Blu-Ray May Be Blue Sky for Holiday Retailers

Now that the battle between the new High Definition DVD formats is over, some executives at Sony may feel they may have won the battle but are losing the war.

I wrote a year ago about the two competing HD DVD formats and how the industry may be headed for another stalemate similar to the Betamax™ vs VHS wars of the 1970s. There were large companies lining up behind each format with Apple, Panasonic and Sony in the Blu-Ray™ camp and Microsoft, Toshiba and NEC siding with HD-DVD™. The good news is that the HD-DVD™ camp threw in the towel and now only Blu-Ray™ remains. Good for the consumer.

Like many new electronic gadgets coming to market the first models of the Blu-Ray™ DVD players were expensive and only the early adopters purchased them. Manufacturers like Sony were looking to this upcoming holiday season to firmly establish the format as the new “must have” Christmas gift. They figured that with more and more households buying new high definition TV sets, it was only logical that these same households would want to see DVD programming displayed on those sets with the same clarity and wide screen impact that only a new Blu-Ray™ player could provide.

Seems that someone forgot to tell the consumer. The sales of Blu-Ray™ DVD players have been well behind projections forcing retailers to deeply discount the price as we head into the holiday shopping season. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal predicted that some stores may offer sub $150 models right after Thanksgiving.

So is this the time to buy? There is no question that the Blu-Ray™ DVD played on a large High Definition TV set is awesome. You must keep in mind however that the current pricing of Blu-Ray™ DVDs is about double of the standard DVD. So a movie could set you back more than $30. And that is without the popcorn!

Even if you have a new HD TV, you might want to consider a standard DVD player that has “up conversion.” Using “electronic magic” these machines make a standard DVD movie look more like a HD movie. These players can be found for about $100.

If you have not purchased a HD set then there is no reason to buy a Blu-Ray™ player or an up converting DVD player right now. The quality of picture from a Blu-Ray™ DVD on your standard definition TV will not be noticeably better. Save your money and wait until they drop in price so that they are displayed next to the chewing gum at the check out counter.

For those who are considering a Blu-Ray™ player you will find that the format offers much more than just better pictures and sound. Some Blu-Ray™ programming is enhanced by connecting the DVD player with the Internet and thus making the program interactive. This experience is similar to playing online or using devices like the Xbox™ or Wii™. Of course, to use these features you must have a high speed Internet connection like RoadRunner™ or Cincinnati Bell DSL.

Blu-Ray May Be Blue Sky for Holiday Retailers

Now that the battle between the new High Definition DVD formats is over, some executives at Sony may feel they may have won the battle but are losing the war.

I wrote a year ago about the two competing HD DVD formats and how the industry may be headed for another stalemate similar to the Betamax™ vs VHS wars of the 1970s. There were large companies lining up behind each format with Apple, Panasonic and Sony in the Blu-Ray™ camp and Microsoft, Toshiba and NEC siding with HD-DVD™. The good news is that the HD-DVD™ camp threw in the towel and now only Blu-Ray™ remains. Good for the consumer.

Like many new electronic gadgets coming to market the first models of the Blu-Ray™ DVD players were expensive and only the early adopters purchased them. Manufacturers like Sony were looking to this upcoming holiday season to firmly establish the format as the new “must have” Christmas gift. They figured that with more and more households buying new high definition TV sets, it was only logical that these same households would want to see DVD programming displayed on those sets with the same clarity and wide screen impact that only a new Blu-Ray™ player could provide.

Seems that someone forgot to tell the consumer. The sales of Blu-Ray™ DVD players have been well behind projections forcing retailers to deeply discount the price as we head into the holiday shopping season. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal predicted that some stores may offer sub $150 models right after Thanksgiving.

So is this the time to buy? There is no question that the Blu-Ray™ DVD played on a large High Definition TV set is awesome. You must keep in mind however that the current pricing of Blu-Ray™ DVDs is about double of the standard DVD. So a movie could set you back more than $30. And that is without the popcorn!

Even if you have a new HD TV, you might want to consider a standard DVD player that has “up conversion.” Using “electronic magic” these machines make a standard DVD movie look more like a HD movie. These players can be found for about $100.

If you have not purchased a HD set then there is no reason to buy a Blu-Ray™ player or an up converting DVD player right now. The quality of picture from a Blu-Ray™ DVD on your standard definition TV will not be noticeably better. Save your money and wait until they drop in price so that they are displayed next to the chewing gum at the check out counter.

For those who are considering a Blu-Ray™ player you will find that the format offers much more than just better pictures and sound. Some Blu-Ray™ programming is enhanced by connecting the DVD player with the Internet and thus making the program interactive. This experience is similar to playing online or using devices like the Xbox™ or Wii™. Of course, to use these features you must have a high speed Internet connection like RoadRunner™ or Cincinnati Bell DSL.

2008 Consumer Electronics Show Review

Well, neither my day job employer, CET, nor the Harrison Press was willing or able to ante up for my travel to the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES) which ran January 7 thru 10 in Las Vegas. While I do serve on a national advisory group that held its meeting as part of the show, by the time I found that out the limited hotel rooms were long gone. For the uninitiated, the CES is the largest trade show in the US. This year more than 140,000 (that’s right, one hundred and forty thousand) people attended. For those interested in technology and technology trends, this is as close to heaven as it gets. I have been able to vicariously participate by monitoring various blogs, news reports and getting first hand reports from people who were there.

For as long as I can remember, Bill Gates has always given a Key Note speech to open the show. This year with his upcoming retirement, he announced that this would be his last one. There is a really neat funny video produced as part of his presentation that you just have to see. You can view it anytime on YouTube.com. The address is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1M-IafCor4 For anyone who follows Microsoft this video is a must.

Spread out over acres and acres of exhibit space were products ranging sfrom giant plasma TVs to cell phone ring tones. Here are a few of the more interesting products and announcements.

The High Definition DVD Player wars seem to be coming to an end. By this time next year the victor should be known. Right now Sony® and its Blue Ray™ technology seem to be winning the battle as more and more content providers are siding with this technology. While Toshiba® and its HD DVD™ system has not yet thrown in the towel, I think they will soon. If most of the good movies are available only on Blue Ray™ it will be tough to fight. Many analysts note that for most people the quality of the picture is just about same for Blue Ray™ and HD DVD™. So content will be king.

Panasonic® obviously feels that “bigger is better” as they displayed the largest Plasma TV in the world. This 150 inch behemoth produces a TV picture that can cover an entire wall. You could use it in your living room where it could double as a “virtual window.” Don’t like looking out your window at your neighbor’s 1964 pick up truck propped up on blocks? Now you can have view of the skyline of New York or the mountains of Colorado. It will cost you, though. Since it is a prototype, a firm sticker price has yet to be set. But as they say, “if you have to ask…?”

I am a bit cautious about even mentioning the next technology since it has been displayed for two or three years and has yet to come to market in any substantial way. It is called WiMax. This technology provides high speed access to the Internet and other computer applications wirelessly over very large areas. You can think of it at WiFi on steroids. While several cell phone providers have data networks, they really are not as fast as a typical connection in your house with DSL or cable modems. If this technology does finally make it to market this year you can look for big changes in what you can do on line in a car, bus or train. Even radio as we know it may change since you will be able to listen to any radio station on line from anywhere in the world using an internet connection in your car. There are still several hurdles to overcome, but vendors promise WiMax network roll outs in Washington DC, New York City and a few other major cities in 2008.

2008 Consumer Electronics Show Review

Well, neither my day job employer, CET, nor the Harrison Press was willing or able to ante up for my travel to the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES) which ran January 7 thru 10 in Las Vegas. While I do serve on a national advisory group that held its meeting as part of the show, by the time I found that out the limited hotel rooms were long gone. For the uninitiated, the CES is the largest trade show in the US. This year more than 140,000 (that’s right, one hundred and forty thousand) people attended. For those interested in technology and technology trends, this is as close to heaven as it gets. I have been able to vicariously participate by monitoring various blogs, news reports and getting first hand reports from people who were there.

For as long as I can remember, Bill Gates has always given a Key Note speech to open the show. This year with his upcoming retirement, he announced that this would be his last one. There is a really neat funny video produced as part of his presentation that you just have to see. You can view it anytime on YouTube.com. The address is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1M-IafCor4 For anyone who follows Microsoft this video is a must.

Spread out over acres and acres of exhibit space were products ranging sfrom giant plasma TVs to cell phone ring tones. Here are a few of the more interesting products and announcements.

The High Definition DVD Player wars seem to be coming to an end. By this time next year the victor should be known. Right now Sony® and its Blue Ray™ technology seem to be winning the battle as more and more content providers are siding with this technology. While Toshiba® and its HD DVD™ system has not yet thrown in the towel, I think they will soon. If most of the good movies are available only on Blue Ray™ it will be tough to fight. Many analysts note that for most people the quality of the picture is just about same for Blue Ray™ and HD DVD™. So content will be king.

Panasonic® obviously feels that “bigger is better” as they displayed the largest Plasma TV in the world. This 150 inch behemoth produces a TV picture that can cover an entire wall. You could use it in your living room where it could double as a “virtual window.” Don’t like looking out your window at your neighbor’s 1964 pick up truck propped up on blocks? Now you can have view of the skyline of New York or the mountains of Colorado. It will cost you, though. Since it is a prototype, a firm sticker price has yet to be set. But as they say, “if you have to ask…?”

I am a bit cautious about even mentioning the next technology since it has been displayed for two or three years and has yet to come to market in any substantial way. It is called WiMax. This technology provides high speed access to the Internet and other computer applications wirelessly over very large areas. You can think of it at WiFi on steroids. While several cell phone providers have data networks, they really are not as fast as a typical connection in your house with DSL or cable modems. If this technology does finally make it to market this year you can look for big changes in what you can do on line in a car, bus or train. Even radio as we know it may change since you will be able to listen to any radio station on line from anywhere in the world using an internet connection in your car. There are still several hurdles to overcome, but vendors promise WiMax network roll outs in Washington DC, New York City and a few other major cities in 2008.

It’s the DVD Code not the Da Vinci Code

The swiftness that DVDs have taken over the home video marketplace is nothing short of unprecedented. Not only has this format changed the way movies and TV programs are delivered, it has changed the economics of an entire industry. Prices for DVD movies and TV programs continue to drop. The prices of DVD players also continue to plummet. You can find full featured DVD players in discount stores for as little as $19.00. It looks like the prices for these machines are following in the footsteps of hand held calculators. They are commodities.

A few weeks ago someone asked me why they could not get a DVD that they received from a friend to play on his machine. After some discussion I found that the DVD in question was sent to him by a friend who lived in Japan. My friend was aware that there are different TV standards in some parts of the world, but was confused since Japan and the United States share the same VIDEO standard called NTSC.

Well, my friend was half right. It is true that the United States and Japan share the NTSC Video standard unlike the UK and some other parts of Europe that use a format called PAL. There are others video formats used in other parts of the world. That is too much info right now.

What my friend did not know is that DVDs carry with them a Regional Code or LOCK. There are six geographical codes and two specialized codes now in use. What this means is that you must have a DVD player that is set up to play the right code. For example, Region #1 DVDs can only be played in the United States and Canada. If you have a DVD manufactured for use in Mexico, it is Region # 4, and it will not play on your DVD player purchased in the United States.

While there are Region # 0 coded discs that can be played on any player in any part of the world, most distributors of movies and TV programs use the regional code to restrict the free trading of content. The idea was to make it possible to release a movie on DVD in the United States before releasing it in another part of the world or visa versa. As you might have guessed, there is a cottage industry of hackers who can remove the code or alter the software in the DVD machine to accept any code. Most of us mere mortals have to live with the restrictions.

If you look on the DVD package you will find the regional code marked so you will know if it will play on your machine. Likewise the box containing your new DVD player should have its Regional Code marked. In most case this is not a problem since only Region #1 players and DVDs are sold in the US. It is interesting to note that if you have an older model DVD player built into your computer, it may play all DVDs without a problem. The older DVD drives have older software that does not recognize these codes. This may be one of the few times when older technology is actually a good thing.

It’s the DVD Code not the Da Vinci Code

The swiftness that DVDs have taken over the home video marketplace is nothing short of unprecedented. Not only has this format changed the way movies and TV programs are delivered, it has changed the economics of an entire industry. Prices for DVD movies and TV programs continue to drop. The prices of DVD players also continue to plummet. You can find full featured DVD players in discount stores for as little as $19.00. It looks like the prices for these machines are following in the footsteps of hand held calculators. They are commodities.

A few weeks ago someone asked me why they could not get a DVD that they received from a friend to play on his machine. After some discussion I found that the DVD in question was sent to him by a friend who lived in Japan. My friend was aware that there are different TV standards in some parts of the world, but was confused since Japan and the United States share the same VIDEO standard called NTSC.

Well, my friend was half right. It is true that the United States and Japan share the NTSC Video standard unlike the UK and some other parts of Europe that use a format called PAL. There are others video formats used in other parts of the world. That is too much info right now.

What my friend did not know is that DVDs carry with them a Regional Code or LOCK. There are six geographical codes and two specialized codes now in use. What this means is that you must have a DVD player that is set up to play the right code. For example, Region #1 DVDs can only be played in the United States and Canada. If you have a DVD manufactured for use in Mexico, it is Region # 4, and it will not play on your DVD player purchased in the United States.

While there are Region # 0 coded discs that can be played on any player in any part of the world, most distributors of movies and TV programs use the regional code to restrict the free trading of content. The idea was to make it possible to release a movie on DVD in the United States before releasing it in another part of the world or visa versa. As you might have guessed, there is a cottage industry of hackers who can remove the code or alter the software in the DVD machine to accept any code. Most of us mere mortals have to live with the restrictions.

If you look on the DVD package you will find the regional code marked so you will know if it will play on your machine. Likewise the box containing your new DVD player should have its Regional Code marked. In most case this is not a problem since only Region #1 players and DVDs are sold in the US. It is interesting to note that if you have an older model DVD player built into your computer, it may play all DVDs without a problem. The older DVD drives have older software that does not recognize these codes. This may be one of the few times when older technology is actually a good thing.