HD DVD and Blu-ray NOT released on March 6th, 2007
Before you get too excited by the Borat image on the right, just stop and realize there is no Borat for HD fans this week. In fact there is no nothing, zilch and nada for both formats this week. This hasn't happened very many times since HD DVD was launched last year and certainly hasn't happened since both formats were out. What is even more bothersome is that there are a few big name titles this week released on DVD, including Borat and the re-release of Peter Pan. Considering both of these are potential Blu-ray titles, Blu-ray fanboys everywhere have to be wondering what is up? Doesn't Fox and Disney have enough faith in Blu-ray to release these two big titles for the format?HD DVD 163 vs Blu-ray 179.
Blu-ray
- Zilch
- Nada
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Alex @ Mar 5th 2007 3:59PM
I am surprised Borat isn't being released even right away, although Kris is right - they probably want to milk consumers twice.
The movie probably won't look great anyway. It was really grainy and soft even at the theatre. I don't know if it was intentionally shot to look cheap, but it was a low budget movie. Still the best thing to come out last year.
Maximilian Garcia @ Mar 5th 2007 3:59PM
I see nothing wrong with this.... will all live in the end....
-Max
FrankTheCrank @ Mar 5th 2007 4:17PM
Kris lay off the fanboy juice.
Are you that invested in HD-DVD that you have to rant about the "end" of blu-ray?
Take a chill pill.
Agathos @ Mar 5th 2007 4:20PM
To Kris:
How can you use the above news to make an opiinon like that!?
Neither format release anything for a week and that's what you get out of it!?
Do you realize that Blu-Ray JUST in the coming months has:
Casino Royale
Pursuit of Happyness
Happy Feet
Spider-Man 1 and 2
Pirates of the Carribean
And HD-DVD has what coming out in the next months? Uhm, uh, duh, only a handful of so-so titles that will also be available for Blu-ray and certainly no big box office titles like to above.
We're all entitled our opinions Kris, but yours is baseless.
andy @ Mar 5th 2007 4:34PM
This is just a stupid move.
if you want to spur adoption of a new (HD) format, then the way to sell it is give it content EARLY, not milk consumers 3 and 4 times for the same content.
If Sony wanted to sell me a bluray device, all they would have to do is release Casino Royale 1 or 2 months on blu-ray before they release it on regular DVD.
Ben @ Mar 5th 2007 4:50PM
Kris,
Do you have a link to the article about MGM/Fox you alluded to?
Ben @ Mar 5th 2007 5:10PM
Kris,
No US sites?
That sites times out when I try it.
Rick wilson @ Mar 5th 2007 5:10PM
Just look to the very near future... blu-ray is releasing over 30 titles, vs HD's 16-ish titles. Blu-ray is still king and this is the way it will stay.
Marty @ Mar 5th 2007 5:31PM
Kris' comments seem pretty biased. To be clear, I work for one of the many companies backing Blu, but it seems hard to ignore the fact that almost every leading CE manufacturer including Panasonic, Sony, Philips, Pioneer, Sharp, LG, etc. is backing Blu Ray Disc with products already on the shelf and more to come. Conversely, when it comes to HD DVD, you're mainly talking about one manufacturer. More importantly, the movie releases are also clearly stacking towards Blu-ray based on the studio support (seven of the eight major studios backing Blu-ray, most of them only planning to release content on Blu-ray). It's no secret why Blu-ray has more backing: I think it's mainly due to Blu-ray Disc's capacity advantage (50 GB to start with potential for much more expansion as the format evolves down the road). As a new technology, it's simply easier to add more capacity -- more layers -- to Blu-ray Discs over time. This means the format should be around for many years to come.
Tim @ Mar 6th 2007 2:15AM
Yes it undeniable that more CE companies support Blu-ray but they are starting to recognize that HD DVD isnt going anywhere. LG and now Samsung have realized this. Blu-ray will continue to sell more but HD DVD is still selling.
wakeboredb @ Mar 5th 2007 5:46PM
To be technically correct, HD DVD has no releases this week and Blu-Ray is realeasing Destiny's Child: Live From Atlanta, which is next to nothing, but still more than HD-DVD.
Check out www.dvdempire.com for future releases on both formats, and sales comparisons to date between HD-DVD and Blu-Ray.
Ed @ Mar 5th 2007 6:08PM
DIE BLUE RAY DIE!!!!!!
Dave @ Mar 6th 2007 1:08AM
Hey Ed, you are saying it wrong.
It is:
DIE HD DVD DIE!!!
Actually ;)
No, seriously see here:
http://www.eproductwars.com/dvd/
Rick wilson @ Mar 5th 2007 7:08PM
I don't get why anyone would support HD DVD and hate blu-ray so much? If we took Sony off the board, but left everyone else on I bet tons of sony haters would come to blu-ray, even though sony had nothing to do with development! Shows how ignorance is never rewarded.
coyurtney @ Mar 6th 2007 5:58PM
I agree with you, I hate Blu-Ray b/c of SDony and Sony only. I hate those bastards and want to see anything they make die!
Mike @ Mar 5th 2007 8:46PM
I didn't want to say anything...but given someone on here claims to work in the industry...I need to come clean.
I work for 2shiba and work part time for Macro Soft. Kris is right, a lot of companies are jumping ship to HD DVD. Look for a $299 Sony HD DVD player in time for Christmas.
Kit @ Mar 5th 2007 8:47PM
I don't mind who wins, as long as there's an affordable player coming out soon. Right now I'm backing HD-DVD simply because I'd only have to pay $200 for a player, instead of the $600 I'd need to spend on Blu-ray. As long as the winner is affordable, I don't think anyone will really care.
Rickdiculous @ Mar 6th 2007 3:11PM
Where can I find this $200 HD DVD player? Keep in mind that I don't already own an XBOX 360.
Kevin @ Mar 5th 2007 9:04PM
The reason why so many companies are backing Blu ray is that the movie studios having such strong ties to hardware, for example Sony. HD-DVD is a better product for the consumer when you look at the main barrier to entry being cost for people. Why would people pay twice as much or more for a Blu ray player just to watch movies that look just as good on HD DVD. Blu Ray to date has not shown it is a better product for the market. The more people support HD-DVD the more studio support it will garner and then the consumer wins. Who needs to pay such a high premium for what? Someone explain that to me please.
aron @ Mar 6th 2007 8:24AM
Kevin,
You do realize Sony that is releasing a $599 player this summer. The technologies ARE very similar, but what sets apart Blu-ray is its capacity and content support. Price is the only thing HD DVD has to its advantage, but that will be changing soon.
Kevin Murphy @ Mar 5th 2007 10:29PM
This isn't Blu-ray or HD DVD. It's the cracked keys and the studio's insistance that their titles be secure. This issue delayed both formats for over a year, and it may well put both formats on hold indefinitely. I'd expect a trickle of B-movie catalog releases, and nothing of interest to the bootleggers.
And the real problem may be that they utterly screwed the pooch hardware-wise and there is no way to secure the keys. DOo't know what happens if that's the case.
h0mi @ Mar 6th 2007 12:46AM
Continued delays like this will allow other alternatives (downloads?) to outsell either format. Neither format is selling well and that wont change until hardware gets cheaper
JK @ Mar 6th 2007 12:53AM
The comment about the cracked keys doesn't make sense. It is MUCH easier to copy regular DVD than HD or Blu. Someone has cracked Vista, but I don't see M$ pulling their software from the shelves.
Mr_Fizzlepop @ Mar 6th 2007 12:41AM
Here's a 500 dollar Blu-Ray Player, Samsung.
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-BD-P1000-Blu-Ray-Disc-Player/dp/B000F99FDE/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/002-7873273-4775261?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1173159178&sr=1-2
Kevin @ Mar 6th 2007 3:07AM
$599 is still more expensive than what Toshiba is offering. Hopefully the Sony price drop will further push Toshiba players lower in price as well. That way we all win. What has the larger capacity of Blu Ray discs given its customers? It's certainly not better picture quality when compared to HD-DVD. What about managed copy support from HD-DVD? Isn't that a technology that consumers should get behind?
?????? @ Mar 6th 2007 3:16AM
correct me if I'm wrong! I tought his was a bluray title only http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=63931 . don't jump on me anyone I support both format.
Xyzzy @ Mar 6th 2007 6:59AM
To those who ask why anyone would support HD-DVD, I've give a few reasons and all are pro-consumer:
1) No region coding: I can buy a movie from England, Japan, Dollywood, whatever, and it'll play in my player no questions asked. Blu-Ray doesn't allow that.
1a) Lots of "Blu-Ray exclusive" titles are being released overseas so for an extra $10 I can import them. That's a lot of movies to make up for the $500-$1000 cost of a BD player.
2) Less copy protection: Blu-Ray has "BD+" which is an extra layer on top of AACS. That will make it more difficult to copy my own movies (to a media server, for example). It's anti-consumer so I would prefer to support HD-DVD since it doesn't have that extra layer.
3) Cheaper cost: Sony claims that they're coming out with cheap players but they also said that the PS3 was going to be released at the same time as the Xbox360 in order to convince people to wait. They also claimed that the war was over at CES due to the release schedule of movies, which has mysteriously dried up now. Toshiba has been straight forward with me and haven't told me any lies (that I'm aware of anyway) compared to BD.
4) iHD (or HDi, or whatever they're calling it nowadays): BD's Java stuff isn't working whereas iHD is and it's pretty cool (and will only get better).
More features, less copy protection and lower cost? Why is this "war" even going on?
andy @ Mar 6th 2007 9:27AM
@aron
How is price changing soon? Sony is not yet selling a player for 600 or less and HDDVD players are under 400.
Your facts are wrong fanboy. Price and support are the deciding factors and right now each camp holds one card. That's not changing this year unless all of the studio's jump to HDDVD. See Sony's own press release/clarification of cheap brd players: "won't happen this year."
Liquid @ Mar 6th 2007 9:51AM
these HDDVD fans lie to themselves so much they think they are right
these are simple facts
HDDVD has NOTHING for a entire month (February 27 2007- March 27, 2007) not even one title so it will be nothing vs March 13, 2007
Casino Royale (Sony)
Hoosiers (MGM)
Layer Cake (Sony)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Fox)
March 20, 2007
Big Fish (Sony)
Chicken Little (Buena Vista)
Eragon (Fox)
Finding Neverland (Buena Vista)
The Holiday (2006) (Sony)
Rocky Balboa (Sony)
http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/releasedates.html
they try making up crap about companies leaving Blu ray for HDDVD which is total BS its the other way around.
Blu ray movies are NOT higher priced than HDDVD. in fact almost all multi platform movies are more expensive on hddvd
eg
HDDVD The Departed - Price: $27.95
Bluray The Departed - Price: $23.95
http://www.eproductwars.com/dvd/
and even it it was more expensive any jackass would pay extra for a Finger print & scratch resistant Blu ray disk Disk.
and by the time they put out the $299 Blu ray player HDDVD's only advantage (player $$) will be over.
Xyzzy @ Mar 6th 2007 10:25AM
"these HDDVD fans lie to themselves so much they think they are right these are simple facts"
Let me show you how you're a freak'n moron:
"HDDVD has NOTHING for a entire month (February 27 2007- March 27, 2007) not even one title so it will be nothing vs March 13, 2007"
How about this one:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000MM1GJA/ref=nosim/tonyswebsit02-20
or this:
http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/getaway1972.html
or this:
http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/bullitt.html
"Blu ray movies are NOT higher priced than HDDVD. in fact almost all multi platform movies are more expensive on hddvd"
Well, that HD-DVD that you claim wasn't released is cheaper on HD-DVD than on BD. Yes, the combo disks cost a few bucks more -- but guess what? You GET more too -- you can play the disk on your HD-DVD player and also on ANY regular DVD player. If you want to do that with BD, you have to buy a second disk. I'm not arguing whether putting both a regular DVD and HD version on the same disk is a good idea or not, but you ARE getting more so you pay a few bucks. You can't buy the Departed on regular DVD for $4.
Support what you want, but stop insulting people by saying that they're making crap up when, in fact, you're the one making crap up.
Liquid @ Mar 6th 2007 9:57AM
these HDDVD fans lie to themselves so much they think they are right
these are simple facts
HDDVD has NOTHING for a entire month (February 27 2007- March 27, 2007) not even one title so it will be nothing vs March 13, 2007
Casino Royale (Sony)
Hoosiers (MGM)
Layer Cake (Sony)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Fox)
March 20, 2007
Big Fish (Sony)
Chicken Little (Buena Vista)
Eragon (Fox)
Finding Neverland (Buena Vista)
The Holiday (2006) (Sony)
Rocky Balboa (Sony)
http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/releasedates.html
they try making up crap about companies leaving Blu ray for HDDVD which is total BS its the other way around.
Blu ray movies are NOT higher priced than HDDVD. in fact almost all multi platform movies are more expensive on hddvd
eg
HDDVD The Departed - Price: $27.95
Bluray The Departed - Price: $23.95
http://www.eproductwars.com/dvd/
and even it it was more expensive any jackass would pay extra for a Finger print & scratch resistant Blu ray disk Disk.
and by the time they put out the $299 Blu ray player HDDVD's only advantage (player $$) will be over.
Liquid @ Mar 6th 2007 10:03AM
oops double post stupid lag :/
Liquid @ Mar 6th 2007 12:55PM
@Xyzzy
Are you retarded
Nine Inch Nails Live
The Getaway (1972)
Bullitt
those movies are out ALREADY for HDDVD since February 27
i said NO movies for a month for hddvd
after February 27, 2007 will have NOTHING until March 27,2007 DO....YOU.....UNDERSTAND....NOW
Who the **** is going to buy a HDDVD to play on a normal dvd player and those 2 sided disks are crap it is so dam easy to damage can you say gimmick.
Xyzzy @ Mar 6th 2007 2:32PM
Yeah, I'm retarded because I don't share your opinion. Just because YOU don't want to watch a movie on your laptop while on an airplane or on a carride, doesn't mean everyone else thinks they're useless.
apease @ Mar 6th 2007 4:15PM
No sub $600 blu-ray player? Does no one know about the 20 GB PS3? It's got HDMI out, it counts. And it's $499, assuming you can find one.
And I gotta say, movies like Spiderman 1 and 2 and Pirates of the Caribbean 1 & 2 are killer apps, essentially. Between those and the PS3, HD-DVD will need a miracle to survive, let alone win (LotR exclusive type miracle).
BLURAYvsHDDVD @ Mar 6th 2007 4:26PM
1st I'd like to say I support both format, I'm from london and I got a toshiba HDDVD player and a samsung blu-ray player, I got more HDDVD for 1 reason "no region lock" I go on ebay.com and get my movies from the US, but blu-ray is much harder can't buy from anywhere else than UK or europe and we have just a few titles ( http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=64064 ). So I got a samsung player (999 or $1990) sitting at home for almost nothing. BDA as to do something about europe not enough titles. HDDVD you free to buy from anywhere. GUY YOU HAVE TO REALISE THAT THE WAR ISN'T ONLY HAPPENING IN THE US. But I hope it ends soon whoever the winner is.
Liquid @ Mar 6th 2007 6:16PM
@ apease
The $499 ps3 has HDMI it can do everything that the $599 version can do ,the main difference is built in SD card reader,wireless adapter and the smaller hard drive but those can be upgraded if necessary,the $599 version is a waste to some people who dont have wireless a router
@Xyzzy
is that your best attempt ile break it down
95% of ppl don't watch movies in cars or planes
95% of them are not using HD formats
95% of them don't know about HDDVD/DVD uses
99% of the time they dont use the portable players
90% of them really don't even care
99% of them will wait to see it in HD
90% of them are children (HDDVD has nothing to offer children now)
etc,etc,etc
so your idea of this "advantage"having uses of things you can think of rather than it what will be put to use is 99% WRONG
use your dusty brain and think, will ppl really
pay for HD to get standard def when they are risking to chose to buy into hd formats just for HD content.
hahahahahaha @ Mar 6th 2007 7:16PM
Do you even read what you are writing, you talking like a sunday morning saleman, wake up man universal is a big company if they do it it's for a reason, some people still own dvd players but may upgrade to HDdvd players, so when you got a disc ready for it you just pop it in, instead of having to buy the same movie again. Are you working for any of the companies involved in the war, I bet not so shut up with your 99.99999999% bullshit. Now get mad fanboy I won't bother reply you no more and yeah TALK TO THE HAND. I'm out.
Liquid @ Mar 7th 2007 6:36AM
Universal is doing this for a reason alright its to milk HDDVD dry .Universal hasn't made a good movie in ages they flop at the box office continuesly.If they had direct competition with the another company's in HD they would get raped like what they are getting on everything else.
simple fact most people don't give a shit about it HDDVD/DVD,if they did HDDVD would not be outsold so shamefully with its much longer run.
We may see a 1-4 ratio by the end of march since HDDVD has NO releases for an entire month lol.
in addition Bul ray has not even launched its heavy hitters yet >.<
as for the mad part >_< i would think its the other way around
good luck investing in your dead format :P
Liquid @ Mar 7th 2007 9:11PM
^^ is so much BS or maby its just stupidity i wont even bother.
double-T @ Mar 7th 2007 11:46PM
What's the issue with the cost of Bluray players/discs? There is none! You simply pay just a little more for a better format/technology.
For me, HD-DVD is similar to a Plasma TV, cheaper to produce like the HD-DVD backers claimed.
On the other hand, Bluray is similar to a LCD TV; slightly more expensive to manufacture.
When the dust settled, LCD TVs are winning, despite the fact that the cost of production is higher than the rest. Having said so, the price of a LCD TV is dropping dramatically over the last few years and expect to see the same thing for the Bluray player.
Samsung just made a stupid mistake by making a HD-DVD player, just like they are still making plasma TVs, a dead technology.
Also, like most people I could not find a HD-DVD movie that is significantly cheaper than a Bluray movie.
Don't talk about the Hollywood movies. Hey, this is America and if you record your favorite football games like I do, you can record the entire game onto one single disc, in HD and only with a Bluray disc. Forget about that new codec as you will ALWAYS get a better picture with less compression with a Bluray disc.
For your computer at home you decide whether you want a disc burner that can store 67% more data or 67% less data. (15GB vs 25GB)
Let's GET REAL and there is nothing that HD-DVD can compare with the Bluray format.
HD DVD! @ Mar 7th 2007 11:56PM
Had to jump in. I like HD-DVD. Why? Because I got the XBox 360 HD-DVD drive for $167 (after coupon for Circuit City in a USPS moving packet). I don't own an XBox and don't plan to buy one. I just plugged in the drive via the included USB cable and it worked fine on my computer. You could use AnyDVD HD (which also strips DRM from Blu-Ray for those that think it is so much more secure) and save the HD files on hard drives and use Power DVD to play it.
Who cares who wins when you have unencrypted files. I like HD-DVD now because I'm only out $167 for the hardware and I'm watching hi def movies NOW. Try that with Blu Ray. When Blu players hit the sub $200-300 barrier, I'm all in. Until then I think the cracked DRM (for both formats) will only favor HD-DVD hardware adoption since the opportunity cost is way way way lower than Blu Ray.
Kevin Murphy @ Mar 8th 2007 6:12PM
Is there some way to put a "no fan boy" filter on these comments?
Mr_Fizzlepop @ Mar 8th 2007 9:18PM
The Link I posted in a comment a ways above was for a 499.00 Blu-ray player(not a PS3) sold on Amazon.
There are HD-DvD players for a bit less, but the price is coming down. There really isn't much of a player price arguement now, and I'm sure within a year it will be a Non-issue.
On Forums I see alot of people arguing that they have to pay 600.00 for a Blu-ray player an maybe even don't want a video game player with it(PS3), but Ironically, these same people talk about how it's so cheap for them to get into HD-DvD because they already own an XBox360.
This "War" won't be decided by game players that watch movies, and at this moment, the Blu-ray does look like the winner. Don't forget, Sony IS a picture studio, even if another studio or 2 doesn't release something in a given month, soon if they want, they'll just schedule their releases around the holes in the release schedule...
...or they won't because they don't have to care that much, as they are winning now and likely to keep winning.
Aaron @ Mar 9th 2007 7:37AM
Umm, did you read the post above yours? You do not need an XBox to use the Xbox Hd-dvd drive (subsidized by M$). This drive is so cheap and you can plug it into any computer and be up and running. Worried about HDCP video card or monitor?...forget it! Get AnyDVD HD and strip the DRM and play it back on any hardware with or w/o HDCP.
Dennis Perez @ Mar 10th 2007 3:30PM
Sony wants to avoid the comparison with Microsoft. As of March 6, Microsoft had Borat available for download (Yes, HD). The price on the Xbox 360 marketplace was somewhere around the field of $4.75.
Sony does not want to be part of this comparison. As many Blu-ray customers are actually PS3 owners this will be inevitable and probably the reason why Sony doesn't want to push the units.
Ken J @ Mar 13th 2007 1:02AM
Get over the lack of both HD DVD and Blue Ray movies. I own both in hopes that both formats will become produced.
Joe Wilson @ Apr 17th 2007 12:55PM
Xyzzy
2) Less copy protection: Blu-Ray has "BD+" which is an extra layer on top of AACS. That will make it more difficult to copy my own movies (to a media server, for example). It's anti-consumer so I would prefer to support HD-DVD since it doesn't have that extra layer.
actually, i think you'll find that sony OR blu-ray are NOT being anti-consumer, they're being anti-piracy. think about this for a minute: blu ray is virtually scratch and smudge resistance - so why the NEED for a backup? if you had a muliti-billion dollar corporation, you wouldnt want people copying something youve been researching for god knows how long, would you?