Microsoft Declines Blu-ray Association, Again

[Ares]

Microsoft has once again refused to be apart of the Blu-ray Association again, attempts where made this past year by several members of the BDA to get MS to join. Microsoft has said in the past that digital media is the "future of home entertainment" and not Blu-ray, I personally don't see physical media disappearing anytime soon. Sony's attempt at digital media only with the PSPGO has been a disaster, so I doubt MS will fair much better.


Source: PSLS

 

[Audioholics]

I wonder how much money they wanted for them to be a "member".

 

[Ares]

There are three levels of membership and each one has it's own price which is an annual fee for membership.

Board of Directors $50,000

Contributor $20,000

General member $3,000

More info on the details on what each one entails can be found on the Blu-ray Disc Association website

 

[yepimonfire]

until i can download HD movies and stream HD movies, ALL of them, and until someone creates a lossless download store, i wont be stopping using physical media anytime soon. microsoft is dumb, the reason i didnt buy their xbox is because of no blu-ray. while digital media is the future of home entertainment, we dont live in the future do we now microsucks?

 

[bandphan]

The RIAA didn't think much of digital downloads.

 

[Jed M]

I think we've lost this round unfortunately. I look at all my friends using nothing but Netflix streaming and Redbox now. I know Redbox is offering Blu but outside of these forums I don't know anybody that really cares about the difference between blu, dvd, or streaming hd. Its all about content and convenience for people outside of this hobby. They just want to enjoy the movie. We like to enjoy the picture/sound too. Quite frankly I don't blame Microsoft because I think they are 100% accurate in their assessment of the current condition and future of media. I have no doubt that technology will catch up with streaming and someday will have a better picture than even bluray, but its going to be a bumpy decade or so of watching blocky, pixelated, instant gratification streaming movies before we get there.

 

[Whitey80]

I didn't give a thought to BluRay from in Xbox when buying (but considering I bought a launch system, HD discs were on a far disatant horizon)
And even now, still don't care. I did pick up the HD DVD add-on and put support to that, but it was unfortunately muscled out through backdoor dealings, even being a better format (same quality, maybe less capacity, but 1080p movies aren't that big. Reads faster and can run multiple play windows. I can't stand blu ray's load times)

But even now, I only buy bluray's of the biggest of effects movies to avoid loss from compression, and all the rest is all digital copy. Streaming from the media server that I rip everything to.

I feel that digital streaming is where the future lies as well. Discs are getting old, discs are wasting space. Yeah, it's great that you can fit that 18gb 1080p film onto a disc now, but tech has gotten to where you can fit 500 gb on a flash memory the size of your thumbnail. Discs need to just find their way to a landfill, it's 30 year old tech

 

[jinjuku]

until i can download HD movies and stream HD movies, ALL of them, and until someone creates a lossless download store, i wont be stopping using physical media anytime soon. microsoft is dumb, the reason i didnt buy their xbox is because of no blu-ray. while digital media is the future of home entertainment, we dont live in the future do we now microsucks?

When I can own and transfer (read: Sell what I purchased) a digital download I will partake. I won't be getting into digital only media anytime soon

DRMless iTunes is a step in the right direction.

 

[jinjuku]

I feel that digital streaming is where the future lies as well. Discs are getting old, discs are wasting space. Yeah, it's great that you can fit that 18gb 1080p film onto a disc now, but tech has gotten to where you can fit 500 gb on a flash memory the size of your thumbnail. Discs need to just find their way to a landfill, it's 30 year old tech

Digital streaming is going to turn into a license to view. No ownership like you get with the physical media. That is a 100% deal breaker for me.

Long live physical media!

 

[bandphan]

When I can own and transfer (read: Sell what I purchased) a digital download I will partake. I won't be getting into digital only media anytime soon

DRMless iTunes is a step in the right direction.

Digital streaming is going to turn into a license to view. No ownership like you get with the physical media. That is a 100% deal breaker for me.

Long live physical media!

Fight the power If I buy it I own it no watter what they use as CRP. Rentals are another question.

 

[lsiberian]

Most stuff I don't need to own. there are really a handful of good movies and I have way too many already. Streaming some movies isn't bad at all. Others stink, but it will improve over time.

 

[yepimonfire]

theres only a few movies i would actually own, and its not very many. as far as streaming, netflix HD streaming looks great, its sounds good too, and they plan on adding 5.1 very soon. we have the internet bandwidth to handle it, an HD movie at 1080p can be sent at 15mbps including lossy audio at 448kbps. many internet providers have speeds from 20mbps up, verizon fios is capable of speeds in excess off 400mbps provided you use Cat6 cable to connect it.

 

[Ares]

I have tried the digital route and got burned, I bought some movies form the PSN Store and guess what happened the minute I upgraded the HDD, I lost it all. Sony wouldn't replace what I lost so from that point on I do not advocate digital downloads because it's a joke. Games are something all together different at least I can get those back but the issue here is if I get tried of the game it's not like I can take it to Gamestop to sell it and get something else. Long story short if I buy it I want a physical copy otherwise they can keep it.

 

[yepimonfire]

i agree, i want to physically own something i buy.

 

[Jed M]

The more technology becomes commonplace I guarantee physical media won't stop them from charging per viewing either. Once they have a strong foothold with streaming and PPV you know they are going to start putting restrictions on physical media, ala DIVX. Its pretty obvious in this current climate they aren't going to stop bribing (lobbying) our politicians until the have total control over what and how we enjoy our entertainment. Sad, but true.

 

[Ares]

The more technology becomes commonplace I guarantee physical media won't stop them from charging per viewing either. Once they have a strong foothold with streaming and PPV you know they are going to start putting restrictions on physical media, ala DIVX. Its pretty obvious in this current climate they aren't going to stop bribing (lobbying) our politicians until the have total control over what and how we enjoy our entertainment. Sad, but true.

If something like this happens that will be the day I hang up my controller I've had a good run at this point.

 

[bandphan]

I physically own every thing I download

 

[Thunder18]

I think we've lost this round unfortunately. I look at all my friends using nothing but Netflix streaming and Redbox now. I know Redbox is offering Blu but outside of these forums I don't know anybody that really cares about the difference between blu, dvd, or streaming hd. Its all about content and convenience for people outside of this hobby. They just want to enjoy the movie. We like to enjoy the picture/sound too. Quite frankly I don't blame Microsoft because I think they are 100% accurate in their assessment of the current condition and future of media. I have no doubt that technology will catch up with streaming and someday will have a better picture than even bluray, but its going to be a bumpy decade or so of watching blocky, pixelated, instant gratification streaming movies before we get there.

I can see the convenience of it and it's fine now, but I'm calling it now. When high-def media streaming hits saturation internet providers will start instituting bandwidth caps. Unlimited internet will be a thing of the past and then, when your choice is download your email/surf the internet or stream a movie...well, i'm sure you get the point. An exaggeration? Maybe. Wait and see.

 

[yepimonfire]

all internet providers have caps, they are just rediculously high enough that you dont really need to observe them, for example, comcast caps at 250gb per month, that sir, is alot of data. also streaming netflix is not blocky at all, its very good.