Paramount, DreamWorks support HD DVD only
 

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=36487

This is a bit of a blow to Blu-Ray, imo, because some of the biggest hits this year are from D.W. and Paramount. My friend, who has a PlayStation 3, will be upset he won't have Transformers in high def.

heath

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post...-the-curb.html

Just saw this on Ars too.. *groan*

Trekkers have clout ;)

I can't forget about Trek! They're releasing old eps with updated FX (I hear a lot of positive stuff) in HD on television and that can only mean we'll be seeing an HD DVD release at some point.

Heath

Every time I catch one of those Star Trek episodes on NBC, I am stunned to see how the interiors are lit. All of the faded telecines I've grown up with did no justice to the those outlandish party gels that Gerald Finnerman used. Wild stuff.

It was made in the 1960s, heh heh.

Heath

Just found this (a bit gossipy):

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.co...vd-format-war/

Hmmm, wonder if it's true that the studios are getting paid to support the format. I'm sure this isn't an unusual occurrence.

heath

After re-reading it, maybe this isn't as big a blow to Blu-Ray. I'm sure it'll hurt, but Disney is starting to release its titles in Blu-Ray and sales are 2-1 in Blu-Ray's favor. Blockbuster loves the format, too.

Interesting that Katzenberg said neither would win because it's not the next step (I'm guessing digital downloads). I'm starting to think this is what will happen, too, much like iTunes, etc.

heath

Yeesh! I thought Bluray was the clear winner after all of the knocks on HD-DVD's sales charts for the past few months. Can you imagine how many kids (and parents ;) ) would love to see movies like "Shrek" in HD? The only thing about this development is whether it's too late or not. =/

Jack,

You might be right about the timing; if indeed they spent $150 million to get Paramount on exclusively, ouch. It may be too late for that, regardless.

I think digital downloads may happen next, and the tech used to develop Blu-Ray (H.264) may just go into developing the next-gen of this newest home video tech.

heath

Oh man, this is just going to just keep this format war going for a while... I was hoping that with all these reports of Blu-Ray significantly outselling HD-DVD that it'd all be over soon. I guess I was wrong.

And am I the only one that doesn't see digital distribution as the next step anytime soon? I don't think we have the bandwidth to be downloading/streaming HD movies at 25-30gb a movie. I wouldn't want to sacrifice quality either.

But they won't happen for everybody.

I live 18 miles by car from an international airport, yet DSL and digital cable are not available to me or my neighbors. I get 384 kbps from a WISP (Wireless ISP) for $50/mo. In a few years I might double or triple that with WiMAX, depending on where they put their towers. Comcast would rather try to get people to buy advanced services than lay cable in my semi-rural 'hood. Full HD movie downloads are not in my immediate cards.

Also, not everybody is technically savvy enough to get a download into the living room TV. However, anybody can buy a disc at Target and slip it into a player.

Another thing to consider is the gift market. I would guess that over half of our DVDs were purchased with the excuse of being a gift. Unwrapping a download coupon just isn't the same. I can't imagine shipping coupons to the nephews and nieces for Xmas.

Thats not to say that downloads won't be an important delivery method. I'm just sayin' that there are some demographics that won't go for downloads, while almost anybody can play a disc.

I think it's going to be through the TV, either satellite or cable. I'm not thinking it'll be tomorrow, but I think it's sooner than we know. You can get an SD movie on the iTunes Store, but I'd love to see extras that can be downloaded too, packing in a commentary track in the audio stream, HD, etc.

I just hope they go 1080p with downloads vs. 720p, even if 720p is a smaller file size.

Heath

Ouch

This hurts those who wanted to only support one player. I plan to go neutral anyways but having Gladiator, Braveheart and The Transforms available as exclusives (until further change) now is huge. If you look through Dreamworks SKG and Paramount titles they have a lot of good stuff coming.

This movie pretty much eviscerated any chance of a Blu-ray victory. I don't know many people who will live without the aformentioned movies in HD. As soon as the Godfather comes out in HD it's a purchase.

I'm betting that Universal players will now become the focus.

Don't discount the great titles of Sony, MGM/UA (Bond, anyone?), WB, Fox and Disney. Great, great films there, too.

heath

I guess I'm showing my age, but the whole high def disk thing is a big yawn for me. I have a very large collection of regular DVD's and honestly I don't feel I'm missing much when watching them on my 37" plasma from a comfortable distance.

I'm quite happy to let the companies duke it out and let the willing consumers pick their horses while I sit back and enjoy my collection. And I rarely pay more than $10 for a DVD, I get them on sale sometimes as cheap as $5.

For me personally, high definition disks are a solution in search of a problem. When there's agreement on the standard, and when I can buy disks for similar prices, then I'll get interested.

I'm not that's why I'm going to buy a Blu-ray player next year. I think of it like this. I've NEVER had one player for all of my media. I've always had a duopoly of players. Why should today be any different? If I need two players to cover all movies then I'm ok with that.

This war has been dirty since the beginning. This is just the latest shovel of dirt being heaped on.

Boyd makes a great point. Lately, I'm renting more than buying DVDs, and the ones I'm buying are Criterion. I don't even think Criterion has mentioned going HD yet, unless I'm mistaken.

heath

Whew, Spielberg supports Blu-Ray, so Indiana Jones movies will be both. I'd love to see Universal do a Blu-Ray Jaws, Jurassic Park, etc.

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/33722

heath

Damn you Paramount! I just bought a PS3! Being a major Trek fan, I'll have to seriously consider going 'format neutral' and investing in an HD-DVD player to complement the Playstation. Grrrrrr!

Yes. Playstation 3 + HD-DVD player. Sound like a good option. Best of both worlds and a great gaming machine.

Or Xbox 360 with an HD DVD option.

heath

Bay turns down Transformers 2 over DW/Para's announcement of HD DVD support (except Spielberg's films):

http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=6228

heath

I bet when BD+ is initiated, all the studios would move back to Blu-ray. It's that extra protection that protects all of the studio's investments which means more sales.

only because of PS3's BDP, on a level field it is 1 to 1....

Which will be promptly cracked in probably days by our wonderful hacker community....

No, I don't think so. Check this out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu-ray...ment_.28DRM.29

BD+ involves hardware authorization.

Yep, seen that article, and it will promptly be cracked at the software level on burnable BRDs. You see, that level of geek doesn't use retail discs, they burn copies -usually decoded already. All you need is a 3rd party plug or app to add to the DRM code on the disc and voila. KeyGens, leaks, bypasses, it sucks, yes. There is always money it in and as long as that's the case, there is no level -hardware or software that can't be cracked if the monetary value is in it. Look at all the money that went into encryption on CD that was cracked in 2 seconds by a Sharpie....Heck look at wifi.

I don't applaud it, I just think it is a waste when they would make more money selling music at a good price than worrying about copycats -so much.

I hear Michael Bay retracted his statements about quitting Transformers 2 over HD DVD.

heath

It is here http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum...pic.php?t=2304

You're right Chris. The only hope is that it forces the acceptence of both format in a single player.

i dont buy this position. No kids and most adults could not tell the difference in hd movies and a good upconverting dvd player. I have 5 HDTVs and i see no need to rebuy any of my 1000+ DVD collection to help solve a pointless format war. I will upgrade when DVD dies off and current tech is the same price as the old tech. Most people fall into this category.


Ash

PLEASE!!! That would be so nice. Just like DVD +r and DVD -R

Off topic, but there's a band called VHS or BETA. I'm going to start a band called Blu-Ray or HD DVD.

heath

That's kind of a mouth full. How about Download or Disc? ;)

That's a great one, too, lol!

heath

Boyd, you are not showing your age:
I'm 20 years old, and I recently went to a big shop in Belgium, that whole a complete row of plasma televisions, LCD televisions, all hooked up an HD DVD (Troy) and 2 VERY big screens (75.000 euro pricetag... ridiculous) with Blue Ray (Casino Royale)...
I really had to ask a salesman of it was HD playing or regular dvd...

Of course I live in PAL land, which helps too, but really... I don't see that much difference. Maybe a bit sharper picture. Maybe if I saw regular DVD next to it, I would have been talking different, but at first sight, I think there is nothing 'WOW' at this early HD. I'm not talking about camcorders, I think that is different (because the extra resolution can help if you are going to project it in a theatre), but the normal casual home user *doesn't* have a projector and a ?foot screen.
And I even haven't seen upscaled dvd's, I sometimes hear pretty good things about that too.

All that, coupled with high prices for media, players, and televisions, coupled with this format war, coupled with the fact that MANY blue Ray editions and HD DVD editions (although especially many BR editions) lack the extra's of the dvd's... they are claiming all that disc space, now they don't use it to make people double dipp again...
It will take a while, and many moves for HD to be embraced by the big public.
I agree with Ash on this, too.

We fans will call you "Two Blues". That will cause all sorts of initial misconceptions. Just like the formats.

George,

That's hilarious! I just wish this format war would end already, but I think when it does, there'll be a new war quickly behind it, which downloads to use, QuickTime or WMV?

heath

Hey Marco,

I forgot to respond to this...sales of movies on Blu-Ray are 2:1 to HD DVD discs.

heath

Old news being recycled on a slow news day... or is there something new in this AP post

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070903/...inition_war_dc

The article predicts continued warfare between formats, with the latest deal pulling HD even with blue ray.

Sigh... 'can't we all just get along?'