Buyers Beware: Current Blu-ray Players Won't Correctly Play Future Discs

[Broken]

After the past week, it seems more and more likely that Blu-ray will be the movie disc format of the future. But with the exception of the Playstation 3, current Blu-ray disc players were built without future-compatibility capabilities, so come this October owners won't be able to take advantage of features like Internet connectivity or enhanced interactivity (whatever that means—details are sketchy). "One key Blu-ray developer told BetaNews that although he builds discs for studios including Fox and Lionsgate, he did not buy a Blu-ray player for personal use." Regarding current Blu-ray player owners, Blu-ray developers told BetaNews, "They knew what they were getting into."


Representatives at the Blu-ray booth at CES told BetaNews that the PlayStation 3 is currently the only player they would recommend, due to upcoming changes to the platform. But Pioneer, Samsung, Panasonic and Sony have all been selling standalone Blu-ray players to customers.

So here's how it's going to work: current players are Profile 1.0, and can play future hi-def discs but no bonus stuff. Profile 1.1 dics will include additional bonus material that won't play on 1.0 players—these discs will have a "Bonus View" sticker. Come October, Profile 2 capability will come to the market, which includes Internet activity, but only on Profile 2.0 players—these discs will have a "BD Live" sticker.

When asked why current players were released to the market when in such a primitive state, manufacturers blamed the release of HD DVD and said it forced them to come to market too soon. "We should have waited another year to introduce Blu-ray to the public, but the format war changed the situation." Okay, well how about we just don't buy any Blu-ray players for a while (not counting the PS3) until you guys decide to get your act together?

Source: http://consumerist.com/344116/

[tesco]

Why do they say blu-ray is going to win?

I would have thoguht HD-DVD based on teh fact that hd-dvd players can be found for much cheaper than blueray at the moment.

edit: rereading that makes me realize that maybe hd-dvdis cheaper because it's losing

[4play]

They say blueray has won because all the major studios will be releasing their movies in that format.

HD dvd possibly has a decent future as a format for storing lots of data if they can get burners and discs out the door at decent prices.

[Broken]

Sony really has an enormous advantage.
I don't feel that the public is willing to invest in a new format, considering there's still so much life left in the old DVD format.

Step one, is to get hardware into the homes. Most people are still unwilling to "adapt".
Sony's plan is genius. They are practically giving blu-ray away with the PS3 to create a base before there is even a demand. I remember reading that some 40% of PS3 purchasers where ignorant to the fact that it was a blu-ray player (I would like to know if that 40% even knew what a blu-ray player was).

Sony is still eating a loss on their PS3 hardware.. But, winning the format war will mean royalties form disc and players for the foreseeable future.

Blu-ray has all but won the format war. The majority of the large studios are now behind the format, with the others not ruling out a possible switch. Walmart, the world's largest retailer has made commitments to the format. Microsoft has even conceded the Xbox 360 games console may eventually support Blu-ray.

The format war may not be over yet. But it should be very soon

[TheFoX]

I bought a PS3 for the dual purpose of replacing my ageing PS2 (I have the 60GB PS2 compatible version) and for playing the new BluRay disks.

Up until the point when it was announced that the major studios would all be supporting BluRay, I was in the position where I may have bought a HD DVD player to sit alongside the PlayStation 3. Needless to say, I won't need to spend any more money.

I have seen BluRay players that are actually more expensive than the PS3 (40GB or 60GB), so buying a PS3 seems to be the economical solution. Add the fact that the PS3 can, with a broadband connection, update itself for the new standards coming out, and you have a versatile BluRay player with the bonus of a top notch games console.

[lostdemon]

I have been wondering who was going to which of the two formants would prevail.
Now I just need to get a blue ray dvd burner.