Possible reason why there's not a flood of HD movies.

[teamerickson]

See link.

http://www.allthingshidef.com/ME2/d...80&tier=7&id=54FE000F68E942D2A198A5C4B2F956D2

 

[navychop]

Very plausible. But they must know about the chicken and the egg.

 

[tonyp56]

You want to boost sells? GET RID OF ONE OF THE FORMATS!

Sorry, as long as there are 2 formats, that scare the crap out of the majority of consumers that might buy HD Dvd's, but fear that they will buy the wrong one and be stuck with a useless paper weight, will not get into the action.

Blu-Ray or HD-DVD needs to go bye bye!

Companies need to quite playing sides, release ALL movies on both formats, and let the numbers do the talking. After one year, who ever is the winner, is the WINNER. The other one gets to go on the shelf of failed inventions!

If not, then well, both formats WILL die, and rightfully so.

 

[navychop]

You want to boost sells? GET RID OF ONE OF THE FORMATS!

Yep. Even though I'm 90% sure Blu-ray has it, I'm not buying. That, plus I don't really see a player configured how I want. I can wait.

But I disagree about releasing movies in both formats. That will just prolong things. No point in "wishing it" anyway- it ain't gonna happen. Universal, the sole exclusive HD-DVD major studio, won't go Blu-ray until HD-DVD is dead and the corpse is stinking up the whole neighborhood. Disney is adamant about regional coding, and isn't about to leave Blu-ray. And of course, Sony/MGM won't release in HD-DVD, period.

Yes, they both could still fail. But I think there's a market for top quality AV. And the satcos and cablecos are not providing top quality. Fios is, but very few will see it over the next 5 years plus. Downloading over the internet is still too cumbersome for most. The idea of renting/buying and slipping a disc in a slot or tray is well entrenched.

 

[jgantert]

Not going to happen, it's going to be dual format for a while. Just like XBOX & Playstation, they'll both be around a while. Same with single serve coffee makers (Tassimo, Keurig & pods), they are all using a different "format" and will all be around for quite a while (well, maybe not Tassimo).

-John

 

[JoeSp]

Hd movie formats is not the same as video gaming. Differant video game formats do not always have the same type of games. The PS brand has always had good platform games and the Xbox game has always had good shooters. Rpgs have usually shown up on the PS brands and both brands have done well in the sports market with the PS brand owning the driving games. Of course the Xbox360 has Forenza2 coming and that might really push GTursimo but we will have to wait and see.

The movie industry does not have this seperation in their movies. Everything shows up on DVD and only Universal and some very small studios only show up on HD-DVD. Everything else shows up on BD and BD has the most exclusive content and the content everyone wants -- ie the bigest box office movies. So will the format war might go on for another 2 years (I doubt it will go much past this XMAS) Compaines producing differant consoles for gaming will continue. Especially from M$ and $ony as they see the future of their companys heading in the settop-does-all future.

 

[1080iBeVuMin]

Yep. Even though I'm 90% sure Blu-ray has it, I'm not buying. That, plus I don't really see a player configured how I want. I can wait....

Yeah, plus my favorite video store doesn't have an HD section yet. Same with the chain stores. I was surprised.

Throw money at a player that gets obsolete fast? No rentals to use with it? :down

I'll stick with my trusty OPPO upconverter for now.

 

[destrada]

I bought a cheap RCA upconverter on clearance for $50 about a year ago. I've been very happy with its performance. Until a format actually wins, I can wait. I don't have $500 or $1000 to spend on something that might be obsolete next year.

 

[navychop]

Think how many people see it as paying $50 for a DVD player, or $1,000 for pretty much the same thing.

Whoever wins is going to depend upon us to convince others that when a high def disc player is available for say, $300, it's a better deal than that $50 DVD player.

I've seen estimates that anywhere from 25% to 50% of US households have an HDTV. So there's certainly a market right now. The US has about 100 million households.

BTW, destrada- don't feed them too much. They might become teenagers! :yikes

 

[1080iBeVuMin]

BTW, destrada- don't feed them too much. They might become teenagers! :yikes

I can relate!

Back on topic... A lot of people would have their HD displays running in a low rez mode, or would use analog connectors, or whatever, even with a HD player. You are right that they look at a $50 player or a $1000 player as almost the same thing.

What is the latest word with UDTV? I heard it has something like 4000 x 4000 pixels and looks as clear as looking out the window. Last I heard UDTV is still very experimental. But we may need a technology jump THIS big, with video differences THIS obvious, to get average consumers on board with HD (or UD) in a big way.

I would love to get an HD player right now, but my OPPO upconverter is 70% of the way there. Or maybe 60%. Sadly, until I can get HD rentals for the kinds of foreign flicks and obscure films I like, there's no point even considering a HD player. Only American blockbusters are available now in an HD format, and I don't like most of those films anyway.

Realistically, I will probably be one of the last to upgrade.

 

[tonyp56]

With all that is going on, you throw UDTV into this?

Really, even if, and that is even if, 50% of the US households had HDTV's, that don't mean 100% of them even know what HDTV is. Majority, likely would be happy with OTA digital broadcast (heck, even analong), however, wouldn't be willing to pay more money so they can get HD channels, it wouldn't be worth it to them.

Lets say, 150,000,000 total households (rough guess, considering there is 300,000,000 people in the U.S.), half of which is 75,000,000. And lets say only 50% of those are actually willing to pay a premium for HD, that's 37,500,000 households. Out of them, how many are willing to throw their DVD players away, and run out and buy one of the two HD DVD players? Estimate of 50% would equal 18,750,000. We've went from 150,000,000 to a little under 19 mil already. Divide that number by two, and you've got about 9.5 mil possible for each format. Now, you've got to take off some of those because they are scared away because they don't want to buy the one that fails, and/or can't afford to go out and spend that kind of money right now/are patient for something better to come, etc...

Now, from the other side of the coin, why would any movie companies release tons of HD movies for either format? Especially, when some movies sell more movies than there are possible buyers of HD-DVD and Blu-Ray combined?

This is how I see it.

 

[tonyp56]

But I disagree about releasing movies in both formats. That will just prolong things. No point in "wishing it" anyway- it ain't gonna happen. Universal, the sole exclusive HD-DVD major studio, won't go Blu-ray until HD-DVD is dead and the corpse is stinking up the whole neighborhood. Disney is adamant about regional coding, and isn't about to leave Blu-ray. And of course, Sony/MGM won't release in HD-DVD, period.

Yes, they both could still fail. But I think there's a market for top quality AV. And the satcos and cablecos are not providing top quality. Fios is, but very few will see it over the next 5 years plus. Downloading over the internet is still too cumbersome for most. The idea of renting/buying and slipping a disc in a slot or tray is well entrenched.

I don't wish it, I know that it won't happen, however, if both formats got all the same movies, merits of each would be the deciding factor. Some buy Blu-Ray because there is a favorite movie that is only available on Blu-Ray. HD-DVD for some is the same thing. If all movies were available on both formats from the start, I believe Blu-Ray would already be gone. The reason, well, price is one major thing, especially when it first came out. The thing is, the one that wins this "war" will likely be the worst of the two IMO. (As far as consumer friendly, price, etc...) This is IMHO.

I would have to agree with what you said about downloading movies, however, I believe it is more than just cumbersome. IPTV or Movie downloads is a moot point, until there is 100% high speed broadband penetration (1.5Mbps and above, at least) for the entire nation, not just metro areas, but out in the boonies, neither of these will be able to take root. Of course, they might attract some customers (considering majority do live in cities) but IPTV or downloads won't reach the masses until the masses have access plain and simple.

I live less than a mile from DSL service, yet I don't have DSL service (on crappy satellite, which won't work since they have a FAP). Additionally, some areas of my state, even in towns don't have DSL. This will have to change before anyone can start talking about IPTV or downloading being an alternative. Most of the talk I read about, talks about the end result, but fails to mention what has to be done before that end can be accomplished.

I agree the push is towards HQ audio and video products, however, it is too early to in the game for any format to take themselves for granted. In other words, I strongly believe, unless things change, HD-DVD and Blu-Ray will disappear together without question. Again, IMO

 

[navychop]

Yes, too early for a winner. Just indications.

I hope you're wrong about both failing. If that happens, maybe HVD or whatever the "next big thing" will be, will have absolutely every studio & electronics company behind it, so there is no fratricidal war that kills everybody off. One standard, from the start.

 

[JoeSp]

It is not possible for all movies to be on both formats. The HD-DVD camp shot themselves in the foot when they decided against regional coding. Also, they do not have a next step in copy protection like BD has with BD+. When a movie studios spends 10s of millions of dollars to make a movie they want the most protection possible and right now HD-DVD just has not provided them with that or a future that would include that. This is why BD has more studio support than HD-DVD.

 

[navychop]

Let's hope that releases will not be held up, waiting for BD+ to be finalized and implemented.

 

[tonyp56]

It is not possible for all movies to be on both formats. The HD-DVD camp shot themselves in the foot when they decided against regional coding. Also, they do not have a next step in copy protection like BD has with BD+. When a movie studios spends 10s of millions of dollars to make a movie they want the most protection possible and right now HD-DVD just has not provided them with that or a future that would include that. This is why BD has more studio support than HD-DVD.

I can sort of see your point here, however, I don't think it is fair to say Blu-Ray has more studio support than HD-DVD. More or less Blu-Ray has all of Sony's movie studios to themselves--which I'll agree is major--and the rest (except Universal) are on both formats. Sony being a big backer of Blu-Ray, kind of makes them bias towards HD-DVD. So it isn't because of security or even regional coding, it comes down to Sony going with Blu-Ray, because Blu-Ray is their baby.

 

[JoeSp]

Tonyp56, you are not quite right there. You have this studio support turned around. Universal is the only major studio backing only HD-DVD with Weinstein also only doing HD-DVD. In the backing only BD corner is of course Sony, Buena Vista, Disney, Fox, MGM, Lionsgate with the rest backing both camps. BluRay just doesn't have more support it is considerably more support especially when considering who has had the most of the major box office hits the last 5 years.

 

[navychop]

...I don't think it is fair to say Blu-Ray has more studio support than HD-DVD. More or less Blu-Ray has all of Sony's movie studios to themselves--which I'll agree is major--and the rest (except Universal) are on both formats. NOPE.

Paramount and Warner support both formats.

Universal supports HD-DVD only.

And the following support Blu-ray only:
Lions Gate
MGM
Sony
20th Century Fox
Disney (including Disney Home Entertainment, Hollywood Pictures, Touchstone, Miramax, Buena Vista,
. and Dimension Home Video)

So 7 out of the 8 major studios support Blu-ray, five of which support Blu-ray exclusively. Only one major studio supports HD-DVD exclusively- Universal, with the weakest catalog.

So, yes- Blu-ray has the most studio support. By far.

 

[BobMurdoch]

Weinstein supports HD DVD ONLY as do several other smaller independents.

Also, don't forget that due to no region coding, you could conceivably import HD DVD versions of FOX movies from Canal plus, the European distributor... Also, if you like Asian martial arts films, you can view them on HD DVD.

 

[navychop]

The vast amount of sales are in movies from the 8 major studios.

The lack of region coding is a double edged sword. It kept Disney from HD-DVD.

JSP will not import anything. He'll buy/rent from what he sees at his local store, or maybe Amazon, Netflix, Blockbuster. I doubt that Amazon etc will start importing HD-DVD titles from overseas that aren't approved for distribution in this country. They'd lose that court case rather quickly.