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[Ignatz Mouse]

It's premature to call the war over, but it may not be premature to predict it. I said (in this thread?) that I didn't think Unversal would announce BluRay support before 2008, if they do. And that mean the format war will technically be alive. However, if retailers do stop carrying HD-DVD, it's all but over.

 

[el Diablo]

I must have missed it, but what makes Bluray players so much more expensive to manufacture compared to HD-DVD ones?

They cost pretty much the same amount but Toshiba has been subsidizing some of the cost on their players.

 

[HokieJoe]

News flash-- you can already get a cheper BluRay player than the PS3. Again, stop obfuscating, fanboy.

Which one(s)? The only one's I'm aware of are the refurb'd or marked down Samsung players.

 

[HokieJoe]

They cost pretty much the same amount but Toshiba has been subsidizing some of the cost on their players.

IIRC, the OPU (optical pickup unit) in Bluray drives are more expensive to manufacture than HDDVD.

 

[Stinkles]

One thing that pisses me off about both formats is that the movie companies used it as an opportunity to train us that movies cost about $30.

 

[ChrisJames]

Blood Diamond dates announced for high definition

It looks like Warner released a statement today to retailers. I don't have the official link, but I found it over on avs and highdefdigest (forums). It looks legit. This will only ignite the extras vs. film debate, seeing how HD DVD version comes out one month later due to the extras being implemented (presumably).


The Five Time Academy Award® Nominee
Debuts in High Definition
June 5 on Blu-ray Disc from Warner Home Video

Also Debuting For the First Time Ever July 2 on HD-DVD
The First WHV High Definition Title to Include New
Web-Enabled Features

Burbank, California (April 18, 2007) – June 5 marks Warner Home Video’s high definition debut of the heart-pounding adventure Blood Diamond on Blu-ray Disc, a must-have for Blu-ray Disc collectors. Blood Diamond has been nominated for five Academy Awards® including Best Actor (DiCaprio) and Best Supporting Actor (Hounsou). Also bursting with extras, the HD DVD will debut July 2 and includes commentary by director Edward Zwick, featurettes and production diaries.

The HD DVD of Blood Diamond will be the first HD DVD to include web-enabled extras which allows viewers to use their players to offer opinions in WHV’s online polls and to view other exciting special features such as maps of conflict pertaining to war-torn areas in Africa.

The HD DVD version of Blood Diamond will also contain the In-Movie Experience (IME), an exclusive interactive feature that allows viewers to enjoy new ways of accessing interviews and other material while the movie is running. In addition, for the first time WHV will include the new Focus Points feature that takes the viewer to exciting in-depth featurettes and production diaries. The IME for Blood Diamond allows viewers to embark on an epic journey with director Edward Zwick, charting the emotional and filmmaking challenges of Blood Diamond.

Acclaimed filmmaker Edward Zwick (Last Samurai, Glory) directs this thrilling epic about the human cost of the diamond trade set in war-torn Sierra Leone. The film which was touted as “undeniably gripping” (David Ansen, Newsweek), stars three-time Academy Award® nominee Leonardo DiCaprio (The Departed, The Aviator, Gangs of New York), two-time Academy Award nominee Djimon Hounsou (Constantine, Gladiator, In America) and Academy Award winner Jennifer Connelly (Little Children, A Beautiful Mind). The HD DVD and Blu-ray Discs will be available for $28.99 SRP.

 

[DarkJediKnight]

50gb VC-1 with Dolby True HD Lossless (Japanese) YES!

 

[el Diablo]

WHERE IS THE 300 HD RELEASE NEWS!?! (caps necessary for discussing 300 )

One thing that pisses me off about both formats is that the movie companies used it as an opportunity to train us that movies cost about $30.

I'm with you, i'm already re-trained to spend more on discs, although for me it's $25.

 

[XMonkey]

One thing that pisses me off about both formats is that the movie companies used it as an opportunity to train us that movies cost about $30.

That was kind of the whole point :\

 

[wasting]

The HD DVD of Blood Diamond will be the first HD DVD to include web-enabled extras which allows viewers to use their players to offer opinions in WHV’s online polls and to view other exciting special features such as maps of conflict pertaining to war-torn areas in Africa.[/B]

awesome! Can't wait for this movie

 

[Zoe]

One thing that pisses me off about both formats is that the movie companies used it as an opportunity to train us that movies cost about $30.

It wasn't too long ago that that was the MSRP of standard DVD's (at least the "good" versions).

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

Which one(s)? The only one's I'm aware of are the refurb'd or marked down Samsung players.

Marked-down Samsung player. Does it not count if it's selling below MSRP? Becuase pretty much all electronics in this price range sell below MSRP.

 

[djkimothy]

Blood Diamond dates announced for high definition

It looks like Warner released a statement today to retailers. I don't have the official link, but I found it over on avs and highdefdigest (forums). It looks legit. This will only ignite the extras vs. film debate, seeing how HD DVD version comes out one month later due to the extras being implemented (presumably).


The Five Time Academy Award® Nominee
Debuts in High Definition
June 5 on Blu-ray Disc from Warner Home Video

Also Debuting For the First Time Ever July 2 on HD-DVD
The First WHV High Definition Title to Include New
Web-Enabled Features

Burbank, California (April 18, 2007) – June 5 marks Warner Home Video’s high definition debut of the heart-pounding adventure Blood Diamond on Blu-ray Disc, a must-have for Blu-ray Disc collectors. Blood Diamond has been nominated for five Academy Awards® including Best Actor (DiCaprio) and Best Supporting Actor (Hounsou). Also bursting with extras, the HD DVD will debut July 2 and includes commentary by director Edward Zwick, featurettes and production diaries.

That's absolute bullshit. I don't care that Warner gives HDDVD extras, but where the **** is Batman Begins and Matrix Collection if they're going to pull this off?

Another reason that I suspect the hold off of those films is just a cheap cop out to artificially delay those titles.

 

[Beer Monkey]

One thing that pisses me off about both formats is that the movie companies used it as an opportunity to train us that movies cost about $30.

What I learned in the last gen was that I do have a tendency to buy too much stuff that I will watch only once. High-def disc is the rental generation as far as I'm concerned. Netflix and Blockbuster.com FTW. The studios better hope that I'm not part of a larger trend.

Yeah, I ordered Planet Earth, and I've got a handful of BD flicks and will be buying more. But I'm buying a LOT less than I did on DVD.

 

[Stinkles]

Blockbuster.com FTW. The studios better hope that I'm not part of a larger trend.

Yeah, I ordered Planet Earth, and I've got a handful of BD flicks and will be buying more. But I'm buying a LOT less than I did on DVD.

That's how I feel, but right now there's a lot less to actually buy. So I can't be sure yet.

 

[Mrbob]

I'm personally not excited at all to buy catalog titles on HD. I want new releases.

 

[jjasper]

What I learned in the last gen was that I do have a tendency to buy too much stuff that I will watch only once. High-def disc is the rental generation as far as I'm concerned. Netflix and Blockbuster.com FTW. The studios better hope that I'm not part of a larger trend.

Yeah, I ordered Planet Earth, and I've got a handful of BD flicks and will be buying more. But I'm buying a LOT less than I did on DVD.

That is what is happening to me which leads to a question:

netflix or blockbuster?

 

[mrklaw]

What I learned in the last gen was that I do have a tendency to buy too much stuff that I will watch only once. High-def disc is the rental generation as far as I'm concerned. Netflix and Blockbuster.com FTW. The studios better hope that I'm not part of a larger trend.

Yeah, I ordered Planet Earth, and I've got a handful of BD flicks and will be buying more. But I'm buying a LOT less than I did on DVD.

what *I* learned was that I bought a lot of discs that I wanted to collect, but which have now been rendered obsolete. I have no qualms about rebuying many of them in HD as I personally consider HD to be 'safe'. i.e its over that line where any increase in resolution/quality is effectively meaningless. DVD was the inbetween step from VHS - HD

 

[Suikoguy]

what *I* learned was that I bought a lot of discs that I wanted to collect, but which have now been rendered obsolete. I have no qualms about rebuying many of them in HD as I personally consider HD to be 'safe'. i.e its over that line where any increase in resolution/quality is effectively meaningless. DVD was the inbetween step from VHS - HD

That's my view as well, and also why I did not buy many (actually only a few) DVDs

The 1080p resolution is very close to the original film resolution, or at least close enough that it will be very difficult to tell the difference if it was higher.

Of course.. now they are filming the new stuff in even higher resolutions.. hehe

 

[heavy liquid]

What I learned in the last gen was that I do have a tendency to buy too much stuff that I will watch only once. High-def disc is the rental generation as far as I'm concerned. Netflix and Blockbuster.com FTW. The studios better hope that I'm not part of a larger trend.

Yeah, I ordered Planet Earth, and I've got a handful of BD flicks and will be buying more. But I'm buying a LOT less than I did on DVD.

Same here. I have shelves full of DVDs that I could have and should have just rented. Some DVDs I haven't touched in 5+ years. This time around, I'll be renting most and buying the occasional movie, rather than the other way around.

 

[OmniGamer]

On the other hand I was completely broke during the rise of the DVD era, so I really don't have much of a collection...now however, I have a bit of disposable money, i'm now ready to buy a lot of things in HD on Blu-Ray, since I now have an HDTV. The only significant overlap from me will be from the Matrix movies and the x-men movies. I don't have any LOTR discs, Star Wars(original nor prequel), etc. Just a few movies here and there and mainly animated TV series sets

Yay for being broke!

 

[AgentOtaku]

Same here. I have shelves full of DVDs that I could have and should have just rented. Some DVDs I haven't touched in 5+ years. This time around, I'll be renting most and buying the occasional movie, rather than the other way around.

this is the exact method I've adopted as well

GODSPEED YOU NETFLIX!!!!!

 

[Beer Monkey]

That is what is happening to me which leads to a question:

netflix or blockbuster?

Well, I'm grandfathered in on the 'two game rentals a month' thing from Blockbuster.com. So I pay my $17.99, rent two free games, rent some Blu-Rays by mail, and swap those Blu-Rays for some TV-on-DVD rentals at the local store after I watch them. It's hard to walk away from.

Even new members can do it and rent one game.

 

[HokieJoe]

I'm personally not excited at all to buy catalog titles on HD. I want new releases.

Wow, there's all kinds of catalog titles that I want. Of course I want new releases as well, but catalog titles could hold me over for years.

 

[Bebpo]

I was reading The Digitalbits today and what Bill Hunt had to say was pretty interesting:

...that HD-DVD currently leads Blu-ray in the European market. Though again, Blu-ray still has the upper hand here in North America, as well as Japan and Australia.

So what does all this mean? Well, each side has been able to claim small victories, but not much more. You know, the longer all this drags on, the more we're starting to believe that high-definition movies on disc are just going to remain an enthusiast niche format. We're a year into this format war and neither side appears willing to back down. Each side has their exclusive titles. Each side has their share of technical problems. For every price cut in Blu-ray Disc players, Toshiba seems to slash the price of their HD-DVD players to undercut it. We'd be surprised if the 4th Qtr doesn't see $399 Blu-ray players and $299 HD-DVD players. The sad thing is, if this thing drags on past the end of 2007, I think we're all going to lose. Retailers are going to be faced with the continued prospect of devoting valuable shelf space to three formats, and some will simply stop doing it. New combo players will delight enthusiasts, but their high price will keep them from being any kind of a real mass-market solution. Combo format discs like Total HD might appear, but there inevitably will be manufacturing and player compatibility issues, not to mention the fact that the best and most elaborate special editions will still have to be released on separate HD-DVDs and Blu-ray Discs because of disc space issues. And most consumers are still going to be faced with a confusing choice between two competing formats... and they'll decide to just stick with DVD. We're 10 years into DVD, the most successful consumer packaged media format ever, and there are still major and beloved catalog films that have yet to be released. With HD discs a niche format, and with two competing formats, there are hundreds if not thousands of great films that will never see the light of day on either format. And sooner rather than later, the industry will move on to the Next Big Thing. Let's hope it doesn't come to that. But the early signs aren't looking good.

I think he's just saying what a lot of people on both sides are thinking and it's pretty :\

 

[AgentOtaku]

I was reading The Digitalbits today and what Bill Hunt had to say was pretty interesting:


I think he's just saying what a lot of people on both sides are thinking and it's pretty :\

absolutely....this shit needs to ****ing end already 'cause it isn't funny anymore =(

no more "Blood Diamond" situations dammit! (>__<)

 

[ManaByte]

absolutely....this shit needs to ****ing end already 'cause it isn't funny anymore =(

no more "Blood Diamond" situations dammit! (>__<)

Ok. Lets see. Blood Diamond is being released on HD-DVD with HDi extras (In Movie Experience, online stuff, etc) and they are releasing a BRD version without those extras and people are bitching? Would you rather them NOT release it on BRD at all like Batman and V for Vendetta?

Edit: Hell, the BRD Blood Diamond comes out nearly a whole month before the HD-DVD version.

 

[mrklaw]

I was reading The Digitalbits today and what Bill Hunt had to say was pretty interesting:


I think he's just saying what a lot of people on both sides are thinking and it's pretty :\

I don't think its quite as bleak as he makes out. As long as replication costs are reasonable (and it seems as though they are, and they'll continue to fall), then studios that are already sitting on HD masters done when DVD was booming will just shit out HD versions to take advantage of the work they've already done.

 

[AgentOtaku]

Ok. Lets see. Blood Diamond is being released on HD-DVD with HDi extras (In Movie Experience, online stuff, etc) and they are releasing a BRD version without those extras and people are bitching? Would you rather them NOT release it on BRD at all like Batman and V for Vendetta?

Edit: Hell, the BRD Blood Diamond comes out nearly a whole month before the HD-DVD version.

but I don't know what one I want!...........GNAAAHHAHAH THIS IS MADNESS!!!!!!

I don't think its quite as bleak as he makes out. As long as replication costs are reasonable (and it seems as though they are, and they'll continue to fall), then studios that are already sitting on HD masters done when DVD was booming will just shit out HD versions to take advantage of the work they've already done.

yep

 

[kaching]

I was reading The Digitalbits today and what Bill Hunt had to say was pretty interesting:


I think he's just saying what a lot of people on both sides are thinking and it's pretty :\

For anyone who wants to dive fully into HD movies here and now, yeah, the situation is bleh. But mainstream acceptance wasn't going to happen in the first few years even if there was only one format to adopt in the first place and most of the issues that Bill H. bemoans in this article would still be occurring in the meantime.

Everybody acts like DVD didn't go through a similarly awkward and painful period of early growth.

 

[Oni Jazar]

Ok. Lets see. Blood Diamond is being released on HD-DVD with HDi extras (In Movie Experience, online stuff, etc) and they are releasing a BRD version without those extras and people are bitching? Would you rather them NOT release it on BRD at all like Batman and V for Vendetta?

Edit: Hell, the BRD Blood Diamond comes out nearly a whole month before the HD-DVD version.

The problem is that there are two different versions to begin with. Its the Playstation/Xbox situation except in movie form. Exclusive titles, multiplatform titles, benefits and drawbacks, it's disgusting.

 

[DarkJediKnight]

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/hom042207/index.php?startpage=2

Latest Videoscan article

Total discs sold Q1
BD: 832,530
HD: 359,300

Total discs SI as of end of Q1
BD: 1.2 million
HD: 937,500

New numbers in. The spanking continues. I'm extremely surprised to see HD DVD doing so bad considering they'd had more releases and better titles in the last 2 weeks.

 

[bud]

boomheadshot.gif

 

[Suikoguy]

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/hom042207/index.php?startpage=2

New numbers in. The spanking continues. I'm extremely surprised to see HD DVD doing so bad considering they'd had more releases and better titles in the last 2 weeks.

But.. but.. THE AMAZON CHARTS!!

 

[DarkJediKnight]

But.. but.. THE AMAZON CHARTS!!

Online trends can be an indication of what sales are like but it isn't the full story. For example, The Fifth Element is a big seller for Blu-ray yet it's never on amazon top ten.

 

[Suikoguy]

Online trends can be an indication of what sales are like but it isn't the full story. For example, The Fifth Element is a big seller for Blu-ray yet it's never on amazon top ten.

I was being Sarcastic
People have been using them lately has proof that HD-DVD is selling better, oftentimes even to indicate that it's gaining significant ground on blu-ray.

 

[Y2Kev]

suicide watch

 

[jjasper]

Total discs sold Q1
BD: 832,530
HD: 359,300

Holy crap

 

[bud]

alciabades...

 

[DarkJediKnight]

Includes PCM audio like Departed.

 

[Mrbob]

Everybody acts like DVD didn't go through a similarly awkward and painful period of early growth.

For reals.

Seems like people have amnesia abou tthe early DVD days. Especially when there was a big push for the Divx format too. Circuit City only stocking Divx enabled players for the long time.

 

[Lord Error]

Well I guess this current week could see some change of fortune for HDDVD because of the whole "buy an HDDVD on Amazon" day that started this week.

Then again, BR is outselling HDDVD again even on Amazon.

 

[teiresias]

Well I guess this current week could see some change of fortune for HDDVD because of the whole "buy an HDDVD on Amazon" day that started this week.

Then again, BR is outselling HDDVD again even on Amazon.

The effects of that whole thing are debatable (until we get final numbers obviously). First, some of those Amazon orders possibly would have gone through local brick & mortar (or another online store) instead at any other time, so you're simply moving a sale from one place to another (all in the name of moving Amazon sale charts). Second, alot of people were using the event to pre-order discs, which ups said content in the Amazon charts, but I believe the actual Nielsen numbers only count actual released discs, so those orders, while affecting the Amazon charts would do nothing to the actual sales charts. At the very least the pre-orders would only begin affecting the numbers in a few weeks - assuming alot of people that pre-ordered didn't end up cancelling after the hoopla is over and realize, "eh, I don't even really want Planet Earth anyway."

 

[djkimothy]

boomheadshot.gif

LOL, the gif was right above you... :lol

Anyways, I was about to suggest to change the thread title to HDDVD takeover watch due to its resurgance. But, nm that. :/

 

[Forsete]

Includes PCM audio like Departed.

Buy.

 

[el Diablo]

If Blood Diamond gets a PCM track one can only hope and pray Warner will get it right and give 300 a PCM track as well.

 

[cheekymunky]

I have a question for those of you in know about the HDDVD vs. BR thing.


I went to Best Buy on Tuesday to get my second BR movie (the first being the pack-in Rickie Bobbie crap). I decided to get The Last Samurai just because I like the movie...but when I found the rack for the Hi Def disc format movies the shelf space for both formats was the exact same. My question is why, if more movie studios support BR, that stores are dedicating the exact same space for both formats?
Personally, I have not decided which format I think is going to win but if BR really has such a lead on HDDVD then one would think the BR movies would be shown more prominently.

 

[btrboyev]

Personally, I have not decided which format I think is going to win but if BR really has such a lead on HDDVD then one would think the BR movies would be shown more prominently.

because neither format is doing all that well and its more profitable for a store to still focus on DVD.

 

[cheekymunky]

There is no doubt that the store if focusing more in DVD than the next gen formats.

My question has to do more with studio support in pushing the formats I guess.

 

[Suikoguy]

There is no doubt that the store if focusing more in DVD than the next gen formats.

My question has to do more with studio support in pushing the formats I guess.

The dramatic shift really started this year, Stores take a while to make changes.