wco81 said:
Just look over the dozens of threads here the past year or two where certain people tried to discount the value of the Blu-Ray drive -- nobody watches movies on a console, HDTV is not that big, winner of format war is uncertain, games don't need that much storage, etc.
But now the HD-DVD add-on is going to be a big hit.
What you're required to own a certain piece of equipment to call out hypocrisy?
I think your problem is more of one of perception. You know 2 people can like Platform X but disagree on something like media.
For me, I wish they had gone with DVDs because I have no intention of getting HD optical media for a number of reasons. I think the cheap-er addon route is not a bad one for those who want it--let MS and Sony gouge those who want it! As for your points, you are over exaggerating them
• nobody watches movies on a console => Who said "nobody"? Maybe some tard did, but most of the people having thoughtful dialogue on the opposite side never said anything this moronic
• HDTV is not that big => This is true depending on how you look at the market. If you look at the number of HDTVs, specifically those with HDMI, the market is smaller than the broadband market. Even further many of the things that propelled DVD adoption (like working/increasing fidelity on every TV and have specific benefits over VHS like being able to fast forward to a chapter instantly) are not found between the new medias.
• winner of format war is uncertain => Still true, even though I personally think Blu Ray will win
• games don't need that much storage, etc. => Again, an over generalization of your opposition when in fact most arguements have been that most wont need it and there are solutions for most that do. Further a number of large games (Oblivion for example) fit on a DVD9 with room to spare and history tells us there are ways to make/save room. Recently I was comparing the space of cross platform games and it seems a lot of the titles take up a ton less space on the PC/Xbox version compared to the PS2. A game like GTA is not really that big (something like 1.4GB).
Basically you made up/overstated the other position's real thoughts. And this is why topics like this derail because instead of discussing what the other side thinks, it is over generalized and skewed. Its nice to toss down the hypocracy card, but it ain't flying here in regards to most people's positions.
As for the general approaches... MS's approach seems weak, but if it offers consumers a cheap HD DVD drive (e.g. $200 versus a full fledged model at $500) then hey, I don't care. Just as long as I don't have to pay for it!
Sony is in a different position. Blu Ray is very important to their future. Bundling it with the PS3 is a key way to gain marketshare. Of course it jacked up the price. As a *gamer* if you asked me if I wanted 1) Blu Ray or 2) G80 or 3) More/Faster memory (e.g. XDR instead of the GDDR pool, and a wider buss to bring up bandwidth to the 75GB/s range) then I am going with #2 or #3. As a gamer I would actually take a lower price option and let people add on the drive cheaply if they want it. Me personally, I am waiting for all-digital format that has a better DRM situation (ha! wont happen) and for some sanity in regards to format. I could care less about either format. So please don't trivialize the opposite position because the opposing view is not as simplistic or as hypocritical as your are presenting.