How much longer is Paramount Hd exclu??

[JimR5]

i heard feb 1st is when there contract runs up with them is that true?? I havent read it anywhere but iv had like 30 people tell me after the 5th of feb blu will 4 sure have won

[GregBlu5]

Well, the contract, we were told, was for 18 months, which would have put it into the beginning of 2009. However, we have since been told that the 'out-clause' indicated that they could opt out if (apparently) no other Blu studios turned Red after Paramount switched. So, since no other studios did switch, and now Warner is switching the other way, Paramount can opt (and perhaps has opted) out.

Toshiba apparently did ask (or demand?) that Paramount, Universal, and Dreamworks simply refrain from announcing their intentions publicly for a specified period of time (a month, two months, longer?). Perhaps they are simply trying to sell off merchandise while they are still able. But we could get word of those three studios returning/going Blu any time this spring or summer. If the retailers defect, or the sales figures become even more absurd against Red, we could hear something sooner rather than later.

At least that's my take from reading everthing that's come to this forum in the past few months.

-Greg

[Grisle]

Well there may be an out clause in the contract, but if that's true then the contract won't have expired on Feb. 5th...rather it would allow them to jump ship. Another thing is that no one knows the terms of the out clause, there may be some sort of timeline on that as well. Are you exaggerating the number of people that told you this?

[alphadec]

If u read the interviews from Universal think there is a smal chance they go exlusive but I hope they would goback to a model like warner did have, dual release.

Release on both formats.

[Grisle]

Why wouldn't you just want them to go exclusive?

[Lord_Stewie]

According to what i read on dvdtown.com that paramount and Universal will continue to support HDDVD no matter. however, personally i see that won't be happening for a long time since BD controls 93% of the market according to neilsen.

[mystiksuicide]

Originally Posted by JimR5

i heard feb 1st is when there contract runs up with them is that true?? I havent read it anywhere but iv had like 30 people tell me after the 5th of feb blu will 4 sure have won

We don't know the exact date but everyone that's has any common sense knows it's only a matter of time.

[blukrank]

I'm waiting for the day that Universal and Paramount announce there sopport for Blu-Ray.When that will be is anyones guess? I dont know why anyone would buy an HD DVD player now? It would just be a waist of money. Also when Universal does come to the Blu side they better clean up there act some of there HD DVD's have been down right awful.

[Fozziwig]

Originally Posted by shadblz

According to what i read on dvdtown.com that paramount and Universal will continue to support HDDVD no matter. however, personally i see that won't be happening for a long time since BD controls 93% of the market according to neilsen.

And dvdtown.com know more than anyone else how exactly? Dumb & Dumber will be coming to Blu-ray soon. They just have to see out whatever slimy short term deal they agreed to help Toshiba dump their junk players onto the American market (all legal and above board of course - just).

dumping is defined as the act of a manufacturer in one country exporting a product to another country at a price which is either below the price it charges in its home market or is below its costs of production.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumping_(pricing_policy)

BTW Blu-ray does not control 93% of the HDM market - not yet anyway.

With exclusive support of Warner Blu-ray has control of 70% of the Hollywood movie library.

Nielsen reported that in the week ending 20th January Blu-ray won a HDM market share of 83%.

NPD reported that Blu-ray standalone players accounted for 90% of the market in the week ended January 12th. 3% were dual-format players and the rest was HD DVD players.

The last paragraph is where your bad data comes from. It wasn't Nielsen that said it, it was NPD. And the number was for players in one week and not 'the market'. the 93% includes the 3% that were dual format players.

[Nerdkiller likes BD]

If these recent vidscan charts don't show them justice, I don't know what will. I just want Spielberg movies on the blu side.

[Minimejer05]

I hope it runs out soon!

[Mermen79]

People kept saying that the switch was going to happen asap. Well, it hasn't yet and Paramount and Universal have only expressed clear support for HD DVD.

I don't think this switch is going to happen as all of you say, sadly.

[Zvi]

I don't think anyone was expecting Uni and Para to switch asap. Few months...

[Blu-Raider]

Originally Posted by djepic112

People kept saying that the switch was going to happen asap. Well, it hasn't yet and Paramount and Universal have only expressed clear support for HD DVD.

I don't think this switch is going to happen as all of you say, sadly.

Personally I believe they'll support both formats and bide their time. As consumer demand for blu continues to rise, and cries from the dwindling HD-DVD masses fades away and the situation will take rectify itself.

[alphadec]

Originally Posted by Grisle

Why wouldn't you just want them to go exclusive?

That is what I want but this war is more like WWII no one will give in before there is a total winner.

And HDDVD is in the bunker and will not surrender.

[bajor27]

Originally Posted by alphadec

That is what I want but this war is more like WWII no one will give in before there is a total winner.

You said "I hope they would goback to a model like warner did have, dual release".

Dual releases crippled the Blu discs. Things would have been much better if Warner was just Blu from the get go.

In any event, I don't see both studios still being HD-DVD exclusive by the end of the 2nd quarter.

From everything we heard, Paramounts deal was for 18 months. Starting about August 2007 and ending about February 2009. There was an escape clause which seems to have come into effect with the Warner switch.

it's quite likely that escape clause did have some sort of delay on it. Like Paramount could intiate their escape at any time once Warner or Uni switched, but had to wait to the start of the next quarter to release/announce for blu again. It's anyone's guess though.

[NoQuestion]

Here is my thought on things:

Paramount/Dreamworks will either go neutral or exclusive come June once WB exclusivity begins. I am sure that Paramount/Dreamworks has begun lining up spots for blu production by now. Universal will hold out a lil longer, however, i believe they will have all of thier top selling titles on blu for Christmas shopping season.

This seems like what would happen because Uni would be stupid to miss out on another Holiday shopping season with no blu titles on the market. I would expect titles like Bourne series, american gangster to be on shelves this year.

[JAGUAR1977]

Originally Posted by djepic112

People kept saying that the switch was going to happen asap. Well, it hasn't yet and Paramount and Universal have only expressed clear support for HD DVD.

I don't think this switch is going to happen as all of you say, sadly.

Paramount and Universal have shown the absolute bare minimum support for HD-DVD, both in terms of comment, and crucially, product announcements.

I'm convinced the decision to switch has already been made, it's just a matter finalising the actual switch date.

No ones in any doubt the HD-DVD market is close to total collapse.

[Marcusarilius]

The brick and morters are going to end this for Toshiba. Much faster than they want it to happen. End of story. Can't get around the fact that they are dumping the DUD players and will not be reordering. Game over.

[EVERYONE LIES]

I think There Will Be Blood will be Paramount's first return to Blu-Ray release and I think it will be announced in February or March