Blockbuster to favor Blu-ray HD discs over DVD format

[PeruvianSkies]

It was pretty much over for beta in the early eighties.
Sony and a few amateur videographers kept it alive, but at the last the few that were sold were superbeta and ED beta, and most sales were outside the US.
AS for audio vs video I notice that you tend to lump two different things together peruvian.
How about apples and oranges? fords and chevys?
Its a problem for audiophiles who also like video to decide how much to spend on video versus audio, but most dont think that way.
For most music is what you DL on the web, listen to on your I-pod, most arent serious listeners who just sit and listen to music like most audiphiles do.
Most would like a HT sure, who wouldnt? WE ARE A VISUAL species, for dogs its smell
(100,000 times better than humans) and bats sound.
We can watch TV all day but try to get the average person to sit and listen for just a half hour, try it.
But for the rare audiophile its a problem, I AGONIZED over getting rid of my rig and going into the compromise that was my first HT, but for most the sound from a HT is probably
better than what they're used to.
A company on this site (mangus) is selling tiny t-amp digital amps, 20 wpc feeding small speakers, trust me this type thing (digital amps) is going to be the thing for mainstream HT systems, compact and sounding pretty good.
And when a audio based company like ONKYO IS SELLING DIGITAL AMPS, well, thats the wave of the future probably, amps with discrete componets will be like turntables,
niche products for those that dont want to compromise
But I think this tread is a little offtopic.
Oh yeah, the fate of HDDVD, which is CURTAINS
I have seen stronger formats tank.
As for what you "get " if I'm right, well, its what you wont "get", an expensive doorstop
or "boatanchor"(fill with concrete, makes a great boatanchor)
And if I am wrong? No harm or foul as Blu wjll be the dominant format

While Audio and Video might be two different things, they work together quite often. Apples and Oranges might taste different, but they also have a lot in common: both fruits, both grow on trees, both round, both can be used to make drinks, both have seeds inside, etc etc etc. I grouped audio and video together because I was in A/V club...ok!

[Mr Peabody]

What is Onkyo doing with digital, do you have any links? Onkyo's strength over most home receivers, in my opinion, has always been their use of high current amp section.

[Feanor]

What is Onkyo doing with digital, do you have any links? Onkyo's strength over most home receivers, in my opinion, has always been their use of high current amp section.

This Onkyo A-9555 is digital and has had some good review, I believe ...
http://www.us.onkyo.com/model.cfm?m=...=Amplifier&p=i

http://stereomojo.com/SHOOTOUT2007INTEGRATEDS.htm

[Mr Peabody]

Thanks Feanor. The 9555 would be an incredible integrated for some of the people here looking for a good budget stereo set up. One Call had it priced at $699.00. Especially coming with a built in phono stage. I thought it was cool that even with using digital tachnology the Onkyo was able to go from 85 watts into 8 ohms and then 200 into 4 ohms, keeping with the characteristics of what a high current amp would do. I'd love to hear one.

The Shoot Out article was good. What do you think of that Trends at $129.00 being the winner? Talk about your "giant killer". Now if they came out with a model as good with more inputs and power they could make a big market impact. Still at $129.00 and winning the shoot out, this has to be a budget audio enthusiasts dream. With a decent source and sensitive speakers you could have a killer system for not much money.

An interesting shoot out would something similar but mix in a few amps with analog outputs to see how people perceived the difference.

[nightflier]

This Onkyo A-9555 is digital and has had some good review, I believe ...
http://www.us.onkyo.com/model.cfm?m=...=Amplifier&p=i

http://stereomojo.com/SHOOTOUT2007INTEGRATEDS.htm

My apologies for disagreeing here, but for $700, I can think of a lot of integrateds I would buy instead. Yes it has a decent amount of power, but it lacks pre outs, 12v trigger, decent build, and several other features that a Yamaha, Marantz or Denon would not hesitate to add at that price point. And for the same $700 you could find a host of better second hand integrateds in the near audiophile ranks.

[Mr Peabody]

I wouldn't debate the issue because I haven't heard the Onkyo but it held it's own with some pretty expensive competition in the Class T shoot out. I think if it was based on sound quality it might just kick some butt. You may be correct that there are some good integrated amps for $700.00 but I doubt if any of them come from Yamaha. I had a vintage Yamaha costing that much back in the day and it was disappointing. I had a Luxman receiver and especially my Sansui au9500 kill the Yamaha.

[pixelthis]

I wouldn't debate the issue because I haven't heard the Onkyo but it held it's own with some pretty expensive competition in the Class T shoot out. I think if it was based on sound quality it might just kick some butt. You may be correct that there are some good integrated amps for $700.00 but I doubt if any of them come from Yamaha. I had a vintage Yamaha costing that much back in the day and it was disappointing. I had a Luxman receiver and especially my Sansui au9500 kill the Yamaha.

I think that its really funny that the Onkyo has a PHONO STAGE
My current onkyo has a dedicated stage, but a pure mode for completely analog sound.
Most turntable addicts would go to the gallows before hooking their precious platter up to a digital amp.
Nice of them to include one tho

[drseid]

Oh yeah, the fate of HDDVD, which is CURTAINS
I have seen stronger formats tank.
As for what you "get " if I'm right, well, its what you wont "get", an expensive doorstop
or "boatanchor"(fill with concrete, makes a great boatanchor)
And if I am wrong? No harm or foul as Blu wjll be the dominant format

...and I have seen weaker formats succeed.

As for the guarantee... What kind of prize is that? ;-) I was hoping for maybe some extra software to add to my HD DVD collection (maybe that nice Harry Potter collection coming out in the fall?)... oh well.

We will see, I guess. With Toshiba coming out with new 3rd gen models in October; one with a street price of $199 (the HD-A3) versus Blu-ray, offering the blockbuster Spiderman trilogy, it is going to be an interesting holiday season. The best part is I win either way. :-)

---Dave

[nightflier]

We will see, I guess. With Toshiba coming out with new 3rd gen models in October; one with a street price of $199 (the HD-A3) versus Blu-ray, offering the blockbuster Spiderman trilogy, it is going to be an interesting holiday season. The best part is I win either way. :-)

I think the $199 HD-DVD player is indicative of some un-touted advantages. As was mentioned in several earlier threads about the format war, HD-DVD players and disks are less difficult to manufacture and benefit from a bit less in licensing fees. Also, having been the first out of the gate, HD-DVD has had more time in the market to allow prices to fall. I think both these factors have made it possible for Toshiba and Microsoft to lower the price of their players well beyond what Sony and the rest of the Blu-Ray camp have been able to offer.

I think this is significant and could very well give them a bump in this race. $199 for a player coming out in September is ideal for them as this gives ample time to ramp up production for the coming xmas season. With sales, rebates, and bundle pricing, I can easily picture a $99 player on sale at CC/BB right after Thanksgiving. This would be attractive to anyone looking to replace an aging standard DVD player.

Personally, I still want to see this price advantage trickle down to the cost of the disks, but maybe by xmas that may actually happen. They are already slightly lower than BR disks at some stores, which I imagine is fallout from the barrage of premature tales of doom-and-gloom that BR has won the war. If HD-DVD disks drop in price some more and offer real cost-savings compared to BR, the tide could very well change (much to Pixel's chagrin, I'm sure).

[Mr Peabody]

Just going by the projected retail prices of BR players they aren't lowering their prices. Denon's are $1&2k, Samsung is remaining about where the BD-P1200 was. I haven't seen Panasonic's pricing of any new players. Look, the HD-DVD cheap price hasn't done much for them yet and maybe going lower will just look like they are unloading. Limited to only one companies movie titles has to hurt. If Warner starts pumping out the duel format discs that may give HD-DVD a shot in the arm. I have to admit, I am shocked that Toshiba's $299.00 price didn't have them rolling out the door. Especially compared to BR prices. I wonder if the demand for either is very high. I also wonder at $199.00 if the Tosh will still have the Silicon Optics chip for upconverting. I know one thing, if they can't give them away at $199.00 or less, they should give up.

[drseid]

Just going by the projected retail prices of BR players they aren't lowering their prices. Denon's are $1&2k, Samsung is remaining about where the BD-P1200 was. I haven't seen Panasonic's pricing of any new players. Look, the HD-DVD cheap price hasn't done much for them yet and maybe going lower will just look like they are unloading. Limited to only one companies movie titles has to hurt. If Warner starts pumping out the duel format discs that may give HD-DVD a shot in the arm. I have to admit, I am shocked that Toshiba's $299.00 price didn't have them rolling out the door. Especially compared to BR prices. I wonder if the demand for either is very high. I also wonder at $199.00 if the Tosh will still have the Silicon Optics chip for upconverting. I know one thing, if they can't give them away at $199.00 or less, they should give up.

Actually HD DVD has plenty of studios (major and minor) on board, in the case of Warner, they have always supported HD DVD (actually they may be its biggest supporter if you measure support by number of titles released). They just have Universal as their only major studio that only supports HD DVD (no BD support). Of course that said, BD has Sony, its subsidiaries and Fox solely in their court (no HD DVD support) and that could work to BD's favor over time.

As for chip set, the chip set on the new HD DVD players is the same as the 2nd gen players, just with some enhancements. The retail on the lowest model is also the same as the HD-A2 ($299), just HD DVD is going to have a $100 off rebate offer in the works shortly after the next gen model's release (I guess in time for the holiday season)... I would agree that if a $199 street price does not get consumers to jump on board, it will be a tough sell for HD DVD going forward.

---Dave

[musicman1999]

Disney is BluRay only as well,which gives them the top 3 grossing studios.In 2006 Sony,Fox and Disney combined for about half of all movie business in North America.

bill

[PeruvianSkies]

I want Blu-ray to win. Who else is with me???

[drseid]

Disney is BluRay only as well,which gives them the top 3 grossing studios.In 2006 Sony,Fox and Disney combined for about half of all movie business in North America.

bill

Absolutely right... I knew I forgot one...

---Dave

[nightflier]

I want Blu-ray to win. Who else is with me???

I want HD-DVD to win. Who else is with me???

Seriously, I want both #$%@# sides to stop #*&^$% wining like little #^%$^& weenies, sit down as %$@# grownups and hammer their ^&%$^ issues out so that I can finally buy a $#@%$ player without having to worry that my favorite @!#$% movie will be available in that %$^#$ format!

[musicman1999]

I want HD-DVD to win. Who else is with me???

Seriously, I want both #$%@# sides to stop #*&^$% wining like little #^%$^& weenies, sit down as %$@# grownups and hammer their ^&%$^ issues out so that I can finally buy a $#@%$ player without having to worry that my favorite @!#$% movie will be available in that %$^#$ format!

Ditto,enough already.

bill

[pixelthis]

I want Blu-ray to win. Who else is with me???

BLU RAY has already won. Congradulations
The computer camp wants the extra storage.
Most studios are backing it.
The price isnt that much higher and there are real advantages (extra disc space, etc)
The water is streaming out the dike in several places, one of these days the dike will DISAPEAR
And nightflier can quit cussing

[GMichael]

I was leaning toward the BR camp. But now I'm thinking that they both are losers. I'm all for watching HD on cable now.

[Mr Peabody]

If any of you who think you want HD on cable only haven't compared. With cable the performance has many variables from town to town and house to house but Blu-ray is quite a bit better than my cable HD feed.

[PeruvianSkies]

BLU RAY has already won. Congradulations
The computer camp wants the extra storage.
Most studios are backing it.
The price isnt that much higher and there are real advantages (extra disc space, etc)
The water is streaming out the dike in several places, one of these days the dike will DISAPEAR
And nightflier can quit cussing

Is there around the same time that you'll learn how to spell?

[pixelthis]

Is there around the same time that you'll learn how to spell?

Sure dont need lessons from YOU, Mr there

[PeruvianSkies]

Sure dont need lessons from YOU, Mr there

There's a difference between a typo and flat out being uneducated, which you clearly are as you can't even spell simple words like: congratulations. Besides my mistake (besides being a typo) was also an issue of grammar, not spelling.

[pixelthis]

There's a difference between a typo and flat out being uneducated, which you clearly are as you can't even spell simple words like: congratulations. Besides my mistake (besides being a typo) was also an issue of grammar, not spelling.

So you're boo-boo was a typo, mine was a result of being "uneducated"
So tell me, you elitist bore, just how do you know how much education I have?.
You are not only a ninny, you're a stuck up ninny

[GMichael]

If any of you who think you want HD on cable only haven't compared. With cable the performance has many variables from town to town and house to house but Blu-ray is quite a bit better than my cable HD feed.

Good point. I knew this but somehow forgot.

[GMichael]

So you're boo-boo was a typo, mine was a result of being "uneducated"
So tell me, you elitist bore, just how do you know how much education I have?.
You are not only a ninny, you're a stuck up ninny

Why do I feel like Lex and SVI were cloned into one person?