Did Blu-ray end up winning earlier than expected ?

[Elandyll]

From our good friend Bill Hunt at the digital Bits, I will highlight the most revealing parts...

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/

...
To be able to give you a better sense of what's going on, I've been making some calls to the various studios and support companies on the subject this week. So here's a bit of what I've learned...

First up, it seems that now that the format war is over, there's a lot of 'making nice' going on in the industry, especially between the studios that had previously been on opposite sides of the format dispute. I'm also told that the BDA and its various members are working to help studios that had previously backed HD-DVD get fully up to speed with regard to Blu-ray authoring and production (in some cases even specifically making room for them in replication lines), and also to ensure that there's enough replication capacity available to meet demand for 3rd and 4th quarter titles.

Each studio is currently busy planning and preparing its BD release slate for the rest of the year. I can tell you that there are a LOT of titles in the works for Blu-ray release later this year, but also that the general sense in the industry is that the floodgates are really going to start opening up in 2009, after the Blu-ray format is able to make its holiday sales pitch to consumers unopposed for the first time. In fact, I've learned that there are some very exciting titles set to debut in the 1st quarter of 2009. Unfortunately, we can't really talk about them right now, as specific titles, schedules and features are shifting around a lot at the moment. While many 2009 releases are already in production, that's still a long ways off in terms of actual release dates.
...

So, while not being even close to the apocalypse scenario posted by some HD DVD fans, maybe, just maybe, the Blu Ray industry wasn't quite ready to see Tosh throw in the towel early 2008 ? The most interesting for me happens to be the "very exciting titles set to debut in the 1st quarter of 2009". Can't help thinking about Star Wars and LotR hehe.
But if it's only about Uni and Para, might mean TF, the Indiana Jones and such ? Gah, now I wanna know

[tommyboy81]

I don't know. It seems one of the key things was Warner moving over. Now if we the PIP feature earlier then it could have been over with a long time ago. That's my opinion.

[Marcusarilius]

Originally Posted by Elandyll

From our good friend Bill Hunt at the digital Bits, I will highlight the most revealing parts...

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/

So, while not being even close to the apocalypse scenario posted by some HD DVD fans, maybe, just maybe, the Blu Ray industry wasn't quite ready to see Tosh throw in the towel early 2008 ? The most interesting for me happens to be the "very exciting titles set to debut in the 1st quarter of 2009". Can't help thinkign about Star Wars and LotR hehe.
But if it's only about Uni and Para, might mean TF, the Indiana Jones and such ? Gah, now I wanna know

Great post and find on BD future releases. I think every BD owner and every company on BD's side was far beyond ready for Toshiba to call it quits. Most of us here were very disgusted with Toshiba, Paramount and Universal for hanging on to the dead format for so long. Infact, we used to joke about... "wouldn't it be funny if Toshiba was the one to leave DUD?" Thereby leaving Universal and Paramount holding their wife's purse in the langerie section while Toshi sneaks out the back door making them look like fools. Just shows how Sh_tty the Toshiba corp really is.

[unreal1080p]

Did Blu Ray end up winning earlier than expected ?

Not as far as I'm concerned. I've been saying since Spring of 2006 that Universal would go Blu-Ray at the Jan 2008 CES... "so what" if it did'nt end up happening exactly the way I tought it would back in Spring 2006... the end result is the same: no traces of HD DUD to be found in the 2nd half of 2008

HD DUD's demise came at a perfect time: it gives the industry a good solid 6 months to prepare for the 3 months that matter (October, November, December) and beyond

[cartman781]

Originally Posted by Marcusarilius

Great post and find on BD future releases. I think every BD owner and every company on BD's side was far beyond ready for Toshiba to call it quits. Most of us here were very disgusted with Toshiba, Paramount and Universal for hanging on to the dead format for so long. Infact, we used to joke about... "wouldn't it be funny if Toshiba was the one to leave DUD?" Thereby leaving Universal and Paramount holding their wife's purse in the langerie section while Toshi sneaks out the back door making them look like fools. Just shows how Sh_tty the Toshiba corp really is.

What's funny is that Toshiba really was the first out the door

[DetroitSportsFan]

Anyone else think this might be a hint that it's going to be quite a while before we see releases from Paramount and Universal?

[tommyboy81]

Originally Posted by DetroitSportsFan

Anyone else think this might be a hint that it's going to be quite a while before we see releases from Paramount and Universal?

What. Thinking they might get shafted again?

[AlexCruz]

Originally Posted by unreal1080p

HD DUD's demise came at a perfect time: it gives the industry a good solid 6 months to prepare for the 3 months that matter (October, November, December) and beyond

I agree. I don't care when they announce anything as long as they're good and ready to make some outstanding quality BDs. They can use this time to get prepared.

[zuulboy]

A very reliable inside source told me that Universal will announce its first Blu-ray in a few short weeks.

[Marcusarilius]

Originally Posted by zuulboy

A very reliable inside source told me that Universal will announce its first Blu-ray in a few short weeks.

No such thing as "a few short weeks" around this place when it comes to title announcements.

[haste]

Originally Posted by unreal1080p

HD DUD's demise came at a perfect time: it gives the industry a good solid 6 months to prepare for the 3 months that matter (October, November, December) and beyond

Hit the nail on the head with that one.

[Blu-Dog]

Originally Posted by unreal1080p

HD DUD's demise came at a perfect time: it gives the industry a good solid 6 months to prepare for the 3 months that matter (October, November, December) and beyond

HD-DVD died just in time for the current recession, which will stagger along until mid-fall, at least.

Toshiba screwed everybody, including their allies. They blew close to a billion dollars, strangled and confused the market, and missed out on the sweet spot of the holidays.

They couldn't have picked a worse time to throw in the towel.

[Rabidhunter]

The victory was a little faster than I had expected, I knew it was eventual. I couldn't have expected that only days after I bought my PS3 that Toshiba would pull out. It was the happiest news of my life. But it also couldn't have happened soon enough.

[Blu Titan]

Very good info from B.Hunt. That is what I needed to hear

[KenThompson]

Why can't Universal say they are working on specific titles without offering up a release date. Would give us all something to talk about.

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally Posted by KenThompson

Why can't Universal say they are working on specific titles without offering up a release date. Would give us all something to talk about.

I'm guessing most of their first releases will be titles already released on HD-DVD.

[doctorsteve]

Originally Posted by zuulboy

A very reliable inside source told me that Universal will announce its first Blu-ray in a few short weeks.

Reminds me of the Prophets from The Life of Brian:

...and there will be RUMORS of things going astray... and they will not know where are the things of their fathers... and their fathers' fathers... and they will not know where those things are that they put there not half an hour ago, around 7:30.

[danay82]

Originally Posted by DetroitSportsFan

I'm guessing most of their first releases will be titles already released on HD-DVD.

Yeah, I'm guessing the same thing here. I think since most of their movies on the HD-DVD format had the interactive features they're going to have something here when Profile 2.0 players come out. They gotta convert them from HDI Interactive to Java base, do trial runs before mass production and of course make their manufacturing plants BD ready.

Probably expect to see something around Mid-End of May, but don't take my word for it

[Maxell]

Most people knew that Holiday 2007 was going to be the winning factor. Even with it's lower prices, hddvd failed. Luckily Warner was the Brave One that pulled out and the rest was history.

[Anthony P]

So, while not being even close to the apocalypse scenario posted by some HD DVD fans, maybe, just maybe, the Blu Ray industry wasn't quite ready to see Tosh throw in the towel early 2008 ?

I don't think so, you must look at it as a business. There is no use paying employees to do nothing. You wait for the demand to get to a point where upping the anti makes sense. So no matter when it would happen (unless it was at a much slower pace) this would happen. And let’s not forget this was a home run ( studios going BD, people with BD players feeling more comfortable buying, people on the side lines waiting for a winner, the news was big and publicized a format where some might not have hear of it before)