Engadget: HD DVD Deathwatch

[Palmateer]

"Making it Official:"

http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/15/hd-dvd-deathwatch-were-making-it-official/

[Palmateer]

Excitement Saturday morning on English language translations of Japanese web sites:

http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news-15518-The+HD-DVD+is+Dead+%21+Officially+Official+%21+Report+the +Japanese+TV+NHK+%21.html

http://www.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/index.html

http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSL1643184420080216?feedType=RSS&feedName=technologyNews&pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=10005&sp=true

[Bschneider]

I would say, 'put a fork in it', the war is over.

[Palmateer]

Toshiba Exits HD DVD Business, Ceding Market to Sony's Blu-ray

By YUKARI IWATANI KANE
February 19, 2008

TOKYO -- Blaming the loss of support from a key movie studio, Toshiba Corp. said it is pulling out of the HD DVD business, handing victory to Sony Corp.'s Blu-ray technology in the fierce format war over high-definition DVDs.

Toshiba said Tuesday that it would cease production of its HD DVD players and recorders immediately and close out the business by the end of March.

[Palmateer]

We still need commitments from

Universal

Paramount

Dreamworks

that they will reissue their HD DVD movies in Blu-ray, and begin releasing all of their future home entertainment catalog in Blu-ray.

[pilotbob]

We still need commitments from

Universal

Paramount

Dreamworks

that they will reissue their HD DVD movies in Blu-ray, and begin releasing all of their future home entertainment catalog in Blu-ray.

I don't think you need commitments. If there is to me no more HD-DVD hardware... I very much doubt these studios have a choice.

Still waiting for a $199 or less BD player. Please send links!

BOb

[CANDY76MAN]

I don't think you need commitments. If there is to me no more HD-DVD hardware... I very much doubt these studios have a choice.

Still waiting for a $199 or less BD player. Please send links!

BOb

Newegg has a few bd rom drives for under 200.00....no burning capability but if you have a htpc with a hdcp compliant video card then you would be set for watching blue ray disks.

[pilotbob]

We still need commitments from

Universal

Paramount

Dreamworks

that they will reissue their HD DVD movies in Blu-ray, and begin releasing all of their future home entertainment catalog in Blu-ray.

Universal makes their switch official:

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20080219/D8UTL0T00.html

[Jodeus]

Weird how Paramount hasn't announced anything except for specs for two new HD-DVD's including 'There Will Be Blood'.

Picked up a few HD-DVD's on Ebay for $6/each, fire sale has begun.

-Jody

[pilotbob]

Weird how Paramount hasn't announced anything except for specs for two new HD-DVD's including 'There Will Be Blood'.

Picked up a few HD-DVD's on Ebay for $6/each, fire sale has begun.

-Jody

Just another reason why I want to move all my Video inventory to digital files. I might just leapfrog this Blu-Ray thing and stick to downloading any movies I rent/buy.

BOb

[CANDY76MAN]

Just another reason why I want to move all my Video inventory to digital files. I might just leapfrog this Blu-Ray thing and stick to downloading any movies I rent/buy.

BOb

Can you download hd versions of movies somewhere now?

[bdraw]

I think HD downloads will have a place, but not sure when they'll be able to completely replace a disc. I doubt I'd pay $20 to buy a digital version of a movie that may or may not even work in a year or two from now. At least with a physical disc, I know it'll continue to work as long as my player lasts.

[Palmateer]

From High-Def Digest, Feb 21, 2008:

The last domino of the format war has fallen: Paramount has officially announced it will align with Blu-ray and begin releasing titles on the format.

"We are pleased that the industry is moving to a single high-definition format, as we believe it is in the best interest of the consumer," the studio said via a statement issued Wednesday to The Hollywood Reporter.

"As we look to (begin) releasing our titles on Blu-ray, we will monitor consumer adoption and determine our release plans accordingly."

The studio did not issue any further details regarding a timeframe for the transition, nor any specific title announcements.

Also absent in Paramount's statement was any mention of subsidiary DreamWorks, although it is widely expected that the company (including DreamWorks Animation) will follow its corporate parent and begin releasing titles on Blu-ray.

[pilotbob]

Can you download hd versions of movies somewhere now?

The only options right now are AppleTV, VuDu and XBox Live. I'm not sure if you can "own" with any of these.

I am hopping that Amazon Unbox will add HD purchases soon since they store all your purchased media in the cloud for you to d/l on demand, and it downloads right to my TiVo if I want it to.

BOb

[pilotbob]

I think HD downloads will have a place, but not sure when they'll be able to completely replace a disc. I doubt I'd pay $20 to buy a digital version of a movie that may or may not even work in a year or two from now. At least with a physical disc, I know it'll continue to work as long as my player lasts.

The other option is some type of magnetic media like SD or CF. In a year or two I think the 25GB SD card will be available at a reasonable price so it wouldn't add much to the cost of a movie.

Of course, they will DRM the HELL out of them so you won't be able to arcive them on a media server... which is really where I want to get to... having all my media available on demand on a server that I can watch for an existing device hooked up to my TV like my TiVO or XBox 360. (I started another thread about this in the general chat section.)

BOb