Universal a Virtual No-Show at CES

[nickdalodger]

I think we all agree that the Warners announcement put Toshiba, Universal and Paramount on the back foot, and that yes they have to make some hard decisions to make which are worth millions of dollars.
The main problem is that us dual supporters of both formats or HD only supporters are left wondering will there actually be many films worth picking up on HD in '08 or will we see them slope off to nothing!?
Dont get me wrong but Universal didnt exactly set the world alight last year , yes getting Bourne Ultimatum was great and Eastern Promises, but ending with Timecop ..? overall I was dissapointed with the releases through out the year, and Paramount although it was late there move to HD gave us Transformers (awesome) and Shrek 3 (sucked), overall it was Warner that gave us some of the best releases on HD, Matrix box set, the Potters, Batman they released lots of titles people wanted, mainly newer movies with some great transfers and now thats gone...

Universal & Paramount & Toshiba need to come out with a strong statement and a definitive list of releases for the year ( soon), that proves it is worth us keeping our support for the format, we are all early adopters, but even I'm sceptical that its worth continuning support for a format that has just lost one of its best suppliers

[rockbash]

Originally Posted by E-Dogg

I don't see either Paramount or Universal going to Blu exclusively, but rather going neautral. Either way HD-DVD is dead in the water and Blu is on it's way to becoming the succesor to dvd as us Blu-supporters had known from the very beginning.

So much has been made of Winning, (Being smart enough to have chosen the winning format). Everyone wants to say they picked the winner, you know most polls taken after most elections say 90% of the people voted for the winner no matter how close the election was. It just amazes me that anyone in this country would prefer a monopoly over free trade. Why is everyone so obsessed over having a winner, doesnt anyone see benefit in competion in a free market place. Mac has suvived to co-exist with Windows, Fierstone and Goodyear, DVD-r and DVD+r, Ford and Chevrolet, but not any of the steamers or electric cars, too bad the Ford and Chevy people crushed the electric cars then, we might have a good one to drive by now, and be able to tell the oil Barons what to do with their oil.. anyway, There has been too much misinformation and stalling on both sides for the average comsumer to risk their hard earned money, even with Sonys new "we've won" campaign coming, most people are still going to waaaaaaaait. Most people don't care enough about the increased resolutioin to Spend $300 for a HiDef player over their $39.99 walmart players that suits them fine. I don't know if many of you have Buy Backs stores around your area,(a store that buys and sells used movies) but here thay are busier than a blockbuster on the weekends, filled with people BUYING used movies cheap. Looks like alot of people looking for a bargain jumped on HD DVD but most stayed home with their trusty old DVD player. Most BUYBACK stores will not pay any more for a HiDef version af a movie than a regular dvd because they say they don't sell, people still aren't buying either format, not even when they are used and cheap, I've purchased more than 30 HD DVD and Blu Ray titles for less than $10.00 some as cheap as $5.99. As much as I love my HiDef players, and I have both, I can't help but wonder if either will last. If there was really much of a market either way studios would produce both formats. It would seem that there is just not enough market to split and considering how big the dvd market is, that's not a good sign. If that's really the case it would seem alot of money has gone into an industry to create a market that most of people couldn't care less about. One last thought, If we do end up with Blu ray as the format standard, I hope what I'm hearing about Divx like discs(old pay per view disc) that play a limited amount of times and then additional viewings need to be purchased or the rumor that the Decryption will change regulary on Blu Ray and new firmware updates for your Blu Ray players will have to be purchased after a set amount of free updates, is wrong. I doubt HD DVD will ever go completely away, Its much cheaper to make than blu Ray for the small movie producers that gamble their own money and pay to realese their movie because most dvd plants can easily tool to manufacture HD DVD and are willing to run smaller production amounts, that's if a small movie company would gamble a vantage release on HD instead of regular dvd, not likely, Blu Ray isn't supporting porn, a few tiltles, but seem to be discouraging it to say the least, while HD seem to be the preference for the BLUE movies. You have to wonder what you really need to see in HiDef in porno though, I guess you can make that argument for it all, some things might be better left in the dark

[supra2jzgte]

They will start releasing on Blu Ray. The war is finally on its way to an end and HD media can start getting cheaper for everyone. I cant wait till BD burning becomes cheap.

[Spideybat]

Originally Posted by Grubert

CES ends today.

I know. I missed the last segments of it.

[zombieflanders]

Well, looks like no HD DVD press conference this time around, since they would have had to schedule it by opening this morning.

[bluskiessmingatme]

Originally Posted by zombieflanders

Well, looks like no HD DVD press conference this time around, since they would have had to schedule it by opening this morning.

Well, with the Variety announcement that Universal's contract with HD DVD has expired, I hope we will get a statement from them very soon that they are going Blu-ray.

[hogie]

Originally Posted by bluskiessmingatme

Well, with the Variety announcement that Universal's contract with HD DVD has expired, I hope we will get a statement from them very soon that they are going Blu-ray.

They may shock the world and say "Yep, it's expired, and we're very well happy where we're at."

[bluskiessmingatme]

Or else say, "We've got a new attraction at the parks, with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster, it's 'High Def - The Ride'." LOL!

[zombieflanders]

Wait, now the HD DVD PRG says they will "release a statement" about Paramount and Universal, which oddly enough seems to say they have support, but once again doesn't say they will remain exclusive now or in the future.

Sounds like damage control to me.

[jvillarreal1000]

After what appears to be the slow demise of HD DVD I'm glad I waited before purchasing a player

[rockbash]

Originally Posted by supra2jzgte

They will start releasing on Blu Ray. The war is finally on its way to an end and HD media can start getting cheaper for everyone. I cant wait till BD burning becomes cheap.

You can decrypt them, shrink them, and burn them, but You will be waiting along time if you plan to burn your own BD movies on burnable BD media for playing on your stand alone player, The studios burn a water mark on the disc when it is manufactured that the players read and will not play non studio produced movies without it, You can still burn them and watch them on your computers BD burner only