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Blu-Ray Launch Expected Next Week

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the finally dept.

grammar fascist writes "According to a Reuters article, two Blu-ray players and 'various titles' are expected in stores next week, June 20th. From the article: 'Blu-ray, one of two much-hyped high-definition DVD formats, debuts next week, but the launch is expected to be muted amid device delays and consumer confusion, industry analysts said on Thursday.' On the 20th, Samsung, not Sony, is launching a set-top player (Sony's is due this fall), and Sony is launching a Blu-ray compatible VAIO PC. Sony's fall set-top player will probably cost $1500. No word on the cost of Samsung's player yet, but I wouldn't expect it to be cheap."

7 of 160 comments (clear)

  1. Format wars? by Poromenos1 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I don't know about you, but I am not at all excited by this. When DVD came out I couldn't wait for writers to come out so I could get one, but if we're going to be in the middle of a format war I don't even want a player. I think sales are going to be somewhat less than satisfactory.

    --
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  2. Dual-Format Player by CowboyTodd · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm personally waiting for a dual-format play before I buy a next-gen format. Unlike with VHS/Beta both formats are the exact same dimensions so I think it is just a matter of time untill we get a player that can play both.

    1. Re:Dual-Format Player by BalanceOfJudgement · · Score: 4, Informative
      Ohh common, since when has "not allowed in the license" ever stopped a chineese company?


      Uhh... you are aware, right, that Samsung announced it would build a dual player and was summarily trounced by Sony for violating some obscure section of their license agreement?

      Don't hold your breath. Sony has no intention of letting anyone produce systems that will allow HD-DVD to exist.

      And that, by the way, reveals their true intentions for creating Blu-ray to begin with, and why it is stuffed chock full of DRM: vendor lock-in. They couldn't care one whit about protecting content.
      --

      We are the fire that lights our world.. and we are the fire that consumes it.
  3. Netflix starting to roll out blu-ray support, too. by IvyMike · · Score: 4, Informative

    I'm not going to be using it anytime soon, but I noticed the other day that Netflix is starting to roll out their support for blu-ray.

  4. I don't care who wins by the+computer+guy+nex · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I just want someone to win fast.

    Pure 1080i or 1080p content on a TV with the full 1080i/p resolution (Sony SXRD TVs and some of the new DLPs) is absolutely amazing.

    Despite many claims on here, the jump from a normal DVD on a 1080p television to a HD-DVD or Blu-Ray disc is more significant than VHS to DVD. A full 1080p picture has around 10 times more pixels per square inch than a normal DVD (which is 480p).

    1. Re:I don't care who wins by falcon8080 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You know the biggest god damn problem with Hi Def TV?

      Its too complicated. 480i, 480P, 720i,720p,1080i,1080p, HDTV that displays a 720P in 1080i, that looks crappier than 1080i, 1080p sets that exist but cost $10,000+ but no actual content, 1080p content that is really just someother content, but 'upscaled', 480p not looking correct on a 1080i/p set, increased cost for 'digital' content via cable/sattelite, cable cards, hd-tv sets that are hd-tv ready, but not actually ready, and god help you if you just want to watch normal TV on the damn thing, not only does it look like crap, but theirs a dozen different ways to make it look slightly less crappy.

      Seriously, what bunch of idiots thought this up and actually thought this was a good idea? the average person has no hope of understanding all the formats, and just wait to see their responce when they buy one of these drives only to find out that the HD-TV set they brought can not in fact actually display these images. Then you have the PS3 with limited output on the lower end model, just try explaining that to some irate joe, when he finds out how much money hes wasted.

      This has been possibly one of the largest clusterfucks I have ever seen....

      --
      Excellent Phoenix AZ Office Space - Thistle Landing
  5. BluRay Is Amazing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I have been working on BD-J stuff for BluRay movies.

    See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globally_Executable_M HP for a quick overview

    First of all, once you have gotten use to watching BluRay 1080p movies, anything less feels like an eyesore. You will probably be able to pickup a 1080p TV by the holidays this year for just under a grand. The TV manufactures all know that the market is about to be flooded with millions of cheap BluRay players, 499 component and 599 HDMI PS3s, and are all moving to put sets out that target that huge Playstation demographic.

    Second, the Java layer, that Microsoft seems to hate so much, on BluRay discs is letting us do all sorts of very cool stuff far beyond the simple menu systems that current DVDs have.

    Start watching for BluRay releases and make sure to check what cool additions the Java stuff we are doing are implemented on the new discs.