Format war, Blu-ray 3D that disappeared, and distribution.20 years of AV and "beyond that"

―― From the analog era such as VHS tape, the image quality and sound quality have been greatly improved due to digitalization.The lifestyle of purchasing and renting movies on DVD has become commonplace.On the other hand, the HD DVD vs Blu-ray format war broke out over the “next-generation format” of the optical disk that recorded it.

Muneka Nishida (hereinafter Nishida): I bought a flat panel TV for the first time around 2001.A model from Hitachi's 32 type, when it was not yet "woooo".Coincidentally, at the same time as the birth of AV Watch, I began to write about digital AV.I think it's time to join SKY PerfecTV!

Hitachi released the world's first 32 -inch plasma TV (February 2001)

Until then, I wasn't very interested in analog AV, and as a nerdy taste, I had two video decks, and I had a laser disc, but it wasn't as good as the quality.Rather, I just wanted to do an archive.

I started thinking that digital images were amazing when I joined SKY PerfecTV!At the same time, I thought, "Is there a lot of channels!", And at the same time, "I'm doing" MPEG-1 "with a guy."It was just around the time.

After that, I purchased Hitachi's 32 -inch plasma TV that began to appear at that time.It was just 2001 that I could understand, "It's like watching a video with a thin panel."

I had been interviewing the game console before, but I was treated as a computer, so the direction was a little different.

I was able to experience the value of thin TVs such as "multi -channelization, EPG (electronic program guide), digital, and also have package media", and the convenience created by digitization of video and music.I think it was a year.Perhaps the AV Watch was made from a similar background.

AV Watch former editor -in -chief Usuda (hereinafter, Usuda): That's right.Since the ITCH media of the Impress starts with IT and PC system, while digitization of home appliances was screaming at the time, there is a flow of incorporating semiconductors like a PC due to digitalization as well as AV.AV Watch started in 2001, separating from PC Watch.

With digitalization, there were quite a few cases where authors who were active in the PC field like Mr. Nishida expanded the range of interviews to audio visuals and home appliances.Especially if you like content, I think there was a flow that the hardware and environment approached PCs.

Nishida: That's right.The flow of music and "ripping CDs" before the video came around this time.However, until it is commonplace to rip and listen to CDs, buy music, and listen to it, I think it took more time to digitize the optical disk and make TV flat panels.

In terms of technology, around the 2000s, ripping CDs and listening to MP3 has become quite commonplace.But it wasn't for ordinary people yet.

Usuda: At that time, "people who can use personal computers" were still limited.In addition, "ripping CDs" is still "what you can do", and there may have been the impression that it was a bit dark.

However, it was when Panasonic and Sony were involved in digital, and the expectations that "it will spread wider!"BS digital broadcasting was also started in 2000, and I could see everything digitized.

Nishida: In the first place, the word "ripping" was a bit dark.

AV Watch editor -in -chief Yamazaki (hereinafter, Yamazaki): Usually it was "dubbing".

Nishida: There are some ways to use geeks like the "hacker community" and "tech community".

Usuda: There was a nuance like "I hack a little and get myself."As a mania, it might have been one excitement point that it was interesting.

Nishida: Recently, no one is talking about the MP3 encoder anymore.Which encoder should I use? There's no such story, "Are you still using MP3? Isn't it OGG?"It may be because the act itself was fun.

Yamazaki: In the 2000s, the dubbing of the MD did not generalize.Audio lovers and some geeks use MDs, but I felt like they were CD-R at this time?

Nishida: Perhaps there were two patterns, and the number of people who dropped it to the MD without editing from the rental CD at all, and the number of people who purchased CDs and used it as they were.The portable CD player became very cheap, and the era of connecting headphones and listening was quite long, so it was still the case.I had a case where I could put a lot of CDs.When I left the house, I remember chose like "Today is this pack" (laughs)

Usuda: In the article of AV Watch, "CD changer" was a popular product around 2004.

Yamazaki: On top of the mini -component, there was a changer who turned big (laughs)

Usuda: There was a card ridge that could be imported by overseas imports.

Matsushita, a 5CD changer -equipped component that can record 6x speed from CD to MD (March 2004)

"D-Dock" in cooperation with D-Snap and Bluetooth devices (April 2007)

Yamazaki: There were also 5 or 6 pieces in the car audio.

Nishida: As a result, it was important to automatically switch to the song you want to listen to until you say, "If everyone puts it in storage."

In the same story, it was only around this time that the "switcher" for changing videos decks, laser disks, game consoles, and CS tuners and inputting analog on TV was still fine.We had a high matrix -style switcher.

It is no longer switched now.The HDMI on the TV is enough.The era of switching videos, music, and games in the device has arrived, so this is the last era when things that are physically replaced, including disks, remain.

And on the DVD, the "next -generation disc" comes just because the image quality does not rise much since the analog era.