Hello everyone,
My name is Kevin Collins and I have worked for Microsoft for the last 14 years working on database technology (Jet and SQL Mobile). I have been involved in HD DVD for almost three years; from the HD DVD Video specification process in the DVD Forum to current promotion of HD DVD features. I met a lot of you with the HTF chat in January of this year and hope to do another chat when my schedule permits to have more ongoing discussions. For those that dont know me, I am a home theater enthusiast. Starting in 1992 I had a Pioneer laser disc player, 1994 I had a Pioneer Elite 51 RPTV, in 1997 I had the Sony DVD player. In 1999 I moved to watching DVDs on a HTPC on a Sony G70 on a 8ft wide Stewart Filmscreen Studio Tek 130 screen and currently view HD content on a Marantz 1080P DLP PJ with BOTH formats on a Stewart Filmscreen Gray Hawk RS screen. So, even though I work at Microsoft, I have been a home theater enthusiast well before I started on HD DVD at Microsoft.
At any rate, since I am constantly traveling for HD DVD I haven't had time to become active on this forum. Im currently on vacation but something has come up that even my wife hasnt been able to prevent me from responding to. It has to do with posts regarding why and how Microsoft supports HD DVD. Here is an example of what I am referring to:
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/mytwocentsa141.html#dp
8/20/07 -- Well... the high-definition format war just got more confusing for consumers, and you can thank the hubris of the folks at Microsoft for it. Their HD-DVD format (because I'm sorry, can anyone really say it still belongs to Toshiba at this point?) badly needed a shot in the arm going into the holiday season, and just got it thanks to suitcases full of cash from the Microsoft camp
I want to go on the record stating that Microsoft did not provide any financial incentives to Paramount/Dreamworks recent decision to support HD DVD. This type of reporting amazes me and I challenge anyone to provide proof around these statements. They are unfounded and inaccurate.
Im not writing this to debate opinions on why one format will or will not prevail. Im a writing this to provide some factual information on why and how Microsoft supports HD DVD to hopefully put to rest some of the incorrect information I see online.
Originally Microsoft supported BOTH formats, then two CESs ago, Microsoft changed to only supporting HD DVD for the following three reasons:
1) Mandatory Managed copy. BD has since also supported this and we are all waiting on the final agreement to be completed from AACS.
2) Guaranteed hardware features on ALL HD DVD players. The mandatory features here being persistent storage, secondary video decoder and networking. Microsoft simply believes, as do the studios, including Disney, that interactivity is a reason for consumers to move from DVD. Please reference this document for reasons that the Warner Home Video and Disney put together in the DVD Forum:
http://www.dvdforum.org/images/Requi...0HD DVD Vi deo%20Application-July2005.pdf. Warner Home Video proves this out by releasing different features in 300 and Blood Diamond (networking sharing scenes with friends and PIP) and Paramount did it with MI:3 last year with PIP only in the HD DVD version.
3) Cheaper, higher yield and greater availability of replication. A perfect case point for this is the European market where there are a multitude of HD DVD titles that are only available from the BD studios in the US. The reason for this? Cheaper replication costs and the ability to use local replicators to produce discs. BD50 discs are only produced at two plants in the world (Terre Haute, IN and Japan). Thanks to no region control in HD DVD we can all legally enjoy Mr & Mrs Smith, The Prestige and others from sites
http://xploitedcinema.com/catalog/hd-dvds-c-35.html and
http://amazon.co.uk/s******sr_st/203-...t=-releasedate.
For the record, Microsofts involvement in HD DVD rotates around supporting the format by:
1) Xbox 360 HD DVD drive
2) VC-1 support for BOTH formats
3) HDi support
4) Work in the DVD Forum from working groups up to the steering committee.
This type of support shouldnt come as a surprise to anyone as this is what Microsoft has historically done, support developers to use tools to provide the best experience for their customers.
While a lot of people disagree with data posted on Harry Knowles site (
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articl...oap060107.html) Harry accurately reported why Paramount is supporting HD DVD moving forward when he said (
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/33722):
For those of us consuming these products - it's easy to simply believe decisions are made due to just advertising incentives, but when you speak to the technology guys inside these studios - you hear that HD DVD is cheaper, serves the technological needs of the High Definition format, that the programming languages are an extension of the established DVD format - so it is easier for them to work with. This decision is about more than an intial Toshiba advertising incentive - the decision was made at a tech level, an economic level and about a cost delivery level to the public. Paramount made this decision from the tech guys up.
I hope this clears up the misinformation that has been reported regarding Microsofts involvement in the Paramount/Dreamworks decision or in the rumored involvement with Warner. For the record, I respect Bill in that we are both enthusiast from the days of laser discs and we are both interested in seeing movies in HD the way that they were originally on film. In the meantime, I look forward to continue showing everyone, with shipping titles, why Microsoft believes in HD DVD.
Best,
- kevin
