According to Financial Times, Sony is talking to its competitor in the gaming consoles market, Microsoft Corporation, about the possibility to equip their Xbox solutions with Blu-Ray drives. As you know, Xbox 360 initially equipped with the regular DVD drive may have an optional HD DVD drive. However, when the format war ended with Toshiba’s decision to no longer support this format, this option is no longer acute.
After Sony’s victory last month in the high-definition optical format war, Stan Glasgow, Sony Electronics US president, said the two sides were now talking about Microsoft adopting Blu-ray. On the one hand, Blu-ray drive in a Xbox 360 would make Microsoft more competitive with the Sony PlayStation 3, that comes initially equipped with a Blu-Ray drive. But on the other it would also mean extra revenues for Sony’s electronics division.
It would also add further cost to the 360, meaning a premium edition of the console could be necessary. A Blu-ray drive could be incorporated in its top-of-the-range Elite Xbox, or Microsoft could again offer a drive as a plug-in peripheral.
However, Microsoft representatives do not admit having started negotiations like that. They claim: ”We have made no such announcement. Games are what are driving consumers to purchase game consoles and we remain focused on providing the largest library of blockbuster games available.”
Mr. Glasgow added that they also talk to Apple. In this case they are talking about their intention to include Blu-ray drives into their entire lineup of Mac desktops and laptop computers.
On Blu-ray pricing, Mr. Glasgow expects prices of players to drop to as low as $299 by the end of the year. At this time there is not a single model in the market priced below $399, but by the end of the year 2009 the drives should drop down in price to $200. The prices are still so high because Blu-ray Association, the group controlling the standard, hasn’t yet licensed this technology to Chinese manufacturers, who could inevitably bring the prices down.
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Discussion started: 03/07/08 08:50:53 PM
Latest comment: 03/12/08 06:35:43 AM
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1.
Part of the reason the Chinese aren't making BD players is probably that their government is putting pressure on them to switch to the HD-DVD based CH-DVD.
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Posted by: cheeseman

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Date: 03/07/08 08:50:53 PM]
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More likely it's wind blow up your skirt from the BluRay Association.
Everything about BluRay has been more-expensive than HD-DVD.
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Posted by: boner

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Date: 03/08/08 08:06:44 AM]
Unrealistic hope of HD-DVD fanboys on CH-DVD
Frankly speaking, Chinese government had also announced a so-called China-only format called EVD back to a few yrs ago when the format war begins.
But where's it now?
Don't forget Sony has dominate market share and reputation in Greater China market!
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Posted by: Crazy

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Date: 03/10/08 09:18:10 PM]
Just so you know, Crazy-person, I had been leaning to Blu the whole time. Just making a comment based on information I gained elsewhere (DT).
I'm biding my time on this one (being broke is no fun). I might get me some Blu when I get my PS3/4 but I don't know yet.
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Posted by: cheeseman

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Date: 03/12/08 06:31:12 AM]
2.
"After Sony’s victory last month in the high-definition DVD format war..."
It is not a high-definition *DVD* format war.
It is a high-definition optical format war.
DVD was not "high-definition CD" or "high-definition LaserDisc".
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Posted by: boner

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Date: 03/08/08 08:05:13 AM]
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I don't think the specifics matter when the format war is effectively over.
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Posted by: dolby

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Date: 03/08/08 03:39:22 PM]
3.
Yeh, why this BlueRay thing give the go mark for china ??
I love china for all these reasons, they provide a lot of working thinks for cheap prices !! I still remember those days when DVD-Writer costs $300+, now and thanks to china we can buy one for about 10% of that price !!
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Posted by: Xajel

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Date: 03/09/08 02:11:28 AM]
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The problem with Chinese goods, IMO, is that they are not just cheap in price but also cheap in quality. I would prefer to buy something good or nothing at all over buying something cheap that's gonna break in a couple months.
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Posted by: cheeseman

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Date: 03/12/08 06:35:43 AM]
4.
Apple had been claimed that they are supporting BluRay since the 1st day of the format war!
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Posted by: No surprise

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Date: 03/10/08 09:15:22 PM]
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