Blu Ray or HD DVD - place your bets

stefd · On The Casting Couch

Blu Ray or HD DVD - place your bets

Darth Mattitude · The Dark Admin

To be honest with the (Rather expensive) back up of a Blu Ray on on the P3 I would asy that that would win. It has the better film companies behind it e.g. Disney, Sony & Fox.

Darth Mattitude · The Dark Admin

Looks like we could be a bit closer to a winner... Warner's have switched to Blu Ray.

The backers of the Blu-ray high definition DVD system are predicting victory in the format wars with HD DVD.
The two rival camps have divided consumers since the two incompatible systems were launched.

But Blu-ray supporters are touting the decision by Warner Bros to shift allegiance as a tipping point.

Andy Parsons, of the Blu-ray Disc Association, said: "It's much clearer to consumers now which of the formats is going to prevail."

Speaking at the Consumer Electronics Show, in Las Vegas, he added: "We still have a little bit more work to do before we can say the format war is over."

Howard Stringer, chief executive of Sony, the creators of Blu-ray, was also unwilling to declare outright victory.

"I never put up banners that say 'Mission Accomplished'," he said.

In North America, films on Blu-ray disc are outselling those on HD DVD by more than two to one.

HD DVD, which is backed by Microsoft and Toshiba, now has support from only Universal and Paramount among the big film studios.

No-one from the HD DVD promotion group was available for comment after the organisation cancelled all press interviews at the show.

"Nobody likes a format war - it's not fun, it's very time consuming and it confuses consumers," said Mr Parsons.

The battle between HD DVD and Blu-ray has echoes of the rivalry between Betamax and VHS in the 1980s.

The cheaper format, VHS, prevailed while 20 years on it seems as though Blu-ray, the more expensive system, is winning the race.

David Bishop, president of Sony Pictures Entertainment, said the Warners' decision was "a great message for consumers".

Mr Bishop said the Blu-ray camp would welcome any move by Universal and Paramount to shift formats.

"We'd love to have them over and hopefully they will in the short term so we can act as a single industry."

Sony has been talking to retailers about the possibility of helping HD DVD owners who now wanted to move to Blu-ray.

"We haven't had any meaningful dialogue as yet. But it is something we have considered."

Kevin Tsujihara, president of Warner Bros Home Entertainment Group, said the decision to back Blu-ray exclusively had been driven by consumers.

He said sales of the studio's movies on Blu-ray were outselling the same title on HD DVD by three to one.

He said that a disc unveiled by Warner last year at CES which could hold both formats had been dropped because none of the other studios would support it.

"As a result retailers would not stock it," he said.

braxious · 500 Club Member

well does it matter give it 30 minutes and there will be another inovation along which is better and has more features.....

this is akin to VHS v BETA MAX

mrsmiley · On The Casting Couch

I kind of pushing for blue ray,but I have herd that Paramount and Universal are going to be going strickly to blue ray.Don't know how much truth was behind that,but I herd blue ray is currently leading.

Man In Black · Anime Mod

This doesn't mean that regular DVDs will be phased out for long time though...right?

neuman · A List Star

Im sure DVD's will stay for quite a while yet, as players for both Blu Ray and HD DVD are still quite expensive, and not mainstream. Im going for blu ray as it has more capacity than HD DVD

NymVette · Movie Producer

I think both are going to be around but blue-ray will be the most popular.

My boyfriend is considering getting a blue ray player after the recent news to go with his HD LCD TV.

neuman · A List Star

Nymvette, at the moment (as far as i know) it is still cheaper to get a PS3 than a Blu-Ray Disc Player

NymVette · Movie Producer

Yes I think a PS3 was one of the thing he was considering

Darth Mattitude · The Dark Admin

It seems the War is indeed over. GO buy a Blu Ray Player... From AICN

Hey folks, Harry here... Depending who you are... you're either jubilant or morose today - because it's pretty much over. Sources inside Toshiba have begun leaking to the press - that Toshiba is no longer going to be manufacturing HD DVD players - and is abandoning the format altogether. Apparently, this decision is going to cost Toshiba hundreds of millions of dollars -

In the last few months, Sony has completely and totally flanked and surrounded HD-DVD. It started with the Warner Brothers move, when Warner's announced their decision to become dedicated to the BLU RAY format beginning this June - the world could feel a seismic shift. Then in a series of announcements from BEST BUY to NETFLIX to the most recent WAL-MART support for Blu Ray and abandonment of the HD DVD format... well, the rush to bury HD DVD has become quite aggressive.

How do I feel about this?

I love both formats - but generally I prefer the HD DVD discs. I have around 300 titles in hi def - a mixture of HD DVD and BLU RAY. I have 4 HD DVD players - and 1 BLU RAY player - and now that it has ended - I hope that the focusing upon BLU RAY means that the format becomes better. That the prices can begin dropping on their players - and their discs. MORE SO - I hope that BLU RAY winning the "war" means that a wider and greater supply of titles begin to be released. In the upcoming months - as the various outlets blow-out their remaining HD DVD titles - there will be added shelf-space for BLU RAY to take up. I'm hoping for many more vintage titles. Just yesterday I was at FRY'S to buy Quint his BLU RAY birthday presents - and I wanted to buy him some older titles - and there wasn't much to choose from.

Now that the Format war is over - there's still another war for the companies to wage... the war to get the populace to abandon standard def DVD and en masse convert to BLU RAY. The only way that'll happen is if Blu Ray lowers their prices significantly on their titles. There's a lot left for SONY to do - but now that they've slain their biggest enemy - all that is left is to win the hearts, minds and dollars of the rest of the consumers to make the big conversion.

Man In Black · Anime Mod

For Christ sake - do these people think we're all made of money or something? I can't afford to buy new DVD players or Blu Rays or whatever let alone replace my existing DVD collection. Hell, I still have a ton of stuff on video (a lot of which probably won't even make it to DVD).

Arseholes to the lot of them geedy sods!

braxious · 500 Club Member

give it a couple of years and then you will not have to worry about bluray a new and improved holographic or fully interactive dvd will come out come back BETA MAX all is forgiven

Darth Mattitude · The Dark Admin

Well the announcement has been made official.

from the Beeb

Toshiba has said it will stop making its high definition DVDs, ending a battle with rival format Blu-ray over which would be the industry standard.
Following a review of its business, Toshiba said it would stop production of HD DVD players and recorders.

The HD DVD format has suffered as major US film studios backed the Blu-ray format, which is being developed by electronics firm Sony and partners.

Analysts said the move would allow Toshiba to focus on other products.

The company's shares have climbed on optimism it would drop HD DVD production.

"We concluded that a swift decision would be best," Toshiba president Atsutoshi Nishida said.

Darth Mattitude · The Dark Admin

Lava · A List Star

It's kind oif made my mind up to get a PS3 over a XBox 360 now. Apparaqntly the PS3 is the best Blu Ray player on the market.

Darth Mattitude · The Dark Admin

Well, the final major studio to get behind Blu Ray (Paramount) has finally got it's fionger out. Hopefully we can now get stuff like the Bourne Trilogy and the Matrix on BLu Ray instead of just being on HD DVD

PARAMOUNT HOME ENTERTAINMENTS FANTASTICAL HIT THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES
LAUNCHES DAY-AND-DATE WORLDWIDE ON BLU-RAY

There Will Be Blood, Cloverfield, Bee Movie, Face/Off and Next
Also Released in Time for Memorial Day and Fathers Day;
Focus Remains On Immersive High-Def Home Entertainment Experiences

LOS ANGELES (April 29, 2008) Paramount Home Entertainment (PHE), a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA), today announced its first day-and-date Blu-ray release, The Spiderwick Chronicles on June 24 and rolling out in key international markets beginning in July. Continuing its commitment to offer the best possible movie experiences for consumers, the studio will deliver the highest quality picture, sound and special features available with these upcoming Blu-ray releases. In the U.S., There Will Be Blood, Cloverfield, Bee Movie, Face/Off and Next will begin arriving May 20 to capitalize on Memorial Day and Fathers Day. Internationally, The Spiderwick Chronicles will be followed by Cloverfield and the Academy® award-winner for Best Picture, No Country for Old Men beginning in August.

Paramount Home Entertainment continues to focus on the consumer and to explore avenues that allow fans to get more out of their home entertainment experience, said Kelley Avery, President of Worldwide Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures. We will have a strong slate of titles for Blu-ray release throughout the year worldwide and are enthusiastic about expanding the formats offerings for a broad consumer audience while delivering an experience that goes beyond what viewers love about DVD.

The Spiderwick Chronicles launches PHEs day-and-date new release strategy. Based on the best-selling series of books, The Spiderwick Chronicles takes viewers on a fantastical journey into the unseen world all around us and the Blu-ray disc will include behind-the-scenes featurettes, an exploration of the Spiderwick world, an exclusive peek inside Arthur Spiderwicks Field Guide and much more.

PHEs 2008 Blu-ray titles debut on May 20 in the U.S. with two sensational action-adventures: a Special Collectors Edition of Face/Off, the mind-blowing crime-drama starring John Travolta and Nicolas Cage, with special features such as multiple commentaries, deleted scenes, an alternate ending, the Making Of Face/Off and more; and the sci-fi thriller Next, which stars Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore and
Jessica Biel in an adaptation of a Philip K. Dick story. The Next Blu-ray includes a Making Of featurette, Visualizing the Next Move, The Next Grand Idea and Two Minutes in the Future with Jessica Biel.

DreamWorks Animations smash hit Bee Movie also will buzz onto Blu-ray on May 20. The hilarious animated adventure from renowned comedian Jerry Seinfeld took audiences by swarm and earned approximately $287 million in worldwide box office. The
Bee Movie Blu-ray features a wealth of bonus materials including Barrys Trivia Track with fun pop-up trivia, changeable menus, a Build-A-Bee feature to allow viewers to create their own avatar, lost scenes, alternate endings and much, much more.

Following the initial wave of titles, Producer J.J. Abrams monster hit, Cloverfield, arrives on Blu-ray on June 3. Earning over $166 million in worldwide box office to date, Cloverfield thrilled critics and audiences alike with its shocking, first-person video account of a horrifying attack on Manhattan by an unknownand seemingly unstoppableforce. The Cloverfield Blu-ray will include an exclusive feature-length Special Investigation Mode with added details about the film. Additional features include a director commentary, Making Of featurettes, deleted scenes, alternate endings with commentary and more.

Director Paul Thomas Andersons critically-acclaimed epic There Will Be Blood also arrives on Blu-ray June 3. The film was named by more than 200 critics as one of the top 10 movies of 2007 and stars Academy Award®, Golden Globe® and SAG Award® winner Daniel Day-Lewis. The Blu-ray features a slideshow of vintage photos selected by the director and set to the unforgettable score by Radioheads Jonny Greenwood, deleted scenes, a featurette on dailies and more.