What are the odds that Universal might decide not make Blu-ray's? update: none :D

[Steelmaker]

I was just sitting here thinking, could it be that Universal may just continue to produce their movies on dvd only and then make them avaliable in high def by download only? I don't know I just sense that they really are NOT on board with blu ray despite the fact that blu ray has won the high def format war.

[GregBlu5]

It would be difficult to imagine them totally ignoring a huge, potential and actual, market for their films. Blu sales figures alone these past many months had to have already had an impact on their decision.

[quaylie]

I'm not a boycotter..but I would probably have to boycott Uni if they made a decision as dumb as that..their movies will sale like crazy on Blu..as long as the transfers are what we come to expect from Blu.

[Moefiz]

They would have to be totally nuts if they just sit on the sidelines and not get on to the bluray bandwagon.

[Kirsty_Mc]

If (when) the BD market really starts motoring, Universal would have difficulties with this position. It's not just about the revenues that BD will directly generate. Universal could have problems getting Directors / Scriptwriters / Actors signing up to a Universal project knowing that their potential income from royalties would be limited by such a policy.

[tron3]

Originally Posted by Moefiz

They would have to be totally nuts if they just sit on the sidelines and not get on to the bluray bandwagon.

A stupid alternative is to say they will only provide HD movies via download. Which would just start another stupid and pointless war.

This format war already has left 1 million HD DVD users without a country, a home, and ZERO support within a couple of years. You can't keep slapping the consumer in the face like this.

[Blu Titan]

The consumers, the retailers, and the industry have decided on the "format war". Universal will fall in the ranks.

[tiger roach]

The home theater press and websites will rag on them mercilessly if they try anything that evil. I don't see it happening.

I will feel better once they formally announce their Blu plans though.

[*TIMMIE*]

It wouldn't be a first time. It happened with the introduction of DVD. The did not have faith in the product and did not release DVD's theirself. At least not in Europe. Sony did it for them. Later on the distributioncontract ended, and they started to release DVD.

Unfortunately they started with some great releases, but nowadays they do not use DTS anymore and it seems they love overcompressing files. In that case they should love downloading as the future.

[darkpoet25]

Given Ken Graffeo's nature I wouldn't be suprised if this in fact did happen. On the other hand, digital downloads are far off from making any headway right now. The movies most likely would be 720p and compressed as hell with only a DD soundtrack. If they were smart they would get rid of Graffeo, and start putting movies on blu ray. They are a company after all and at the end of the day they want our hard earned money.

[Need0fMany]

Originally Posted by darkpoet25

Given Ken Graffeo's nature I wouldn't be suprised if this in fact did happen. On the other hand, digital downloads are far off from making any headway right now. The movies most likely would be 720p and compressed as hell with only a DD soundtrack. If they were smart they would get rid of Graffeo, and start putting movies on blu ray. They are a company after all and at the end of the day they want our hard earned money.

I agree, it will be the case as long as Graffeo is there. Universal need to hit the eject button on this guy.

[nhaase]

Originally Posted by darkpoet25

Given Ken Graffeo's nature I wouldn't be suprised if this in fact did happen. On the other hand, digital downloads are far off from making any headway right now. The movies most likely would be 720p and compressed as hell with only a DD soundtrack. If they were smart they would get rid of Graffeo, and start putting movies on blu ray. They are a company after all and at the end of the day they want our hard earned money.

Read Penton and Bill Hunt's thoughts on Graffeo. He's just a vehicle for Uni's word.

[Magic]

0

There is absolutely 0 chance that they do not make blu-rays. Period.

[WriteSimply]

1%. The other 99% is a combination of wanting to make money and fear of shareholder's uprising.


fuad

[sj001]

Not a chance. They will be on the Blu-ray bandwagon soon.

[samsonite]

the odds are Zero!

What are they gonna print HD-DVD's that no one will sell?

The retailers have dumped them.

Maybe universal will keep printing HD-DVD discs. Then, when they have enough, they can build a giant HD-DVD castle out of them. LOL

[paidgeek]

Universal Readying Blu-ray Titles
Author: THOMAS K. ARNOLD
tarnold@questex.com
Posted: February 19, 2008
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At least one of the two major studios currently exclusive to HD DVD is
already gearing up to join the other team after Toshiba’s announcement
it would stop making HD DVD players.

“While Universal values the close partnership we have shared with
Toshiba, it is time to turn our focus to releasing new and catalog
titles on Blu-ray,” said Craig Kornblau, president of Universal Studios
Home Entertainment.....

Kornblau’s statement came moments after Toshiba announced it was
pulling the plug on HD DVD, a move that effectively ends a two-year
format war with Sony’s Blu-ray Disc to become the successor to DVD.

“The path for widespread adoption of the next-generation platform has
finally become clear,” Kornblau said. ”Universal will continue its
aggressive efforts to broaden awareness for high-def’s unparalleled
offerings in interactivity and connectivity, at an increasingly
affordable price. The emergence of a single, high-definition format is
cause for consumers, as well as the entire entertainment industry, to
celebrate.”

A similar announcement is expected from Paramount Home
Entertainment/DreamWorks, which last fall abandoned its dual-format
strategy and began releasing titles exclusively on HD DVD.