Nobody Wants Blu-ray -- Study

Ruark

Another thing that will really help Blu-Ray move into the market (besides lower prices) is functional stabilization. They have GOT to get past all this "firmware upgrade" nonsense. Blu-Ray has not yet reached the plug-and-play functionality that DVD and VHS players had, where you just stick it in the slot and hit "play."

I was in Best Buy just last night, and some Joe the Plumber type was bringing his Blu-Ray player up to the Customer Service counter jabbering about some weird stuff it was doing (freezing, skipping, etc.) and said it was broken and wanted his money back. The CS person said it probably just needed a firmware upgrade, and the customer just looked at him with that deer-in-the-headlights blank stare, having utterly no idea what he was talking about, and demanded and got a refund.

We didn't have this with DVD and VHS players; it needs to STOP. It's ridiculous to buy a $500 Blu-Ray player, stick a popular movie in it and it won't play.

Ruark

HD Goofnut

Again, it's all about the added and/or different DRM and/or internet features they throw in on new titles. You don't any of that stuff with DVD or VHS.

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sigill

I too think that the lack of studio support was the main reason HD-DVD failed. It could never compete with just Univesal and Paramount as 2 exclusive studios. Thats why the Warner decision was so crucial, in the end i think it was the final nail in the coffin.

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Loves2Watch

I agree. It doesn't matter if it's Hollywood or the manufacturer at fault, if this continues Blu ray will be destined to be a niche format and will never become the DVD replacement the BDA so much wants.

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rcoleman11

Sony and the other media companies are killing themselves with this nonsense and they are too stupid to even realize it. They've made enormous sums of money from DVDs without anyone having to do firmware updates in order to play current titles.

I have a network-connected PS3 and I can update firmware as often as I need to, but there are lots of people out there who will simply return these players as defective if discs won't play on them. They not only lose money on returns, it gives the format a reputation for compatibility problems. I don't get what these geniuses think they're accomplishing with these DRM schemes. Anyone who really wants to pirate Blu-ray discs can easily do so - just read some of the other threads (there was a Wall Street Journal story on this topic yesterday). If they price the product properly ($20 or less), people will buy them.