Today's Show:
It's that time of year again. We try to predict the future, at least the future of HDTV and Home Theater. We'll try to stay away
from the real obvious ones like TV prices will come down or Blu Ray players will be more affordable.
Predictions for 2009
Ara's Predictions
Netbooks will become popular as portable A/V devices - Ara has been playing around with his HP Mini laptop
(apparently Netbook is a registered brand name)
and feels that this niche may have legs. At about $500 you can buy a device
that will play your music, videos, and access the web. Running the Slingplayer on the device is simple and fun. The devices
are lightweight and and go just about anywhere. A full review will come in early 2009.
Movie Download services will Blossom - With the economy slowing down and movie ticket prices going up consumers will turn to
movie download services like AppleTV and Vudu. Why spend $40 plus refreshments to go see movies with the family. The download
services are cheaper and more convenient.
Corollary Prediction to Above - Studios realizing that consumers are staying home and downloading will shorten the release window
movies.
Blu Ray Movie Prices will be on par with their DVD counterparts - The studios will want to push Blu Ray player
sales so they can get you to update your current library with Blu Ray discs. The strategy will fail but we'll take $18 Blu Ray
movies.
Digital Transition will go smoothly - You can't turn on a TV without February 17th showing up someplace on your
screen. At this point I feel the government has done a great job of warning consumers. The real ad campaign is yet to come. There
will be some who aren't prepared but like the Y2K issue of 9 years ago. The transition will come and go without a hitch.
DirecTV and/or Dish Network will start transmitting Dolby Digital Plus Audio Tracks on some channels - OK, I'll
admit it. This is me just wishing for it. But why not?
Braden's Predictions
New release downloads will go "all you can eat" - Someone will come up with a monthly subscription pricing plan
that both makes sense for consumers and is profitable for themselves and the studios. There are a ton of potential options here:
Netflix, Vudu, Apple, Sony, Microsoft - even Cable companies. It doesn't really matter who does it as long as the pricing is
affordable (not much more than an existing Netflix subscription) and there's a wide selection of new release movies.
Portable Blu-ray players will hit the shelves - We'll finally see small Blu-ray players for road trips and
airline flights. They'll also start to make their way into automobile entertainment systems. This will help make Blu-ray discs
as easily portable as existing DVDs.
A true iPhone alternative will emerge - Let's face it, right now the iPhone is the only smart phone out there.
And I am by no means an iFanBoy - I don't even own one. Something will come out in 2009 that will present a true alternative for
those looking for a sleek, sexy, do it all phone that isn't an iPhone. It may be Google, could be Microsoft, or even Samsung or
Nokia. But they aren't going to let another year go by without any real competition.
Blu-ray prices will fall to be the same as DVD - Ara and I agree on this one. The Blu-ray group will realize
that nobody wants to pay a premium for Blu-ray when they're perfectly happy with DVD. To get them to switch, they'll make Blu-ray
available for the same price.
Something really exciting will happen in TV technology - That's a bold prediction, huh? I'm thinking either
LED based LCD will hit shelves at attainable prices, ultra contrast plasma will finally arrive, or OLED will begin shipping in
sizes greater than 40 inches. How's that for being bold?
The HT Guys love their Starbucks. If you want to say thanks, a cup of joe will do just fine!
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