backtop

Hardware Binary Heroes: Format War Woes
Rob Mach (Blog) - December 4, 2007 1:21 AM
Print E-mail del.icio.us 158 comment(s) - last by SavagePotato.. on Dec 4 at 11:54 PM
'

 

Comments     Threshold


This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
Interpretation
By darkfoon on 12/4/2007 3:09:25 AM , Rating: 5
I haven't noticed anybody else mentioning this, but isn't the only way out of a finger trap (other than cheating and cutting it) coming together?
So I think the artist is remarking that if they two formats came together, it could be much more peaceful, but Sony is ready to cheat to get free, rather than compromise.




RE: Interpretation
By James Holden on 12/4/2007 3:34:26 AM , Rating: 2
Neat analysis... and totally spot on!


RE: Interpretation
By ZavyZavy on 12/4/2007 7:13:07 AM , Rating: 2
It seems as if the Blu-Ray guy has homicidal intentions and wants to cut off the finger of the HD-DVD guy and have him bleed to death.

The HD-DVD guy knows that coming together is the best way out but it’s hard to trust someone with the sharp cutting instrument and that particular facial expression; and thus the HD-DVD guy instinctively tries to pulls away.


RE: Interpretation
By 16nm on 12/4/2007 9:27:50 AM , Rating: 3
Doesn't HD-DVD sound better and more marketable? When someone goes to buy their HD TV, will they not want to leave the store with an HD DVD, too? How are the non-tech savvy supposed to know what a Blu-ray is? I don't know what Sony were thinking when they drew up that name.


RE: Interpretation
By masher2 (blog) on 12/4/2007 9:45:11 AM , Rating: 2
> "I don't know what Sony were thinking when they drew up that name. "

They were thinking "Well, we can't use 'DVD' in the name, since we just left the DVD Alliance and they still own the rights."


RE: Interpretation
By theflux on 12/4/2007 11:12:01 AM , Rating: 3
Sony didn't leave the DVD Forum. The DVD Alliance is related to the writeable formats, and I don't believe they left it either.


RE: Interpretation
By 16nm on 12/4/2007 4:49:31 PM , Rating: 2
But could they not have just kept it something simple like "Sony HD-Disc"? The key to all this new home theatre technology is the "HD" part. HD TV, HD DVD, HD CABLE, HD SAT., etc. Oh, and Blu-ray, let's not forget that one...

Sometimes, I think Sony really tries to annoy the industry and the consumer. Well, they've really succeeded this time.


RE: Interpretation
By Locutus465 on 12/4/2007 10:08:56 AM , Rating: 2
While I support HD DVD, I honestly thought "Blu Ray" was better marketing, at least for the high end market. I sounds cool and high tech. Too bad that this is a pretty good statement as to what Blu Ray is all about, high price "high end" players only, nothing available for the average joe at all... While HD DVD is all about high quality with a good measure of affordability for those that can't afford the best of the best.

It's a good thing to have a good selection of products ranging from low end to high end.


RE: Interpretation
By Kefner on 12/4/2007 10:36:57 AM , Rating: 3
Funny you say that. I was talking to a buddy who is not the most tech savy out there. We were talking about HD-DVD when I brought up Blu-Ray, his response, "What's Blu-Ray". He got what HD-DVD was just by hearing the name, but not a clue as to what Blu-Ray is. And just for full disclosure, I own both formats. Wasn't bad mouthing Blu-Ray, just pointing this out.


RE: Interpretation
By gochichi on 12/4/2007 10:44:13 AM , Rating: 1
I think HD DVD is confusing for newbies. Especially since they confuse it with HD up converting DVD players. The folks at Circuit City even made this mistake twice. I told them I was looking for an HD DVD player and they repeatedly pointed towards HD up converting DVD players.

Blu-ray is distinct enough, and I think much better marketing.


RE: Interpretation
By masher2 (blog) on 12/4/2007 10:52:39 AM , Rating: 2
> "Blu-ray is distinct enough, and I think much better marketing."

Stuff and nonsense. Billions of dollars have been spent in promoting the DVD brand; it has near universal name recognition among consumers. That's value you can't deny. If Sony had been able to use the name in its brand, you can bet they would have.

Does that mean Blu Ray will fail? No, of course not. But it does mean it requires a significantly higher marketing budget than it otherwise would. There's a higher degree of consumer education required.


RE: Interpretation
By theflux on 12/4/2007 11:10:31 AM , Rating: 3
And also a degree of consumer confusion based on the HD DVD name. Does grandma no it doesn't play in her DVD player on her HDTV? Probably not.


RE: Interpretation
By masher2 (blog) on 12/4/2007 11:28:26 AM , Rating: 2
Certainly no name is perfect, but the name "HD-DVD" alone informs the consumer that the product is an upgrade of DVD, a brand they are already very comfortable with.

And you've forgotten that "consumer confusion" isn't always detrimental from the vendor's perspective. If a few million grandmothers buy HD-DVDs thinking they'll play through their DVD player, that's a net gain for the HD-DVD camp. Confusion is bad only when it engenders a reluctance to purchase.


RE: Interpretation
By Screwballl on 12/4/2007 12:07:50 PM , Rating: 3
There is a problem though.... people in general think that HD-DVD is a high definition version of DVD so they buy it thinking they can just put it in their DVD player... most retail stores will not take a movie back once it has been opened so if these people want to watch that movie, they have to go back out and buy the regular DVD and are stuck with a useless HD-DVD version that if they are lucky may be able to sell.
Now on the other foot those that have a HD-DVD player can watch either one (DVD or HD-DVD) but it is likely downscaled as many people bought it as a DVD player replacement as they only have a standard definition TV.

Only the educated know to use a HD player with a HD TV. A majority of the market is not educated towards this.
My in laws are a perfect example of this, if they saw a movie they liked, they would pick it up and buy it. This was not a problem when it was VHS or DVD. Now there is not only those two but also HD-DVD and BluRay and PSP and whatever else the store decides to carry.
What better way to inflate sales then to have 5 formats all next to each other to confuse people.


RE: Interpretation
By masher2 (blog) on 12/4/2007 12:12:56 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
There is a problem though.... people in general think that HD-DVD is a high definition version of DVD so they buy it thinking they can just put it in their DVD player... most retail stores will not take a movie back once it has been opened...
You're still missing the point. That's a problem for the consumer, but not for HD-DVD. That brand name actually convinced a consumer to purchase product he can't even use! How much better can it get?

From the perspective of brand recognition alone, you really can't get any better than the name "HD-DVD". Even when it confuses consumers, they win.


RE: Interpretation
By aos007 on 12/4/2007 1:48:28 PM , Rating: 2
They don't win if consumer buys an upconverting DVD player (HD DVD as they like to advertise them) instead of a HD-DVD player due to confusion. And that seems to be happening, in Canada at least.


RE: Interpretation
By qwertyz on 12/4/2007 11:33:18 AM , Rating: 2
Just bring sub 100 $ PC HD or BD burners and HD and BD media at the price of current DVD-R media and any format will win the war


RE: Interpretation
By leexgx on 12/4/2007 2:17:05 PM , Rating: 2
that be BD due to the amount you can store per disk at 480P/720p quality, soon as thay get to £100 i be getting one


RE: Interpretation
By xsilver on 12/4/2007 4:17:46 AM , Rating: 3
Shouldnt the picture be of a poor beggar boy wearing a sony t-shirt that says "have pity on me, I havent won any fights in over 20 years"
and in front of him is some hardware such as betamax / MD etc.
with a sign that says "Free to a good home"


RE: Interpretation
By BansheeX on 12/4/2007 6:04:00 AM , Rating: 1
There really haven't been many format transitions in the last twenty years, so that number seems arbitrary and intended to instill a sense of perpetual failure that just isn't there. Sony was responsible for 3.5" floppy disks. CD-ROM was a joint development between Philips and Sony. DVD was a unified effort including Sony and pushed on the PS2. UMD is a niche format that works great for PSP games and its movies were never intended to compete with or replace DVD. And now Blu-Ray, a joint development between Matsushita, Pioneer, Philips, Thomson, LG Electronics, Hitachi, Sharp, Samsung and Sony is outselling HD-DVD 3 to 1.

It's also funny how many people call the clearly depicted "Blu-Ray" person as "Sony." That viral hate is obviously working its magic in the blogosphere. Just because Sony is the only BRA member in the console market and using the format doubly for such doesn't make them the format's sole proprietor.