Poll: Sony's Corporate Image

[Chris Gerhard]

I didn't know about The Rolling Stone promotion until after it was over, but it did sound like a good promo. I have to assume Sony didn't get the kind of response from any of the promotions that could justify more money being thrown at SACD. It is easy for us to say they should have thrown another $50 million at it and I sure wish they had. Unless some insiders write a book and explain all that went in to the decision to develop, market and then abandon SACD, it may never be perfectly clear. Tax considerations, Blu-ray launch, litigation, and who knows what else could have been part of the decision. What seems clear to anybody should be after several years, SACD wasn't selling at all, and the argument it was going to turnaround soon is difficult to make in my opinion.

Chris

 

[bugdaddy]

I'm curious, does anybody have a Rolling Stone promo disc with the extra 10th track? As i recall, if your disc contained that track, you would win either a Sony SACD system or a set of SACD's. Wondering what was on the track.

 

[Guy Robinson]

I have thought about this for the last few days and after listening to titles lately like Fly Like An Eagle, Sonia dada - Test Pattern (both Dolby 5.1) and the Kraftwerk Minimum-Maximum DVD in DTS, I am convinced that I would be quite happy with everything coming out this way. The death of SACD while sad does not really matter in the scheme of things. SACD is sonically superior to these other formats but they are good enough. I never thought I would say that. There will continue to be the SACD jazz and classical releases by other companies. The ones that I want I will pick up. The same can be said about DVD-A. I will continue to pick up the releases I want of these as well. The future lies with HD DVD and Blu-Ray. Once Version 1.3 of the HDMI standard is implemented in receivers properly and things start being released in the HD Dolby and DTS audio formats, I think this will take off and the public will be more accepting because with this they also get their excellent video. If albums are released in this format then I think there could be more sales as HD adopters will already have the capability of playing the discs with their new players and receivers. This is something they don't have with SACD and DVD-A. Once they start to see the availability and they hear a few on their systems I think a lot of consumers will start to see the light. I will buy into one of these formats. It's just a matter of time. Personally I hope that HD DVD lives and Blu-Ray dies, but only one must survive or I don't think people will buy into this technology in the millions that will be required to make the format flourish. I will buy whichever one succeeds though or if both survive my decision will be made on whichever one realizes that music not just movies is important to the format and follows through on that.

 

[Chris Gerhard]

Guy, surely Blu-ray or HD DVD will see the next and best ever surround sound but I think the companies are waiting for only one format to survive so it may be a couple of years. Yes, we are still seeing some SACD and DVD-A releases so we can hang on until that happens. I don't think Sony will start quickly with a Blu-ray music blitz, although again, I wish they would find that strategy best. I am more optimistic looking at what is going on now than I had been. I hope Blu-ray starts using VC-1 quickly and with the studio support already in place, Blu-ray should start to dominate.

Chris

 

[Guy Robinson]

Guy, surely Blu-ray or HD DVD will see the next and best ever surround sound but I think the companies are waiting for only one format to survive so it may be a couple of years. Yes, we are still seeing some SACD and DVD-A releases so we can hang on until that happens. I don't think Sony will start quickly with a Blu-ray music blitz, although again, I wish they would find that strategy best. I am more optimistic looking at what is going on now than I had been. I hope Blu-ray starts using VC-1 quickly and with the studio support already in place, Blu-ray should start to dominate.Chris

No doubt.

What I am actually saying though is that I am not going to whine about SACD and DVD-A dying and talk about the nasty record companies who may or may not have caused it. It is time to move on and look forward to the future and the next format coming which I think promises something better in the way of wider acceptance due to the HD video element. The general populace likes shiny objects and they will get them. Also, while I say that I will be getting the SACD and DVD-A releases that I want, what I am actually saying I think is that I plan on not buying anymore discs in these formats. I have over 300 and I think this is enough to have tied up in dead formats. That is my plan as of today anyway. There will have to be a very exceptional release in order for me to veer away from this plan. I will however continue to buy Dolby and DTS surround titles that are mixed well in surround, like the titles I mentioned a few E-Mails back. These are backward compatible in the new players.