The real impact of Sony's MPEG-2/Blu-ray decision
By Richard Lawler 
posted Dec 8th 2005 6:04PM
posted Dec 8th 2005 6:04PM
Why oh why would Sony choose the positively antique MPEG-2 for their Blu-ray movies instead of the newer and sexier VC-1 and MPEG-4 alternatives?Ars Technica says it's all about the money and points out specifics, not to mention how their choice may affect how we make use of features like managed copy. Part of their explanation for Sony splitting with Toshiba and the DVD forum has to do with their unwillingness to cede some control of content to software makers like Microsoft and others who would not be tied to the disc format the way Sony is. As Bill Gates has said, he doesn't see optical discs lasting much longer as a delivery mechanism for content, and that runs counter to Sony's ability to leverage their hardware and patents to make money.
More on Sony's love for the old school after the jump.
Directly affecting the consumer is that even if managed copy is enabled on blu-ray discs, if they are using MPEG-2, movies will take up much more space on a hard drive possibly rendering the feature useless. As someone who drives a car made in the 70's that gets 10~ mpg, I can appreciate nostalgic inefficencies in trade for a proven product, to an extent.
(Former) Warner Home Video boss Warren Lieberfarb is particularly nonplussed by Sony's strategies, and recently implored the industry to side with Microsoft and Toshiba behind HD-DVD because he feels it is much better suited for the Internet and the digital revolution. I really wonder if we will see any late shifts in the studios support for one format or another because things are heating up quickly as the two formats still have not yet hit shelves, and even the producers seem unsure what to expect when they do.
Interesting problems like these are why I'm not ready to throw support or call a winner in the next generation scuffle yet, because it's nearly impossible to tell what will provide the best usage for me as a consumer.
Nice car dude!
I thought Lieberfarb was fired 2 years ago by Warner. We can thank that man for the success of DVD though.
However, I really don't care what Bill Gates thinks about the viability of future disc media. The guy's company can't even make a secure operating system or web browser, and the world is starting to come to that conclusion. Windows is in decline, and Joe Consumer does not care about Windows Media formatted music or the MP3 players that are aligned with Microsoft's digital music strategies. The Motion (or is it Moving?) Pictures Expert Group came to the conclusion that Microsoft misled them on the capabilities of Windows Media Player 9 encoding (VC-1) so why would we want to see HD content in that format versus H.264?
I dont think microsoft has much to be worried about. The general public only knows windows, and they are what control a large part of the market. Whether or not windows is the best OS doesn't really matter to them.
The Jermey, this isn't about Microsoft, it's about Sony. Sure, they have a point in rejecting VC-1, but they are favoring MPEG-2 instead of the MPEG-4 flavors, including the H.264 codec. One of these days, Sony will shoot itself in the foot and will be left paralized(sp?) from the waist down from these technological "miscues."
Yeah, and Bill Gates has been really dead on with predicting what consumers want with great things like MSN tv...and MSN tv 2...I bet thats a hot seller as well.
Windows Media Center has done surprisingly will sales-wise, and I think when vista launches it will be much like the Xbox 360 version of Xbox Live, much much tighter integration and much better designed.
My contention was I did not care about Gates's thoughts are on HD. The Xbox360 could have been a viable contender for bringing in HD content (albeit probably 720p variety) had they shipped the premium system with a hard drive larger than 20 gigs. They could've also made it a decent DVR had they not required it to depend upon a MCE PC on the same network, which is a fatal flaw in my opinion.
Is Sony wrong to go with MPEG2? Probably. It remains to be seen if it actually generates less artifacts (which I doubt) than better MPEG4/H.264 compression.
My point is, I think Microsoft is backing the wrong horse in this format war, and its compression is inferior. And I'm not going to shed a tear if Sony refuses to implement any of their technology into the Blu-Ray format. In fact, I applaud it. But yes, I don't like Sony clinging to the past with MPEG2. Show us video confirmed by an independent panel illustrating the actual benefits of HD content in MPEG2 over H.264; otherwise, they can stuff it. Its not like I was going to be buying *Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle* on Blu-Ray in either case. :)
Mybe you forgot but this is only about SONY STUDIOs, the Blu-Ray spec hasn't changed smack. Why do you still confuse the reader with your Blu-Ray having Mpeg 2 Cr@p!
Maybe you forgot but this is only about SONY STUDIOs, the Blu-Ray spec hasn't changed smack. Why do you still confuse the reader with your Blu-Ray having Mpeg 2 Cr@p!
This whole debate is fast becoming redundant as other technologies like cheap China built H.264/VC-1 EVD standards will be available for sub $200 .
Then ther is the whole Media center thing with 1/2 terabyte drives from Samsung in the $500 range hold all the HD files you want and fully newtworkable.
Then add to this SAT, Cable HD PVR's with downloadable HD-VOD internal 80GB drives in addition to there 160BG - 250GB PVR HDD's .
Ciscotific Atlanta will be debuting HD PVR's with quad tuners with wirless networking and 250GB plus drives and DVD burners on board for archiving .
This will all come together in a model for Hollywood delivery on theatrical run movies to the home HD-VOD with paid for 2 viewing license and after theater run is over permanent archive purchase.
Where does Bluray / HD-DVD fit into this well as a home archiver once the price folds due to know one buying them :)