The Matrix

Posts Tagged ‘games’

Xbox 360 HD-DVD Player - Worth it?

Now that the HD-DVD player comes with five free movies (not yet in the UK, but very soon), do you reckon it's worth it? I mean, I am aware that the HD-DVD is a floundering format, but there are some decent films for it. Also, £120 with five films is practically a sign that Microsoft are giving it away, so should I take advantage of this offer? Exclusive titles such as Matrix: Ultimate Collection, Heroes (TV), Batman Begins, Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz make me want it even more, regardless of whether its redundant or not. Cheap HD movies = good, eh? Alternatively, there's the option to just get GHIII on release date instead, and forget the whole 'HD-DVD' thing. I'm rather interested in it thought.

In my opinion, none of the HD movie players on the market are worth buying.

Right now, all players will only play half the HD movies on the market. Why would you spend so much money on something that forces you to choose which movies you are - and aren't - going to watch?

The format war between HD-DVD and Blu-Ray is far from over - we've probably got at least another 1 to 2 years of this stupidity before there's a clear winner. This brings up another reason to ignore both formats - why would you waste money on a player and media that has a VERY GOOD CHANCE of becoming obsolete within the next 12 to 24 months?

I currently give you 33% odds of picking the "right" format - that is - the player you buy ends up dominating the market, becoming the one, single standard for HD media. Where'd this figure come from?

Common outcomes of a standards war:
1: Format A wins - Format B goes away entirely.
2: Format B wins - Format A goes away entirely.
3: Hybrid players that can play Format A and Format B arrive, making ALL SINGLE FORMAT PLAYERS OBSOLETE.

Outcomes 1 & 2 are essentially what happened with videocassettes. There was a fight between VHS and Betamax. Guess who won? But not before 1000s of people bought Betamax players. Oops.

Outcome 3 is similar to what happened with burnable DVDs and is why we have DVD-R and DVD+R and DVD-RW and DVD+RW and...so on and so forth. At this rate, hybrid players are the most likely outcome. There's already been some sucessful prototype players released, which normally means full production isn't that far away. Once these players hit the streets, the "war" is over.

The stupid studios and companies wanted the consumer to choose which format would be the winner - which is a stupid, stupid thing to do. Multiple formats just scare off the all-important early adopters, which slows down how fast the format gets accepted by the market. DVD had the fastest market acceptance of any new format. Why? It provided a clear upagrade from LDs and VHS, but more importantly, THERE WAS NO COMPETING FORMAT. Early adopters of DVD could be very confident that their players would still work with later DVDs, just as their early DVDs would still work with later DVD players. Right now, we don't have that luxury. Even a hybrid solution just lessens the impact if one format were to go away entirely.

The Matrix - Official Trailer [1999]

The Run of The Country - DVD Release $64.99 The Run of The Country - DVD Release - Lamina Framed Poster

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The Matrix $19.99 The Matrix - Poster

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Matrix $19.99 Jack Roth Matrix - Art Print

Boston Celtics 2007-2008 NBA Champions DVD $24.99 Boston Celtics 2007-2008 NBA Champions DVD Get an inside look at the Boston Celtics 2007-2008 NBA Champions regular season triumphant playoff run and NBA Finals victory with this DVD. It provides an all-access pass to exclusive interviews behind-the-scenes action and an unforgettable courtside view of the NBA Finals. Release Date: 7/15/2008

FitBALL Body Therapy Small Ball Release Program DVD with Cheryl Soleway $29.95 Learn how to use a small exercise ball to release tension in the pelvis, hip, lower back, middle back, neck, chest or shoulder with the FitBALL Body Therapy Small Ball Release Program from Ball Dynamics. Physical therapist and trainer Cheryl Soleway guides you through this 45 minute DVD. Information on myofascial release is also included. This routine from FitBALL is excellent for multiple fitness levels and can be used with the FitBALL Body Therapy Small Ball Release Program spiral bound book by Cheryl Soleway. Get on your way to a tension-free life with this great exercise routine!

Targus MATRIX 80 Capacity CD/DVD Case - Case For CD/DVD Discs. Each $17.79 Manufacturer: Targus. Each. The Targus Matrix 80 Capacity CD/DVD Case features softsleeves which are constructed from high quality, non-woven material covered by heat-resistant polypropylene to prevent damage to valuable CDs and DVDs. The exterior of the

Targus MATRIX 160 Capacity CD/DVD Case - Case For CD/DVD Discs. Each $28.99 Manufacturer: Targus. Each. The Targus Matrix 160 Capacity CD/DVD Case features softsleeves which are constructed from high quality, non-woven material covered by heat-resistant polypropylene to prevent damage to valuable CDs and DVDs. The exterior of the

The Date $6.99 Alicia Bock The Date - Art Print

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Gefen ToolBox 4x2 Matrix For HDMI. Each $318.99 Manufacturer: Gefen. Each. The GefenToolBox 4x2 Matrix for HDMI is a compact and lightweight alternative to rack-mounted matrixes. It allows up to four set-top boxes, DVD players, or other HDTV devices to be connected to up to two HDTV displays. Features