Yep. Tosh is SOOOO confident in this technology that they are not showing demos compared to a blu-ray player (not even upconversion comparisons).
All the blu-hating pundits talk about how J6P won't buy blu because they don't need or get it. Well, the electronic-buying masses aren't going to pay $150 or $200 for an upconverting player when you can buy them for under $50, either.
So I'm curious, for those who were into it then: Did Sony act like a little b!+ch when VHS beat beta? I only ask because this just doesn't make good business sense to me, at all.
Robert
of GA
@
Aug 19, 2008 14:42:53 PM
Makes sense
I have a PS3 and a 52" 1080p TV. Yet I've only actually watched two Blu-ray movies on it; upconverted DVDs look just fine for dramas or comedies or just about anything except special-effect-heavy blockbusters. (I don't generally <i>need</i> to see every pore on the skin of most actresses, let alone actors.) I can't really hear much of a difference in the sound, though we don't have a higher-end sound system.
We can watch DVDs almost anywhere in the house, including in bed upstairs; we can only watch Blu-ray in one room. More people are getting TVs that can actually display in HD, but they are still going to be the minority for some time to come. Even then, once people have spent hundreds of dollars (minimum) for an HD display, they're not usually terribly willing to part with more hundreds of dollars for a Blu-ray player. DVDs will be around for a long time to come.
Then there's the looming arrival of downloadable movies - physical media like discs may not be around forever. I expect Blu-ray's peak is still a few years away, but then the decline will set in not long after.
Ray Ingles
of MI
@
Aug 19, 2008 11:38:31 AM
Blu-ray is already extending beyond niche
Laserdisc was niche.
A niche market means a small distinct market with little growth potential.
Blu-ray still has a tremendous upswing potential. All I hear are a few die-hard HD DVD fanantics who can't accept that the better format won. Players are no longer $1000. Disc prices are still a little high, but Blu-rays are easily available for rental through Blockbuster's online program and at many of their local stores. Blu-ray rental options are far beyond what DVD was at this point in its lifecycle.
Watch out! With the huge summer blockbuster hitting the Blu-ray format before the holiday we could very well see the first 1M selling title. My money is on THE DARK KNIGHT.
Toshiba's new system is just marketing hype. Any consumer who truly wants HD content should realize nothing is going to magically turn standard definition content into HD content.
CaW
of MN
@
Aug 19, 2008 11:19:28 AM
Sound move
Blu-ray is and will be a niche product for a long time to come. Smart move by Toshiba. Sound business decison. They will support Blu-ray when it makes sense. The only reasonable BD player today(and for some time) is the PS3.
Many folks simply want a movie disc player and have to need for a gaming device.
James
@
Aug 19, 2008 08:17:00 AM
meant to say
If you really are NOT interested in HD, then stick with the barebones upconverting players that start at well under $100.
CaW
of MN
@
Aug 18, 2008 18:09:42 PM
Denial, it ain't just a river in Egypt
Whether Toshiba wants to believe it or not, consumers are starting to switch to Blu.
Nothing that these new Toshiba players do will magically bring back data (picture and sound information) that was thrown away during the DVD creation process.
Blu-ray offers six times the amount of picture information and many discs feature master quality sound in the form of lossless soundtracks. DVDs on the other hand are severely compromised due to relying on ten-year old audio and video technology. On small screens you may not notice a difference but once over 40 inches at normal viewing distances there is no comparison between a real HD source like Blu-ray and an upconverted DVD.
With Blu-ray players likely to be sub $250 by the holidays, I just can't picture anyone not wanting to just spend the extra $100 to get a true HD product instead of a glorified upconverting DVD player.
If you really are interested in HD, then stick with the barebones upconverting players that start at well under $100.
Our in-house gadget guru, Senior Writer David LaGesse, checks out the latest technologies and gizmos, from computer software to GPS systems -- and reports back to you in plain English.
Robert of GA @ Aug 19, 2008 14:42:53 PM
Ray Ingles of MI @ Aug 19, 2008 11:38:31 AM
CaW of MN @ Aug 19, 2008 11:19:28 AM
James @ Aug 19, 2008 08:17:00 AM
CaW of MN @ Aug 18, 2008 18:09:42 PM
CaW of MN @ Aug 18, 2008 18:03:48 PM
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