The CES & AEE (AVN) connection
Nearly 30 years ago someone in the adult entertainment industry got a very bright and lucrative idea. At the time, there was a device available only to well-heeled individuals that allowed the viewing of their “wares” in the privacy of one’s own home. Up until that point, if you wanted to enjoy the adult feature you had to go through a rather long and somewhat embarrassing production of the seedy neighborhood theater or the expense of film cans, screen and projector.
The name of this device was the VCR. Yes, that $39 dollar Wal-Mart special that is now flashing 12:00 in your living room is more than just an additional drain on your power bill. It is also holds the greatest secret in all of Consumer Electronics. The VHS recorder as we know it today was very close to becoming scrap by many of the manufacturers, which originally backed it. Since its astronomical price and often daunting programming procedures kept the VCR out of mainstream hands for the first part of its life. It wasn’t until the adult film industry embraced the format for recording and distribution that sales for the units actually started to climb to the point of mass production.
(In terms of the connection. Now I'm not sure you issued the first invite but, there is a reason that AEE and CES are held on the same week every year and why they will be forever linked.)
In other words without VHS, both the Home Video market and the Adult Industry would be a fraction of what they are today if it weren't for VHS . VHS’s inventor, the Victor Company of
Which brings me to our feature rant…
The Blu-Ray and HD DVD debate. Knowing the imprint that the adult industry has made to consumer electronics, it’s outrageous to think that Sony would not “allow” porn producers the ability to make Blu-Ray Porn. When you think of the billions at stake and the weight of adding yet another flop on the electronics giant list of many (BetaMax, DCC, the Bookman, UMD and of course MiniDisc - Japan doesn’t count as commercial success, we are talking about the US, so all you MiniDisc Addicts can keep your flames to yourself) you would think that Sony would be flocking to anyone that could possibly turn the tide for them. However cited in a recent story in CEpro Magazine “Last year, Joone said he had a couple of concerns. First, he wondered if Sony, the lead Blu-ray technology developer, would "allow" porn. Initially, there would be few Blu-ray replication houses, and adult video might not be the highest priority. Joone blames Sony for inhibiting porn titles on Betamax way back when”
As it turns out Sony has also threatened revocation of any Blu-Ray Licenses if adult features producers (Digital Playground in particular) take the initiative and produce Blu-Ray Pornography.
I ask my friends in Shinagawa (aka Sony) to think about this; A producer would probably record their feature on a Sony HD Camera, using Sony HD film, then edit the feature on a Sony HD Editing Computer, of course they then must emblazon the feature using Sony Licensed Hardware, not to mention all the Sony (and Hewlett Packard) Blu-Ray Disc Media used in the process. For a company still suffering the effects of a nearly $430 million dollar hit with their last snafu - Laptop Batteries. Sony is acting very uppity and forgetting the facts about the hand that fed them one of their first defeats. The Adult Entertainment Industry is not the bunch of greasy bums they seem to want to paint them.
Take this to heart; Sony is being handed a worthwhile defeat by Nintendo and Microsoft in the Video Game Market, simply because they are being arrogant… as usual. If Sony takes the PS3 and uses it as a viable and relatively inexpensive line in to the homes of millions of gamers AND Movie fans (as they really should be, lord, knows they aren’t filling the store shelves with great games nowadays) they just might be able to beat HD DVD to the POS. Why not fill the shelves in gamer’s homes with movies they will want to pay for, since you have 8 games available (that people actually want to play, from the reviews I have read)? Therefore beating HD DVD, Microsoft and sworn enemies JVC and Toshiba to the punch (have you seen the HD DVD movies available, Vongo has better releases)? Sony is not utilizing the PS3 and Blu-ray to its fullest; let’s not forget the fact that it is the least expensive Blu-ray Player on the market. Forget the morality of the Japanese (… do I really have to talk about the Panty Vending Machines), Pornography is Sony‘s savior in this fight. Unless they get
Being a Sony Junkie, I would like to see Shinagawa win this race. However, for the same reason that I don't gamble today, I will not bet on the fight - I tend to lose once my money is on the table. Therefore, I think I'll just watch and shake my head.
Dear Sony: No one ever said Beta was a loser with quality, just availability.
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