Studios should boost hi-def with early releases

[davidAZ]

I'm not sure if anyone's considered this idea, but I think hi-def media could get a boost in notice if the studios release their movies earlier than the DVD copies.

Ratatouille, for example, could look like this:
Release in Theatres: June 29th, 2007
Release on Blu-Ray: September 4th, 2007
Release on DVD: November 6th, 2007

And as the blockbusters come out, consumers will notice that they can view a hi-def version earlier than their DVD counterparts.

I am bias of course to blu-ray, but HD-DVD could follow that same route too as long as the consumers can understand that hi-def is available sooner.

The big challange is to provide an exceptional experience without a sacrifice in quality. If the development could take place with the completion of the films, then this should be possible.

Advantages for the studios and consumers:
1) Promotion of hi-def materials and further awareness for the consumers
2) Extended marketing since there's an extra product to promote in between dates
3) The hi-def experience could be viewed as fresher, closer to the original release
4) Consumers weighing hi-def/DVD could tip the market further into hi-def
5) Release the hi-def close enough, and the advertising could be done within the theatre, possibly even promoting a voucher discount or pre-sale offer on the way out of the theatre