Lionsgate president expects industry to "unite behind Blu-ray" this summer
[Via Blu-ray, thanks Kiwi616]
[Via Blu-ray, thanks Kiwi616]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
TonyD @ Feb 13th 2008 8:42PM
I'm looking forward to Universal and Paramounts Bluray decision to drop HD-DVD soon. The positive press for Bluray keeps piling in.
Vanguard @ Feb 13th 2008 9:03PM
Tony,
Ditto.
There's a mountain of Paramount & Universal titles I wanna buy on Blu-ray.
Cheers.
zargon @ Feb 13th 2008 9:16PM
The word, "duh", comes to mind.
Glad we have such "intelligent" people running these companies.
Truth Teller in... Being a support of HD-DVD from day one, I wish he would just move on and go away. It is over, you are digging up the already dead horse to beat it yet again.
cheese head @ Feb 13th 2008 9:23PM
Give me Gladiator, Braveheart, Star Wars and LOTR on Blu-ray please.
Mike @ Feb 13th 2008 9:56PM
Give me a $150 2.0 blue ray player please.... oh..i have to wait a couple years... damn movie studios... If they had supported HD DVD it would increase 20 times with the $199 players.
You big dumbies.
cheese head @ Feb 13th 2008 11:27PM
Yeah, too bad HD DVD didn't lose, we could have more pos like American gangster where the extended version is on the DVD side and the theatrical release is on the HD side. The didn't have any room left for lossless audio either, so they were nice enough to put DVD quality audio like Transformers.
HEY I WANT TO BUY A HD TV SO I CAN BE A CHEAP ASS.
Xyzzy @ Feb 14th 2008 12:05AM
@cheese head:
"hey were nice enough to put DVD quality audio like Transformers"
You do realize that all HD DVDs are required to have at least DD+, which is nearly 3x better than "DVD quality audio," right...? And that the audio on Transformers is generally considered to be the best on any HDM media, right?
okayokay @ Feb 14th 2008 5:50AM
Is your imagination so inept that every pixel must be animated for you?
Mike @ Feb 14th 2008 6:46AM
Xyzzy, You stole my follow up...so let me attack being cheap.
I bought my HDTV cheap..made a deal got some free stuff and sold it and in the end got 56" Samsung RPTV for under $900 and to spend $400 or almost 50% of the price of the tv is wasting money. I have better things to put in my budget...spend $179 get same HD movie experience and have more to spend on the family....preschool, gymnastics, baseball...etc
Killer @ Feb 13th 2008 10:11PM
"I'm looking forward to Universal and Paramounts Bluray decision to drop HD-DVD soon. The positive press for Bluray keeps piling in."
So wait...a CEO of a studio, (who has supported it from the beginning), says that they "Believe" the whole industry will back it in the summer. That's press? Seriously, ummm can we have someone in the industry that isn't biased (techinally Lionsgate is on the PayRoll list of BDA) for one format, say this? Then it would be considered press. I mean if it came from an Universal Exc. or A Paramount Exc. this would have been relavent. This is extremely similar to the 20 plus times the BDA has claimed victory. When it's over its over. I think I have heard and seen more corporate propaganda from both sides of this, then anything else in my life when it comes to competing devices. (I wasn't around for Betamax vs. VHS, so I don't know what that was like). All I'm saying is there a chance that maybe just maybe, people can just stop with this death talk and let things happen. If its going to happen then its going to happen. Saying "it's dead" isn't going to make it go away faster or make Blu-ray become the next standard.
It's starting to sound like one of those annoying people (during a movie based on things that everyone knows, Example: Pearl Harbor) start stating "I bet the Japanese are going to bomb the harbor." I mean I think everyone knows HD DVD is on a doorstep, you don't have to be that annoying person that repeats things that are completely obvivous. I mean its coming to the point of my favorite idiotic qoute; "I bet there is going to be a tornado"
Richard @ Feb 13th 2008 10:38PM
Well, Lionsgate accurately leaked that Warner Bros. would be going Blu-Ray exclusive weeks before it happened. I understand where you feel this may not be newsworthy, but at the same time a member of the BDA saying something like this, particularly the company that leaked the Warner deal, indicates there is probably some truth to it all.
regeya @ Feb 13th 2008 10:55PM
Indeed. Seems like EngadgetHD is hurting for pro-BD anti-HD propaganda. "Some exec said in a conference call that he expects the industry to do this" isn't news. If Toshiba announced BD or dual-format players, that'd be news. If the DoJ or the EU's equivalent broke the BD monopoly, that'd be news. This? This is a bit of fluff, just like that guy a couple of weeks ago who wrote in his blog that a Warner guy said that he'd heard that people were returning were returning their HD-A3 players faster than they were selling.
Granted, it's more a blog than news site, but c'mon, guys, the extreme BD slant is getting really, really, REALLY silly. I think everyone sees that even if sales were to pick up, or even if the impossible happened and HD DVD surpassed Blu, HD DVD would still be dead. Seriously, when there's a TT and NFinity trollfest, do you guys do it just to get more impressions, or what?
TonyD @ Feb 13th 2008 11:04PM
But "death talk" is fun! :) I think some of us are taking this just a little too personal. To be perfectly honest, I'm just glad that this war is nearly over. I made a decision early on to go with Bluray but I was careful not to invest in too many titles. If the industry was moving towards HD DVD, I would have been fine with it. I just needed a reason to build a strong collection of movies either way. In the last several weeks, it was clear I can pick up my bluray titles with a smile :) and not worry about it.
So HD-DVD Fanboys.. get off your high horses and bow to blu :) j/k
Tony
zargon @ Feb 14th 2008 7:42AM
"Well, Lionsgate accurately leaked that Warner Bros. would be going Blu-Ray exclusive weeks before it happened."
Actually, they luckily leaked it. The deal was the other way around, Warner was ready to go HD-DVD, but they wanted another studio to go or else they wouldn't. Rumor is that they had Fox up until the 11th hour, when Fox backed out and the dominoes fell the other way.
Talk is cheap and there are bound to be prediction that luckily come true.
Killer @ Feb 13th 2008 10:15PM
Also, I wouldn't be looking for LoTR in Blu-ray. (for awhile at least)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ihcwC49Wj4qnTzZZ1hIYo6q7Xd8QD8UOBAJ86
It's not looking pretty for New Line. We all know what lawsuits do to the movie studios. If it comes out, it will be after this suit is finished, but that doesn't look like it will be happening anytime soon.
Richard @ Feb 13th 2008 10:34PM
/Begin HD-DVD is better rant sequence
**Insert Nfinity and misc. HD-DVD fanboy comments about this being trivial and moot**
**Insert comments calling Blu-Ray anti-consumer and its backers idiotic**
**Insert comments regarding Sony buying everyone off and being an evil mindless corporation seeking world domination**
**Insert random Lionsgate insult**
**Insert assertion that HD-DVD players are flying off shelves**
**Insert reaffirmation that $199, wait $99, is the mass market penetration price point -- which HD-DVD has reached**
/End HD-DVD is better rant sequence
regeya @ Feb 13th 2008 11:06PM
Actually, y'know, I DO think that some Blu-Ray fanboys are moronic. But so are Truth Teller and Nfinity.
I know, I know; we were all morons for ever thinking that HD DVD was an okay thing to buy into. After all, it was a piece of consumer electronics, and we didn't get the insider memos declaring that HD DVD would never, EVER be allowed to win, no matter what, and that anyone thinking that buying the firesale items might be an acceptable way to spend $100 or so was barely evolved beyond an amoeba.
So what if some of us aren't going to buy into Blu-Ray for a while? So what if we figured out that blowing $500 on a soon-to-be-obsolete player wasn't such a good idea? No matter how you spin it, that's about as stupid as getting a high-end HD DVD player. Do you get a bonus check withheld if we don't buy a Blu-Ray player right away???
Christ on a pogo stick, y'all are about as touched as Nfinity.
Blake H @ Feb 13th 2008 11:18PM
@regeya
AMEN!
Richard @ Feb 13th 2008 11:29PM
I just think it's funny that there are guys out there who are still fighting the good fight for HD-DVD when victory for Blu-Ray is imminent. That doesn't exactly make me moronic. I understand being passionate about your consumer electronics, but c'mon, is it really not obvious that HD-DVD will be an afterthought the end of the year, and all the continous, enraged, flaming defense is moot?
And even though I support Blu-Ray, I'm still level headed enough to tell people now is not the right time to buy into it -- unless you are getting a PS3. The PS3 is the only Blu player on the market that is remotely future proof and provides bang for your buck at $399. At the same time there will always be something faster and more feature rich shortly after you buy into any piece of technology. People can try to make it as big of an issue as they want to, but I don't think too many people that bought a $299 Blu-Ray player are going to go ape shit because their year old player won't support PiP commentary and downloadable movie trailers.
David S @ Feb 13th 2008 11:30PM
Personally, I hope HD DVD will survive just long enough until the dream profile 2.0 $200 player arrives. It would be great if dream 2.0 (hell, I'll take a 1.1 player) at $200, but red studios converting to blu isn't going to make Samsung and Pioneer make cheap players that do everything I want them to to. That's just going to take time. It will get there, just not in 2008.
The war is effectively over, but blu-ray is still an young and immature format. The spec is still incomplete, every player out seems to missing major feature, and the players are pricey. Even if there was no war and blu-ray was the only format to begin with, this would be the case.
The war did though I think serve its purpose. There at least is a 2.0 standard that meets HD DVD feature set, and prices for players is less than the $600-$1000 launch price of the hardware. Somebody has to loose the war, and it seems like Ash chose HD DVD to take one for the team. Thanks for the meories, now dig yourself a hole.
luvincharity @ Feb 14th 2008 1:02AM
Please let this be true:
This is from www.formatwarcentral.com
Toshiba to Release a Blu-ray Player?
Posted on February 13, 2008 by Dave Cowl
Filed Under Format War, Blu-ray |
In the not sure I believe this category, 1080Living is reporting that Toshiba has a Blu-ray player in the works.
Apparently the player was originally scheduled for September 2008 but may be moved up to July given the recent events in the marketplace.
One source cited 2 players are in the works with a price target of $250 and $350.00.
DeadPlasmaCell @ Feb 14th 2008 1:27AM
I can't wait to see what Toshiba's "limit break" is going to be.. My bets are on $50 HD-DVD players.
MrGuru @ Feb 14th 2008 3:27AM
Well lets see the nails are finally in place for HD-DVD's Casket...now on to mourners throwing dirt on to the casket...while i await for the announcement of transformers on blu-ray to finally seal this m-f shut so we can move on with our lives.. well some of us anyway.. cough..truth teller nfinity..and various other fanatics..
Nfinity @ Feb 14th 2008 5:21AM
Sounds like planning to rip consumers as much as they can with garbage technology to me.
I'm sure consumers are making it very clear that they continue to prefer HD DVD. I guess Lionsgate needs to suck to Sony cause they're at the brink of bankruptcy.
Instead of spouting off delusional remarks I would advise this Lionsgate tool to offer movies on HD DVD and get some money from 1+ million consumers.
XDragon @ Feb 14th 2008 7:00AM
Yeah...consumers are making it clear that they want HD-DVD....yeah ok!
I guess sales of hardware and software don't count in your equation.
luvincharity @ Feb 14th 2008 8:33AM
Are you serious they just posted their best year in sales. Where do you come up with crap you are slinging. I want you to know that Netflix, Best-Buy, and Lionsgate are all saying that they have made their decisions and perdictions on industry information.
Here are a few stories to back their decisions up.
Toshiba to Release a Blu-ray Player?
Posted on February 13, 2008 by Dave Cowl
Filed Under Format War, Blu-ray |
In the not sure I believe this category, 1080Living is reporting that Toshiba has a Blu-ray player in the works.
Apparently the player was originally scheduled for September 2008 but may be moved up to July given the recent events in the marketplace.
One source cited 2 players are in the works with a price target of $250 and $350.00.
I normaly wouldnt believe all this but it has the nuber of models price points and date changes this is probably based on some kind of fact. It also is being reported by a reliable source.
Next up.
Netflix has Interesting Predictions for Blu-ray Disc
Posted on February 13, 2008 by Dave Cowl
Filed Under Format War, Blu-ray |
Over at Silicon Alley Insider they have posted notes from the Netflix conference call from late January.
While Netflix insight into the studios may or may not be better than anyone else, they made the following comments regarding Blu-ray Disc:
Appears Blu-ray has advantage in format war. Consumer adoption will
increase. Look out for players falling below $200, and Universal and
Paramount adopting Blu-ray. Would be a positive for studios and NFLX,
fueling "another decade" of "robust, robust" disc-based entertainment.
Again, it is not clear if they have insider information or are just hazarding a guess - none the less it is pretty interesting to see this statement to their shareholders.
Lets see I would have to agree you make a bold decision to support one format and then back it up to your investors by providing things for them took look for.
Heres another.
Michael Bay says I Told You So
Posted on February 13, 2008 by Dave Cowl
Filed Under Format War, Blu-ray, Studios |
Another fun read over at Home Media Magazine. It seems that Michael Bay has been enjoying the recent positive news for Blu-ray Disc.
In fact, it seems that Bay believes it is all over for HD DVD. Blu-rays better, and I told everyone, Bay said at the Visual Effects Societys sixth annual award show, where he presented the award for animated character in a motion picture. I was very vocal about it. I knew HD [DVD] was not going to make it.
Am I thrilled? It really wasnt my fight, but remember what I said in the press? I was kind of saying HD [DVD]s going to lose, he said. No one believed me.
Bay personally supervises his Blu-ray transfers and says he loves his preferred format. Its just sharper, he said. Its just [that] the tools are better. I just think its closer to what it should look like.
Perhaps Bay has something more to be happy about - the rumours floating around right now from multiple sources hint at news that will transform the format war coming very soon, with some setting Friday Feb 15th as the day. Officials remain tight lipped.
Keep in mind that this is seriously in the realm of rumour and conjecture! There have been many times where these days come and go with no news or excitement. Still it should be an interesting day, if only for the disc market share numbers for week ending Feb 10.
Here is more speculation about announcment. Do you think people are going to keep going out on a limb and supporting a format that is going to fail if they dont already know something? Come on......
And Last.
Wal-Mart trims HD DVD player lineup
Business and Law
By Wolfgang Gruener
Wednesday, February 13, 2008 15:36
Recommend article:
Chicago (IL) Wal-Mart has begun phasing out two of its three HD DVD players that have been offered in stores and through its website in past months.
Industry sources told TG Daily that Wal-Mart is phasing out the RCA HDV5000 as well as the Venturer SHD7000 models. The RCA player has been offered exclusively in stores for initially $399, was then reduced to $299 and is currently sold on the clearance rack for $148. The Venturer device is available online and carries a clearance price of $167, down from $199.98.
Store employees from three different Wal-Mart locations in the Chicago area confirmed that the stores will not be restocking these models.
However, the company apparently plans to keep one Toshiba player in its lineup for at least 4 months, we heard. The HD-A3 player is currently sold in stores for $148.
There was no official comment from Wal-Mart about its HD DVD and Blu-ray offering.
These stories all came about in the last 24-48 hours. Lets see last time this much BUZZ was kicked up what happend? Oh Shit thats right Warner went Blu-ray! I mean I am all about routing for the underdog but you guys are gluttons for punishment! Please feel free to cut and paste any stories in the last 48 hours from reliable sources to back up your statements.
Truth Teller @ Feb 14th 2008 7:34AM
Wow, stop the presses.
Big blu-ray supporter claims Blu-ray will win in the summer
(s'funny how it's always never quite now tho, eh).
Yeah, Universal & Paramount are going blu any second now!
.........er, I mean any second NOW!........just a mo.......any second NOW!...........er.........almost........um..........any moment NOW!.......etc etc
Dream on game console kiddies.
DEEZNUTZ @ Feb 14th 2008 9:55AM
How did that gimped version of AMERICAN GANGSTER work out for you huh? Yeah, what a savior that movie was supposed to be...
Nfinity @ Feb 14th 2008 10:37AM
Wow.. it seems that Warner will not be Blu-Ray exclusive after all.. HA HA
Check this out.. they say they will favor Blu-Ray with day/date DVD release but will provide HD DVDs after the cutoff date if the need is present.. HAHAHAHAHAH.. what a great thing.. they actually say they will produce HD DVD discs after May 31st. Well ain't that a doozie.
So not only they will restock the existing movies, but they will possibly publish new ones too if the demand is great!
http://www.dvdtown.com/news/will-warner-bros-re-stock-old-hd-dvds-we-asked-them/5234
LOL!
Truth Teller @ Feb 14th 2008 10:44AM
LMAO
Seems like Sony's $500 million was not enough.
Too funny.
Warner to keep on supplying HD DVD.
Funniest news I've had all day
(and it's not exactly something - as I have previously said - that should be a big shock to anyone.
What kind of morons rely on post-dated promises & cheques, eh?)
wreckedchevy @ Feb 14th 2008 11:05AM
that is some good news guess we will have to see what they mean by some new release hd-dvd's will be created if the need is there
Truth Teller @ Feb 14th 2008 11:19AM
@ DEEZNUTZ
"gimped"?
You which I take it you mean the audio?
It 'only' has Dolby Digital plus that even Dolby themselves (with a professional sound stage) can't hear/see any difference with?
Of course someone @ Blu-ray.com with an Onkyo 505 knows better than Dolby tho, eh?
DrCheese @ Feb 14th 2008 11:20AM
Yeah, because the demand is so great at the moment, you know given that HD-DVD is outselling Blu-ray software.. oh wait, no it isn't.
All this means is that they may supply retailers with existing stock after May 31st. You clearly missed the part "However, Ronnee made it clear that the general rule is that titles will be out in SD and BD only after May 31st"
So say its a "victory" as much as you want, but the truth is going forward all of Warner's major new releases are still on BD and DVD only.
I really don't know why you two keep living in such a dreamworld, a dreamworld where HD-DVD still has a realistic chance.
DrCheese @ Feb 14th 2008 11:21AM
""gimped"?"
He's probably referring to the fact that the extended version of the film is only on the DVD side and not the HD-DVD side. Hilarious.
Zhang @ Feb 14th 2008 12:06PM
"Check this out.. they say they will favor Blu-Ray with day/date DVD release but will provide HD DVDs after the cutoff date if the need is present.. HAHAHAHAHAH.. what a great thing.. they actually say they will produce HD DVD discs after May 31st. Well ain't that a doozie.
So not only they will restock the existing movies, but they will possibly publish new ones too if the demand is great!"
OK all you people who feel some compelling need to see every piece of news for your format as some sign that you personally are superior, and any bad news as proof that the other side is full of idiots really need to get a life. There are many of you on both side of this stupid "war".
Here's an idea. If you like HD-DVD then go out and buy it and SHUT THE HELL UP! If you like BD then do likewise. If you don't like movies then go buy a book. For crying out loud this site is impossible to read between Truth Teller constantly calling everyone kiddies as if he is the only grown up, and obviously anyone with a game console (whose industry is dominated by 30+ year old men) must be a kiddie.
And Nfinity, some times you just have to accept bad news for what it is. This article you pointed to is good news for HD-DVD consumers because it shows that if there is enough demand then Warner will release movies that _it has already released_ after the end of May. But when you say "...but they will possibly publish new ones too..." that just sounds desperate and pathetic since in the article you link they specifically say "If there is product available in HD DVD and there is a request from a retailer, we will provide," which means no new releases after May 31st. Furthermore they go on to say "There may be isolated instances that an HD DVD title will be created, but as a general rule our titles will be out in SD and BD only after May 31."
So while this is a glimmer of hope for consumers who feel they can band together enough support to get something like the Matrix to continue to be available, it's not worth a "HAHAHAHAHAH.. what a great thing.." gloating moment.
Even if all the Blu-Ray fans on this site treat you like crap, you can have a little class and treat the news as what it is. Unless you work for the industry and are paid to grass roots for one side... in which case continue on.
Nfinity @ Feb 14th 2008 1:25PM
Yeah.. Truth Teller, you know what this means right?
Dark Knight WILL be out on HD DVD .. LOL...
XDragon @ Feb 14th 2008 1:28PM
Here's the atricle:
As you all know Warner Bros. has decided to release new titles in the Blu-ray format only after May 31st.
Some HD DVD owners have probably asked themselves, Can I buy the already-released 140+ Warner titles on HD DVD after May 31st? We asked Warner Bros.
"If there is product available in HD DVD and there is a request from a retailer, we will provide," said Ronnee Sass, Vice President - Publicity & Promotion.
So, this actually means that they will re-stock after May 31st if the demand is there. However, Ronnee made it clear that the general rule is that titles will be out in SD and BD only after May 31st, adding, "There may be isolated instances that an HD DVD title will be created, but as a general rule our titles will be out in SD and BD only after May 31."
Learn how to read Nfinity.
They may re-stock existing HD-DVD and they MAY for ISOLATED INSTANCES release an HD-DVD version after SD and BD.
You twist the truth so far from relaity to suit your needs. You're a waste of spem and you really are 1 load I wish your mother had swallowed!
Truth Teller, Warner has officially stated that they were not paid to go Blu.