HD-DVD on shaky ground

[RedDeadMeatCloak]

The 4th quarter launch seems more and more unlikely with the AACS DRM scheme still not finalized, non-commital hardware vendors, manufacturing plants declining to convert this year, and splintered hollywood support, here's hoping that the unification talks pick up again.

Wall Street Journal Report (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6009821&&#post6009821)

Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures, which had committed to releasing more than 20 titles on the HD-DVD brand starting in the fourth quarter, now won't release any in the quarter, according to a person familiar with the matter. General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal plans to release about a dozen HD-DVD titles in the fourth quarter, scaling back from the 16 titles it had announced in January.

Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Home Video, the biggest backer of the format, says its exact plans are up in the air, as it waits to see whether a compromise is reached between the rival formats. "If there is a unification of formats, we would want to work toward that," said Jim Cardwell, president of Warner Home Video, who didn't rule out a holiday-season launch for Warner movies on HD-DVD.

Warren Lieberfarb, a consultant to HD-DVD backers, characterized rollout efforts as "no big deal" and added that "there was never a rock-solid date about the fourth quarter."

[emperordahc]

I may be a loaner here, but I could care less. I don't look forward to the new standards. I don't look forward to Hollywood thinking they can rerelease their movies that I've already bought three times every time they upgrade formats (VHS, Laserdisc, DVD, [New DVD Standard]), and then expect me to buy all new hardware to deal with it on my home theatre system and my computer's media reader. They want "wow factor" and another way to try to "stamp out piracy" at the expense of my paycheck.

Money hungry bastards.

[Begin flame wars]

[frederec]

I agree with emperordahc. The only thing that sounds good about these new formats is the possibility of squeezing whole seasons of tv shows on one or two discs. I'm not getting an HDTV until I can afford it without having to sacrifice all the games and music and stuff I already buy. But I do really hope if there is a format war it is very very short lived.

[RedDeadMeatCloak]

I may be a loaner here, but I could care less. I don't look forward to the new standards. I don't look forward to Hollywood thinking they can rerelease their movies that I've already bought three times every time they upgrade formats (VHS, Laserdisc, DVD, [New DVD Standard]), and then expect me to buy all new hardware to deal with it on my home theatre system and my computer's media reader. They want "wow factor" and another way to try to "stamp out piracy" at the expense of my paycheck.

Money hungry bastards.

[Begin flame wars]

1) 80% of DVD sales are NEW titles, not catalog sales. This isn't like cassette->CD or even VHS->DVD. You don't have to replace your library as the format is backwards compatible. You can just buy new titles on HD.

2) The difference between quality is outstanding. For those that have an HDTV (w/HDMI) ;) . 1080p with 7.1 Dynamic Dolby Digial audio will destroy a standard def movie. If you're not ready for this change, that's perfectly fine. Even DVD took a good 3-4 years to take off.

[TRiLoGY]

1) 80% of DVD sales are NEW titles, not catalog sales. This isn't like cassette->CD or even VHS->DVD. You don't have to replace your library as the format is backwards compatible. You can just buy new titles on HD.

2) The difference between quality is outstanding. For those that have an HDTV (w/HDMI) ;) . 1080p with 7.1 Dynamic Dolby Digial audio will destroy a standard def movie. If you're not ready for this change, that's perfectly fine. Even DVD took a good 3-4 years to take off.

I think you have made a good point.. :)

You dont have to buy all your films again just because a new format is out.. What stops you from watching all of your old films on your old format hardware?

[Last of the Red Hot Mamas]

You know, if the studios are really so concerned about splitting the market, they should've refused to support either format until the hardware people agreed on a unified standard. Of course, Sony owns Columbia and MGM, so a complete boycott wouldn't be possible, but Blu-Ray would still sink like a stone if it only had support from those two studios and no one else. Oh well, missed opportunities...

[Vulture]

I you have to have Hidef HDTV, why stop there? Most of us enjoyed the videos in VHS and enjoy the DVD because the thing does not degrade. But to say you gotta buy again for a better viewing experience is stupid. By that argument you should be buying copies of the film prints like Quentin Tarentino does.

[mister_slim]

I'm not sure if the same thing works with HD-DVD, but Blu-Ray could gain a lot of traction by switching over to combo DVD/Blu-Ray disks. They'd lose some money at the beginning, but it would give them a quicker uptake, as well as a bigger library. If everyone has a bunch of DVDs that also have Blu-Ray layers by the PS3 launch, the machine is going to be pretty tempting.

[Mrbunchypants]

It would be nice if hey did coem to an agreement. Sony has to much rideing on the PS3 now to back down so i think it's unlikely anything will happen. and with a date for it's PS3 to come out this does give them a player that plays Blurays even if there arent' any out yet. Even companys that might back HD DVD can't complain about an install base that sony could have with the PS3.
Of course if the PS3 flops then HD DVD will win. Sony has alot rideing on that one thing..........

[Wonka]

1) 80% of DVD sales are NEW titles, not catalog sales. This isn't like cassette->CD or even VHS->DVD. You don't have to replace your library as the format is backwards compatible. You can just buy new titles on HD.

2) The difference between quality is outstanding. For those that have an HDTV (w/HDMI) ;) . 1080p with 7.1 Dynamic Dolby Digial audio will destroy a standard def movie. If you're not ready for this change, that's perfectly fine. Even DVD took a good 3-4 years to take off.


80%?!?!? Sources please.

[Twigz'N'Berries]

I you have to have Hidef HDTV, why stop there? Most of us enjoyed the videos in VHS and enjoy the DVD because the thing does not degrade. But to say you gotta buy again for a better viewing experience is stupid. By that argument you should be buying copies of the film prints like Quentin Tarentino does.

I have to disagree with you there. I stopped watching VHS because it looked like shite when compared to a DVD. Period. I didn't care as much about degradation (though you were right on that) as I did that they looked so much worse than a DVD...especially on a good television set.
If High Def makes DVD look like VHS, I'm in. That would easily enhance the viewing experience...coupled with better audio...forget about it.