Warner, New Line, Paramount, Universal ... The Studios/Networks Thread - Part 2
01-10-08 | 10:08 AM
#478
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Originally Posted by cardaway
Interesting that everybody telling others their logic is "flawed" is sneaking in disclaimers that they agree since the conclusion IS there for everybody to see. Nobody willing step up and say that an other conclusion will happen. Just a bunch of wordplay and hot air.
It's now obvious, that what I guess is two sides here, will never agree. I'll end my posts on this subject with this;
I'm glad that the people writing these acrticles, and the people posting them here, are not afraid of the backlash from people who want join the studios in their word games.
I would rather see these articles give the facts as we know them now rather than wait for what some people seem to want to see happen. Wait until the final anouncement, after tey ahve purchased countless more of HD-DVDs. Then they can whine even more than the studios did them wrong. They can claim that Universal didn't tell them that they were switching till (enter date months from now), and it's Universal's fault that they bought (inset movie here) on HD-DVD when they could have waited to get it on Blu-Ray later in the year. Unbelievable, but maybe that's just me.
It's now obvious, that what I guess is two sides here, will never agree. I'll end my posts on this subject with this;
I'm glad that the people writing these acrticles, and the people posting them here, are not afraid of the backlash from people who want join the studios in their word games.
I would rather see these articles give the facts as we know them now rather than wait for what some people seem to want to see happen. Wait until the final anouncement, after tey ahve purchased countless more of HD-DVDs. Then they can whine even more than the studios did them wrong. They can claim that Universal didn't tell them that they were switching till (enter date months from now), and it's Universal's fault that they bought (inset movie here) on HD-DVD when they could have waited to get it on Blu-Ray later in the year. Unbelievable, but maybe that's just me.
it's obvious that you are either missing or ignoring my point, so i see no sense in continuing this discussion.
01-10-08 | 10:16 AM
#479
Originally Posted by Qui Gon Jim
Exactly. There are four options, three of which many people are completely discounting. The first is that they renew their contract with HD DVD (unlikely IMO) , the second is that they go with BD (possible), the third is that they back both (most likely IMO and the fourth is that they step away from HDM all together.
The problem with a lot of these opinions dressed as stories is that there are nuggets of news in them. If Obama drops out tomorrow does that mean Hillary wins? Maybe, but someone else could come along and win too. So the story would be "Obama drops out," not "Hillary wins." The twisting of fact to suit a preference and presenting of opinion as fact has got to stop.
The problem with a lot of these opinions dressed as stories is that there are nuggets of news in them. If Obama drops out tomorrow does that mean Hillary wins? Maybe, but someone else could come along and win too. So the story would be "Obama drops out," not "Hillary wins." The twisting of fact to suit a preference and presenting of opinion as fact has got to stop.
01-10-08 | 10:26 AM
#480
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With regard to the "slowing sales of DVD", isn't it interesting how it never seems to be a matter of "the movies suck and fewer people want to buy them"? Is that ever really a consideration when studios make these broad, sweeping decisions about what consumers do and don't want?
"Studios acknowledge drop in DVD sales may be related to crappy films"
That's the headline I'd like to see!
"Studios acknowledge drop in DVD sales may be related to crappy films"
That's the headline I'd like to see!
01-10-08 | 10:33 AM
#481
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From: Pacific Northwest
Originally Posted by applesandrice
With regard to the "slowing sales of DVD", isn't it interesting how it never seems to be a matter of "the movies suck and fewer people want to buy them"? Is that ever really a consideration when studios make these broad, sweeping decisions about what consumers do and don't want?
01-10-08 | 10:36 AM
#482
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Originally Posted by Mr. Cinema
Yeah, I am 100% completely discounting the bolded option. Universal, just like every other studio, is hoping HD will help pick up the slack on the slowing sales of dvd. I'm quite confident they will see if the market matures before they would make such a decision. I have never, ever read anyone else even bring up the thought that Universal would drop HD altogether as opposed to releasing on BD. So that really isn't an option as you're the only one floating that possibility.
That said, Universal dumping HDM IS one of the four possible scenarios that could happen. I am not trying to "float" it as what WILL happen. That's really the gist of it; separate fact from opinion.
Last edited by Qui Gon Jim; 01-10-08 at 10:41 AM.
01-10-08 | 10:41 AM
#483
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Originally Posted by cardaway
If that was really a big factor I don't think we would see half the catalog releases that we do now. Titles like Hudson Hawk SE would never exist.
I didn't want to address any specific titles -- that's only going to get you in trouble here!
But isn't it such an obvious factor? If people think a movie is crap, how likely are they to buy it?
01-10-08 | 10:42 AM
#484
DVD Talk Hero
Originally Posted by cardaway
Interesting that everybody telling others their logic is "flawed" is sneaking in disclaimers that they agree since the conclusion IS there for everybody to see. Nobody willing step up and say that an other conclusion will happen. Just a bunch of wordplay and hot air.
It may very well turn out like how you see it. But if you've been involved with the industry long enough, then you'll know that NOTHING is set in stone right now, and that things are still very fragile.
There is no conclusion, hence this is a speculation thread.
01-10-08 | 10:48 AM
#487
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From: Pacific Northwest
Originally Posted by namja
Hindsight is 20/20. I'm sure you've heard that before.
I also still believe we are better with off with this so called "speculation" than without it. Maybe people will have purchased less HD-DVD's from the stuidios playing games with them.
Last edited by cardaway; 01-10-08 at 10:55 AM.
01-10-08 | 10:49 AM
#488
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Originally Posted by sracer
Probably... and it will be equally misplaced as claims of betrayal are now. It has become pretty obvious (to me anyways) that most of those who are in this format war didn't really expect there to be a loser (in the disappearing sense)... but that both formats would continue to co-exist. That belief is completely unreasonable.
That's clearly not the case now, though, after the Warner defection. I just hope that too many of the HD-DVD folks don't get disgruntled and just stick with SD.
01-10-08 | 10:52 AM
#489
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Originally Posted by Tracer Bullet
If Universal wants to pick up their sales, they should get going on releasing those Hitchcock HD masters that we know exist from their broadcast on HDNet Movies.
That'd be nice, but catalogue title releases probably won't help their sales all that much.
01-10-08 | 10:53 AM
#490
DVD Talk Hero
Originally Posted by applesandrice
That'd be nice, but catalogue title releases probably won't help their sales all that much.
01-10-08 | 10:54 AM
#491
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by GreenMonkey
I just hope that too many of the HD-DVD folks don't get disgruntled and just stick with SD.
01-10-08 | 10:54 AM
#492
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Originally Posted by cardaway
I'll admit I was wrong if it turns out differently. I'm not one of the people telling others their logic is "flawed" followed by a list of disclaimers. Also very flawed, and also pretty damn gutless.
01-10-08 | 11:03 AM
#494
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Originally Posted by cardaway
When an actual mod (rather than the many mod wannabees here) calls me out... I respond.
01-10-08 | 11:11 AM
#495
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by GreenMonkey
I expected this to shake out just like the DVD +/- R war. With players/burners/etc that do both, and no one really cares what the difference is. I think if the war had gone on another year, that's what we would have seen. IMO that would have been a win/win for most folks. Studios could pick whichever format they preferred and the consumer would have a deck that does both.
Originally Posted by GreenMonkey
That's clearly not the case now, though, after the Warner defection. I just hope that too many of the HD-DVD folks don't get disgruntled and just stick with SD.
01-10-08 | 11:15 AM
#496
DVD Talk Hero
MOD NOTE: Okay, I think that's enough already. You guys can have your own discussion over PM or e-mail. It's fine to speculate (that's all we're really doing), but some of you feel a little too strongly about the speculations and now we're arguing over opinions as though they were facts.
Also, if you're going to quote an article, please use the original title without your own spin. Clearly, "Universal Ending Its HD DVD Exclusivity" (actual title) and "Universal Going Blu" (spin) do not have the same implications.
namja
Moderator, DVD Talk Forums
Also, if you're going to quote an article, please use the original title without your own spin. Clearly, "Universal Ending Its HD DVD Exclusivity" (actual title) and "Universal Going Blu" (spin) do not have the same implications.
namja
Moderator, DVD Talk Forums
01-10-08 | 11:20 AM
#497
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From: Pacific Northwest
Originally Posted by sracer
If there ARE any HD-DVD folks who are so disgruntled that they will stick with SD rather than slide over to Blu-ray, then I say that they deserve to be "stuck" with SD... especially after all the praise they heaped on the benefits of HiDef. If they became emotionally invested in the format, well, that is their deal and it is best for everyone if they stick with SD.
01-10-08 | 11:24 AM
#498
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Just in case this wasn't posted in this long thread!
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...54b3409b401b2e
Chris
New Line (and HBO) falls in line with Blu-ray
By Thomas K. Arnold
Jan 10, 2008
LAS VEGAS -- A New Line Home Entertainment spokesman confirms reports that the minimajor is following distributor Warner Home Video's lead in abandoning HD DVD and releasing all future next-generation titles only in the Blu-ray Disc format.
And HBO Video president Henry McGee says HBO, too, is "following the same policy as Warner Home Video."
Warners on Friday stunned the industry when on the eve of the Consumer Electronics Show here it announced that after May it will no longer support the HD DVD platform, which for nearly two years has been engaged in a bitter format war with Blu-ray Disc to become the high-definition disc standard.
Like Warners, New Line and HBO had been a supporter of both formats, though New Line's HD DVD releases lagged behind its standard DVD and Blu-ray releases. HBO has released Season 6 of one of the most popular TV-DVD sellers of all time, "The Sopranos," on both Blu-ray and HD DVD.
By Thomas K. Arnold
Jan 10, 2008
LAS VEGAS -- A New Line Home Entertainment spokesman confirms reports that the minimajor is following distributor Warner Home Video's lead in abandoning HD DVD and releasing all future next-generation titles only in the Blu-ray Disc format.
And HBO Video president Henry McGee says HBO, too, is "following the same policy as Warner Home Video."
Warners on Friday stunned the industry when on the eve of the Consumer Electronics Show here it announced that after May it will no longer support the HD DVD platform, which for nearly two years has been engaged in a bitter format war with Blu-ray Disc to become the high-definition disc standard.
Like Warners, New Line and HBO had been a supporter of both formats, though New Line's HD DVD releases lagged behind its standard DVD and Blu-ray releases. HBO has released Season 6 of one of the most popular TV-DVD sellers of all time, "The Sopranos," on both Blu-ray and HD DVD.
01-10-08 | 11:32 AM
#500
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Originally Posted by cardaway
Now that's something I can completely agree with.
it would be totally irrational to abandon hi-def media just because one format is edging out the other. that kind of emotional attachment is another of my pet peeves about this format war.