Universal seen clear of obligations to HD DVD, may switch to Blu-ray

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
The two remaining studios backing HD DVD could soon switch sides to Blu-ray, ending the next-generation high-definition format war instantly, according to a published report.



Variety claims confirmation that Universal's commitment to endorsing HD DVD exclusively has ended. The publication further states that Paramount -- the format's other backer -- has an escape clause in its contract that allows it to release flicks on Blu-ray now that Warner Bros. has decided to throw its weight completely behind the rival digital video disc format.



Still, it's reported that neither studio is ready switch sides just yet. For its part, Universal is said to be committed to a series of upcoming HD DVD promotions, and Paramount has said its current plans are to keep supporting HD DVD, which it backed exclusively in August.



News of Universal's contractual arrangements with the HD DVD camp comes just one week after Warner Bros. said it would switch to releasing high-definition movies only in the Blu-ray disc format, abandoning a neutral strategy that saw its catalog available for both HD DVD and Blu-ray next-generation DVD players.



That news was almost immediately followed by reports that Paramount would also soon drop its support of the Toshiba-backed HD DVD format in favor of the largely Sony-based Blu-ray. Paramount, however, has denied the reports.



Should Toshiba eventually concede defeat on the format front-lines, Variety believes the decision to put HD DVD to rest would be made by both studios. Given the recent shakeup in the next-gen format wars, it's further speculated that retailers are unlikely to keep devoting premium shelf space to the ailing HD DVD format much longer, regardless of the studios' intentions.



With Warners' planned departure from HD DVD, only Paramount and Universal remain as supporters. Meanwhile, Blu-ray now boasts a lineup of proponents that include Sony, Disney, Fox, and Lionsgate, in addition to Warner and its sister companies New Line and HBO.



Last summer, Blockbuster also threw its weight behind Blu-ray.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 79
    meh 2meh 2 Posts: 149member
    So long. Nice knowing ya.
  • Reply 2 of 79
    I just want The Matrix on blu-ray...please.



    Give me



    Matrix Trilogy

    LOTR Trilogy

    Borne Trilogy

    Both Star Wars Trilogy's

    Kill Bill

    Every Pixar film



    in 1080p on blu-ray



    and I'll die a happy man
  • Reply 3 of 79
    banchobancho Posts: 1,517member
    Firefly on Blu Ray?



    That's unpossible! Yeah, I know you can only sign up for notification but that's a Universal title and if they had no plan to switch then that listing would be a complete paradox.



    Regardless of how bad Warners switch really hurt, it has to be the perception change that makes it worse. Hopefully this can go quickly and cleanly with minimal kicking and screaming from Toshiba.
  • Reply 4 of 79
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Bancho View Post


    Firefly on Blu Ray?



    That's unpossible! Yeah, I know you can only sign up for notification but that's a Universal title and if they had no plan to switch then that listing would be a complete paradox.



    I was under the impression that the "Firefly" was under the 20th Century FOX umbrella and "Serenity" was under the Universal umbrella.
  • Reply 5 of 79
    this is just more speculation we already know. We all know it's only a matter of time now. HD DVD is finished
  • Reply 6 of 79
    nagrommenagromme Posts: 2,834member
    Paramount's "commitment" to HD-DVD will last just until they've convinced people to buy their remaining stock of discs



    (Is FIrefly Universal? I thought it was Fox, and only the movie sequel Serenity was Universal.)
  • Reply 7 of 79
    banchobancho Posts: 1,517member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    I was under the impression that the "Firefly" was under the FOX umbrella and "Serenity" was under the Universal umbrella.



    I stand corrected, you are completely right.



    I'm just excited at the possibility of seeing Firefly show up in a nice blue case rather than one of those brownish red ones.
  • Reply 8 of 79
    teckstudteckstud Posts: 6,476member
    Oh Santa Steve- Please give me a blu-ray AppleTV!!!

    Wait- it's only January?
  • Reply 9 of 79
    Universal and Paramount may stick with HD-DVD now, but if Amazon, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, NetFlix, etc join Blockbuster as Blu-Ray only, I bet they'll rethink that.
  • Reply 10 of 79
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by teckstud View Post


    Oh Santa Steve- Please give me a blu-ray AppleTV!!!

    Wait- it's only January?



    Between CES and MacWorld, my Xmas does come in January.



    (Let's not forget AVN, either)
  • Reply 11 of 79
    boogabooga Posts: 1,082member
    The local Blockbuster was one of the ones "grandfathered" in to both Blu-Ray and HD DVD. Near as I can tell, no one rents HD DVD... I've never seen more than 1 disc checked out. Blu-Ray always has half a dozen checked out.
  • Reply 12 of 79
    emig647emig647 Posts: 2,455member
    I always stated that if something didn't happen immediately after the 07 holidays, that the war would continue for a long time. Guess half of it was right.



    I'm glad this is going quickly. I think Toshiba should still keep the technology around but for Optical Media back ups. I really think they hurt by not releasing hd-dvd burners. There are a lot of hd-dvd / blu-ray hybrid drives out there. I would love to have 31gb backups for $1.00 each. Otherwise it would be a lot of wasted $.
  • Reply 13 of 79
    Blu-ray just sounds cooler than the alternative's clunky alphabet soup.



    Also, Microsoft is pushing hard for HD-DVD.



    Two good reasons to prefer one standard over the other, don't you think?
  • Reply 14 of 79
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Booga View Post


    The local Blockbuster was one of the ones "grandfathered" in to both Blu-Ray and HD DVD. Near as I can tell, no one rents HD DVD... I've never seen more than 1 disc checked out. Blu-Ray always has half a dozen checked out.





    NetFlix rents both.
  • Reply 15 of 79
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by macFanDave View Post


    Blu-ray just sounds cooler than the alternative's clunky alphabet soup.



    Also, Microsoft is pushing hard for HD-DVD.



    Two good reasons to prefer one standard over the other, don't you think?



    I think HD-DVD would have won had MS used HD-DVD in every 360. By the time Blu-ray came on the scene HD-DVD would have been to prevalent to allow Blu-ray to take hold.
  • Reply 16 of 79
    banchobancho Posts: 1,517member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    I think HD-DVD would have won had MS used HD-DVD in every 360. By the time Blu-ray came on the scene HD-DVD would have been to prevalent to allow Blu-ray to take hold.





    Don't be ridiculous, no one buys a game console to watch movi....oh, wait, yeah sorry my bad
  • Reply 17 of 79
    Woo I'm glad Sony are going to win, they obviously have the better format for future expanasion since it has so much more storage space then HD-DVD. Plus Beta-Max lost out to VHS (which was shit) so its just fair Sony wins this one
  • Reply 18 of 79
    Here's to the next decade of Blue-Ray DRM causing us random playback issues.
  • Reply 19 of 79
    zunxzunx Posts: 620member
    Give us the BEST. Give us Blu-ray. No doubt about it.
  • Reply 20 of 79
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by OriginalMacRat View Post


    Here's to the next decade of Blue-Ray DRM causing us random playback issues.



    I'll let you know when I finally have one of those. 50 discs later, and still no playback issues.
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