Sony Decides Against Blu-Ray Downsampling

Paul Slocum writes "According to Ars Technica, Sony is now saying they will not use the Image Constraint Token and so movies will play on analog HDTV sets at full resolution. If HD-DVD does implement the analog downsampling, it's going to give Blu-ray a nice market advantage." From the article: "Sony's decision to not use the Image Constraint Token for the time being is meant to encourage the adoption of Blu-ray players. Launching a new product that would leave the thousands of analog HDTV owners out in the standard-definition cold could have proven to be a nightmare for Sony and the Blu-ray spec in general. Reports that 'Blu-ray discs don't look right on my HDTV' could result in consumers' switching allegiances to the competing HD DVD standard or postponing purchases of next-generation optical players altogether."

Comments

Sony releases only, not all Blu-Ray releases

[calibanDNS]

From the article:
According to Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Senior VP Don Eklund, none of Sony's Blu-ray releases for the "foreseeable future" will use ICT to force downsampling.

This is only applies to Blu-Ray discs released by Sony, not other studios. Blu-Ray players will still support down-sampling, other studios will make this decision independently of Sony, and Sony isn't promising to continue the practice with its own releases indefinately.

Aside from all the Sony bashing

[moochfish]

Bashing aside, this is still the smartest move Sony has made all YEAR.

My $

[WhiteWolf666]

If HD-DVD implements this, and BluRay does not, I will purchase a BluRay player, no questions asked.

I have several analog HD sets. I won't replace them; they are nice units.

Excellent!

[jigjigga]

This is a major step foreward, SONY. You now just increased your market by, what, 99 fold?