HD-DVD is already dead .....

[Jynks]

News that Warner Bros have decided to back Blu-Ray exclusively could sound the death of rival HD-DVD.

“The window of opportunity for high-definition DVD could be missed if format confusion continues to linger. We believe that exclusively distributing in Blu-ray will further the potential for mass market success and ultimately benefit retailers, producers, and most importantly, consumers,�

[dinky]

worst possible scenario. but it makes sense, I guess. with blurary, studios get to cling to the idea that they can stagger releases (worldwide) and exert more control over "their" media (i.e., work the same marketing & release paradigm that they've used for decades) even though there's no retarded PAL/NTSC shite to forcibly hinder a difference at the consumer level. and to be sure, they'll have more "safeguards" (drm) in place, but it's going to be cracked and shared just the same.

I'm curious about how this affects the unrated and porn discs?

[spudthedestroyer]

They better get working on some systems to get round the draconian DRM on bluray then Regions still aren't hacked

Was just reading about another alteration to the bluray spec for interactive, with only the ps3 being compatible at current. I just can't get excited about the format.

I can't find good news in this, I was going to buy a hd-dvd player this year. Now not only am i not going to bother, I'm not going to invest in any HD equipment or media until this is sorted and that won't be for years, and even then, definitely not until bluray is hacked into a usable form for an importer.


What a collosal f*ckup on all counts Not sure about that paramount news though

Bad news

[dinky]

heh. I was in gamestop today to pick up the wii-zapper and a copy of mx vs. atv for the 360. there was a ps3 kiosk/demo stand next to the door. it was wheezing like a giant hive of really ticked-off bees. I had to double take, cuz it was REALLY loud. appreciably louder than my 360 (which is quite loud itself). there must have been something wrong with it. I hope there was something wrong with it. otherwise...yikes! it's louder than a cheap projector.

[dinky]

from www.aintitcoolnews.com:

NOW for rumor number 2... Paramount dumping HD DVD because Warners did. Not True. I generally consider THE FINANCIAL TIMES above such rumor mongering, but it seems some folks are eagerly advancing the complete and total obliteration of the HD DVD format. We're hearing rumors like Paramount dropping the format (NOT TRUE) as well as rumors that Sony paid Warners through the nose, because they fear that Disney and Fox may leave them (Also not true). There's rumors aplenty - I just wanted to settle these two HUGE rumors going around the net today.

this is unfortunate. as soon as WB split, I had hoped that Paramount was following quickly behind them. at least then, the "war" would be over, and I wouldn't be taking an awful risk (vader). hey spud, didn't you buy the hd dvd bladerunner set already?

[Jynks]

i think i would trust the financial times over aintitcoolnews.

[spudthedestroyer]

I think harry invested in HD-DVD for very solid reasons (for love of movies) and will probably be a tad bias.

But i don't trust either, especially since there's an 18 month exclusivity deal there and Paramount PR said they aren't switching to Bluray in a press release.

That financial times piece isn't too solid though.

[dinky]

the post was moriarty's, I think.

anyway, the FT article was careful not to say anything verifiable and it's pretty clear that the BD library will dwarf the HD-DVD library, thus determining the outcome of the "war." so it's not really a question as to whether paramount will rls on BD but when. the two sources are just spinning it differently. same old same old imo.

[Screwface]

I dont think HD-DVD is dead..people are so drastic.

[Jynks]

I dont think HD-DVD is dead..people are so drastic.

well... considering that at the moment almost every major studio has signed to run BR-DVD only... what will be released on HD-DVD? Independent films mabey?

[spudthedestroyer]

Turns out Paramount, universal, etc. still have 18months on exclusive hd-dvd support and that financial times report has been debunked.


I honestly think warner bros has made a big mistake, and the real guys that have caused this outcome are fox with their instance on draconian DRM.

[dinky]

because they pushed for bd+ or something else?

[Jynks]

I agree that hd is the better format but there is only 1 exclusive hd studio now and way 8 or somthign on BR.... . . .

[Screwface]

I still order HD-DVD movies, as i do BD movies...i use both formats and soon have a BD player alongside my Toshiba HD-EP10.
But i do think that there are more interesting titles on HD-DVD.
Shame if HD goes down as the regionfree concept is very appealing here in Sweden,as i and many more people i know only buy movies online from US. BD has regioncode...allthough, most titles can be played on a region B player...except AvP, Click and others...

[Jynks]

Well it is settled...

HD DVD is dead. Toshiba stops production of HD DVD.

4 hours ago posted....

The Aftereffects of HD DVD's Death
The ripples of Toshiba's decision to pull out of the high-definition DVD format war are still fresh just one day after the vendor declared the death of HD DVD.

Toshiba Tuesday put an end to weeks of speculation by telling the world it will stop making HD DVD products by the end of March, bringing an end to the high-def DVD format war. With Sony's Blu-ray now taking its victory lap, the path is clear for tentative consumers to plunk down cash for high-def gear. Here's a quick round-up of some of the immediate impacts.

From the initial announcment

Toshiba quits HD DVD business
Decision hands victory in DVD format battle to Sony-backed Blu-ray technology.
EMAIL | PRINT | DIGG | RSS
February 19 2008: 4:36 AM EST


TOKYO (AP) -- Toshiba said Tuesday it will no longer develop, make or market HD DVD players and recorders, handing a victory to rival Blu-ray disc technology in the format battle for next-generation video.

"We concluded that a swift decision would be best," Toshiba President Atsutoshi Nishida told reporters at his company's Tokyo offices.

The move would make Blu-ray - backed by Sony Corp (SNE)., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., which makes Panasonic brand products, and five major Hollywood movie studios - the winner in the battle over high-definition DVD formatting that began several years ago.

Nishida said last month's decision by Warner Bros. Entertainment to release movie discs only in the Blu-ray format made the move inevitable.

"That had tremendous impact," he said. "If we had continued, that would have created problems for consumers, and we simply had no chance to win."

Warner joined Sony Pictures, Walt Disney Co (DIS, Fortune 500). and News Corp.'s (NWS, Fortune 500) Twentieth Century Fox in that move.

Nishida said his company had confidence in HD DVD as a technology and tried to assure the estimated 1 million people, including some 600,000 people in North America, who already bought HD DVD machines by promising that Toshiba will continue to provide product support for the technology.

Both HD DVD and Blu-ray deliver crisp, clear high-definition pictures and sound, which are more detailed and vivid than existing video technology. They are incompatible with each other, and neither plays on older DVD players. But both formats play on high-definition TVs.

HD DVD was touted as being cheaper because it was more similar to previous video technology, while Blu-ray boasted bigger recording capacity.

Only one video format has been expected to emerge as the victor, much like VHS trumped Sony's Betamax in the video format battle of the 1980s.

Nishida said it was still uncertain what will happen with the Hollywood studios that signed to produce HD DVD movies, including Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Animation (DWA).

Toshiba's pulling the plug on the technology is expected to reduce the number of new high-definition movies that people will be able to watch on HD DVD machines. Toshiba Corp. said shipments of HD DVD machines to retailers will be reduced and will stop by end of March.

Sales in Blu-ray gadgets are now likely to pick up as consumers had held off in investing in the latest recorders and players because they didn't know which format would emerge dominant.

Despite being a possible blow to Toshiba's pride, the exit will probably lessen the potential damage in losses in HD DVD operations. Goldman Sachs has said pulling out would improve Toshiba's profitability between $370 million to $460 million a year.

The reasons behind Blu-ray's triumph over HD DVD are complex, as marketing, management maneuvers and other factors are believed to have played into the shift to Blu-ray's favor that became more decisive during the critical holiday shopping season.

Once the balance starts tilting in favor of one in a format battle, then the domination tends to grow and become final, said Kazuharu Miura, an analyst at Daiwa Institute of Research in Tokyo.

"The trend became decisive I think this year," he said. "When Warner made its decision, it was basically over."

With movie studios increasingly lining up behind Blu-ray, retailers also began to stock more Blu-ray products.

Friday's decision by Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT, Fortune 500)., the largest U.S. retailer, to sell only Blu-ray DVDs and hardware appeared to deal a final blow to the Toshiba format. Just five days earlier, Netflix Inc. (NFLX) said it will cease carrying rentals in HD DVD.

Several major American retailers had already made similar decisions, including Target Corp. (TGT, Fortune 500) and Blockbuster Inc (BBI, Fortune 500).

Also adding to Blu-ray's momentum was the gradual increase in sales of Sony's PlayStation 3 home video-game console, which also works as a Blu-ray player. Sony has sold 10.5 million PS3 machines worldwide since the machine went on sale late 2006.

HD DVD supporters included Microsoft Corp (MSFT, Fortune 500)., Intel Corp (INTC, Fortune 500). and Japanese electronics maker NEC Corp.

Microsoft's Xbox 360 game machine can play HD DVD movies, but the drive had to be bought separately, and Nishida said about 300,000 people have those.

Worldwide sales of personal computers with HD DVD drives total about 300,000 worldwide, including 140,000 in North America and 130,000 in Europe, he said.

Recently, the Blu-ray disc format has been gaining market share, especially in Japan. A study on fourth quarter sales last year by market researcher BCN Inc. found that by unit volume, Blu-ray made up 96 percent of Japanese sales.

Sony said it did not have numbers on how many Blu-ray players had been sold globally.

Toshiba's stock slipped 0.6% Tuesday to 824 yen after jumping 5.7% Monday amid reports that a decision was imminent. Sony shares climbed 2.2% to 5,010 yen after rising 1% Monday.

Also Tuesday, Toshiba said it plans to spend more than $15.7 billion for two plants in Japan to produce sophisticated chips called NAND flash memory, which are used in portable music players and cell phones. Production there will start in 2010.

The new is all over the interent.... here is an example

The End of HD DVD @ google


So that is it.. sorry guys..... chekc out this for a joke....

Soothing the Wounds
Consumers that took the plunge early into HD DVD are left wondering if what they've got now is a $150 doorstop. The answer, it seems, is no. Customers are taking solace in the fact that many HD DVD players will "upconvert" standard DVDs, improving the playback quality of standard DVDs on high-def TVs. Plus, there are still plenty of HD DVD movies out there, which will likely be had for discounted prices. But for some customers, that's just not reason enough to hang onto the thing. Which brings us too ...

ROFL

[Gem]n[]

Heard that on the Radio yesterday ...

Thank God for A decision ... I don't care who won ... I don't care on the advantages & disadvantages each of them have ... I haven't played with any HD media yet and glad I didn't because ...
a) I would've wasted valuable money
b) Been pi$$ed off if I had
c) "Yeah but, no but, this can do more than yours" type boring conversations
d) Moaning that the wrong one had lost the battle (or won it even)

So basically it's all new to me which I like ... and when I eventually get into BR it will come across as a great new toy ...

Now I can start THINKING of actually buying a player ... but I will wait for a little longer for the prices to come down ... as they will now because of the go go go in manufacturing of all things BR ...

That's one war over .................. just a few more to go ...

[dinky]

I wouldn't buy a BD player yet. especially not unless they've released a few "must have discs" yet. the prices on the players is expected to drop dramatically over the next year because all the major consumer electronic manufacturers will now start producing BD hardware. meanwhile, the libraries of both HD-DVD and BD were crippled by the "war." The BD library will take about a year to catch-up as well. Then you expect the average price to drop per disc too (but not so dramatically as the players at first).

all of that said, I did get a BD-rom cuz it was cheap and I lack self control.

[spudthedestroyer]

i don't think i'll ever buy a bluray player, its console owners that have pushed the new format which I just don't think has worked out well for the general consumer.
http://uk.gizmodo.com/2008/02/20/why_hd ... on_ps.html

So all in all this is bad for the media companies since it means people like me just won't be buying their new format(s).

Hopefully these formats will die out very fast, something like a cheap flash NAND card would destroy optical media. There's a lot of companies trying to churn these out.


@price drop, i really don't expect RRP to drop below £24.99 - £30, and in store sales prices less than £14.99 for new titles for a few years. UK prices are fixed.

Bluray manufacturing costs are a lot more than hd-dvd was plus the licensing fees are more, but most of all the MPAA/media companies are actively engaged in price fixing.

There is no justification for the current cost of films when you look at production costs.

[Gem]n[]

i don't think i'll ever buy a bluray player, its console owners that have pushed the new format which I just don't think has worked out well for the general consumer.

I completely agree with you there Spud ...

Hopefully these formats will die out very fast, something like a cheap flash NAND card would destroy optical media. There's a lot of companies trying to churn these out.

Now I've been saying this for years ...

It's only the costs that have stopped this in the past but now I think more research & development will go into small Card formats ... I mean come on we're at 8Gb now for media cards ... a bit more input and we'll be there ... it's just expensive at the moment ...

We're already bunging XviD movies onto existing sticks ...

[Jynks]

i don't think i'll ever buy a bluray player, its console owners that have pushed the new format which I just don't think has worked out well for the general consumer.

I completely agree with you there Spud ...

Hopefully these formats will die out very fast, something like a cheap flash NAND card would destroy optical media. There's a lot of companies trying to churn these out.

Now I've been saying this for years ...

That is the whole problem isn't it.. YEARS. Optical media will be around for a long time. Personally i do not think that the consumers are going to acept another format change after HD for a long time... Vinal, VCD, Lazer Disc, VHS, BETA, DVD etc etc.... look at your posts.. you guys arn't even going to get HD DVD.

I think if you wait, you might find there WILL be no other format.. not for like 10-20 years anyways.