Re: Blu-Ray finds a way to reduce price.

InvisibleBiker, I suppose I didn't understand your reply. HD DVD isn't an entity of any sort, if that's what you were inferring. It's a format for high definition optical media.

The fact is that Toshiba's pricing policy has all but guaranteed it to be a "proprietary" format, in that it doesn't and cannot have the third party CE support that the Blu-ray side currently enjoys. I just believe that in the long term, that it's an unsustainable business model. One company cannot carry a format forever. Obviously Toshiba's plan was to sustain this strategy until market penetration reached a point where economies of scale and technological advancement would make the manufacturing of these players cheap enough for other makers to get on board. But it didn't work.

I think Toshiba's fatal flaw in this execution was that they missed the marketing 101 class where they teach that price sensitivity is lower in the early adoption phase of any unique product, and grows as market penetration begins to reach commodity scales. This is probably even more true when you consider that potential purchasers must have already bought an HDTV, and still represent a minority demographic that has more disposable income than average.

The fact is that the current consumer demographic that is buying HD movies has an HDTV, and it's unlikely that those who can only afford an hi-def player because it's under $200 either have an HDTV, or would buy a lot of $32.99 HD DVD movie titles. I think during the 4thQ of last year, it became clear that buyers of cheap players have low attach rates, since continued discounts of Toshiba players failed to materialize into increased movie sales. Anyone who has the money for an HDTV will think twice before even bothering to get an HD DVD player (and especially buy movies) if only two major studios support the format.

InvisibleBiker said -

"...you Blu Boys make statements like that. You guys can dish it out, but you sure can't take it. LOL"

Speaking of "blu" IB, I noticed you just recently changed the color of your Message Board avatar from the BLUE snowflakes, now to BLACK snowflakes. Could this be related to your bias against the BLU-ray format?

-LH (The Loverboy)

Who knows Hendrex, anything is possible. I am still waiting to attend the funeral for HD DVD, I mean according to all the EXPERTS the format is dead right?

InvisibleBiker said -

Quote:
"I am still waiting to attend the funeral for HD DVD, I mean according to all the EXPERTS the format is dead right?"

Well, let's ask the CONTENT EXPERTS, OK?

#1 - The following "expert" doctors have now declared HD-DVD to be dead...

-Sony/Columbia Tri-Star
-Disney/Pixar/Miramax
-Fox
-MGM/UA
-Lionsgate
-Starz Home Entertainment
-Warner Brothers/New Line/HBO (w/the latest EXPERT analysis) - beginning June 1.
-Warner Music
-Universal Music
-Sony Music

#2 - And these "expert" doctors still consider HD-DVD to have a fighting chance (although on life support)...

-Universal
-Paramount/Dreamworks
-The Weinstein Company/First Look/Genius

So, which of the above do think has the better understanding concerning a format's life, or CONTENT? Thank You.

-LH (The Loverboy)

[Post edited by Love Hendrix! on Jan 27, 2008]

Hendrix,

If you're single I have a sister that I can hook you up with. Just so I can say welcome to the family.

Skyhawk, I completely agree with you. I don't understand the obsession with under $200 HD players at this point. It was a good way for Toshiba to get more players into consumers hands if they can financially handle it, but I agree that this early in an electronic product's growth cycle, price isn't usually at the top of the list. I understand the arguments for HD-DVD as far as interactive features and reliability, but even though I appreciate the lowered prices that we've all benefited from during the HD War, I don't get the emphasis on "needing" a player under $200.

I could be wrong about this, but didn't Sony largely lose the Beta vs. VHS battle because they were too proprietary and were the only major manufacturer making Beta machines? It seems like Toshiba made the same mistake...

It's a free market, remember?$?$?$?$?

Have you ever considered that Toshiba actually wanted to provide quality players, and guess what?? THEY DID, AND THEY ARE.

Well personally I hope the big news is a free T-shirt when you buy an hd dvd player. People love free t-shirts.

[Post edited by MattPayne on Jan 28, 2008]

Quote:
I could be wrong about this, but didn't Sony largely lose the Beta vs. VHS battle because they were too proprietary and were the only major manufacturer making Beta machines? It seems like Toshiba made the same mistake...

Agreed, and I think it was a mistake that Sony has learned from (finally). I really believe this is the reason also for the entire "Profile" thing, to allow third party CE manufacturers to differentiate themselves on features if they desire, while keeping initial costs low and make a profit from the very start for them. It's not like the profile specs were not finished - the profile specifications were detailed from the start. The BDA just dictated that certain features become mandatory at certain points during its evolution so that the studios too could gradually introduce the new technologies based on the specs on their disks. It's blatant catering (arse-kissing even) to the studios and CE companies - something Sony has failed to do in the past.