Paramount/Dreamworks sides with HD-DVD in the Hi-Def war

[Downhere]

The best solution would be for all studios to be neutral and let the market decide, but that's not going to happen.

 

[Hush]

To be honest i just want to see Tranformers 2 by Bay because im a fan of it and if that measn releasing it in HD DVD and Blu-Ray then lets go for it. Is it really that big of a deal, i mean i know where Bay is comming from but i really want Transformers 2. Plus i think Paramount will want one as well and I think they may just want Bay to do it seeing as he brought them so much cash before.

 

[Downhere]

To be honest i just want to see Tranformers 2 by Bay because im a fan of it and if that measn releasing it in HD DVD and Blu-Ray then lets go for it. Is it really that big of a deal, i mean i know where Bay is comming from but i really want Transformers 2. Plus i think Paramount will want one as well and I think they may just want Bay to do it seeing as he brought them so much cash before.

Transformers is bigger than Bay. Anyone can direct it and the masses will go to it and as Transformers proved, you don't really have to have a story or good acting because everyone will go to see the robots. Therefore, Bay as director is not needed. Also, Bay took back his comments because of course he realized he is being a big child about the whole thing. Paramount will not, and I repeat will not, release Transformers on anything other than DVD or HD DVD for the next 18 months or longer (depends on how the war goes on from here on out).

 

[Timstuff]

The best solution would be for all studios to be neutral and let the market decide, but that's not going to happen.

The market is leaning towards Blu-Ray, but of course that's no good for you, since you're an HD-DVD fanboy. Blu-Ray has the majority of the marketshare, so now HD-DVD is no longer needed, and should be broomed accordingly rather than clinging on and preventing the majority of the market from watching all the movies we want.

 

[WorthyStevens]

The market is leaning towards Blu-Ray, but of course that's no good for you, since you're an HD-DVD fanboy. Blu-Ray has the majority of the marketshare, so now HD-DVD is no longer needed, and should be broomed accordingly rather than clinging on and preventing the majority of the market from watching all the movies we want.

Doesn't sound like it anymore.

 

[Downhere]

The market is leaning towards Blu-Ray, but of course that's no good for you, since you're an HD-DVD fanboy. Blu-Ray has the majority of the marketshare, so now HD-DVD is no longer needed, and should be broomed accordingly rather than clinging on and preventing the majority of the market from watching all the movies we want.

Do you really buy into the BDA's propaganda? There have been 2.2 million BR discs sold and 1.5 million HD DVD discs sold. BR has about 1.8+ million players out there because of the PS3 and HD DVD has 330,000 players out there. The sales ratio is 2:1 in favor of BR but has been that way since the beginning of the year, even with BR continuing to sell players. The total market for High-def media makes up only 1.5%. Are you seriously thinking that BR has won? If you think so, I have some magic beans I can sell you.

This is a format war...key word, war. Just because for the past couple of months Sony has been declaring HD DVD dead doesn't mean it is true...and everyone got a big wake up call about that yesterday. HD DVD deserves to continue to fight just as much as BR does...so learn to live with it.

 

[Darth Elektra]

I own a Blu-Ray player and I love it. I'm glad Michael Bay stood up for the Blu-Ray owners.

 

[cryptic name]

Wait- am I fckin' god damn hearing this right?!!!

Transformers, Shrek 3, etc. will ONLY be released on HD-DVD?!

WHAT THE FCKIN' HELL IS WRONG WITH THEM?!!!!!!!

If that is true I am too pissed off for words to comprehend, that would be the dumbest move since- since- since we elected Bush or Nixon as President!

nixon was a good president...just a bad person

 

[GoldGoblin]

You can bet Bluray will slash their dvd players down in time for Christmas which will hurt HD-DVD.

 

[Downhere]

You can bet Bluray will slash their dvd players down in time for Christmas which will hurt HD-DVD.

HD DVD will do the same thing...they will always want to have a price difference between itself and BR.

 

[WorthyStevens]

I own a Blu-Ray player and I love it. I'm glad Michael Bay stood up for the Blu-Ray owners.

Who stood up for the HD owners when Fox and Disney went exclusive to Blu-Ray?

 

[Downhere]

Who stood up for the HD owners when Fox and Disney went exclusive to Blu-Ray?

Exactly.

 

[Timstuff]

HD-DVD is less popular so it doen't need support. What we need is a winner, and until this Paramount fiasco, all signs pointed towards that winner being Blu-Ray. All that this will do is drag out the war even longer than it should have lasted.

It would have made sense for Paramount to drop their HD-DVD support, because less people are buying HD-DVD discs than Blu-Ray. It does not need kind words from Michael Bay, because a smaller amount of people are affected by its woes. With yesterdays' announcement though, the majority is being screwed, and that makes no sense at all!

 

[Downhere]

HD-DVD is less popular so it doen't need support. What we need is a winner, and until this Paramount fiasco, all signs pointed towards that winner being Blu-Ray. All that this will do is drag out the war even longer than it should have lasted.

It would have made sense for Paramount to drop their HD-DVD support, because less people are buying HD-DVD discs than Blu-Ray. It does not need kind words from Michael Bay, because a smaller amount of people are affected by its woes. With yesterdays' announcement though, the majority is being screwed, and that makes no sense at all!

You seem to be forgetting that you are talking about two formats that combined make up only 1.5% of the market. This is nothing, the war was never over. Sony, through it's PR muscle, tried to make everyone believe it was over but it wasn't and yesterday's news has shown this to be true. Blu-ray is only popular because of the PS3, and if it weren't for that it would be dead in the water. HD DVD has been constant at keeping the 2:1 ratio even amidst all the competition and PR muscle from Sony. Remember, this is a war not a skirmish, Toshiba is playing on Sony's level here.

Paramount was HD DVD exclusive before both formats came out, until it decided to go neutral so this doesn't really come as a surprise that they are back to exclusivity. And the difference between how many HD DVD's and BR's have sold is only 700,000 units. 2.2 million for BR; 1.5 million units for HD DVD. And remember, BR has 1.8+ million units in homes whereas HD DVD has 330,000 so far. The war was never going to be over quickly. Toshiba and Sony are in this for the long haul and in it to win it.

 

[Timstuff]

And if it weren't for Toshiba being willing to loose hundreds of dollars on each HD-DVD player sold, HD-DVD would be dead in the water. Sony made a smart move putting Blu-Ray into PS3, and Toshiba's only countermeasure was to take a loss on their standalone players, which completely alienated all of the other manufacturers who cannot recoup losses through disc royalties.

 

[Downhere]

And if it weren't for Toshiba being willing to loose hundreds of dollars on each HD-DVD player sold, HD-DVD would be dead in the water. Sony made a smart move putting Blu-Ray into PS3, and Toshiba's only countermeasure was to take a loss on their standalone players, which completely alienated all of the other manufacturers who cannot recoup losses through disc royalties.

You have no proof that Toshiba is taking a loss on 2nd generation players. On first generation players, yes, but Sony is also losing money on the PS3...way more than Toshiba did on 1st generation players.

Also, by pricing the PS3 at it's price point, Sony forced CE manufacturers to lower the prices of their BR players more quickly than they wanted to, to compete with the PS3 price point and HD DVD.

 

[Spider-Vader]

Oh...
Looks like I'm not getting a high-def version of the Star Trek movies, cause all I have is a Blu-ray player right now. And it looks like I won't be able to get a high-def version of Transformers either. Screw you, Paramount and Steven Spielberg.

Spielberg's siding with Blu-ray dude. Hopefully the Indy movies will be next year too.
Bad choice for Paramount/Dreamworks, Blu-ray sells better. Wah-wah.
OT, but I feel stupid for buying the Die Hard movies when they're coming out on Blu-ray.

 

[Darth Elektra]

HD-DVD is less popular so it doen't need support. What we need is a winner, and until this Paramount fiasco, all signs pointed towards that winner being Blu-Ray. All that this will do is drag out the war even longer than it should have lasted.

It would have made sense for Paramount to drop their HD-DVD support, because less people are buying HD-DVD discs than Blu-Ray. It does not need kind words from Michael Bay, because a smaller amount of people are affected by its woes. With yesterdays' announcement though, the majority is being screwed, and that makes no sense at all!

Exactly.

Blu-Ray will win, the question is how long will it take.

 

[Downhere]

Exactly.

Blu-Ray will win, the question is how long will it take.

The war is just starting. I wouldn't claim one over the other will win just yet.



Also, for those Michael Bay fans worried about him not doing Transformers 2...

Last night at dinner I was having dinner with three Blu-Ray owners, they were pissed about no Transformers Blu-Ray and I drank the kool aid hook line and sinker. So at 1:30 in the morning I posted - nothing good ever comes out of early am posts mind you - I over reacted. I heard where Paramount is coming from and the future of HD and players that will be close to the $200 mark which is the magic number. I like what I heard.

As a director, I'm all about people seeing films in the best quality possible, and I saw and heard firsthand people upset about a corporate decision.

So today I saw 300 on HD, it rocks!

So I think I might be back on to do Transformers 2!

Michael Bay

http://www.michaelbay.com/blog/index.html

 

[slipknotrocks]

The war is just starting. I wouldn't claim one over the other will win just yet.

The move by Paramount was a must needed move for HD-DVD. Blu-Ray is clearly winning.

 

[Downhere]

The move by Paramount was a must needed move for HD-DVD. Blu-Ray is clearly winning.

Winning? Depends how you see it. It is early in the game and both sides are going to fight this till the end, too much at stake. Sony likes to talk a lot of BS, like with the usual HD DVD is dead rants. Toshiba just gave them a wake up call. 1.5% of the market is nothing...when one side can reach 5-10%, then I would say that format is winning.

 

[WorthyStevens]

Exactly.

Blu-Ray will win, the question is how long will it take.

The Hi-Def 'war' is far from over. Most still only use regular DVDs and haven't switched over to Hi-Def yet.

 

[GoldGoblin]

Paramount isn't even a permanent exclusive to HD-DVD,it will be back on Bluray in 18 months.And they probably will bring Universal with them by then.

 

[Downhere]

Paramount isn't even a permanent exclusive to HD-DVD,it will be back on Bluray in 18 months.And they probably will bring Universal with them by then.

Well...

PCW: Will this exclusive period extend for a limited time, or is this an indefinite arrangement?
Bell: At this moment in time, it's an indefinite commitment. The core of this announcement comes from our experience, and what our consumers are looking for. We hope this will influence consumers' choices.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,136253-c,dvdtechnology/article.html

And don't count on Universal, Universal will stick with HD DVD till the end as the BDA tried to persuade them to go blu to no avail over the summer.

 

[Speedball]

Spielberg's siding with Blu-ray dude. Hopefully the Indy movies will be next year too.
Bad choice for Paramount/Dreamworks, Blu-ray sells better. Wah-wah.
OT, but I feel stupid for buying the Die Hard movies when they're coming out on Blu-ray.

I said that BEFORE they announced that the Spielberg movies won't be exclusive. I take it back now.