Blu-ray Courts China

[stratman]

In a defensive move of brinkmanship, the Blu-ray Disc Association has begun to court Chinese hardware manufacturers no doubt to counter HD DVD's foothold in the region. In an interview with Content Agenda, Andy Parsons Pioneer Electronics senior VP and spokesman for the BDA has revealed that BDA has begun formal evaluation of AVS (Advanced Video System) a Chinese developed video codec, and DRA (Digital Rise Audio), a Chinese audio format. These would be implemented in Blu-ray players made and sold in China. Funny this sounds just like HD DVD's plan.

If approved and adopted this will put Blu-ray on par with HD DVD, who is slated to launch it's campaign May 28th, 2008 in China. Parsons wasn't clear if the same strategy espoused by HD DVD will be employed, in other words flood the market with low-cost Blu-ray players. Either way China has become the major battleground for the hi def formats, banking on cheap Chinese labor to help one brand become dominant. Originally the Blu-ray group was hesitant in licensing the technology to low cost Chinese manufacturers, fearing investment recoup would take longer than expected. But now HD DVD has put them against the wall and forced the issue, Blu-ray can't afford to stay out of China, their very survival will depend on it.

A candid Parsons went as far as to say that Blu-ray will not concede China to HD DVD, "there is this perception that China has selected HD DVD, but that's just wrong, first of all there is no one entity to "select" anything and it didn't come from the government. There was a consortium of groups that did include the government, that pressed for a Chinese HD DVD, but at this point it is still a proposal, we haven't seen product yet."

The Chinese government has made it clear though, that any format sold in China will have to support AVS, which the government sees crucial to China's bid for technological parity with the US, Europe and Japan. You can bet that the evaluation will proceed without a hitch as most members of the BDA also sit on committee of the DVD Forum and would already be familiar with the technology from it's incorporation into HD DVD. And here unfolds the never-ending saga of Blu-ray vs HD DVD, keep tuned it's not likely now to finish anytime soon.

 

[mtrycrafts]

And here unfolds the never-ending saga of Blu-ray vs HD DVD, keep tuned it's not likely now to finish anytime soon.

Seems like a two format hi def? Dual format players here you come

 

[stratman]

Seems like a two format hi def? Dual format players here you come

Yeah M,

There's a growing camp of analysts suggesting that the two camps will co-exist in the foreseeable future, rendering the dual format player the only way to go, in my opinion that's too early to call, I really believe China might be the last word on this merry-go-round, chalk it up to cheap labor. Though to be frank the Chinese are an open question, they just might flood the market with both formats, remember the Chinese business philosophy is basically simple, you provide the technology, you build the plant, you train the workers and part of the production is ours to do as we please, from there other factories open and the technology is copied without regard to past agreements. Just ask Microsoft.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Yeah M,

There's a growing camp of analysts suggesting that the two camps will co-exist in the foreseeable future, rendering the dual format player the only way to go, in my opinion that's too early to call, I really believe China might be the last word on this merry-go-round, chalk it up to cheap labor. Though to be frank the Chinese are an open question, they just might flood the market with both formats, remember the Chinese business philosophy is basically simple, you provide the technology, you build the plant, you train the workers and part of the production is ours to do as we please, from there other factories open and the technology is copied without regard to past agreements. Just ask Microsoft.

Yes, exactly why there is a good chance for both to exist. China makes money on both so why favor one.
China is out next problem; monster headache. Thanks, Nixon.

 

[naisphoo]

"hddvd's footholes in the region"? LOL...Hddvd owns China already, omg the sky is falling...1.3 billions customers are lining up to buy hddvd's players and movies, it's time to buy an xbox360 with a 33% failure rate...

 

[agarwalro]

China is out next problem

That seems like a rash comment considering we all want the cost of electronics and media to go down.

Unless you exclusively buy everything "Made in USA" (which itself is sometimes dubious), you too are benefiting from Chinese mass manufacturing.

 

[stratman]

Agree, I've seen too many "made in America" products sporting foreign parts. In truth it's "Assembled in America."