Blu Ray craps on customers
The recent announcement that Blu Ray may have effectively won the HD format wars over HD DVD took a bizarre twist today.
According to a report on the BBC, continued development of Blu-ray technology will leave all existing Blu-ry customers behind - because their machines are not built to upgrade.
The problem arises because Blu-ray are pushing for a range of new features for Blu Ray machines which are simply not accessible for most existing customers.
Blu-ray developers intend to release an upgraded version later this year, called BD Live, which allows Blu-ray players to connect to the internet and download content, not least video and images.
However, internet connectivity was never built into most Blu-ray players to date, making the ability to upgrade to the new features difficult at best.
The only Blu-ray player built with internet connectivity as mandatory is the Sony Playstation 3.
While Blu-ray are trying to play down the impact on consumers, citing the fact that people were looking for a HD experience first, the fact of the matter is that customers are likely to feel left behind, and let down.
It’s patently ridiculous that the Blu-ray camp appear to have lacked any long-term vision at the start, which could have enabled them to provide further features to all customers at a later date by equipping hardware to upgrade along with such a plan.
Instead, it seems that Blu-ray have put all their effort into beating the HD DVD format, and only then decide what would come next if they looked like winning.
The result is that there are now expected to be no less than three different Blu-ray profile machines is use this year - the original profile 1.0, an updated profile 1.1, and now the development of profile 2.0 with the net-enabled features.
All along we were told that the DVD format war was between two rivials: Blu-ray and HD DVD.
Now it looks as though consumers may feel justified in feeling misled, as the facts of the matter suggest it was HD DVD vs three different levels of Blu-ray format.
Frank Simonis, of Philips and the European chairman of the Blu-ray Disc Association, basically states in the BBC article that Blu-ray wasn’t ready to compete with HD DVD at the start of the format war, so they effectively rushed something out just to get a presence on the market.
The result, as we’re seeing now, is that the early adopters who built the original Blu-ray momentum are to be left behind. Mr Simonis is even quoted as making a rather snotty comment:
“The guys that bought the first Blu-ray players are the guys who bought the first laser discs. They know the risks.”
In other words - thanks for pushing our profile, now buy new or get lost.
Not the best message to send to your customers.
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If you buy a Profile 1.1 or a Profile 2.0 Blu-Ray disc (when they come out), the MOVIE will still play fine on your good, old, original Profile 1.0 player. That’s probably what most people want - to watch and play the movie.
Most extras will also work fine. Only the new “Picture-in-Picture” extras from a Profile 1.1 disc won’t work in a Profile 1.0 player.
So, if you buy a Profile 1.1 disc (such as Resident Evil: Extinction), you can still watch and listen to the movie in all its Hi-Def glory. And you can look at and listen to *almost all* of the extras. The one extra you can’t access is the movie-long picture-in-picture commentary. Is that really such a big loss? If you think it is, then buy a PS3, because a PS3 is the only player that could upgrade from profile 1.0 to 1.1 with a simple over-the-net firmware update, and because you’re going to run into these same upgrade issues when they start releasing Profile 2.0 a.k.a. Blu-Ray Live players and discs. The *movies* will still play fine an all older Blu-Ray players, but a few extras will only be accessible to the newer players.
Comment by Bill — January 16, 2008 @ 11:04 am
Exactly Bill. It would seem this article is somewhat misleading in stating that early adopters are left behind when “Some future discs wont play at all” when really it is only some gimicky features that will not play at all. I smell an un-happy HD DVD investor bending the truth.
Comment by Brendan — January 16, 2008 @ 11:34 am
Are you paid by the HD-DVD promotional group or something? Is this hate campaign part of that ‘big push’ I heard they were doing?
Anyone who bought a BluRay player over the last year or so (only about 500k) would have known what they were getting into.
Early adopters dont whinge unless they are pathetic little bitches.
Comment by ghjufdjfdjfgj — January 16, 2008 @ 12:05 pm
My first DVD player cost $1000 and did nothing but play DVDs (and even then, not particularly well). My newest one cost $100 and plays DVD, VCD (remember that), MP3, DiVX, JPG, WM3 and god knows what else. Oh, and it also upscales to hi-def. Such is the life of the early adopter. And let’s face it, if we’re talking about scales of grievence, I suspect the number of HD DVD owners unhappy that they’re about to be sacrificed on the altar of progress, and the depth of their displeasure, will eclipse anything felt by Blu Ray early adopters who find they can’t purchase “Bruce Almighty” toilet paper using their remote control.
And yes, .that the author neglects to glean one piece of information from the BBCs article - that all movies will play on all Blu Ray players, and the somewhat sensationalist headline, does lead one to the suspicion that there’s a whiff of petulant HD DVD fanthing about this article.
Ray Von
Comment by Ray Von — January 16, 2008 @ 12:09 pm
idon’t necessarily agree that my sony bdp-s300 will play the discs fine with the new 1.1 enabled discs. it will only play them as well as it ever did. and that is pathetic. sure the picture is good when it plays but all the delays in operation!!! then when you pause it to make popcorn or a break of some kind the player go back to the beginning of the movie and starts over. what a piece of junk. this thing was never ready for the public and it now appears they knew it all along. i’m not going to buy another until someone can prove to me that it works and works completely.
Comment by dale — January 16, 2008 @ 12:57 pm
TO the Author… So If I but a car today and 1 year later a newer model comes out I should get the upgrades to the newer model for free?
Thanks for writing an opinionated article.
Comment by John — January 16, 2008 @ 1:57 pm
Blu-ray long term planning seems to be lacking for hardware. Expensive blu-ray players that cannot be further upgrade are causes of discontent. Despite being the owner of a PS3, I was hoping that the HD DVD camp would last for another one or two year, to prevent market domination by Blu-ray. This will prevent consumer form having to kow-tow to just one single camp. Although consumer drives the market, in a sense, it is companies that drives the planning.
I hope Toshiba HD DVD gives a good fight for the next 6 months toward Blu-ray format.
Comment by Neurberg L — January 16, 2008 @ 2:24 pm
Oh noes, the bluray fanboys are revolting. Enjoy paying more for you half empty discs guys, and hope you dont get a scratch.
Comment by digriz — January 16, 2008 @ 2:52 pm
Slanted Propaganda! Less than 1% of all Blu-ray players are non-upgradeable. This is due to hardware, not firmware issues. Yet they are able to play blu-ray movies without 1.1 content.
This article is slanted and twisted Toshiba/Microsoft Propaganda intended to confuse and trick the unwitty consumer.
To Author: Do some research before writing.
Comment by superdynamite — January 16, 2008 @ 3:13 pm
Absolutely no research was done before writing this piece (of garbage). If there were even three minutes on the internet spent looking up what you’re talking about, it would be clear that there are MANY players out there that are upgradable and that have ethernet connectivity…this story is just a bit off the mark.
Comment by DonRWatters — January 16, 2008 @ 4:16 pm
Seriously, this article acts like this is some big news.
Brain Turner, read these words carefully.
NEW Blu-ray discs WILL PLAY in your old Blu-Ray player.
Got that? Good. Here’s the details. Certain “special features” will not be useable. Maybe some people talking about the movie in a little video box. That’s it.
REALLY, THAT’S IT.
It’s all seemless too. You pop the disc into a new Blu-Ray player and the option shows up in the menu. In an older Blu-Ray player, it’s simply not on the menu. It’s slick. It works.
Why oh WHY are technology columnists the most out of date geeks of them all?
Comment by ryan (chirpie) — January 16, 2008 @ 5:23 pm
well, i thought about this article for about 2 hours after i posted earlier and i thought to myself-maybe i ought to do something here. so i went on amazon and bought a hd-a3 toshiba player and then went and bought 6 hd movies,plus i get 7 movies with the player-2 inbox and five through the mail. so i’ve got a player and 13 movies coming for 219.56. and not a one is a duplicate of my blu-ray collection. i’m sure sony will hardly know the difference but you know what? i at least feel better. that’s a lot better than the $375 i paid for that piece of junk s-300 sony i’ve got.
Comment by dale — January 16, 2008 @ 10:44 pm
Well, I must say that I am glad I took back my A3. I paid $269+ for it and returned it on Jan.6 after WB went blue. I had a tough time with it for two reasons: 1. I honestly prefer HD DVD and LOVE the fact it’s fully funtional with an ethernet port built in and 2. since WBs decision, I knew that prices would drop and fast.
So right now I’m making due with my BDSP300 and I will say that the process for updating the firmware is a massive pain in the ass…especially if you are a Mac owner (not supported).
When the HD DVD players drop down to $99 or so then I’ll dive right back in there and get one. If Toshiba does their marketing right (which they should have done from day one - this is probably too late) they could have HD DVD survive longer than people think. This could also cause doubt in peoples minds about bluray if they pump up the interactivity and built in ethernet port. Time will tell…
Comment by Kevinn — January 16, 2008 @ 11:33 pm
You say the new features of profile 1.1 are “…not accessible for most existing customers.” Most existing customers (over 5 million of them) have a PS3. Only HD-DVD supporters and representitives use information that supports their logic, while leaving out figures and numbers that disprove it.
As for the early adopters, anyone with an HD-DVD player in their posession knows full well that their format of choice might not win. Thats the chance we take, unfortunately, it’s looking to swing in the Blu-Ray direction and anyone with an HD-DVD player wont be able to “upgrade” their PnP, net-capable players to play any of the discs that come out if it continues like it has.
Comment by Guy — January 17, 2008 @ 12:38 am
Another HD-DUD propaganda article.
Those are only for firmware upgrades that add a bunch of extra features. You’ll still be able to play the movies on the original players. Early adopters bought their players knowing full well what they are investing on and they can always upgrade to a better player down the line. I don’t have the same frickin DVD player when it first launched, I had several throughout the years. Newer Blu-ray players are upgradable, just as the PS3 is, which I think most people should buy anyway because it’s such a great value for money. “…not accessible for most existing customers.” - what a bunch of BS. Most existing customers (Blu-ray owners) ARE PS3 owners!
BBC doesn’t know what the hell they are talking about. No wonder when they continue to support HD-DUD as the only Warner distributed company to do so.
Comment by Your Master — January 17, 2008 @ 4:22 am
Well, duh! You’re just figuring this out now? Such a comment makes me wonder if this site has any useful information.
Comment by Bill — January 17, 2008 @ 4:57 am
The lame part that nobody mentioned is that all hd dvd players have the network port and can access online features. Sony and the rest of the blu-club are just getting around to announcing profile 2.0 players, so by the end of this year they’ll have players that do the same thing that hd dvd has done all along, at a mere 2-3x the price.
Comment by High Def Man — January 17, 2008 @ 6:34 pm
For all those fanboys screaming propaganda because old blu-ray machines play new blu-ray movies - well all I have to say is “duh-uh - did you read the freaking article?”.
The point is, Blu-ray was released as an intentionally immature technology to grab a foothold in the market. There was a clear understanding from the start that the technology was not completed, but was rushed in to compete with HD-DVD.
Maybe if some people were able to read the article, instead of the headline, we might get some more level-headed discussion.
Comment by Brian Turner — March 19, 2008 @ 10:26 am