Is It My choice, Or Is It Yours?

[akirby]

I understand why HD DVD proponents think it's the better format. But you can't fault Sony for "buying" the format war unless you also acknowledge that Toshiba was trying to do exactly the same thing - they just came up short.

I also acknowledge the problems with Blu-Ray. Today.

Consider what the landscape will be in another year: every major mfr will have blu-ray players leading to lower prices (just like regular DVD players). Every major movie will have a Blu-Ray version. Profile 2.0 will be standard. Most of the pre-2.0 BD players are PS3s that can be upgraded so the actual number of obsolete BD players has to be miniscule. But anyone who bought an early HD DVD or BD player should have expected that possibility with either one.

[free2speak]

True enough. But I remember a Sony executive complaining how Toshiba had taken all of the profit out of HD players so quickly. BD executives were very disappointed about lowering their prices so I wouldn't count on rapidly dropping BD prices. Sony is selling roughly 85% of the BD players because of the PS3. That leaves 15% for all of the other BD manufacturers to fight over so there is not a lot of profit for them. They also have to add exspensive hardware to bring the player up to version 2.

I know for a fact many people purchased BD because it was a Sony and the higher price made them feel they were buying quality. I read comments from numerous BD fans bragging about it.

A recent study used two bottles of the same wine. One bottle was labeled $5; the other was labelled $45. All of the tasters proclaimed the expensive bottle of wine was superior in flavor and character. The bottom line is marketing is made to override your best interest.

[akirby]

True enough. But I remember a Sony executive complaining how Toshiba had taken all of the profit out of HD players so quickly. BD executives were very disappointed about lowering their prices so I wouldn't count on rapidly dropping BD prices. Sony is selling roughly 85% of the BD players because of the PS3. That leaves 15% for all of the other BD manufacturers to fight over so there is not a lot of profit for them. They also have to add exspensive hardware to bring the player up to version 2.

You're kidding, right? What does the number of BD players sold up until now have to do with a HUGE potential market that just opened up? The PS3 will continue to sell and now that the path for consumers is clear the only hurdle is price. Do you think Samsung and LG won't be fighting over that business along with Sony?

I bet they sell more BD players this year than they sold combined BD and HD DVD players last year.