Blu-ray could win high-def battle
HD DVD backers could switch sides soon
By Diane Garrett and Ben Fritz from Variety -- TWICE, 1/11/2008
This article was updated on January 10, 2008.
The two remaining studios backing HD DVD could switch sides soon, ending the high-def format war instantly.
Daily Variety has confirmed that Universal's commitment to backing HD DVD exclusively has ended. And Paramount has an escape clause in its HD DVD contract allowing it to release pics on Blu-ray after Warner Bros.' decision to back that format exclusively.
More than one option
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(Co) Daily Variety Filmography, Year, Role
Neither studio is ready to throw in the towel immediately, however. On Thursday, Universal broke its silence about the matter to say that it plans to keep supporting the format for the time being, a pledge Par made earlier in the week. And in any case, U is committed to a series of HD DVD promotions in coming months.
Should Toshiba concede defeat on the format, the decision to drop HD DVD would be made for both studios. But Toshiba doesn't appear ready to do that. At the Consumer Electronics Show, the manufacturer reaffirmed its commitment to the format, noting strong sales during the fourth quarter and indicating it would continue marketing its hardware through 2008.
But retailers may force the HD DVD camp's hand: They're unlikely to keep devoting premium shelf space to a dying format, and at this point, the odds are not in HD DVD's favor. With Warners' defection, only Par and U remain in the HD DVD camp; Sony, Disney, Fox, Lionsgate remain ardent Blu-ray backers. Warner sister companies New Line and HBO are also shifting allegiance to Blu-ray.
Last summer, Blockbuster also threw its weight behind Blu-ray, though some HD DVD discs remain in stores.
And Warner will continue to release HD DVD discs for the next few months to honor its previous commitment to Toshiba, which extends through May 31. Paramount's HD DVD deal, which covers DreamWorks releases, was to run through this year. (Variety is a sister publication to TWICE)
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I was hoping that this "fight" would extend for a few years so as to force the manufacturers to bring the price points to earth. With high definition becoming the standard, it doesn't make sense to have to sell crappy upconverting dvd players to customers so they can get a decent picture on their new HDTV. Sure, I could sell them a DCDI or better standard DVD, but those rival the price of a low end BluRay and in many cases exceed the price of a HD-DVD.
At some point on-line sales might threaten DVD sales, but I think that is a long way off. First of all, the average citizen is barely net-wise and many of those don't have an appropriate computer or connection to download movies even if they wanted to. So that fear of the downloaded movie is a bit overrated. A lot more people will not download a movie even if they have the capacity because they want to be able to touch what they pay for or play it on different televisions with ease.
If HD-DVD goes away too fast, the consumer will get screwed because the BluRay crowd won't have much incentive to make the machines or movies affordable.
J. Wudman Wood - 2008-20-1 23:16:00 EST -
Interesting post. I havn't done that bad with hd-dvd, but surely have sold many more blu-ray discs. We have sold thousands of movies to gamers too, who own the Playstation. I think, from what I have seen in my stores (2 in FL), thatSony made a very wise choice when coupling the blu-ray drive with the Playstation. We also sell hardware, and we have sold, this holiday season, about 60 hd-dvd add-ons, 174 hd-dvd players, 650 Playstations and 320 blu-ray players. Obviously we are glad to see Warner move to the format we sell most often. So my experiences reflect the stores in the first posting here. We are strongly considering putting our money in blu-ray only.
Bob Johnson - 2008-13-1 23:30:00 EST -
It's a shame that Universal and Paramount aren't changing sides now to end this war. They obviously don't realize that all studios promoting one format gives the HD disc format a much bigger chance against downloads and to succeed dvd. As a retailer with 8 stores in Minnesota, after Warner's decision, I have decided to sell off, at sale prices, my hd-dvd stock including all rentals and try to support one format and get this war over with.
Many people that stop in refuse to buy into hd discs because of the format war. This is hurting the consumer, the retailer and the studios. Shame on Paramount and Universal if they continue to keep this war alive, which means continuing to cut all of our throats.
We have been selling blu-ray over hd-dvd 4 to 1 this entire holiday season, and I am glad to see Warner making the right choice that obviously the consumers made. Blu-ray won every single week of 2007 in software sales, even on hd-dvd's strongest weeks (Transformers, Shrek and Bourne).
Blake Jackson - 2008-13-1 23:19:00 EST
HD-DVD Format Wins Studio Support
11/29/2004Toshiba Pulls Plug On HD DVD
02/19/2008Toshiba Takes HD DVD On Offensive
01/14/2008Blockbuster Sides With Blu-ray
06/17/2007HD DVD's End Is Fresh Start For Blu-ray
02/24/2008


















