Resistance is futile...


Sorry! Couldn't resist! ;-)

How does this compare to NMEs' announcements folks?

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=10240

Hot off the press from the Zombie HD disk format...

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080110/lath066.html?.v=101

"Global HD VMD Day" http://www.nmestore.com/hdvmd/
January 22nd 2008 at VDL-ODMS in Eindhoven, The Netherlands

NME will showcase the world's first ever commercial 'Multilayer' HD VMD replication line to both the entertainment and optical disc industries and press. The event will be a celebration of the HD VMD format and will provide industry and press with worldwide updates of recent milestones. NME will also take this opportunity to announce some of its new partnerships.

I'm curious to know more about those "partnerships".

NME's recently aquired chairman of the board is a man named Michael J. Solomon...who happened to once be the President of Warner Bros. International Television (1989 through 1994). Under his leadership, Warner Bros. became the largest distribution company in the world.

It remains to be seen if such a man a great connections can actually produce meaningful partnerships.

Obviously, on Global HD VMD day they will try to make a strong pitch for the VMD disk to become the next generation of DVD. One thought ....for discussion purposes... HD VMD could theoretically work in any and ALL HD players. Both Blu-ray and HD DVD have a red laser optical head for reading standard DVD. Would it not take much more than a firmware upgrade for HD VMD to become a universal format?

Hot off the press from the Zombie HD disk format...

One thought ....for discussion purposes... HD VMD could theoretically work in any and ALL HD players. Both Blu-ray and HD DVD have a red laser optical head for reading standard DVD. Would it not take much more than a firmware upgrade for HD VMD to become a universal format?

You are probably correct that it would not take much more than a firmware upgrade.
On the other hand, it is in neither the interest of the HD-DVD consortium, much less the BluRay Group, to release a firmware update supporting a rival high definition format.

And...how does HD VMD compete as HD-DVD, with more current content, drops even lower in price?

You are probably correct that it would not take much more than a firmware upgrade.
On the other hand, it is in neither the interest of the HD-DVD consortium, much less the BluRay Group, to release a firmware update supporting a rival high definition format.

Exactly. Greedy Sony would never permit a next generation affordable media to play in their machines. Yet, I'm sure that the studios and consumers would love a universal disk media that would play HD 1080p w/ VC1 & .264 codecs.

And...how does HD VMD compete as HD-DVD, with more current content, drops even lower in price?

I've been watching this company for about a year...since someone else made an original post about the disk technology on this message board. This place is certainly a good resource for what is new.

Anyway, I don't think their plan was to ever directly compete...but, to find a partner to merge with...that would be the only way to meet their goal of "mass adoption" for the format.

Not to try to start any false rumors, but...it would make alot of sense for Toshiba and NME to get together. Toshiba could get their HD VMD players (red laser only) to market for the masses at a much cheaper price than this (NME) Nevada corp penny stock company w/ very little resourses. Come to think of it...it's quite amazing that this company with so little resources has brought out an HD product for under $200.

NME could install their technology on the HD DVD and get them to 60 gigs of storage before Warner Bros. discontinues the format (May 2008).

Exactly. Greedy Sony would never permit a next generation affordable media to play in their machines.


Greedy Sony...or any other manufacturer, BluRay or HD-DVD, who would then be looking at the value of their IP going right to zero.


Anyway, I don't think their plan was to ever directly compete...


Let me see, we've been watching the two sides play a game of one upmanship for the past 2+ years. Have you ever tried telling them their plan was never to directly compete? That loud thud you hear is of jaws hitting the floor in shock at the suggestion.


Not to try to start any false rumors, but...it would make alot of sense for Toshiba and NME to get together. NME could install their technology on the HD DVD and get them to 60 gigs of storage before Warner Bros. discontinues the format (May 2008).

I think it would make even more sense for Toshiba to wait for them to go bust and then buy up their assets for a song, assuming this has a chance.

Meanwhile, a six month clock is ticking till Warners decision to go BluRay exclusive goes 'live', with a bunch of other players following close behind.

In my opinion, the window of opportunity is rapidly closing.
And for Content Creators, which is what this site is about, the #1 issue is NOT whether Sony, or anyone else, makes a killing.

The #1 Issue is what will THE STANDARD for a HD format be?
The #2 Issue is when will THAT STANDARD hit critical mass and take off?

The last thing these folks need is to have to possibly buy multiple sets of hardware to support multiple HD standards. They want ONE STANDARD to produce content to, that will play in just about anybodies HD player.

And the faster they can get there, the better.

My dislike of HD-VMD has nothing to do with having something against BluRay, HD-DVD, Sony, Toshiba, or even NME.

It has everything to do with:
1. Marketing. They are a couple years late and several dollars short. Aside from folks following forums like this, nobody has ever heard of them. And world + dog can outspend them by large multiples when it comes to either TV or print advertising.

2. Market confusion. There are zillions of people already pulling their hair out with two HD standards. A third makes nobodies life easier, with the possible exception of the folks at NME.

3. Content. It doesn't help that when it comes to content, theirs is anything but current. Until you get current content, you can kiss off most peoples interest in this.

4. Storage. BluRay starts at 25 GB (Single Layer), 50 GB (Dual Layer). Drives and media already available, even if you don't like the price, with announcements to scale up to 200 GB.

With those things working against HD-VMD, what point of leverage does it have working for it? The only one I see is price of the player, with Toshiba already demonstrating they can go lower than that.

...Let me see, we've been watching the two sides play a game of one upmanship for the past 2+ years. Have you ever tried telling them their plan was never to directly compete? That loud thud you hear is of jaws hitting the floor in shock at the suggestion.

That's a bit dramatic. I thought for the past 2+ years NME has been trying to get their product to market...which is what this thread is about. I'm not sure where you are seeing the "one upmanship". It's pretty hard to do that when you don't even have a product for sale. Now they finally have product. From every interview I've heard, their plan is to produce a Blue ray product when it is more viable for the masses. The implication is clear that they hope to use their multi-layer technology for one or both of the Blue ray formats.

...The last thing these folks need is to have to possibly buy multiple sets of hardware to support multiple HD standards. They want ONE STANDARD to produce content to, that will play in just about anybodies HD player.

And the faster they can get there, the better.


Right now...they want DVD. DVD is the clear content winner that remains the standard.

2007 Breakdown of 23.8 billion dollar industry:

16 Billion = DVD
300 million (1 % of market ) = Bluray & HD DVD
7.5 = DVD rental

http://real-us.news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080108/media_nm/dvd_dc
http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/11012.cfm


My dislike of HD-VMD has nothing to do with having something against BluRay, HD-DVD, Sony, Toshiba, or even NME.

It has everything to do with:
1. Marketing. They are a couple years late and several dollars short. Aside from folks following forums like this, nobody has ever heard of them. And world + dog can outspend them by large multiples when it comes to either TV or print advertising.

Do you really have that high opinion of BluRays marketing? I guess they have done an incredible job in capturing less than 1% of the home entertainment market. Standard DVD sold 2 million players in 2007.

2. Market confusion. There are zillions of people already pulling their hair out with two HD standards. A third makes nobodies life easier, with the possible exception of the folks at NME.

Again this seems a bit dramatic to me. I can't relate to the pulling out your hair comment. Isn't it amazing how the confusion seems to disapear when an inexpensive HD player hits the market? HD DVD's 720p machine was selling like hotcakes when they offered that special christmas deal through Walmart.

Just maybe...we consumers aren't quite as dumb as the power brokers think we are.

3. Content. It doesn't help that when it comes to content, theirs is anything but current. Until you get current content, you can kiss off most peoples interest in this.

Content is certainly a problem. I wish Hollywood would make better films. I believe that "Transformers" was the top dog last year in HD. I certainly wouldn't pay a premium price to own that movie. Definitely a good rental though.

4. Storage. BluRay starts at 25 GB (Single Layer), 50 GB (Dual Layer). Drives and media already available, even if you don't like the price, with announcements to scale up to 200 GB.

Unfortunately, both Sony & Toshiba have never demonstrated a good product beyond 2 layers outside of the laboratory. If they could have made a multilayer red laser disk...they would have. They will likely need a proven technology.

With those things working against HD-VMD, what point of leverage does it have working for it? The only one I see is price of the player, with Toshiba already demonstrating they can go lower than that.

The replication line is a huge plus for HD VMD. The potential to produce a 1080p disk for all HD players would be a plus. And obviously, the low cost makes it affordable for the rest of the world.

Toshiba is doing a great job at getting their price down. I doubt they are making any money...but, to get there 1080p model at $200. is definitely a great deal.

HD VMD is just starting at $200 w/ the first generation model. It's certainly not a stretch to expect the next generation model to be half of that...for 1080p and 24 gigs of storage.