It's Beta-max vs. VHS all over again

[DisneyFan25863]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Frankly, neither format is going to be offering the kind of improvement over DVD that Joe Blow will roll over for. Perhaps it would have been better to wait the few years till all analog signals disappear from the consumer realm. HDTV will have near universal penetration by then (or by 2 weeks after the analog cut-off) ... and perhaps a format that offers a slightly better picture quality might have a chance at that point.

That's still a big perhaps.


As for more room for extras - - well I've already got 96 hours of running commentary on my Lord of the Rings DVDs plus 544 hours of documentaries and such. Do I really need the extra "extras" room that a new format would provide?

I think the FCC deadline for digital transmission is July of this year, though cable companies can get an extension if they request it. I know pretty much all of LA is digital already, with analog being transmitted just for the people who don't have a box or CableCARD.

Also, having extra room means that the Lord of the Rings will be able to fit on two DVDs instead of like 50. Which, in turn, results in lower costs, which would hopefully be passed on to you.

[innerSpaceman]

Originally Posted by DisneyFan25863

I think the FCC deadline for digital transmission is July of this year

Ah, but the analog cut-off has been pushed back to 2009, after being pushed back twice already. Who knows when it will really happen.

Originally Posted by DisneyFan25863

Also, having extra room means that the Lord of the Rings will be able to fit on two DVDs instead of like 50. Which, in turn, results in lower costs, which would hopefully be passed on to you.

Hahahahahahahah! Uh-huh, just like the lower costs of CD were passed on to us. Ahahahahahahahahah!

[lizziebith]

From www.Blu-ray.com (not Sony):

Will Blu-ray be backwards compatible with DVD?


Yes, several leading consumer electronics companies (including Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Samsung, Sharp, Sony and LG) have already demonstrated products that can read/write CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs using a BD/DVD/CD compatible optical head, so you don't have to worry about your existing DVD collection becoming obsolete. Although it's up to each manufacturer to decide if they want to make their products backwards compatible with DVD, the format is far too popular to not be supported. The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) expects every Blu-ray Disc device to be backward compatible with CDs and DVDs.

(Emphasis mine)
My disclaimer -- I work for Sony but not in Electronics...

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by lizziebith

I work for Sony but not in Electronics...

Do you work for their lingerie and linens division?




I didn't know Sony did anything besides electronics.

[lizziebith]

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

Do you work for their lingerie and linens division?




I didn't know Sony did anything besides electronics.

Sony Pictures. Old Columbia studios in Culver City...

[€uroMeinke]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Ah, but the analog cut-off has been pushed back to 2009, after being pushed back twice already. Who knows when it will really happen.

I'm just reminded about how how the metric system is coming by... when was it? 1978 or something?

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

I'm just reminded about how how the metric system is coming by... when was it? 1978 or something?

1976

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

I'm just reminded about how how the metric system is coming by... when was it? 1978 or something?

Black-and-white -> Color is a closer analogy. Of course, they were clever enough to find a standard which accomodated BOTH technologies for that conversion, which made the transfer seemless and painless. Not really a possibility in this case.