CES 2006 News & Announcements

[scooby_dooby]

Of course PS3 is the obvious choice for an HD movie player, because for the same(ish) price as the cheapest HDDVD player, you get a fancy doodle console too! It's a no brainer.

Except the soonest I'll be able to get a PS3 is late 2006, what will the price be of HD-DVD's then? $300? $200? Will I even be able to find a PS3 or will they be totally sold out? Will teh quality of the standalone's be suprerior? How many early adopters were left with a bad tase in their mouth with respect to movie playback on a console?

It's not so cut and dry.

 

[scooby_dooby]

Well now we've confirmation. First Blu-ray player will hit the states in April:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01/05/samsung_blu-ray_first/

It's interesting to note that Samsung is not tied exclusively to either Blu-ray or HD-DVD, but listening to them, you'd think they were..

interesting...no 1080p support, and no MPEG4 support either, and still $1000 msrp.

 

[Titanio]

Except the soonest I'll be able to get a PS3 is late 2006, what will the price be of HD-DVD's then? $300? $200?

Let's assume what you say is true. You'd forgoe the advantages of a PS3, and the much wider choice of content on Blu-ray, for the sake of $100 or $200?

Will I even be able to find a PS3 or will they be totally sold out?

Stores are taking preorders now, if you like..

Will teh quality of the standalone's be suprerior?

Well, it has 1080p, which is one up on the $1000 Samsung player..

There's more than enough horsepower there too to ensure very good decoding. And it's digital all the way to your TV if you're so equipped (one of the major problems with PS2's initial playback picture quality was the video outputs).

 

[expletive]

They just might depending on when PS3 hits..

I wouldn't consider myself a massive videophile, to be honest, but if I can get 1080p support, I'll take it. I have a 720p now, but I can easily see a 1080p display coming into my house in the next 24 months anyway.

Lets say you arent a gamer and werent planning on buying a PS3, and at the time of its launch youve got HD-DVD player for $300 street or a PS3 for $400. Plus youre one of the 99% of the people who have a 720p or less display. What are you buying?

 

[Titanio]

Lets say you arent a gamer and werent planning on buying a PS3, and at the time of its launch youve got HD-DVD player for $300 street or a PS3 for $400. Plus youre one of the 99% of the people who have a 720p or less display. What are you buying?

PS3. I'm looking at the shelves and there are far more movies. I'm also hearing about PS3 everywhere etc. etc.

That said, Joe Average isn't going to be looking at $300 movie players. He may well be looking at PS3 though.

 

[Nicked]

what will the price be of HD-DVD's then? $300? $200?

Ahahahaha.
"Hey, I'm already subsidising my player because support has been weak and it needed a boost, lets further reduce the price by another $300".
I would bet on a paper launch for the $500 model, and not great stock of the $700 model either.

Its factors like that no one here is considering. In fact, theres so many factors we'll just have to wait and see how it turns out.

It's interesting to note that Samsung is not tied exclusively to either Blu-ray or HD-DVD, but listening to them, you'd think they were.

Aren't they on the BDA board of directors? The BR site is currently renovating but I'm sure they are.

They're certainly confident on Blu-ray success anyway.

 

[scooby_dooby]

PS3. I'm looking at the shelves and there are far more movies. I'm also hearing about PS3 everywhere etc. etc.

That said, Joe Average isn't going to be looking at $300 movie players. He may well be looking at PS3 though.

This isn't Joe Average. This is HDTV guy who doesn't play video games.

I don't seem him buying PS3, he'll buy the $300 HD-DVD standalone if concerned with price, or one of the $500-600 BR standalone's that will be available if concerned with content, or simply wait for both issues to be settled.

 

[scooby_dooby]

Ahahahaha.
"Hey, I'm already subsidising my player because support has been weak and it needed a boost, lets further reduce the price by another $300".

Do have a single fact to back that up? Do you have costs on a BR OPU vs a HDDVD OPU?

Maybe HD-DVD is cheaper to produce since it doesn't require a totally new optical processing unit? I know....crazy ideas eh?....Just throwing it out there...

 

[AlphaWolf]

Let's assume what you say is true. You'd forgoe the advantages of a PS3, and the much wider choice of content on Blu-ray, for the sake of $100 or $200?

If the only consideration is watching movies, I would never choose to use a console over a standalone. Everyone keeps mentioning the technical advantages of the ps3 but keeps missing on the likely drawbacks. Noise, power consumption, heat/cooling situation, will they include a remote or will that be an added cost?

There's more than enough horsepower there too to ensure very good decoding. And it's digital all the way to your TV if you're so equipped (one of the major problems with PS2's initial playback picture quality was the video outputs).

Another major problem with the ps2's was the inability to read discs.

 

[Titanio]

This isn't Joe Average. This is HDTV guy who doesn't play video games.

I don't seem him buying PS3, he'll buy the $300 HD-DVD standalone if concerned with price, or one of the $500-600 BR standalone's that will be available if concerned with content, or simply wait for both issues to be settled.

I don't see many reaching to save $100 if they're aware of the content situation, which I think they will be. Pretty much everyone will know about PS3 too, and I'm sure he'll be able to think of someone near to him who'd enjoy that side of things.

Let me make that question personal, though - would you really skimp on $100 or $200 in order to not have a PS3 and all that implies & not have access to the most movie content?

If the only consideration is watching movies, I would never choose to use a console over a standalone. Everyone keeps mentioning the technical advantages of the ps3 but keeps missing on the likely drawbacks. Noise, power consumption, heat/cooling situation, will they include a remote or will that be an added cost?

Your wireless PS3 controller wouldn't be as much of an obstacle as wired PS2 remotes were, but you can be sure remotes will be available for not a whole lot. On other factors, PS3 certainly looks smaller than the other standalones. Noise during movie playback should be lower than other times. But hey, if you don't want it, enjoy your standalone.

 

[Nicked]

Do have a single fact to back that up? Do you have costs on a BR OPU vs a HDDVD OPU?

Maybe HD-DVD is cheaper to produce since it doesn't require a totally new optical processing unit? I know....crazy ideas eh?....Just throwing it out there...

No proof, bit of common sense mixed with my own judgement...but since when did HD-DVD not require a totally new OPU?

 

[scooby_dooby]

I don't see many reaching to save $100 if they're aware of the content situation, which I think they will be. Pretty much everyone will know about PS3 too, and I'm sure he'll be able to think of someone near to him who'd enjoy that side of things.

Let me make that question personal, though - would you really skimp on $100 or $200 in order to not have a PS3 and all that implies & not have access to the most movie content?

But i don't see many non-gamers purchasing the PS3 primarily for watching movies. people don't purchase console for the sole use of playing movies, it just is not the way it works.

To answer your question - It all depends on price. If I can get a standalone for $200, or even the 360 add-on then I would probably do that. Save myself $300(plus the other $300 you inevitably spend when you buy a conole).

However, if the players are more like $300 +, then I will either A) buy the PS3 or B) wait until prices have dropped.

So, if we're talking a $100 or $200 gap, then as a gamer I probably buy the PS3(if I'm prepared to spend $500, maybe I just wait). If we're talking $300+ gap, then I just go with the standalone.

To tell you the truth, the 360 add-on has made my decision fairly easy though, I'll pick one of those up for ~200, use it for a few years, and purchase a standalone when the prices have come down. It also gives me a nice grace period on buying a PS3, so I don't have to get caught up in the launch shortages, and can wait for a $200 or $250 ps3.

If I decided to wait until PS3 for my HD movie needs, I would have to spend $500+games+controller, deal with all the shortage BS, and still not get to watch HD movies until end of next year, or beginning of 2007. Now, hopefully I can buy the 360 add-on early next year, and then just wait....

 

[Titanio]

Back on the news front, I guess that nVidia Quad SLI announcement indirectly tells us that Dell will be starting to ship PCs with Blu-ray drives in the Spring.

http://www.dell.com/html/us/products/ces/index.htm

 

[expletive]

I don't see many reaching to save $100 if they're aware of the content situation, which I think they will be. Pretty much everyone will know about PS3 too, and I'm sure he'll be able to think of someone near to him who'd enjoy that side of things.

Let me make that question personal, though - would you really skimp on $100 or $200 in order to not have a PS3 and all that implies & not have access to the most movie content?



Your wireless PS3 controller wouldn't be as much of an obstacle as wired PS2 remotes were, but you can be sure remotes will be available for not a whole lot. On other factors, PS3 certainly looks smaller than the other standalones. Noise during movie playback should be lower than other times. But hey, if you don't want it, enjoy your standalone.

Well we arent representative of the martket really. If i felt like i wanted to get an HD player id probably opt for a stand alone unit only becuase the usability of them is so much better, historically, then consoles. A wireless ps3 controller, imo, is a bigger obstacle than you think to teh average person. As far as content goes, if LOTR and HP arent announced on BR then i think for most it will eb a toss up. Theyre going to be looking at the killer apps, just like with game consoles,l spider man, matrix, star wars, lotr, HP, etc.

 

[Megadrive1988]

I plan to get a standalone, dedicated Blu-ray player - my secondary Blu-ray player will be my PS3, and my next PC will also have Blu-ray.....and maybe quad ATI Crossfire R580s or R600s ^__^

pretty much the way things are now in my household with DVD player, PS2, PC with DVD-ROM and another PC with DVD-RW

 

[Titanio]

Well we arent representative of the martket really. If i felt like i wanted to get an HD player id probably opt for a stand alone unit only becuase the usability of them is so much better, historically, then consoles. A wireless ps3 controller, imo, is a bigger obstacle than you think to teh average person.

Well there will be remotes..

My point is that if we're talking about which will be "cheaper", PS3 will likely make any player on either side look quite expensive, initially at least. You cannot write it off because it's not a standalone. It may be as effective or more effective in some regards (e.g. 1080p) than some of those standalones. Either way, be the purchaser videophile or not, they're going to go into homes, and that'll open up Blu-ray to more people, and represent an investment by more people in Blu-ray (and thus greater consumer support for it).

As far as content goes, if LOTR and HP arent announced on BR then i think for most it will eb a toss up. Theyre going to be looking at the killer apps, just like with game consoles,l spider man, matrix, star wars, lotr, HP, etc.

Warner is on Blu-ray, it'll happen. You can see many of their titles in the random photo or two from the Bluray stand, and no doubt there'll be more when they announce.

 

[Pugger]

Slightly off topic, but I mentioned it earlier and its happened again this evening. I have a Denon DVD player with HDMI, and I have had nothing but trouble from the bloody connection. Theres no lock on the connection either on the TV or the DVD side of things. On numerous occasions the picture breaks up due to the cable moving. becasue its so small it really doen't insert that far into the socket. First I thought it was the cable but a replacent did nothing to change. The connection was checked out on the TV no problems. It was only after visiting AV forums I got my answer, loads of people have the same problem. It only needs to move a margin and this can be caused by your sound system (problem for me was the centre speaker sitting just above the DVD player) or the even the movement of the tray opening on the dvd. Its a real oversight that the connection does not lock into place.

 

[expletive]

Well there will be remotes..

My point is that if we're talking about which will be "cheaper", PS3 will likely make any player on either side look quite expensive, initially at least. You cannot write it off because it's not a standalone. It may be as effective or more effective in some regards (e.g. 1080p) than some of those standalones.

Well it will all be about the movies when the players reach a friendlier price point. Unfortunately theres about a million things that can cahnge between now and then so us trying to predict it isnt that worthwhile. But when i think of my parents or my in-laws, or even my brother, buying an optical disc player, they arent buying a PS3, theyre buying something with a power button, an eject button, a play button, a stop button, a rectangular remote, etc...

 

[AlphaWolf]

Your wireless PS3 controller wouldn't be as much of an obstacle as wired PS2 remotes were, but you can be sure remotes will be available for not a whole lot. On other factors, PS3 certainly looks smaller than the other standalones. Noise during movie playback should be lower than other times. But hey, if you don't want it, enjoy your standalone.

Using a wireless controller is not a good solution, they just aren't built for it. Not very much for buying a remote is still an added cost. I have a DVD player thats smaller than a ps2, I expect to see HD-DVD and BR units that size before long. Noise might be less during movie playback but I still fully expect it will be many times louder than a standalone. My DVD player is practically silent, I expect the same from blu-ray or hd-dvd standalones.

 

[Titanio]

Warner's Blu-ray announcement:

http://home.businesswire.com/portal...d=news_view&newsId=20060105006251&newsLang=en

15 initial titles:

-Warner Home Video (WHV), which distributes the largest film library of any studio, announced today at CES 2006 the company's plans to release 15 titles on the Blu-ray high definition disc format. The initial films named represent a combination of recent hits and catalog favorites.

Warner Bros. titles released in conjunction with the expected U.S. availability of Blu-ray movie players will include key fourth quarter 2005 blockbusters "Batman Begins," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Dukes of Hazzard" as well as classics such as "The Matrix," "Twister" and "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines." For a list of titles planned to be released on Blu-ray, please see below.

"Warner Bros. is committed to providing movie fans with as many viewing options as possible. We are pleased to be a part of the launch of the high definition Blu-ray format," said Ron Sanders, President, Warner Home Video. "Consumers now expect cinema quality on their home systems and providing our titles in high definition will help create an unparalleled viewing experience."

Today, the vast Warner Bros. library, considered one of the most prestigious and prodigious in the world, consists of more than 6,600 feature films, 40,000 television titles and 14,000 animated titles (including over 1,500 classic animated shorts). The library currently consists of films from such distinguished banners as Warner Bros. Pictures, Castle Rock, Warner Independent Pictures, Lorimar Pictures, RKO and classic MGM (pre-1986).

About Warner Home Video

With operations in 89 international territories, Warner Home Video commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment Company, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Video and New Line Home Entertainment.

PLANNED WARNER HOME VIDEO - BLU-RAY TITLES

"Batman Begins"

"Charlie & The Chocolate Factory"

"Constantine"

"The Dukes of Hazzard"

"The Last Samurai"

"Lethal Weapon"

"The Matrix"

"Million Dollar Baby"

"Oceans 12"

"Swordfish"

"Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines"

"Training Day"

"Troy"

"Twister"

"Unforgiven"

Not a mirror of HD-DVD...yet. The Matrix Reloaded, as seen on the Blu-ray "wall" would make it 16, at least.