If they intend to do everything with the Transformers Blu-Ray that they did with the HD DVD, I wouldn't expect it for a little while as they would need to try and do with BD-J what they did with HDi. Not saying it can't be done, but I'm sure it won't be a quick 1-2-3 port from HDi to BD-J.

Now, personally, they could drop all that stuff and give me a 1-disc version with TrueHD and I'd be happy, but I recognize many would not want this scenario.

I would think we'd get Top Gun pretty quickly, along with Next (which I think was also almost ready), and maybe even Jack Ryan.

If this Paramount move does happen, looks like my Jack Ryan HD boxset will become a rarity.

Paramount's 'denial' proved absolutely nothing, especially since it's Paramount. Thanks Harry, I hadn't seen Bill Hunt's report posted here yet.

For all that's said about Bill Hunt, just remember the two points he stressed above all others, points he included in a whole lot of his columns:
1. Early adopters who are truly uncertain & afraid of getting burned should wait for a victor before jumping in.
2. If you still really wanted to jump in, pick Blu.
He proved to be 100% correct. If more in here would've listened to Bill Hunt than the many spinners floating around, there would be a whole lot less unhappy people looking to move their HD DVD gear & discs today.

I don't see how they could not do lossless.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but not every BD player supports DD+ decoding. If that's true, they couldn't just put the same DD+ track on the BD. I don't think they'd step down to just DD either. Plus, considering what they pulled off with 30GB, I don't see any reason not to put lossless with 20GB extra to work with.

I hope you're right... I don't remember if specs were ever listed for the BD Transformers prior to Paramount flipping last year.

I love how they say that their "current" plan is ..... So, by saying that, they can always do something different tomorrow.

Yeah I think it was too early for specs. Maybe they started some of the BD-J work at least.

On an unrelated note, HBO-HD played Braveheart the other day in OAR, but the transfer was atrocious. Washed out and tons of debris. I popped in the new SCE DVD and it looked much better in terms of color saturation and there were no flaws I could see. I really hope the HD transfer I saw on HBO-HD was an old one.

Yes there were denials, but not of everything in the article. If the point about the contract clause is true, it's still quite a story and makes the deinals nothing but legal lip service.

Interesting that Paramount denied the rumor to switch but did NOT deny the rumor of the existance of a "Warner Bros. escape clause" in their contract. If such a clause does exist, it's just a matter of time...

EDIT: In other words, what he ^^ said.

Exactly. As usual watch carefully the terms used when they make these kind of statements. Basically they responded but didn't really say anything definitive.

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING???????????????

PARAMOUNT, not some guy on a website, PARAMOUNT, denied the rumors. FOR NOW, until PARAMOUNT confirms rumors that PARAMOUNT, is indeed switching, PARAMOUNT is HD DVD exclusive. We must consider PARAMOUNT to be experts on PARAMOUNT matters and take their word as the truth until the say otherwise.

Jesus, you people are insane. The rumors about the Warner payoff HAVE to be false because Warner refuted them in a press release. So why is THIS any different? I am not saying I think Paramount will stay HD DVD exclusive for very long, but you guys take this worship to a ridiculous level.

Bill Hunt got very lucky that Warner and Fox didn't flip red instead of Blu. He looks like a soothsayer instead of a wacko. Stop acting like he is Nostradomus or something.

Who's Bill Hunt?
Is that Mike's brother?

I also agree. Very, very similar to Warner's 'denial' earlier in December.

I'm no fan of Bill Hunt, but I must admit that I'm a bit confused by the "this has been debunked so we shouldn't even be talking about it any more" talk. It's just speculation. Something that accounts for at least half of the discussion in this forum.

Were you (and I mean the collective 'you') against the speculative discussion regarding Warner's potential "choosing of a side" last month, even after Warner (who should be an expert on Warner matters) flatly denied it?

Paramount staying HD-Dvd only would amount to nothing more than a shitty decision.

Then I suggest you tone it down a little since you all but just admitted the same things others are saying. That when it comes down to it, PARAMOUNT didn't actually deny anything since nobody said they would be switching tomorrow.

Wow someone is getting worked up for no reason. Qui gon, Warner said the same thing as well about their neutral stance two weeks before going exclusive. You can never trust what these studios especially in this format war.
In fact, a BD insider has already said that the Paramount escape clause has already been triggered so it's only a matter of time when they announce it. Please discuss this in a civil manner without getting testy. Thanks

Nick Saban also said he wasn't going to leave Miami and coach at Alabama last year. Is it really uncommon at all for individuals or companies to deny or be shady about their true intentions at times? Come on.

The writing is on the wall. I didn't see anyone in this thread stating anything as gospel, as your post seems to allude to. Yes, as of this very second, Paramount is still HD-DVD exclusive. What does that really matter, though?

Take a valium, guy. You and so many others have wasted countless energy and typing time on something that, at the end of the day, really isn't all that big of a deal.

Dave Vaughn has just confirmed in a deleted AVS thread that there is truth to what Bill Hunt is saying and his sources are telling him the same thing as well. So guys that are deriding Bill Hunt should have no problem taking this news from Dave Vaughn right?

who cares. hd dvd is dead, blu ray lives because sony gave about HALF a BILLION dollars in Warner Bros to release their movies. its all academic now, thje writing is on the wall, the ship has sailed. etc. The BDA is now fighting a war against DVD, and the clock is ticking on how long Comcast, DirecTV and all the other cable operators can get their share by VOD.

I'm sure paramount and universal are just trying to figure out a way to wring more money out of the BDA for support.

How about the BDA giving me some incentive to pick up a player, like price breaks and an assurance that blu ray 5.7 won't make a 1.1 player obsolete.

I'm sure DigitalBits is having a grand old time releasing news with a big "FUCK YOU" sense of writing. Great, he was proved right because his BDA overlords spent a lot of cash to get Warner

Great job. How about apologizing to all the owners of Blu Ray 1.0 players your shilling sold who can't watch some of the very discs now co,ing out.

Digital Bits lost of loyal readers who won't be coming back to your site, even when and if Blu Ray becomes the next DVD.

Who's Dave Vaughn and Bill Hunt?

Dave Vaughn is a Bill Hunt wannabe.

How is that anybody's fault other than Sony's? I don't like it either, but don't blame the seller, blame the manufacturer.

I also thought the hardware could be upgraded.

Where is your outrage at Toshiba giving the same amount to Paramount, and being willing to do the same for Fox?

Your answer should be interesting.

If somebody who I thought had credibility said the "choice for consumers" for now is Blu-Ray, and the only players currently on the market at the time of recommendation are players that became "technically impaired" or gasp! obsolete, then yeah I kinda blame the "somebody" for promoting them as a the right choice for consumers.

I don't have outrage at the BDA for doing it. Did my post imply that? If so, that wasn't my intention. Thats business. Sony needed to win and the pulled the deal. Hopefully they will through with incentives for consumers, as now they have beaten "Glass Joe" they need to figure out a way to beat Mike Tyson.

Most of my outrage is reserved at people who said they had the best choices of consumers in mind when they didn't