Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD - Gizmodo Comments

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

berribrand — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:34:59 EST

@SeattleTed: It is unknown as to the origin of the photo. I have read that this was a picture taken from a real pro-war rally in St. Louis outside of Boeing, and not from the fake "pro-war" rally that some attribute this to. But I don't know for sure...

In any case, there was an email chain sent out saying this picture was from a fake "pro-war" rally in Milwaukee. Slogans at this fake rally were purported to be: "Freedom Is The Enemy", "Get A Brain Morans", "Iraq Out Of Iraq", "Draft My Child", "Send Our Infants", "Soccer Moms For Blood", "War Is Peace", "I'm Pro Life And Pro Death", "Stop Reporting The Facts", "Peace Is For Pussies", "Bush Is The Savior", "This Is No Time For Thinking", "Pro Bush Lesbian", and "Ask Me About My Baby Killing Honor Student".

But the email stated that this fake rally took place during blizzard conditions and that the people were wearing suits. But this picture obviously doesn't corroborate with that.

berribrand

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

lionelbob — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 21:52:26 EST

@imTheKing: It was just a real world price comparison. No need to get nasty. I won't refer to the grammar in your second sentence either OK?

lionelbob

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

lionelbob — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 21:44:21 EST

@izim1: I was stating the REAL WORLD current price for the movie RV at Circuit City today. My point was, now that this war is over maybe I'll wait until prices drop for the movies. That's WHERE I'm going with this.

lionelbob

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

skulldriveshaft — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 19:55:36 EST

@SeattleTed: Could have been an outside shot from Family Feud.

skulldriveshaft

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

SeattleTed — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 11:18:44 EST

@skulldriveshaft: It was a faux demonstration and they were saying pretty funny things if my sources tell me. So it was pretty much a show hence the bandana flag etc.

SeattleTed

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

skulldriveshaft — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 23:43:33 EST

What's up with the people in the background standing with their hands on their hips?

skulldriveshaft

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

skulldriveshaft — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 23:42:12 EST

hahahahhahahahaha

High Definition Plastic Disc Suckers

Blu Ray is bringing the player and display unit lockdown

Toshiba has a responsibility to it's shareholders, and after hearing the gear down news, buyers spoke by driving up the share prices.

Sony Betamax, Toshiba HD-DVD, lessons learned, lets move along now.

Nice flamebait adam, but the picture is priceless!

skulldriveshaft

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

imTheKing — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 23:22:28 EST

@lionelbob: are you ordering 2 copies of each movie? Or are you dumb enough to buy them a best buy for that price....

imTheKing

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

izim1 — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 22:23:38 EST

@lionelbob: dude are you seriously comparing the lowend DVDs to the high end blu-rays? What excactly are you trying to accomplish with that? The real world prices are $15-20 for DVDs to $25-30 for BD....
and I still don't see were you're trying to go with this......

izim1

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

lionelbob — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:40:48 EST

"movie_title" DVD $9.99
"movie_title" blu $38.99

lionelbob

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

kahri — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:38:44 EST

@spaceman7: thanks.

kahri

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

Johnny Chimpo — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 19:51:15 EST

@kendra68: It's great you have pride in your city. In fact one of my good friends from grad school moved back to St Louis after graduation and she loves it. I'm just saying the area is, in my opinion, a missed opportunity.

Johnny Chimpo

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

wonkydonky — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 17:59:28 EST

Blu-Ray endorsement or no, I shall NOT, by thor's hammer, have idiotic pilsner-swilling red-necks besmirching the intellectual reputation of my poor defenseless girlfriend, Moran Atias.

USA bandanna or not sir, I shall be travelling to your location posthaste to give you What For!! -you ignorant, be-mulletted, man-baggage!

wonkydonky

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

graham1010 — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 17:33:46 EST

Now that the war is over, is there going to be another baby boom?

graham1010

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

kendra68 — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 17:22:20 EST

@Johnny Chimpo: Hello ::taps johnny's head:: You must not even live close to my great city-St. Louis, but the builders of the stadium tried to develop the area around it and the Arch, but it was voted down by the people that were dieing to leave. And we don't top the list every year, get your facts right.
And thank god you didn't find Shannon's restaurant, more Bloody Mary's for me.

kendra68

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

Johnny Chimpo — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 17:12:15 EST

@codykniffen: Ever been to downtown St Louis? The city developers are total 'morans' for not developing the area around New Busch and the Arch. No decent bar district, restaurants, or shopping. It's a complete joke.

...no wonder St Louis tops the "Most Dangerous City" list every year. People are dieing to leave.

[www.cbsnews.com]

Johnny Chimpo

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

izim1 — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 17:11:38 EST

@bbfreak: preach it, brotha!
i was begining to believe that i was the only one here that realized that people with internet speeds capable of downloading movies (much less HD movies) are BY FAR the minority......

izim1

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

avconsumer — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:49:41 EST

I wonder if they'll also be dropping Betamax soon!! Jeez I hope not.

avconsumer

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

bbfreak — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:39:14 EST

Also what KAHRI said about cable companies having a fit. I know that if I downloaded two HD movies, Comcast would probably drop me as a customer. So until bandwidth gets faster, and until people have that kind of storage your going to have a very very small minority. Thus less people pirating the film, for a short time at least. Or true HD anyway, because I'm sure they'll somehow compress it down to some sane level but then again it wont be HD anymore will it?

bbfreak

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

bbfreak — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:26:35 EST

@aceface: Who is going to download HD movies? Unless I'm mistaken, people with cable are overall a minority as far as internet users go. Your not going to download 50-60 gigs without a cable internet either (unless your very very very determined I guess you could maybe). Anyway, even for cable 50-60 gigs will take forever to download (of course I'm talking about your standard cable, not top tier stuff).

bbfreak

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

yellowcanary73 — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:00:03 EST

Hey is that what you call a J6P the one holding the sign.No wonder HD is in trouble

yellowcanary73

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

Garrison Dean, Mr. Privilege — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:52:02 EST

@aceface: I agree eventually physical format will die, but not any time soon. You can stream an HD movie no problem, OnDemand does it now, but if you want a hard copy of an HD movie how big is that? 50-60 gigs? fine. I have a couple hundred DVDs, who has that much storage sitting around their house now. Physical formats wont die before they put out cheap multi terabyte drives. And with a $3000 60 gig AirMac I don't see that happening anytime soon. Just go buy a PS3. It's great.

Garrison Dean, Mr. Privilege

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

kahri — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:51:19 EST

@aceface: tell me where you're downloading HD feature films from (yes legally)? Right now the only HD content I've found for download has been podcasts. We need more bandwidth (& bigger HDD)

kahri

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

kahri — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:46:39 EST

@Optimus-Prime: incentives? umm..money, sales, it's what they do. Not only that, but (with the ethernet port) you would (in theory) be able to do a firmware update (3.0?) without actually purchasing a new player.

kahri

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

yellowcanary73 — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:46:09 EST

Thank God Samsung going pure Blu ray cause their players and customer service sucks.

yellowcanary73

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

92BuickLeSabre — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:42:56 EST

I think the bizarre part is that they are just scaling back.

"From now on we will only spend 10% of our energies manufacturing dead technologies that people will not buy."

92BuickLeSabre

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

nocar — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:33:58 EST

Both Best Buy and Circuit City had a full page of Blu-ray titles on sale in their Sunday newspaper flyers yesterday with absolutely no mention of HD-DVD at all. It's clues like this that let the general public know HD-DVD is a dead format. They now only have to choose between DVD and Blu-ray.

nocar

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

Part-Time-Viking — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:26:19 EST

@aceface: I still prefer to own physical copies of media... Yes, I still buy CD's...

Part-Time-Viking

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

codykniffen — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:23:50 EST

This asshat makes all St. Louis Cardinals fans look like idiots!! IT'S NOT TRUE!!!!

codykniffen

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

Xavoc — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:23:31 EST

@aceface: For one, it takes too long to download 50+gb of info. Secondly, many of your primary carriers are going to have a fit about this.

I prefer physical copies that I can choose to convert to being stored on other devices. Physical backup (that isn't an external rotational drive) is something I appreciate.

Xavoc

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

Xavoc — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:20:31 EST

@Optimus-Prime: It will allow them to embed secret links to their Transformers/LOTR crossover site.

It fixes compatability issues, adds features, improves security of the disc content. Disc manufacturers will bastardize and twist the format any way they can to protect their information and add new gimmicks. As an example, I think The Matrix discs had issues in some older DVD players when it was released.

Xavoc

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

aceface — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:19:47 EST

People, people, people...forget this physical format junk and download your HD movies. Physical format's are for moran's (see picture)...and it'll teach the hardware manufacturers to quit messing with our minds.

aceface

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

AceKicker — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:19:04 EST

@Optimus-Prime: So they can sell you the same format player twice.

AceKicker

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

Optimus-Prime — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:17:44 EST

@kahri: With HD DVD out of the picture, what incentive do manufacturers have to make 2.0 players?

Optimus-Prime

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

AceKicker — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:14:51 EST

I think it's official as it's going to get. "Cutting production" has a pretty strong tone of finality to me.

So instead of waiting for a press release from Toshiba where they announce their demise with giant banners and a Monty Python skit, (We regret to inform everyone that the HD-DVD format is being discont-AAAAAAAAAARrrrrrggg...) let's just say it's "officially official" and move on.

AceKicker

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

kahri — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:11:01 EST

@Xavoc: I would still wait for BluRay 2.0 players to come out if you want PIP and ethernet or get one that can do firmware updates(*ahem PS3).
As for Toshiba, of course they're not going to throw their hands up and say "Oh well no more HDDVD." Remember there's still plenty of HD-DVD players and movies out there that they hope will still sell. They're not just gonna take a loss on them if they can avoid it.

kahri

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

Part-Time-Viking — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:04:27 EST

Hmm... I wonder how I could get a job being the Director of Obvious Decisions at a big name company. Sounds like the job of my dreams right there.

Part-Time-Viking

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

alfamale — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:04:18 EST

I know I'm not the only one who figured out that guy in the picture is protesting outside Erin Moran's family home. Presumably over some Joanie Loves Chachi related slight.

Maybe this is about the familys's insistence that the series be released on HDDVD exclusively. Point taken gentle sage. Count me in on this little protest.

Come ON Morans! Get with the friggin program already!

alfamale

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

the_sphere — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:03:33 EST

WOW... I'm seriously getting so tired of the sarcasm on this site with regards to this subject.

If you were probably one of the many many employees that exist in HD-DVD departments around the world, then you probably wouldn't want them to fire you the second Gizmodo declares a winner would you? I mean we're talking January 5th 2008 as the turning point.. thats not even 2 months ago.

the_sphere

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

SigmundTheSeaMonster — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:01:05 EST

I can't wait for the Bluray piracy to commence! Burner prices drop, AnyBR-DVD updates its methodology, blank-BR discs get cheaper...cyclical like CD-R. Gimmee 50GB BR data...

Bet Apple includes BluRay reading in next-gen Macs.

Now, dumb-consumers, go out and start replacing your old and tired DVDs with new, feature packed, BluRay!

SigmundTheSeaMonster

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

Xavoc — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:00:27 EST

@med: So you're saying you want Toshiba to have a mysterious resurgance of popularity in regards to their HD-DVD format? Do you own their stock or something?

The last time I bought a piece of technology during a format war, I ended up w/ a betamax vcr... So, I think I'll wait a bit longer until it's really really dead, not just mostly dead and waiting for Miracle Max to take on the job.

Xavoc

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

mangochutney — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:00:24 EST

@mangochutney: I would like to buy an "A" and insert it after "I think" in the first sentence.

mangochutney

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

mangochutney — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:58:36 EST

@Mr. Frucci

I think tag "Teh Obvious" would be appropriate for this kind of news, as it will trickle in over the next few weeks/months until the last company subdues itself to the bright blue beam of light.

mangochutney

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

fsusmithc2 — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:58:34 EST

KO in the first round my a$$. HD-DVD just couldn't keep up with the back-alley deals and big-money of the BR Group.

I want this to be over too but for the love of all that is holy, please change the name. I absolutely hate the name Blu-Ray. Oh you dropped an "e" there, you're so hip and cool....

fsusmithc2

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

Sailorcancer — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:58:13 EST

Bold? Or Smart?

Sailorcancer

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

med — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:57:21 EST

@Xavoc: Welcome to the conversation. Go buy yourself a BD player.

med

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

ProsumeThis — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:55:43 EST

amazing pic btw

ProsumeThis

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

ProsumeThis — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:54:04 EST

I realized when Sony lost with Betamax; it was thru referee, consumer decision; took a long time before Sony give up. They had the better format yet couldn't even record a full lenght movie. HD DVD lost with a KO in the first round.

ProsumeThis

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

IrisMR — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:53:14 EST

Isn't Toshiba supposed to announce it pretty darn soon??

Well, glad it's over.

IrisMR

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

Xavoc — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:51:17 EST

So, uh... When do you think this Blu-Ray/HD DVD thing will sort itself out so I can finally go out and buy a player? I'd have purchased one before now, but if I had it would have meant that whatever unit I purchased was the technology that lost.

I didn't want to have that kind of thing looming over my head ya know?

Xavoc

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

thinkhector — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:50:53 EST

The guy holding the sign is a big "moran". :p

thinkhector

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

Nintenboy01 — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:50:15 EST

Damn it, HD DVD! Why won't you die already!?!
[beats HD DVD rack at Best Buy with Blu-Ray whiffle bat]

Nintenboy01

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

nutbastard — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:49:50 EST

he he, "morans"

nutbastard

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

pdditty — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:49:25 EST

Are you serious? The execs over at Samsung has pretty huge balls to pull this off!

pdditty

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

lafond66 — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:49:07 EST

I loved HD DVD better (it was better), but at this point, they should really just pull the plug, and focus on making BD as good or better than HD DVD was / could be. This "scaling back" crap will just hinder progress and continue to confuse consumers. I feel bad for the ignorant consumer who buys a steeply discounted HD DVD player now.

lafond66

Samsung Makes a Bold Choice, Decides to Focus on Blu-ray Over HD DVD

mangochutney — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:47:33 EST

[lazy, mildly impressed tone] Wow, who'd have thought. [/lazy, mildly impressed tone]

"Director of Obvious Decisions at Samsung"
Good one.

mangochutney