Be sure to check out the lively and lengthy thread on the tech blog Gadgets about the Blu-ray format and its chances for survival.
The initial post on the N.Y. Times blog, "Rethinking Blu-ray" was inspired by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment's demonstration of its BD Live features last week, an event I attended as well.
The Sony folks demoed a 007 trivia game that can played online as well as a sharable jukebox feature for the great Chess Records movie "Cadillac Records." There was a retail component, too, as you'd imagine.
So far, these "live" features seem targeted at the text-messaging crowd, but their potential seems vast once Blu-ray gets its various compatibility issues sorted out -- and broadband finds its way to most living room-bound Blu-ray players.
I posted a comment on the Gadget thread, repeating some of the points I've made before on this DVD blog. Here goes:
"In many ways, Blu-ray is its own worst enemy.
"The format came to market before it was ready, while the rival format HD DVD had most (but not all) of its issues ironed out.
"Blu-ray's hunger for regular "firmware" updates, the slow load times and the fact that to this day some discs simply won't play in some players are among the factors that have hurt the format.
"Internet-fed interactive features only work on some players as well. $600 Blu-ray players bought two years ago are sadly outdated today, such as Samsung's notorious BD-P1200.
"These issues certainly have tempered Blu-ray evangelism from early adopters.
"Blu-ray's amazing images should be reason enough for people with HD-ready TV monitors to upgrade. Compared with well-produced HD titles, DVDs look flat and lifeless. As a bonus, DVDs "upconverted" on these HD machines look far better than on DVD players.
"I agree that the broadband-dependent interactive features the studios have pushed so far (such as chat and games) seem best suited to younger audiences -- not the consumers making decisions to buy these pricey machines and discs. These features bring to mind the DVD-ROM extras that no one ever bothered with on DVDs.
"Most people just want to watch a movie.
"Still, we glimpse the future with "live" extra features. This marriage of Internet content and home video points the way to what will be routine as broadband-connected media servers become commonplace in living rooms.
"Blu-ray manufacturers need to make no-hassle wi-fi standard on all of these machines, instead of pretending that most people have broadband hard wired into their living rooms."
Update: Apple may be rethinking its resistance to incorporating Blu-ray into its products, Home Media magazine reports.
I certainly agree that Blu-ray appeared in the market at a nascent stage...infact it was more of a 'push' mechanism by Sony. It still has a long way to go interms of how the concept can be fully utilized to keep the consumers entertained not to expand the market.
My point is would improving it on social networking front like connecting BD Live and facebook communities really retain interest in the long run? Also the rapidity with which new DVD or BD players are being introduced into the markets, you'd have to buy yourself a new player every 2-3 years which is quite expensive on your pockets.
Posted by: Zoya | June 05, 2009 at 05:26 AM
Those are some good ideas for Blu ray to survive. The obvious idea should be to lower the prices
Posted by: Blu ray DVD | August 02, 2009 at 11:33 AM