Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has just confirmed that the first batch of Blu-ray movies will arrive in US stores next Tuesday, 20th June. Is this the start of a new format revolution, or the beginning of the end for Sony?
The films to be released are all fairly bland, mainstream fare - 50 First Dates, The Fifth Element, Hitch and the House of Flying Daggers – and are being released for hardcore, home cinema buffs to use on Sony's Blu-ray compatible PC or on one of the first Blu-ray players from Samsung.
Meanwhile, the release date for Sony’s BDP-S1 Blu-ray disc player has slipped from June 30th to “about August 15, 2006," according to the firm’s website. Plus, the release date of Pioneer Elite's BDP-HD1 Blu-ray player has also slipped from July to September. Which means that Samsung's $999 BD-P1000 is the sole Blu-ray player out this month (on June 25).
There is widespread speculation that one of the main reasons for these slippages is the possibility that Sony are monopolising components needed to manufacture the players, in order to meet their target of having four million PS3’s ready in time for the planned November launch.
Over on CNET they’ve calculated what it will cost to join the Blu-ray revolution as an early adopter: “you'll need to spend around $1,000 (£540) on a Blu-ray player and £700 on a 32-inch HDTV such as the Samsung LE32R41BD. To get the HDTV in its full 1080p glory, you'll need to spend around [$4,700] £2,200 on a TV such as the 37-inch Philips 37PF9830 and $1,500 (£810) on a high-end Blu-ray player -- bringing the total to [$6,200] £3,010.”
Phew! Can anyone be that bothered about watching The Fifth Element for the fifth time, even if it is six times sharper than an ordinary DVD? We’re happy to wait till November, when we can get hold of a PS3 for around £410 / 599 Euros (or whatever they’ll be changing hands for on eBay in the pre-Christmas shopping scuffle).
Whilst HD-DVD is also going to be a cheaper option for many home cinema fans (and gamers, what with Xbox 360’s forthcoming HD-DVD Drive add-on) only time will tell which format will win out in the long haul.
Let us know any thoughts you have on these matters in the forum below.
The films to be released are all fairly bland, mainstream fare - 50 First Dates, The Fifth Element, Hitch and the House of Flying Daggers – and are being released for hardcore, home cinema buffs to use on Sony's Blu-ray compatible PC or on one of the first Blu-ray players from Samsung.
Meanwhile, the release date for Sony’s BDP-S1 Blu-ray disc player has slipped from June 30th to “about August 15, 2006," according to the firm’s website. Plus, the release date of Pioneer Elite's BDP-HD1 Blu-ray player has also slipped from July to September. Which means that Samsung's $999 BD-P1000 is the sole Blu-ray player out this month (on June 25).
There is widespread speculation that one of the main reasons for these slippages is the possibility that Sony are monopolising components needed to manufacture the players, in order to meet their target of having four million PS3’s ready in time for the planned November launch.
Over on CNET they’ve calculated what it will cost to join the Blu-ray revolution as an early adopter: “you'll need to spend around $1,000 (£540) on a Blu-ray player and £700 on a 32-inch HDTV such as the Samsung LE32R41BD. To get the HDTV in its full 1080p glory, you'll need to spend around [$4,700] £2,200 on a TV such as the 37-inch Philips 37PF9830 and $1,500 (£810) on a high-end Blu-ray player -- bringing the total to [$6,200] £3,010.”
Phew! Can anyone be that bothered about watching The Fifth Element for the fifth time, even if it is six times sharper than an ordinary DVD? We’re happy to wait till November, when we can get hold of a PS3 for around £410 / 599 Euros (or whatever they’ll be changing hands for on eBay in the pre-Christmas shopping scuffle).
Whilst HD-DVD is also going to be a cheaper option for many home cinema fans (and gamers, what with Xbox 360’s forthcoming HD-DVD Drive add-on) only time will tell which format will win out in the long haul.
Let us know any thoughts you have on these matters in the forum below.
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Comments
ohms 14 Jun 2006 15:06
1/5
why is it always the s**t films that come out first?
I think both formats will continue for some time, maybe there wont be a clear winner in the end. dvd players that can play both types of disc will show up soon enough.
It wont prevent piracy on ps3 for very long, blu-ray burners are already available, and for not much more than the cost of a PS3 either. :)
Dreadknux 14 Jun 2006 17:41
2/5
Hey, I like the Fifth Element :(
... Not that much though. :D
Personally, I hope both new formats crash and burn. We've not needed an upgrade in video formats for about 20 years before DVD came along, and all of a sudden this new DVD technology gubbins gets old in 3-5 years? Load of crap that is. I just spent god-knows how much on not only rebuilding my video collection on DVD but getting lots of new films too.
I'm aware Blu-Ray/HD-DVD players might have the ability to play standard DVD discs too, but that's not really my point. My point is the constant rush into new tech when it ain't necessary. Ah well. More poverty for me. :P
Someone needs to tell Sony that the home video market isn't the same as the console market and has more of a shelf life than 5 years. Mind you, they don't care do they, they kinda need all the money they can get right now. It'll be their downfall, surely.
... Not that much though. :D
Personally, I hope both new formats crash and burn. We've not needed an upgrade in video formats for about 20 years before DVD came along, and all of a sudden this new DVD technology gubbins gets old in 3-5 years? Load of crap that is. I just spent god-knows how much on not only rebuilding my video collection on DVD but getting lots of new films too.
I'm aware Blu-Ray/HD-DVD players might have the ability to play standard DVD discs too, but that's not really my point. My point is the constant rush into new tech when it ain't necessary. Ah well. More poverty for me. :P
Someone needs to tell Sony that the home video market isn't the same as the console market and has more of a shelf life than 5 years. Mind you, they don't care do they, they kinda need all the money they can get right now. It'll be their downfall, surely.
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tg0006 14 Jun 2006 21:01
3/5
First off, the prices on this sight are a little inflated as far as the hdtv goes. Im only spending $1500 on a 1080p tv. The players are still a bit expensive, but if it does half as good as dvd, its prices will be reasonable in a year or two, not to mention how many PS3 owners (all) will have blu-ray capibilities. Im hopeing 1080p is the last standard of hd, i mean because that is prity f**king amazing to see a full 1080p image! I wouldnt really want a higher rez.
config 15 Jun 2006 08:38
4/5
tg0006 wrote:
First off, the prices on this sight are a little inflated as far as the hdtv goes.
Those prices are quoted from the CNET posting, not SPOnG's own research. I personally think they're way out of the park on the HDTV display prices.
That said, they don't take into account the overhead of an HDTV satellite/cable subscription, which, given the current lack of HD disc media, you'd almost certainly want. In the UK, that sub is at least an extra 10 quid per month. For what? A bunch of mediocre channels delivery mostly upscaled SDTV content.
LUPOS 15 Jun 2006 13:31
5/5
So there is a lovely little store, just out side the port authority bus terminal in NYC, that deals mainly in films of a pornographic nature but also sells some new relase dvd's. So new infact, are these releases, that they are generaly waaay ahead of street date. Went in there yesterday and they already had the whole selection of blu-ray stuff out on the shelf. Now i dont have a blu-ray drive... or a player... or any intent to get one.... (least not till ps3 drops and maybe not even then)but for some odd reason i really wanted to buy one 0_o'
Anywho just thought my over whelming urge to own useless plastic "early" was amusing.
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Anywho just thought my over whelming urge to own useless plastic "early" was amusing.
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