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Hi-Def Media Lovefest: The war is over and we can all go home.

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Crayon Shinchan

Aquafina Fanboy
Ignatz Mouse said:
Yeah, posted, denied, and debated already.

Doesn't really matter that much-- what happened happened, for whatever reason.

Well it kinda does matter. Who paid them off? Did they get paid off? If they didn't, that's some bone headed shit right there. Of course it's plain as day obvious that they did, so in that case, who paid them off? And what's their agenda?

Toshiba and MS? Was their agenda to prop up HD-DVD?

Or fuck with HD in general? Well, we know that both companies have interests vested outside of HD media, so it's definetly not out of the question.

And if their plan is to screw over HD media in general... is it even reasonable to support two companies trying to screw over your own interests like that?
 
Crayon Shinchan said:
Well it kinda does matter. Who paid them off? Did they get paid off? If they didn't, that's some bone headed shit right there. Of course it's plain as day obvious that they did, so in that case, who paid them off? And what's their agenda?

Toshiba and MS? Was their agenda to prop up HD-DVD?

Or fuck with HD in general? Well, we know that both companies have interests vested outside of HD media, so it's definetly not out of the question.

And if their plan is to screw over HD media in general... is it even reasonable to support two companies trying to screw over your own interests like that?

HD DVD fans will forever be in denial of this until it is too late. This is the unfortunate truth.
 

HokieJoe

Member
WULFER said:
Ignatz Mouse, seriously I would normally agree with you but, big changes are coming soon. this is just a small piece of things up for discussion!



http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=latestnews&id=1618


See in the 1980s there were no digital distribution going on and it was ruled in the studios favor they they pretty much got all the royalties from that. This is just one small reason a strikes about to take place. Studios feel they they are getting stiffed and left with the bill, Actors/ess feel they should get even more money because without them a movie can't be made and ditto for writers and directors. It's one big mess that about to come to a head. Everyone wants more (big shock there) and no one wants to take a cut.

The royalty guide book is about to be re-negotiated and everyone's preparing for a long hold out to see who caves first! Well, we'll see what comes of this starting next year!


That's pretty funny actually. I think all of them need to take a pay cut, but actors/actresses/directors should get their fair share of the residuals. Geez, I can see it now- Hollyweird outsourced to China. :lol
 
distantmantra said:
Nope, Tranformers is distributed by Paramount, Universal and/or Dreamworks outside North America.

Dammit!!!!!

ugh. I want this goddamn movie in HD but I can't fathom spending 200 bucks for 1 movie.

In the same boat.

SD Version is a no no, even if its upscaled. Ill probably crack in November/December and buy it for HD-DVD with a player. Unless a miracle happens!
 
Yeah Toshiba and MS are pouring millions of dollars into fucking over HD media. :lol

MS themselves are SUPPORTING HD media through 'managed copy' (you might want to look that up) and Toshiba spent millions developing the damn format. What is wrong with some of you people?
 
This stuff just doesn't make sense to me. Why can't they all just get behind one format? Either Sony or Toshiba makes alot of money on the discs. Either way this fight is just hurting I, the consumer...They are forcing a split market which sucks ass. I really don't care which one wins as long as there is ONLY 1!
 
So now HD-DVD has exclusive rights to Paramount, Dreamworks, and Porn. I HATE all this exclusitivity of movies. Eventually the consumers are going to be the ones that get screwed cuz we will eventually need to buy BOTH types of players. ( Blue-Ray & HD-DVD ) to watch all our movies :(
 

cvxfreak

Member
KachoMakura said:
Yeah Toshiba and MS are pouring millions of dollars into fucking over HD media. :lol

MS themselves are SUPPORTING HD media through 'managed copy' (you might want to look that up) and Toshiba spent millions developing the damn format. What is wrong with some of you people?

As anti-consumer as this may come off, I've got to agree. I don't find this in the least bit unfair. Toshiba (and MS) have every right to go as far as the law and their resources will take them to win the format war.
 

davepoobond

you can't put a price on sparks
buy'em off one at a time until sony is the only studio releasing movies on the format?

i dont think its that easy though, Sony is huge in the movie/tv business...and MGM too, which is partly owned by Sony now.
 

Crayon Shinchan

Aquafina Fanboy
KachoMakura said:
Yeah Toshiba and MS are pouring millions of dollars into fucking over HD media. :lol

MS themselves are SUPPORTING HD media through 'managed copy' (you might want to look that up) and Toshiba spent millions developing the damn format. What is wrong with some of you people?

Toshiba has vested interests in the form of DVD.

For whatever reason, they didn't catch the upcoming HD standard back in 2003 so concieved a format to battle with it. However, even as early as 2005, it has become blatantly obvious that they had little to no chance; BD in PS3 and studio support against them. Still, they'd already spent a decent amount of money R&D at that stage; so they might as well make use of HD-DVD.

If they can't make profit from it (and they aren't; when they're selling HD-DVD units at cost or below price... when your major reason for entering into a new market is for higher profit margins; and when you forsake it so easily, then you know something's up), then at least they can use it to help their DVD revenue out.
The longer DVDs stay as the dominant platform, the longer Toshiba recieves revenue from a mature platform. More than enough to offset the losses from their fledgling HD-DVD business.

As for managed copy; you're going to have to clue me in with that. But suffice to say, while HD-DVD succeeding is ok for MS, there's no doubt they're far far more interested in an online HD media portal that's controlled by them. There's far more potential there then there'll ever be in sharing a few technologies with the HD format.

You have to see things from a long term perspective. There's far more potential for both parties than the couple hundred million already poured into the fledling format. It's billions upon billions over the life time of HD media.

Even if HD-DVD has been a losing proposition for Toshiba; it doesn't mean that it can't benefit them still. Indeed, because it can, in its use as a device to obfuscate HD media adoption, they're still sticking to it.
 
I think that HD-DVD essentially = VC1 and Blu Ray equals AVC. Maybe not right now, but in the future I can easily see it going that way.

If MS gets $1 per copy of every movie sold that supports VC1 they will make hundreds of millions of dollars a year in on that royalty. This goes too for the HD-DVD group. the money to be made here is crazy.

Movie studios do not want Digital Downloads. If you rent a movie for $5, the studio still has to use a compressor and then the profits get split by them and the rental system. Why do they want that when they can sell 1 million + movies at $25 a piece per title? They are so used to the revenue stream from DVD they would be foolish to change their business model. They would rather add to their revenue sources that currently exist than do an upheaval to their established structure.

Digital Downloads also carry with them the necessity of having a set top box that controls it. Sure, MS and whoever can get in bed with the HD PVR manufacturers but they would start from scratch and then have to share profits with cable companies (who probably want ther service all to themselves.) The 360 can do it but it isn't a mass market media product and selling it as such isn't going to work.

As a side note, I also think it is in the best interests of movie studios to not fill Sony's coffers with $$$ as they are a direct competitor with them in the film industry. Why give them the financing to put out more big films and the ability to hire all of the top tier talent? It isn't like Toshiba, and Microsoft are going to start giant film divisions.
 

lupin23rd

Member
So who really does want digital distro (other than M$)?

Even 10 years from now, I have a hard time seeing Virgin / HMV empty, and Best Buy have a huge empty spot where all their CDs / DVDs are. I'm inclined to believe retailers don't want it.
 

mrklaw

MrArseFace
as fucked up as this is (and it is fucked up), Sony must be kicking themselves right now. $150m is all it'd have taken to turn Universal bluray exclusive and end this in one stroke? Someone in corporate strategy is going to get fired for missing that one!
 

Xater

Member
mrklaw said:
as fucked up as this is (and it is fucked up), Sony must be kicking themselves right now. $150m is all it'd have taken to turn Universal bluray exclusive and end this in one stroke? Someone in corporate strategy is going to get fired for missing that one!

Paramount...
 

Xater

Member
mrklaw said:
thats my point. If HDDVD bought out paramount, BDA could have bought out Universal first.

Seems all you need is a big wallet

Paramount wasn`t exclusive before therefor it was possible. Who knows what contracts Universal has in place.
 
On the AVS forums, an insider is making claims that the Paramount / Dreamworks exclusivity agreement was a preemptive strike and that the BDA have something big up their sleeves.

Guys I am around 24 to 48 hours away from being able to report a MAJOR Blu-ray announcement. I have learned today from a BDA insider that this Paramount development was actually a pre-emptive strike to counter a soon to be made MAJOR annoucement from the BDA.

Assuming everything falls in place as this insider expects, it will be the biggest shot fired thus far in this format war. If this contract can be secured by the BDA this will be the end of this format war, no doubt.

As soon as I get the OK, I will post here in the Blu-ray section. If this happens it gives me new hope that HDM will survive.

~Josh

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=894516

End the format war? Those are big words, my friend.
 

Laurent

Member
Onix said:
You're forgetting catalog titles
But they seem to be releasing HD content at the same time they chose to do an "Ultimate Edition" like they did with Fifth Element and Coming to America...? And another point could be that they need to do this anyway because people will start requesting HD content. Choosing a format or doing it for both should not affect marketing costs, but only production costs. Production costs, that I could consider an important factor for choosing a camp, but nothing else...
 

Chemo

Member
thaivo said:
Chemo, I see that your avatar has lost a little something. :D
It's in no way related to the HD news... I was actually tired of looking at the old one. XD

That insider, if he's legit, has to be talking about Warner Bros. Universal is a no-go at this point, Sony has tried to pay them to no avail. Warner is the biggest deal going in HD movies, and if they can get them Blu-ray exclusive and have them pull all of their HD DVDs out of print, it is totally done for the format.
 

mrklaw

MrArseFace
Chemo said:
It's in no way related to the HD news... I was actually tired of looking at the old one. XD

That insider, if he's legit, has to be talking about Warner Bros. Universal is a no-go at this point, Sony has tried to pay them to no avail. Warner is the biggest deal going in HD movies, and if they can get them Blu-ray exclusive and have them pull all of their HD DVDs out of print, it is totally done for the format.


agreed. Universal is exclusive, but their content isn't nearly as compelling currently as Warner. Look at HDDVD sales - warner sells way more than universal.

Imagine how stupid Paramount would feel going HDDVD exclusive just as Warner pulls the rug. I hope Paramount have some good termination clauses in that contract.
 

djkimothy

Member
I trust Josh as he's provided PR info from Paramount in the last couple of days.

I don't think this has anything to do with a studio but I could be wrong. Maybe Best Buy will only stock Blu-ray movies? That seems realistic. I think it'll take a lot of sway to push Warner or Universal to the other side.
 

Cheebs

Member
WULFER said:
You guys realize Paramount has one of the biggest movies this Christmas, Beowulf?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0442933/
Paramount also has Bee Movie (animated film written by Seinfeld writers and staring Jerry Seinfeld) which many expect to make A LOT of money.

In 2007 so far Paramount is the biggest studio, it will be shocking if they aren't still the #1 studio by years end.

The rankings for those who are curious are:

1. Paramount (HD-DVD)
2. Warner Bros. (Neutral)
3. Disney (Blu-Ray)
4. Sony (Blu-Ray)
5. Universal (HD-DVD)
6. Fox (Blu-Ray)
 

Chemo

Member
WULFER said:
You guys realize Paramount has one of the biggest movies this Christmas, Beowulf?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0442933/
Oh, you came in here with an HD DVD agenda? I guess I didn't notice in the midst of your strike rambling.

Beowulf is a non-issue in HD format war right now because the fucking movie hasn't even come out in theaters yet. The earliest it's going to be released on HD DVD (if it is day and date with the standard-def DVD) is late Q1 2008, and it could easily slip into Q2 or Q3 depending on Paramount's schedule.

I mean, while we're talking about movies that don't mean shit to the format war right now, I guess we could talk about the new Bond film? Or WALL-E.

It's a little early to talk about this film's effect on the format war. Things will be different when it comes out.
 

djkimothy

Member
justjohn said:
wow. hope its something huge

Apparently it's enough to end the war. Now was it able to do that before or after the Paramount news? If the latter, then we're back where we were depending on the news.

Also, what if the Paramount deal affects the outlook of the contract? Would the third party back down now in light of this news?
 

Chemo

Member
jjasper said:
My guess is that it is hyperbole and it is just Weinstein going neutral (if there is anything at all)
If the guy is legit, it's not Weinstein. Paramount wouldn't be given $150 million in retaliation for Weinstein going neutral or Blu-ray exclusive.
 

Days like these...

Have a Blessed Day
wasting said:
Wheres the insider? Josh? :lol If .. If .. If little too many of those to END the format war from a guy that thinks hes an insider

I agree that guy left himself alot of wiggle room. If things fall into place... If this contract can be secured... Seriously, I could be wrong but if I were you guys I wouldnt put too muxh stock into this guy's post.
 
Days like these... said:
I agree that guy left himself alot of wiggle room. If things fall into place... If this contract can be secured Seriously, I could be wrong if I were you guys I wouldnt put too muxh stock into this guy's post.


Your post is like a silent prayer.
 
Weinstein is nothing.

Warner exclusivity is HUGE! If that happens. I doubt it. We'll see. The impossible just happened so you never know. But I don't put any faith in this Josh guy.

Even still, Universal going neutral or even Blu-ray exclusive isn't on par with Paramount going HD DVD exclusive. Paramount is a huge player now, Universal is a has-been and will be for the next few years unless they get new management.
 

Chemo

Member
DarkJediKnight said:
Universal is a has-been and will be for the next few years unless they get new management.
Well, they could always release their Spielberg films if they went Blu-ray, I'm sure that would make some waves. :)
 

Wulfer

Member
Chemo said:
Oh, you came in here with an HD DVD agenda? I guess I didn't notice in the midst of your strike rambling.

Beowulf is a non-issue in HD format war right now because the fucking movie hasn't even come out in theaters yet. The earliest it's going to be released on HD DVD (if it is day and date with the standard-def DVD) is late Q1 2008, and it could easily slip into Q2 or Q3 depending on Paramount's schedule.

I mean, while we're talking about movies that don't mean shit to the format war right now, I guess we could talk about the new Bond film? Or WALL-E.

It's a little early to talk about this film's effect on the format war. Things will be different when it comes out.

Now now, Chemo you told me you didn't care about new releases that they didn't affect you. Did you lie?

And I quote:

Chemo said:
"My" movies are either decades old or made by directors who are in the business for the art form, not the money or glory.

Bring on some fucking strikes. It has nothing to do with the films I want in high definition, nor does it have anything to do with my personal entertainment.
 

Chemo

Member
WULFER said:
Now now, Chemo you told me you didn't care about new releases that they didn't affect you. Did you lie?

And I quote:
Dude, what?

I DON'T care about new releases. I'm trying to get you to SHUT UP about them. I guess you didn't read the sarcasm beneath the Bond and WALL-E comment, but I'm not terribly surprised since you don't seem very good at reading period.
 
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