Honestly you gotta love Toshiba's dedication :) Give them Hell boys!!!!

Cupertino (CA) - During next week's Super Bowl, viewers will be treated to an HD DVD commercial, but won't see any mention of the competing Blu-ray format.

The ad will feature Toshiba's three lowest-priced players, the HD-A3, A30, and A35, and is the biggest advertising move for any high-def disc medium to date, reports Home Media Magazine.

According to industry reports, the 30-second TV spot is expected to run Toshiba nearly $3 million. It is a crucial move that Toshiba hopes will bring consumers to HD DVD instead of Blu-ray, which has a significant early lead in the format war.

"It has always been our strategy to reach HDTV owners, using advertising on football is just one vehicle," said Toshiba to Home Media. Within the last part of 2007, an estimated two million people bought an HDTV specifically because of the Super Bowl. A 30-second advertising slot during the game this year is estimated to cost $2.7 million.

The Blu-ray Disc Association will not be represented during the huge sporting event because it was not able to create an ad in time, according to the magazine. BDA spokesperson Andy Parsons put down the move by saying, "Running a Super Bowl ad is not likely to convince consumers that HD DVD will win the format war."

Honestly you gotta love Toshiba's dedication :) Give them Hell boys!!!!

Cupertino (CA) - During next week's Super Bowl, viewers will be treated to an HD DVD commercial, but won't see any mention of the competing Blu-ray format.

The ad will feature Toshiba's three lowest-priced players, the HD-A3, A30, and A35, and is the biggest advertising move for any high-def disc medium to date, reports Home Media Magazine.

According to industry reports, the 30-second TV spot is expected to run Toshiba nearly $3 million. It is a crucial move that Toshiba hopes will bring consumers to HD DVD instead of Blu-ray, which has a significant early lead in the format war.

"It has always been our strategy to reach HDTV owners, using advertising on football is just one vehicle," said Toshiba to Home Media. Within the last part of 2007, an estimated two million people bought an HDTV specifically because of the Super Bowl. A 30-second advertising slot during the game this year is estimated to cost $2.7 million.

The Blu-ray Disc Association will not be represented during the huge sporting event because it was not able to create an ad in time, according to the magazine. BDA spokesperson Andy Parsons put down the move by saying, "Running a Super Bowl ad is not likely to convince consumers that HD DVD will win the format war."

what fight?...

HD DVD isn't going down at all. Not having Warner is a setback, but HD DVD is here to stay with over 1 million dedicated HD DVD players sold and growing. Keep up the great work Toshiba, Universal, Paramount, DreamWorks!! The more players that are sold the harder it is for other studios to ignore, especially when it costs less to make HD DVD titles than Blu-ray.

Too little, too late. The only way for HD DVD to stay alive is for an aggressive software push from Universal and Paramount, and that doesn't seem very likely.

Won't work.

p.s. What is this..the 10th thread about this Super Bowl supposed miracle?

oh, Andy Parsons. If it were the other way around, he'd be saying "HD DVD couldn't even afford an ad during the Superbowl because they're not selling as much product as us.":rolleyes:

The Blu-ray Disc Association will not be represented during the huge sporting event because it was not able to create an ad in time, according to the magazine. BDA spokesperson Andy Parsons put down the move by saying, "Running a Super Bowl ad is not likely to convince consumers that HD DVD will win the format war."

Hun? They did not have time? BS!

Unless there are very attractive models in the ad, no one will be paying attention. :)

PooperScooper will strike any minute now...

Won't work.

p.s. What is this..the 10th thread about this Super Bowl supposed miracle?

Too little, too late.

Apparently alot of people forget about SONY's visions of the future in reference to the "beta max" and " the bright and big future of the (hahaha) "UMD" disc. Nice try SONY. Good luck with this one.

Apparently alot of people forget about SONY's visions of the future in reference to the "beta max" and " the bright and big future of the (hahaha) "UMD" disc. Nice try SONY. Good luck with this one.

You've waited nearly 2 years to make this your 3rd post?

Blu-ray has a brighter future than HD DVD right now.

Nice move by Toshiba. Hope it works out for them.

You know, there's an interesting discussion point here but I worry that the thread is going to be saturated with fanboys and shut down before it can take hold. Oh well, I'll give it a try anyway.

I am intrigued by what this ad is going to bring. I see a few options on the table:

1) Same 'old Toshiba -- Shrek 3 commercial with a frame added at the end featuring the new player prices (IMO = yada yada yada, last one out turn off the lights...)

2) The new world of HD-DVD players -- upconversion, HD media as a bonus, a logical and price-effective next step (IMO = we're really trying hard but Paramount and Universal aren't willing to lend any more skin to this game)

3) The beginning of a well orchestrated ad campaign -- players and low prices featured, upcoming high profile new and catalog titles featured, tied in with some type of software bombshell e.g., high profile title shown as a TL-disc, lower movie prices, national BOGO event (IMO = we're playing to win this war).

Movies, movies, movies! Sold 1 million+ players, now give them something to play on them. Otherwise those 1 million+ people will buy 1 million+ SD DVD's.

Won't work.

p.s. What is this..the 10th thread about this Super Bowl supposed miracle?

About the same number as Sony claiming they won the format war.

Here is the question that whole TL51 announcement speculation brings: how will this news attract potential customers? If they are educated consumers they know that Blu-ray is outselling HD DVD. If they are still in the dark about the 2 major HD disc formats, chances are TL1 won't mean anything to them, so what would be the point behind making it a "selling point"?

As an HD DVD owner, I already know that the 30GB discs provide adequate space for stellar A/V presentations. I just don't see what there is get excited about over TL51 nor do I see it making an impact this far along in the game. Warner dealt HD DVD a blow it may not ever be able to recover from. Regardless of 51GB of space, the news media has already spewed more than enough FUD about the format to push the average consumer to Blu-ray.

Then there is a lot of pressure applied at retail making it hard for anyone without a strong will to walk away with an HD DVD player. I saw the Best Buy wolves attack a customer a week or two. They convinced him to buy a PS3 and a few Blu-rays. As soon as he asked about HD DVD, he was told to "forget about HD DVD - it will be dead in 6 months". Superbowl ads and 51GB Triple Layered discs will not change this.

I love HD DVD, but I do believe we are kidding ourselves if we think that Toshiba is doing anything but delaying the format's inevitable demise.

I am not going to engage in the HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray comment nonsense. I am glad Toshiba is continuing on because I am really enjoying my HD-DVD player and movies and would like to see the format continue on so I can acquire more optical media based high definition movies to enjoy at reasonable prices. I doubt most of the world knows or cares about HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray until they get interested in improved viewing experiences at home. I hope this ad includes current msrp's and directs potential HD-DVD customers to places that reflect those prices (ie. NOT the likes of Best Buy, etc.).

I have nothing against Blu-Ray/Sony - they just aren't my choice, so I am not interested in what they do. It is unfortunate that studios thumb their noses at one format or the other, as it just makes this consumer rent standard definition dvd's of titles that are not available in the high def format of my choice. If Warner wants to add insult to injury to their HD-DVD customers by holding back HD-DVD releases of new titles for weeks after they are available in standard definition from now until they drop us entirely - well - that also just sends me to the rental aisle and makes it unlikely I'll purchase that title at all. I'll shop for the titles I really care about from the studios that are interested in selling me their products. I buy too many dvd and hd-dvd movies anyway - the studios are convincing me to slow down. :cool:

Here is the question that whole TL51 announcement speculation brings: how will this news attract potential customers?

They don't have to mention TL51 at all. All they need to say is. "we are the format with the most storage space" or we are the only format with HD and SD together on one disc." Of course they would hopefully say it better than that. :)

It may bode well for online sales but if B&M's are pushing Blu it may just add confusion. I'll continue to be purple and enjoy the BOGO's of this war but with the slim list of Universal and Paramount releases and without a larger studio support I don't see this doing much other than delaying the end.

Toshiba's pricing strategy worked on me. Last week I bought the A35 and this week I purchase 4 HD DVD's and will be buying 4 more with the BOGO at Best Buy. Maybe next year I'll buy Bluray but not until they have a final spec, if thats possible for them. "New and Improved Profile 2.1" is just around the corner :)

Ok, now here is a quick recap:

During super bowl over one million viewers will be watching.
Apparently over a million viewers have new HDTV's.
Approxmiately 80% of those viewers will have a DVD player, DVR, ect.
The question is how many of the 80% will be willing to upgrade? The other 20% might be willing to upgrade if they don't have some sort of media player?

These are all theories of mine, so take them with a grain of salt...

Lets see some disc announcements, not empty words. There's many instances throughout history of the losing side not going down without a fight. They still lost. I am purple and lean red, but it's a truly testing and irritating time to be an HD DVD supporter. Screw this Super Bowl advert, unless it states Gladiator and other big titles are coming then it's a waste of time AND money. Money that could have gone towards a Warner deal.

This is a good move on their part for two reasons.

1. It gets the word out there to the HDTV owners.

2. It shows that they are still in this war. They are willing to drop 3 million on one ad for the super bowl, sure goes a long way to show the format faithful that they are still in this.

Ok, now here is a quick recap:

During super bowl over one million viewers will be watching.
Apparently over a million viewers have new HDTV's.
Approxmiately 80% of those viewers will have a DVD player, DVR, ect.
The question is how many of the 80% will be willing to upgrade? The other 20% might be willing to upgrade if they don't have some sort of media player?

These are all theories of mine, so take them with a grain of salt...


First of all there will be way more than 1 million watching the super bowl. There will be more than 1 million watching in NYC alone.

Last year 91 million watched the superbowl. This year should be closer to 100 million with an historic undefeated team and two very large TV markets.

Why don't we hear some big announcements from Paramount and Universal? Something to get excited about!

Why don't we hear some big announcements from Paramount and Universal? Something to get excited about!

The only big announcements we are likely to see from those studios is that one or both are going blu-ray!

HD DVD isn't going down at all. Not having Warner is a setback, but HD DVD is here to stay with over 1 million dedicated HD DVD players sold and growing. Keep up the great work Toshiba, Universal, Paramount, DreamWorks!! The more players that are sold the harder it is for other studios to ignore, especially when it costs less to make HD DVD titles than Blu-ray.

Ditto!:)

Well one thing's for sure: just about everyone on the planet knows that superbowl ads cost mega-bucks. So just by them having a single ad, HD DVD dispels any rumors of clearance/fire sales and sends the clear signal that they're here for the long haul.

The only big announcements we are likely to see from those studios is that one or both are going blu-ray!

I hope not, otherwise I don't see myself purchasing any new HD DVDs beyond American Gangster and Beowulf. Over on another site there is a rumor of "something big", a major announcement of some sort (good or bad), supposedly in the works for HD DVD on February 5th. Personally, I'm hoping it's a slew of new releases including some killer HD DVD-exclusive catalog titles and reaffirmed commitment from Universal & Paramount.

Won't work.

p.s. What is this..the 10th thread about this Super Bowl supposed miracle?And the 9th one closed <G>