It occurred to me as I was shopping at BB this evening that one of the major considerations for me when choosing a high def format was Disney. Not only do I personally like Disney films, but while I don't have kids of my own, my young nieces and nephew visit me quite often (every other week or so), and so for me not to have Disney flicks available simply wasn't an attractive option once they're released.

Fortunately this dovetailed nicely with my decision to buy a PlayStation 3 for gaming, but it makes me wonder how many parents and other members with frequent visits from children felt that Blu-ray was the only choice for this single studio due to the "kid factor" (yes I realize Disney also owns very successful non-animation studios like Touchstone, but no one else can supply The Lion King...).

I definitly like a lot of Disney films (animated ones like Cars especially) but I got a Blu Ray player mainly for my favourite companies like Lionsgate.......20th Century Fox was also a big one.

I went Blu-Ray for the overall studio support, Disney just being part of it. But yes I do love Disney movies. Mainly Disney's classic animated movies, Pixar movies and a few of the new stuff like Pirates.

Fox and Disney for me... Oh and also Spiderman! :)

Disney is one of the last reasons why I support Blu-ray.

Definetly Disney...alongside with Fox, MGM, Sony and Lions Gate.
:)

Disney will be one of the main reasons I buy a PS3...whenever I decide to go format neutral that is

pirates was one of the main reasons i went blu ray.Now that im here i see alot more choices so it was the main thing that ked to everything else

i decided blu-ray was the best choice for me because of the large support from all the other studios. plus toshiba doesnt make movies like sony so i guess sony has the advantage there.

Well, it was more than Disney, but I have to say that they are probably the most important studio for me. Between many of the animated classics, the Pixar movies, the great Miramax titles, and a handful of Touchstone/Dimension/whatever other entities' titles, they probably are the most important to me of the BD exclusive studios (with Fox being the only real competition for that title).

And no, I don't have any kids yet, but sometimes I'm just a kid at heart. Even if I had kids visit, I wouldn't feel obligated to feed them HD entertainment (although I ever do have kids, I guess these discs will come in handy). :)

I wouldn't say it is all because of disney. It has more to do with what has happened to the PC burner side. The BD burner is quite solid and technologically mature and performing well. And the HDDVD burner is very late. So late that I wonder if they can make up lost ground when(if) they do go to retail

But in terms of studios, I've always thought that Disney's pull is stronger than their box office numbers alone. Disney movies are more family oriented and hence tend to get more parents buying --- they get collected proportionately more than their box office numbers should have given them.

Since the beginning, when it appears the two factions couldn't unify the standards and had the audacity to launch two formats, with the studio support solidly in BDA's camp, I thought this time around, HD DVD needed to take Disney to level the playing field, and Disney's stance against HDDVD in CES07 is probably the real publicly visible PR turning point in the format war.

I agree that Disney is extremely important. It is one of the main reasons that I love Blu-ray.

Disney is always near the top of the box office, but more importantly, many of their movies sell more home copies than would be expected compared to the Box office numbers.

Many people will delay or not buy a title they saw in the theater, but many disney titles will be all out blockbusters, and many people who saw it in the theater will still buy it on Blu-ray (or DVD).

The Disney following should not be underestimated.

Disney is a deciding factor for me.

You don't have to be a kid to enjoy Disney titles. Pixar makes some of the best movies out there. The Incredibles, for example, is not a kids movie. It was marketed as such, but it was really written for adults and a PG rating to boot.

As others have mentions, Touchstone, Mirimax, even ABC... there's quite a good amount of titles.

Disney is why I'm currently a BD supporter.

Not Disney but FOX for me.

I've haven't jumped in the HD Disc war yet but my wife and I are definitely going with the format that has Disney movies. Gotta satisfy the wife and kids if I'm going to make this happen!

Fox (Aliens, Die Hards, Star Wars, etc.) more for me than Disney, though they are important.

I can't say any one studio makes me support Blu-ray. Most of my favs are by Columbia/tristar/Sony/MGM then disney. New Line, WB and Universal are some way behind. There's not enough Universal films to make up for Disney, fox, Sony combined. Hell, there's probably more fox films I want than Universal and I barely have any fox

What's annoying is people who equate Disney with animation, it's like equating universal with just Spielberg and Hitchcock. Personally when I think Disney I think Miramax, possibly one of the strongest studio's of the last 17 years. As it happens only 1 of my Disney DVD's is actually animation (peter pan) and I only bought it because it was cheap

if disney went hddvd, would you guys be hddvd supporters instead?

When I think Disney I think Disney animation mostly. The interesting thing as we know animation looks best on any display and even in SD their animated movies are quite striking. Then as mentioned it's many times "for the kids", they are the last ever to say how much they loved the PQ. While I believe Disney is a big win for BD (once they really start support for it), their bread and butter animation and target audience need HD less then the others. One last thing the movies I would tend to buy are animated movies because at least those will be watched over and over again. Then I have to look at where my HD optical player is at. Is it in an area I want kids turning it on and watching their movies over and over again? That is why in some ways having the SD version of "their movies" on a cheap DVD player on a cheap TV works best, not that this scenario fits everyone but I have to be hitting a decent percentage of people with this. I really don’t want to sound negative with all of this because again it is a big win for BD, but there are some factors that go into their movies that maybe a bit anti-HD.

if disney went hddvd, would you guys be hddvd supporters instead?

Quite possibly.

I bought the PS3 for the games (RESISTANCE IS AWESOME!), but mainly for playing blu-ray movies....i think being able to play animated titles is necessary always as the big living room HDTV is for the kids also (and the kid inside all of us as well)....so, having disney on blu-ray is a VERY BIG plus....

If it was one studio, it would definitely be Fox. Disney hasn't released much yet. Once they start letting the Miramax and Dimension titles out, that will be very cool, but I suspect that's a long way off.

Lionsgate also has a lot of really cool titles and I'm glad their quality control has finally kicked in. they will release the first 2D animation on HD with the Avengers movies so that will be interesting to see how they turn out.

if disney went hddvd, would you guys be hddvd supporters instead?

Neutral or exclusive? Neutral doesn't count, it would just remove the advantage from blu-ray not give the advantage to HD DVD. If they were exclusive I'd still say no. The main reason I want BD to win is it simply has the best capacity. That and Blu-ray has the best chance of ending the format war

Once they start letting the Miramax and Dimension titles out, that will be very cool, but I suspect that's a long way off.

Why? They've already released one Miramax title.

Disney was really a non-factor in my decision to go neutral. Most of the Disney movies that interested my family and I are animation, which happen to look great on DVD. Also since I don't have a blu-ray player for my car, the DVD version is a must own for trips anyway. My four year old could care less about HD she just wants the content.

I am a movie fan, and I wanted to be able to see all the movies that were available in HD. After seeing how much of an upgrade HD DVD was on my 108" screen over their SD DVD counterparts, I had to go dual format. I am also contemplating an HD camcorder purchase, and the Sony HDR-SR1 seems to possess a fair trade off between picture quality and convenience. It records in AVCHD format to a built in hard disk drive, and these files can be put on a DVD and played in HD on a blu-ray player.

I am fairly new to blu-ray, but so far I am pleased. The picture quality doesn't seem to be as consistent across the board as HD, but I hear that this is changing so I am willing to stick it out. I have seen some discs that are as good as the best HD DVDs in picture quality, but i just wish that on average they were better. I should point out that I am mostly viewing older blu-ray discs to this point (trying to get caught up). The audio quality on blu-ray seems to be consistently better than HD DVD and it more effectively utilizes my 7.1 setup, so this helps to offset the video quality on some of the older blu-ray titles and may help it to pull ahead in the end.

In my opinion, both sides in this war appear to be stubborn and both have good arguments with their technology. Sony does appear to want the win a little more, but they also stand to lose/gain more. I see these two formats co-existing for a long time and probably even forever (similar to DVD-R/DVD+R). Unless you want to lose out on years of exclusive movies or are a die hard fanboy, it seems like dual format is the best option if you can afford it.

I just wish that studios such as Disney and Universal would not have put the consumer in this position where you must have both formats to view all of the movies. It really bothers me that Sony and Toshiba could not cooperate more for the consumers and studios benefit. I am sure that if there where only one de-facto standard, we would have a lot larger studio support (less wavering... this means you WB) and movie selection. In the end though, HD DVD will push blu-ray and vice-versa so the consumers has a better product. It just cost us a lot more.

Definetly Disney...alongside with Fox, MGM, Sony and Lions Gate.
:)
Same here.

if disney went hddvd, would you guys be hddvd supporters instead?
If Disney were HD-DVD exclusive I'd be format neutral. As they are not, and Universal still has not released any of their substantive back catalog blockbusters, I see myself remaining in the Blu-ray only camp for the forseeable future.

---

Looking at the top tier titles for PQ, it is unmistakable that computer animated films seem to benefit dramatically from the HD treatment. I just watched Open Season last night, and even though the storyline was mediocre, the animation quality and detail were jaw-dropping due to the amazing video transfer.

Since Disney has the best animation studio, and given Disney's stance on making heavy use of Blu-ray's higher bitrate capacity to aggressively improve their transfer quality, I'm hoping to see great things from the Disney animation catalog once it arrives on Blu-ray.

Meh. I'm Blu-Ray because of PS3.

I cant figure out why Disney is even a factor in the HD-DVD wars. Why get movies that my two and five year old will want to watch on my nice next generation expensive playback machines and equipment. I dont even think they can tell the difference between HD and VHS at this point and by the time they can - they have outgrown them. I think its the adults that ant these flicks and thats cool but in my mid 30s Disney just doesnt keep me interested (OK, I admit I liked the Incredibles because I like superheroes in general ) - I watch them watch the movie anyway. What about the road trip for those who have DVD players in their SUVs/mini vans ???? Blu-ray is not an option.

For this last reason I think Disney would sell more in the HD-DVD combo format than Blu-ray - Are you listening Disney?

Don't watch Disney movies. No kids in my house. Fox and Lionsgate are the main reason I have a Blu-Ray player.

Meh. I'm Blu-Ray because of PS3.
yea. im a gamer, and i i didn't want to spend $200 extra for the hd-dvd add on when i knew i'd be getting ps3.

Don't get me wrong, I'll buy Disney movies when they come out, especially the classics, and the more adult Buena Vista titles, but it was the PS3 that sold me on the format long ago.

Everything else was and continues to be an afterthought.

For this last reason I think Disney would sell more in the HD-DVD combo format than Blu-ray - Are you listening Disney?

I disagree. Who would pay $5-12 more for a less damage-resistant disc? Taking discs on the road is a perfect case for using SD DVD, rather than risk damage to your much more expensive high definition discs (and try explaining not smudging both sides of a disc to a child...).

Not to mention that would seriously tick off all the people who have no interest in the SD DVD side, as appears is happening with the Universal combo titles.

I cant figure out why Disney is even a factor in the HD-DVD wars.

Because they're one of the biggest studio's in Hollywood. You seem to focus on Disney animation for some reason. Are you saying only kids like Miramax films like Kill Bill or Pulp Fiction? :rolleyes:

Don't watch Disney movies. No kids in my house.

:rolleyes: Did either of you read my post? I guess not

I cannot wait until Toy Story/TS2 and The Incredibles goes Blu-Ray. I'm not BR because of Disney, but it is nice :)

If it was one studio, it would definitely be Fox. Disney hasn't released much yet. Once they start letting the Miramax and Dimension titles out, that will be very cool, but I suspect that's a long way off.

Well, I assumed that everyone was answering based on potential releases rather than what's out now. Disney would be behind in that respect for me, since Chicago and Hitchhiker's Guide are the only titles currently available from them that I have.

Lionsgate would be ahead for many people at this time, but they have a smaller library that just can't compare to the major studios in sheer volume. I appreciate that they're willing to be aggressive in their releases though.

Because they're one of the biggest studio's in Hollywood. You seem to focus on Disney animation for some reason. Are you saying only kids like Miramax films like Kill Bill or Pulp Fiction? :rolleyes:



:rolleyes: Did either of you read my post? I guess not

The OP is clearly refering to kiddie movies. Read his post.

Meh. I'm Blu-Ray because of PS3.

Ding ding ding and we have a winner! I bought my PS3 for exclusives, although they were Final Fantasy XIII and Metal Gear Solid 4..... :p.

I can't lie though, Blu-ray has been a very very pleasant surprise. It's the only reason i can justify my purchase of a PS3 to this point. That being the case i'm glad it's got more exclusive support, regardless of who the studio is. The Prestige will probably be my first Disney purchase but the one i really want is Miracle (favorite sports movie ever, even though i watch no hockey whatsoever lol).

Ding ding ding and we have a winner! I bought my PS3 for exclusives, although they were Final Fantasy XIII and Metal Gear Solid 4..... :p.

I can't lie though, Blu-ray has been a very very pleasant surprise. It's the only reason i can justify my purchase of a PS3 to this point. That being the case i'm glad it's got more exclusive support, regardless of who the studio is. The Prestige will probably be my first Disney purchase but the one i really want is Miracle (favorite sports movie ever, even though i watch no hockey whatsoever lol).

I bought Resistance with it, but I'm not super impressed with that game. It's fairly fun, but the graphics are really sub-par for a next-gen system. They aren't even as good as Half Life 2 on the first gen. XBOX. And the levels are pretty repetitive.

But I'm very pleased with the PS3 as a BD player.

im not.

For me the #1 reason I went format neutral was Casino Royale. As far as studios that got me interested in Blu-ray, the main one was Fox. Ironically, they're now my least favorite studio since they're releasing bare bones discs with $40 price tags.

And on the flip side, Buena Vista was never at the top of my list of reasons for getting a PS3. Yet they're doing spectacular work with their recent releases and I find myself picking up more and more of their titles. A few weeks ago it was Chicago. Next week I'll be getting The Prestige.

I bought Resistance with it, but I'm not super impressed with that game. It's fairly fun, but the graphics are really sub-par for a next-gen system. They aren't even as good as Half Life 2 on the first gen. XBOX. And the levels are pretty repetitive.

But I'm very pleased with the PS3 as a BD player.

Yeah it's a pretty good game for a launch title but i'm not much into FPS so it was a rental for me. The only "PS3" game i've bought and played alot of is actually Gripshift lol.

Back on topic though, Disney might not have been a factor for me but IMO they're probably the second best studio on BD so far (would put Sony and their subsidaries first). Nice price points and they seem to be pushing the quality evelope further and further. Can't wait for The Rock and Con Air in the spring (PotC and King Arthur too but not as much as the previous 2 heh), especially since my audio setup will be done by then :cool:.

Yeah it's a pretty good game for a launch title but i'm not much into FPS so it was a rental for me. The only "PS3" game i've bought and played alot of is actually Gripshift lol.

Is that a porno? ;)

Not that I'm a current owner, but Disney is pushing me neutural. I mean they are freakin delivering on quality discs. Using AVC on BD-50 and 48/24 PCM tracks, I mean that is exactly what BD-50 was made for, not this putting 2 identical MPEG2 streams with 1 having a PiP window BS, it's just completly legit pushing the format for quality, using the space advantage, and use that bitrate advantage but still using an advanced codec with it. Pirates 1 & 2 if done in this fashion will be incredible. Sadly I have to import The Prestige sense I can't afford a BD player and want to wait for a BD-Live player anyway, but Disney is impressing the hell out of me.

Just read the review of The Prestige @ High-Def Digest and can't wait to check it out!

I have say for me it's Fox...I'm watching Phone Booth, one of the movies announced that got me into BD and I very pleased, Reference release IMO!

Is that a porno? ;)

If you think that's a good porno title try "Yo Quiero Taco Smell". A local radio station runs a weekly contest where the contestant has to guess whether the titles they give are real or made up. That one was real :p.

I love a lot of Disney films, so that is definitely a factor in making me want a blue-ray player (when they become affordable). In the meantime, I have to settle for SD DVD Disney movies :(

It occurred to me as I was shopping at BB this evening that one of the major considerations for me when choosing a high def format was Disney. Not only do I personally like Disney films, but while I don't have kids of my own, my young nieces and nephew visit me quite often (every other week or so), and so for me not to have Disney flicks available simply wasn't an attractive option once they're released.

Fortunately this dovetailed nicely with my decision to buy a PlayStation 3 for gaming, but it makes me wonder how many parents and other members with frequent visits from children felt that Blu-ray was the only choice for this single studio due to the "kid factor" (yes I realize Disney also owns very successful non-animation studios like Touchstone, but no one else can supply The Lion King...).

nope. never even remotely entered into my consideration. actually i'm dual format, but if i wasn'tthis would've had zero impact (something like FOX and Star Wars might've though).

Hello

Is there a plan at Disney to have the classics on Blu-Ray also?

Or is it just the newer movies?

Francois

Is there a plan at Disney to have the classics on Blu-Ray also?

Assuming Blu-ray survives long enough they will release most, if not everything they did on DVD

Disney is in heavy rotation at our house. It is almost a reflex now to buy anything pink with a princess on it - those gals have a nice gig. Although I've been impressed with Ice Age II and Open Season, these were also movies I had not already spent money on in the theater and an SD release. Cars is one thing, but "Chicken Little" may only be worth what I would pay for a few fun cuts here and there, and I've already dropped movie tickets and SD on that.

Likely, I will be able to get by the "multiple dips" but may be halted by a $30+ price tag if that becomes a reality.

My BD choice had more to do with covering the available HD content than any particular studio on its own.

Don't forget how rarely they open "The Disney Vault."

I'm not in only because of Disney, but it certainly helps. Disney alone certainly adds more presence to BD than Universal does to HD-DVD.

With impressive possible releases like Pirates of the Caribbean, I certainly am very pleased to have Disney as a Blu-ray supporter.

http://www.hdtvuk.tv/2007/02/buena_vista_ann.html

They certainly will be a factor when many people decide on a format.

Anyone who says otherwise (or who simply PRAYS that disney would suddenly go hd-dvd when choosing hd-dvd over blu-ray) is an idiot (looks at the hard-core hd-dvd idiots).

I am bluray because of the ps3.

Disney is no doubt a factor for why I chose Blu Ray. But many people should realize that many Disney/Pixar animations are more adult-friendly than they think. I am an adult and I thoroughly enjoy the animations. And let's not forget Pirates of the Carribean.

The Black Hole would be pretty cool to get.
And Tarzan, and Beauty... and the Pixar films (older ones are disney controlled, yes)
ooh, and The Crow....

;)

Not me.

I went Blu-Ray for the overall studio support, Disney just being part of it. But yes I do love Disney movies. Mainly Disney's classic animated movies, Pixar movies and a few of the new stuff like Pirates.


Ditto... :cool:

I do have four hd-dvd movies which is down from about 10. Sold a few on ebay.

Was definately a factor for me. At first, about 3 months ago, I was thinking HDDVD would be the direction I went. That was before the release of the PS3, and before I saw that Disney was going to be doing Blu-Ray. I just didn't consider Blu-Ray at all because of how much players were. I bought my PS3 two days ago, and am itching to get some BD content! I enjoy the Disney movies as much as my kids do. I will likely buy new releases in both formats though, one for the kids and one for me!

So far I have to say that Disney's Blu-ray releases have been exceptional. I currently own "Eight Below, " "Chicago," "Flightplan," and well, yeah "Pearl Harbor."

It's a factor for me in that it is probably the most important studio in terms of mass acceptance. HD-DVD can't win the format war without Disney. The fact that BD is supported by Disney means that it has a chance.

I agree with OP; Much of my sway to ray is Disnay...

ken

Disney was only one factor. Greater specs. and more manufacturer support were other big ones.

Dan

I'm BD because of PS3.

When will Disney release the classics like the Incredibles, Lion King, etc.......??