Archived: Ask the Insiders: Judgment Day Edition

[zipbags]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

I believe the red velvet suitcases have made their way to Universal...

Shame on Universal for screwing unsuspecting consumers. And if I was a Toshiba shareholder I would be pissed. All this money being thrown at studios and subsidies (lower price players with 2-7 free movies). How much money can you keep throwing at a product that won't survive before it becomes too big of a loss?

[Pellaeon]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

I believe the red velvet suitcases have made their way to Universal...

Paramount is a different proposition though, they will make a decision to a timetable that suits them, not anybody else's.

So the estimated time frame for HD-DVD to clear their remaining players is March/April.

I sure do hope Paramount makes a move soon. While not quite the dagger Universal would be Paramount still would be nice.

Toshiba can kiss any future business away from me. I have a lap top, DVD and a HDTV from them. No more......

[Mr_Bester]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

I believe the red velvet suitcases have made their way to Universal...

...

Would you suppose those are short term revenues or long term revenues?

[edgebsl]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

I believe the red velvet suitcases have made their way to Universal...

Paramount is a different proposition though, they will make a decision to a timetable that suits them, not anybody else's.

If the Warner move was as cost effective as previously implied, I don't see how the BDA couldnt have made Uni a good offer to counter especially in light of the momentum behind blu?

Or is this incentive just to stall for another 6 months? Not another year of exclusivity?

I would hope if negotiations are still happening with Paramount, that noone would underestimate Toshiba's determination to drag this out till the dirty end.

[mattym]

i cant see what toshiba hope to gain by shoving money at universal, other than to make their humiliation that much more complete and to take what little consumer good-will there may be away if the gullible few are suckered into buying a hddvd player on the basis that they think there is a viable format there. Retailers need to pull the trigger on this NOW and end it before it all gets silly(sillier)

[JasonS]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

I believe the red velvet suitcases have made their way to Universal...

Paramount is a different proposition though, they will make a decision to a timetable that suits them, not anybody else's.

I am officially boycotting Universal until they go Blu. That really pisses me off...

[Bullseye]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

I believe the red velvet suitcases have made their way to Universal...

Paramount is a different proposition though, they will make a decision to a timetable that suits them, not anybody else's.

If Universal accept money at this stage I would lose all respect for them.

[Bullseye]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

What Toshiba does here on out is predictable as their options are limited.
What I find disheartening is that HD DVD advocates (whether they be Insiders or in this case just vocal proponents) are continuing to raise false hopes for HD DVD supporters and neutral bystanders in the final days of the format war.

I hope that people have long memories as to what others are saying and selling as HD DVD has its final swan song……. or Schwanengesang for those that viewed that funny YouTube video that someone posted a little ways back.

PM it was mentioned on here on more than one occassion that the retailers were unhappy with the format war. Yet if they partake in this firesale then how can they be unhappy with it.

[Esox50]

Insiders:
If Toshiba is intent on pushing this HD DVD thing and delaying a single format, is it possible that some of the big retailers could make a 'credibile threat' to Toshiba. I'm thinking something along the lines of threatening the entire business relationship, as in, dropping ALL Toshiba product...

And, based on what Max posted, shame on Universal if they decide to spit in the face of WB...when WB's move was at least partially in the spirit of ending this nonsense.

As Penton posted, I hope retailers, content providers, and consumers will have long memories when it comes to holding those responsible for delaying the inevitable...

[Bullseye]

Retailers can end this charade before it takes off by refusing to partake in it.

[JasonS]

Originally Posted by Bullseye

Retailers can end this charade before it takes off by refusing to partake in it.

But they won't. There isn't a single Blu exclusive retailer out there right now and no one will go that route unless there is an absolute clear winner (ie: all studios on one side). Toshiba is doing this on purpose to screw everyone in the hi-def market because they still get DVD royalties.

[sj001]

Originally Posted by RUR

Must be in some alternate universe we're unaware of.


All two major studios.

Sure they can play ALL studios... as an upconverting DVD player.

[JadedRaverLA]

Originally Posted by Bullseye

Retailers can end this charade before it takes off by refusing to partake in it.

They have inventory to get rid of. Why on earth wouldn't they "partake" in the offer until those players are gone? They were going to have to be sold off at a substantial discount anyway.

[OokieSpookie]

Originally Posted by mattym

i cant see what toshiba hope to gain by shoving money at universal, other than to make their humiliation that much more complete and to take what little consumer good-will there may be away if the gullible few are suckered into buying a hddvd player on the basis that they think there is a viable format there. Retailers need to pull the trigger on this NOW and end it before it all gets silly(sillier)

They are playing the "if we can't win we can at least screw them over" card.

[Bullseye]

Originally Posted by JadedRaverLA

They have inventory to get rid of. Why on earth wouldn't they "partake" in the offer until those players are gone? They were going to have to be sold off at a substantial discount anyway.

It will be interesting to see if these are actually newely ordered machines and not "instock" items.

[zipbags]

I spoke of this in my thread. But, maybe an insider can give me a better idea. How much inventory of a hd-dvd movie could a studio have? Its not like dvd. Heck even Transformers only sold a few 100k. I understand they want to get rid of unsold inventory. But, is the cost of those discs more than the cost of potentially finally ending this war for good and the fence sitters finally buying in?

[Elandyll]

Desperate measures.
My guess is that the Toshiba board isn't ready to give up yet (probably convinced of their own superiority), and did the only thing they could :
throw money at stuff.

They know they have about 4 months now to reverse the wheel, hoping to sway Warner back. I expect that if Warner stays true to its decision (I don't expect otherwise, unless magically HD DVD gains 70-80% of the player market) end of May / early June will be a very Blu month for the studios...

My 2cps.

[owa]

Originally Posted by Bullseye

PM it was mentioned on here on more than one occassion that the retailers were unhappy with the format war. Yet if they partake in this firesale then how can they be unhappy with it.

Below is what was said in the article on Digital Bits (bold done by me):

Toshiba says that these marketing initiatives are based on "strong fourth quarter sales in 2007 and mass market acceptance of HD DVD." Word within the industry however is that these sales were at least in part motivated by the retailers, eager to either move HD-DVD hardware, clear out shelf space or both. The key question is, will these units be restocked much when they're gone?

I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens when they've sold through the current stock.

[plee]

Originally Posted by Nooff

Any insider care to comment on this? I find it highly amusing

I think you can guesstimate about 2 months of DUD players in the pipeline so if your Toshiba it's your Hail Mary... if it fails, I guess you can say you gave it your best shot. But in the end your still losing money, if I was a stock holder I would be PO'ed as this is cutting into profits.

Just be patient as Penton has stated...

[desmond]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

The issue isn't as black and white as it seems on the outside, I don't blame Universal, they did what they thought was best for their business without any regards to anyone else, selfish - yes, but out of character - no.

With regards to the retailers, Toshiba are taking an absolutely huge charge on these players, bigger than when they did the $169 sale because of nice retailer margins they were told to give this time. Don't worry though, I think the retailers are at their wit's end when it comes to the format war and this could be one of the last times they play this card.

do you know what is the loss per unit?