Just like the 8-track being overtaken by the casette tape. Or the much debated wars over Beta and VHS. Similar to the pc makers and the excruciatingly slow distribution of storage technology and the chip makers tiny improvements in processor advancements. Industry milks each tech increment step for all it’s worth.
The first reference below does a nice job on the ambiguous nature of the current state of development in video. If you have a large library of VHS tapes, the thought of migrating to DVD or Blu-ray or maintaining two distinct formats, or more, may be disheartening. Then the obvious follow up question of when will I have to do it again.
A possible flaw in free enterprise might be expressed in this latest tech annoyance. Rather than stretch the life of each technical advancement to maximize the profit of each, introducing new technologies when developed would push technology ahead faster. This is reminiscent of Intel and HP announcing a partership years ago to introduce a completely new oomputer architecture. Where is it?
Tech is typically doled out in such small increments it is surprising no public uproar of any significance has ever been witnessed. The FCC has the deadlines set for reallocating the analog spectrum once the public has a given saturation of HD TV sets. Now we have the large screen, large dollar, marketing mired, Blu-ray, HD, DVD screw the consumer again campaign. You really can’t blame American business for the public screwing. The public accepts it every time. In much the same way as we accept, as a group, the public screwing by politicians and lobbyists.
Repare for DVD format wars
We may all have to upgrade soon, but to what is not yet clear
By DAVID SILVERBERG
NEC unveils chip to bridge Blu-ray/HD DVD divide
By Michael Kanellos Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Published: October 11, 2006, 10:53 AM PDT
A truce between the Blu-ray and HD DVD worlds is still probably a way off, but NEC has come up with a chip that could help companies bridge the gap. The chip, essentially a controller, works in both Blu-ray and HD DVD players. One chip that works with both standards could cut the cost of building a player that accomodates Blu-ray and HD DVD discs.
