"The HD era really only starts when we are on the market" says Sony's Phil Harrison

[RoleTroll]

I've said it before and I'll say it again; Market share/impact wise, Blu-ray vs. DVD will probably be along the same lines of the SACD/DVD-Audio vs. regular CDs.

You're probably right. You really do reach a point where most people don't care. I've never had any desire for better audio than what a regular CD can provide. Particularly for audio differences that my ear cannot even detect.

If Blu-ray is the standard and backwards compatible, fine. But until there is an established HD standard, I'll stick with old DVDs until the whole thing settles down.

[mollipen]

I've said it before and I'll say it again; Market share/impact wise, Blu-ray vs. DVD will probably be along the same lines of the SACD/DVD-Audio vs. regular CDs.

Totally disagree. Visual improvements are far more of a tangible thing - people notice visual differences far more than audio differences. Want a great example of that? MP3. A lot of MP3s are of far lower quality than CD, yet a majority of people don't seem to notice that difference nearly as much as they notice the visual difference of VHS vs. DVD, or SD vs. HDTV.

Then look at this - if I buy a SACD or DVD-A player, and put my CD into it, it still sounds just as good. If I buy an HDTV, and a PS3, and put my DVD into it, I DO NOT get the same experience as I got before. A current gen DVD on an HDTV looks poor. A lot of people are buying fancy HDTVs, and they are going to notice this difference. When they do, they are going to want their movies to look good on their expensive flatscreen television, and the answer to that is Blu-Ray or HD-DVD.

[StriderKyo]

I've said it before and I'll say it again; Market share/impact wise, Blu-ray vs. DVD will probably be along the same lines of the SACD/DVD-Audio vs. regular CDs.

I don't agree at all - you're talking about a major format paradigm shift in display technology itself, as opposed to prior upgrades which were driven entirely by percieved inadequacies in previous media. This is almost as meaningful as black & white to colour. Anybody who wonders why the new hi-def tv the television industry is making them buy doesn't actually play hi def movies will be attracted to the idea of a Blu Ray player. Given the prices of these tvs, tossing a $4-500 PS3 onto the cost won't be a huge deal. (Not irrelevant, but not a back breaker).

I don't think it'll be a situation where people will toss out or replace DVDs like they had to with VHS, because the player still handles that medium. It'll more likely just be a situation where all the movies they buy from that point onward will be hi def.

[Bacon McShig]

A current gen DVD on an HDTV looks poor. A lot of people are buying fancy HDTVs, and they are going to notice this difference. When they do, they are going to want their movies to look good on their expensive flatscreen television, and the answer to that is Blu-Ray or HD-DVD.

A recent statistic I saw said that more than half of HDTV owners don't actually subscribe to HD stations. I'd wager a pretty close percentage don't even have their DVD players hooked up to their HDTV through component cables. A lot of people are buying HDTVs because they just want big TVs, and almost all big TVs are coincidentally HDTVs. I guarantee you, most people wouldn't really notice the difference between most DVDs vs. HD unless they were told to do so.

Maybe saying it would do as bad as SACD was a bit much, as the new format will probably see a few very competent sellers as far as huge action movies and classics, movies people want to see over and over again or use to get their guests to say "HOLY CRAP!" I can't imagine much else will move though; if The 40-Year-Old Virgin 2: Revirginated hits and the choice is between the $15 DVD version or the $20-25 Blu-Ray version, I don't see many people going for the latter. It's probably not going to be the standard for your average movie, and I don't see a lot of people trading up their (pretty recently acquired) DVD collections except on a handful of essentials.

[bahn]

On the 'lil system front, we already have a non-Sony victory:



Sony is the pioneer for cutting edge, huh? Sure seems like they're "pioneering" crippling dev costs these days as well. The PSP is setting a bad precedent for PS3 development.

Seriously, Sony needs to just shut up about high def, blue ray, blah blah and talk games. Enough of this 'future in a box'/"This is our Great Wall of China" idiocy. They are constantly focusing waaaay too much attention on making "shiny" hardware guts which is costing them with the PSP.

And I suppose according to Phil, relevant hard drive functionality in games was also "made popular/pioneered" by Sony as well?

Harrison is a moron, he tried to trash talk Reggie 4 months ago on DS and it was some pretty weak posturing. But considering his boss is Kaz Hirai and Ken "the architect" Kutaragi, the guy doesn't have much to go on to begin with. ha

Victory? *raises eyebrow*
Master Dylan-One. Not victory... begun the Console Wars have...

[SpoDaddy]

Just because nobody owns them now doesn't mean that won't be the big thing in 2009 when the PS3 is just entering the middle of its llifespan. It'll be something they can always trumpet over the competition, and not have to worry anout someone coming in and topping them before they are ready to put out a new platform.

Based on MS' business model (4 year console lifespans) the next Xbox will be launching in 2009. I'm sure it'll have tech specs that blow out the PS3, and Sony will be forced to convert to MS' model and put out PS4 in 2010.

Totally disagree. Visual improvements are far more of a tangible thing - people notice visual differences far more than audio differences. Want a great example of that? MP3. A lot of MP3s are of far lower quality than CD, yet a majority of people don't seem to notice that difference nearly as much as they notice the visual difference of VHS vs. DVD, or SD vs. HDTV.

Bacon was on point, he just should have used a better example, like Laserdisc vs. VHS.

Most mp3's are 128kbps or higher (I only use 192kbps or higher, which is pretty much CD quality), the difference between a 128kbps mp3 and a CD on most speaker systems is FAR smaller than the difference between a VHS tape and a DVD on most TV's.

Victory? *raises eyebrow*
Master Dylan-One. Not victory... begun the Console Wars have...

I think Sony has sort of missed their window at this point with PSP. Apple is now getting into the portable video market and with expensive Xbox 360 and PS3 development costs now entering the equation, most third party game developers will probably turn to the cheap to develop for DS over the expensive to develop for PSP. Especially considering the DS has the higher userbase. Sony really needed to force the issue with the PSP out of the gate, launch it at no higher than $199 without the bundle and games no higher than $40. Another no brainer would have been getting the ball rolling on cheap quickie ports of beloved PS1 stuff like FF7, steal a page from Nintendo's playbook.

[outRider]

As far as that other use of PS3, don't expect to see 1080p from anything but the simplest of games... like say, Tetris Worlds 2 or Fantavision 2K6.

[Tommy Tallarico]

BIG CORPORATIONS ARE EVIL EXCEPT NINTENDO LOLOLOL

[Master]

It's called "future "proofing" which you should be down with since it's a Microsoft buzzword.

Wow, my little brain has such a hard time with that.

Just because nobody owns them now doesn't mean that won't be the big thing in 2009 when the PS3 is just entering the middle of its llifespan. It'll be something they can always trumpet over the competition, and not have to worry anout someone coming in and topping them before they are ready to put out a new platform.

Wow, you must be the first person to figure out their plan. Thanks for telling the rest of us, it didn't go without stating. Thanks again.

I think it's funny that a lot of the same people who were defending 360 games that looked current gen by saying "you need the right tv to appreciate it " are now saying how resolution doesn't matter.

I think it is funny that nobody said either of those things (not that I noticed).

It's also not like Sony's "forcing" anything on anyone - PS3 will still play regular dvds; it has to if it's going to be able to read PS2 games.

Wow. Great analysis. You are correct again, Sony doesn't want BluRay into the home, they are just using it because it is neat. Movie Studios be damned!

Sony may be evil dickheads, but I'm buying like 5 of their evil dickhead machines to put on Ebay because they're going to be huge.

Evil Dickheads? Yeah, doing business makes you evil.

I'm talking about what Sony should be focusing their marketing on. Not why they are doing what they are doing. Trust me, I get it.

If you disagree, that is fine, but please don't imply that I don't understand in a backhanded manner.

If Sony can't explain the benefit of BluRay to people without the newest 1080p television set they have failed. They should be focusing on the storage capabilities, and the other specific things the system can do at this point. When 1080p sets are more readily available, then they should be talking more about their "120fps" games. That is my opinion, but trust me, I get where you are coming from.

[Master]

I don't think it'll be a situation where people will toss out or replace DVDs like they had to with VHS, because the player still handles that medium. It'll more likely just be a situation where all the movies they buy from that point onward will be hi def.

I would agree to an extent... I think the new situation we will find ourselves in will be one that hasn't existed previously. I think the new HD format will coexist with DVDs, and DVDs will become dirt cheap. I think the high-end market will bleed into those with a big enough television, but people with portable DVD players, smaller televisions, children and such will continue to use DVDs, maybe even as a cheaper alternative.

I could see myself buying the new romantic comedy to watch with my girlfriend for 9.99 at the store in the same trip I buy the new King Kong box set in HD for 29.99