HD/Blu-Ray... Is blu-ray going to win?

Snake Plisken

Snake Plisken wrote:

I just hope both formats can co-exist.

Snake

So do the studios:http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=391

I would prefer it if this format war was over. I'm going with blu ray because I have a PS3 and don't want to splash out on another player and disc format. It's a pain in the ass.

flogen

Deleted User wrote:

Blu ray sales are doing well these days:
http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=390

Yeah, it's generally the case that BR is outselling HDDVD in software and that's fair enough - I just think the inclusion of the ps3 to suggest that BR is decimating HDVD is more than a little disingenuous.

flogen

B-K-DzR wrote:

Just cos only some have actually watched a BRD on the device doesnt mean that it wasn't a factor when they bought it.

Also where did the figures come from for this report?
It is interesting none the less but only because it confirms what many people already believe. That people don't properly research what they are buying.

A group called NPD did the research - info on their methodology on 1up.

And while it's a fair point that many who haven't used the BRD might still be aware of it the research says that less than 1/4 of those asked knew it could play BRs (40% of 50% to be exact) - so it wasn't a purchasing factor for 3m PS3 users (although that doesn't mean they'll never use the BRD, of course).

Good point on the real confirmation - that people don't research things when they buy. I'd love to see a similar survey on HDTV sets - how many know about its ability to display better picture with the right equipment and how many actually use it for that purpose at any point... I bet most people in Ireland at least would say they bought it because it hangs on their wall.

Snake Plisken

savemejebus wrote:

probably a bit off topic, but why would you want to watch the movie with a blue background instead of the digital background?

Ah its just cause I'm interested in how much of 300 was CGI, its in a small box in the bottom left hand side, kindof picture in picture. Same with MI3, you could watch Cruise and director doing the commentary and they froze the movie to discuss different points about different scenes. BD version doesn't have that feature.
if your into extras HD-DVD wins in that department.

Snake

savemejebus

nice, i always buy the version with the most extras though it's rare that I watch them. Having said that the commentary on First Blood BD with stallone is supposed to be great, so i'll definitely watch that.

Back on Topic

The methodology mentioned for that survey bugs me as it's not really aimed at the user group that these items are aimed for. They queried 6000+ in a 6-44 age group & also non owners. I feel that they would have got much more interesting, and possibly valid results, by going for the 18 to 30 age range who are the real target demographic that they should be surveying for these products.

Snake Plisken

Actually when this player comes to market from Samsung and drops in price, I think it might well end the format war
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/grope/handson-samsungs-bdup5000-hybrid-hd-dvd-and-bluray-player-verdict-so-far-the-best-282569.php

Snake

flogen

savemejebus wrote:

nice, i always buy the version with the most extras though it's rare that I watch them. Having said that the commentary on First Blood BD with stallone is supposed to be great, so i'll definitely watch that.

Back on Topic

The methodology mentioned for that survey bugs me as it's not really aimed at the user group that these items are aimed for. They queried 6000+ in a 6-44 age group & also non owners. I feel that they would have got much more interesting, and possibly valid results, by going for the 18 to 30 age range who are the real target demographic that they should be surveying for these products.

True - I don't know why they would ask non-owners as you're then dealing with members of the public who don't know anything about computer games, let alone the specific capabilities of certain consoles.

kaisersose77

Big blow to blu-ray

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/newstex/AFX-0013-19015486.htm

"LOS ANGELES (AP) - Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (NYSE:DWA) will offer next-generation DVDs in the HD DVD format and drop support for Blu-ray, further complicating the race between the competing technologies.

Monday's announcement affects the upcoming DVD release of the blockbuster 'Shrek the Third' and all movies distributed by Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Nickelodeon Movies and MTV Films, as well as movies from DreamWorks Animation, which are distributed exclusively by Paramount Home Entertainment.

Paramount previously released movies in both formats.

'Part of our vision is to aggressively extend our movies beyond the theater and deliver the quality and features that appeal to our audience,' said Brad Grey, chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA) 'I believe HD DVD is not only the affordable high-quality choice for consumers, but also the smart choice for Paramount.'
The competition between Blu-ray and HD DVD has kept confused consumers from rushing to buy new DVD players until they can determine which format will dominate the market.

Jeffrey Katzenberg, chief executive of DreamWorks Animation, said consumers seeking to switch to high-definition DVDs will be enticed by the content available for HD-DVD players. He added the lower price for the devices will appeal to the family market.

'Today Toshiba is making HD-DVD players available at $299, which is a first time that it's really been at an affordable price,' Katzenberg said. 'It's a game-changer, what they're doing, and it's why we decided to throw in with them.'
Katzenberg said that, until now, the price for high-definition players was too high for most families.

'That barrier has just been broken and we believe it is going to, as I say, move down even further,' he said.

Paramount and DreamWorks aren't the only ones choosing sides.

'Spider-Man 3' will only be available in the Blu-ray DVD format when it is released by Sony (NYSE:SNE) Pictures, while people with Blu-ray players won't be able to enjoy the action-thriller 'The Bourne Ultimatum,' which Universal Pictures (NYSE:GE) will release only in HD DVD.

In terms of discs sold, Blu-ray has always had the lead. The format recently got a big boost as Blockbuster Inc. (NYSE:BBI) announced it would stock only Blu-ray titles when it expands its high-def DVD offerings this year.

Target Inc., the nation's second-largest retailer, said it will only sell Blu-ray DVD players in its stores in the fourth quarter.

With Paramount dropping Blu-ray support, Time Warner Inc.'s (NYSE:TWX) Warner Bros. remains the only major studio releasing movies in both formats.

Sony Corp.'s Sony Pictures, News Corp.'s (NYSE:NWS) Twentieth Century Fox, The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DCQ) (NYSE:DIS) , and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer are releasing only in Blu-ray. Universal, owned by General Electric Co., backs HD DVD exclusively."

flogen

Yeah, that's big news alright and it's just the shot in the arm HD-DVD needs to hang in there.

Rumour mill says it's because of a $150m exclusivity arrangement which would show just how scared HD-DVD is.

All in all, though, this is just another loss for the consumer as it's sure to add a few months (at least) to this format war. Just when a winner was becoming apparent this happens; I bet people preparing to buy a HD format of some description will now be very anxious about buying anything for the mid-term future.

savemejebus

very interesting, it's said they got $150 million to go exclusive.

Still one big blow for Blu-Ray prompts a big blow for Hd-DVD as it spurred Fox to announce some nice exclusivity for Blu-Ray.

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/pressrelease_fox2007bluray.html

Can't wait for the dual players to hit, this war is boring...

flogen

Funny to see Michael Bay come out and curse Paramount, saying he won't make Transformers 2, then come along and say actually he will.

Something tells me he got a call from Paramount to say "you signed a contract, so you'll make whatever we tell you to make" or else "that's OK Michael, we can cancel the contract, sue you for reperations and then get some other talentless hack in to make the sequal - it's not like anybody gives a shít about your name being attached."

Snake Plisken

Interesting article here http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Joshua_Zyber/Commentary:_A_War_of_Hype,_and_Paramounts_Big_Bombshell_/921
from hidef digest on the format war and how minute the sales of HD either HD-DVD/BR is to the movie industry, they give the example of the dvd for 300 that in its first week in the US shifted 5.1 million copies!!! All hidef discs both blu-Ray and HD-DVD combined since first introduced in 2006 has only sold 3.7 million units!!! That shows how little sales mean to the studios at the moment.

Snake

PixelTrawler

Not sure if this has been mentioned before on this thread but I have read the EU is going to get involved in this.

They see "bribing" a company $150 million dollars to support a particular technology as being slightly anti-competitive, and may investigate companies that trade in europe.

For instance they want to know what is the reason some companies are blu-ray only and some are HD only (cash of course, huge wads of it).

Also, its possible neither format will really win to the same degree as dvd did, digital downloads & digital rental will be major competition over the next few years, along with torrenting - something DVD didnt really face.

constitutionus

cant see that really holding water.

dont get me wrong. sounds exactly like what the EU would do but all the companies have to do is point out the mobile phone market for one where certain models are slaved to particular mobile networks. and seeing as the films can be bought in ordinary DVD format across the board they cant claim true exclusivity