As consumers consider their HDTV options, motion picture studios are busy stamping movie favorites on HD-DVD and Blu-ray optical discs to serve the anticipated demand for the next generation of the home movie viewing experience.
If the author of a new article on Slate.com is correct, however, the studios might consider taking a timeout before proceeding.
In a provocative article, “The Death of the Disc,” author Sean Cooper makes the case that both optical formats are doomed.
Cooper builds his case on four points:
- The Internet will become a viable delivery vehicle for movies, particularly with the arrival of Xbox Live movie rentals;
- Cable on-demand will give viewers instant access to premium HD content, and cable companies are putting in place the content protection to allay the fears of rights holders;
- Hardware expense: New HD-DVD and Blu-ray players are expensive, something consumers who’ve just purchased an expensive HDTV won’t find appealing;
- Hard drive storage preference: Storing content on hard drives will eliminate the media cost with movies as it has with music downloads.
To read the article in its entirety, visit: www.slate.com/id/2153877.
