 1080p without buying a PS3? Sweet! Now I just need a HD set.
I don’t get it… Is the hddvd player going to be able to play blue ray disks or something?
The HDDVD player from Microsoft will only read HDDVD drives. With this new technology however, it’s not unlikely that MS will release a cross-format reader in the future.
If cross-format readers catch on, the movie companies will have no say left whatsoever on the whole format war, thus reducing it to a battle of implementers. Considering the far cheaper media for HD-DVD, it’s not unlikely this will give that format quite an edge.
Imagine this:
HD-DVD has all studion, Beta-Ray has not.
This means that all movies will be released om HD-DVD.
Would you pay lincensing fees to $ony for being able to play their inferior format which has less movies?
Of cource you don’t, $ony sucks and all, so let them f*ck themselves with their inferior format, right?
Now… reality has it that only 25000 HD DVD player has been sold these past months, and that HD DVD is the lesser one, by technology and movie support.
Would you like to pay extra for HD DVD support?
Don’t get me wrong, I F*cking hate $ony, but I can buy a panasonic, jvc, samsung, philps, and almost every other brand for blu ray.
I’d say screw HD DVD in this case. Unless they make a new xbox which has built-in support.
That is just my opinion.
Elmofox: for one, Blue-Ray and HD-DVD both have backing from movie studios, Sony actually has more support. But when there’s really only three or so studios, it’s not difficult to have them sway one way or the other if your format is successful.
In all reality this product is actually BAD for the format war. Reason being, it creates a base of users who will opt for either format, not one or the other, which will, essentially, lengthen the war, simply because there isn’t going to be one clear winner anymore, if there ever was going to be. The only foreseeable way for HD-DVD to take off now would be if consumers looked at their choices and decided on HD-DVD more than on Blu-Ray for price reasons, or the fact that 18 gb of special features doesn’t exactly improve a shitty movie. In all I’m backing HD-DVD, because they don’t have crazy as shit DRM, they don’t cost nearly as much as Blu-Ray, and Sony’s arrogance and poor customer service always turned me away.
Plain and simple…the cheaper format will win. Long live HD!
All i am saying is Sony previously backed Betamax all those years ago, which was the more expensive and better format between the two.
Hmmmm, history has a way of repeating itself.