Paramount following Warner out the HD DVD door?
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Paramount following Warner out the HD DVD door?
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/07/p...e-hd-dvd-door/
The Financial Times is reporting that Paramount is preparing to use a get out clause in its HD DVD exclusivity deal, and go back to Blu-ray, about 4 months after ending its dual-format release schedule. The move would be a result of Warner's switch to Blu-ray, using a "get out" clause in Paramount's promotional agreement with the HD DVD camp. No details on what it might take to rip up the contract and make Michael Bay very, very happy, but if the rumor proves true this could make the slow death he predicted for HD DVD a very, very fast one.
The Financial Times is reporting that Paramount is preparing to use a get out clause in its HD DVD exclusivity deal, and go back to Blu-ray, about 4 months after ending its dual-format release schedule. The move would be a result of Warner's switch to Blu-ray, using a "get out" clause in Paramount's promotional agreement with the HD DVD camp. No details on what it might take to rip up the contract and make Michael Bay very, very happy, but if the rumor proves true this could make the slow death he predicted for HD DVD a very, very fast one.
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Paramount in HD DVD blow
By Matthew Garrahan and Mariko Sanchanta in Las Vegas
Published: January 8 2008 02:49 | Last updated: January 8 2008 02:49
Paramount is poised to drop its support of HD DVD after Warner Brothers’ recent backing of Sony’s Blu-ray technology, in a move that will sound the death knell of HD DVD and bring the home entertainment format war to a definitive end.
Paramount and DreamWorks Animation, which makes the Shrek films, came out in support of HD DVD last summer, joining General Electric’s Universal Studios as the main backers of the Toshiba format.
Paramount is set to have a bumper 2008 with several likely blockbusters, including the latest instalment in the Indiana Jones franchise.
Paramount joining the Blu-ray camp would leave HD DVD likely to suffer the same fate as Sony’s now obsolete Betamax video technology, which lost out to VHS in a similar format war in the 1980s.
Warners decision last week to throw its weight behind Blu-ray saw it join Walt Disney, 20th Century Fox and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as backers of the Sony format.
The Warners move gives Blu-ray about 70 per cent of Hollywood’s output, although the format’s grip on film content will increase further when Paramount comes aboard.
It is unclear whether DreamWorks Animation has the same get-out clause in its contract with the HD DVD camp.
However, Paramount and DreamWorks have a close relationship, with Paramount distributing DreamWorks Animation films. The two companies also signed their HD DVD contracts at the same time. Meanwhile, Universal has declined to comment on its next-generation DVD plans since the Warners move.
Sir Howard Stringer, chief executive of Sony, on Monday held out an olive branch, saying the company would be “open to dialogue” with the HD DVD camp to “grow the market”. The move came as new figures showed that Blu-ray had opened up a decisive lead over the rival home entertainment format.
Sir Howard said: “We are not going to push people around. We’ll talk to anyone ... we have a lot of work to do to grow the market. We’ll be systematic and open to dialogue at all times.”
He added that Sony still had “a lot of work” to do to get Blu-ray “widely accepted” among American consumers.
“With Warner’s support you saw billboards going up in different places and you saw television commercials getting more and more sophisticated and that’s what we’ll continue doing,” said Sir Howard.
By Matthew Garrahan and Mariko Sanchanta in Las Vegas
Published: January 8 2008 02:49 | Last updated: January 8 2008 02:49
Paramount is poised to drop its support of HD DVD after Warner Brothers’ recent backing of Sony’s Blu-ray technology, in a move that will sound the death knell of HD DVD and bring the home entertainment format war to a definitive end.
Paramount and DreamWorks Animation, which makes the Shrek films, came out in support of HD DVD last summer, joining General Electric’s Universal Studios as the main backers of the Toshiba format.
Paramount is set to have a bumper 2008 with several likely blockbusters, including the latest instalment in the Indiana Jones franchise.
Paramount joining the Blu-ray camp would leave HD DVD likely to suffer the same fate as Sony’s now obsolete Betamax video technology, which lost out to VHS in a similar format war in the 1980s.
Warners decision last week to throw its weight behind Blu-ray saw it join Walt Disney, 20th Century Fox and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as backers of the Sony format.
The Warners move gives Blu-ray about 70 per cent of Hollywood’s output, although the format’s grip on film content will increase further when Paramount comes aboard.
It is unclear whether DreamWorks Animation has the same get-out clause in its contract with the HD DVD camp.
However, Paramount and DreamWorks have a close relationship, with Paramount distributing DreamWorks Animation films. The two companies also signed their HD DVD contracts at the same time. Meanwhile, Universal has declined to comment on its next-generation DVD plans since the Warners move.
Sir Howard Stringer, chief executive of Sony, on Monday held out an olive branch, saying the company would be “open to dialogue” with the HD DVD camp to “grow the market”. The move came as new figures showed that Blu-ray had opened up a decisive lead over the rival home entertainment format.
Sir Howard said: “We are not going to push people around. We’ll talk to anyone ... we have a lot of work to do to grow the market. We’ll be systematic and open to dialogue at all times.”
He added that Sony still had “a lot of work” to do to get Blu-ray “widely accepted” among American consumers.
“With Warner’s support you saw billboards going up in different places and you saw television commercials getting more and more sophisticated and that’s what we’ll continue doing,” said Sir Howard.
#5
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Not trying to be a dick but Hammer99 posted it here already. No biggie.
http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showpost.ph...5&postcount=79
http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showpost.ph...5&postcount=79
#9
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Originally Posted by tonymontana313
Wow, I'm going to love reading their press release on this one after they talked shit about Blu-ray just six months ago.
#10
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I don't care what they said before, let's just get Transformers with TrueHD on BD.
I doubt Paramount would go with just DD or DD+ on any eventual Blu-Ray release of it.
This also makes me feel a little better about cancelling my Zodiac pre-order, which I really wanted.
I doubt Paramount would go with just DD or DD+ on any eventual Blu-Ray release of it.
This also makes me feel a little better about cancelling my Zodiac pre-order, which I really wanted.
#11
Originally Posted by bunkaroo
I don't care what they said before, let's just get Transformers with TrueHD on BD.
I doubt Paramount would go with just DD or DD+ on any eventual Blu-Ray release of it.
This also makes me feel a little better about cancelling my Zodiac pre-order, which I really wanted.
I doubt Paramount would go with just DD or DD+ on any eventual Blu-Ray release of it.
This also makes me feel a little better about cancelling my Zodiac pre-order, which I really wanted.
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Originally Posted by GizmoDVD
However that "shit" may still be valid. But if HD DVD is a sinking ship, its better to try and deal with the "shit" then not make any money at all.
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It's almost comical to me how this whole situation has worked itself out....
I bought a PS3 back in July for three reasons:
1. Wanted another next gen system to compliment my Wii (I do not have a 360)
2. Price dropped $100 and these fully backwards compatible 60GB models were going to be phased out so get it while still available
3. Blu-ray looked to be the "winning" high def format since all but one major studio supported it (at the time)
SO of course a month later Paramount goes red only, and I couldn't have Transformers in only standard def...plus as I learned more about the formats I saw the cool PIP stuff HD DVD had that Blu didn't yet, plus I saw how Warner didn't play exactly neutral as advertised and had a bunch of cool HD DVD only releases and better audio encodes in red...then Amazon had a cheap sale on the A2 and three free titles just a few days after Paramount announced so I jumped on board and enjoyed the best of both worlds...
Now here we are, Warner virtually crushes the format with one fell swoop, and now Paramount could be back to Blu releases in a matter of months....
Sometimes you just have to laugh....I know when people have invested lots of money in their gear and bought a bunch of titles that it will sting, but enjoy what you have and the time you had with it, and will continue to have....sometimes it's the price you pay as an early adopter...
I was the first person I knew among my family and friends to have an HDTV....I bought mine in October 2004, and paid close to $3000 for a 52" DLP....today you can buy the same (or better) set for less than half that with the right sale...does it suck? In a way yes, but I got to enjoy HD programs for the past 3 years already, and that was worth the extra money I spent to have it earlier...same situation with this format war...
I bought a PS3 back in July for three reasons:
1. Wanted another next gen system to compliment my Wii (I do not have a 360)
2. Price dropped $100 and these fully backwards compatible 60GB models were going to be phased out so get it while still available
3. Blu-ray looked to be the "winning" high def format since all but one major studio supported it (at the time)
SO of course a month later Paramount goes red only, and I couldn't have Transformers in only standard def...plus as I learned more about the formats I saw the cool PIP stuff HD DVD had that Blu didn't yet, plus I saw how Warner didn't play exactly neutral as advertised and had a bunch of cool HD DVD only releases and better audio encodes in red...then Amazon had a cheap sale on the A2 and three free titles just a few days after Paramount announced so I jumped on board and enjoyed the best of both worlds...
Now here we are, Warner virtually crushes the format with one fell swoop, and now Paramount could be back to Blu releases in a matter of months....
Sometimes you just have to laugh....I know when people have invested lots of money in their gear and bought a bunch of titles that it will sting, but enjoy what you have and the time you had with it, and will continue to have....sometimes it's the price you pay as an early adopter...
I was the first person I knew among my family and friends to have an HDTV....I bought mine in October 2004, and paid close to $3000 for a 52" DLP....today you can buy the same (or better) set for less than half that with the right sale...does it suck? In a way yes, but I got to enjoy HD programs for the past 3 years already, and that was worth the extra money I spent to have it earlier...same situation with this format war...
#15
DVD Talk Legend
I would think any out clause in Paramount's deal wouldn't be so easy to exercise. Otherwise the deal would be meaningless. I suppose there might be something if Warner went Blu only. But my instinct is to say they'll have to wait at least a little.
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Paramount prepares to deal killing blow in HD DVD vs Blu-ray war
Just as it looked like things couldn’t get any worse for the HD DVD camp, along comes the news that it looks like Paramount is ready to board the lifeboats.
According to the Financial Times, Paramount has a clause in their exclusivity agreement with HD DVD that will allow them to switch over to Blu-ray. The clause was supposedly based on the premise if Warner Brothers chose to support Blue-ray only, which happened last week. This clause could let Paramount get out of their contract which was set to end in February 2009.
There is no word, as of yet, if DreamWorks SKG Animation would also be allowed to switch sides. If they do not have the escape clause it would leave them as the last studio on the HD DVD format exclusively.
While the rumor of Paramount has not yet been confirmed, it makes sense that this would have been written into the contract. Blu-ray now controls 70% of the content in the marketplace, leaving HD DVD in an inevitable position.
If Paramount does announce their departure for Sony’s Blu-ray, you can pretty much mark that in the history books as the day HD DVD died.
Just as it looked like things couldn’t get any worse for the HD DVD camp, along comes the news that it looks like Paramount is ready to board the lifeboats.
According to the Financial Times, Paramount has a clause in their exclusivity agreement with HD DVD that will allow them to switch over to Blu-ray. The clause was supposedly based on the premise if Warner Brothers chose to support Blue-ray only, which happened last week. This clause could let Paramount get out of their contract which was set to end in February 2009.
There is no word, as of yet, if DreamWorks SKG Animation would also be allowed to switch sides. If they do not have the escape clause it would leave them as the last studio on the HD DVD format exclusively.
While the rumor of Paramount has not yet been confirmed, it makes sense that this would have been written into the contract. Blu-ray now controls 70% of the content in the marketplace, leaving HD DVD in an inevitable position.
If Paramount does announce their departure for Sony’s Blu-ray, you can pretty much mark that in the history books as the day HD DVD died.
#18
If Paramount does announce their departure for Sony’s Blu-ray, you can pretty much mark that in the history books as the day HD DVD died.
#19
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Originally Posted by Harry Lime
Wait, someone else is reporting about it:
http://www.geocities.com/athens/2090...ehomepage.html
According to an online report, Paramount may dump HD DVD for Blu-ray. Like OMG!!!!!?!?!
Last edited by Gizmo; 01-07-08 at 11:22 PM.
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Originally Posted by GizmoDVD
Seriously? You do know this is just some guys blog who is writing about the one article that we are already discussing, right?
Wait, someone else is reporting about it:
http://www.geocities.com/athens/2090...ehomepage.html
Wait, someone else is reporting about it:
http://www.geocities.com/athens/2090...ehomepage.html
Here's a few more...
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&um...n&q=paramount+
Last edited by Harry Lime; 01-07-08 at 11:26 PM.
#24
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Originally Posted by abrg923
For being a reviewer for this site, you certainly don't conduct yourself in a professional manner on these forums.
Don't worry, if we start questioning him too much on his apparent "facts", he make take another self imposed "retirement".