p2pnet - rss feed: The Blu-ray disaster
p2pnet news | Movies:- People aren’t falling over themselves to buy Blu-ray, despite the fact it beat HD-DVD into submission in the so-called disc format war.
A recent study shows Blu-ray sales only increased by a mere 2 % February to March, and actually dropped 40% from January to February.
Admittedly, it was by the NPD Group, but nonetheless it’s an indication that all is not well in Consumerland.
Could it be a rude, for the manufacturers, awakening? Have people suddenly come to their collective senses and realised just because there’s something new and shiny out there, they don’t have to rush out to buy it because what they already have is probably perfectly adequate.
“One conclusion that could be reached is that despite the format war being over and a winner being crowned, people still aren’t ready to ditch the traditional DVD in favor of the next-generation Blu-ray,” says PC World, going on, “Any hopes Blu-ray had of a giant sales increase due to the end of the format war proved otherwise.
“At least now the focus in terms of promotion and advertising can be placed upon one format, which might resonate better with the general public and slowly begin to sway that public into the next-generation world.”
Ah. Advertising and promotion. Resonate.
Is that what it’s all about? Do people hurry out to spend their hard-earned money on the latest product because they’ve been gulled into it by clever advertising and promotion?
And of course, the wicked P2P file sharers are always readily available to act as scapegoats for industry failures. After all, if they hadn’t been downloading all those music and movie files, burning them to disc and then playing the results on their laptops and desktops, or piping their downloads into their TV sets, they’d all be out there buying Blu-ray gear like crazy. Right.
But wait! Could there be another answer?
Could Dubaya and the oil companies had anything to do with it, do you think?
Explosion in oil company profits
US president George W. Bush might be described as an international economic disaster, and the effects of oil company greed which, like that of the entertainment cartels, is insatiable, reach far beyond what’s happening at the pumps.
At a time when the average person can no longer afford to fill up his or her vehicle which, lest we forget, is likely to be a gas-guzzling SUV, or something similar, oil company profits are obscene.
As Henry Banta and Peter Ashton understated it in NiemanWatchdog not yesterday, but two years ago, “it is reasonable to conclude that the high gasoline prices and the subsequent explosion in oil company profits resulted in a significant redistribution in wealth from consumers of gasoline to the comparatively rich owners of oil stocks.”
The headline to their story is good too: “For oil industry, profits are one big shell game.”
Says bbraskey67 in the PC World story >>>
“It’s obvious why people aren’t buying into this format. It’s still too expensive.
Think about it…
My wife and I are spending $400+ a month to put gas in our cars.
We’re spending $1000 a month at the grocery store to feed our family of four.
We don’t have an extra $400+ to buy a Blu-ray player and aren’t willing to spend $40 - $50 per movie. When the economy stabilizes and prices for HD hardware and software come down then maybe, but not anytime soon.
Meanwhile, “Sony’s victory over HD-DVD left just one format standing - and absolutely no competition,” says PC Magazine.
“The lack of competition means that prices are likely to remain inordinately high or, even worse, they can go up. Yeah, you heard right.”
And that’s a major component of the corporate game: kill anything which looks even remotely like serious a competition.
Ask Vivendi Universal, EMI, Warner Music and Sony BMG, or Time Warner, Viacom, Fox, Sony, NBC Universal and Disney.
There’s also another interesting factor mooted by Lance Ulanoff in the PC Magazine item, namely >>>
The reality of these boxes is that they’re still PCs. PC Magazine Labs’ own tests reveal that virtually all Blu-ray players (save the PlayStation 3) take as long as a minute to start playing a Blu-ray disc. Even crazier, these players (really Linux PCs in consumer electronics clothing) often need firmware upgrades. When we test them, often the first step is to download an update, burn it to a standard DVD, and load it into the player. This would typically be the moment when Joe Consumer reboxes his Blu-ray player and delivers it back to Best Buy. No consumer would ever put up with this nonsense on a standard DVD player. I also laugh when I see how few of the players ship with Ethernet ports. How are you supposed to enjoy all of Blu-ray’s amazing Internet features if you can’t go online?
Obviously the Blu-ray camp is confused about what people want to do when they watch movies at home. It’s not an interactive experience: You grab a big bowl of popcorn, hunker down on the couch, wrap a warm blanket around you, and watch your movie. And maybe you pause for the occasional bathroom break. So ends the interaction.
‘Several dozen additional seconds’
Back to the comments in PC World, “I predict Blu-ray will take off right after Vista, that is to say, never,” says Yevaud, going on:
“My belief is that this is a simple consumer reaction to draconian DRM schemes employeed by both. In both cases, the consumer perception is that the ‘upgrade’ gives marginal benefits- eg. prettier interface or better image quality- in exchange for serious reductions in ease of use.
“If all this DRM was done without causing the consumer to have to wait, it wouldn’t be a problem for most. It’s the idea that it takes several dozen additional seconds to actually DO what the consumer wants it to do - eg. arrive at the desktop, or actually play the movie - that is and will continue to doom these products.”
Immediately underneath, “Price is only half of the equation,” says jordanlund, adding >>>
The other half is content. People aren’t going to blow $500 on a player and $30 to $35 a movie for crap like Ghost Rider or Ultra Violet or Click or Alien Vs. Predator.
Unfortunately Sony is targeting the 14 to 18 year old demographic with their movie releases and that’s all we’re seeing on Blu-Ray. It’s the same release schedule they tried with UMD movies on the PSP and that failed miserably as well.
Until they get films that people actually want to watch you will continue to see Blu-Ray going nowhere fast.
No need to stay tuned.
(Cheers, catflap)
.
.Stumble It!
NPD Group - Is iTunes making money?, March 13, 2008
PC World - Consumers Not Buying Blu-Ray Format Despite Format Win, May 2, 2008
NiemanWatchdog - For oil industry, profits are one big shell game, June 14, 2006
PC Magazine - Sony Wins the Battle But Loses the War, May 21, 2008
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May 21st, 2008 at 5:56 am
Funny how everything with draconian DRM baked in fails miserably, isn’t it? (grin)
May 21st, 2008 at 6:09 am
“Explosion in oil company profits”
Here is a theory, unproven indeed but sounds just right.
Perhaps that was the plan all along by either Bush, or those that duped him all along.
And who duped Bush? Likely the Saudi Royals, who probably sent Bin Laden to do their dirty work. If not the Saudi Royals, then the oil barons (whicu include the Saudi Royals).
This helps explain why after spening a trillion american dollars, the man (Bin Laden) has not been captured. and this cannot be explained away through the theory that it was more more important to remove the corrupt but progressive Hussein from the (oil) scene, when in fact Hussein was not even a threat to americans or europenas. He was nly a threat to the arab oil barons, the monarchs.
Soon oil will sell for $200 a barrel and gasoline at US$7 a gallon. Thanks to Mr. Bush and the oil barons.
Americans, watch out. The oil barons want MCain, a war criminal in Vietnam, to follow up Bush’s dirty tricks.
May 21st, 2008 at 7:41 am
you guys are lucky, petrol[gas] in the UK is about 10 dollars a gallon already.
i agree with alot of what was said, dvds are fine and simple enough for most people, try explaining 1080i to your mum and see what i mean.
May 21st, 2008 at 8:16 am
Honestly “DVDs are fine” is my view too .. or the old joke “it’s high resolution video .. but I’ve got low resolution eyes”.
Talk to me when blue ray players hit the $100 price point. Then i’ll see if its worth changing, or dealing with drm and encrypted hdmi wiring.
May 21st, 2008 at 9:42 am
Heck I dont mind paying 400 for a player… even though i got a PS3… but they have to ditch the DRM if they want me to do that…
Paying extra to get less is like buying the mugger a gun to mug you with… just plain stupid.
Cheers!
http://www.ezee.se/
May 21st, 2008 at 11:14 am
Not only will the DRM have to be dropped but the prices on the movies will have to come down as well. These movies are not worth the price mentioned in the article. If the media corps ever get off the sue’em and come up to those requirements, I’ll think about becoming a customer again. Till then, this is just another sign that the greedy media corps aren’t getting what they demand. Instead the customer is telling them in no uncertain terms with their wallets what they approve of.
Worth mentioning in this is that M$ should take note. Making an OS, that is laced with the DRM as well as being a pain to the user to use on purpose, will result in customers looking elsewhere. Indeed that has become with Apple and Linux doing better than ever before.
May 21st, 2008 at 11:53 am
I am so sick and tired of hearing people bash Bush and lump him in with the likes of the Oil Companies or the Saudis.
Apparently people don’t understand what the office of the President of the United States is. It’s a FIGUREHEAD position, with EXTREMELY LIMITED powers. On his own, the President can do very little, his primary power is in approving or denying new laws that are passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives.
President Bush has nothing at all to do with the Blu-Ray situation or the Oil Price problems. Take your anger about prices out on the “greenie weenie” environmentalists who are too afraid to allow drilling in PROVEN locations in Alaska and off the coast of Texas, and on the greedy oil companies who have not upgraded the technologies in the refineries in over 30 years. The only way to reduce the prices at the pumps is to increase the supplies being sent TO the pumps. To increase the supplies, we need new AMERICAN wells, and UPGRADED refineries that can produce the needed fuels in less time than the current ANTIQUE equipment does now.
And for anyone who thinks the War in Iraq was about the Iraq oil fields, WHERE’S THAT OIL? CUZ IT AIN’T COMING TO AMERICA!
*Steps down from his soapbox.*
May 21st, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Blue ray is too expensive. It is DRMed. OK we have the tool to unDRMed it but why bother since we are equiped for the standard DVD who is already pretty good.
Between lower resolution video without DRM and HD DRMed I preffer lower resolution sorry!
May 21st, 2008 at 12:29 pm
“I am so sick and tired of hearing people bash Bush and lump him in with the likes of the Oil Companies or the Saudis.”
After four more years of Bush:
1) Iraq War is a mess.
Our nation is bankrupt.
2) Price of oil is going through the roof.
3) The international reputation and credibility of the US is on the ground because of the torture.
4) Real estate and ledning market is heavily damaged.
5) The health care system is in tater.
6) Our constitution trempled by the executive: (Freedom of speach, The right to bear Arms, Abusive search and seasure, due process, The right to a trial by Jury, Treason)
7) The governement is bankrupt.
9) Ben Laden is still running arround.
10) The Bush administration lies for attacking Iraq has been exposed.
11) 10,000 US soldiers dead (over 4000 admited) Many more innocent civilians dead.
12) Many innocent people tortured and murdered in CIA secret prisons all arround the word.
13) The republican Party is on his knee!
Bush damaged our country so bad that it might take 20 years to repair it and you are sick and tired??????
What are you smoking?
Even my friends republican can not stand this!!!!!
May 21st, 2008 at 1:19 pm
From Marcus Ironfist: “And for anyone who thinks the War in Iraq was about the Iraq oil fields, WHERE’S THAT OIL? CUZ IT AIN’T COMING TO AMERICA!”
Amen! The dems have griped about the War on Terror all along, and one of their first excuses was “We’re only fighting in the middle east so we can steal their oil.” Well, where’s my free oil?! That’s never been what it’s about. We’re there to try to stop scumsucking maggots in their tracks before they can mount another attack on us, & also to bring some basic freedoms that we enjoy to the innocents, small in number though they may be, who live over there.
I’m not buying Blu-Ray, am against high oil prices, & would like to see the war WON & ended as much as anybody, but to blame these things on the President is just plain stupid.
May 21st, 2008 at 1:44 pm
To the person who didn’t use their name for their post:
Understand the facts before you blame the President:
1: The orders to go to war were APPROVED by the Senate and House before a single soldier ever left American soil, so it’s not Bush’s fault.
2: The oil prices HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH PRESIDENTIAL ACTIONS, it has to do with GREEDY OIL COMPANIES AND A LACK OF SUPPLY. People constantly complain that we rely too much on imports of foreign oil, but no one has approved a single request to begin drilling new wells on American soil.
3: Terrorist prisoners are NOT prisoners of war because they are not government sanctioned soldiers of any country so they are EXEMPT from the Geneva Convention. They have no problem using torture on our citizens (non-combatants and soldiers alike), why should we have problems using it against them?
4: Again, the Housing Market has nothing to do with the President. It was caused by lending companies over-extending themselves to people who couldn’t pay for the loans they signed for.
5: The Healthcare System is screwed up because of the lack of agreement between the political parties, not by any act of the President.
6: Provide proof that the Executive branch has done anything of the sort. Which would you prefer: apprehending terrorist cells before they attack civilians, or further attacks like 9/11? (And don’t you dare try to say Bush had any involvement in that.)
7: The US government is bankrupt because of corrupt politicians who care more about money than about the US Public they are supposed to SERVE.
8: The country’s financial issue is not the President’s fault, it’s the rest of the government offices and the corruption that run rampant because no one has the guts to fight it.
9: Yes, Bin Laden is still running around, cuz he’s a slippery snake who hides in caves and is only seen in video clips. For all we know, there could be multiple people who had facial reconstruction surgery to look like him to make it more difficult.
10: What lies did the Bush administration tell? WMD’s in Iraq? Iraq’s links to Bin Laden or Al Qaida? News Flash: Previous President Clinton said the same things, and was treated as if he was speaking Gospel Truth. The only difference between the two men: their political party.
11: Yes, war causes death. The problem with this war: it’s not against a regular sanctioned military force, so there’s no uniforms to distinguish the combatants from the non-combatants. Our soldiers are trained in a situation like this to “only fire when fired upon”. The deaths to civilians are caused by the enemy cowards who use civilians as human shields, or use suicide bombers to take out groups of civilians supporting the American Soldiers. Again, not something President Bush has any involvement in.
12: Define what you mean by “CIA Secret Prisons”. Remember that the the terrorists in Al Qaida take innocent hostages to unknown locations, torture and then kill the hostages, just to try to scare us. If we don’t start using their own tactics against them, they will never fear us.
13: The Republican Party is not on its knees, that’s just what the Democrats and their media lap-dogs want you to think. Don’t listen to what is said on ABC, CBS, NBC, or CNN. Those stations are owned by, run by, and staffed by Democrats who hate our country.
America was one of the greatest super-powers on the planet, until the likes of Bill Clinton made a farce of our country by stripping down our military power and making us seem worse than other contries. If America was such a bad country, why are people from other countries flocking here in large numbers to escape their own contries?
I’m not smoking anthing. My question is, what are you smoking, and who are you getting your information from?
I AM a Republican, and I’m DAMN PROUD OF IT! I voted for President Bush.
May 21st, 2008 at 1:47 pm
How can we have a bunch of idiots that don’t use there brains - or maybe even a dailykos idiot.
“1) Iraq War is a mess.”
That is because we don’t do what you are complaining about in your number 3. Plus, you have to look at the whole.14 out of the 18 Iraqi provinces are totally pacified. It is like having turmoil in NY City and LA and saying the whole of the US is up in arms when every where else has no problem.
“2) Price of oil is going through the roof.”
Could it be that we are in a world market and the industrialisation of India and China and their ever growing demand for oil (as well as Steel and concrete) are going through the roof? I guess it is Bush’s fault thta China and India are so prosperous.
“3) The international reputation and credibility of the US is on the ground because of the torture.”
Here agin, we have to blame the Liberals. There are liberals around the world who will never win anything with appeasment. We as the western world are not like when we fought in WWII. It was never doing what we have to do anymore to win, but to think about why we are not loved.
“4) Real estate and lending market is heavily damaged.”
That is actually Greenspan’s fault. He keep the bubble getting bigger and bigger with no sign of any correction. That coupled with the fact that investment banking has shown a lot of greed into pushing these sub-prime mortgages, then turning around and selling them to investors as a can’t lose proposition. When you as a person invests money and your investment loses, do you go and blame your investor? If the investors knew how much of a risk it is and still took it, then they should bear the brunt of the monetary loss. (I could go on and on, but you don’t understand simple economics and I would be wasting my breath (or typing))
“5) The health care system is in tater.(sic)”
I don’t know what you mean by the potato reference, but if you mean in tatters, there again how is it bushes fault. This has been going on for years before W.
“6) Our constitution trampled by the executive: (Freedom of speach, The right to bear Arms, Abusive search and seasure, due process, The right to a trial by Jury, Treason)”
1) Freedom of Speech is being trampled by political correctness, not the President. You can’t say anything bad because someone will sue you.
2) Right to Bear Arms is being challenged by the Liberals, not Bush.
3) Abusive Search and Seizure, Due Process, Right to a Trial and Treason are not being threatened, unless you are dealing with foreign nationals that are under suspicion or terrorism. Please read a little more of law, once you get done learning about economics. The reason it seems to be trampled is because the speed that the information age is overtaken the courts, so the courts have approved in streamlining and quickening the process in certain situations.
“7) The government is bankrupt.”
We’ve been bankrupt for a longer time than W’s two tems. What else is new other than using W as a scapegoat?
“8 ) Our nation is bankrupt.”
See #7 above.
“9) Ben Laden is still running around.”
That is a legitimate gripe. Don’t worry about it if Obama or Hillary gets into office. They’ll capitulate to him to make things better (/sarcasm). The one thing I’d like to see is to stop paying Pakistan money to search for him, when they have given up and made pease with the tribal leaders in Western Pakistan and that is most likely going to be the breeding ground of the new Al Queda.
“10) The Bush administration lies for attacking Iraq has been exposed.”
Don’t you mean the lies that were brought to the Bush administration have been exposed? Don’t fal into any conspiracy theory. They believed in faulty data that was brought to them and mad plans accordingly. If you were told something that was not true and believed them, is it your fault or the person(s) that made the lie?
“11) 10,000 US soldiers dead (over 4000 admited) Many more innocent civilians dead.”
Proof of this? In this day and age, not much can be faked on that scale, unless journalists are not permitted into the various areas, which is actually the forte of Hamas. It was witnessed by a journalist that Hamas had staged various various photo ops in the whole Israel/Lebanon invasion. How many journalists would be crying foul at the US if the US did not allow them into an area until after the US doctored the scene? They only rely on the yellow journalism.
“12) Many innocent people tortured and murdered in CIA secret prisons all around the word.”
As opposed to guilty parties being tortured and murdered? Here again, the liberal lack to putting an end to war and caring more for why they hate us, instead of winning.
“13) The republican Party is on his knee!”
I’d like to see any blackmail photos of any Republicans bouncing on his knee. Or even a Republican intern blue dress with stains.
“Bush damaged our country so bad that it might take 20 years to repair it and you are sick and tired??????”
I won’t say we are going in the right direction, but we are not going in a wrong direction. It is crisis that builds character and we as a nation don’t have character anymore. We are a touchy-feely society that praises the likes of Oprah and Dr Phil while secretly enjoying Springer better.
May 21st, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Ok, so people think Bush sucks. Yeah, we heard it like a million times already…
May 21st, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Who needs a HD player when I can download videos with a 10mb connection then watch it on my pc? a 30 inch dell monitor supports resolutions (2560×1600) which greatly surpasses 1080i (why can’t they just state the actual resolution instead of dumbing things down, sigh…). Not only that, but monitors have better response times and contrast ratios.
You can keep your DRMed HDMI hardware thanks, and i’ll stick with my DRM free DVI interface
May 21st, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Bush is a war criminal, yes like Adolf you wont find his signature on every piece of paper but we know who sanctions the self defeating torture, any sensible person knows the difference between right and wrong and torture is wrong, excuses are just that and worthless.
I have plenty of time for the American people who suffer under the yoke of anti constitutionalists amongst their own ranks, my fear is that after taking on the role of the worlds policeman , we now watch as it seems this role has degenerated into a classic new york style of policing, right and wrong are decided upon the basis of whom offers the largest amount of “donations “.
I’m not an US citizen, and so I feel I should impart some helpful advice from an outsider, please don’t waste any time thinking whether your deluding us, please recognise that you’re only deluding yourself.
May 21st, 2008 at 6:31 pm
…. now back to the real topic.
I cant see anyone armed with information regarding the amount of DRM employed in this format taking out their wallet, as a previous poster stated its like saying “here is my wallet clean me out with your proprietary lock in system that steals my fair use rights”, only a complete imbecile with more money than brain cells is likely to even think about shelling out for what is in reality merely another expensive chunk of cheap plastic with a corporate logo affixed to it.
May 21st, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Quartz -
Where would the world be without the US? What country donates the most to nations who have just experienced natural disasters? What country does the most to make the UN possible? What nation provides the most support for democracies? What is the most generous nation in the world? After World War II who put Europe and Japan back on their feet?
If the US just disappeared one day, who do you think would step in to help so many people, Power Hungry Russia, Communist China, toothless xenophobic Europe?
I’ll answer for you - NONE OF THE ABOVE
Before you state the American people are under some fictional “yolk” step back and observe the whole picture.
Sure we have our faults but the good we’ve done definitely out weighs the bad.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4091528.stm
http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=11333149
May 21st, 2008 at 8:43 pm
From Quartz: “…. now back to the real topic.”
Thanks. I don’t agree with you at all on your first post, but you’re absolutely right on this one. Blu-Ray isn’t worth it, & most people aren’t falling for it. I wish the writer of the original story would’ve just stuck with that topic & hadn’t dragged unrelated political views into it. It would’ve saved us all a lot of annoyance & typing time.
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:43 am
I apologise If my “other” comments annoyed you Moose, I was however having a little fun as a counterpoint to some of the posters above, all I really know about politics is that its a balancing act of apportioning rights, get the mix wrong and someone will always be aggrieved, I was serious regarding prisoner torture though, its a big thing in europe that humans have rights not to be made to confess to crimes they may not have anything to do with, this is why its outlawed internationally.
With Blue-ray I truly for the life of me cant understand why anyone would buy into the system, once its cracked sure, but while it ensures your rights are decided by some business types who have no concerns other than the fastest method to milk you of cash regularly, I just don’t see any use for such technology.
I do have a similar view regarding Vista its a well known fact the operating system has an embedded “lock-in” system that with the right hardware can hand over complete control of your machine to the operating system vendor, most folks are not informed of this stealth implementation of the trusted computer platform scheme instead its likely once support for the other operating systems has fallen away we will see some muscle flexing going on and a return of the “take-it-or-leave it” attitude favoured by monopolists.
Fair use is fair for all, lock-in’s and secret back-doors to monopoly are unethical business practices in my view.
May 22nd, 2008 at 9:38 am
“.. like to see the war WON & ended as much as anybody, but to blame these things on the President is just plain stupid.”
Who do you think gave the approval for it? Am I wrong? All the evidence points to 911 being an inside job with a massive coverup, for one reason as a pretext to invade any country in the name of terrorism and to institute the patriot act along with all its evils.
The US made a pact with Bin Laden prior to 911. Any guesses what it was about? Then he was blamed for it but “surprisingly” never caught. There were no perpetrators found in the wreckage and all those accused were innocent and never arrested.
Just a couple of the mysteries to tantalize. Here’s another. It was rumoured that there were stores of gold in the basement of one of the buildings which was shipped out just prior to the bombs exploding and never seen again. BTW buildings only collapse that way from numerous bomb detonations, not by a high level explosion. Soon after, another building collapsed by detonation nearby and was not struck by a plane.
More people have died from asbestos poisoning since than died in the events. The asbestos content was a known problem.
May 22nd, 2008 at 9:43 am
“Sure we have our faults but the good we’ve done definitely out weighs the bad.”
That’s like the criminal who claims he has good points that make up for it. Really? Tell it to the police and see if it excuses you.
May 23rd, 2008 at 3:50 pm
I’m not going to invest in either Blu-Ray nor Vista. ESPECIALLY with all the DRM
Also, LOL at Tony Nelson silly posts.
May 26th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
I’d certainly LIKE to buy more Blu-ray, but have 2 main problems:
(1) The players aren’t good enough yet (apart from the PS3). When BD 2.0 players with WiFi become available at a decent price, I’m gonna grab one. Until then, I’m stuck with a PS3 in the lounge and a DVD player in the bedroom, and I’m gonna buy media that plays on both.
(2) The price of Blu-ray discs is outlandish. In New Zealand, we can pick up new DVDs in the $NZ20-30 price range. Apart from a handful of older titles (e.g. Full Metal Jacket), you’re expected to pay around $NZ40-55 for the Blu-ray version.
Until these change, I’m just going to buy the occasional Blu title but mostly stick to DVD.