Microsoft's response to Toshiba's news

[emorphien]

The X360 is a much better online gaming platform than PS3, at least at this point however I've seen nothing that indicates that will change soon. I spent a long time deliberating before finally buying one in September because of the reliability issues... all the same the PS3 offers me fewer games that interest me, and perhaps more importantly I'm effectively avoiding buying as much Sony crap as possible.

I may consider a PS3 in the next year if a more compelling Blu-Ray player at a cheaper price doesn't emerge, but until then it offers nothing more for me other than reliability. Game wise they're pretty comparable, so another console is a hard sell, being a Sony product is even harder because as far as I'm concerned my old TV which I just sold was the last piece of Sony electronics I plan to won for a good long while.

You two can argue over which is better, but you're both coming across pretty biased. Just buy and play on whichever you think is better or you enjoy more.

 

[Dezoris]

Microsoft had well over a year head start on the PS3. They helped develop the software side of HDDVD.

The format was completely on their shoulders.
Regardless of the initial cost of including a built in HDDVD ROM they would have secured HDDVD as the HD format even if the Xbox could not play HDDVD initially.

Blu-Ray would have never even got off the ground with the market penetration the Xbox has.

Not only would it have been in their best interest from licensing costs of the software side, they could have set themselves as the long term HD software provider and base for studio support.

They could have had their hands in, copyright protection and the entertainment industry.

This is why I never understood the stout support for HDDVD. It was set up from day one to fail, because one of the key elements the strongest one in fact never stood behind it enough to make it succeed.

It's lack of insight and failure to see the end game. I don't feel bad for the people who bought in or supported it for not seeing it happen.

 

[emorphien]

I tend to think that those who see HDDVD as a temporary way for Microsoft to hold off Blu Ray while getting downloadable content closer to prime time might be right.

I'd personally rather have a hard copy but I know plenty of people who don't care, and currently will spend $5 a pop on the on demand HD movies through their cable boxes, etc. They don't keep a library of DVDs so direct downloading I suppose makes sense to them. I like to own certain things on a physical medium, but for rental purposes downloadable content make perfect sense. I've been using the Netflix Instant Viewer quite a bit.

 

[frostbyte]

Lets also not forget that the PS3 was planned to come out at the same time the XBox was, but they very wisely IMO decided to postpone that date due to some inconsistency issues with hardware. Otherwise it would have been released like the XBox and 30% dying. Sony already had a bad name to me as well, but I'm loving my PS3. I love that they are giving it all the support for upgrades you would expect in a high end machine. I don't see XBox getting any more consistent with their machine. I guess 70% working is ....good enough.

 

[ParkerAudio]

"This is why I never understood the stout support for HDDVD. It was set up from day one to fail, because one of the key elements the strongest one in fact never stood behind it enough to make it succeed.

It's lack of insight and failure to see the end game. I don't feel bad for the people who bought in or supported it for not seeing it happen."


Set up for failure? Bluray was half baked, and even now isn't up to its full specs. People are finding out that Bluray players they bought can't even play the newer movies.

 

[PhillyDan1969]

I find it funny that a gaming console like the PS3 is the best Blu-Ray player currently on the market while being the 3rd best gaming console on the market!!!

I am not a SONY fan by any means and I think Microsoft is extremely shady. That said I purchased an XBOX 360 at christmas because it came bundled with Guitar Hero II, I can play Halo 3, and it was cheaper than the PS3!!!

If/when SONY lowers the retail price on the PS3 and actually starts releasing some must own games, I will pick one up. I doubt I will ever get the Wii. My friends have one and we all have a blast playing it, but I see it as a one trick pony!!! Where's the hi-def content???

I personally like separate components in my home theater. Some people view the PS3 as a media center and a Blu-Ray player, I see it as a struggling game console and nothing more, give me some games I want to play and I will pick one up quickly, for now I will stick with my XBOX 360 as my gaming console of choice. Heck I still have games I haven't even gotten around to opening yet!!!

 

[BMXTRIX]

Set up for failure? Bluray was half baked, and even now isn't up to its full specs. People are finding out that Bluray players they bought can't even play the newer movies.

That's a fanboy response, not a real world response.

VHS was technically inferior to Betamax, yet it won.

It isn't about full specs, it isn't about new features or old features - nobody actually gives one darn bit about 'specs'. Consumers, despite claims to the contrary, also don't care nearly as much about cost as they may lead others to believe when asked.

What makes consumers buy is brand recognition. Sell them Bose, and they will buy Bose. Sell them Monster, and they will buy Monster.

Put Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Pioneer, Denon... AND MORE - in front of them, then tell them that the alternative is Toshiba (who?) and that is the most major shot in the face that HD DVD ever had.

Then throw in studio support which was never split down the middle - and Disney is one of the most influential names in video in the world.

HD DVD and Blu-ray are both technically great with both having advantages over the other... People get to wrapped up in the specifications, the little crap (and it is crap) so they miss the big picture. The big picture is, was, and always will be - CE and studio support led by marketing. Toshiba failed to gain this, and the result was incredibly predictable. Blu-ray could have been published on CDs, and it still would win. Simple as that - it has zero to do with the specs. There are plenty of people that believe otherwise... Not exactly sure why, since by their reasoning, HD DVD must have won.

 

[ParkerAudio]

You know I could care less who won the format war, who has the best toaster, but the reality is that HD DVD was better, and Bluray is going to be in for a real battle if they keep sticking consumers with one more unit that doesn't play Bluray. I have one of those crappy Samsung players that constantly doesn't play movies, however, my Toshiba HD DVD plays movies no matter what. Now I can't say the same for my PS3 which has held up well.

Fan boy response is "HD DVD was meant to fail, and everybody should have seen it coming from the beginning." That is a bunch of crap, most of the studios that backed Bluray, and most of the manufacturers of the machines weren't even in the battle in the beginning.

That is the reality, the public is stuck with a machine that is primarily backed by a studio that is interested in copy right rather than what is good for the consumer. If they would have been so sure about their product they wouldn't have rushed it out to begin with, sticking us initial backers with a garbage unit.

But that is just a HD DVD fan boy that has $350 in HD DVD and $1800 in Bluray, and a Denon on its way.