Paramount to Drop Blu-Ray High-Def DVDs

[lordsmurf]

"Financial incentives" often means various discounts. I would imagine this comes in rebates and discounts on otherwise-normal licensing costs. I would be surprised if actual money changed hands.

[xxiangg]

I fully believe there are some untold stories behind this
deal. I also believe there are similar untold stories behind
Blockbuster and Target deals. Based on price/performance,
I do not think Blue-ray has much chance.

[josetjr]

I fully believe there are some untold stories behind this
deal. I also believe there are similar untold stories behind
Blockbuster and Target deals. Based on price/performance,
I do not think Blue-ray has much chance.

why not? Current hi-def titles are selling better on blu-ray than on hddvd, such as the film "300". Blu-ray has higher disc capacity and is bundled with PS3's which is a huge advantage. HDDVD has a few better features now, but their blu-ray counterparts are still outselling.

Price isnt everything, otherwise everyone would own Westinghouse's and Insignia TV's instead of the more popular but more expensive Sony, Samsung, and Panasonic TV's.

[zoobie]

Hollywood is jumping in with their influence...I'm guessing by the time the consumer decides in 5 years, a superior format will be on the horizon

____________________

tape...always store your avi's on digital tape

[lacywest]

F*ck all of them. Until one single format emerges as the clear winner, I'm not even going to begin considering replacing my considerable investment in DVDs with high-def versions. I refuse to let the movie studios dip any further into my pants, plus I refuse to risk my money on the losing horse (whichever one it may be).

I agree ... HD is cool to watch on DirecTV ... but I'm not going to add another Disk player to my system ... too many wires already ... and my cats keep walking around behind my system and stepping on the switch powering my 6 outlet power tap.

[lacywest]

...

Example: Waterworld. It's mostly on the opening credits, but it looks horrible to me.

Maybe because the movie rated so poorly they figured why bother to clean the film?

I think the Waterworld DVD may draw more sales now since Jeanne Tripplehorn has increased popularity (HBO Big Love).



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterworld

Dont forget Jeanne Tripplehorn was in ... Basic Instinct .... oh she is one fine woman ... about Big Love ... Bill Paxton's character seems to be having better times with his younger 3rd wife.

[DarrellS]

I'm with you racer-x.

HD-AVI and HD-WMV looks great to me.

Now if they can get the price of the players down to where I can afford one. $400 to $500 is pretty pricey for me. If you can get a DivX player for $40 you'd think you could get a HD-DivX, HD-WMV, HD-XviD, H264 player for around $200.

Whenever people learn not to be so gready then they can make a lot of money. Until then, they won't get any of mine.

[ssj2_goha]

Once this debate is over a new format will be out.... I'm just gonna stick to digital delivery files for now, screw discs.

[Conquest10]

$400 to $500 is pretty pricey for me. If you can get a DivX player for $40 you'd think you could get a HD-DivX, HD-WMV, HD-XviD, H264 player for around $200.

My HD-DVD player was $238.

[SingSing]

For sci-fi fans, this is an important consideration. Paramount has the star trek and many good sci-fi flicks, and Matrix is also on HD DVD( may only ? ). My kid likes dreamwork animation too ( of course no more than Ghibli ).

This most likey will make me go out and buy a Toshiba $250 HD DVD player. $250 was the price point that DVD player become NOT expansive. The reports also indicate it do a very good job upconverting DVD.

[RLT69]

I would be surprised if actual money changed hands.

From the Article:

"The incentives will come in a combination of cash and promotional guarantees. Toshiba, for instance, will use the release of “Shrek the Third” as part of an HD DVD marketing campaign."

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/21/technology/21disney.html?ei=5088&en=d4e1f285e2f41437...+4r1NyAsum87vQ

You must be surprised Course it helps to READ the article.... :P

So much for competition...

[SingSing]

If HD DVD wins the format war, Toshiba will be next in line to challange Matsushita Panasonics. Sony will not able to receover as a two time loser - Beta and BluRay flop. We will consider PS3 flop later. So it does matter for Sony to kill itself over this format war.

[Tearren]

The interesting part of the NY Times article to me is:

The two studios may have left themselves wiggle room, however. Paramount’s agreement to use only HD DVD is limited to only 18 months.

More than likely Dreamworks left similar wiggle room. This would seem to invalidate a few arguments people are making. I don't see a big rush for mass adoption of HD content in the next year and a half.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/21/technology/21disney.html?ei=5088&en=d4e1f285e2f41437...+4r1NyAsum87vQ

Tearren

[Snakebyte1]

The blasted studios are like OPEC nations - they just can't agree. All it would take is for them agree to pick one format, announce it and the format war would be over and we could get on with other things. Consumers who preferred the other format would grumble for a bit but then it would all be forgotten.

Obviously the Studios really have no preference for either technology. The one they support seems to be whoever is waving some sort of financial carrot in front of them at the time.

Both formats have advantages and disadvantages, neither is perfect and you'll never find consensus anyway. Letting the consumer decide would really only work if the studios released on both formats so that everyone had a choice, then after a certain period of time it should be obvious what the consumer wants. But as it is with some movies out in one format and other films out in the other format its crazy. With all this back and forth crap the average consumer is going to be completely confused yet again.

Anyway, good old DVDs will be around for years to come, and that's good enough for me.

[DarrellS]

My HD-DVD player was $238.

What model is it? Will it play HD-DivX or HD-WMV?

Will it play normal discs? CD-R, DVD, DVD-R RW and DVD+R RW?

[racer-x]

Quote:
My HD-DVD player was $238.


What model is it? Will it play HD-DivX or HD-WMV?

Will it play normal discs? CD-R, DVD, DVD-R RW and DVD+R RW?

Also, will it play H.264 files, AVCHD files, Mpeg-2 TS, XVID @ 1920 x 1080p.........I think not. You'll also need a HD-DVD burner to make the disks, unless you make a DVD/HD-DVD Hibrid disk. If that's the case, I'd like to know exactly what types of formats will play in a HD-DVD player using DVDR's.

[SatStorm]

You want a HD-DVD player, or a multimedia terminal?

[verchad]

AHHHHHHH!!!!!

These companies are going to drive us all crazy.

You would have thought they would have learned from the vhs - beta wars. Even the fact that they have tried things like dvd-audio, better cd's, most people just want something that works when they want to use it. I'm a little of a tech geek, but I don't want to add more wires or another unit to my system (Tube HDTV, Panasonic Dmr-HS2, Directv/wTivo, Stereo tuner, Xbox 360). Every time my wife wants to watch a dvd, I have to go through the setup of what to turn on and what settings to use.

Won't add HD-DVD until they come down in price and either decide on 1 format or have cheaper multiformat players.

[yoda313]

Won't add HD-DVD until they come down in price

You can buy the 360 hddvd player add on for 200.00 you know? But of course it won't be a guarentee winner your stuck if bluray comes out on top.

[verchad]

You can buy the 360 hddvd player add on for 200.00 you know? But of course it won't be a guarentee winner your stuck if bluray comes out on top.

Exactly. I'll wait for awhile. Besides I have a lot of movies now on dvd. It wont be like replacing vhs with dvd's. When I do go HD/Blu Ray whatever, It will mostly for new releases. Until they release the all encompassing George Lucas Super Duper Special Edition of every thing Star Wars with every version made, including 3-D,

[robakbbs]

Personally, I will buy whichever one has the best quality BLADE RUNNER (original theatrical version) of course.

Everything I do is based on BLADE RUNNER! 8)

[verchad]

Personally, I will buy whichever one has the best quality BLADE RUNNER (original theatrical version) of course.

Everything I do is based on BLADE RUNNER! 8)

Another good choice.

[RLT69]

Personally, I will buy whichever one has the best quality BLADE RUNNER (original theatrical version) of course.

Everything I do is based on BLADE RUNNER!

Well go out and get Blade Runner on Blu-ray and HD-DVD and tell us which one is better :P

Blade Runner (Five-Disc Complete Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray] (2007)
http://www.amazon.com/Runner-Five-Disc-Complete-Collectors-Blu-ray/dp/B000UBMWG4

Blade Runner (Five-Disc Complete Collector's Edition) [HD DVD] (2007)
http://www.amazon.com/Blade-Runner-Five-Disc-Complete-Collectors/dp/B000UBMZ4S/ref=pd_...7880414&sr=1-1

[neomaine]

Holy crap! Five disks! That'll take a complete weekend ... for each set!. robakbbs, I'll send you a case of popcorn...

PS: Just noticed you like Blade Runner AND Zork! (Did you ever kill the thief?...)

[SingSing]

Two cases of popcorn! For robakbbs to go thru both formats, and tell us the scop.

[gotnotime]

Personally, I will buy whichever one has the best quality BLADE RUNNER (original theatrical version) of course.

Everything I do is based on BLADE RUNNER! 8)

That releases in December in both HD and Blu-Ray. This could be interesting. Released in a 5 disk set with yet a new "final cut version", that is supposed to be remastered with theatrical 4K(4096P) resolution, but what about the the theatrical version on disk 3, will this be remastered, or just an "upconverted" standard DVD???

I hope he drops the stupid Unicorn crap in this version.

Personally, the theatrical version was my favorite, although I did like the cut at the end better in the director's cut. I never cared much for the "happy ending scene" with them driiving off.

The future of hiDef may depend on these answers, at least in my opinion

[racer-x]

I wouldn't get too excited about jumping on the Blue-Ray or HD-DVD bandwagon any time soon. Even Hollywood Blue-Ray and HD-DVD disks have problems playing on all their respected players.

Here's an interesting topic on firmware updates needed to play the latest Hi-Def movies:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,132991-page,1/article.html

[robakbbs]

Man, I can't believe I was not aware of these Blade Runner releases! Thanks RLT69!

I've been waiting for this for a long time, I saw this in the theater way back when.

Fact is, I don't have a PS3 so my choice is pretty much made in this case. Do you really think there would be any quality difference between the two?

And to who asked about the Thief, killing him is a very bad idea, at the beginning anyway.. He is needed to finish the game.

[DereX888]

It was such a strange war. The obviousely more expensive one
was doing so well by making all these announcements like blockbuster,
target, and etc. If at the end the BR will be as less expensive as
HD-DVD, I will still be for it. Otherwise, it should go away from mass
market.

How it can be *less* expensive, when sony is giving away its movies close to nothing for the promise of not carrying the other format?
Sony have to make profit somewhere, if not in the movies, then in the player devices.
Unless they will start another "subsidy" like they do with PS3, but even mighty sony may not be able to handle such financial burden for too long.

[josetjr]

blu-ray and hddvd technology will one day be at the same price level. Every other competitive technology out for a few years now is nearly the same price. Look at PS2 & Xbox; dvd camcorders, MiniDV, & hard drive camcorders; LCD's and Plasmas (LCD's were very more expensive), etc.

But in my own opinion this might wind up being the first generation to incorporate 2 different technologies, just like TV's are plasma or lcd; video games are either nintendo, sony, or ms; memory cards are CF, XD, SD, mem stick, etc.

But lower prices is not everything. Many people still consider quality and quantity over price.