Feb 20
The Latest Thing
Back when compact discs were all the rage, I was still buying music on cassette tape. I guess it was the combination of ridicule from my friends and the fact that the “new” used car I got at the time that had a CD player in it were the two things that finally made me start buying CDs instead.
That was years ago, of course. Now, if there’s a song I like — and I’m actually lucky enough to be able to figure out enough lyrics to do a Google search and find the song’s title and artist — I just go to iTunes and buy that song. The nice thing there is that I can buy only that song, not a CD with 13 songs when I only really like one on the whole disc to start with.
The same thing happened when DVDs hit the scene. I was a VHS lover for a long time, having amassed a healthy collection of the old tapes. I knew how everything was organized, and I could find whatever I wanted to see quickly. The only thing that took time was the rewinding or fast-forwarding required to get to the right spot on the tape.
After it became clear that DVDs were going to stick around, I got myself a DVD player and a few DVDs. Since then, I haven’t bought another VHS tape, and I haven’t missed them. I’ve actually converted a few VHS tapes to DVD, and tossed a few other tapes that were, unfortunately, showing extreme wear.
That brings us to now and the future of high-definition. I don’t own any HD-DVDs. I don’t own an HD television set, anyway. Nor do I have any plans to buy one. When the prices come down, that’s when I’ll think about it. Not before.
But if I were the kind of person who always had to have “the latest thing,” I’d be pretty miffed right now. Toshiba has announced that it is pulling the plug on its ailing HD-DVD format. Had I suffered from the “need” for HD in a big way, HD-DVD is likely the one I would have picked. It came out first, after all. The prices were better. And even Microsoft predicted that it would be “the” format of choice.
Wonder if Bill Gates put any money on that bet.
Anyone out there buying high definition DVDs, yet? Did anyone get burned by the death of HD DVD? Or did you decide to wait as well?
February 20th, 2008 at 9:39 am
[...] Patrick is not an early adopter: But if I were the kind of person who always had to have “the latest thing,” I’d be pretty miffed right now. Toshiba has announced that it is pulling the plug on its ailing HD-DVD format. Had I suffered from the “need” for HD in a big way, HD-DVD is likely the one I would have picked. It came out first, after all. The prices were better. And even Microsoft predicted that it would be “the” format of choice. [...]
February 20th, 2008 at 9:47 am
I was thinking about getting an HD-DVD player a few months ago when it looked like my current DVD player was starting to flake out. I think the mere threat of being replaced caused it to straighten up though.
Since I also have no plans on getting an HDTV in the near future, getting an HD or Blue-Ray DVD player seems to be kind of a waste at the moment. One of these days when I have some spare $ or if the TV dies, I’ll look at HDTV. Until then it will just have to wait.
February 20th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
I’m like you in this… I can wait until the technology is older and it seems like the “next big thing” is going to be around for a while.
Perhaps it is because I remember the VHS/BetaMax fiasco too well… (though I didn’t buy either one until years later…)
February 21st, 2008 at 9:05 am
This is the risk early adopters take. History has shown us that “there can be only one” successful format. Buying before the market has decided which one that is going to be is a gamble. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. Besides, anyone who could afford the spare cash to spend $1000 dollars plus on an HD-DVD player, can afford to spend the two or three hundred more it will cost them by this Christmas to pick up a new Blu-Ray player. Early adopters are an interesting breed.