XPost: alt.games.video.xbox, alt.games.video.sony-playstation2,    
   lt.games.video.sony-playstation3   
   XPost: microsoft.public.xbox   
   From: cjmartin04@nospamverizon.net   
      
   "Doug Jacobs"  wrote in message   
   news:1356r60daubp1a8@corp.supernews.com...   
   > In microsoft.public.xbox JBDragon  wrote:   
   >> Right now you can buy a Stand Alone HD DVD player in the magical $299   
   >> price   
   > [snip]   
   >   
   > HD DVD and Blu-Ray really have nothing to do with this generation of game   
   > consoles.  Sony wishes it did - and keeps telling us that it does, but the   
   > reality is that HD movies, let alone games on Blu-Ray, really does nothing   
   > for the games.   
   >   
   > Think about this for a second...  To even get the benefit from either HD   
   > standard, you *NEED* a HDTV.  While prices on sets is dropping, the   
   > overall penetration of HDTV into the global market remains very small.  I   
   > think it's like 10% in Europe, and not much higher in the US.  Obviously   
   > more and more people will switch to HDTV as time goes on, but we're   
   > talking years here.   
      
   According to the Consumer Electronics Association, the penetration of HDTV   
   into American homes is *much* higher than Europe. According to an article   
   published 12 May in the Washington Post the CEA states HDTV penetration in   
   the US is now at 26%. The amount of HDTVs bought is expected to be above 50%   
   by 2010. Although because of the mandated shutting off of the analog signal   
   in the US and dropping prices, I think that's a conservative estimate. In   
   2008 people will start reading idiotic media reports about their TVs being   
   obsolete in February 2009, not knowing that if you have cable or satellite   
   the February 2009 deadline doesn't matter, and combined with prices that   
   keep dropping faster and faster, it will spur even faster growth. We've   
   already got 42" plasma and LCD sets for under $1,000, I wouldn't be   
   surprised to see 46" or 50" sets for under $1,000 by Christmas or early next   
   year.   
      
   Other than that, I mostly agree with what you've said. Although I think the   
   price point of the PS3 is a bigger deal than even you're making it. IMO even   
   with a couple good exclusives, a $600 price point is still going to be a   
   deal killer for most gamers. I think we'll see that after MGS and FF are   
   released. The PS3 will obviously experience a bump, but I don't expect it to   
   take off and overtake the 360 or Wii in sales because of those two games.   
   Other than those two games and SOCOM, which is now an online only game, the   
   PS3 doesn't have any familiar exclusives that people will be hungry for to   
   help sell it. It's going to take a long time for them to get or have their   
   first party studio create to sell this console in numbers comparable with   
   the Wii and 360 IMO.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)