Blu Ray over/under $


Sony announced the release of a blu ray DVD player for this summer along with some disc releases. What's your guess of how much it will cost upon intial release? How much would you pay to get one or would you get one at all?
maineiac
Blu Ray will be the clear winner. Blu Ray has all the big consumer companies behind it. The only way HD DVD becomes the big winner is Microsoft and Intel stay away and continue to not support Blu Ray. I doubt it. As well as ERP system is booming now a days like AX and NAV. Which creates disruption in Market i am pretty sure. MS Inspire changed the scenario. 
    Now a days Dynamics AX Developers got plenty of opportunities. Wonder if it can effect Blu Ray technology also in market share as every thing becoming integrated technology which may make Bluray as redundant?
Rysa - I am just talking about the Blue-ray subject. I do not miss any CES so we are on the same page. But the Blue ray is in the south hall and not at St Tropez and Alexis park that means.... they are still trying to get the feel of everything.

That what happens to a new Plasma and LCD TV. What we do is take it to SID ( Society of information Display show) and just let all the manufacturers, enginneers, Scientist, reviewers, investors and media watch and gather some info. Once this is well recieved then we go for the next show which is CES and get some more feedback with the larger market segment which includes of course sellers and thier relatives and friends.
Thanks again Rysa4.
Twinaudio- Actually Alexis Park and St Topez is pretty much for audiophiles. AS you know these are the CES venues that are SOLELY for audiophiles and is one of the few places where you can hear the Green Mountains, Silverl;ines, and Merlins in one place. Certainly not for the masses and definetly for audiophiles. Just trying to get you more up to speed.
Henry, I saw that as well. Even more interesting is the fact that the parts cost of the PS3 will be upwards of $900. Interesting business model, sell wholesale at a 200% loss, drive down unit costs with volume, and derive profit from software licensing fees. The disc unit part cost was $200 I think. I'll get a PS3 when they finally do come out.
Rysa4, CES is not for all but this is one of the big show out there that the manufacturers can have some feedback from almost all the segment of the market. From media to just technology savvy consumers but not really audiophiles. It is fun to see anyway. Thanks again Rysa4.
In response to the last post, CES is not solely for the mass market although it certainly makes the news. No sense going into this but suffice to say that the content is wide and varied with different intents and purposes.

Blu ray is just one aspect of many video technologies all in different stages of development that were presented at CES and in fact other shows as well. SED technology for example has no release date and no availability. Lots of floor space and talk at CES though.
We are full of expectations all the time. What will happen in the future will be about money. It does not matter if it has backing of big companies.... what matters is, after all the hooplaaaa blueray or HD DVD it will still defend of the market response. It does not matter what audiophiles decide.... it will be the decision of the mass market,that is where the money is.

Our economy is very different now, before you can develop a product and sell it in the market place and wallaaaa!! every body will pick it up. NOW it is what you call market base economy, where all the marketing decision will come from the users and not for the few. It is the needs of the market that those guys are looking and not what the manufacturers want to sell. In the Audiophile world..it is different.

Those companies did not developed that technology for us ... but for the mass market.

The reason why they have that at CES is for the mass market again not for us.... so I think what we have to do is wait and wait and wait and may be listen to our music instead of our equipments.
with regard to the "average consumer"...yes they really do not care for high quality audio playback...or perhaps they have become so for a variety of reasons and certainly put much more value on flexibility, portability, storage and convenience....but the same may not be the case for video quality: if it is readily apparent which most seem to state with regard to HD then the adoption may much faster than e think and at least have much larger success than SACD, analogue LP, DVD-A.
Your welcome db, and I agree that the Pioneer Elite looks sweet.
There is a spec pdf for that one on the Pioneer site.
Multi channel 192/24 BB dacs, 1080p ect.

Here is a link that works for the player/recordes

www.blu-ray.com/recorders/
And drives
www.blu-ray.com/drives/
And media
www.blu-ray.com/media/
Blu Ray is beginning to look real. That Pioneer Elite looks to be a nicely designed unit that I would be happy to have in my rack. Think I'll hold off on buying a 60" Sony SXRD until they add a 1080p input.

Thanks for the photos, Ears.

db
Here are some Blu Ray player pics
http://www.blu-ray.com/players/

Here are some Blu Ray player/recorder pics
http://www.blu-ray.com/recorders/
Jaybo...none of these studios are doing hd dvd
MGM
Miramax
Columbia Tri Star
Buena Vista
Pixar
Disney
Lions Gate
Fox
Sony Pictures
With only Universal holding out on Blu Ray, and that highly expected to change soon.
All other studios have dual support which gives Blu Ray over 90% support, and HD dvd less than 40%
Jaybo....Warner and Paramount are Blu Ray supporters also though...so whats your point exactly?
Universal minus 8 studios = very weak support for hd dvd....no question there.
And Blu Ray also has a huge harware support advantage to boot.

Rysa, my Optoma pj although 720p, accepts a full 1080p digital input now, and by this summer/fall, there will be lots opf 1080p displays that accept 1080p.
But your right, other than the average Joes who geta BD player by default with there PS3, there won't be many average consumers buying either format for at least a few years in any great numbers.
Mr. F-Lamb- I tried to sell you but there weren't any buyers.

I have doubts about hi def DVDs making it in the long run. AS far as hi def DTS and Dolby- currently available data stream rates arent fully utilized in almost all soundtracks and after sitting throguh both dolby HD and DTS HD demos at CES- I cant tell any difference at all.

I do like the DTS 2006 demo disk though- quite the cool freebie.
warner and universal still rule the software world. ad paramount and dreamworks to the hddvd list too.
As for the better audio capability issue, I really seriously doubt anyone on a grand scale cares so much! I mean, A BIG FAT FRACTION OF A PERCENT of the buying public ever even heard an SACD or DVDA disc, let alone even know they exist! Crappy old 16/44 CD's are now like 25 years old already, and that's all they mostly still sell at the stores!
I hardly think anyone ready for DVD HD is really going "wow, the audio should be great!"...That is, except for us few audiophile minority.
That all said, I think this is a great counter to the long standing thread here about 2 channel being better than multi-channel!!! Here we have the public at large rejecting old super sounding analog records and high rez SACD/DVDA audio discs, and basically only caring about cd and download Ipod music stash!!! However, audio upgrades to overmixed, foley-effect laden synthetic movie soundtracks on DVD, specfically higher rez DD/DTS, are what seems to be most important!
Let's face it, 2 channel may or may not be great on a good recording, but everyone else in the world only cares about their "surroundy sound" system and DVD movie playback soundquality it seems. Otherwise the industries wants things to be that way evidently
Rysa4, I don't get your point.
I stated that there's NOT going to be a mass exodus anytime soon to any new DVD format, IMO. The players will indeed have more potential on the right monitor, over standard DVD, this is certain! And yes, I've seen the demo's at the shows. On a small monitor, the difference is more subtle, of course. Still, my point is that DVD already WORKS for the average consumer superbly! Only those setup for large screen dedicated movies (projector setups and large display close-up scenarios) will get a big benefit, in the right circumstances.
I was simply stating that whatever is coming down the pike will be what we get, that's it. I'm sure it will be all nice in the end.
Anything else you were trying to sell me?
Blu ray will be the greatest thing since sliced bread. Why? Because with a 1080p, TV will look better then real life. Why would you be happy buying DVDs knowing the limitations of the picture compared to HD if you know the difference. I have a Mitsubiti Dimond 55-909 which has the best movie picture posable and a Denon 2800MkII DVD player with DVDO chip set so my picture is just about the best possable from DVD. Comcast HD blows this away and the Comcast signel is only 15mhz out of a possable 19mhz. Canon has a new TV coming out later this year that will outdate everything else available. Samsung is coming out with a $300 universal player there will play all HD formats and DVDs. The movie companys want a new format that will protect their property better. Sony is coming out with the new Playstation with Blu ray included. HD-DVDs will include DVD on the flip side so only only one disk will work in new and old machines. So tell me this will someone. Just where is the downside to all this?
Based on December 2005 The Perfect Vsion Gary Mearson article, many of the 1080P displays are not capable of truely displaying 1080P signal or receieveing it. HDMI is as yet an unsettled standard and true costs of any upgraded format and players are yet to be seen.

I am sayin that a current DVD on a decent display with a decent DVD player si really good. A Hi Def DVD may not be better enough in Picture quality for people to feel they need to purchase anything other than what they purchase or rent now.
What issues are those...I know the Sony es player plays cd, and will even up scale sd dvd to 1080p.
The Philips Prototype BD recorder/player clearly has an sa-cd logo on it,as well as dvd/cd logos, and the PS3 is stated as sa-cd/cd/dvd/BD compatilble as well as having 1080p.
The Samsung plays cd/dvd and like the Sony es and Philips has 8 analog outs.
Not sure on the Pioneer Elite or Panasonic ect BD players yet.
the visual differences will(as with dvd) be contingent on the production procss. the industry will nurture this more slowly that the ill-fated sacd and dvda. there are backward compatibility issues too.
With eight major studios now supporting Blu Ray only, along with the usual millions of Ps3 sales in the U.S putting more Blu Ray players in U.S. homes than all other players from either format combined, you can pretty much stick a fork in it.
M/S seems to be the only big backer of HD, and if not for M/S, Toshiba and Sony would most likely have come to an agreement long ago, and there would be none of this happening.
Toshiba has now announced making PC BD drives also...so there smart enough to hedge there bets at least.

The studios love Blu Rays tighter security and know the Ps3 is sure to be a hit as usual, so there not likely to change there stance.

At this point it would take a huge miracle for hd dvd to even last past 07....and 500.00 players that are limited to 1080i and only 2 channel lossless audio are not even close to enough. to compete against a 1080p PS3,as well as not having studio support from
MGM
Columbia Tri Srar
Disney
Pixar
Lions Gate
Miramax
Fox
Sony Pictures
Mr F-Lamb- I am wondering if you have ever seen an HD-DVD/Blu Ray DVD next to a standard DVD on decent displays?

I know you wont believe me, but there isnt a very big difference. I can only assure you that I can see some difference, but not that much. Now on the 65 inch 1080P Panasonic Plasma, may be the difference will be more apparent-

but it is hard to sell folks on something that is more expensive ( understatement) for not much of a perceived difference. When do you think Hd-DVD/Blu Ray players will hit 100 dollars ( or 32 dollars for that matter?) And lets see what a bluray disc costs-or even if BB will rent them at the same price.
Again, I think people aren't gunna be doing a mass exodus to HD DVD or other here, like the industry hopes! It won't be even 1/3 of what the DVD rush was years ago, I garantee it!
People already have the convenience of the Disc. The quality jump won't make most do nothin by enlarge. And at high prices, they definitely won't do a thing!
BAsically, WHEN HD replaces Standard dvd player/disc pricing, and that's all you can buy is hd dvd players, then people will start buying into the format. None sooner. And they certainly won't care what format is what, as long as they can play all the discs. So, I be you'll see universal players at the very least coming in a couple few years if these people can't sort out their format problems. Cause they won't be selling a ton of anything regardless.
For most, the novelty of DVD is nothing new. They already have that. A quality upgrade never moved the public from one format to another. It has always been more about convenience and content over quality for buyers! That's the truth.
The writing is far from being on the wall for all of the reasons I have enumerated, but time will tell. I only hope that ONE of the two formats makes it as far as DVD titles. The DVD rental market is very important in this. If BlockBuster and Netflix, for example, elect not to purchase Hi Def DVD titles in the volume they would need to satisfy customers, for example, hi def DVDs for the rental market won't make it. This is only one example of some significant scenarios that could easily torpedo the Hi Def DVD. Blu-Ray cost for players and disks right now is a guarnteed loser. But that could change.

I bought a DVD player at Sears for 32 dollars about a month ago for a back up CD player in one of my casual listening systems. But it plays DVDs just fine. 32 dollars vs 1800 or 1000. Last year, new vinyl outsold SACD and DVD-A combined. Let's see what happens.... ( BTW- niether side will do well at the beginning of release dates for sure)
Thanks Ears...just as I suspected. The key thing is ability & motivations of the two consortiums. HD-DVD camp is led by Toshiba OK, but the two other important mfrs are NEC and Sanyo. NEC is already hedging its bets and purchased a 45% equity stake in a Sony Blu Ray JV. Sanyo is going through a large restructuring excecise due to a lack of profitability. Also note that its not just about DVDs and home entertainment but high capacity storage in recorders and PCs: HP, Dell and Sony are from the IT side of the equations supporting Blu Ray with many others as well all leaning that way. Microsoft is supporting HD DVD for now but only as an optional add on to X Box 360 and the primary reason for supporting it is to battle PS3: but their key issue is market share of X Box itself and narrowing the gap: besides all lose money on the game machines and make money on the games themselves with the long-term objective making these game machines the center of home entertainment systems and digital home at large: thus the standard of Optical Disk Drives is less of a strategic issue for Microsoft and they will end up supporting both as add ons if needed. But for Blu Ray, Sony has developed it and spend R&D etc: there is much more committment: note also Sony is market leader in the ODD market at large: its not just about DVD players. Finally for Intel, again may not a big issue anyway: X Box, Ps3 and the upcoming Nintendo's Revolution all moved from Intel to IBM architecture anyway.

So expect a war during 2006-7 but ultimately the writing is on the wall.
wow the new formats are failing already and SACD is still releasing new software and players.
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6142137.html

It looks as if XBOX is saying if HD fails...they will then have add on B/R players.
Some of the Xbox 360 owners had said that MS was probably hedging there bets and/or not having full faith in HD....looks like they were right.
Just back from CES myself, saw no apparent quality difference between hd-bluray. However anybody I talked to promoting hd-dvd was very defensive sounding while the blu-ray folks said "done-deal, no contest". There are significant mass-storage advantages to blu-ray. But MOST IMPORTANT I feel is the publics acceptanceof a neat sounding word like Blu-Ray, much better than trying to say HD-DVD.....This simple name of a format thing is much ignored...Try saying SACD to a record store clerk and their eyes glaze over, DVD-Audio was better but still stupid, could have been called cd-plus or something and gone over much better as an audio format, just my 2cents worth, Mike.
I agree that Play Station three rocks- I saw it myself. It gives a superior gaming experience than xbox 360 IMO as a truely disinterested third party. PS3 is a better product and obviously is a key Sony/Blu Ray advantage.

Still, I think the HD-DVD/blu-Ray issue is not so easy to determine a winner. With a split on movie titles and cheaper price points on movies and players, HD-DVD cannot be counted out easily. Lets see what happens...
Rysa...if you visit the XBOX 360forum at AVS...you can see exactly how little they seem to care about the add on....but you may have to look a page or two back in that forum to even find the thread on the announced add on.
My son owns an XBOX 360 and I had to send it in with a code after 6 hours because it was rushed to market just like the HD players are going to be.

Most seem to feel scammed by MS....with the vast majority not even interested in the add on.

The ps3 is a true "Trojan Horse" because it will be included on every player and PS is far bigger than Xbox as far as units sold goes and popularity.

Advantage = SonyB/R. imo

I will most likely be buying the Pioneer Elite Blu Ray player that took best in show.
Hi Ears. Certainly not end of story! I was at CES and saw all of the demos. What you are saying is NOT the true picture of reality. Only a small piece.

Also,the larger consortium of players might easily create problems and already has! HP forced blu-ray to change their standards by threatening to leave-so Sony had to relent on an issue they said they would never change to keep HP in the game. That is but one example. Besides, all of the hardware manufacturers are now COMPETITORS with each other. The losers could VERY EASILY start making hd-dvd players for instance. The BR camp has too many mouths to feed and not everyone is gonna win. I still think pricepoints and title availability will win the day. The only X factor out there is the whole PS3 and XBOX factor. I saw the PS3 demos- they are freaky good, especially in those 5.1 surround moving chair thingees. Wow.
Net Flix chooses B/R.
http://usgizmodo.com/gadgets/home-entertainment/netflix-jumps-gun-on-next-gen-dvd-138229.php
Here is CES coverage of both formats.
Http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/ces2006/gallery01.html

Apparently, Hd dvd never even had a player showing actual HD movies....and as you will see B/R was the dominant force there.
Microsoft doesn't want to support Blu-Ray because it is competion for the X-box. The new Play Station will be a Blu-Ray player.
Rysa...the pictures showing the taped up back are posted at AVS....end of story.
B/R has by far the most studio...as well as hardware support....game over for Hd dvd imo.
I dont mind a litle friendly banter over the whole Bluray/HD-DVD thingee- so I'll play devils advocate.

1. People will want to buy DVDs of the movies they want to see. If the Blockbuster hits ( if there are any) in 2006 come from HD-DVD aligned studios, people will buy the player that will display it, assuming they are even interested in hi def DVDs at all or even care or understand.

2. The Blu Ray players start at 2x the price of HD-DVD players , and most that I saw were at 1800 bucks. ( yes I saw one player at 1000._) There are MANY more blu ray manufacturers of players, and many more mouths to feed as well. The Blu Ray disks cost per disc, despite a few off the mark quotes, are definetly more expensive to produce and will sell at a higher price point than HD-DVDs, at least intially. Or someone is gonna take a loss. Average American Will not go with the more expensive option. It doesnt work that way on the whole, and online forum members who may be more tech savvy and interested in blu-ray capabilities and features are a pimple on the larger scale of reality.

3. HD-DVD can be stamped on the B side with a standard def DVD. HUGE advantage. That means I can buy an HD-DVD today and be ready for tomorrow. While still be cool with my current equipment. this is a BIG deal.

I think there are definite bucks in XBOX and PS3 ( I am still freaked by that PS# demo-you had to see the thing)- but I do believe that fundamentally its about movie titles and what consumers want to rent and buy. It is NOT a 90/10 split with regards to title availability.

4. Microsoft has been clear that they won't support blu-ray. And When the most ubiqutous operating system in the world ( like it or not) decides something like this, it obviates a whole lot of other players in the game as far as their affected markets.
Some kid just jammed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich into my vcr any help would be appreciated
Personally do not think Blu Ray vs HD-DVD format war will be lengthy and difficult as some make it out to be: Blu Ray will be the clear winner. Not necessarily due to quality etc but industry movement & dynamics. Blu Ray has all the big consumer elec companies behind it Sony, Masushita, Samsung, LG etc plus DELL, HP etc as well as from the content companies. HD DVD has a weak consortium led by Toshiba who has its own structural problems as a company. The only way HD DVD becomes the big winner is if a) X Box 360 gets HUGE lead over all other next generation game consoles (highly unlikely) and simulataneously Microsoft and Intel stay away and continue to not support Blu Ray. I doubt it.
BTW- CNET is not a good source of info. I watached their live broadcasts from CES and the reporters really dont have a handle on consumer electronics. From your involvment at avsforum.com, you should know this. The Toshiba players I saw at CES werent taped up blah blah blah. It really isnt as you are desrcribing it. The release date is March 2006 by press announcement. Previous delays were due to several factors including a coming together on certain standards which you are likely unaware of. In fact, the only difference now between the two camps is the physical media based on these newly agreed upon standards, forced by HPs threat to include support for HD-DVD unless certain consitions of standards were met by Blu ray. The game is not quite out what you make it to be Mr Ears. But hey-March is just around the corner....
From a volume of title availability standpoint, on January 1st 2007, HD-DVD will have more titles out than Blu Ray. My info is from both camps in preaon at CES. Not that I care all that much. It isnt a matter of lists my friend, its a matter of title volume, and the 90% to 10% ratio you are suggesting isnt representative of the reality of title/movie availability. If that were true, there wouldnt be any format war at all.
Rysa....this is incorrect with studio backing for B/R at 90% and less than 50% for HD.
Same goes for hardware...B/R has far more support....hands down.

The Washington Post reporter that pushed play on the Toshiba HD player at CES, only to find it to do nothing(broke)....along with the pictures of the Toshiba player with tape acrossed the back and one single cable coming out.....you actually beleive HD is going to be sold in March.
HD has been telling lies for two years now....with B/R always doing as they say.
This is pure desperation on the part of HD.....and those of us that have been following this, are not falling for HD's desperation.

Cnet voted the Pioneer Elite B/R player as best in show , and picked B/R to win with a lot more staying power.

And again Hd has zero studio support from..
Sony
MGM
Columbia Tri Star
Disney
Miramax
Fox.
Hardware support for HD at show...Toshibas sometimes broken player.

Hardware support for B/R
Mitsubishi
Panasonic
Philips
Pioneer
Samsung
Hitachi
JVC
LG
Sharp
Yamaha
Ben Q
Zenith

Some of these are players,recorders and drives....but HD support was very slim and a desperation move on there part imo.
When will you people just get a TT and avoid the misery while having the best sound?

OK fire away I got my flame suit on.
I was at CES this past week and thoroughly attended all the demos and presentations on Blu ray and HD -DVD as well as the players. Thought I'd share the info I came across.

1. Blu Ray is using their extra disk space to introduce certain features. a. Educational- so ina ovie the dec of independence appears- you have the option of clicking a button on the declaration and getting history of the declaration of independence. ( this was in the demo). You can stop Sin City and join in in the killing spree as a game participant. ( an almost exact quote and was on the demo). You can have alive discourse with the director during the film ( also a direct example- the interpreation here is that the internet plays a role.) This for me is all a big waste. Obviously thats an opnion. Players- lots of blu ray players are being introduced by MANY manufacturers- all the players I saw started at 1800 but perhaps there is one at 1000. Blu Ray titles will be released starting in June or so. About 60 titles to be released. Price points for the disks are likely to be higher than current DVDs, but no one is going into specifics.

2. HD-DVD- Will release first with both players and titles in March. Two players will be 499 and 799. Two other manufacturers are releasing players as well. 30 titles to be released in March with 200 by JAnuary 1, 2007 was what I wastold. Cost of HD-DVD disk is one dollar over the current DVD price. The two sided disks with standard def DVD on one side and hd-dvd on the other will be about three dollars higher or so. That is an extrapolation of read betwwen the line info I got. NOT an exact quote.

3. PS3 is freaky. It is so unbeleivably real. Fraky to watch. Fortunately I am not into that stuff. But wow.

4. Problems- 1080P 1920 x 1080 displays are being released this year both in larger LCD sizes and Plasmas as well. These are new. However, current cable and satellite signal resolution is NOT true HD and is pegged by DISH at 1240 x 1080 to save bandwidth. Therefore the true value of a 1080P display goes unrealized for that type of viewing. Only hi def DVDs can truely make use of the displays fully. In fact, sub standard resolution HD signals may actually look worse on a 1080P display relative to a 720P display. There is hope in that some displays, and recently demoed cble type set top boxes will auto detect the resolution being fed to it from the source and auto adjust for best picture. This will likely be a key feature as we see divergence between hi def DVDs and lower def "HD" signals from Comcast and dish etc. Also, there are significant HDMI transmission/handshake issues related to the ability of the DVD player/receiever/ and display to accurately decode color etc. Early adoption of 1080P displays could be problematic. I also attended both DTS-HD demo as well as Dolby-HD demo. It is unclear to me that ANY receivers available at this time can fully decode the hi res audio codec as well. The feeds I saw at CES for the 1080P were mostly hard drive loops and an occasional blu ray feed.

The studio backing is about 50/50 movie titles and blu rays features as displayed to me arent important or desitable. Their pricing is higher than HD-DVDs options. The format war is a loser for the industry as a whole as it devalues the 1080 displays greatly.
Well this time HD DVD is missing more than 50% of the studio backing with no support from Sony, Columbia Tri Star, MGM, Disney, Miramax or Fox.
Add this to the so called war and B/R is a sure winner.
Gotta look at all the past formats, and I must say that QUALITY has ALWAYS taken a back seat too convenience, cost, profit, etc!!!
Again, look at Betamax and look at CD(16bit/44 was a major step down in sonics, minus some backround noise here and there, and we're still using 16/44 standard for music at the local music stores, some 25 years later!!!!)
Heck, laser disc was an improvment over vhs easlily, and it never went beyond videophile niche market.
I think here, people will again go with whatever markets the convenience, or mass distribution, with the most titles and accessability, etc.
Really, we will NOT SEE a mass exodus to hd dvd like we did with original DVD a few years back! I garantee it! Why? Because with DVd you had the convenience, the improvment in audio/video quality, and we can already record on em now.
So just cause we got more dvd extras and some better vid or audio improvments, doesn't mean that much in tems of sales, profitability, marketability, consumer mass acceptance, IMO.
I mean, we had superior(by a mile!) SACD and DVDA audio discs out for years now, that have flopped and basically all but died a quick death mostly. We also had DVHS with superior HD definition video, and that died too.
We already got DVD now, that we can even record on. So what's some improvments in video/audio gunna do so much in terms of exciting the world?...I say not much.
Don't get me wrong, I am as thrilled as the next audiophile/video guy. But I think it will really come down to who can sell their product the most easily, and convince the public that theirs is the way to go, and that it's all going "their" way! Could be wrong. I just don't think product superiority has ever made a difference to the public at large when it came down to it. Heck, we got Bose outselling everyone by a ton! That should say something right there...
Maybe not need to no....but remember were talking 1080p vs 1080i and I already had 1080i with the now dead DVHS format.
I don't believe that 15gb is enough space to have the extended LOTR on two discs with lossless DTS -hd audio...seeings how double bit rate DTS was on some of the DVHS tapes and for a normal length movie it took 28 gb and double bit DTS is not lossless.

People with pj's or screens 50 inches or bigger are going to want 1080p....and only B/R can give it to you.
I thought I better add that Toshiba has not been known for any quality in there dvd players for yeas now.
Also B/R has far more studio, as well as hardware support from better names such as Pioneer Elite.
One thing I am still trying to find out for certain is if there is any type of phone line or internet line required to watch any of the upcoming movies on either format.
If there is, both these formats are already dead imo.