News Sony sued for Blu-ray patent

In a market where even a simple idea often costs millions to market a small start-up company often relies on the patent as a essential revenue. Only by using the patent as a springboard to create capital can they even attempt to break into a market.

Or would you rather see the whole economy run by huge conglomerate company's? Don't think that'd do too much for consumer choice.

 

As near as I can tell one of the objectives for sony with blu-ray, as it has been with quite a few of the previous formats they've tried to introduce, was sole control over it so they can for instance keep the price high (they've said they were very annoyed at DVD's selling so cheap so fast for an example because they didn't have control)

If there were other major disc producers the pr0n industry might not have chosen HD-DVD after sony refused to allow it onto discs out of there plants.

Lastly if they chose not to pay licensing fees for rumble technology, I guess I wouldn't be too surprised if they'd done the same for a technology that made the discs cheaper to produce and was maybe a bit harder to notice.

 

If BD prices have to go up because of this, then the format will fail. If Sony settle out of court, but keep the prices the same, then the format war will continue.

Personally I would prefer it if it came back to a single format for HD movies. The BD format can still stay around data recording, just like DVD-Rs ...

But no point second guessing, just sit back and watch what happens. If you love your movies, get both formats. HD-DVD players are cheap right now, and BD can be got using the PS3. Yes, if one goes tits up you will lose some money, but thats a price I am willing to pay to get HD movies now rather than wait for everything to settle down.

 

That isn't what I meant by that comment. I mean that, the simplest feature on things are patented so much to the point where it doesn't make sense. A protective layer on your discs in patented? Really now. The immersion lawsuit I could understand, but protecting your disc surface? Oh please. A small startup company advertising their patent, yes, go for it, but a small startup company lying in wait for a company to "infringe" on their unused patent I don't agree with.

 

Em, if I'm not mistaken nearly everything is more expensive in the UK than in the US, not just Sony products. And I'm also pretty sure Sony is not the only company who focuses on a US release more than a UK release - I imagine it could have something to do with the population of the US being about 5x more than the population of the UK.

In the end, I have always liked Sony products. I believe most Sony products are in fact well priced, it's hard to find a better value than a Sony TV or stereo. The whole purpose of a next generation media format is to have higher capacity - and Blu-Ray does meet that requirement, why settle for HD-DVD? It's really not like MS is a wonderful company now. In my opinion, lately all MS is releasing is trash that falls short of being competitive (Zune, XBox 360, HD-DVD) and hoping a slightly lower price tag will help create another monopoly.

L J

 

But Europe has a larger population than North America.

Sony are definitely one of the worst electronics companies when it comes to screwing over Europeans. They make us wait 6 months plus for products with reduced functionality and then charge us double for the privilege.

Blu-ray? No thanks Sony

 

End of the Day its a Japanese company and to say europeans are screwed over is stupid. Your lucky they are multinational and sell in europe. You know they could just keep their products to themselves in japan.

Also if your moaning that you have to pay double for everything then when you go to work ask for a pay cut. Then if we all do that inflation will lower and prices will lower.

 

Thats just business. Youd expect any company to want complete control over its products and maximise profit.

If I sold a product, I wouldnt want to loose control over it and for others to get rich off my product, and neither does anyone else.

 

Are you really saying that i should thank my luck every morning because i have access to Sony products. Whose to say there wouldn't be a European alternative if Sony hadn't got into the market first?

 

European alternative? Fair enough. However, would it be compatible with what the rest of the world uses? When you wake up in the morning, look around to see how many of the items you use on a daily basis are made in a foreign country.

L J

 

I don't hate Sony but what they did was wrong and they should have to pay for it

 

First they have to be proven wrong. My guess is it's gonna settle out of court.

 

Blu_Ray really isn't all that impressive: what it makes up for in size it lacks in read-write speed. As an example, the PS3 has to continually stream data from it's games onto the hard drive just to keep the load times low when extra data is required.

Personally, I think HD-DVD will win simply because it's the simpler technology, cheaper to build and distribute, and there isn't so much control around it. Sony seem to be obsessed with controlling 100% every technology they ever come up with, they wanted to be more in control of DVDs, they invented their PSP video format that only the PSP could play, the next gen of DVDs they want all to themselves, I don't think this strategy is winning them many fans outside the industry to be honest

 

It has nothing to do with inflation. Comparing US dollar prices to US Dollar prices, we are properly ripped off even taking relevant taxes into account.

Then if we want to buy one of Sony's wonderful products early and cheaper from abroad, Sony tells us we're not allowed to do that and sues the companies.

I've had enough of Sony so I'm voting with my wallet.

 

And this isn't for using a protective layer; it would appear to be for the silver based alloy. Now if the patent is on the formula for the alloy and some other company has used the formula, I think they'd be entitled to sue to protect their development. However this then goes to court and we see if Sony had its own way of discovering the alloy or if it infringed and stole the patent. Discussing who's right and who's wrong before the outcome of the court case and without the evidence shown in the case, is no more than media hype again. And on the other hand Sony has had the blu-ray branding flashed across the media for free, perfect advertising.

 

I was really trying to demonstrate that Blu-ray discs are very much sony's product and not anyone elses and thus why they were the ones being sued, not trying to make a particularly negative comment about sony itself.

 

Haha, serves you right Sony. HD-DVD ***

 

I wish sony would STOP with their proprietary BS.

 

It has everything to do with inflation/cost of living and the fact we are in Europe, some ones got to cover the increase distribution costs due to high taxes on fuel etc. in Europe, places like the UK where property prices are out of the reach of your average joe means that salaries increase to compensate, the US is a completely different economy and difference between them and us have got to be paid for somewhere. Sony as well as game devs etc. have to cover the cost of localisation and support for different languages, consumer laws why would they not pass these on to the consumer like every other company does. It is a shame that we don't get treated as US when it comes to stuff like games as languages aren't an issue but then theres the adaption to our TV system to be considered and the additional support it entails (not everyone is high def yet)

So in the US your PS3 cost $600 + sales tax it comes out to about £330 its hardly half price or realistically that much cheaper all things considered, sure compared to the launch price its quite a difference but the price is always high right out the gate when it comes to technology, sure for you to go over and buy it it seems cheap due to teh value of teh pound versus the dollar but it just doesn't equate in the same manner.

The UK is a nation of whingers these days alway want something to winge about, there are much more important things in the world than how much your PS3 costs you, if it doesn't suit you don't buy it, if it cost too much then to summarize Crazy Ken, get a better job perhaps you'll be able to afford it (thats tongue incheek there for those that don't spot it )

As to this lawsuit, real bad news for Sony, I hope this doesn't kill the Blu Ray scene as I am personally loving this Hi Def kit and will relish the day I can enjoy watching everything in HD on a 52" 1080 screen.

 

I do agree with you as far as patents go (especially software patents, but that's another kettle of fish), but I'll think you'll find that in order to successfully patent something it has to be a fair bit more specific than just the idea of a protective layer. In this case it seems to be the use of specific silver alloys as a protective layer, and the fact that Sony used the idea while fully aware of the company's patent. And if they have a specific invention that Sony borrowed without asking then they deserve their millions. If their patent is vague or whatever then Sony's lawyers will weasel their way out of this case with no trouble at all, and leave the small random company with a very large random legal bill.