Slashdot Mirror


Bad Signs For Blu-ray

Ian Lamont writes "More than six months after HD-DVD gave up the ghost, there are several signs that Sony's rival Blu-ray format is struggling to gain consumer acceptance. According to recent sales data from Nielsen, market share for Blu-ray discs in the U.S. is declining, and Sony and its Blu-ray partners are trying several tactics to boost the format — including free trial discs bundled into magazines and cheap Blu-ray players that cost less than $200."

4 of 1,276 comments (clear)

  1. Sorry Sony... by porkus · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'm not about to rebuy my DVD collection or upgrade my TV to enable your HDCP-enabled dreams of complete consumer control.

    Also, I could care less about your game console, so you won't be able to use me as a marketing statistic showing the success of Blu-Ray there either.

  2. Re:Noone likes DRM by hairyfeet · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Well,I can say I have had a couple of folks come into my shop wanting to pick my brain while I fixed their machine,and when I told them they couldn't back up their BD discs like they can their DVDs that was the end of that. Sony needs to realize that folks have kids,and no matter how careful you are kids can tear up a Sherman tank with a toothbrush without even meaning to. It would be one thing if they had made them cartridge style where it is much harder to scratch the thing,but they didn't. And even the most clueless home user has found out from their cousin/brother/uncle how to back up their DVDs so the kids don't accidentally trash them.

    And add to that the fact that the economy is likely IMHO to end up in another depression,and the fact that for most of the viewing public a DVD looks fine,plus the cheap price of DVDs and players,and you end up with Blu-Ray slowing sinking. If it wasn't for the PS3 IMHO it would already be toast,but a gaming console isn't going to get the vast majority to switch. So sorry,Sony,but like memory sticks and Minidiscs I'm smelling the whiff of failure. I'm betting the next format will be built for storage first,and movies will come along later. Maybe holodiscs? But as always this is my 02c,YMMV

    --
    ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
  3. Re:No one likes $30 / disk by Froboz23 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    No, this likely won't have any affect. Keep in mind that when a studio creates a movie, they're making it for the big screen, as in the 35 foot movie screen. Digital theaters display at 1080P, so the pixel count will be the same as on your Blueray HDTV at home, but with a much larger display. Analog theater film is still considered higher resolution than 1080P digital.

    This may change in the future as professional digital movie cameras and projectors increase in resolution (the latest theater projectors support 4096 x 2160 resolution). But the driving factor will be the studio and theater equipment, which will generally be superior to the home HDTV formats.

    Currently, the only time film makers have to really be concerned about detail is for IMAX movies, which are displayed on much larger screens with substantially higher resolution film.

    --
    Take off every Sig. For great justice.
  4. Re:Noone likes DRM by hairyfeet · · Score: 5, Interesting

    You see,there is this little program called DVD Fab,maybe you have heard of it? And I don't how it is where you are at,but around here(small town AR) there is nearly always some friend/family member that "knows stuff about computers". Deity forbid they should ever get ahold of your computer after an error,because they will f*ck it up a hundred times worse(more work for me),but when it comes to basic stuff like installing a card or ripping a disc they can do it. And DVD Fab is so simple a kid could do it.

    So I am sorry if it bugs you,but anybody who has read my previous posts for any length of time knows I'm just a small town PC repairman who tells what I see coming into my shop. From my observations I can tell you that my customers hate Vista and when they kill it you are looking at a format/reinstall,The Geforce 6xxx and 7xxx series is still popular around here with ATI almost nonexistent,and just about everyone under 40ish has some sort of DVD ripping software. Oh,and DVD burners are REAL hot sellers right now,thanks to the low price of blanks. I am currently waiting on some Lite-On burners to come in right now. Like I said,that is just what I am seeing in my little shop.

    Maybe we got more tech minded folks,or just a lot of guys that know just enough to be dangerous? Hell if I know. All I can say is more and more I'm seeing DVD Fab on the desktop,with about a 50/50 split between the free and pay versions. As far as the economy goes,trying to buy our way out by printing more money while we are bleeding money from two wars smells like a recipe for disaster to me. And as always this is my 02c from out here in BFA,YMMV

    --
    ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.