Format War Marches On! LG to Continue w/ HD-DVD

[Woochifer]

I guess in the sinking ship that is HD-DVD, someone had to have lifeboat! In the fast and furious flurry of announcements that have pounded one nail after another into HD-DVD's coffin, now we get LG announcing that they will march on with their HD-DVD support.

Big difference though with LG is that their HD-DVD support is limited to high priced dual-format players and drives. With Toshiba aiming to push all their remaining HD-DVD players out of retail channels by the end of March, LG will actually have the entire field to itself (unless Korean rival Samsung also announces that they will continue to make dual-format players) in less than two months.

http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.phtml/12929/13953/lg-back-hddvd-disc-players.phtml

Even though on the surface, this announcement is puzzling, I can see a potentially shrewd business rationale at work. Right now, LG's dual-format players cost more than the combined cost for separate standalone Blu-ray and HD-DVD players. Once Toshiba exits the market, LG won't have any more loss leader competition selling HD-DVD players at a loss. Anyone who wants a HD-DVD player from that point forward will have to pay the real cost, and accept the added expense for the Blu-ray capability. LG probably won't sell too many dual format units, but unlike Toshiba they will actually make money off each unit that they sell.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

I guess in the sinking ship that is HD-DVD, someone had to have lifeboat! In the fast and furious flurry of announcements that have pounded one nail after another into HD-DVD's coffin, now we get LG announcing that they will march on with their HD-DVD support.

Big difference though with LG is that their HD-DVD support is limited to high priced dual-format players and drives. With Toshiba aiming to push all their remaining HD-DVD players out of retail channels by the end of March, LG will actually have the entire field to itself (unless Korean rival Samsung also announces that they will continue to make dual-format players) in less than two months.

http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.phtml/12929/13953/lg-back-hddvd-disc-players.phtml

Even though on the surface, this announcement is puzzling, I can see a potentially shrewd business rationale at work. Right now, LG's dual-format players cost more than the combined cost for separate standalone Blu-ray and HD-DVD players. Once Toshiba exits the market, LG won't have any more loss leader competition selling HD-DVD players at a loss. Anyone who wants a HD-DVD player from that point forward will have to pay the real cost, and accept the added expense for the Blu-ray capability. LG probably won't sell too many dual format units, but unlike Toshiba they will actually make money off each unit that they sell.

From what I understand from Kjack a bluray insider from sigma chip designs, the LG player has been pretty much a diaster. Alot of playback issues, some networking issues, and processing overload when HD DVD uses AVC decoding. Its a good thing there are not alot of HD DVD using AVC.

[bobsticks]

...there are always one or two who will religiously bet on the 200:1 horse.

[Woochifer]

From what I understand from Kjack a bluray insider from sigma chip designs, the LG player has been pretty much a diaster. Alot of playback issues, some networking issues, and processing overload when HD DVD uses AVC decoding. Its a good thing there are not alot of HD DVD using AVC.

LG has always been Blu first, but I think they primarily developed the dual format drive for the OEM computer drive market. Regardless of the problems on LG's dual format players, once Toshiba exits the market, where will HD-DVD owners turn if they need something to play their HD-DVD collection when their current player breaks down?

Substandard playback quality? Incompatibities? High cost? ... Where do I sign?

[GMichael]

I only have 6 HD-DVD's. And one of them is a duplicate of a BR disk in the house. How many times do I have to play these 5 movies before it breaks down? I may not care to ever see them again by that time. After that, it's just a good DVD upscaler.

[bobsticks]

I only have 6 HD-DVD's. And one of them is a duplicate of a BR disk in the house. How many times do I have to play these 5 movies before it breaks down? I may not care to ever see them again by that time. After that, it's just a good DVD upscaler.

Exactly. Most will not have a hard time recognizing the lack of cost effectiveness and start playing pick-and-choose with the obsolete collection.

[GMichael]

Exactly. Most will not have a hard time recognizing the lack of cost effectiveness and start playing pick-and-choose with the obsolete collection.

Some people may have collected a lot more than 6 discs though. I'm just very cheap.:idea:

[L.J.]

Some people may have collected a lot more than 6 discs though. I'm just very cheap.:idea:

Did you get your 5 free?

[thekid]

Well if price is an indicator of where the smart money is going. I was at my local BB this weekend looking at their post-holiday open box buffet table. They had several Toshiba HD players discounted for $130. Was almost tempted to pick one up but I am focusing on audio at this point.

[pixelthis]

LG has always been Blu first, but I think they primarily developed the dual format drive for the OEM computer drive market. Regardless of the problems on LG's dual format players, once Toshiba exits the market, where will HD-DVD owners turn if they need something to play their HD-DVD collection when their current player breaks down?

Substandard playback quality? Incompatibities? High cost? ... Where do I sign?

The one good thing about this mess is that there cant be very many big collections
out there.
So what are HD disc owners gonna do when their player breaks down?
T-R-A-S-H-C-A-N.
Why buy a player for half a dozen discs? Dosent make sense.
And theres always EBAY for the delusional.
I finally got a decent set to watch letterbox laser on (65in) and a week later the flippin player broke. Really.
So I DON'T HAVE MUCH SYMPATHY for a myopic HD disc owner with five discs or so,
I HAVE ABOUT A HUNDRED LASERDISCS and every one is probably a better movie than the stuff HD was putting out.
really, why keep HD discs? Get the Blu copy.
EVERYTHING is gonna be BLU sooner or later.
As for the LG dual player , its about as big a disaster as I thought it would be.
Recall that I tried to talk a forum member out of buying one:1:

[diggity]

judging by lg's past record in dvd player/recorder reliability, i hope lg has a decent backup supply of these things. either that or employ half of india to man their customer care hotline. like pix said, i wouldnt buy another player just for 5-10 movies. by that time blu ray movies will have come down in price so i would just buy them in this format

cheers: dazza

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

LG has always been Blu first, but I think they primarily developed the dual format drive for the OEM computer drive market. Regardless of the problems on LG's dual format players, once Toshiba exits the market, where will HD-DVD owners turn if they need something to play their HD-DVD collection when their current player breaks down?

Substandard playback quality? Incompatibities? High cost? ... Where do I sign?

Well, there are over a thousand HD DVD players being offered on Ebay right now. Mostly A2 and A3 of which I wouldn't touch after my debacle with the higher end A-35.

LG has always been blu, but they really ticked off Panasonic and other manufacturing members of the BDA with there dual format player. They still may be feeling the sting. I personally feel this is a dumb idea. The complexity of dual format players is such that reliability is always going to be a problem. If the blu or red side begins to have problems, you have to do without both. Sales for the previous offerings have been pretty much dismal. It's still cheaper to go the seperates route regardless.

[GMichael]

Did you get your 5 free?
Yup. Only bought one more. I may buy a few more once they get below $10.00.

[pixelthis]

Yup. Only bought one more. I may buy a few more once they get below $10.00.

Go to it!
And when your player breaks or you cant find another you can throw out your stack of HD discs, which will be akin to throwing out a stack of 10 dollar bills.
And you say you're "cheap", so tell me, do you also wipe your hiney with 100$ bills?:1:

[GMichael]

Go to it!
And when your player breaks or you cant find another you can throw out your stack of HD discs, which will be akin to throwing out a stack of 10 dollar bills.
And you say you're "cheap", so tell me, do you also wipe your hiney with 100$ bills?:1:

How long do you get to keep those VOD movies? 48 maybe 72 hours. I bet my HD-DVD player out-lasts that. By time it brakes down I should have played all my movies over and over.
Speaking of hiney, did your hours change?

[pixelthis]

How long do you get to keep those VOD movies? 48 maybe 72 hours. I bet my HD-DVD player out-lasts that. By time it brakes down I should have played all my movies over and over.
Speaking of hiney, did your hours change?


Just like to treat the peons to a live performance every once in awhile
Those VOD movies are between free and 4 bucks BTW,
HARDLY what you will pay for even an edsel like a HD disc of anything.
But hey its your money, scatter it to the wind:17:

[Woochifer]

Well, there are over a thousand HD DVD players being offered on Ebay right now. Mostly A2 and A3 of which I wouldn't touch after my debacle with the higher end A-35.

The LA Times article noted over 1,100 HD-DVD auctions on eBay, with one of the A2s going with a winning bid of $61.

I dropped by Best Buy yesterday, and noticed a very large chunk of the shelf space for returned/open box items taken up by HD-DVD players that were tagged anywhere from $100 to $130. I have a feeling that BB will have to drop the prices even further to get anyone to bite on those units, given the HD-DVD fire sale that's about to commence.


LG has always been blu, but they really ticked off Panasonic and other manufacturing members of the BDA with there dual format player. They still may be feeling the sting. I personally feel this is a dumb idea. The complexity of dual format players is such that reliability is always going to be a problem. If the blu or red side begins to have problems, you have to do without both. Sales for the previous offerings have been pretty much dismal. It's still cheaper to go the seperates route regardless.

I think that LG responded to a need in the market. Toshiba never made HD-DVD drives available to OEM computer integrators or retail vendors, which is astonishing to me. This left LG with a huge market opening, because their dual-format drive was the only HD-DVD computer drive available to consumers without buying a Toshiba computer.

For anyone with a large HD-DVD collection who doesn't want to chance it with a second-hand Toshiba unit on eBay, LG's dual format player might be the only HD-DVD option left on the market when Toshiba withdraws its remaining units from retail channels. It would be no different than someone having to buy a combo VCR/DVD player if their VCR breaks down, since the options for standalone VCRs have all but disappeared.

[Rich-n-Texas]

LG has always been Blu first, but I think they primarily developed the dual format drive for the OEM computer drive market. Regardless of the problems on LG's dual format players, once Toshiba exits the market, where will HD-DVD owners turn if they need something to play their HD-DVD collection when their current player breaks down?

Substandard playback quality? Incompatibities? High cost? ... Where do I sign?
I hope LG sinks along with HD DVD. Wonder if their washing machines suck as bad as their BD/HD players do?

[GMichael]

Just like to treat the peons to a live performance every once in awhile
Those VOD movies are between free and 4 bucks BTW,
HARDLY what you will pay for even an edsel like a HD disc of anything.
But hey its your money, scatter it to the wind:17:

That would be why I'm waiting for the sale.
Let's see, under $10 for a disk I can play hundreds of times for several years or $5 for something I can watch for a few days and then it evaporates. Hmm.. Seems to me that you are the one throwing his money into the wind. But hey, it's your money. Maybe you'd like a match to just burn it in your pipe. :idea:

BTW I do have VOD. Anything in the free to $4 range isn't worth my time to watch. And I have seen some over $8. I would never waste my hard earned cash of something that will vanish in a few days. And the selection? Please. Let me know when I can get any movie I want for under $3 and then I'll think about it.

[GMichael]

I hope LG sinks along with HD DVD. Wonder if their washing machines suck as bad as their BD/HD players do?

We love our LG washing machine (& drier). It's cool to see it spin a load forwards and back to check the weight & balance till it gets it right. Then it will hit 1200 rpm's to dry out the load before we throw it in the drier. Saves electric on the drying cycle. Top notch products there. Can't vouch for anything else they make.

[Rich-n-Texas]

That would be why I'm waiting for the sale.
Let's see, under $10 for a disk I can play hundreds of times for several years or $5 for something I can watch for a few days and then it evaporates. Hmm.. Seems to me that you are the one throwing his money into the wind. But hey, it's your money. Maybe you'd like a match to just burn it in your pipe. :idea:
I haven't seen any VOD movies that are available for more than 24 hours. I paid for one... not in HD, not more than one hour long, and the models weren't even anything to write home about. :rolleyes:


BTW I do have VOD. Anything in the free to $4 range isn't worth my time to watch. And I have seen some over $8. I would never waste my hard earned cash of something that will vanish in a few days. And the selection? Please. Let me know when I can get any movie I want for under $3 and then I'll think about it.
I agree. Limited selection of crappy titles. :sleep:

[Rich-n-Texas]

We love our LG washing machine (& drier). It's cool to see it spin a load forwards and back to check the weight & balance till it gets it right. Then it will hit 1200 rpm's to dry out the load before we throw it in the drier. Saves electric on the drying cycle. Top notch products there. Can't vouch for anything else they make.
Automatic load leveler huh? Lottsa parts moving this way and that. Are the gears made of plastic or vinyl? :smilewinkgrin:

[GMichael]

Automatic load leveler huh? Lottsa parts moving this way and that. Are the gears made of plastic or vinyl? :smilewinkgrin:


Never took it apart. If it's not broke, I don't fix it.
It did come with a long term warrenty. Some of the major parts have a lifetime warrenty while others are 10 - 20 years. So far, no issues. And it's quiet as he!!. No problem running it while I play pool and listen to music.

[GMichael]

I haven't seen any VOD movies that are available for more than 24 hours. I paid for one... not in HD, not more than one hour long, and the models weren't even anything to write home about. :rolleyes:


I agree. Limited selection of crappy titles. :sleep:

And you complain about the pics I post?

[pixelthis]

When are people going to learn that LG is nothing more than rebadged
GOLDSTAR?
A company with such a rep for putting out cheap disposable crap that they had to change their name to move "upscale"
Take the "LG off of your shiny new flat screen, rerplace it with the logo from that goldstar VCR that had the lifespan of a fruitfly.

See what I AM SAYING?

as for hd "BARGAINS" you bottom feeders are real amatures.
You gotta wait for the carcass to get "aged" a bit for the meat to get tasty.
In a month you will be able to get HD players for 30 bucks, maybe less:1:

[pixelthis]

You gotta strike before they run out completely but have a few left.
Even better, wait until they throw the last few in the dumpster,
AND GO "DUMPSTER DIVING"

[Rich-n-Texas]

When are people going to learn that LG is nothing more than rebadged
GOLDSTAR?
Already been covered blockhead! Old news. Wake the F up.:1:

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Already been covered blockhead! Old news. Wake the F up.:1:

No, let him sleep. He needs to rest the last brain cell he has. What you should be asking him to do is to take his mouth(or hands if you will) out of cruise control.

[diggity]

i just got GIVEN a toshiba hddvd player brand new in a box...woohoo:thumbsup: top of the line too with the 11 free movies as well. if they start clearing movies out dirt cheap i will consider buying them, if not its a good quality dvd player. if it lasts 5 years ill be happy. or does someone wanna buy it? hurry stocks limited $100. im selling below cost here people it is a good deal!!! hey pix it has your name on it!! lol

cheers: dazza

[Woochifer]

I hope LG sinks along with HD DVD. Wonder if their washing machines suck as bad as their BD/HD players do?

No chance of that happening. Last year, their revenues were nearly triple those of Apple. LG's a huge player in the OEM computer component market, and no matter how much you think LG sucks, it's very likely that you're already using LG products, whether you know/want it or not. LG's been making major appliances for decades, so they're no newbie in that market. They only recently started exporting them to the North American market. National (Panasonic's Asian subsidiary) is a similarly huge appliance brand overseas, but has yet to come into the North American market.

[Woochifer]

When are people going to learn that LG is nothing more than rebadged
GOLDSTAR?

And when are you going to learn that times have changed? The Goldstar brand hasn't been used since the mid-90s. I guess the next thing you're going to tell us is that Samsung and Hyundai are also cheap crap because they too are Korean companies?


Take the "LG off of your shiny new flat screen, rerplace it with the logo from that goldstar VCR that had the lifespan of a fruitfly.

Wow, I guess someone should inform Apple or Dell that their LCD monitors are made by a company that used to make VCRs! :sleep:


as for hd "BARGAINS" you bottom feeders are real amatures.

This coming from someone who bought from Vizio, a company that outsources all of its TV manufacturing to the lowest bidder.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

And when are you going to learn that times have changed? The Goldstar brand hasn't been used since the mid-90s. I guess the next thing you're going to tell us is that Samsung and Hyundai are also cheap crap because they too are Korean companies?

Just watch him do it. I think he will do it because he likes the attention he gets when we slap him around.



This coming from someone who bought from Vizio, a company that outsources all of its TV manufacturing to the lowest bidder.

Remember, he believes that cheap makes for great performance and value. This is why he was so quick to piss on high end CRT front and rear projection. Its not about ultimate quality, its about cheap price to him.

[pixelthis]

And when are you going to learn that times have changed? The Goldstar brand hasn't been used since the mid-90s. I guess the next thing you're going to tell us is that Samsung and Hyundai are also cheap crap because they too are Korean companies?



Wow, I guess someone should inform Apple or Dell that their LCD monitors are made by a company that used to make VCRs! :sleep:



This coming from someone who bought from Vizio, a company that outsources all of its TV manufacturing to the lowest bidder.


I said nothing about "Korean" companies (I have had two Samsung tv's and one of their DVD players) but the rep of goldstar is well known.
A crackho is a crackho even if shes driving a MERCEDES


And EVERYBODY used to make VCR'S, whats your point?

And again you make MY point, I BOUGHT VISIO, I am the king of the bottomfeeders.
I know how to get the bargains:1:

[pixelthis]

Already been covered blockhead! Old news. Wake the F up.:1:

I am more aware asleep than you are awake.
And it is old news , but some don't know it:1:

[pixelthis]

Sir Terrence the Terrible]Just watch him do it. I think he will do it because he likes the attention he gets when we slap him around.

Who are you gonna "slap around" , you're arms arent nearly long enough



Remember, he believes that cheap makes for great performance and value. This is why he was so quick to piss on high end CRT front and rear projection. Its not about ultimate quality, its about cheap price to him.

I pissed on "high end projection crt" for the same reason everybody else did, ITS OBSOLETE.
You are behind the times, as usual, appropriate for an ass
And cheap isnt always "best", take your wife for instance:1:

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Sir Terrence the Terrible]Just watch him do it. I think he will do it because he likes the attention he gets when we slap him around.

Who are you gonna "slap around" , you're arms arent nearly long enough



Remember, he believes that cheap makes for great performance and value. This is why he was so quick to piss on high end CRT front and rear projection. Its not about ultimate quality, its about cheap price to him.

I pissed on "high end projection crt" for the same reason everybody else did, ITS OBSOLETE.
You are behind the times, as usual, appropriate for an ass
And cheap isnt always "best", take your wife for instance:1:

If my arms aren't nearly as long, you must have a whale of a belly.

CRT's are not obsolete at all, they are just out of the price range of a hick on welfare. Obsolete would mean they are no longer useful. I wouldn't say that at all. Just like with vinyl, there is a consumer that wants the best of the best, no matter how much it cost to maintain. High end CRT is the best of the best, but of course a person with a cheap 37" panel that just barely passes a 720p signal wouldn't be aware of this. They are too busy dumpster diving. I guess garbage begates garbage, you dive too long, and you end up being just what you are diving for. Trash...

There is no way in hell that a one eyed, one tooth, slew footed, one toe over the other, fat, bald headed, back woods neanderthal Appalachian hick could ever insult my wife. You do not have enough class for her to sneeze on you. In this case, class is not something related to education, caused you would miss the mark in that area as well. Go back to the cave in the mountains that you came from, or did the other neanderthals kick you out because you were not smart enough to contribute to their community?

[Woochifer]

I said nothing about "Korean" companies (I have had two Samsung tv's and one of their DVD players) but the rep of goldstar is well known.
A crackho is a crackho even if shes driving a MERCEDES

Like I said, get with the times. Your mindset is stuck in the 80s. :sleep:

You have absolutely no experience with LG products, so why bother? 20 years ago, Samsung and Hyundai were also known as bottomfeeder brands, pretty much in the same light as Goldstar. Goldstar chose to unify their global name as LG (in Asia, they were known as Lucky, and elsewhere they were known as Goldstar -- they chose to combine the name in much the same way that Panasonic is now phasing out all of their other brand names overseas and unifying them under the Panasonic brand), while Samsung and Hyundai kept their names.

LG would not be a $60+ billion company, and would not be the #1 global supplier of LCD panels if they were strictly marketing off-brand junk.



And EVERYBODY used to make VCR'S, whats your point?

Nope, it was only a few companies that made the units, and a bunch of them that slapped their brand on them. No different than today, where most of the LCD panels come from LG, Samsung, Philips, Sharp, and a select few other vendors.


And again you make MY point, I BOUGHT VISIO, I am the king of the bottomfeeders.
I know how to get the bargains:1:

In other words, you're in no position to be bagging on LG, given that you don't even know where that Vizio came from!

[pixelthis]

Like I said, get with the times. Your mindset is stuck in the 80s. :sleep:

You have absolutely no experience with LG products, so why bother? 20 years ago, Samsung and Hyundai were also known as bottomfeeder brands, pretty much in the same light as Goldstar. Goldstar chose to unify their global name as LG (in Asia, they were known as Lucky, and elsewhere they were known as Goldstar -- they chose to combine the name in much the same way that Panasonic is now phasing out all of their other brand names overseas and unifying them under the Panasonic brand), while Samsung and Hyundai kept their names.

LG would not be a $60+ billion company, and would not be the #1 global supplier of LCD panels if they were strictly marketing off-brand junk.




Nope, it was only a few companies that made the units, and a bunch of them that slapped their brand on them. No different than today, where most of the LCD panels come from LG, Samsung, Philips, Sharp, and a select few other vendors.



In other words, you're in no position to be bagging on LG, given that you don't even know where that Vizio came from!


My mindset is NOT stuck in the "eighties".
But LG purposely tries to hide its illustrious past by changing its name, that doesnt exactly inspire me with confidence.
And the quality reports bear out what I am saying.
I was there during the eighties, when you were probably a wet spot on the side of your mamas bed, I know.
And Goldstar was the junkiest of the junkpile.
Godawfull crap that filled the trailerparks and housing projects of the country.
So some marketing gurus got together and said "you make crap", so we gotta change your name if you're gonna "move upscale", because NOBODY is gonna buy a high end TV from gold -freakin -star.
Not just the eighties but ninties, junk with the lifespan of a fruitfly.
If they are a commodity producer of LCD screens fine, they should stick to that,
they shouldnt attempt to create a complicated consumer product because they have demonstrated that they CAN'T.
Mayby my set has a screen made by these guys, I doubt it, but if it is its nice.
But thats a big difference from a consumer product.
And I do know where my set "came from", taiwan, no telling where the parts came from,
the deinterlacer came from dvdo, and its quite good, overall its a quality set, probably more quality than an "lg" (lousey goldstar) ever will have:1: