**Official HTF HD Formats Ind./Retailer/Studio Support Thread-*SEE POST 3176, p. 106* (2 Viewers)

[Reagan]

Robert Crawford wrote:

I'm 100% with Crawdaddy on this.

-Reagan

 

[Jari K]

On *some* releases, Jeremy. Region coding (with MOST of the releases) didn´t kill SD DVD, so I´m sure that Blu-ray also survives.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

 

[Jari K]

Nice post. Thanks HTF, for being a civilized and mature place from the start to finish.

I actually assume, that in some of the other forums, the heated "forum war/smackdown"-talk have been the "fuel" for many people (they´ve actually enjoyed it in some strange way) and when that talk is actually gone, the forums will be more quiet. I doubt, that the similar thing will happen here. Sure, nothing wrong with healthy debate or people expressing their opinions (after all, they´ve invested some actual money to all this), but in HTF the love of films will prevail, I´m sure.

 

[JeremyR]

I am encouraged to see that they have not alluded to yanking software off the shelves in March. I don't expect studios to make more, however I would like to see falling prices, as there should be, on the HD DVD software currently available. I will also purchase another player if they drop in price before they are pulled.

I am also encouraged that it does not appear, at least per this press release, that Toshiba sold their souls to Blu-ray and sold out the people who did purchase their format.

 

[Sam Posten]

The best part of this going forward is that while it might take a while for Universal and Paramount to get on board with Blu Ray, they can totally re-evaluate how they have been making these HD releases. Specifically with Universal I hope they:

-Go from spotty Lossless support to Lossless audio on every release.
-Jettison U-Control like features completely and ensure that every 'extra' is somehow menu selectable or otherwise navigable in a way that does not force repeated complete watchthroughs of the movie to enjoy
-Support the downloadable formats on disk for iPods and PSPs
-Eschew region coding
-Eschew ridiculous web-only extras, and eschew required logins for said web-only content when it IS present
-Not pursue any kind of BD/SD DVD hybrid flipper technology

-In short, work to make their HD releases a mass market priced product while still satisfying the hard core enthusiast's demands. That's not too much to ask is it? =)

Sam

 

[Dave Moritz]

If they have a really good fire sale on HD-DVD titles and they put a really good clearance price on Star Trek Season 1, I will be all over it. But I have a hard time actually spending $150 - $190 depending on the retailer.

 

[Paul Arnette]

I am ready to move on, but before I do I felt compelled to comment on the above. Wow! It really is no wonder they are bowing out.

I know that both sides did their fair amount of spinning, but those numbers are just pathetic especially when you consider how many HD DVD buyers own multiple players. Without the PS3, I'm sure that the Blu-ray Disc camp's number look equally pale.

In fact, I think this should serve as a wake up call for all of us to heed Crawdaddy's advice to stop working against each other and start working with each other to help foster HDM adoption. If Blu-ray Disc became the next Laserdisc, it certainly wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but we all benefit by trying to make it as big a success as possible.

 

[Jari K]

If they actually start making Blu-ray players, it´s just business move for them (and perhaps they´re trying to save one of their factories). Big companies like Toshiba doesn´t have the luxury to have emotional attachments for the business-side. Of course they´re unhappy and disappointed, but mostly for the fact that they lost some serious money. Customers are on the 2nd place, if even that. That´s the harsh reality with all these companies.

IMO, if they can keep one factory going and people in there can keep their jobs, let´s hope that they WILL start making these Blu-ray-players. People are much more important than any silly format war.

Btw. One of the major retailers (of course small compared to the US ones) in my country is already selling all their HD DVD-titles in "-50%". I mean starting from today. So I guess it´s also starting in Europe..

 

[JeremyR]

If they actually start making Blu-ray players, it´s just business move for them (and perhaps they´re trying to save one of their factories). QUOTE]

My comment was related to the fact that they did not announce immediate plans to build a Blu-ray player, as well as immediate plans to pull all HD DVD titles, which would indicate, at least in this consumers eyes, that they had made a deal with Blu-ray to minimize any impact fire sales (such as being able to purchase a superior Superman Returns HDDVD for $8 - $10 over a Superman Returns Blu-ray for $30) might have on Blu-ray's short term sales of software. It appears that this is nothing more than a good business decision by Toshiba and not some wheeling and dealing done by the Blu-ray side. Now, I could be incorrect in my assumption, but this will at least make me feel better.

 

[Carlo_M]

Fully agreed on all counts. Those final numbers were shockingly low based on what I had heard HD-DVD supporters mention. Makes me really cringe at what the true BD player numbers might be (and I'm a PS3 owner).

Regardless, now is the time to mobilize friends and family who are interested to support HDM. While I agree with those who believe that HDM will not achieve the market penetration of DVD, I wholeheartedly believe that HDM can and should far eclipse the market penetration of LD. If LD was 10% and DVD was 80%, I think HDM can be viable at the 30-40% rate.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

On to a real question....

What's going to happen to the various hardware vendors who either make or plan to make dual-format players? Will these units quickly be pulled, or will dual-format players continue to be made? After all, Pioneer made combo LD/DVD drives for many years.

 

[Dale MA]

I really wish that Sony would now sort out Blu-rays region coding.

No catalogue releases should feature region coding, and new releases should be the studios discretion.

Something needs to be done, because it's very confusing for someone such as myself who does a lot of importing from the States.

 

[Jari K]

"Superman Returns" in Blu-ray has been included in many of the Amazon-sales and even now in "full price" it´s $23.95. Just to clarify, that´s all.

 

[Jari K]

I don´t think that many (if any) of the "catalogue" releases have region codes. And from the new titles, e.g. "30 Days Of Night" and "We Own The Night" are R0.

Keep checking e.g. our site (Rewind) and these:
MovieTyme.com Blog
Blu-Ray Region Code Info

 

[Sean Laughter]

I eagerly await Profile 2.0, but please for all that is good and holy, keep web-only extras away from my disc media. The last thing I want is to pay for the privilege to access some hastily thrown together flash site designed by the summer co-op the studio has working for them that month.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Dale,

most BDs are region-free. It's a studio decision, and for whatever reson the tendency is to go region-free when it's not a new-release that's still making its way around the world market.

BTW, the BDA has a rule that after 12 months any region-coded disc must be released region-free (basically, giving a 12-month window for global distribution issues).

 

[andrew markworthy]

More accurately, most back catalogue (sorry, American chums, I mean catalog) discs are region-free, but a high proportion of new to disc titles are not. If you are outside Region A, you can have no idea how annoying this is when you're after a new release. In the UK in particular, retailers price gouge at the slightest opportunity, and being given a monopoly is for these guys like all their Christmases come early. High def discs in Brit stores are rarely under 16 pounds (roughly 32 dollars) and 26 pounds (52 dollars) is not unknown. This is eerily reminiscent of the early days of SD DVD. Before people discovered region free machines and ordering on the Net, Brit stores were gleefully charging 20 pounds a disc and had the sheer nerve to offer 'buy five get one free' (which roughly worked out at 100 pounds, or 200 dollars for five discs that at the time could be bought in the USA for a quarter of the price). Once people started ordering en masse from the USA, Brit retailers were forced to change their tune and bring down prices. If we don't get region hacks or region free discs then I am honestly thinking of getting an American machine player and a transformer. I just will not pay double the going rate in other countries to a middleman who has done nothing connected with the creative process of making the film.

 

[Sam Posten]

Are you sure about that? I've never seen it mentioned before. I'm not so sure I'm excited about mandated double dips tho =)

 

[Sam Posten]

Also, Engadget is now reporting semi confirmation (duh) that Uni and Paramount will release in BD:

Paramount and Universal to publish films on Blu-ray - Engadget