Format War Extended - Universal Announces 100 new Exclusives

[Need0fMany]

Disappointing but truly not surprising. While either Universal or Toshiba could end the format war on their own, the company that is really pulling all the strings and keeping this charade alive is Microsoft.

As many keen observers have stated on these boards, Microsoft's strategy is to push their codec and its associated licenses as well as moving away from discs and toward DRM downloads with limited rights (you can't lend a download to a friend like you would a disc, you can't have services like Netflix or used\trading stores).

Why would Universal and Toshiba go along with this if the long-term goal is to kill off HD discs? Because one company, cash rich from monopoly profits, is giving them incentives. Of course they can't just give them money, they are too smart for that. They use the same tricks as military contractors do. Microsoft just overpays Toshiba for drives, parts, Zune design and production, in return for continued format support. As for Universal, same thing, they just overpay for download rights, free marketing on their web pages and 360 adware, give them codec discounts, and below cost extensive encoding support in exchange for them "sticking it out" in this war.

Sure, some people might joke and think this is "tinfoil hat" speak but when you read the testimonies of the anti-trust trials of Microsoft (which they lost in the US until a change in policies reverse those rulings, which they lost in Europe and are being fined every day), then there is no underestimating Microsoft.

In short, HD-DVD is truly M$-DVD and I am sad to say it will be here for years to come. Enjoy and support Blu-ray but don't expect a quick resolution; learn to be patient, ignore FUD, educate those that have not yet drunk the M$ kool-aid.