New format players the future?


Ok some questions on the future of the new digital formats (DVDA/SACD) players for you Audiogon people with technical know-how and a degree in predictions.

1.Multi-format players are starting to arrive,Pioneer have one out,is it possible to make a machine that can excell in all formats or will it always be a compromise situation?

2.Will the quality of the new format machines improve as time goes on?
Or if there is mass market success will they actually decrease?

3.Is there the possibilty then the quality of both standard CD discs and CD replay will decrease due to the new formats?
ben_campbell
Sugarbie,
Just for clarification, I've probably read most of these threads,I thought these questions where of a slightly different slant as I'm curious about how the new players will progress and if a univeral machine is a reality.
I know nobody can know for sure but I think there are much more technically minded people here than me as well as those who might wish to speculate.
Yes and no. I believe SACD will die. Not enough software support and that has always been the key. Remember prerecorded DAT, Elcassette and Philips DCC? That's an incomplete list.
Ben-
1)Possible -- but expensive, not well regarded by marketers. Also don't think the marketplace needs -- or can sustain -- a plethora of new formats in the long run. We already have 2 + 2 new propositions. IMO, keeping both SACD & DVD-A is financially unsustainable in the long run.
2)IMO, quality will become cheaper with time so, Yes.
3)Don't think so -- the opposite (think of TTs and how affordable it is now to purchase a reasonable player).

Cheers!
I posted on your software thread that EMI has just made a new commitment to producing more SACD and DVD-A titles. Not enough titles has always been one of the problems with the new formats as others have already stated.


You can never tell. The original laserdiscs came out before the CD. They were the same size as LP records, to they should not have seemed strange to anyone. However they never caught on with the general public; only with "Videophiles". Now however, DVDs are hot with Joe Consumer. And actually I find the picture quality still slightly better on many of the better laserdiscs. The compression to get all that data on a DVD is not quite there yet IMHO. But since they look better than VHS, most don't know and could care less.


People like George Lucas and Steve Jobs are always pushing forward for better sound and pictures, so I think we will always see improvement.