Saddest Sight in the World: HD DVD Sponsored Bags at CES

From Gizmodo.com:

Oh, poor HD DVD. Toshiba pays big bucks to stamp its name and the HD DVD logo on every journo bag they hand out at CES. But Warner's bitchslap has sent them home to cut their wrists and cry in the corner, so they're not even here! Yep, the HD DVD Group has shitcanned their conference. Just how did we get to this sad state of affairs? Let's review.

[resistance100]

How gutted must the CEO of Toshiba be feeling right now

[doshey]

idk he could be feeling more like a jacka$$

[unsunghero28]

I bet he's sitting in his office right now with his head in his hands.

Also, those violin players from the Titanic are playing for him.

"Gentlemen, it has been a privilege playing with you tonight."

[CrazzyMan]

If they wanted atleast NOT lose this HD war, they should add HD DVD to x360 in late 2005.
Of`course, that would cost them around 150-200$ for every x360(or maybe more, PS3 cost 600$ by the end 2006, so by the end 2005 the price of hd dvd would be probably even more). They would of`course lose around 1,6-2 bln. $(!), but atleast, that would make Sony to go neutral.
They didn`t wanted(or just couldn`t) to RISK with such money, and they lost.

quote:
""I remeber reading a Kaz interview in which he stated that at Sony they generally take more risk that competition. He mentioned that for the PS3 they would not just go down to a computer store and just slap together existing computer components to make their console. They would instead develop something new and innovative that will make their customers go "Wow" although it is alot more risky but they will do it.Innovation is their core. Glad its working for them.""

Sony risk, and they win, Toshiba not, and they lose.
But of`course losing 2 bln. $ with not having 100% of confidence is a LOT.

[TANOD]

sometimes you are just too much provoking LOL

calm it down CHAMP

[Bathyj]

All due respect to Toshiba. At least they had a shot. They tried and they failed.

The person who should really be kicking their own arse and feeling dumb is the head of Paramount.

Hey at least with Warner gone Paramount and Universal get a bigger piece of the HDDVD pie. Now, whats 50% of fukall?

[IntelligentAj]

Unsung hero that was friggin funny!!! Bubbles!!!

[mikeslemonade]

The blu-ray association should hand out blu-ray logo stickers and a have sign showing to put the sticker over the HD-DVD logo on the back pack.

[Phaqutomb]

Toshiba wins and loses
they helped develop the cell processor with IBM and Sony. They have there hand in all the pockets so win or lose they still get money.

[Kugar77]

i kinda feel bad for them, poor guys

[Brian5247]

Toshiba makes all sorts of electronics, its not the end of the world for them.

[socomnick]

Well I dont really care for either Hd-dvd or Blueray but its not quite over yet guys this thing can drag on for an even longer while.

I just find it a bit hilarious that the ps3 fanboys are jumping on the blueray bandwagon since the Playstation's 3 side isn't looking so great.

[resistance100]

Blu-ray was one of the main reasons why early adopters (including myself) brought a PS3.

I'd admit i probally spent more time browsing net, watching HD films listing to music on my Ps3, than playing games on my PS3/360 (however 08 may change that)

Its not a case of us supporting it now, its a case of us supporting before we even brought a ps3 and gald our investments (mine came at a £425 ($855)) have paid off

[socomnick]

Resistance dude wow if only you would have waited a little bit you might not of have wasted that much money 855 dollars wow.

[resistance100]

£425 is a bargin for what i paid for

at the time the cheapest blu-ray player was £599 ($1206), my PS2 had finally died on my after 7 years, and so on.

Sure it was cheaper a few months down the line, but in my eyes i got deal of the decade

Still i really shouldn't use dollors as $855 to you seems a heck of a lot more expensive than it does to me (due to Uk's economy and higher wages etc)

[Karebear]

Hehehe. Paid a grand on ebay to have one shipped to me from opening day.

My ps2 had been dead a few months and I was itching to get at the multimedia stuff the ps3 can do.

I haven't regretted it a bit, so I guess that just proves you pay what the value of something is to you right?

12 games and about 35 BRDs later, and I'm still loving it.

[Imallvol7]

what an ignorant comment. think anything you want, but 2008 is poised to be sony's for the taking. And everyone is acknowledging that.

[Heaven_Or_Hell]

I feel bad for them, they were trying and trying for nothing...

[Bladestar]

actually that's what business is all about... right about now Sony fanboys are dancing an happy and treating as sony as a god... also thinking that HD DVD never had a chance.. but the only way to know if something will work is by trying... nothing was defined... this time around it was not about which technology was best or which one endup being the best for the consumer... if HD DVD technology would own by Sony and blu-ray by toshiba things would be exactly as they are today.... it's all about strategy and it seems as Sony had the uperhand and best cards which seems to be leading them to victory over HD DVD... You win some you lose some... just like Sony lost UMD, MiniDisc, betamax and others... yet they tried. why? business is not certain...

Toshiba didn't waste their time... nothing in business is a waste... new experience, research groups, contacts and relationships usually come out of these business transactions... I'm sure toshiba have some strong relationships out of this and big friends like Intel and Microsoft which can lead to the join creation of other products like xbox 720 or some processor with intel... also, concidering the lead that SOny have in the movie market this was a close one for Sony... if warner would have shift the other way.. blu-ray would be the one dying... not bad for just a hardware manufacturer... but bottom line... it's not the firt time some venture fails in big corporations (ask Sony they know)... and the only way to find out if something will work or not.. is trying... so, don't feel bad for them... feel bad for those that don't try... losers are those that don't try... don't worry Toshiba will not run out of money.

[CrazzyMan]

1) http://www.ripten.com/wp-co...
sony would always have atleast 30% exclusive of market share.
2) noone could ignore 15-20 mln. ps3 every year since 2008.
3) sony also could easy pay to some studios.

Best case scenario for Sony - winning HD war.
Worst case scenario for Sony - they go neutral.

Best case scenario for Toshiba - sony go neutral.
Worst case scenario for Toshiba - they lose HD war.

[Jdash24]

saddest sight in the world? really? im pretty sure there are sadder sights

[Lord Anubis]

come on everyone, in unison. "Awwwww"

I feel bad it had to end this way, I was of the belief that Sony would continue to dominate for years to come slowly suffocating HD-DVD but it was an abrupt end and that's what makes it sad.

[joemomma]

...out of laughing that is.

[Nameless]

It is nice to see The Sony Droids being mature. Congratulations Sony Droids for now officially being the worst of the bunch of fan boys here at newsforfanboys.com

[joemomma]

We love you too.

[YoMeViet]

my my for a guy with no name you sure whine alot. What do you expect? If you team wins you cheer and celebrate, if your team loses then you go home crying. What's so hard to understand? There's no need to be humble in victory, who gives a shyt when you completely demolish the competition.

[Relcom]

Thats a cool name i like it.....

[Bombomb]

it's only one format. People act like toshiba is going under or something. Sony knows how to handle these format defeats better than anyone.

what will be interesting is the next console, since toshiba is in on the Cell with IBM, notice sony copt out.

[Primetimebt]

You do know Sony also own right to the cell? They just gave up on production of the cell because it's cheaper from them to buy them than paying people to produce them since the only thing in the world using the cell is the PS3.

[Bombomb]

Sony exits future Cell development
Japanese electronics giant pulls out of research and production facilities for high-powered processor; ramps investment in image-sensor tech.

Notice RESEARCH keyword.

"Last month, Sony confirmed speculation that it would be selling its stake in Cell manufacturing plants to development partner Toshiba. Although financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, Bloomberg reported that the deal will raise $860 million for Sony once final details are arrived upon in March 2008.

This week, Nikkei reports that Sony plans to cease participation in the Cell processor's future iterations. Along with partners IBM and Toshiba, Sony has been researching 32nm and 45nm successors to the Cell processor, which is currently made using a 65nm process--an improvement from the original 90nm process. Sony is currently in negotiations with IBM and Toshiba on the exact date and terms of the pullout. The two reportedly plan to continue development on the chips. "

Keyword FUTURE ITERATIONS.

[SKUD]

I would want one. It's apart of history now.

[RudeSole Devil]

Where the Blu-Ray bags.

[2 cents]

Resistance you said you paid £450 for the ps3. I`m from uk as well and i paid nearly £900 for the 360 (3 of them actually cos of rrod). A month ago i bought a ps3 paid £330 for it and i consider it a bargain. I have to say i do play the 360 more than the ps3 cos it is fun to play on the thing, but slowly slowly the ps3 seems to be winning more and more of my time, and with the line up for the ps3 looks like the actual cure for rrod is get a ps3! That way you wont play enough on the 360 for it to get the rrod.

[unlimited]

Warner should just stop support right away but they cant since they have a contract till may..All the people that heard the news about Warner going exclusive is throwing away their hddvd players and movies..

toshiba will announce that they have given up..and that will end the war

[mintaro]

wow, they must be really desperate, poor guys.......

[mullet]

So sad.

[GCO Gamer]

I have a Question how is this sad?!?

[Bnet343]

You must've been living under a rock for the past few days.

[Bladestar]

You must understand that must sony fanboys are not even past puberty and this is the first time they seing a format war... and probably even a console war... they are actually thinking that toshiba will file bankrupcy by monday and that the thounsads of employees there are actually now out of work...they don't know or remember when Sony lost more than one format war... and sony simply adopted the winning format... what's the worst thing that can happen to toshiba now? make blu-ray players? ohh wow... ohh crap... microsoft will also probably file bankrupcy! nooooooO! lol.
name a format war that ended immediately after defeat? HD DVD will be manufactured for years to come... for example... Sony introduced Betamax in 1975.... lose to VHS right? well.. yes... but the continued to produce betamax players until 1985.... funny ehh?
HD DVD is not going anywhere for a while... it can even evolve... true.. maybe the movie industry will not use it... but as far as data/computer and even the xbox 720 is just data.... who knows..

If blu-ray wins microsoft can relased a duo drive that can read blu-ray movies but which games are on an HD DVD format... making it harder for people to copy the games since only blu-ray burners will exists...
Or it can even go a further as to evolved and some of it's technology could even integrates into blu-ray in terms of production etc... nothing is ever wasted. research is never wasted.

[rofldings]

Are you kidding me bladestar? If anyone sounds like a pre-pubescent little boy, it's you. With your constant insults, your horrible grammar, and ignorant fanboy comments.

"Sony introduced Betamax in 1975.... lose to VHS right? well.. yes... but the continued to produce betamax players until 1985.... funny ehh?"

They continued to produce betamax players until 1985, because that's when VHS won. gg, sounds like you're a little butthurt over hd-dvd.

"If blu-ray wins microsoft can relased a duo drive that can read blu-ray movies but which games are on an HD DVD format... making it harder for people to copy the games since only blu-ray burners will exists..."

Yes, because there's no way crackers will not be able to use the blu-ray aspect of that dual drive. ESPECIALLY with Microsoft's track record of creating such secure and bug-free software, right?

[RudeSole Devil]

Your mad because your HD-DVD collection is worth shi_t like your comments. This will be the fastest your wrinkled old ass will witness a new technology disappear form the face of the earth. Toshiba and Microsoft are the ones to blame for letting Sony out bid them.
Toshiba and Microsoft wont be going bankrupt, but this guarantees Sony wont either. You been around for a loooooong time and witness formats come and go, but where not in the 80's anymore.

[YoMeViet]

Silly Bladestar, still defending a dying format to the bitter end. You're a true HD-DVD Hero in my book....lol

[Ri0tSquad]

You have no valid arguments right now and your a pissed off xbox fanboy. You are a sore loser and you resort to childish tactics because you cannot bring anything new to the table like admitting HD DVD is dead and its done. You type a wall of whining/crying every time you post. Waste of comment if you ask me.

[bee2427]

I will put up 1 million dollars to 1 that little children on xbox out number the ps3 5 to 1 .... u ever play on xbox live all u hear are little punks sounding like little girls and they cant afford or even know wat to do with a ps3 its too complicated for little children like urself

[RadientFlux]

Forget whatever logo is on the bag... the bag is sad all by itself. Place a Blu-Ray logo on it and it will still be sad.

[VforVideogames]

Sure, go head and bring on the jokes.

[i_like_ff7]

Even as a ps3 fanboy. There isnt much of a difference between HD-DVD and Bluray. Feel bad for them...

[INehalemEXI]

Those bags are going to be rares sold on ebay. Wish I was in vegas in a time like this.

[hotshot127]

i had INSTANT respect for toshiba after they made dvds so big(with the help of ps2 of course)

but sony really set themselves up good. if microsoft adopts bluray, I GURANTEE you there gonna have to put up some money for sony. and then if they made the add on by early 09, it would cost around 200 bucks or so and the ps3 would be around 300 by that time so the choice would definetely look brighter for the ps3.

also, cost would be able to come down ever faster for the ps3 since its a bluray player and game development will be cheaper since it will be cheaper to produce bluray disk.

but if microsoft doesnt go bluray, then sony is gonna eat up those sales.

so really its win win situation for sony if you think about it.

fanboy or not, you have to admit, this was a very smart move on sonys part.

@bladestar. like i've said before, you're one of the, if not the only 360 fanboy on here that i somewhat respect because your comments have relevance, unlike people like zhuck or mesh1(same goes for ps3 fanboys but...)
anyway, you gotta give it to sony on this one. and YES i know other companies are with bluray also but sony is one of the MAIN companies behind it so its pretty obvious microsoft isnt gonna breakthrough without some deals.

companies also know that microsoft wanted them both to fail anyway and wants digital download so thier gonna really have to do some SERIOUS negotiations.

also if microsoft doesnt adopt bluray, how are they gonna go on to there next system with dvd9?

none of what i said was fanboyism but just facts. so i want to know what you think bladestar?

[gano]

22.1 That's it.

[CNIVEK]

...just like Sony must have, when BetaMax and UMD failed. :o

[TANOD]

There are around 28m PSP owners and over 500 000 copies of UMD games get sold each week WORLDWIDE

[Primetimebt]

UMD failed? I still think Sony using UMD for it's PSP games. With over 28 million PSP owners and let's say an average 2 UMD games per player that's around 56 million UMD sold sh*t that's 25X more than what HD DVD ever sold.

[Close_Second]

UMD failed as a format for distributing movies. Sony could however have rectified this if they had not over priced them. Movies on UMD were often more expensive than their DVD counterpart.

[kspraydad]

as a CONSUMER technology ... Professionals used it until very recently as it was a superior quality product. Sony did not lose money on Betamax...they just didn't earn what VHS did. By the way...it was still being manufactured until 2002 not 1985 as some have stated.

[CNIVEK]

PSP games don't count...unless you also think Nintendo's Gamecube discs qualified as a "format". Anybody with half a brain would understand I was referring to UMD as a Universal Media format having failed.

[Bathyj]

You're a moron if you think UMD was ever supposed to replace DVD as a movie format. UMD is for games first and therefor a success. Movies were just a bonus. Thats like saying a Nokia phone that plays Mp3's is a failure because more people use their iPods. Its a phone first and that what it does well.

[The Karate Kid]

HD-DVD The Look And Sound Of Perfect

Blu-Ray The Look And Sound Of Warner Brothers lol

HD-DVD response "This is madness" (300)

hehehehhehehehehehhehehehehhe hehe

[resistance100]

HD DVD - The look and sound of failure

[/couldn't resist]

[Close_Second]

...pat HD-DVD on the back for providing competition enough for the Blu-Ray camp to lower player prices. If there had not been a competing format do you think Blu-Ray players would have fallen in price as much as they did in 2007?

With regards to MS, I doubt they'll lose any sleep as their future goal is digital distribution. They may have been on the verge of an HD-360 announcement but its doubtful.

I for one am glad this silly format debate is over and consumers are no longer going to be used as pawns to decide a victor. However, I do feel bad for consumers who have invested in HD-DVD without understanding the extent of the war that had been raging.

[RudeSole Devil]

Come on people digital distribution is never going to work.

For movies with 1080p res and 7.1 audio would take up around 20gb on average, just think how long a 1gb demo through Xbox live takes to download.. Games are going to be around the same size, and unless you have a super super fast internet connection this will never work for the average consumer.

The only thing plausible with digital distribution would be streaming video. Unfortunately you will never have the full high def experience streaming media, and that doesn't justify buy expensive high def equipment.

[Close_Second]

If everyone had your attitude we wouldn't have Blu-Ray, The Playstation 3, PCs in the home, the internet with which to make such comments.

Digital Distribution is happening now and in 5 years time downloading 20GB files will be common place. So, it might take several hours to download but so what, set it going over night or when you head out the door for work. Hell, set it going remotely on your PS3 using your PSP. 10Mbps will download 20GB in under 5 hours. However, who says movies will be 20GBs in size? Maybe compression and removal of all unnecessary extras (i.e. FBI warnings, alternate languages, soundtracks, trailers, etc) may reduce most HD movies to 10GBs. Hell, introduce micro-transactions and you won't have to pay for all those extras you don't care about anyway which is a real bonus!

As for the question of storage this is not going to be an issue. 1 terrabyte HDDs are becoming mainstream and in 5 years time multi-terrabyte HDDs will be available for home use.

Digital distribution is just the logical evolution of well, distributing digital media. Sure, the current generation may be pessimistic but their (my) children will not know a world without it. Just think, how many kids around the world have never purchased a physical CD or are ever likely to thanks to ITunes?

[cartman313]

I like having a physical copy of a movie. DD can just @$%! off. Besides, I'm in America, the land of the crappy internet speeds.

[redwingsrock]

I wonder when were gonna be seeing a Toshiba Blu-ray player? how long was it after betamax lost that sony started making VCR's?

[INehalemEXI]

They still put Movies on UMD's Its actually a good product mini disc's that are protected and don't get scratched.

Wont have to worry about my FFVII crisis core getting scratched up like original FFVII discs did.

Factory sealed FFVII sells for like 400-$500 now days. Sony actually is doing its customers a favor.

[tk]

You get this in lots of big companies. The writing is on the wall, yet for some reason they continue down the wrong path until suddenly... reality gets to them. Usually heads roll in situations like this.

The HD-DVD group know where things went wrong - and the management threw millions away because of pride and many other things that forms part of corporate life.

Now the tough questions will be put to the board.
You saw the whole PS3/BR steamroller coming - and you though buying of a small part of the video industry, dropping prices to lose money on each unit, pumping more and more money into this stupid war against a competitor that has most of the market with momentum in the hardware partners, momentum in the content partners, while your biggest ally (MS) is a known backstabbing partner who will sell you out a at a moments notice - who did not even support you properly - and still - you went on and farted against the storm wind. What the hell were you thinking throwing good money away? Now the company lost credibility as well. Losing a major and very visible format war that they should not have rushed into - in a record time. The war was over in a year. And now... let me predict - in the coming month or two, there will be sudden resignations for personal reasons at the HD-DVD division.

Hell - the little AV Forums and XBots will still yell and scream about how much "better" HD-DVD is (give us a break - it is a disk - all that matters is size and transfer speed - the rest is software functionality that can be added), but all the players in the market knows BR is the better format, and HD-DVD for all the talk could not bring a cost saving to the compete. Heck - if anything BR disks was cheaper in the market, not HD-DVD. The time has come to pull the plug - because they will only lose more money in this war. And for those who will spitefully try to claim that DVD-9 is somehow big enough - no it is not. Same as CD is being replaced by DVD, DVD will be replaced by BR.

[MK_Red]

I wonder why Warner didn't wait a few more days to reveal his decision during a big event at CES.

[diatom]

I think the pre-announced HD-DVD press conference where Warner was speaking was one of the first events. It would have been cold blooded (but funny) to announce it there. It was the humane thing to do...

[MK_Red]

True. They did a really humane thing. Announcement at CES / during conference would have been indeed bloody and kind humiliating.
Warner FTW :)

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

Where's topgamer when you need him?

He was the BIGGEST HD-DVD supporter here!

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

This is sad.

My friend just got an HD-DVD player. Her family wanted it because of their nice new 1080p.

I'm sad now. She's such a sweet girl.

[CrazzyMan]

+ now, after some people leaving the hd-dvd boat, she will be able to get some good deals.
so, atleast she will have HD experience, for that PRICE.

[wallace1000]

You should recommend that they take it back and wait to see what happens. You don't have to tell them that HD DVD is almost certainly done, just that they should wait a bit. That way it doesn't make them feel like they made a mistake. If you don't mind making them feel like they bought the wrong product fire away :-P

[GrumpyOla]

I still feel it was wrong on Microsoft's side not to have had HD DVD Drive built-in since launch in Nov 2005. By now I'm sure that every xbox360 owner would have bought at least 5 or 6 HD DVDs. Next Gen means out with the old. And they should have had the wireless network adapter built in as well. I'm not sure how Microsof will deal with the problem of fitting games on DVD9. It's not gonna be an easy time for Microsoft since I'm sure all this will have a great effect on their long term plans.

[THE DUKE]

hows this a blow to Microsoft and the 360 they don't even care who wins, they were smart not to include a in-built HD/DVD player.

[kspraydad]

If MS doesn't 'care' and this isn't a 'blow'...why did MS kick in some of the money that went to getting Paramount exclusive?

[CRIMS0N_W0LF]

M$ did not release X360 with HD DVD built in because they wanted to rush out and release it because the HD DVD drives where good enough.

[WilliamRLBaker]

nothing to do with gaming.

[CrazzyMan]

BUT a lot to do with PS3.

[Salvadore]

I seriously feel sorry for them.

[pwnsause]

www.riphdvd.ytmnd.com

[Bolts]

HDDVD should just lay down and die. This stupid format war is holding back progress and it's hurting everyone. And why are you morons feeling sorry for Toshiba? They make electronics not media formats, after HDDVD fold they'll rake in plenty of money selling Bluray players as well. Its just too bad they had to lose millions of dollars because they got screwed by Microsoft, no support at all other than lip service.

[niall77]

... and tell that fat lady to start singing.

HD DVD is over

[HondaSIRowner]

Price cuts failed, Transformers was supposed to be the turning point for HD-DVD, but failed.

What is HD-DVD? never heard of them!?!