Meridian Denies HD DVD Player - Blu-ray Forum

Josh · 01-10-2007, 01:25 PM

http://avzombie.com/blog/2007/01/10/...-announcement/

Quote:

Meridian will not be releasing an HD DVD player anytime soon. So says brand spokesman John Bamford, who claims that he was surprised to read that the company had been announced as a hardware partner by the HD DVD Promotion Group during its Las Vegas CES press event.

“We’re interested in HD DVD, but we’re also interested in Blu-ray,” says Bamford. “Meridian has been helping the HD DVD group with encoding and technical issues but our involvement appears to have been blown up out of all proportion. If we were to launch an HD DVD deck it would not appear for years.”

It just keeps going downhill.

Blubaru · 01-10-2007, 01:34 PM

Please post this on AVS!!

Chris Beveridge · 01-10-2007, 01:36 PM

Oh my indeed... Not that I'm in the market for a 3K player, but the Meridian name carries some weight among the higher end and having them say they're interested in both helps. It does NOT help HD DVD though since theyre claiming it will be years for that to happen. HD DVD needs more name hardware vendors yesterday. BD has a number of decks slated and can afford to have Meridian wait.

Deane Johnson · 01-10-2007, 01:38 PM

I thought when I read that release from HD-DVD that it had to be BS. Why would Meridian, and Onkyo for that matter, be ramping up to go HD-DVD at this point. With every signpost available, HD-DVD is slowly twisting in the wind and it's hardly the time an intelligent company would jump on board.

As a matter of face, I should think that with the air going out of the HD-DVD balloon at the rate it is, the sales of Toshiba hardware would tank pretty badly in the coming months. I would think that even the life preservers MS is trying to toss them would have little benefit.

As they used to say in marketing, there's nothing harder to stop than a trend.

Blackraven · 01-10-2007, 01:39 PM

So the MS 'HD-DUD' FUD brigade people were using the Meridian name as a brand under HD-DVD brand WITHOUT the consent of the company itself?

Wow, just wow.

Someone should post this on AVS indeed.

KenThompson · 01-10-2007, 01:43 PM

Grasping at air. Whatever makes them feel good. They are only kidding themselves.

dialog_gvf · 01-10-2007, 01:49 PM

Geez, now the promotions group is resorting to outright lies!

Why if they are going to create falsehoods they didn't announce a list of Universal titles that would make every BD fan weep?

Grubert posted it in News. I copied it in the Format Battle thread.

Gary

blitz6speed · 01-10-2007, 01:59 PM

Man, i am going to tell my kids one day about CES 2007 and how awesome it turned out.

BTW, can SOMEONE please post some info for me on AVS, i am banned afterall lol.

What i cant understand is the 300 movies this year number they're throwing around for HD-DVD. If you read the press release, it says they released 300 movies in 2006, and another 300 this year. If you read it carefully, you'll notice they write 600 total WORLDWIDE. So if they count 300 for 2006, which was ~155 movies in total in the US, then this year will be right around the same for the US. HD-DVD Group is counting multiple titles in multi-regions as releases. So if they release Serenity in US, Japan, France, Germany and Africa, thats 5 releases of the 600 total worldwide. TalkStr8 backed up this info in one of his posts responding to the 300 movies this year, asking the guy if he cared about seeing the Turkish version of a hd-dvd exclusive as being very important to him.

Also, a paramount insider at DVDTalk said Paramount has no plans to release anything over 40 titles this year, and one of them is definetly Saving Private Ryan. They will be both formats. Warner will be both formats. So very possible that 50 or less exclusives for HD-DVD THIS ENTIRE YEAR.

Please, someone let these guys know that the 300 # is WORLDWIDE, so US releases will be significantly less.

Longshot · 01-10-2007, 02:09 PM

This keeps getting better by the hour.

Meridian emphatically denies player and apparently the DVD Forum is going to sue LG for their combo player not being fully compliant with HD DVD specs.

How many want to bet the LG player never sees the light of day?

Maybe Onkyo will come to their senses. I consider them a fine and reputable company and I have no idea what they are thinking supporting HD DED.

JTK · 01-10-2007, 02:10 PM

I suspected as much.

I think the market is going to allow LG's experiment to come out, fail miserably as it should, and then the format war ends in 2008 if not sooner, when Universal decides to support even both formats in even the most minimal way.

Everyone knows that's all it's going to take: One little blink from Universal ends it all.

That's why I'm blown away that LG would flush money and resource down the toilet like they have making a half baked concession for a weaker and inferior technology that deserves to die a quick death in the form of HD-DVD.

What a waste of time, money, and resource.

Big boys like Meridian know better than to do stupid @#$^ like that.

JBlacklow · 01-10-2007, 02:21 PM

Well, I'm still a little bit skeptical, but I wouldn't exactly be surprised. Can anyone verify this blog as a valid source?

GoldenRedux · 01-10-2007, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Longshot

apparently the DVD Forum is going to sue LG for their combo player not being fully compliant with HD DVD specs.

What? Do you have a link to this information? I need to see this confirmed.

Maximus · 01-10-2007, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JTK

I suspected as much.

I think the market is going to allow LG's experiment to come out, fail miserably as it should, and then the format war ends in 2008 if not sooner, when Universal decides to support even both formats in even the most minimal way.

Everyone knows that's all it's going to take: One little blink from Universal ends it all.

That's why I'm blown away that LG would flush money and resource down the toilet like they have making a half baked concession for a weaker and inferior technology that deserves to die a quick death in the form of HD-DVD.

What a waste of time, money, and resource.

Big boys like Meridian know better than to do stupid @#$^ like that.

At the moment, it seems that the BDA is getting all of the bad press for apparently creating a new standard, and the corresponding war. If the DVD-forum refuse to let the LG combo player be released, who will start to get bad press, and look like the bad guy. They will look like the guys trying to actively stop a ceasefire.

To my mind Universal has already blunk (if that is even a word, what is the past tense of blink anyway?!?) when they didn't make an announcement on their upcoming release dates.

I think Onkyo will eventually come to their senses, and not bother with HD DVD. As will Toshiba, but longer-term.

Maximus · 01-10-2007, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBlacklow

Well, I'm still a little bit skeptical, but I wouldn't exactly be surprised. Can anyone verify this blog as a valid source?

I can, information from AV Zombie has been good in the past, and they have some good contacts within the UK AV industry.

JTK · 01-10-2007, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

At the moment, it seems that the BDA is getting all of the bad press for apparently creating a new standard, and the corresponding war. If the DVD-forum refuse to let the LG combo player be released, who will start to get bad press, and look like the bad guy. They will look like the guys trying to actively stop a ceasefire.

To my mind Universal has already blunk (if that is even a word, what is the past tense of blink anyway?!?) when they didn't make an announcement on their upcoming release dates.

I think Onkyo will eventually come to their senses, and not bother with HD DVD. As will Toshiba, but longer-term.

This time of year, at these shows, there's always a lot of talk, but I'll bet you all right now that Onkyo and everyone else who hasn't thrown down probably won't until the format war, such as it is, is over with.

With Universal basically being a no-show, what incentive does any hardware company have to cater to HD-DVD?

Exclusive content? How much? For one lone studio's worth of discs, some of which are good, some that aren't?

That's not good business by a longshot.

HD-DVD is a lost cause and there's no money to be made off of it. That's today's reality.

GoldenRedux · 01-10-2007, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JTK

This time of year, at these shows, there's always a lot of talk, but I'll bet you all right now that Onkyo and everyone else who hasn't thrown down probably won't until the format war, such as it is, is over with.

With Universal basically being a no-show, what incentive does any hardware company have to cater to HD-DVD?

Exclusive content? How much? For one lone studio's worth of discs, some of which are good, some that aren't?

That's not good business by a longshot.

HD-DVD is a lost cause and there's no money to be made off of it. That's today's reality.

First of all, Meridian is denying that they are making anything, and secondly Onkyo indirectly announced an HD DVD player to be released 'some time in 2007' without even showing a prototype.

That inspires real confidence. Maybe we should all just wait for one of those cheap Shinco players from China, that'll be the ticket.

Longshot · 01-10-2007, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenRedux

What? Do you have a link to this information? I need to see this confirmed.

I do not know how to link but it is in our favorite other forum under HD &BD news.

Deane Johnson · 01-10-2007, 03:25 PM

The fact that they included the name of the specific Meridian person making the statement would give it some credibility, I should think.

GoldenRedux · 01-10-2007, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Longshot

I do not know how to link but it is in our favorite other forum under HD &BD news.

Thanks.

Blubaru · 01-10-2007, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenRedux

Thanks.

That thread is too funny. I can't wait to see what the others have to say.

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01-10-2007, 01:34 PM	#2
Blubaru Expert Member Member since:Oct 2006 Location:Tonight! you!	Please post this on AVS!!

01-10-2007, 01:36 PM	#3
Chris Beveridge Moderator Member since:Sep 2006 Location:Hudson, MA Blu-ray reviews:3	Oh my indeed... Not that I'm in the market for a 3K player, but the Meridian name carries some weight among the higher end and having them say they're interested in both helps. It does NOT help HD DVD though since theyre claiming it will be years for that to happen. HD DVD needs more name hardware vendors yesterday. BD has a number of decks slated and can afford to have Meridian wait.

01-10-2007, 01:38 PM	#4
Deane Johnson Active Member Member since:Nov 2006 Location:Omaha, NE	I thought when I read that release from HD-DVD that it had to be BS. Why would Meridian, and Onkyo for that matter, be ramping up to go HD-DVD at this point. With every signpost available, HD-DVD is slowly twisting in the wind and it's hardly the time an intelligent company would jump on board. As a matter of face, I should think that with the air going out of the HD-DVD balloon at the rate it is, the sales of Toshiba hardware would tank pretty badly in the coming months. I would think that even the life preservers MS is trying to toss them would have little benefit. As they used to say in marketing, there's nothing harder to stop than a trend.

01-10-2007, 01:39 PM	#5
Blackraven Expert Member Member since:Jan 2005 Location:Makati, Philippines	So the MS 'HD-DUD' FUD brigade people were using the Meridian name as a brand under HD-DVD brand WITHOUT the consent of the company itself? Wow, just wow. Someone should post this on AVS indeed.

01-10-2007, 01:43 PM	#6
KenThompson Power Member Member since:Sep 2006 Location:B.C. Canada	Grasping at air. Whatever makes them feel good. They are only kidding themselves.

01-10-2007, 01:49 PM	#7
dialog_gvf Moderator Member since:Nov 2006 Location:Toronto Blu-ray collection:320	Geez, now the promotions group is resorting to outright lies! Why if they are going to create falsehoods they didn't announce a list of Universal titles that would make every BD fan weep? Grubert posted it in News. I copied it in the Format Battle thread. Gary

01-10-2007, 01:59 PM	#8
blitz6speed Blu-ray Guru Member since:Oct 2006 Location:Anaheim Hills, CA Trading Score:8	Man, i am going to tell my kids one day about CES 2007 and how awesome it turned out. BTW, can SOMEONE please post some info for me on AVS, i am banned afterall lol. What i cant understand is the 300 movies this year number they're throwing around for HD-DVD. If you read the press release, it says they released 300 movies in 2006, and another 300 this year. If you read it carefully, you'll notice they write 600 total WORLDWIDE. So if they count 300 for 2006, which was ~155 movies in total in the US, then this year will be right around the same for the US. HD-DVD Group is counting multiple titles in multi-regions as releases. So if they release Serenity in US, Japan, France, Germany and Africa, thats 5 releases of the 600 total worldwide. TalkStr8 backed up this info in one of his posts responding to the 300 movies this year, asking the guy if he cared about seeing the Turkish version of a hd-dvd exclusive as being very important to him. Also, a paramount insider at DVDTalk said Paramount has no plans to release anything over 40 titles this year, and one of them is definetly Saving Private Ryan. They will be both formats. Warner will be both formats. So very possible that 50 or less exclusives for HD-DVD THIS ENTIRE YEAR. Please, someone let these guys know that the 300 # is WORLDWIDE, so US releases will be significantly less.

01-10-2007, 02:09 PM	#9
Longshot Senior Member Member since:Apr 2006 Blu-ray reviews:2	This keeps getting better by the hour. Meridian emphatically denies player and apparently the DVD Forum is going to sue LG for their combo player not being fully compliant with HD DVD specs. How many want to bet the LG player never sees the light of day? Maybe Onkyo will come to their senses. I consider them a fine and reputable company and I have no idea what they are thinking supporting HD DED.

01-10-2007, 02:10 PM	#10
JTK Blu-ray Knight Member since:Jan 2006 Location:www.blurayoasis.com	I suspected as much. I think the market is going to allow LG's experiment to come out, fail miserably as it should, and then the format war ends in 2008 if not sooner, when Universal decides to support even both formats in even the most minimal way. Everyone knows that's all it's going to take: One little blink from Universal ends it all. That's why I'm blown away that LG would flush money and resource down the toilet like they have making a half baked concession for a weaker and inferior technology that deserves to die a quick death in the form of HD-DVD. What a waste of time, money, and resource. Big boys like Meridian know better than to do stupid @#$^ like that.

01-10-2007, 02:21 PM	#11
JBlacklow Senior Member Member since:Dec 2006	Well, I'm still a little bit skeptical, but I wouldn't exactly be surprised. Can anyone verify this blog as a valid source?

01-10-2007, 03:25 PM	#18
Deane Johnson Active Member Member since:Nov 2006 Location:Omaha, NE	The fact that they included the name of the specific Meridian person making the statement would give it some credibility, I should think.

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