Stewart Pinkerton wrote in message
news:KgdSb.51324$U%5.284182@attbi_s03...
On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 20:12:10 GMT, Lawrence Leung
wrote:

Tell me why can CD take over the dominance place of LP 20 years ago? Is
it because CD is so much better than LP? No! Everything is marketing my
friends, and if you can't accept it, I'm afraid you will be very
disappointed!

No, in the case of CD, it was *exactly* because it is greatly superior
to LP, and also vastly more convenient. The same cannot be said for
SACD or DVD-A vs CD, so that battle is indeed largely down to
marketing.

I substantially agree. But this time around its a three way battle not the
CD vs. LP two way battle that existed 20 years ago. So the dynamics are
vastly different. So, I would add my belief that the improvements
of SACD or DVD-A over CD are significant enough that if it was only SACD
battling CD or if DVD-A was CDs only opponent that we would not be having
these discussions 3-4 years after their introduction and there would
virtually
be no marketing battle. CD would be gracefully bowing out after a grand
twenty
year run because it would have been replaced by something better. This would
be especially true if SACD was the only CD opponent because it is more
like CD with respect to consumer use. (SACD is fully compatible with
existing
CD and DVD players. DVD-A would have the advantage if and when it also
becomes
CD player compatible). Therefore, the DVD-A vs. SACD marketing battle is an
unfortunate waste of resources that is serving to prolong the life of the
inferior CD format.

Robert C. Lang