You own the Star Wars Trilogy on DVD. You may even own the unaltered version of Star Wars released last year. Now it seems George Lucas has yet another DVD edition of Star Wars on which to spend your hard-earned money.
ComingSoon.net cites an AP report on toymaker Hasbro's earnings for the new DVD rumor. Hasbro, the people who produce the Star Wars toys, expects demand for action figures to remain high "with Lucas planning a video release for this year's 30th anniversary."
(The article also mentions next year's Star Wars animated TV series and the live-action series in 2009 as potential drivers of toy sales.)
This year does mark the anniversary of the first Star Wars film released in 1977. Many toys, books, and other Star Wars-related projects have already been announced to honor the 30 year mark.
The vague mention of a "video release" sparks many rumors. For instance, could this mean a high definition release on Blu-ray Disc? Lucasfilm's distributor Twentieth Century Fox is a backer of this new format.
If this Star Wars on Blu-ray rumor is true it would mark an enormous victory for the format over bitter rival HD-DVD. Not only would it drive toy sales but it would drive many consumers to finally buy one of the expensive Blu-ray players.
Would such a release end the format war outright? Thoughts? Talk amongst ya selves...
I don't think the starwars trilogy on either format would just simply end the war. There will always be both formats IMO. They both may not always be carrying movies, but I think they both may remain. HD-DVD-R, Or their Blu Ray cousin will battle for the recordable media space after their is a decisive victory. Possibly.
Another 'Star Wars' DVD in the works? Blu-ray perhaps?
Perhaps Blu-ray, but it couldn't be a theatrical original trilogy release. Lucas swore up and down that he destroyed all the film for the unaltered versions of the first three films, so all that was left for the DVD release were the laserdisc video masters, which obviously won't be HD quality. Although I wouldn't put it past him to "suddenly" find "lost" film masters in a vault somewhere.
Perhaps Blu-ray, but it couldn't be a theatrical original trilogy release. Lucas swore up and down that he destroyed all the film for the unaltered versions of the first three films, so all that was left for the DVD release were the laserdisc video masters, which obviously won't be HD quality. Although I wouldn't put it past him to "suddenly" find "lost" film masters in a vault somewhere.
FYI he released the originals last year in two disk sets featuring altered, and unalterded versions in one box.
Read my post again. Those unaltered DVD versions were made from the laserdiscs because Lucas claimed no film masters exist anymore (he says he destroyed them after he made the Special Editions because the originals weren't what he always intended they should be). In other words, standard definition video. You can clean them up as much as you want, but no way standard definition 480i going to look good on a 1080p disc.
Read my post again. Those unaltered DVD versions were made from the laserdiscs because Lucas claimed no film masters exist anymore (he says he destroyed them after he made the Special Editions because the originals weren't what he always intended they should be). In other words, standard definition video. You can clean them up as much as you want, but no way standard definition 480i going to look good on a 1080p disc.
Yeah, I have a pretty hard time believing his claims. I mean, what sort of jack ass would destroy the original film masters?
To veer off topic (or back on topic depending on your POV) How long do you think it'll be until we have Blu-Ray authoring tools? Right now DVDSP can encode HD-DVD, but we have no burners. We have Blu-Ray burners available, but no (obvious) way to author. I'm laying the ground work to move my video production company to HD, but we have no consumer delivery format at the moment.
Yeah, I have a pretty hard time believing his claims. I mean, what sort of jack ass would destroy the original film masters?
wait......
I don't think he did that either. They spent millions restoring the films. They were nearly destroyed when they went to remaster them. In fact, I remember him saying that in a few more years, the movies would have been unrestorable.
To veer off topic (or back on topic depending on your POV) How long do you think it'll be until we have Blu-Ray authoring tools? Right now DVDSP can encode HD-DVD, but we have no burners. We have Blu-Ray burners available, but no (obvious) way to author. I'm laying the ground work to move my video production company to HD, but we have no consumer delivery format at the moment.
It can't be long. I can imagine you'll have BTO Blu-Ray drives in Apple's pro-line before the end of the year, and support for the same in terms of authoring...software wise.
In other high-def news, we've got the first reports on actual unit software sales numbers, though the numbers come from Sony Computer Entertainment America (which has an obvious bias). Next Generation magazine has reported Sony's claim that 439,000 Blu-ray movie discs have sold in the U.S., while 438,000 HD-DVDs have sold. We believe these numbers are format to date. It will be interesting to see if any third party tracking companies release unit sales numbers to confirm Sony's claims. Still, they don't seem out of line with the data we've seen from Nielsen VideoScan recently.
Meanwhile, Newsweek magazine has posted an interesting story recently that has relevance to the HD format war. The piece indicates that the adult film industry is in the middle of its worst software sales slump in years, in part impacted by the sheer volume of free adult content available online. That would stand in sharp contrast to the notion that the adult industry is powerful enough to influence the HD-DVD/Blu-ray format war. In fact, despite the free content that's already online, industry analysts see the most profitable part of the porn market moving from DVD directly to the Internet... bypassing HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc entirely. Several adult producers have told us here at The Bits that the ultimate goal is to deliver high-definition adult content directly to computers and DVRs via broadband, without any physical media involved.
Here's yet another major HD story, and it's breaking news: A hacker or hackers on the Doom9 forums are reporting that they've actually managed to discover the so-called "processing key" that allows them to circumvent the AACS DRM protection on ALL HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc software. Naturally, the AACS Licensing Administrator is "investigating the claims." This could end up being a MAJOR story, so we'll watch how it develops. Reminds me of a classic Scotty quote from one of the Trek films: "The more they over think the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain." You can read more here at InfoWorld and here at engadget.
Finally today, I'm tickled to learn that I'm not the only media analyst that's earned the ire of a select group of... shall we say, passionate?... early adopters on the Net. CNet executive editor David Carnoy has apparently been flamed too by HD-DVD enthusiasts online for daring to suggest that HD-DVD may not have a rosy future. You can read his amusing editorial reaction here.
You know, the funny thing about all this is that I really like both HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc just as video formats. They both deliver fantastic quality and features. But technically and quality-wise, this format war is basically a wash. Therefore, it's reasonable to assume that if this battle is going to be decided by anything, it will be other factors. Like which studios support each format, which manufacturers support each format, what the software and hardware sales trends are, etc. And in each of those areas, Blu-ray has developed a clear edge.
Let's look at these simple facts: Of the 12 major and mini-major Hollywood studios (Fox, Disney, MGM, Sony, Lionsgate, Paramount, New Line, HBO, Warner Bros, Universal, DreamWorks and The Weinstein Company) 9 support Blu-ray, 5 of them exclusively. Only 6 support HD-DVD, just 2 of them exclusively (one studio, DreamWorks, remains uncommitted). Not counting computer hardware or budget brands, Blu-ray Disc has 9 major set-top hardware manufacturers behind it (Sony, Pioneer, Samsung, Philips, Panasonic, LG, Mitsubishi, Thomson, Sharp), while HD-DVD boasts just two (Toshiba and now LG). HD-DVD is an add-on to Microsoft's Xbox 360, while Blu-ray is built into EVERY Sony PlayStation 3. Nielsen VideoScan is reporting that in software sales, Blu-ray has virtually erased the sales lead enjoyed by HD-DVD since the formats were launched, and is now outselling HD-DVD by a 2 to 1 (and growing) margin.
I can understand that some people just love HD-DVD and have had great experiences with it. We have too. I understand that some people hate Sony for perceived corporate arrogance. I'm not a big fan of their tactics either, particularly how they went around the DVD Forum to develop their format. But let's face it - the biggest corporate cheerleader for HD-DVD seems to be Microsoft, which isn't exactly comforting either. All of those issues aside, however, how do you argue with the facts that are clearly becoming obvious - namely, ALL those things I just mentioned above? Frankly, the best sales pitch the HD-DVD camp seems to be able to make right now is: "Hey, we've got DVD right in the name! Plus cheap off-brand players are on the way! And porn!" I guess I have to be the guy who states the obvious, but doesn't that seem a little odd to anyone?
The cheap players thing is worth addressing here. The reality is, price sensitivity isn't an issue in the first year or so of any new format. It's mostly just the early adopters who are interested at that point anyway. By the time a wider consumer base is starting to get interested, 2nd and 3rd generation players have entered the market and they're inevitably cheaper. What surprised me most at CES is just how aggressively the HD-DVD camp seems to be trying to drive their format's hardware prices as low as possible by bringing off-brand Asian manufactures into their fold. The arrival of ultra-cheap $100 and $50 players in the DVD industry is what spelled the end of DVD hardware profitability for the major CE manufacturers. So why INVITE this situation before your format is even a year old? It makes no business sense that I can see, unless it's a desperation play - a last ditch effort not to lose.
I've also heard people cite universal players as the answer to having two formats. But the problem with universal players is that while they make life easier for early adopters, they do nothing to clear up the mass consumer (or mainstream media) perception of a format war, so those folks still remain on the sidelines. In addition to that, universal players tend to cost more, which again doesn't affect early adopters that much but is one more strike against adoption by consumers at large, who are price sensitive.
As for porn... I've addressed that issue in the past, and you saw the Newsweek story posted above. Unlike the situation back in the days of VHS versus Betamax, cheap porn is already available everywhere on DVD and online. Porn is not going to decide this format war.
As I've said before, I like both HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc. They're both great - they both deliver the goods. But there just isn't room for TWO great formats. And at this point, I just don't see any likely circumstance in which HD-DVD can evolve into a viable mass market consumer video format. I certainly can't recommend in good conscience that Bits readers commit to HD-DVD right now. I tell most readers who ask me about the format war to just stick with DVD, and wait until it's all over. But if they're prepared to risk their money now, and are eager to do so, I have to tell them that Blu-ray is the better bet.
Frankly, I wish this format war had never happened. I am SO sick and tired of endlessly debating the merits of one of these formats versus the other. I'm tired of talking to reps for studios that are sitting on the fence or straddling both formats, who gamely spout the diplomatic company line about how great both formats are on the record, but off the record tell you how sick they all are of the situation and how much more hassle and headache it's caused them having to support THREE formats (including standard DVD). And I'm tired of watching early adopters backbiting each other at every turn. I'd rather just be talking about all the great films being released on disc in high-definition. I truly don't care which format wins, as long as one wins. But as long as there are two competing formats, we ALL lose. Period. The home video industry is not like videogaming. People do not have the patience for two or even three separate formats. They want to go to the store, buy a disc and know that it's going to work when they get home. It's that simple. They don't want to have to worry about having to buy the red box, or the blue box... or even the red AND blue box.
I'd hate for the high-definition video format war to have the same outcome as the high-resolution audio format war did. DVD-Audio versus SACD ended in a stalemate, and most people just stuck with CDs or moved to MP3 downloads. But mark my words, if the HD-DVD/Blu-ray war lingers on, that's exactly where we're headed. All you enthusiasts that have trenched in to support your particular format of choice come hell or high water had better enjoy the movies you're getting now, because if both formats fizzle out, forget about ever getting deep catalog, or older classics that cost money to restore for HD - money that would have come from software sales that aren't happening because too many people stubbornly stuck to their guns and the format war dragged out until nobody cared anymore. I think Stephen Colbert said it best when predicting the future of the HD format war: "The winner will be the one you DON'T buy." There could be a lot more "truthiness" in that statement than some want to believe.
For the good of the video industry as a whole, and for the benefit of film fans everywhere, this format war needs to end and SOON. So how long do we all have to wait before we start acknowledging the elephant in the room: One of these formats is already winning... and, for better or worse, it isn't HD-DVD.
Let's analyze his statements about the format war being "a wash"
How many would honestly say that Blu-ray would even be in the running without a studio support advantage? To me the format of Blu-ray hasn't proven anything. They haven't delivered standout BD Java titles. Their hardware is incomplete save for the PS3. There are missing features and region encoding is present.
The ONLY thing that keeps this format alive is Fox/MGM, Disney/BV, Lionsgate and Columbia/Sony Pictures. Thus Blu-ray don't shat other than give up a bunch of concession to keep content exclusive.
I think it's obvious that if given the same content HD DVD mops the floor with Blu-ray. Even today there are more people buying "The Departed" on HD DVD for 4 bucks more than Blu-ray fans.
I think it's obvious that if given the same content HD DVD mops the floor with Blu-ray. Even today there are more people buying "The Departed" on HD DVD for 4 bucks more than Blu-ray fans.
I'm sorry but the Blu-ray version was higher on the amazon top seller list longer than hd-dvd. Also it peaked higher than the hd-dvd version. Other retailers like dvdempire have Blu-ray in the lead.
I think it's obvious that if given the same content HD DVD mops the floor with Blu-ray. Even today there are more people buying "The Departed" on HD DVD for 4 bucks more than Blu-ray fans.
Wait, wasn't one of your keystone arguments all along for HD DVD's superiority that the discs were supposed to be cheaper? Now that they're costing more, you're suddenly saying it's a good thing that some people are willing to pay more for them? Interesting change of position.
Let's analyze his statements about the format war being "a wash"
How many would honestly say that Blu-ray would even be in the running without a studio support advantage? To me the format of Blu-ray hasn't proven anything. They haven't delivered standout BD Java titles. Their hardware is incomplete save for the PS3. There are missing features and region encoding is present.
Hmm, haven't proven anything? Like proving that 50 GB discs weren't "science fiction" or "pipe dreams." Or that their Blu-ray disc is more durable than their HD DVD counterpart. Or that MPEG-2 releases were right on par and at times better than VC-1 releases. Or maybe even proven that "price" doesn't trump all in that the number of standalones sold is equal, especially when one considers the early adoption market concept. Or how about proving that purchasers of PS3s are indeed buying movies at a ratio of 2:1 - 3:1 over HD DVD. Nahhh, Blu-ray hasn't proved anything.
Quote:
The ONLY thing that keeps this format alive is Fox/MGM, Disney/BV, Lionsgate and Columbia/Sony Pictures. Thus Blu-ray don't shat other than give up a bunch of concession to keep content exclusive.
I think it's obvious that if given the same content HD DVD mops the floor with Blu-ray. Even today there are more people buying "The Departed" on HD DVD for 4 bucks more than Blu-ray fans.
Hardly. I can think of a few things that keeps Blu-ray alive and dominating HD DVD to boot...
1) CE Manufaturer Support - Sony, Panasonic, Philips, Sharp, Samsung, LG, Pioneer, etc.
2) IT Support - HP, Dell, Apple, LiteOn, Acer, etc
3) Better Durability - hardcoat on discs proving and displaying great resistance to smudges, fingerprints, dirt, scratches, ink, and even pizza cutters .
4) Better Data Throughput - it is indeed a fact that Blu-ray has a higher bandwidth in terms of data throughput.
5) Greater Capacity - with the more room, greater PQ can be potentially realized by being able to crank up the bitrate and in terms of quality of audio, it is pretty much a consensus that with the extra space, PCM can be used which has been found to be superior. Moreover, the extra space can be utilized for when the audio turns to 7.1 tracks rather than the 5.1 ones that are found on the both discs today. Also, let's not forget all the room that can be utilized for truly next gen extras.
So all these, besides the apparent studio advantage Blu-ray has, is what would keep Blu-ray going. So in essence I think it is a bit too bold to state that the studio advantage is the ONLY thing that keeps Blu-ray alive.
Face it, HD DVD is a stop-gap format, one that wasn't engineered from the beginning to supplant DVD like Blu-ray, but rather one that simply is an extension of DVD using the same older methodologies and engineering. The simple reality is that it is indeed Blu-ray who is mopping the floor with HD DVD and all indications in terms of disc sales and player penetration are validating this. I'm not going to be suprised one bit if Universal concedes by 4th quarter of this year.
I don't think he did that either. They spent millions restoring the films. They were nearly destroyed when they went to remaster them. In fact, I remember him saying that in a few more years, the movies would have been unrestorable.
Lucas had the original films destroyed AFTER he made the Special Editions because he considers only the SEs to be the completed films he always planned. That's why the theatrical editions they released on DVD are not anamorphic although the Special Editions in the same sets are. High-resolution film masters of the originals don't exist anymore. All they had to work with was the video master from the laserdisc releases, which were not anamorphic. You can't make anamorphic video from non-anamorphic. Upscaling can't work miracles when the detail isn't there to begin with.
Maybe Warner got tired of waiting for BD-J and may go HD exclusive for awhile on some of those titles requiring in-movie experience. I'm sure Harry Potter series would also follow soon and be HD exclusive again if BD-J remains to be broken.
Comments
http://videoeta.com/news/2226
You own the Star Wars Trilogy on DVD. You may even own the unaltered version of Star Wars released last year. Now it seems George Lucas has yet another DVD edition of Star Wars on which to spend your hard-earned money.
ComingSoon.net cites an AP report on toymaker Hasbro's earnings for the new DVD rumor. Hasbro, the people who produce the Star Wars toys, expects demand for action figures to remain high "with Lucas planning a video release for this year's 30th anniversary."
(The article also mentions next year's Star Wars animated TV series and the live-action series in 2009 as potential drivers of toy sales.)
This year does mark the anniversary of the first Star Wars film released in 1977. Many toys, books, and other Star Wars-related projects have already been announced to honor the 30 year mark.
The vague mention of a "video release" sparks many rumors. For instance, could this mean a high definition release on Blu-ray Disc? Lucasfilm's distributor Twentieth Century Fox is a backer of this new format.
If this Star Wars on Blu-ray rumor is true it would mark an enormous victory for the format over bitter rival HD-DVD. Not only would it drive toy sales but it would drive many consumers to finally buy one of the expensive Blu-ray players.
Another 'Star Wars' DVD in the works? Blu-ray perhaps?
Perhaps Blu-ray, but it couldn't be a theatrical original trilogy release. Lucas swore up and down that he destroyed all the film for the unaltered versions of the first three films, so all that was left for the DVD release were the laserdisc video masters, which obviously won't be HD quality. Although I wouldn't put it past him to "suddenly" find "lost" film masters in a vault somewhere.
Perhaps Blu-ray, but it couldn't be a theatrical original trilogy release. Lucas swore up and down that he destroyed all the film for the unaltered versions of the first three films, so all that was left for the DVD release were the laserdisc video masters, which obviously won't be HD quality. Although I wouldn't put it past him to "suddenly" find "lost" film masters in a vault somewhere.
FYI he released the originals last year in two disk sets featuring altered, and unalterded versions in one box.
A New Hope
Empire Strikes Back
Return of The Jedi
Read my post again. Those unaltered DVD versions were made from the laserdiscs because Lucas claimed no film masters exist anymore (he says he destroyed them after he made the Special Editions because the originals weren't what he always intended they should be). In other words, standard definition video. You can clean them up as much as you want, but no way standard definition 480i going to look good on a 1080p disc.
Yeah, I have a pretty hard time believing his claims. I mean, what sort of jack ass would destroy the original film masters?
wait......
Yeah, I have a pretty hard time believing his claims. I mean, what sort of jack ass would destroy the original film masters?
wait......
I don't think he did that either. They spent millions restoring the films. They were nearly destroyed when they went to remaster them. In fact, I remember him saying that in a few more years, the movies would have been unrestorable.
To veer off topic (or back on topic depending on your POV) How long do you think it'll be until we have Blu-Ray authoring tools? Right now DVDSP can encode HD-DVD, but we have no burners. We have Blu-Ray burners available, but no (obvious) way to author. I'm laying the ground work to move my video production company to HD, but we have no consumer delivery format at the moment.
It can't be long. I can imagine you'll have BTO Blu-Ray drives in Apple's pro-line before the end of the year, and support for the same in terms of authoring...software wise.
http://www.digitalbits.com/#mytwocents
In other high-def news, we've got the first reports on actual unit software sales numbers, though the numbers come from Sony Computer Entertainment America (which has an obvious bias). Next Generation magazine has reported Sony's claim that 439,000 Blu-ray movie discs have sold in the U.S., while 438,000 HD-DVDs have sold. We believe these numbers are format to date. It will be interesting to see if any third party tracking companies release unit sales numbers to confirm Sony's claims. Still, they don't seem out of line with the data we've seen from Nielsen VideoScan recently.
Meanwhile, Newsweek magazine has posted an interesting story recently that has relevance to the HD format war. The piece indicates that the adult film industry is in the middle of its worst software sales slump in years, in part impacted by the sheer volume of free adult content available online. That would stand in sharp contrast to the notion that the adult industry is powerful enough to influence the HD-DVD/Blu-ray format war. In fact, despite the free content that's already online, industry analysts see the most profitable part of the porn market moving from DVD directly to the Internet... bypassing HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc entirely. Several adult producers have told us here at The Bits that the ultimate goal is to deliver high-definition adult content directly to computers and DVRs via broadband, without any physical media involved.
Here's yet another major HD story, and it's breaking news: A hacker or hackers on the Doom9 forums are reporting that they've actually managed to discover the so-called "processing key" that allows them to circumvent the AACS DRM protection on ALL HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc software. Naturally, the AACS Licensing Administrator is "investigating the claims." This could end up being a MAJOR story, so we'll watch how it develops. Reminds me of a classic Scotty quote from one of the Trek films: "The more they over think the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain." You can read more here at InfoWorld and here at engadget.
Finally today, I'm tickled to learn that I'm not the only media analyst that's earned the ire of a select group of... shall we say, passionate?... early adopters on the Net. CNet executive editor David Carnoy has apparently been flamed too by HD-DVD enthusiasts online for daring to suggest that HD-DVD may not have a rosy future. You can read his amusing editorial reaction here.
You know, the funny thing about all this is that I really like both HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc just as video formats. They both deliver fantastic quality and features. But technically and quality-wise, this format war is basically a wash. Therefore, it's reasonable to assume that if this battle is going to be decided by anything, it will be other factors. Like which studios support each format, which manufacturers support each format, what the software and hardware sales trends are, etc. And in each of those areas, Blu-ray has developed a clear edge.
Let's look at these simple facts: Of the 12 major and mini-major Hollywood studios (Fox, Disney, MGM, Sony, Lionsgate, Paramount, New Line, HBO, Warner Bros, Universal, DreamWorks and The Weinstein Company) 9 support Blu-ray, 5 of them exclusively. Only 6 support HD-DVD, just 2 of them exclusively (one studio, DreamWorks, remains uncommitted). Not counting computer hardware or budget brands, Blu-ray Disc has 9 major set-top hardware manufacturers behind it (Sony, Pioneer, Samsung, Philips, Panasonic, LG, Mitsubishi, Thomson, Sharp), while HD-DVD boasts just two (Toshiba and now LG). HD-DVD is an add-on to Microsoft's Xbox 360, while Blu-ray is built into EVERY Sony PlayStation 3. Nielsen VideoScan is reporting that in software sales, Blu-ray has virtually erased the sales lead enjoyed by HD-DVD since the formats were launched, and is now outselling HD-DVD by a 2 to 1 (and growing) margin.
I can understand that some people just love HD-DVD and have had great experiences with it. We have too. I understand that some people hate Sony for perceived corporate arrogance. I'm not a big fan of their tactics either, particularly how they went around the DVD Forum to develop their format. But let's face it - the biggest corporate cheerleader for HD-DVD seems to be Microsoft, which isn't exactly comforting either. All of those issues aside, however, how do you argue with the facts that are clearly becoming obvious - namely, ALL those things I just mentioned above? Frankly, the best sales pitch the HD-DVD camp seems to be able to make right now is: "Hey, we've got DVD right in the name! Plus cheap off-brand players are on the way! And porn!" I guess I have to be the guy who states the obvious, but doesn't that seem a little odd to anyone?
The cheap players thing is worth addressing here. The reality is, price sensitivity isn't an issue in the first year or so of any new format. It's mostly just the early adopters who are interested at that point anyway. By the time a wider consumer base is starting to get interested, 2nd and 3rd generation players have entered the market and they're inevitably cheaper. What surprised me most at CES is just how aggressively the HD-DVD camp seems to be trying to drive their format's hardware prices as low as possible by bringing off-brand Asian manufactures into their fold. The arrival of ultra-cheap $100 and $50 players in the DVD industry is what spelled the end of DVD hardware profitability for the major CE manufacturers. So why INVITE this situation before your format is even a year old? It makes no business sense that I can see, unless it's a desperation play - a last ditch effort not to lose.
I've also heard people cite universal players as the answer to having two formats. But the problem with universal players is that while they make life easier for early adopters, they do nothing to clear up the mass consumer (or mainstream media) perception of a format war, so those folks still remain on the sidelines. In addition to that, universal players tend to cost more, which again doesn't affect early adopters that much but is one more strike against adoption by consumers at large, who are price sensitive.
As for porn... I've addressed that issue in the past, and you saw the Newsweek story posted above. Unlike the situation back in the days of VHS versus Betamax, cheap porn is already available everywhere on DVD and online. Porn is not going to decide this format war.
As I've said before, I like both HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc. They're both great - they both deliver the goods. But there just isn't room for TWO great formats. And at this point, I just don't see any likely circumstance in which HD-DVD can evolve into a viable mass market consumer video format. I certainly can't recommend in good conscience that Bits readers commit to HD-DVD right now. I tell most readers who ask me about the format war to just stick with DVD, and wait until it's all over. But if they're prepared to risk their money now, and are eager to do so, I have to tell them that Blu-ray is the better bet.
Frankly, I wish this format war had never happened. I am SO sick and tired of endlessly debating the merits of one of these formats versus the other. I'm tired of talking to reps for studios that are sitting on the fence or straddling both formats, who gamely spout the diplomatic company line about how great both formats are on the record, but off the record tell you how sick they all are of the situation and how much more hassle and headache it's caused them having to support THREE formats (including standard DVD). And I'm tired of watching early adopters backbiting each other at every turn. I'd rather just be talking about all the great films being released on disc in high-definition. I truly don't care which format wins, as long as one wins. But as long as there are two competing formats, we ALL lose. Period. The home video industry is not like videogaming. People do not have the patience for two or even three separate formats. They want to go to the store, buy a disc and know that it's going to work when they get home. It's that simple. They don't want to have to worry about having to buy the red box, or the blue box... or even the red AND blue box.
I'd hate for the high-definition video format war to have the same outcome as the high-resolution audio format war did. DVD-Audio versus SACD ended in a stalemate, and most people just stuck with CDs or moved to MP3 downloads. But mark my words, if the HD-DVD/Blu-ray war lingers on, that's exactly where we're headed. All you enthusiasts that have trenched in to support your particular format of choice come hell or high water had better enjoy the movies you're getting now, because if both formats fizzle out, forget about ever getting deep catalog, or older classics that cost money to restore for HD - money that would have come from software sales that aren't happening because too many people stubbornly stuck to their guns and the format war dragged out until nobody cared anymore. I think Stephen Colbert said it best when predicting the future of the HD format war: "The winner will be the one you DON'T buy." There could be a lot more "truthiness" in that statement than some want to believe.
For the good of the video industry as a whole, and for the benefit of film fans everywhere, this format war needs to end and SOON. So how long do we all have to wait before we start acknowledging the elephant in the room: One of these formats is already winning... and, for better or worse, it isn't HD-DVD.
I agree with him 100%. 8)
HD DVD Should Bow Out for the Good of HD adoption...
http://www.digitalbits.com/#mytwocents
I agree with him 100%. 8)
Me too.
Let's analyze his statements about the format war being "a wash"
How many would honestly say that Blu-ray would even be in the running without a studio support advantage? To me the format of Blu-ray hasn't proven anything. They haven't delivered standout BD Java titles. Their hardware is incomplete save for the PS3. There are missing features and region encoding is present.
The ONLY thing that keeps this format alive is Fox/MGM, Disney/BV, Lionsgate and Columbia/Sony Pictures. Thus Blu-ray don't shat other than give up a bunch of concession to keep content exclusive.
I think it's obvious that if given the same content HD DVD mops the floor with Blu-ray. Even today there are more people buying "The Departed" on HD DVD for 4 bucks more than Blu-ray fans.
I think it's obvious that if given the same content HD DVD mops the floor with Blu-ray. Even today there are more people buying "The Departed" on HD DVD for 4 bucks more than Blu-ray fans.
I'm sorry but the Blu-ray version was higher on the amazon top seller list longer than hd-dvd. Also it peaked higher than the hd-dvd version. Other retailers like dvdempire have Blu-ray in the lead.
I think it's obvious that if given the same content HD DVD mops the floor with Blu-ray. Even today there are more people buying "The Departed" on HD DVD for 4 bucks more than Blu-ray fans.
Wait, wasn't one of your keystone arguments all along for HD DVD's superiority that the discs were supposed to be cheaper? Now that they're costing more, you're suddenly saying it's a good thing that some people are willing to pay more for them? Interesting change of position.
Bill Hunt has always been a Blu-ray lean.
Let's analyze his statements about the format war being "a wash"
How many would honestly say that Blu-ray would even be in the running without a studio support advantage? To me the format of Blu-ray hasn't proven anything. They haven't delivered standout BD Java titles. Their hardware is incomplete save for the PS3. There are missing features and region encoding is present.
Hmm, haven't proven anything? Like proving that 50 GB discs weren't "science fiction" or "pipe dreams." Or that their Blu-ray disc is more durable than their HD DVD counterpart. Or that MPEG-2 releases were right on par and at times better than VC-1 releases. Or maybe even proven that "price" doesn't trump all in that the number of standalones sold is equal, especially when one considers the early adoption market concept. Or how about proving that purchasers of PS3s are indeed buying movies at a ratio of 2:1 - 3:1 over HD DVD. Nahhh, Blu-ray hasn't proved anything.
The ONLY thing that keeps this format alive is Fox/MGM, Disney/BV, Lionsgate and Columbia/Sony Pictures. Thus Blu-ray don't shat other than give up a bunch of concession to keep content exclusive.
I think it's obvious that if given the same content HD DVD mops the floor with Blu-ray. Even today there are more people buying "The Departed" on HD DVD for 4 bucks more than Blu-ray fans.
Hardly. I can think of a few things that keeps Blu-ray alive and dominating HD DVD to boot...
1) CE Manufaturer Support - Sony, Panasonic, Philips, Sharp, Samsung, LG, Pioneer, etc.
2) IT Support - HP, Dell, Apple, LiteOn, Acer, etc
3) Better Durability - hardcoat on discs proving and displaying great resistance to smudges, fingerprints, dirt, scratches, ink, and even pizza cutters
4) Better Data Throughput - it is indeed a fact that Blu-ray has a higher bandwidth in terms of data throughput.
5) Greater Capacity - with the more room, greater PQ can be potentially realized by being able to crank up the bitrate and in terms of quality of audio, it is pretty much a consensus that with the extra space, PCM can be used which has been found to be superior. Moreover, the extra space can be utilized for when the audio turns to 7.1 tracks rather than the 5.1 ones that are found on the both discs today. Also, let's not forget all the room that can be utilized for truly next gen extras.
So all these, besides the apparent studio advantage Blu-ray has, is what would keep Blu-ray going. So in essence I think it is a bit too bold to state that the studio advantage is the ONLY thing that keeps Blu-ray alive.
Face it, HD DVD is a stop-gap format, one that wasn't engineered from the beginning to supplant DVD like Blu-ray, but rather one that simply is an extension of DVD using the same older methodologies and engineering. The simple reality is that it is indeed Blu-ray who is mopping the floor with HD DVD and all indications in terms of disc sales and player penetration are validating this. I'm not going to be suprised one bit if Universal concedes by 4th quarter of this year.
4) Better Data Throughput - it is indeed a fact that Blu-ray has a higher bandwidth in terms of data throughput.
I tried looking this up...
What are the #'s?
I don't think he did that either. They spent millions restoring the films. They were nearly destroyed when they went to remaster them. In fact, I remember him saying that in a few more years, the movies would have been unrestorable.
Lucas had the original films destroyed AFTER he made the Special Editions because he considers only the SEs to be the completed films he always planned. That's why the theatrical editions they released on DVD are not anamorphic although the Special Editions in the same sets are. High-resolution film masters of the originals don't exist anymore. All they had to work with was the video master from the laserdisc releases, which were not anamorphic. You can't make anamorphic video from non-anamorphic. Upscaling can't work miracles when the detail isn't there to begin with.
Another 'Star Wars' DVD in the works? Blu-ray perhaps?
http://videoeta.com/news/2226
Don't know about SW series, but Matrix trilogy is about to roll out on HD-DVD.
http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/prodde...67&catid=24112
Maybe Warner got tired of waiting for BD-J and may go HD exclusive for awhile on some of those titles requiring in-movie experience. I'm sure Harry Potter series would also follow soon and be HD exclusive again if BD-J remains to be broken.