http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/ Engadget HD Comments for Universal to go format neutral? http://www.engadgethd.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadgethd.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/May 9th 2007 4:10PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/

This would probably end the format war, but make for 2mil or so unhappy walmart shoppers. Which means the format war would probably be back on since there would be 2mil stand alone players out there yearning for content.]]>May 9th 2007 4:30PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/May 9th 2007 5:35PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/May 9th 2007 5:39PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/May 9th 2007 5:42PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/May 9th 2007 4:33PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/May 9th 2007 4:33PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/May 9th 2007 4:31PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/May 9th 2007 4:36PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/May 9th 2007 4:33PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/May 9th 2007 4:41PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/May 9th 2007 4:44PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/May 9th 2007 4:51PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/
Let me get this straight... you are buying fewer HD DVD titles because you fear that other people are buying fewer HD DVD titles?

In any event, a question: would you be more likely to buy a two-format disc (BD on one side, HDDVD on the other)? Even if it cost $5 more? If so, why?]]>May 9th 2007 5:23PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/

The only problem I see here is the bump up in the player prices we're likely to see along with the accompanying staying power of those prices. Not to mention that we'll all be paying the Sony tax now along with the iPod tax.]]>May 9th 2007 5:40PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/
In terms of a dual-format disc, I believe Warner has created one. I suppose if the cost was comparable to the HD-DVD/DVD combo discs, I wouldn't mind, as long as there isn't a compromise in the quality of the content..]]>May 9th 2007 5:45PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/May 9th 2007 5:52PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/
I've been saying that the real investment isn't in the players, but in the discs. People are staying away from both formats because they worry that their discs will become useless. With a TotalHD disc, that would be a worry -- they can go either way. So they'd buy the cheapest player and see who wins.

Now, you bring up an interesting point: with Netflix people ca have protection of another sort: limit their loss to the player. And again that favors HD DVD. Wonder what Netfix's rental split is like.]]>May 9th 2007 6:14PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/May 9th 2007 5:58PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/]]>May 9th 2007 6:17PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/
Perhaps it will be for the better in the long run...]]>May 9th 2007 6:25PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/
The only thing missing is affordability. There is no Bluray player for the masses. And there is no 24Hz-capable Bluray player at a reasonable price, period. HD-DVD will force these issues. Competition is grand. And Sony loses more money.

Sadly, this doesn't change the fact that there are about a hundred Bluray movies out there that exist in MPEG2 iterations which will probably never see reissues. Indeed, one of the most notorious examples - Fifth Element - still hasn't seen a reissue in spite of persistent (and now quite old) rumors. It's a crippling flaw in the Bluray library, and it's permanent.
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Why I chose blu-ray:
the ps3 seemed like the best overall entertainment system to me - at the price of a standalone HiDef player... it will play everything - even games if i decide to get some. I know the Xbox does this too, but I wanted the HD/Blu-ray drive built into the console. If Xbox had a built in HD DVD option I would have considered buying, but since it had to be an addon I went for the PS3 to keep my living room clean. ]]>May 9th 2007 7:48PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/
Yet people (and Engadget, which should flipping KNOW BETTER) are treating it as though there was something there.

Fear, uncertainty, doubt. Sony's three marketing ploys. Add those to severe DRM, region codes, and the likelihood of worse behavior (ICT flags?) should they win, and I'd pay good money to ensure they lose.

I don't care if HD DVD wins, I just want Sony to lose. Both losing would be fine. I didn't feel this way 6 months ago, but the BS coming from that quarter has been astounding. A pox on them.
]]>May 9th 2007 7:55PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/
Fixed it for ya.]]>May 10th 2007 9:18PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/
"...but we couldn't pass this one buy." Are you kidding me?!? And what's with the run-on sentences?!?! Just because you put a comma in it does not make it ok to mash 5 thoughts together before the next period. Sad day for the Engadget family...]]>May 9th 2007 11:04PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/09/universal-to-go-format-neutral/
JET]]>May 10th 2007 10:58AM