View Profile
View Forum Posts
Originally Posted by jagabo
Paramount adopts HD DVD, kicks Blu-ray to the curb
Just when many observers are beginning to believe that Blu-ray has the next-gen HD format wars all wrapped up, Paramount throws us a major curveball. The studio has announced that it is abandoning Blu-ray in favor of HD DVD.
Both Paramount and DreamWorks Animation SKG today announced their backing of HD DVD, which will entail exclusive use of the HD DVD format. The decision will see movies from Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Nickelodeon Movies and MTV Films available in standard definition DVD and HD DVD, exclusively.
Paramount says that its evaluation uncovered two benefits to HD DVD. First, the format is less expensive to produce, as we have touched on before. Second, Paramount described HD DVD as being superior owing to "market-ready technology."
How smart of a choice it is remains to be seen, but it is noteworthy that Paramount-owned DreamWorks SKG will make an exception for Spielberg films. Paramount indicated that his works could be made available in either format, or both.
For the first half of 2007, Blu-ray discs have outsold their HD DVD counterparts by a two-to-one margin, according to figures released last week. Since the beginning of the year, consumers have snapped up 1.6 million Blu-ray discs, compared to 795,000 HD DVD discs. Since their launch last year, 1.5 million HD DVD discs and 2.2 million Blu-ray discs have been sold.
Yeah, very interesting twist has just developed
(thx for link jagabo)
+ Reply to Thread
Results 361 to 390 of 494
-
-
The twist being the $150m pay off.
UPDATE: Desperation Move & Cash Grab? Or Bloodier Blu-ray/HD-DVD Format War?
the HD-DVD side is paying through the nose -- I'm told $50 million to Paramount, and $100 million to DreamWorks Animation -- to try to show the strength of what we all know is a dying format.Regards,
Rob -
These big payoffs are an indication of how far this battle of the Shoguns is from being "won". First came the Blockbuster announcement indicating their exclusive support of Blu-ray. But the apparent indication is that they stock very few Blu-ray titles and rent even less. Now the megabucks payoff to Paramount and DreamWorks for their support of HD-DVD. Both sides in their desperate attempt to "win" the war are causing major negative impact on the market. Many people will just wait until all of the carry-on is over before they do anything- me for one.
-
Has anyone considered that $150 million is really "chump change" to the movie industry?
What am I trying to say?
Well I am saying that this might have been a "push in the right direction" for Paramount/Dreamworks to make up their minds but I really doubt they would have done this JUST for $150 million UNLESS it was something they really sorta kinda wanted to do anyways.
I mean you don't jeopardize your business for chump change so they must have been leaning towards HD-DVD as it was and the $150 million was the little "push" that they needed to follow through with it.
- John "FulciLives" Coleman"The eyes are the first thing that you have to destroy ... because they have seen too many bad things" - Lucio Fulci
EXPLORE THE FILMS OF LUCIO FULCI - THE MAESTRO OF GORE
-
$150 million is not "chump change" although they could've whored themselves for alot more. Movie companies get really upset when a movie doesn't make past its budget, and when blockbuster dont deliver the $100 million mark.Originally Posted by FulciLives
That's about 5 million blu-ray movies (more or less). -
Depends - when you lose hundreds of millions, $150m is the lifeline that may just see you through the year.
Paramount picked up $400m of Debt when they bought Dreamworks in 2005.Regards,
Rob -
Does anyone remember when Blockbuster started carrying DVDs? How many did you see on the shelves? Go to Blockbuster now; can you find any VHS? This is all just a matter of time. I can't speak for other countries, but when U.S. switches to digital Tv, the great majority if not all new TV purchases will had hidef video support built in. Hidef DVD will follow in short order.Originally Posted by MOVIEGEEK
I am not a video- or audiophile, but every time I walk into a hidef demo room in one of the consumer electronics stores, I am transfixed, mesmerized by the picture. They might be showing grass grow and I can't walk away. There's been some argument as to whether an average consumer can really tell the difference and really cares if it's a standard or hidef video. Well, I'm an average consumer and yes, I can definetely tell the difference.
It'll be interesting to see how HDDVD vs. Blu-ray plays out. Cheaper is usually better and I'm not convinced that the extra capacity of Blu-ray is of significant value. Now that movie studios are picking sides, I doubt that Blockbuster will continue putting exclusively Blu-ray on its shelves, especially with Dreamworks in the HDDVD camp. And then how long until we start seeing very affordable "all-format" players coming out of China? Who knows, there just might survive both formats.
I have a question though. Maybe I'm not looking at it the right way, but when I did the math for bitrate available per pixel, standard NTSC had more of it available than Blu-ray. Will this affect quality in a negative way?
720*480=345600 pixels
9.8MBps/345600=0.000028MBps/pixel
1920*1080=2073600 pixels
40MBps/2073600=0.000019MBps/pixel -
The Old One
- Aug 2000
- Hellas (Greece), E.U.
@rhegedus: Are you telling us, that Sony doesn't "pay off"?
If you just knew how many "presents" Sony do everyday to the editors of technical magazines worldwide, so to be Sony-Friendly on their articles. I know, I'm one of them...
When Sony use those tactics, it is simply bizz. When Toshiba does this, is evil.
Well no: Sony is the evil the first place. Toshiba is a new evil addition to this game. And since both now are evil, for the first time, this is finally "Bizz". Before it wasn't... -
"Blockbuster Buys Movielink, Zeroes in on Netflix"
See : http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/patterson/3555
I think blockbuster choose bluray is not about HD format war.
It is the movie rental bussiness war. Blockbuster is using us to get a Buzz, that they hardly put in money to back it. A few BD disc per store is not anything earth shaking, but to counter attack netflix.
Go Red-Box, or Red Sox. -
Freebies to those with influence are nothing new. Every manufacturer does it in order to gain favourable reviews and increased custom as a consequence.Originally Posted by SatStorm
The NYT article states that cash has actually changed hands, upto 150$m. This goes much further than being allowed to keep the equipment you're testing.
The EU antitrust regulators have been investigating both HD and BD partners for the past year with regards to anticompetitive practices. As far as I'm aware, the Paramount deal is the first evidence of any such activity.Regards,
Rob -
Simple solution: (for those who haven't bought any HD format yet)
wait until dust settles down
The third format to emerge will be the one to stay
-
Member
- Mar 2006
- With the other crabapples
-
Its really tough to fight a format war when nobody cares about the outcome.
HD is just not that important.
Big screen with up conversion suits a major segment of the HDTV market. (over 30% with no HD input).
HD cable and satellite suits another segment.
Cheap DVDs and DVD players with or without upconversion suits an even bigger segment.
For the same reasons that broadcasters would prefer to use their digital bandwidth for more channels rather than HD both formats are yawners.
With the low res videoIpod and Youtube so successful (relatively speaking) who needs HD,
By the time the market for HD exists there will be only one format.
In the mean time, its great for early adoptors to have a choice and fanboys to rant. -
The Old One
- Aug 2000
- Hellas (Greece), E.U.
-
@rhegedus: Sony has friends in E.U. It is not very difficult for them to ask for favors and the cheapest one (costs nothing) are to make the authorities investigate evidence of activities...
Sometimes, I wish I could travel to Japan myself, so to talk with the big ones there and learn first hand their thoughts about this HD "war". I had the opportunity to talk with some UK and German Sony officials in IFA preview and it was a very honest conversation, I have to admit... -
Sat, do you or anyone else have proof that Sony/Blu Ray has been engaged activities to the similar level as the $150m HD/Paramount deal?
Yes or No - straight answer.Regards,
Rob -
True.Originally Posted by oldandinthe way
The vast majority don't have a display that will show the difference. "Higher Def" is good enough for most for now. Upscale adds a bit of transitional quality increase greased by retail snake oil that adds short term retail sales revenue. Selling HD or BD is a waste of effort when the gold is now in the display and audio addons.
The HD/BD picture quality jump is there but value for most consumers is deferred until he can afford an adequate display. The movie industry sees HD/BD as setting the stage for a 10-15 year run. Observers like us see optical media as at best a snail mailer and want that data on a home server.
Many of us see optical media as a form of data delivery not a product in itself. Plastic should be recycled not displayed on book shelves. The value is in the media contained on the disc. That data belongs on the home server and available to all players in the household. -
The Old One
- Aug 2000
- Hellas (Greece), E.U.
-
@rhegedus: To answer your question, I have to ask my personal lawer and the lawer of my job. I'm in E.U, so laws applies to me regarding those subjects. Those subjects are part of current investigations, and I don't wish to be a part of. Those things are capable to destroy my carrier. I don't wish that to happen.
BTW, why do you care so much?
And i think that we talking about evidance here, not proofs. Since when evidence turn to proofs?
Are you a Jugde of European Union, capable to count the level of the engaged activities? With what authority you determine the levels, etc? because this is what you do here.
Where are the court trials that prooved and determined "level" regarding those subjects? When they took place? By who?
Personally, I'm a Sharp fanboy myself, and I'm very close to became a Samsung fanboy too. For companies like Sony and Toshiba, I simply don't care. Neither Philips/Thompson if you ask me...
I have to admit: You are not the typical "fanboy". You act more like a pro... -
@Sat
Call it whatever you want:
Now what do wou want to call it?ev·i·dence
1. that which tends to prove or disprove something; ground for belief; proof.
Right where the definition of evidence included proof...And i think that we talking about evidance here, not proofs. Since when evidence turn to proofs?
WTF are you on about?Are you a Jugde of European Union, capable to count the level of the engaged activities? With what authority you determine the levels, etc? because this is what you do here.
Where are the court trials that prooved and determined "level" regarding those subjects? When they took place? By who?
No, I'm not a judge of the EU or anywhere else.
What I like to judge is fact, not insinuation. You as a journalist should appreciate that.
This takes the biscuit - you get paid to write stories but won't write what you believe, yet I'm the "pro"...I have to admit: You are not the typical "fanboy". You act more like a pro...Regards,
Rob -
Just to stir the pot some more...
EU to look into Blu-Ray exclusivity deals
According to reports from the Wall Street Journal, backers of the rival HD-DVD format, which include Toshiba, Microsoft and Intel, asked the commission to look into the tactics of members of the Blu-Ray camp, which is led by Sony.Regards,
Rob -
The Old One
- Aug 2000
- Hellas (Greece), E.U.
-
rhegedus, did you read the "tends to"? This is your language, not mine. Since when the phrase "tends to" means grands it?
Regarding me, I am a pro, this is not unknown. I stated many times my job. BTW, what's your job rhegedus? For what you paid for?
Oh, and regarding what the HD DVD camp asked from E.U.: It is a natural move, isn't it? Toshiba also has friends in Europe. Toshiba and Sony are sponsored on many things. Sponsoring brings "friendships", it's an economy rule.
You didn't answer me btw: Why you care so much for this? -
Sat, let it go
you are engaging yourself in useless replies-soon-to-be-flames with a rabid sony fanboy (if you didnt notice yet), even if a ghost of Akio Morita would suddenly appear in front of him and admitted all the dirty tricks they did, our fanboy would accuse Toshiba of making a hologram
-
Did you read the bit after the : ?Originally Posted by SatStorm
p.s. what does "grands it" mean?
I'm a doctor of medicine. I have absolutely no ties whatsoever to any industry outside of medicine.Originally Posted by SatStorm
The HD-DVD camp asked the EU last year to investigate the very thing which they have publically announced now. Doesn't that strike you as strange?Originally Posted by SatStorm
Irrelevant really, but to satisfy your curiosity...Originally Posted by SatStorm
I want to see the better of the two formats win because of merit, not because of insinuation or falsehood.Regards,
Rob -
Better at this moment, or better over all?Originally Posted by rhegedus
And what means better when both formats deliver exactly same quality - a better price of media or players? Or better plastic logo sticker on the front of a player? (yes, sony has nicest one
) Or else?
"You funny! Me luv yu long time"
(to quote a hooker from a movie currently owned by sony )
-
Coming from...Originally Posted by DereX888Sat, let it go
you are engaging yourself in useless replies-soon-to-be-flames with a rabid sony fanboy (if you didnt notice yet), even if a ghost of Akio Morita would suddenly appear in front of him and admitted all the dirty tricks they did, our fanboy would accuse Toshiba of making a hologram
And as a MSFT shareholder I seriously don't think Windows is overpriced IMHO Vista is TOO CHEAP!!!
Regards,
Rob -
you forgot to add my quotes where i bash microsoft, windows, [s:22585cb334]Gates[/s:22585cb334], and so on and on...Originally Posted by rhegedusComing from...Originally Posted by DereX888Sat, let it go
you are engaging yourself in useless replies-soon-to-be-flames with a rabid sony fanboy (if you didnt notice yet), even if a ghost of Akio Morita would suddenly appear in front of him and admitted all the dirty tricks they did, our fanboy would accuse Toshiba of making a hologram
And as a MSFT shareholder I seriously don't think Windows is overpriced IMHO Vista is TOO CHEAP!!!
Pecunia non olet :P
As long as there are idiots buying microsoft's crap by dozens, i will keep MSFT in my portfolio, obviously.
(edit: I actually dont think i have ever bashed William The Third himself since i don't know him at all, but i loathe his products... LOL) -
Looking at the numbers, the 50Gb vs 30Gb storage capacity is a strong point for starters, added to which is the max total bitrate.Originally Posted by DereX888Better at this moment, or better over all?
And what means better when both formats deliver exactly same quality - a better price of media or players? Or better plastic logo sticker on the front of a player? (yes, sony has nicest one ) Or else?
The other sucker punch is the notable absence of HD burners - as a consumer, I'd be limited to burning my video on 8.5Gb DL.
While HD players are currently cheaper, the HD movies tend to be more expensive ($3 on average on current data).
Anything else to add?Regards,
Rob -
$3 difference IMHO is a no difference at all (while $300 cost difference on a player cost levels the difference on purchase of 100 titles, which is anyways way more movies than Joe Average buys in years)Originally Posted by rhegedusLooking at the numbers, the 50Gb vs 30Gb storage capacity is a strong point for starters, added to which is the max total bitrate.Originally Posted by DereX888Better at this moment, or better over all?
And what means better when both formats deliver exactly same quality - a better price of media or players? Or better plastic logo sticker on the front of a player? (yes, sony has nicest one ) Or else?
The other sucker punch is the notable absence of HD burners - as a consumer, I'd be limited to burning my video on 8.5Gb DL.
While HD players are currently cheaper, the HD movies tend to be more expensive ($3 on average on current data).
Anything else to add?
Lack of HD-DVD burners so far (while there are BD burners) is basically the same as lack of BD players when HD players were already out - did it made any difference in the 1% market at all? And it is just *now*
50GB/30GB is again *now*; tomorrow it *will* change (and who knows which format will have higher capacity);
max bitrate is achieved on smaller size than that - have you ever heard of VBR?!
Anyways, all your posts boil down to the same rant (50GB, burners, "blockbuster deals"...), which is just stupid (and very shortsighted for a *doctor* who supposedly should have broader horizons than say a factory worker).
So, where have you been just when HD-DVD was long out and BD was still in the beta stage? See, just about a year and everything has changed LOL Year from now is like a decade during 'normal times' (when there is no 'format war'). Ask Yoda, he'll probably tell you "Clouded the future outcome is", and I'd say there is no future at all for neither current proprietary and incompatible formats since 99% of people just can't and won't see the difference between SD DVD & HighDef discs on their televisions for years to come! Assuming jolly 300% yearly increase in sale of HDTV (a manufacturer's impossible dream and wish LOL) it would take 5 years to replace SDTVs with HDTVs, which *everyone* doubts possible in such short time - more like 15 years according to moderate predictions LOL Do you see larger picture here? It is insignificant which format will win, because by the time HDTV becomes 'real life' standard (say 51% of household in all western countries) both will be very outdated if not obsolete.
Heck, even "the third format" that hasn't emerged yet will be very dated by then too
Format with least DRM crap, most convenient, most compatible with other formats, and with cheapest movies available - will win.
The differences you hang on to (to prove BD is 'better') are stupid.
BD and HD are what LDs were 15 years ago: best formats for movie buffs and those with cash surplus
Both will be in the same niche as LD was, and both probably will die sudden death like LD did when DVDs came out.
IMHO future "format" belongs to data delivery itself, without any optical (or other) medium between provider and recipient. -
The Old One
- Aug 2000
- Hellas (Greece), E.U.
-
@DereX888: You are right. And when a British doctor of medicine, with plenty travels to Japan and Australia, tries to be ironic to a non native english speaker because of a typo, the situation became even more silly to talk about.
OK rhegedus, Blu Ray is better, won the format war, we the rest don't know what we are talking about, etc. Happy now?
Now, let's move on with our lives... -
OK I signed up with Netflix because it's a better deal than Blockbuster's program,they have 300-350 HD titles.Originally Posted by gshelley61
I'm still going to wait to buy an HD player though,prices should drop and more players will be available by December. -
We all omitted one maybe very important fact, which may shed some light why neither HD nor BD haven't conquered the masses (beside the obvious lack of mass use HDTVs).
I was just thinking why I am not so enthusiastic about HDs nor BDs like I was when DVDs came out, and it striked me:
There aren't too many movies I really want to see again!
I mean: I have really big videotheque (movies library). I already bought and seen even twice and thrice my favorite movies, and beside those that I just *had to* have in HighDef for my collection, Im not buying same movies again I already have and seen on DVDs. So whats left? New productions.
But, as we all know, there is hardly 1 every 50 new movie worth watching it, much less making an effort and buying'em...
So, my point is, that the movie buffs already own their movies on DVDs, theyve seen'em many times, and unless someone really loves some movie (we all have some exceptions), not even movie buffs will buy too many of'em again. And since there isn't much from new productions that could help push the mass interest in highdef players upward...
I can bet that all the movie buffs like me already have either one or both highdef format players (even i will buy sony player if there will be at least 10 movies that i want but arent available on HD-DVDs ) which would explain high initial sales of both formats and stale-mate afterward...
If Im right, the future of both formats is really grim
Stretching it alot, I may reach maybe ~100 highdef movies that i really want in highdef replacement to my DVDs; the rest that i already have and i've seen will stay on DVDs, because i dont think i will ever want to see any of them for the second time. Lets add maybe another 50 "a-must" flicks that werent released in any formats yet, but will be out on HD or BD. Its still nothing!
And thats me (a movie lover & collector)...
So what about Joe Average, who buys some 10-15 movies a year (hopefully not from a $5 bin)... will he spend even little money for a HD-DVD player just to watch "Pirates of Caribbean III" only? Without owning HD TV? I doubt it. -
Who still rents at Blockbuster? I haven't given them a penny since they hustled me a few years ago charging me a late fee talking about how I brought in the movie 8 hours after I had dropped it off. I told them it was impossible since I was at work during that time.
Netflix is much better and they carry both formats.His name was MackemX
What kind of a man are you? The guy is unconscious in a coma and you don't have the guts to kiss his girlfriend?
Quote
Visit Homepage
Similar Threads
-
Can i burn avi/mp4/mkv etc to blu ray media and play it in a blu ray player
By brad350 in forum Newbie / General discussionsReplies: 10Last Post: 21st Apr 2012, 04:15 -
M2TS, AVCHD, BLU RAY Playback Problem on Sony Blu Ray Players
By messi magician in forum Authoring (Blu-ray)Replies: 11Last Post: 15th Jan 2012, 18:25 -
Wanna convert Blu Ray Movie to Play on Laptop/PC without a Blu Ray PLayer !
By augustya in forum Blu-ray RippingReplies: 5Last Post: 13th Aug 2011, 03:35 -
Blu-ray is no longer Fony's key to winning the format war
By NICEBUD in forum Newbie / General discussionsReplies: 39Last Post: 18th Jul 2008, 19:27 -
Can I rip Blu Ray Discs with LG Super Multi Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD-ROM Dri
By donpato in forum Blu-ray RippingReplies: 5Last Post: 5th May 2008, 16:05