Manfredi, Albert E wrote: > "Also left unanswered was how Sony would address the transition to > high-definition broadcasting on the signal conversion front, which > remains the province of cable companies supplying set-top boxes. Glasgow > said, 'We don't have a set-top box strategy.'" > > What a weird comment. > Nobody wants to be responsible for the OTA reception end of the digital TV transition. TV manufacturers or even satellite companies are willing to integrate that function at a possible loss into boxes primarily sold for other purposes when they have to do so. Cable companies would rather sell cable-only boxes anyway and have no particular problem delivering the locals that way. I don't really expect all this to change in the next couple years. But as the supposed (but not yet really legislated) turn-off date approaches I'd at least expect a couple DVR's. - Tom > Of course they have a strategy on the signal conversion front. It's > obvious to any consumer. The strategy is, Sony will happily sell you a > new set with integrated HDTV receiver, or as far as Sony is concerned, > you can keep watching NTSC. > > If HDTV "remains the province of ... ," it's only because Sony (and the > other major vendors) has mysteriously allowed it to be this way. Or are > we to believe it was all an unforseeable accident? > > Bert > > ------------------------------------ > New Sony COO bullish on Blu-ray > > Spencer Chin > (05/10/2006 3:48 PM EDT) > URL: http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=3D187201990 > > NEW YORK - While acknowledging that the optical disk wars are far from > over, Sony Electronics Inc.'s new president and chief operating officer, > Stan Glasgow, believes the Blu-ray Disc format will emerge as the > winner. > > Speaking at a press conference here Wednesday (May 10), Glasgow, who > became president and COO of Sony's U.S arm on April 1, said consumers > will likely decide within the next 12 to 24 months who wins the optical > disk wars. But he believes the higher capacity of Blu-ray compared to > HD-DVD will win over consumers. > > "As I watch high-definition TV, I am compelled to store everything on a > disk," Glasgow said. > > Sony has put all of its eggs into the Blu-ray basket. The company plans > to unveil a Blu-ray Disc player in July, and will incorporate Blu-ray > Disc optical drives into its long-awaited Playstation 3, as well as in > its Vaio PCs. > > Later this month, Sony is slated to unleash the first wave of Blu-ray > Disc titles. > > But glitches ramain. With Sony's own Blu-ray Disc player still several > months away, the first U.S. Blu-ray Disc player will come from Samsung, > which has pushed back the launch of its player to June. > > Glasgow conceded it is "not a slam-dunk" that Blu-ray will be an > immediate success. He cited the high initial prices for Blu-ray > products, and warned of possible component shortages that could limit > product supplies. He did not provide details on which components might > be in short supply, but noted that robust mobile phone and flat-panel TV > sales as competitors for some parts. > > Glasgow said Sony was continuing to expand production of flat-panel LCD > TVs through its S-LCD venture with Samsung. He added that the company > was bolstering its efforts in rear projection, liquid crystal-on-silicon > TVs as well. > > Glasgow declined to provide an additional details on Playstation 3, now > slated to debut in November, six months after the scheduled May launch > date. > > Also left unanswered was how Sony would address the transition to > high-definition broadcasting on the signal conversion front, which > remains the province of cable companies supplying set-top boxes. Glasgow > said, "We don't have a set-top box strategy." > > Glasgow also outlined a four-part growth strategy for Sony Electronics > in the U.S., including more cost cutting, seeking acquisitions and > partnerships, developing a multichannel retail strategy that integrated > brick-and-mortar and online and greater collaboration among various Sony > business units. > > Glasgow said Sony Electronics' aim was to achieve double-digit growth in > the U.S, driven by products such as HDTV, camcorders and digital > cameras. While parent company Sony Corp. also cited those sectors as > growth drivers, the parent company also warned of a decline in operating > profits at many of its divisions in the coming fiscal year. > > All material on this site Copyright 2006 CMP Media LLC. 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