gamesindustry.biz— Why is the XBOX 360 going to use regular old DVDs? According to Gates, the two next-gen optical formats are the last we'll ever see and will be very short lived.
Oct 20, 2005View in Crawl 4
Bill is wrong here. These formats are not dead in the water, for several reasons.1) For digital distribution to be effective as the main means of distribution, you need to have huge market penetration of broadband internet connections...and not just 3 or 6 mbps crap like is common in broadband now, but 30mbps or more to support high-def content distribution.2) People will always want to own physical products. That's why cd's still sell at rates that make iTunes sales inconsequential. With a physical product in hand, no one can take away your access once you own it. With digital distribution, DRM will always give content owners control, not consumers.3) Hollywood won't back this idea for many years to come. They are always late to the game.It is ridiculous to think that these formats are not going to succeed. I'd also be willing to bet that they will have successors, probably some form of holographic media, that will also be very successful.
Gates is missing the point...1. HD Tv's are getting popular, people love HD content2. people want HD moviesbut...3. HD stuff = huge files, too big to download (50 gigs, yeah right!)so soultions:A. Cable providors have ondemand hd content to stream it to usersB. HD DVD/blue-Ray... for stuff (like, say, a movie) that people want to watch more than once this is a cheap way to get it to people
Bill truly lives in la-la land. Does he really think broadband is even CLOSE to getting to the point where we can use his "digital distribution systems" idea? As broadband speeds are now, I'd have to wait an eon to download even DVD size files on my DSL line. It's much faster to just buy or rent the movie now. I can be back from Wally World or Blockbuster in 15 minutes. Hell, I can even get DVDs from Netflix quicker than through my DSL line probably! Broadband my ass; when the US Postal Service is faster, we've got problems.
They are doomed: <a class="user" href="http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000297064448/">http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000297064448/</a> and <a class="user" href="http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000060046265/">http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000060046265/</a>Blu-ray and HD-DVD are like DVD v1.5. As several people have posted, there is really no reason for most people to make such an incremental upgrade. Frankly, the fact that there are TWO incompatible formats vying for the small percentage of people likely to buy them, means they are practically guaranteed failure.Within 10 years everybody will get all their media streamed to them on demand, and you won't need a "video library". The future of storage of data is in MUCH more capacious media, like the links above.I like to consider myself an early adopter, but barring some kind of amazing killer app, I doubt I'll buy players for either BR or HD-DVD
thetexicanOct 21, 2005
Bill is wrong here. These formats are not dead in the water, for several reasons.1) For digital distribution to be effective as the main means of distribution, you need to have huge market penetration of broadband internet connections...and not just 3 or 6 mbps crap like is common in broadband now, but 30mbps or more to support high-def content distribution.2) People will always want to own physical products. That's why cd's still sell at rates that make iTunes sales inconsequential. With a physical product in hand, no one can take away your access once you own it. With digital distribution, DRM will always give content owners control, not consumers.3) Hollywood won't back this idea for many years to come. They are always late to the game.It is ridiculous to think that these formats are not going to succeed. I'd also be willing to bet that they will have successors, probably some form of holographic media, that will also be very successful.
chosenone_Oct 21, 2005
BULLs**t.Not nearly everyone has fast internet...
pdlevinOct 21, 2005
Gates is missing the point...1. HD Tv's are getting popular, people love HD content2. people want HD moviesbut...3. HD stuff = huge files, too big to download (50 gigs, yeah right!)so soultions:A. Cable providors have ondemand hd content to stream it to usersB. HD DVD/blue-Ray... for stuff (like, say, a movie) that people want to watch more than once this is a cheap way to get it to people
g_razorOct 21, 2005
This coming from the same guy who said iPods are doomed.
jarrodOct 21, 2005
Bill truly lives in la-la land. Does he really think broadband is even CLOSE to getting to the point where we can use his "digital distribution systems" idea? As broadband speeds are now, I'd have to wait an eon to download even DVD size files on my DSL line. It's much faster to just buy or rent the movie now. I can be back from Wally World or Blockbuster in 15 minutes. Hell, I can even get DVDs from Netflix quicker than through my DSL line probably! Broadband my ass; when the US Postal Service is faster, we've got problems.
leonffsOct 21, 2005
"I'm going with whatever Apple is going with®."God just f**king die please.
kyle133Oct 21, 2005
Have a look at this...<a class="user" href="http://www.milliondollarhero.com">http://www.milliondollarhero.com</a>
candre23Oct 21, 2005
They are doomed: <a class="user" href="http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000297064448/">http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000297064448/</a> and <a class="user" href="http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000060046265/">http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000060046265/</a>Blu-ray and HD-DVD are like DVD v1.5. As several people have posted, there is really no reason for most people to make such an incremental upgrade. Frankly, the fact that there are TWO incompatible formats vying for the small percentage of people likely to buy them, means they are practically guaranteed failure.Within 10 years everybody will get all their media streamed to them on demand, and you won't need a "video library". The future of storage of data is in MUCH more capacious media, like the links above.I like to consider myself an early adopter, but barring some kind of amazing killer app, I doubt I'll buy players for either BR or HD-DVD