NEW HD format to be launched...the industry responds to HTF demands! (1 Viewer)

For those of you who think that your posts at HTF go un-noticed by the studios think again...this is PROOF that we're being heard.

In response to the the all-important early-adoptor needs of "cheaper" and "out sooner" the industry HAS DEVELOPED AN ENTIRELY NEW HD FORMAT TO MEET THESE DEMANDS. I'm honestly *stunned* as you are when I got some insider tips this morning.

After the posts by many HTF members who have given their support to HD DVD and expressed that their decision is because it's "cheaper" and "will be out sooner" -- which are their most important priorities for a new format that may last for decades in their movie collection -- the industry has responded!

Here are the details:

In an effort to save cost and time (the two most important priorities for many HD enthusiasts it seems), the new format will not require a new player purchase. Instead, the new HD format will work using your existing DVD player. Amazing as it sounds...read on...

The new format will also not require any new disc purchase. This is the most astonishing part of all...the new HD format will actually work using your *existing* DVD collection.

What you do is place place a new "HD" stickers on the cases of your Standard-def DVDs. Then just play them like you would any other DVD! Since most HD DVD and BD titles will be downresed over component anyway, the 480P you get from your new HD discs won't be much different on the small-screen sizes/viewing ratio of most viewers. And since picture quality or new features like 1080P, multi-angle, interactivity, or lossless audio aren't as important as cost or time of availability...they won't be missed!

I'm asking my sources for more information so stay tuned...but my understanding is that the new "HD" stickers should be available soon and be priced CHEAPER than the price of a regular DVD...you may even be able to DOWNLOAD them and print them out yourself to save even MORE time and money! HOWEVER, you won't be able to make subsequent copies of the stickers and duplicate them for sale since they will all be watermarked and use a sophisticated version of digital copy management. The stickers *may* require the use of an internet connection but this is unclear. It seems that the industry would want to be able to deactivate stickers that are discovered to be the victim of piracy.


*** IMPORTANT UPDATE *****

The inital release of the stickers may not be fully featured in an effort to get them out by the projected launch date. We're not sure exactly what performance differences this may mean at this time, but expect the first wave of stickers to drop some of the format's features that will probably show up on 2nd generation stickers. It may be possible for first-generation buyers to upgrade their stickers to fully-functional status by means of a downloadable stamp...but at this time it is unclear...

More to come! I know this is great news and it's exciting that if low cost and speed of delivery are your primary goals for a new HD format...there will soon be an option that has even HD DVD beat!


-dave

DaViD, whatever you're smoking.... please share.

And I'll go get a Ferrari sticker and put it on my Toyota and it magically becomes a Ferrari.

I have swamp land...i mean land to sell, might throw a bridge in too, if your interested David?

David,

Despite claims to the contrary, today is not April 1, which is the only time I can see any purpose to this thread.

does anyone have the Amazon link to these? i searched but i couldn't find them. nobody has mentioned price yet, but after all the money i'm going to be saving by buying the plans for a 'do-it-yourself' front projector on ebay i should be good to go.

In addition to a bit of humor, there are some thoughtful reasons behind my post that I hope are clear to those who "get" what I'm saying.

Will Monsieur Boulet be removing his ardent 'Bluray Supporter' sticker any time soon ?

I think not

~M~

*** IMPORTANT UPDATE *****

The inital release of the stickers may not be fully featured in an effort to get them out by the projected launch date. We're not sure exactly what performance differences this may mean at this time, but expect the first wave of stickers to drop some of the format's features that will probably show up on 2nd generation stickers. It may be possible for first-generation buyers to upgrade their stickers to fully-functional status by means of a downloadable rubber-stamp at a later date...but at this time it is unclear...

Of course, this shouldn't matter one bit to the projected early-adoptor market since they don't care about the dropped features or performance of the first-generation stickers.

I'll post back as soon as I hear more...and if any of you find out more information...please share!

as long as they 'stick' i'll be satisfied. Over on AVS they are talking about a competeing set of stickers that will be holographic. more costly and time consuming to manufacture, but it should be worth the trouble because the text will be in 3-D!

DaVid,
You fail to mention if the studio are going to give their support to the stickers. Also with the fear of competing stickers, i would have to be in the wait and see camp. I am all about uniformity. I hate snapper cases and digipaks, so i know id hate more than 1 type of sticker. You know i value your opinion, but, no studio support, or uniformity = no sale for me.

I've got some bad news.

It seems that industry forces have reached a point of conflict over some of the sticker details that could hold up the launch or...worse...result in two competing (and incompatible) sticker formats.

:frowning:

It seems that microsoft has endorsed one sticker format because it is shaped like a little butterfly which matches their logo style. However, Apple wants to use a sticker version that resembles their Machintosh logo that is SCRATCH AND SNIFF and has the aroma of an fresh apple.
Toshiba insists that this scratch-and-sniff feature will increase costs too much and so they prefer micrsoft's "normal" butterfly sticker. But Apple insists that they can mass-produce their scratch-and-sniff HD stickers at non-sniff prices within a few years if not sooner.

IT'S GETTING UGLY!

It is unclear at this time exactly which studios might prefer which sticker shape and color...but don't lose heart! There is a chance that some studios may release BOTH types of stickers or, if we're lucky, produce a unified "sniff without scratching" version that marries the best of both sticker proporsals.

I'll post any updates back here ASAP.

For those of you who wanted BD, however now are "sticker" HD fans, don't forget the special to BluRay only "Does not play All Regions" sticker!
And for those few HD-DVD fans now converted "sticker" fans, make sure to pick up the "Coming Soon" sticker fast, there going like hotcakes!

I have it on good authority that the 'specs' for these stickers allow the glue to have a corrosive effect that will eventually eat through the disc itself, rendering it eventually unusable. This is Hollywood's latest attempt to ensure pay-per-view.

Special "Hollywood would never do such a thing, and the sky is falling alarmists are nuts" stickers are being made free available to anyone naive enough to wear one. They're kind of cheaply made though, and if you scratch them, you can see underneath, that they originally said "DIVX rules" on them.

George,

I think such conspiracy theories about the stickers are unfounded. We all know the the studios and the film industry have our best interests at heart. This hear-say fear-tacktic about the corrosive glue of the stickers is just flame-bait, and it only drags down otherwise respectable discussion into mythic rambling. Already at AVS there are threads and threads debating the "Draconian Glue Chemicals" of the sticker glue and Dan from DVD file has an whole article about it...but I remain unconvinced.

However, it may be true that trying to *remove* the sticker from a DVD package may cause permanent damage to occur. This is being reserached as we speak...

Screw all that, I'm just going to pirate my own stickers. Too little too late Hollywood and I would like to see you try and stop me!!

I heavily enjoyed this thread.

Please keep us up-to-date.

I'm glad someone's enjoying this! But honestly I find the whole dual-sticker format debacle a bit of a disappointment...

Personally, I really think that the scratch-and-sniff sticker has the most long-term benefits to offer, and I'd hate to see everyone settle for the "regular" no-scent sticker just to save a few bucks or get the sticker a few months earlier...given that once both stickers are out on the market for a while I think that the cost differentical will be negligible.

I mean...if we're going to have these HD stickers for years to come, don't you guys agree we should be broad-minded and go for all the scrach-and-sniff opportunity that we can? Just THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX for a minute...think of all the scented opportunties that the studios could do with that. We could have stickers custom-scented for movies like:

Scene of a woman
The rose
Autin Powers 3

The potential is really unlimited.

c'mon guys...show the studios that features like this are important to you...don't just "settle" for some ole' blah-sticker just because Microsoft wants to short-change your future to make way for their download-on-demand HD stamps!

But alas! There is a 3rd sticker coming out!

It will read - - See other sticker!

Glenn

No offense, David. This is supposed to be funny? how?