Europe's online source of news, data & analysis for professionals involved in packaged media and new delivery technologies
An industry executive speaks
In a series of Q&As, frontline practitioners in all facets of the packaged media and digital delivery industry share their views of things past, present and yet to come. It's the turn of ROB AUBEY, Manager, Software Engineering/Blu-ray Technologies at Sony Creative Software.
Where do you see your company's comparative advantage in this highly competitive market?
Sony Creative Software continues to advance and improve the full range of media creation software that we are known for. In addition, we are introducing new applications and features regularly that take advantage of emerging technologies and capabilities. Our product lineup continues to provide users the tools they need to make their projects come to life across multiple media.
There is a lot of alarmist talks about the rapid demise of packaged media in the face of online delivery. What is your view as to how long discs will be around?
The age of packaged media is far from over. We continue to see increases in hardware player sales in many countries, and the use of high definition BD discs is increasing worldwide. A physical disc is still the best way to provide the full video experience to end-users. Whether that is a BD disc with HD video and high resolution audio options, or the bonus content and extra features that can be provided on a DVD or a BD disc, the consumer benefits from fixed-media delivery. Not to mention the outstanding playback qualities of a hardware player, qualities yet to be duplicated in online delivery.
Given the slower than expected take-up of 3D, do you thing 3D is here to stay or consumer interest in stereoscopy is temporary?
The production of 3D content and end-users' excitement has stalled in the last year, but the advent of higher resolution TV sets (UHD/4K) and the ability to provide 3D more efficiently on those sets will help reignite the market. 3D productions will continue to expand in theaters, and this will drive consumer demand for similar experiences at home.
Do you think the consumer take-up of 3D depends on the arrival of glasses-free autostereoscopic systems. If yes, how many years do you believe consumers will have to wait for a high-quality glasses-free system to rival the existing shutter glasses 3D systems?
Autostereo TV sets that can effectively provide the 3D theatrical experience to many in the home is still a ways off. However, the ability of the UHD or 4K TV's to display HD stereo streams with the use of passive 3D glasses will bring the comfort factor within reason for many home viewers. The use of the same passive 3D glasses at home as in the showing full HD to each eye from a 4K TV set is a strong differentiator.
Do you think UltraViolet has the potential to increase sales of BD discs (as the studios intended) or be the death knell of the packaged media?
Having UV codes available in BD packaged media has already proven successful. It will continue to grow if UV continues to improve in its account accessibility and friendliness to end-users.
Ultra high definition 4K TVs are coming to the market. Is it a response to consumers demanding a better quality picture or a push by CE manufacturers who need to introduce higher-margin products?
Improved picture quality is always a differentiator with customers. Production equipment capabilities and techniques continue to improve the picture and audio quality of theatrical releases all the way to independent video productions. Having an effective display TV to reproduce these levels of quality will always be popular and sellable.
Do you think 4K could be the shot of adrenalin Blu-ray needs given that a BD disc is best suited to bring ultra HD content to the home?
Absolutely. Blu-ray Disc has been, and will continue to be, the best, most efficient, and easiest way to deliver HD and or UHD content to the end user. Pricing and numbers will be important to provide the confidence that customers need to make the investment. All this, of course, provided the Blu-ray Disc Association approves this format extension.
The revival of vinyl points to a renewed interest for high-quality audio. Pure Audio Blu-ray (BD disc with uncompressed audio) is being launched. Do you think there is a sustainable market for it?
There very possibly is a market. The BD player has a solid penetration rate in many countries, allowing customers to play HD audio discs without investing in new equipment. BD provides a format that can deliver the high resolution audio quality desired through a stereo system in the same way that a CD does.
How to you see Hollywood squaring the circle between the inexorable fall of high-revenue producing packaged media and the unstoppable rise of low-revenue generating online digital delivery?
Hollywood needs to agree on a better pricing model for the Blu-ray format. Blu-ray is the best way to deliver the highest quality video and audio to consumers. Until high speed broadband is fully stabilized and available, the most efficient and pleasing way to view high quality content will be from packaged media.
Contact: www.sonycreativesoftware.com/dostudio....
On predicting the future
Predicting the future, let alone the future of packaged media, is a perilous exercise, and possibly counter-productive, as the exercise closes doors rather than keep them open, argues JEAN-LUC RENAUD, DVD Intelligence publisher. Consider that: Apple was left nearly for dead 15 years ago. Today, it became the world's most valuable technology company, topping Microsoft.
Le cinéma est une invention sans avenir (the cinema is an invention without any future) famously claimed the Lumière Brothers some 120 years ago. Well. The cinématographe grew into a big business, even bigger in times of economic crisis when people have little money to spend on any other business.
The advent of radio, then television, was to kill the cinema. With a plethora of digital TV channels, a huge DVD market, a wealth of online delivery options, a massive counterfeit underworld and illegal downloading on a large scale, cinema box office last year broke records!
The telephone was said to have no future when it came about. Today, 5 billion handsets are in use worldwide. People prioritize mobile phones over drinking water in many Third World countries.
No-one predicted the arrival of the iPod only one year before it broke loose in an unsuspecting market. Even fewer predicted it was going to revolutionise the economics of music distribution. Likewise, no-one saw the iPhone coming and even fewer forecast the birth of the developers' industry it ignited. And it changed the concept of mobile phone.
Make no mistake, the iPad will have a profound impact on the publishing world. It will bring new players, and smaller, perhaps more creative content creators.
And who predicted the revival of vinyl?
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