Paramount Hedges Bet, Studio to Support Blu-ray and HD-DVD

[Marwin]

Paramount Hedges Bet, Studio to Support Blu-ray and HD-DVD

Paramount is now playing both sides of high definition DVD table. In a blow to the HD DVD camp backed by Toshiba, Paramount Sunday decided that while it isn't abandoning the format, it will also release high definition DVDs next year in the Sony-backed Blu-ray format.

Paramount was previously one of three studios, along with Universal and Warner, devoted exclusively to HD DVD. Sony Pictures, Disney and Fox are releasing only in Blu-ray.

"We have been intrigued by the broad support of Blu-ray, especially the key advantage of including Blu-Ray in PlayStation 3," Paramount home entertainment prexy Thomas Lesinski said in a statement. "After more detailed assessment and new data on cost, manufacturability and copy protection solutions, we have now made the decision to move ahead with the Blu-ray format."

Many in the industry have observed that momentum seems to be swinging toward the Blu-ray camp recently, particularly after the HD DVD studios abandoned plans to release their first batch of DVDs in the format by this holiday season. Toshiba also pushed back the release of the first HD DVD player until next year.

Addition of Paramount means studios repping 59% of the homevideo market, according to Video Business stats for the first half of 2005, will release in Blu-ray, while HD DVD claims 45%.

As more content becomes available in Blu-ray, it will become harder for Toshiba and other manufacturers of HD DVD equipment to convince consumers to buy their players. If Warner or Universal waver in their support, that could spell the death knell for the format.

[Alex Pallas]

the push back in the HD format release really screwed Toshiba over

[zombie]

Woo-hoo! Further proof it's over for HD-DVD! (Am I happy enough?)

Great catch Marwin! You've made my day!!

[Marwin]

Paramount Embraces Blu-ray, Warner and Universal Expected to Follow Shortly

Several execs in each camp believe the Paramount announcement to publish in both formats—which is the direction Warner has been leaning for the past week or two with a similar announcement expected this week—is simply a temporary face-saving strategy and that ultimately all studios will shift completely over to Blu-ray by launch time.

Universal would not comment, but if Warner does announce that it also will publish in both formats, Universal is expected to be pressured to reluctantly follow suit.

[zombie]

All I can say is WOW! I fully expected this to happen but actually reading it occuring is breathtaking. 8)

[mmmhome]

That´s the best news since 2 month.

[Alex Pallas]

this is hilarious, right after Microsoft and Intel joined! they're kicking their own butts now! i wonder if they will have to push back the Xbox manufaturing...that is if they have enough sense to change their minds and go Blu-Ray

[Gorkab]

That's just AWESOME ! Now what ? Warner ? Groovy !

[Waelan]

Originally Posted by Alex Pallas

this is hilarious, right after Microsoft and Intel joined! they're kicking their own butts now! i wonder if they will have to push back the Xbox manufaturing...that is if they have enough sense to change their minds and go Blu-Ray

Im afraid you are just a tad confused :wink:

The Xbox 360 comes with a 12X DVD drive. It neither uses Blu ray nor does it use HD-DVD. It will use double layer DVDs that hold 9 gigs of space. Some games will come on multiple discs.

[Rob]

From a games perspective it makes more sense to use a dvd drive (currently) than Blu-Ray, as a 12x dvd drive offers over 120+Mbps transfer rate compared to the 72Mbps rate of the 2x Blu-Ray drive likely to be used in the PS3. Meaning longer loading times for PS3 games.

[erdega79]

Originally Posted by Rob

From a games perspective it makes more sense to use a dvd drive (currently) than Blu-Ray, as a 12x dvd drive offers over 120+Mbps transfer rate compared to the 72Mbps rate of the 2x Blu-Ray drive likely to be used in the PS3. Meaning longer loading times for PS3 games.

that would be true if indeed ps3 drive was x2 but we shall see, it's long way off. I said before that would be almost suicidal for sony to do. They need at least x4 for decent performance and they had years of preparation to do so. Again we shall see

[thunderhawk]

Tho I saw somewhere (PS3 Discussion) that Ken Kumari (CEO @ Sony, sorry if I misspelled his name) said PS3 would have a 6x BD drive...

[phloyd]

This is great news for fans of Bluray.

It is great to see that pure greed is still the over riding factor in commerce. When there is money to be made, to hell with past loyalties.

If WB is also considering this, it won't be long for Universal to join the mutiny and really what is HD-DVD offering after that...??? It will be the only one with genuine Microsoft drivers...? hahaha...

Cheers!

[thunderhawk]

Fantastic!
Great This is really going to be it for Blu-ray.

It will now be all on Warners decision now...
If Warner joins, Universal will follow and the war will be over.

[Knight-Errant]

Here's to a profitable peace in the format war