Tuesday, May 2, 2006
Dvorak: Consumers Lose in DVD Format War
Posted by Jeremy Charette in "ARTICLE" @ 12:30 PM
"By the end of this year, we'll see exactly which next-generation optical media will be on our desktop computers. Or will we? The possibility lurks that the final resting place for next-generation media will not be determined for a couple of years. During that time, HD DVD and Blu-ray will fight it out in the consumer market, leaving computer users to languish...The most important event to watch may be the bundling of Blu-ray with the Sony PlayStation 3. But this device may have issues and may not become the fabulous success predicted...If you buy a new DVD from Warner Home Video, you may get a HD DVD on the other side of the disc. This is very doable with the HD DVD format...Not so with Blu-ray...you have to wonder if people will upgrade any of their current DVD collections. I seriously doubt it...Movies aren't like music, where you can listen to the same songs over and over. Most people are not rewatching "Groundhog Day" over and over...I'm afraid we're witnessing a train wreck. It looks as if we'll be sticking with our old DVD-writable drives for quite a while longer if something doesn't change fast."
Unfortunately, in the greedy fight for profits and mind share, it looks like the confusion caused by HD DVD and Blu-Ray will drive consumers away from the HD revolution. It's shaping up to be another repeat of DVD-Audio vs. SACD. :?
Unfortunately, in the greedy fight for profits and mind share, it looks like the confusion caused by HD DVD and Blu-Ray will drive consumers away from the HD revolution. It's shaping up to be another repeat of DVD-Audio vs. SACD. :?
