I thought this was a wind up until I read the press release on Viacom's website, switching exclusive support to a loosing format for the sake of a short term pay off is moronic beyond the ability of the english language to describe.

The fact that Spielberg apparently wants no part of this speaks several more volumes at how bad an idea this for consumers, retailers and film makers. Hopefully BR can keep up its momentum and cripple HD-DVD at retail before this shit gets any more rediculous then it already is.

 

HAHA, oh well. This is the very reason why I haven't bought one of either format yet.

Yeah, it will still release for normal DVD as well, it would be incredibly stupid and premature if they stopped regular DvD pressing.

 

Hey Yo Joe, why won't you support HD-DVD. As I do before making any decision, I researched both formats extensively before going for HD-DVD. Despite recent sales figures, I still think HD-DVD is the superior format.

 

Format Wars suck.

 

WTF!!! This sucks for me, just bought a PS3. Dammit.

Now if Warner Brothers goes HD the war is over. NOOOO!!!

Blu-ray is better than HD. Crap.

Damn Microsoft and there lots of money. Bought them out eh. Sony now needs to buy out Warner.

I think I am going to officially boycott Paramount, like I have Universal.

 

Yeah they do, Smasher. I don't mind console wars, because it pushes the developers (especially first-party) to make better games. But Studios aren't making better movies, they are just releasing them on different formats, which, for the most part, are virtually identical (I've seen the side-by side comparisons at 1080P, and if anything, BR's larger storage will win over HD simply for the computer folks who need more storage for their files).

So, not only does this prolong the battle, but at a personal level, it keeps my new favorite movie out of my hands on HD (aside from the method I mentioned above), and I refuse to buy a player for one movie, knowing that the only reason I had to pay 300 bucks was because someone paid for exclusivity to keep it from me on my player, so that I would be forced to buy theirs.

 

I'd be fine if this just means it won't be on Blu-ray (hate Blu-ray, fuck Sony and all that, etc.)

However, if this means there won't be a standard DVD release....well that is just stupid. HD is FAR from standard yet, it is way too early for this.

 

I hate to be the one to say this, but Sony is as much about money as Micro$oft. It's a sad reality.

I simply want all this crap over with. Players cost too much right now for me to take a chance on one and have it fail.

 

I looked at both formats and saw 2 key things that swayed me toward Blu-Ray. Companies supporting it, and the sheer amount of disc space available for it. Sure HD-DVD had the better jumping off point, but Blu-Ray had better future potential afforded to it because of the much larger disc capacity. Also, more movies that I will want to own will be on Blu-Ray. I planned on getting a PS3 regardless, and it had the bonus of having the Blu-Ray player built in. If the 360 had an HD-DVD player built in, my tune may have changed.

 

Hey, and didn't VHS get a good 20 years or so on top? Shame DVD can't have at least a decade.

Though I suppose there may be hope for folks like me that both HD and Blu-Ray go the way of the Betamax.

 

As far as I can tell, Sony doesn't buy people out. Well can't speak for the movie industry, but as far as games, they lost a lot of exclusived because they don't pay people off. If people want to make games for their machine, then they do. And it's better to know that Metal Gear is coming only to PS3 because Kojima wants that, and not because of a wad of cash.

That's why I also respect nintendo. Nintendo makes their box and doesn't have to slide money under or over the table to get exclusives. They believe in their product enough to allow it and its games to speak for themselves.

And if you own a PS3 Tillar, and do a little research on the net, you can still get an HD copy of TF. Just be a good boy and buy the DVD so you will have paid your dues, heheeh

 

I think your logic is flawed. Exclusivity deals in the early days of a bitterly fierce battle for market leadership don't signal a lack of confidence in one's own product. You have to distinguish yourself from your competition by having things he doesn't have early on, and give the consumer confidence that your product is the one that has staying power. The HD-DVD/Blu-Ray race is enormously important to everyone involved...although things are probably eventually going to move towards digital distribution, it will probably be 10 years or more before that becomes a viable mass market option, meaning that the winner of this format war stands to make billions, maybe trillions, over the life of the product. You gotta do what you gotta do to get ahead while it's still early.

The situation is a little different in a mature industry. The sports league exclusivity deals for videogames in the last few years is an example. You're right on target in that situation. I just think with a new product, if you don't do these things, the other guy will, and you'll ultimately lose.

Honestly, I'm not super fussed about it. I was thinking of buying a PS3 in the next year, and would have bought Transformers on Blu-Ray for it, but now I'll just buy the DVD.

 

I can't even begin to say how much this bums me out.   Oh well, although not as good as Blu-Ray at least the PS3 will upscale the regular DVD for me. Screw you Paramount, you suck.

 

While I agree the article doesn't make it clear, I'd be absolutely astounded if they meant there won't be a standard DVD version. It's far too early for that to be happening. Nobody freak out.

 

If I can't play the DVD in a standard DVD player or my PS2, I'm gonna be PISSED.

Edit: I like how i posted that RIGHT as Jarodiumus posted right above me with that...  

 

But then so would a lot of peoples opinions of the 360, because it would have cost near PS3 money.

Not that that really has anything to do with the topic at hand.

 

meh... guess it is plain old DVD for me.

 

Exactly, I think Paramount is just doing this to make more money in the long run. They know HD is going to lose out but want people to buy there HD versions. So make it exclusive for a while and then presto back to Blu-ray which WILL win out in the end. Then everyone will have to buy their titles again on Blu-ray. Especially when they introduce there 100-200GB discs coming out next year. HD cannot beat that, ever! HD technology was obsolete even when it was 1st introduced. Blu-ray technology has even proven that they can go higher in capacity to 200GB.

 

http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showthread.php?t=147991

Link to article about Paramount.


Basically want it's saying is that Paramount and it's sub-companies WILL NOT be using Blu-Ray. Reason why I liked them so much before now was because they released on all formats. Now, since HD-DVD sales have done down, they decided to get Paramount exclusively to them, to hopefully boost what they are loosing. The movie will still be released on DVD. So, anybody without a high-def player will still be able to get it, no problem.

 

Well, I'm glad I decided to buy a HD TV first rather than the player unit. But this seriously blows chunks. I don't want an XBox 360, I want a PS3. I'm not buying a HD DVD player for one movie; no matter how cool the movie is.