Another potential blow to HD-DVD, Financial Times claims Paramount is about to to drop support of HD DVD:

Check this link:

http://www.betanews.com/article/Financial_Times_Paramount_to_drop_support_of_HD_DVD/1199766332

Is this the end for HD-DVD?

Another potential blow to HD-DVD, Financial Times claims Paramount is about to to drop support of HD DVD:

Check this link:

http://www.betanews.com/article/Financial_Times_Paramount_to_drop_support_of_HD_DVD/1199766332

Is this the end for HD-DVD?

Uhhhhh, didn't they just drop Bluray, like two months ago?

Uhhhhh, didn't they just drop Bluray, like two months ago?

Yup, but there is apparently a clause in that agreement that allows them to reverse the decision if Warner went Blu. Does anyone think that THIS would not kill HD-DVD? I mean, 7 studios to 1?

Yup, but there is apparently a clause in that agreement that allows them to reverse the decision if Warner went Blu. Does anyone think that THIS would not kill HD-DVD? I mean, 7 studios to 1?

IMO this really devalues dual players accept for those with an extensive HD-DVD collection.

ITs kind of funny, that the Paramount response was not posted with this article. Paramount responded by saying they are NOT dropping HD DVD support.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aZzib5lwheBc
Paramount Denies Report It Will Drop Toshiba's HD DVD (Update2)

By Andy Fixmer and John Liu

Jan. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures denied a newspaper report that the studio is poised to follow Time Warner Inc. in abandoning Toshiba Corp.'s HD DVD technology.

``Paramount's current plan is to continue to support the HD DVD format,'' Brenda Ciccone, a spokeswoman for Paramount, said in an e-mail today.

Toshiba, the leading promoter of the HD DVD format for high- definition video discs, fell in Tokyo trading after the Financial Times reported Paramount is poised to adopt Sony Corp.'s Blu-ray format instead.

Paramount can defect because a clause in its contract with the HD DVD camp allows the studio to switch to Blu-ray if Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. dropped its support of Toshiba's standard, the newspaper reported today, citing unidentified people familiar with the plan. Warner Bros. said on Jan. 4 it would drop its support of HD DVD.

Keisuke Ohmori, a spokesman for Tokyo-based Toshiba, said the report is speculative. Masayo Endo, a spokeswoman for Sony, declined to comment on the report.

Toshiba's shares fell 0.1 percent to close at 782 yen on the Tokyo Stock Exchange after dropping as much as 1.3 percent. Sony's stock rose 3.4 percent.

To contact the reporters on this story: Andy Fixmer in Los Angeles at afixmer@bloomberg.net ; John Liu in Shanghai at jliu42@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: January 8, 2008 01:39 EST

While we all kino that current plans can change, I think that everyone is looking WAY too much into this clause (Since this clause has NOT been confirmed by ANYONE (at least that I know of)).

If Paramount Pictures and Universal Studios were to make a business decision one day to release in BLU-RAY then BLU-RAY would have 100% studio support and there would be no need to own a dual format player. HD-DVD players and dual format players would go out of production when and if BLU-RAY gets 100% studio support.

If Paramount Pictures and Universal Studios were to make a business decision one day to release in BLU-RAY then BLU-RAY would have 100% studio support and there would be no need to own a dual format player. HD-DVD players and dual format players would go out of production when and if BLU-RAY gets 100% studio support.

Thank you for that startling realization.

Thank you for that startling realization.

Hahaha

If Paramount Pictures and Universal Studios were to make a business decision one day to release in BLU-RAY then BLU-RAY would have 100% studio support and there would be no need to own a dual format player. HD-DVD players and dual format players would go out of production when and if BLU-RAY gets 100% studio support.


That would be bad for the consumer... if that happens just watch the price of Blu Ray players jump up! :mad:

The good news is... not if, but when Blu-ray disc wins the format war... manufacturers can charge twice as much for a 'single' format player! :mad:

$2000 for a DVD player... who are they kidding? :rolleyes:

The good news is... not if, but when Blu-ray disc wins the format war... manufacturers can charge twice as much for a 'single' format player! :mad:

$2000 for a DVD player... who are they kidding? :rolleyes:


If the pundits claim that HD discs and players are a niche commodity just watch how true that becomes if only Sony and Blu Ray are the dominant players. Thanks to Toshiba and HD DVD the price of players and discs have been kept low.

The good news is... not if, but when Blu-ray disc wins the format war... manufacturers can charge twice as much for a 'single' format player! :mad:

$2000 for a DVD player... who are they kidding? :rolleyes:

The real question is who are YOU kidding???
The reason all these companies are about to jump on the BD bandwagon (and yes, the rumour is that Universal is also about to jump...if you believe the reporting at Digital bits, and they've been right so far) anyway the reason all these companies are jumping is because they need to turn this niche market into a main stream market...smarter minds are now taking control, HD-DVD is on it's way out, and we will have one HD format, and it will be priced so all who own HD displays can buy a HD player...would you like to put your money on that????
AND as with all past formats, the more who buy (or you could call it volume) the cheaper it gets...remember CD, and DVD???

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/01/08/paramount-current-plan-is-to-support-the-hd-dvd-format-curre/

Some of you are little school girls, you stand by the restrooms giggle and writing on pieces of paper, Do you like me? Circle yes/no. In this case some of have wrote, Do you consider me a fanboy? yes/no.

Let's just see what plays outs, Warner is still going to spit out HD DVD content until June 1st. Paramount is obviously banking on some cash, or doing something we aren't... making millions!

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/01/08/paramount-current-plan-is-to-support-the-hd-dvd-format-curre/

Some of you are little school girls, you stand by the restrooms giggle and writing on pieces of paper, Do you like me? Circle yes/no. In this case some of have wrote, Do you consider me a fanboy? yes/no.

Let's just see what plays outs, Warner is still going to spit out HD DVD content until June 1st. Paramount is obviously banking on some cash, or doing something we aren't... making millions!

When Warner made their announcement I sold my X2 the next day, so I felt the writting was on the wall...want to buy a few great HD-DVD titles???
And YES you are a fanboy...

If the movie studios weren't completely out of touch with reality, they would go for HD-DVD for the simple reason that the players are cheaper so more people can afford them. Going with the more expensive format makes no sense at all.

When Warner made their announcement I sold my X2 the next day, so I felt the writting was on the wall...want to buy a few great HD-DVD titles???
And YES you are a fanboy...

You sold one of the best upconverting SD-DVD players on the market because HD-DVD lost? It's going to be a LONG time before the majority of releases are on bluray. Most movies still being released week after week are DVD exclusive.

Sony and Blu Ray are the dominant players. Thanks to Toshiba and HD DVD the price of players and discs have been kept low.

Toshiba does not control market prices, the consumer does. If the studios and Sony (don't forget how many other companies are in with Sony) want to profit, they have to get the main stream consumers to buy. Only price will determine the profits for Buray/Sony, not Toshiba. This format war is confusing the buyers, thus, no profit for anybody! I hope Paramont makes the switch soon, as I am all BD as of last week.

The real question is who are YOU kidding???
The reason all these companies are about to jump on the BD bandwagon (and yes, the rumour is that Universal is also about to jump...if you believe the reporting at Digital bits, and they've been right so far) anyway the reason all these companies are jumping is because they need to turn this niche market into a main stream market...smarter minds are now taking control, HD-DVD is on it's way out, and we will have one HD format, and it will be priced so all who own HD displays can buy a HD player...would you like to put your money on that????
AND as with all past formats, the more who buy (or you could call it volume) the cheaper it gets...remember CD, and DVD???A $2000 DVD player does not seem inexpensive to me, but what do I know, I have not attained AMT status myself; or have I? :eek:

If Paramount Pictures and Universal Studios were to make a business decision one day to release in BLU-RAY then BLU-RAY would have 100% studio support and there would be no need to own a dual format player. HD-DVD players and dual format players would go out of production when and if BLU-RAY gets 100% studio support.

'Master of the Obvious' trophy goes to U.

You sold one of the best upconverting SD-DVD players on the market because HD-DVD lost? It's going to be a LONG time before the majority of releases are on bluray. Most movies still being released week after week are DVD exclusive.

I also own a Samsung 1200, and it's upconversion is just as good as my X2's was, so I didn't lose anything. Plus it's just one box less my wife has to deal with...and I lost a total of $50 so no big deal...I'm losing more on selling the 40 or so titles I had.
I realize it's going to be a long time until the majority come out on Blu-Ray, and to be honest, many great movies will probably never make it onto BD...however, for myself, it's hard to watch anything less than HD in my HT room, the 60"er in the living room I can handle watching upconverted SD, but I've become to spoiled on my biggest screen.

Whoever wrote that article must have borrowed my crystal ball, 'cause it really doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that Paramount and Universal have no other way to go. It's just a matter of which month but it wouldn't surprise me if they all go blu by may-june.

Once again, the customer is being shafted. Must be nice having the kind of money that will be required to upgrade your player every year and pay at least $25 per movie. Just make sure you buy everything Sony if you want all the BR features such as portable movie copies and such.

I had Circuit City (because of DIVX) and Sony (because of the rootkits and fake movie critics) in my black list, I'll now add Warner. For everybody that had Sony shares before january 4th, congratulations, you won the lottery.

HD DVD is a looser but BD is not yet a winner until the BD players are selling below $100. DVD upconverting player is a winner!

HD DVD is a looser but BD is not yet a winner until the BD players are selling below $100. DVD upconverting player is a winner!

Not to sure about this, most people are buying flat panel these days, and at a cost of around 1,000 to 1,500 on the average, a $200-$250 HD player may not be considered overly expensive...and there is a player coming out that's in the sub $300 range.
It's going to be another year or so before we see BD players drop below $200, and that's smart for the manufacturers. They will steadily drop prices as more and more buy into it. This helps manufacturers offset initial costs...something the HD-DVD camp didn't get, and I think it stopped the major hardware companies from considering building their units, just no profit in it.