Toshiba sees both HD formats co-existing

[atomik kinder]

Originally Posted by BlueNeon

I am sure that Toshiba will settle for a draw, but that is an outcome that nobody wants!

What do you mean? All the HD DVD fanboys have been hoping for this! You can't say NOBODY.

[Luis_A51]

Originally Posted by fronn

Of course the losing side sees both co-existing, as that's the best they can realistically hope for.

well said

[Texitura]

The cat is on the roof.

[darinp2]

Originally Posted by Mericalis

This is true about the Stringer comments, but I still want to know how they feel...I'm sure Kosty and the gang will do their best to cover it up, but it is out there for everyone to see.

Last I recall Kosty seemed to be in fine with basically a tie, with consumers forced to buy dual format players or both players in order to get all the content. Microsoft also seemed to switch from trying to convince stores that 2 formats would be bad (from an article in 2005), to a tie being fine and using the video game system argument about why 2 formats wouldn't be a problem. I think that all that really changed is when they were arguing that 2 formats would be bad they thought they could convince stores not to carry Blu-ray, but then realized that if one format would be dropped, it would most likely be their chosen one.

Originally Posted by Innerloop

Toshiba can't afford to pay the entire industry for support indefinitely.

If you were in Warner's shoes, why would you go HD-DVD exclusive at this point? Paramount just go paid $50m for 18-months of exclusivity, and Dreamworks got $100m.

Warner is bigger than both of them, and now the precedent has been set, so they would be stupid to do something for free that they could ask for $100m+ to do. Their shareholders would cruxify them and they live and die by the shareholders.

I expect that if Warner and New Line go either direction, they will get paid to do it. And probably more than Paramount/Dreamworks.

--Darin

[richteer]

Originally Posted by darinp2

I expect that if Warner and New Line go either direction, they will get paid to do it. And probably more than Paramount/Dreamworks.

--Darin

They would be paid--in increased movie sales when the war ends sooner rather than later. Short term pain for long term gain, and all that...

[radagast]

Originally Posted by DJeffries

I don't buy this one at all but apparently Toshiba wants to sell the notion that movie exclusivity is acceptable to the pulic like console games are now.

http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/ne...existing.phtml

Did Tosh say this before or after the firesale a few weeks ago? If after, they are admitting it was a failure.

[radagast]

Originally Posted by SpikesBluBlooded

I'm just waiting for the press release from Toshiba that basically reads: 'In light of supporting a duel format environment, we will begin manufacturing Blu-ray players to offer our customers the best of both worlds'... effectively hammering the last nail in the coffin of HD DVD.

I still won't buy a Blu player from Toshiba, if they do. I would rather Toshiba goes under.

[Beta-guy]

Originally Posted by radagast

Did Tosh say this before or after the firesale a few weeks ago? If after, they are admitting it was a failure.

I believe it was a failure, I think Toshiba thought the firesale would boost the sales, like a BOGO does for BD, but there hasn't been an impact from the firesale. apparently they only sold 30K HD-DVD players on that sale lol

[hardcore_canadian]

It sounds like Somebody Trying to Get some Mercy.

Like When you're about to murder somebody, and they say something like "I have a Family!" and then they start saying something about letting them go and they won't tell the cops, but you cut them in half, half-way through the sentence. Take that with a grain of salt

[radagast]

Originally Posted by Whytewash

Ill bet that Paramount is the only studio left supporting the DUD by this time. Warner will be ours and Uni will def be making Blu. Maybe not exclusive but that isnt the point. As long as we have them neutral and Warner exclusive, its check mate

Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.

[sphdle1]

Toshiba is just stringing the high-def along, knowing they can't win it, but confusing consumers and prolonging the adoption of high-def, so they can keep making huge $$ on their regular DVDs... it's that simple!

[Blu-Nightingale]

Allies: Sony Panasonic, Samsung, Philips, Sharp, Pioneer, Denon, Disney, Fox, Lionsgate,

Axis: Toshiba, Microsoft, Paramount, Universal

War Lord (who supplies arms to both sides): WB, LG

Was World War II a draw??? I don't seem to remember

Cheers

[Sling]

Both formats can co-exist...........I'm sure the Studios agree lol lol.
As I stated a few weeks ago ,I feel that Sony and Toshiba have made a deal on Phasing Hd-Dvd out.

Back in October Sony and Toshiba got close.A couple weeks after deal in link below Toshiba Drops hardware well below cost....A fire sell dump.
http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/18/s...ll-to-toshiba/

Then we have the word 'Stalemate' by Sony keeping Toshiba in good light..
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=9618

Toshiba plays nice
Same link at top of thread.
http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/ne...existing.phtml


With rumors of Microsoft backing away form HD-DVD ...hmm Micro seems to be looking at there Big picture turning very grey.hehehe Take a wild guess at what studio is backing VUDU....
http://www.vudu.com/product_overview.html


lets not forget that Sony has a 500gb disk in the works....It would be nice having 'Die Hard' BR disk set on one disk
This war will be over by mid summer with Blu-ray being the winner.

[hardcore_canadian]

Me thinks THey should have just gone on and made that One Universal Format. A Thought Occurs, Let's raise enough money to buy a Department Store, and Only Carry Blu-Rays, That Makes Sense.

This May be the Least Productive Post I've ever made, and I make a A LOT of Counter Productive Posts

[Clark Kent]

Originally Posted by sphdle1

Toshiba is just stringing the high-def along, knowing they can't win it, but confusing consumers and prolonging the adoption of high-def, so they can keep making huge $$ on their regular DVDs... it's that simple!

This is 100% dead-on analysis. It's in Toshiba's and Microsoft's best interests to delay Blu-ray's eventual market dominance. I don't think even the wildest optimists inside those two companies believe HD DVD has any chance of surviving long term, but it makes business sense to their current business models to push this off as long as possible. It's a real shame because I believe without those two competing interests that Blu-ray would replace dvd as the dominant home video format within 18 months.

[Blubaru]

Originally Posted by Beta-guy

I believe it was a failure, I think Toshiba thought the firesale would boost the sales, like a BOGO does for BD, but there hasn't been an impact from the firesale. apparently they only sold 30K HD-DVD players on that sale lol

Not entirely true. Those new players did contribute to sales and we only were in the 60%'s when we should have been in the 80's for the week.

That's partially due to Blu-ray owners not buying movies but also due to the new HD-DVD players on the market.

[Beta-guy]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

This is 100% dead-on analysis. It's in Toshiba's and Microsoft's best interests to delay Blu-ray's eventual market dominance. I don't think even the wildest optimists inside those two companies believe HD DVD has any chance of surviving long term, but it makes business sense to their current business models to push this off as long as possible. It's a real shame because I believe without those two competing interests that Blu-ray would replace dvd as the dominant home video format within 18 months.

that brings up an interesting point, DVD and HD-DVD are both owned by Toshiba, right? if that's the case once we knock out HD-DVD Toshiba could have another war with DVD Vs. Blu-ray, not much of a war as they hit 2 different but similar demographics, they will impact each other tho (mostly BD impacting DVD is my guess)

[atomik kinder]

Okay, the problem with people saying that both formats can exist like video games is this. The next time you head over to Best Buy, Target, Wal-Mart or whatever. Check out their video game selections and then compare the size of that to the size of their video departments. At any given time. There are thousands more video titles than video game titles available. Because there are far more movies that people will buy compared to video games. There are far more people that purchase movies compared to video games. Now do you think a store is going to want to double, or even triple the size (if you think DVD is still going to be a player in the video business)? They just won't have the room.

[tru2blu707]

just look at past history. 2 movie formats have never been able to co exist unlike video games. it didnt work before and it is unsustainable now. clearly the consumers have already decided which format they want....the movie studios and retailers should do their part now in ending this war

[gvortex7]

I've said this before and I'll say it again. I don't care if HD DVD survives for the next 10 years as long as all studios fully support Blu-ray and that the masses out there realize which format is superior.