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

[Timstuff]

Have you ever heard of a fanbase?

Ever hear of a coherent rebuttal?

 

[Downhere]

Samsung, Pioneer, Panasonic, Dell, Apple, and HP weren't.

And look what happened to DVHS, the official successor to VHS, if you want to pull the "History repeats itself" card.

DVHS came about after DVD had taken off, do you honestly think anyone was going to buy into a tape based format again? Don't think so.

 

[Downhere]

Ever hear of a coherent rebuttal?

Is that what you have been attempting? *raises eyebrow*

 

[Timstuff]

edit

 

[Timstuff]

DVHS came about after DVD had taken off, do you honestly think anyone was going to buy into a tape based format again? Don't think so.

So the format with a lead won. Blu-Ray's lead is much smaller, but it still exists, and will be important in securing a single format market for consumers.

 

[WorthyStevens]

Ever hear of a coherent rebuttal?

It was coherent. You just misunderstood it. Or just couldn't make a good rebuttal to mine. Either way.

 

[Downhere]

So the format with a lead won. Blu-Ray's lead is much smaller, but it still exists, and will be important in securing a single format market for consumers.

Considering BR's lead is small and the overall HDM market is small, anything can change. Also, take note that BR has a great deal of an advantage in regards to hardware but still only manages a small lead. Therefore, things can change and the format war is going to continue because both sides of the aisle are going to fight this war to the max.

 

[BloodyWolverine]

Um they have to do regular dvd toos cause more people own regular dvd players then blue ray or HD ones.
So i will buy regular dvd's thank you. Boy Bay just assured a much better sequel now since he took his basketball home. Show of hands how many think they can replace bay for a director with Steven being a producer.

 

[Downhere]

Um they have to do regular dvd toos cause more people own regular dvd players then blue ray or HD ones.
So i will buy regular dvd's thank you. Boy Bay just assured a much better sequel now since he took his basketball home. Show of hands how many think they can replace bay for a director with Steven being a producer.

Don't worry, they will always make DVD's. I actually think DVD's will be like CD's and continue on and on for quite a long while. What some people are upset about is that Transformers will be HD DVD exclusive.

 

[Timstuff]

This op-ed piece posted at the official Blu-Ray site puts this deal into perspective quite nicely (albeit with the expected exaggerations about how big Blu-Ray's lead currently is).

Paramount hasn't been a huge player in the high definition war thus far; they've only managed to produce 33 titles for Blu-ray. In sharp contrast, Fox/MGM has so far released 38 titles (over the course of six months) and has another 29 planned for the remainder of the year. Additionally, Paramount has been the slowest to adopt the latest technology, just recently adding AVC support (with ‘Flags of Our Fathers') and almost supporting lossless audio (a PCM track was planned for ‘Blades of Glory'). Their releases are solid, but not even close to the presentations delivered by diehard Blu-ray supporters Disney and Sony.

So why did the HD DVD Promo Group pay $150M for exclusive support if that support would be weak? Very simply, they were in deep trouble heading into the forth quarter of the year. Universal, previously the only exclusive HD DVD studio, had seriously bombed in the theater during the summer months, meaning they had few if any blockbuster release for the holiday season on home video. HD DVD needed a reason to exist, and an ultra special edition of ‘Evan Almighty' just wasn't going to cut it.

Essentially, they spent $150M for the exclusive rights to ‘Transformers' and ‘Shrek the Third'; and of course, potentially, any other Paramount/Dreamworks blockbusters released in the next year. What remains to be seen is if these high profile releases can do what other exclusive high profile releases have failed to achieve: sell HD DVD players.

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=419

So there you have it: Toshiba payed $150 million for Shrek and Transformers as exclusives for 18 months, which to Paramount obviously seemed like a good deal, even if it sucks if you're a consumer who either already owns Blu-Ray or is trying to choose, or a director or Paramount employee who prefers working with Blu-Ray.

 

[Downhere]

This op-ed piece posted at the official Blu-Ray site puts this deal into perspective quite nicely (albeit with the expected exaggerations about how big Blu-Ray's lead currently is).

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=419

So there you have it: Toshiba payed $150 million for Shrek and Transformers as exclusives for 18 months, which to Paramount obviously seemed like a good deal, even if it sucks if you're a consumer who either already owns Blu-Ray or is trying to choose, or a director or Paramount employee who prefers working with Blu-Ray.

Ahem...

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

 

[Timstuff]

The 18 months deal was reported in the New York Times, with the sources being two Paramount execs who required anonymity before they agreed to talk. Obviously, part of this deal is that Paramount has to put on a good PR face for HD-DVD and make it sound like they chose HD-DVD because it's better, and that they have no intention of turning back. This deal was made behind closed doors, and as such you are not going to get the truth out of a Paramount spokesperson.

 

[Downhere]

The 18 months deal was reported in the New York Times, with the sources being two Paramount execs who required anonymity before they agreed to talk. Obviously, part of this deal is that Paramount has to put on a good PR face for HD-DVD and make it sound like they chose HD-DVD because it's better, and that they have no intention of turning back. This deal was made behind closed doors, and as such you are not going to get the truth out of a Paramount spokesperson.

That 18 month deal bit is not a direct quote and therefore I would trust the interview with PC World as that is a direct quote from one of the higher ups at Paramount.

 

[Timstuff]

I'd believe the Times more than I'd believe some corporate stooge who's clearly being fed every word that comes out of his mouth by someone richer than himself.

 

[Downhere]

I'd believe the Times more than I'd believe some corporate stooge who's clearly being fed every word that comes out of his mouth by someone richer than himself.

Of course you would, because that benefits your point of view on the format war.

 

[Timstuff]

The same thing could be said about you, preferring to listen to the corporate stooge over the source who's too afraid of being fired to have their name printed in the Times.

 

[tjsmangina]

either way you splice it its a coup for hd dvd and while its not a knock out blow its an unexpected pleasant surprise.

 

[Downhere]

The same thing could be said about you, preferring to listen to the corporate stooge over the source who's too afraid of being fired to have their name printed in the Times.

 

[tjsmangina]

is that the same blu ray site that was banging on about blu ray jungle book on blu ray only to have to retract the post because it was incorrect ? lol.same site that was all over michael bay`s dick for standing up for blu ray and being haled as a messire only to wake up today to realise bay has gone back on his intial post lol.some of th posts over at the blu ray forums border on fanatical fanboyism in the extreme.talk about banning paramount films from there viewing at the cinema and posts of stopping buying any studio films that dont support blu ray solely lmao.i had a quick look round this forum before posting and it looks like everyone (blu ray or hd) have a pretty good arguement mentality.i dont understand all the support for blu ray or hd dvd really,support the films not the media.

 

[Timstuff]

either way you splice it its a coup for hd dvd and while its not a knock out blow its an unexpected pleasant surprise.

Pleasant? If your a Toshiba shareholder, I suppose. But the only change in status quo that this brings for the consumer is that now Blu-Ray owners can't watch Transformers in HD. If this deal was never made (which it should not have been), then HD-DVD owners would still have been able to watch Transformers and whatever else Paramount puts out. The consumer has nothing to gain out of any of this nonsense.

 

[Crook]

Pleasant? If your a Toshiba shareholder, I suppose. But the only change in status quo that this brings for the consumer is that now Blu-Ray owners can't watch Transformers in HD.

Well actually, they can, through other "not so legal" means.

I'm an HD-DVD supporter myself (mainly because I had a 360 first, so moving to hi-def was much easier than buying a whole new system), and I've been able to watch blu-ray exclusives on my HDTV via hd rips.

 

[Downhere]

Pleasant? If your a Toshiba shareholder, I suppose. But the only change in status quo that this brings for the consumer is that now Blu-Ray owners can't watch Transformers in HD. If this deal was never made (which it should not have been), then HD-DVD owners would still have been able to watch Transformers and whatever else Paramount puts out. The consumer has nothing to gain out of any of this nonsense.

Your going to go on and on about Transformers aren't you? Ok, then, I should start going on and on about POTC 3 not being available on HD DVD. How can Disney ignore 1/3rd of the market? They should be neutral like Warner Bros. is and make money on both BR and HD DVD. They are alienating the fans...blah, blah, blah.

 

[Timstuff]

HD-DVD wouldn't even have 1/3 of the market if Universal was neutral. You keep forgetting that this war so far has been more counterproductive than productive. But then again, since you are supporting the losing format, you obviously do not want the war to end anytime soon, because that would entail your format going down.

 

[tjsmangina]

Pleasant? If your a Toshiba shareholder, I suppose. But the only change in status quo that this brings for the consumer is that now Blu-Ray owners can't watch Transformers in HD. If this deal was never made (which it should not have been), then HD-DVD owners would still have been able to watch Transformers and whatever else Paramount puts out. The consumer has nothing to gain out of any of this nonsense.

the point in all this is not letting sony get there dirty little hands on the market and cornering it.sonys track record of media isnt great,its bully boy tactic`s (getting lik sang shut down for the sake of them selling genuine official psp`s to SONY workers in europe) amongst other bribery claims (radio stations being bribed to play sony artists more) etc etc.i have a hd player with about 20 plus films and i wouldnt hesitate in buying blu ray if it had the films i want but i dont like the idea of sony and its region coding (they could always reintroduce a full region lock with updates anytime they like) telling me what i can and cant watch from anywhere on the planet.i know there are a good few multi region films but its not 100 percent region free and i simply dont trust sony.sony probably bribed disney imho and act all outraged by paramount getting bribed lol.

at this moment in time i dont understand why any movie company would be exclusive as the format is still in its infancy and there is still al lot of money to be made by selling both formats imho.also,what happens if blu ray win in america and hd wins in europe?

 

[Downhere]

HD-DVD wouldn't even have 1/3 of the market if Universal was neutral. You keep forgetting that this war so far has been more counterproductive than productive. But then again, since you are supporting the losing format, you obviously do not want the war to end anytime soon, because that would entail your format going down.

And if BR didn't have the PS3, BR would have sunk a long time ago. This war has been very productive on a price standpoint. Who would have thought that you could get into the High Def with as little as 200 dollars? What you need to remember is that without HD DVD, BR would not be what it is today. We would still have higher priced players, crappy encodes, crappy quality films (look to BR's early releases), standardized specs would have taken longer than they have (which still hasn't come to fruition), etc. HD DVD is what got BR to get it together. So HD DVD deserves a great deal of respect for instilling quality into both formats.