Quick Survey :: Do you have a DVD Player on your PC? - Page 2

RLacey · 01-30-2006, 03:20 PM

Hm, 21:0. I sense that this poll is now redundant

.

*Melanie68* · 01-30-2006, 03:27 PM

Does it count if it's external (I bought one that attaches via USB) ?

Dasilva · 01-30-2006, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melanie68

Does it count if it's external (I bought one that attaches via USB) ?

Ahuh.

RLacey · 01-30-2006, 03:34 PM

Actually, we're all lying in this poll. I have a DVD drive in my PC, but not on it...

Jeysie · 01-30-2006, 03:37 PM

I don't have a DVD player in my PC. Then again, my PC isn't good enough to handle most recent-day 3D-heavy type games, either.

I'd think that any game that requires a high-end computer would be generally safe having a DVD-only release, since a high-end computer probably either already comes with a DVD drive installed or it's not too hard to upgrade to having one.

Peace & Luv, Liz

Dasilva · 01-30-2006, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RLacey

Actually, we're all lying in this poll. I have a DVD drive in my PC, but not on it...

,___,
[O.o]
/)__)
-"--"-
O RLY?

RLacey · 01-30-2006, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeysie

I don't have a DVD player in my PC. Then again, my PC isn't good enough to handle most recent-day 3D-heavy type games, either.

I'd think that any game that requires a high-end computer would be generally safe having a DVD-only release, since a high-end computer probably either already comes with a DVD drive installed or it's not too hard to upgrade to having one.

Peace & Luv, Liz

If someone doesn't mind answering this, when did PCs in the US start coming with DVD drives as standard? Because over here anyone who bought a PC in the last six or seven years will almost certainly have a DVD drive

...

Jeysie · 01-30-2006, 03:48 PM

Mistah Lacey:

Er, are you sure you're not exagerrating just a wee bit? My existing computer is 7 years old, and back then a *stand-alone DVD player* cost in the realm of $400 USD, let alone a DVD drive.

In any case, I personally don't know for sure when they started becoming common here... maybe in the past 3 years or so, if I had to guess.

Peace & Luv, Liz

RLacey · 01-30-2006, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeysie

Mistah Lacey:

Er, are you sure you're not exagerrating just a wee bit? My existing computer is 7 years old, and back then a *stand-alone DVD player* cost in the realm of $400 USD, let alone a DVD drive.

In any case, I personally don't know for sure when they started becoming common here... maybe in the past 3 years or so, if I had to guess.

Peace & Luv, Liz

Not by much. I've been through... *counts* ...four desktops with DVD drives as standard. Even if it was an optional thing when I got the first of those, it must still be a good five or six years...

Dasilva · 01-30-2006, 03:56 PM

Who dared to vote no?

Jeysie · 01-30-2006, 03:59 PM

Mistah Lacey:

Well, if you say so. Back when I got my computer, I remember DVD drives being still very much a matter of, "Whoa, dude, (s)he has a * DVD drive *! Everyone gather round and drool over it!" sort of thing.

I don't think it was at least until 2000 where it changed to "Yeah, DVD drives are way cool, I might get one if I have the cash." And a year or two after that before it reached "Sure, I have a DVD drive. Who doesn't?"

But then again, both my roommate and I were stuck with twin old maids for computers until he got to upgrade recently, so I might be off.

Dasi:

Er, I voted no... didn't you read my post? ;P

Peace & Luv, Liz

RLacey · 01-30-2006, 04:03 PM

Ah, I'm pretty sure they became standard in European PCs much sooner than that. By 2000 all but the most cheap of PCs had them, IIRC.

SakSquash · 01-30-2006, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tanukitsune

Dude, it's only the first season....

I want a divorce.

artwking4 · 01-30-2006, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dasilva

Who dared to vote no?

There's at least one "no" out there. That settles it. You can't afford to risk putting your game on DVD. Just like the game companies!

nikoniko · 01-30-2006, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RLacey

Ah, I'm pretty sure they became standard in European PCs much sooner than that. By 2000 all but the most cheap of PCs had them, IIRC.

In the US, except for geeks like me who enjoyed putting custom systems together, it was only the more expensive consumer PCs which had DVD drives standard in 2000. I just spent a few minutes browsing through archive.org's cache of a very geeky computer shop I used to frequent, and it looks like they first started selling DVD drives in 1998, and the first time they included them as a standard part of a non-custom system was in 2000. And this was a shop for more tech-minded people, so that was a bit ahead of the game compared to most stores.

Prior to 2000, most consumer-level PCs were too slow to actually playback DVD video unless you also had an additional DVD decoder card or a video card with DVD decoding assist on chip. Since there was hardly any software on DVD in 1999 anyway, the only real reason to have a DVD-ROM was to view movies on PC, and since that was complicated by needing an extra card (hence, extra expense) it didn't catch on until processor speeds got up and prices came down. 2000 was the beginning of that, but it's really only the last few years, around last half of 2003/early 2004, when many consumer PCs came with DVD, except for stupid companies like Dell which kept foisting DVD-less PCs on people until recently.

Laptops seem to have picked up on the idea sooner than consumer desktops, when 2001/2002 saw a lot of systems carrying them. People liked the idea of watching DVDs while traveling, even if they couldn't imagine watching DVDs on a desktop.

Because we were so slow to catch on, software makers have been holding off on the switch to DVD. Yeah, there were a few things available even as early as 1999 (can't remember what they were, but I do remember seeing at least one package boasting that it was an expanded DVD version of some game), but not until around the time Sims 2 came out did a lot of companies take the plunge. Even so, many things are still released in two versions, or just on CD. And now these higher-density formats are coming to market soon... I wonder how long it will take *those* to catch on. Maybe not as long, though, since people understand the power of these media better than they used to ("You mean I can fit, like, *20* DivX movies on it? All right, man! I want one now!".... yeah, that's what it takes. Keep in mind that CD burners didn't really catch on until Napster showed up.)

Tanukitsune · 01-30-2006, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by temporaryscars

I want a divorce.

Ok, but I keep the house and the silverware....

Most of the new games released here are on DVD, but there still are a few that still come in several CDs....

Even most of the underground games come on DVDs now...

View Poll Results: Do you have a DVD-ROM on your PC?
Yes.	31	93.94%
No.	2	6.06%
Voters: 33. You may not vote on this poll

01-30-2006, 03:20 PM	#21
RLacey The Thread™ will die. Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 22,542	Hm, 21:0. I sense that this poll is now redundant . Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ RLacey \| Killer of the Thread™ I do not change to be perfect. Perfect changes to be me.

01-30-2006, 03:27 PM	#22
Melanie68 Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 8,907	Does it count if it's external (I bought one that attaches via USB) ? Share Share this post on Twitter

01-30-2006, 03:34 PM	#24
RLacey The Thread™ will die. Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 22,542	Actually, we're all lying in this poll. I have a DVD drive in my PC, but not on it... Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ RLacey \| Killer of the Thread™ I do not change to be perfect. Perfect changes to be me.

01-30-2006, 03:37 PM	#25
Jeysie Diva of Death Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Western Massachusetts Posts: 1,402	I don't have a DVD player in my PC. Then again, my PC isn't good enough to handle most recent-day 3D-heavy type games, either. I'd think that any game that requires a high-end computer would be generally safe having a DVD-only release, since a high-end computer probably either already comes with a DVD drive installed or it's not too hard to upgrade to having one. Peace & Luv, Liz Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Adventures in Roleplaying (Nov. 19): "Maybe it's still in the Elemental Plane of Candy." "Is the Elemental Plane of Candy anything like Willy Wonka's factory?" "If it is, would that mean Oompa Loompas are Candy Elementals?" "Actually, I'm thinking more like the Candyland board game. But, I like this idea better." "I like the idea of Oompa Loompa Elementals."

01-30-2006, 03:48 PM	#28
Jeysie Diva of Death Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Western Massachusetts Posts: 1,402	Mistah Lacey: Er, are you sure you're not exagerrating just a wee bit? My existing computer is 7 years old, and back then a stand-alone DVD player cost in the realm of $400 USD, let alone a DVD drive. In any case, I personally don't know for sure when they started becoming common here... maybe in the past 3 years or so, if I had to guess. Peace & Luv, Liz Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Adventures in Roleplaying (Nov. 19): "Maybe it's still in the Elemental Plane of Candy." "Is the Elemental Plane of Candy anything like Willy Wonka's factory?" "If it is, would that mean Oompa Loompas are Candy Elementals?" "Actually, I'm thinking more like the Candyland board game. But, I like this idea better." "I like the idea of Oompa Loompa Elementals."

01-30-2006, 03:56 PM	#30
Dasilva Hitch-Hiker Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: The Mediterranean Sea Posts: 4,364	Who dared to vote no? Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Regards, DaSilva "If you don't get out of the box you've been raised in, you won't understand how much bigger the world is." - Angelina Jolie _ <Susan falls through the floor and gets stuck> <Paco looks at her blankly> "Whats wrong with you?! Lassy would of had a firetruck here by now!" - Susan Mayer, Desperate Housewives

01-30-2006, 03:59 PM	#31
Jeysie Diva of Death Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Western Massachusetts Posts: 1,402	Mistah Lacey: Well, if you say so. Back when I got my computer, I remember DVD drives being still very much a matter of, "Whoa, dude, (s)he has a * DVD drive *! Everyone gather round and drool over it!" sort of thing. I don't think it was at least until 2000 where it changed to "Yeah, DVD drives are way cool, I might get one if I have the cash." And a year or two after that before it reached "Sure, I have a DVD drive. Who doesn't?" But then again, both my roommate and I were stuck with twin old maids for computers until he got to upgrade recently, so I might be off. Dasi: Er, I voted no... didn't you read my post? ;P Peace & Luv, Liz Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Adventures in Roleplaying (Nov. 19): "Maybe it's still in the Elemental Plane of Candy." "Is the Elemental Plane of Candy anything like Willy Wonka's factory?" "If it is, would that mean Oompa Loompas are Candy Elementals?" "Actually, I'm thinking more like the Candyland board game. But, I like this idea better." "I like the idea of Oompa Loompa Elementals."

01-30-2006, 04:03 PM	#32
RLacey The Thread™ will die. Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 22,542	Ah, I'm pretty sure they became standard in European PCs much sooner than that. By 2000 all but the most cheap of PCs had them, IIRC. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ RLacey \| Killer of the Thread™ I do not change to be perfect. Perfect changes to be me.

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