Slow Death vs Fast Death

[Kairav]

IMHO, a fast death for HD DVD would be better for the format and the supporting companies. A slow death would mean more losses, angry customers and tons of confusion. A jump by Paramount can convert the current slow death of HD DVD into a fast one.

What do you guys think?

[Blu-ray Fanatic]

Well, a fast death always better for consumers because we'll get our movies a lot faster. A slow death is very frustrating and causes impatience for both parties. This is pretty much common sense regarding how bad you want your favorite films on BD

[SamInNorthCakalakey]

A fast death would have a lot of pissed off HD DUDder's. Not sure studios' like Warner, Paramount and Universal want to do that.

Originally Posted by Kairav

IMHO, a fast death for HD DVD would be better for the format and the supporting companies. A slow death would mean more losses, angry customers and tons of confusion. A jump by Paramount can convert the current slow death of HD DVD into a fast one.

What do you guys think?

[Kairav]

Originally Posted by SamInNorthCakalakey

A fast death would have a lot of pissed off HD DUDder's. Not sure studios' like Warner, Paramount and Universal want to do that.

Well a slow one would piss 'em more because people would spend tons of money for the next year or so and wake up one morning to find their investment futile.

[Razzy]

It would be better to just chop the head clean off than let HD DVD fans suffer it out. It needs to end now.

[Deane Johnson]

It's time for it to end now before more damage is done to consumers. Universal should step up to the plate, do the right thing for consumers and make the change to Blu exclusive as fast as possible. Paramount should examine their deal with HD-DVD and make the move as soon as they legally can. Any other approach by these two companies would indicate they have no respect or regard for consumers whatsoever.

A slow death helps nobody in the format war.

[tiger roach]

Agreed, fast death is better for everybody.

I think it will be fast now that WB has made its move. The exodus from HD-DVD is a snowball rolling down the hill now.

[ikbradley]

It's a fast death. Considering that less than 30% of movies are now available on HD DVD and Paramount and Universal only really have strong back catalogs, it would be difficult for any person to be fooled into getting into HD DVD's corner.

[mystiksuicide]

Slow death is much more fun to watch. I reality in the famous words of Draven from The Crow (god how I want this movie on blu)

"They're are already dead, they just don't know it."

[tron3]

"Slow, then fast." - Marge / Simpsons

The fat lady can't sing unless Sir Knight slays the Red Dragon. Right now, it only is mortally wounded and gushing red kool-aid which is getting lapped up by hungry HD dogs. That is only to protect their stock! Of course they won't admit defeat! I'm tired of hearing about this rumored "out clause" for Paramount as no one can conclusively prove it exits, though the smart money says it does.

Ok, let's ass-u-me it does exit. Paramount is in no rush to make themself look like a bunch of mooks for taking money to go exclusive, proudly stand their ground, only to end up with egg on their face. If anything, they are watching Universal and/or waiting for this to blow over. I think they are waiting for the excitement to die down to make their own headlines and not appear to follow Warner's lead.

Maybe we will hear from Paramount when Warner finally drops HD DVD in May, maybe we will not. The only studio who was never "neutral" oddly is the studio by the name of "Universal." Watching them doesn't tell us much.

Without further information I can't even come close to a prediction, so it's a toss up. One of them has to go neutral soon, if not a complete abandoment of HD DVD. Someone has to cave first.

If Paramount and Universal both go neutral, HD DVD is affectively dead because we get ALL the studio support. In which case, it just makes sense to drop HD DVD and stop jerking the public.

[Blu-ray Fanatic]

If I were HD-DVD, I would give a certain date when production stops. Yet, its not a slow or fast death and it'll be more courteous to consumers

[Blu-ray Fanatic]

Even though we are blu-ray consumers all the way, we still need to show respect for the other party

[prerich]

Originally Posted by Blu-ray Fanatic

Even though we are blu-ray consumers all the way, we still need to show respect for the other party

No respect needs to be shown. That's sarcastic. I've been a supporter of both formats (as they both look beautiful to me) however, the only way I went blu-ray is through a PC (started the same way with HD-DVD too until the 98.00 player came out - won't buy another blu-ray until they get that low either - I will spend money in my PC because it's multi-functional no need for PS3 - ever heard of Extreme HD Gaming via Nvidia? PC community has been doing HD gaming for few years now).

The only reason I went to blu-ray is Disney - the only blu-ray movies I buy are Disney movies. I hear people talk about video quality, sound quality, yada, yada, yada...I've heard them both - It depends on the transfer more so than the format. And then there's the point of diminishing returns - My speakers can put out 35 khz and my subs (x4) can put out 17hz bass - I can't hear 35khz and I can only feel 17hz. I could have speakers with less output and be satisfied (but I got theses because I found a great deal - economics). I was satisfied with HD-DVD but when Disney began its Christmas push with releasing Cars, Ratatoullie, and several other titles at once, I knew this war was coming to an end and that Disney - not how much disc space or things like that would end this war. I'm not Blue or Red - you could call me purple, but I'm big on personal economics, I bought both of my players - blu-ray and HD-DVD for less than the cost of a Playstation 3 or the cost of a Samsung 1400 for that matter - new. If I was going to choose a loosing format - I was not going to have a lot of money invested in it. The next piece of Blu-ray hardware that I buy will only be a burner and only when the PC prices drop to 100.00 or below (they are dropping fast, down from 800 to the mid 300 dollar range - the PC industry knows what time it is and how to please a consumer).

So now that Blu has won, it's off to netflix to rent Blu-rays - because Disney films are the only ones worth buying.

[kwayneg]

A fast death would be better, just look at the PS3, a quick price cut instead of a price cut a year later allowed a lot more people to come on board, same theory, kill HD DUD now and the money the consumer would have spent on a dying format, they can use that money to buy a Blu Machine and Blu software

[Kairav]

All the B&M stores, rental stores and any other palce that deals with HD Media should stop their customers from buying HD DVD. After the Warner announcement, my local BB had tons of returns, half of them were without the reciept. People were exchanging red for blu and the store was losing money.

[bluperch]

Originally Posted by Kairav

All the B&M stores, rental stores and any other palce that deals with HD Media should stop their customers from buying HD DVD. After the Warner announcement, my local BB had tons of returns, half of them were without the reciept. People were exchanging red for blu and the store was losing money.

It could be taken out of Universal's and Paramount's (and Toshiba's) hands. And maybe that's what they're waiting for. If retailers stop stocking, they'll have no choice but to go Blu. I wonder if that would help them "save face?"

[U4K61]

A fast death is the only sensable way out. As long as there is HD-DVD, the format war is still on! Consumers are still buying players, discs, etc. Investing their time and money - creating confusion and slowing mas market penetration. A slow death = slow consumer adoption.

[Kairav]

I know tons of people who would buy HDM, but are waiting for the war to get over. Come on Paraversal you can do it.

[radagast]

Originally Posted by Kairav

IMHO, a fast death for HD DVD would be better for the format and the supporting companies. A slow death would mean more losses, angry customers and tons of confusion. A jump by Paramount can convert the current slow death of HD DVD into a fast one.

What do you guys think?

It depends on how cruel one is. A slow death will be more painful. That's what I hope for.