Universal: We're staying with HD DVD

[CaliHwyPatrol]

Anyone else see this?

"Contrary to unsubstantiated rumors from unnamed sources, Universal's current plan is to continue to support the HD DVD format," said Ken Graffeo, executive vice president of HD strategic marketing for Universal Studios Home Entertainment and also co-president of the HD DVD Promotional Group.

The rest HERE.

Thoughts?

 

[CaliHwyPatrol]

Oops... I had a brain fart and thought it was WB, that was why I was getting all uppity haha.

No big deal I guess then...

 

[GlocksRock]

They can support HD DVD if they want to, but if they release on both HD and BD then it's still basically over.

 

[CaliHwyPatrol]

Yeah, it's over any way. I just got all crazy because for a second I thought I was seeing Warner...

 

[stratman]

Anyone else see this?

"Contrary to unsubstantiated rumors from unnamed sources, Universal's current plan is to continue to support the HD DVD format," said Ken Graffeo, executive vice president of HD strategic marketing for Universal Studios Home Entertainment and also co-president of the HD DVD Promotional Group.

The rest HERE.

Thoughts?

You guys missed the qualifier: "current plan" This is corporate speak for: "at this moment, because it suits us we'll support this, if tomorrow we need to jump ship rest assured we will."

 

[Buckeye_Nut]

Yes,

And we are sticking with HD-DVD too!

Regards,

WB ( 30 days ago)

 

[Audioholics]

They will bail as soon as it makes financial sense to do so given their current arrangements, contracts, etc...

 

[1tribeca]

Good! Jurassic Park is a Universal release!! Unless there's a BluRay version.

 

[j_garcia]

Yeah, I like how he says "We still don't have an answer regarding Warner leaving...." That really shows that they kno what they are doing to me

 

[allargon]

They might be waiting for Sony and the BDA to make them an offer. Honestly, what do they gain if they go to Blu-Ray without incentives? (Anyone who thinks Disney, Fox, Lionsgate, Universal, etc. got no incentives is seriously delusional.) No one is raking in money on HDM sales. Together Blu-Ray and HD DVD barely beat VHS.

Essentially Universal and Paramount are making HD DVD viable. If Microsoft actually lowered the price of the standalones we might have another good fight for a year. Personally I wouldn't recommend anyone touch a Blu-Ray player (other than the PS3) until the 2.0 standalones come out.

 

[fmw]

Honestly, what do they gain if they go to Blu-Ray without incentives?

More sales?

 

[1tribeca]

"Personally I wouldn't recommend anyone touch a Blu-Ray player (other than the PS3) until the 2.0 standalones come out"

Why? it's superior format...storage capacity etc. There's a technical reason why HD DVD is going down too.

 

[Alamar]

"Personally I wouldn't recommend anyone touch a Blu-Ray player (other than the PS3) until the 2.0 standalones come out"

Why? it's superior format...storage capacity etc. There's a technical reason why HD DVD is going down too.

Generally speaking Blu ray players didn't have as many features as an HD-DVD player per-se. The 2.0 standard more-or-less puts the players on equal footing as far as feature sets go.

As far as "technical" reasons why HD is going down at first they did a good job of doing a lot more [than Blu] with a lot less space and bitrate which is [AFAIK] the only consumer-level technical advantage Blu had.

As far as Blu Ray players go [AFAIK] the PS3 is head & shoulders more functional that the vast majority of other players out there so there's not really any reason why you'd get a different player. Later on I'm sure there will be plenty of quality 2.0 Blu players out but, for now, the PS3 seems like it's the one to beat.

 

[allargon]

More sales?

Sales of what? Together Blu-Ray and HD DVD comprise less than 1% of the home video market. Together they barely beat VHS.

Six months from now that may be different. Now?

Technically Blu-Ray is actually inferior until 2.0 comes live. Then they will be on par. Let's not forget that you can actually burn HD DVD on a plain old DVD-9. Blu-Ray has a higher max bitrate. This much is true.

Anyhoo, we are still at dual formats for awhile unless Toshiba, Universal and Paramount throw in the towel.