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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Truth Teller @ Jun 1st 2008 10:20AM
Most amusing.
How the best laid plans fall flat on their face and implode.
Couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch!
The PS3/Blu-ray fanclub might not like to admit it but Toshiba et al have done us all a huge favour & gotten Blu-ray finally licenced to the Chinese.
Now all we need is to see them ditch their pointless (and expensive) DRM sh!te on the media and reach an equitable accord with the DVD Forum allowing the use of a Blu-ray version of the Twin Disc and/or combo disc.
Here's looking forward to the day when we finally get the inexpensive all-in-one player we might even feel that we need.
But they better hurry up cos time is running out fast.
DrXym @ Jun 1st 2008 10:40AM
Welcome to the fantasy world of Truth Teller. Where nearly a dozen more CE firms requesting licences to manufacturer Blu Ray players is somehow a bad thing for the format. But you are right, Toshiba did a huge favour for Blu Ray by demonstrating there was zero profit to be made in HD DVD. Toshiba even undercut the no-name A3 clone made by their own OEM partner. Alco must have been absolutely delighted to have been stabbed in the back like that. I'm sure the experience made a lasting impression on other OEMs.
Grow up baby your precious format lost.
DrXym @ Jun 1st 2008 11:13AM
No spin is required because the "no blu ray for China" is your own stupid straw man.
Truth Teller @ Jun 1st 2008 11:29AM
Oh dear. You are laughably wrong, as per.
Actually it was the BDA that originally said 'no Blu-ray licencing to China'.
It was part of their attempt to use Blu-ray to recover the declining margins DVD once had (which had been wiped out by such things as ultra cheap inexpensive Chinese DVD players).
This is a world away from compoinent manufacture or component assembly.
But I guess that continues to be just a tad too complex for you to grasp.
Spiza @ Jun 1st 2008 1:37PM
If truth teller says its true, it must be. I mean, come on, his name is truth teller. With a name like that, who would want proof?
EQC @ Jun 1st 2008 5:11PM
I do recall, months ago, that there was at least a rumor of the BDA specifically excluding Chinese manufacturers.
I do not recall if it was true or not...
Though I do remember that it was a "for now / not-yet" type thing...it's not like the BDA was ever planning to make the ban permanent.
Also, with this article saying the Chinese manufacturers will be on line in 2009 (could be December '09, right?), that doesn't exactly sound like the BDA is giving up any ground very fast...my dream of low low prices is at least 6 months away, and might still be almost 1.5 years away.
Nfinity @ Jun 1st 2008 5:35PM
TT is right.. the no China Blu-Ray were very real comments from BDA.
Well anyway you look at this, should be positive.
As I said, I'm not against Blu-Ray as a technology as I am against ripping people off and making consumer suck up the costs of adoption.
Obviously the BDA is aware that the initial plan of keeping high prices has failed. With SpursEngine from Toshiba and economic recession it became clear to everyone that licensing to Chinese is not really a bad thing.
But yes, they (BDA) are definitely changing their strategy.
tifosiotaku @ Jun 1st 2008 8:02PM
Earth to mods, where are you guys? Why isn't this delusional moron banned yet?
why not the LS2LS7? @ Jun 2nd 2008 3:37AM
Nfinity:
You're as biased as Truth Teller. Do either of you have a link to an official statement?
I can understand why BluRay wouldn't have the Chinese in on day one. Making a compatible standard is difficult in the early days, the only way to hold it together could be to limit the number of licensees. For examples, look at the problems with the Samsung BD players and the early Panasonic DVD players (that wouldn't play The Matrix).
Once there are reasonable pre-packaged chipsets available, you can let in a lot more licensees with less worry, because you can qualify the chipsets themselves and worry less about all the players.
I find it a ridiculous strawman for the red boys to say that BluRay was somehow never supposed to be adopted by certain manufacturers. The licensors of BluRay obviously stand to make the most profit by having the largest adoption, and that means allowing the Chinese in.
DrXym @ Jun 2nd 2008 4:05AM
The BDA hasn't made any statement about Chinese manufactures at all. Indeed Chinese manufacturers like Gowell have BDA members for quite a long time and even have OEM designs up on their site.
A few months back some Sony exec did say Chinese models would happen but said not any time soon. Given that 11 license applications have just been granted, he was either not aware of what was going on or, or was making the remarks as part of negotiations. No one here is privy to the negotiations or could say even if they were but you can bet that if 11 applicants were granted at once that China just made some major concession to get it. That may be related to auditing of facilities for crypto keys, or collection of licence fees, or piracy enforcement, or to CH-DVD or a combination of all of these.
It's certainly not bad news for the format at all and is a sign that it is maturing and will be decidedly mainstream when a raft of Chinese players begins to turn up next year.
Truth Teller @ Jun 2nd 2008 8:19AM
It is pretty funny seeing the PS3 fanboys element roll in now to appluad this move when they slammed Toshiba for much the same thing.
Hmmmm, cheap Chinese Blu-ray players robbing the Japanese CE corps of margin wasn't it?
I wonder how that sits with the rest of those corps now; it was bad enough for them that the PS3 rendered all their standalones pointless but now knowing that the floor is set to drop out of the market when they try & go for the mass-market must be very comforting to them.
If certain posters are ignorant of or want to pretnd that they missed the early comments regarding 'no licencing to China' then tough luck, they can do their own leg work.
Anyone else who watched this since the beginning knows it is true.
Spiza @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:14AM
Well I'm not for it Truthy. Same reason I don't shop at Wal-Mart. Too bad Sam Walton, a great American, had kids who didn't care about pissing all over his legacy.
joe @ Jun 2nd 2008 2:00PM
BD players were never to be excluded from China. They were only being delayed until a more favorable time. Find a BDA release where they they said they would never, or not, manufacture or license to China. Go ahead, I'm waiting...
Since most all of the players are made in China to begin with they were only delaying the China brand badged players. Since brand players are now down to $250. It seems like just after Christmas this year there are going to be discount no name badged players next to discounted Sony and Panasonic players.
It's actually not a big deal at all.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Jun 2nd 2008 7:44PM
Truth Teller:
This is not at all what Toshiba did.
Toshiba didn't bar Chinese manufacturers. What Toshiba did was subsidize their players so that there could be NO other manufacturers. There was NEVER A SINGLE OTHER HD-DVD drive maker besides Toshiba.
Toshiba was selling their products below cost in order to make up money selling discs. No other manufacturer got a cut of disc sales so they couldn't afford to do this.
With the model HD-DVD followed there was no clamor from the Chinese companies to get in, as there was no profit in it for them.