Commentary from the Insiders Thread

[WickyWoo]

How difficult would it be for an anonymous person to register in Amir's name? I wouldn't put this past too many people out there. Scott writing about this is questionable journalism.

You must be approved for Disney's retailer site and they check your credentials. Anyone who would even know the URL to go to would know that

[LeoneFan]

Originally Posted by Dotpattern

I agree with Jamh. I don't remember seeing any complaints about how the BDA was moving forward prior to the Paramount news.

I can't speak for other, but you can check my posts since I was very critical of the BDA's lack of effort and general complacency. I was even thinking about stopping all Blu-ray purchases as a result of FOX abandoning the format, but since the FOX anouncement I have resumed my purchasing. If $150 million is all it took then that's pocket change to all the BDA companies invloved in this. They just weren't ready and didn't see it coming. The BDA could have easily trippled that payoff if needed with all the companies who are a part of the BDA.

[lch]

Originally Posted by Rob Zuber

That’s not all. Engineers who’ve worked with both formats say Blu-ray is a pig to program. While extremely flexible, its programming language, BD-Java, requires lots of low-level code for even the simplest of instructions. The highly skilled programmers needed to do the job don’t exactly grow on trees. And because of the program’s complexity, even the best produce their share of bug-ridden software.

By comparison, writing software for HD DVD using Microsoft’s HDi interactive technology is a doddle—with one simple command doing the task of scores of lines of BD-Java. More importantly, HDi is the key to HD DVD’s better navigation around menus, and its instinctive ability to interact with the outside world.

i thought the above is taken from paramount pr message ?

and does consumer really care how you going to do it ?
consumer only see the final product, and expect to get more than what they pay for.
and from ms track record, i don't think hdi is bug free.

[Nick Graham]

Originally Posted by David Vaughn

How difficult would it be for an anonymous person to register in Amir's name? I wouldn't put this past too many people out there. Scott writing about this is questionable journalism.

When you are writing for a site that's primary goal is to advertise a product, it's no longer really journalism, though some otherwise solid websites keep treating it like it is.

[BTBuck1]

because of the robustness of the disc

what does this even mean

[gand41f]

Originally Posted by BTBuck1

what does this even mean

You can boil the discs and still use them, so they clearly are very robust!

enjoy
gandalf

[gand41f]

Didn't want to clutter the "real" thread so I'm posting this here...the title says "pruned" but I can post directly here too, right?

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

All I can tell you is that the decision makers and power brokers are working their butts off behind the scenes exploring as many avenues as possible …… so go out and rent or buy a Blu-ray movie this weekend that you’ve been hesitating to get for some reason or other, and let the people that get paid for this stuff worry about it. That way you can enjoy your home theater experience and at the same time, support the format the best and most effective way that you really can.

I know my last attempt was a spectacular failure (I thought "swords" meant "price cut", forgot about antitrust laws! ) but I'm still going to try to decypher this anyway.

"A Blu-ray movie that I've been hesitating to get for some reason for other" for me are Warner titles since they refuse to fill up 50GB. I assume "support the format the best and most effective way that you really can" means that studios (esp. Warner) are still looking at the sales numbers despite the fact that it didn't matter at all to Para*****.

So I went out and bought a few more BD's today. I spent more money on BD this week since the Para announcement than I did in the almost nine months I've had my PS3 prior to Monday. If someone in the BDA actually did this to awaken the sleeping PS3 fanbase, they did a great job (at least for me and some of my friends).

enjoy
gandalf

[gand41f]

Originally Posted by gand41f

Para*****

Or maybe I should have said, the *****s atop Mt. Para.

I have nothing but respect for the technical people at Paramount. They were told by their execs to support both formats, and did a remarkable job optimizing the discs for both. If all studios did this, I have no problem with plazman's "every studio should be neutral" front. May the best technology win.

Unfortunately, it was getting a little too obvious that Blu-ray is the superior format, as we were starting to see only lossless on one side, different picture quality, and the real killer -- two discs for DUD and one for BD, for the exact same content, and a different price. I think that's when a certain monopolistic entity said "oops, this is starting to look read bad" and decided to play their last trump card -- pay ca$h to take the decision away from the market.

I'm sorry their company's name is being dragged through the mud right now. I hope Para's engineers will find a better job at one of the better studios (I'm sure Disney/Fox/Sony are looking for people with lots of good AVC experience ) soon.

enjoy
gandalf

[WriteSimply]

Originally Posted by LynxFX

The problem with that is why would the BDA even need to do that? What makes Paramount so special to warrant $500m, or $150m or even $1m? Absolutely nothing. How about Disney, Fox, Lionsgate? How would they feel about Paramount getting all that money while they, whom have been exclusive from the begginning get nothing?

The reward and incentive to be Blu-ray should be apparent to anyone. You sell more discs on Blu-ray. If the BDA really wants to spend money on incentives they should take that $150m, spread it across all the BD stand alone players out there and give a couple hundred dollar rebates on a million players. That increases the userbase, and the Studios sell more discs, or I should say, even more than they are now.

This is a good idea, by the way. Though right now the BDA is having the 5-BD Free promotion so will have to wait until September ends (hey, that's a song!)

Penton-Talk, apart from the Denon player any other players that will be Profile 1.1 compliant that will launch in Q4 this year? Will the BDA mark November 1st with some sort of promo?


fuad

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by JTK

I remember this setting off a little alarm in my head but overall, this was a clear warning sign that "the public" saw and we all should have taken it more seriously and made a bigger deal of it then the way it seemed.

That Star Trek announcement really was a dead giveaway.

It showed that Viacom were able to be bought by the highest bidder, and in truth the BDA should have been paying more attention to that.

That's why I look at Warner's behavior all along and just do not understand or get where people think they might ever flip to all Blu.

WB's behaviour can't really be compared with Paramount's, there are (were) other reasons that they leaned towards HD DVD that had very little to do with money. I think the biggest sign that WB are going to stop treating Blu-ray like the runt of the litter is Nickerson leaving.

I think it isn't really fair to brand WB as shills just yet, I have yet to investigate what this new lady is all about and whether we are going to get a repeat performance or really start again with a whole new strategy.

[johnnyd1]

Originally Posted by Dotpattern

I agree with Jamh. I don't remember seeing any complaints about how the BDA was moving forward prior to the Paramount news. It was nothing but smiles and cockiness on behalf of all of us as one piece of great news after another was announced - from the great releases coming up (Cars, Spider-Man 3, Ratatouille, Close Encounters and Pirates 3) to the tremendous waves of support from Blockbuster and Target. I think all of these things, along with the recent Fox announcement as well as ones to come, remain reasons to keep smiling...we're just a little more humble now.

It's no coincidence that 2 weeks ago the Target I go to had 2 rows of BD and 2 rows of HDDVD, and today they've got 4 rows of BD and still only 2 rows of HDDVD.

I have to admit I was concerned when Paramount went to the dark side but as I sat and thought about it I remembered the great things that have happened for BD in the past month and the great things that are in the pipe.
I will not buy into the dark side. I have so much media available to me here. So much that I have 10 movies on preorder BEFORE the Holiday season starts, plus just ordered a 2nd Blu Ray machine (ps3) to go with my Sammy 1200. What I am saying is I don't have enough time in the day to watch all the great movies Blu Ray offers now, so the small offerings of Paramount does not bother me ! Keep the faith. Good things are happening and I have a feeling a few great things are coming this way in a few weeks !
Enjoy !

[Rob71]

Originally Posted by gand41f

Didn't want to clutter the "real" thread so I'm posting this here...the title says "pruned" but I can post directly here too, right?



I know my last attempt was a spectacular failure (I thought "swords" meant "price cut", forgot about antitrust laws! ) but I'm still going to try to decypher this anyway.

"A Blu-ray movie that I've been hesitating to get for some reason for other" for me are Warner titles since they refuse to fill up 50GB. I assume "support the format the best and most effective way that you really can" means that studios (esp. Warner) are still looking at the sales numbers despite the fact that it didn't matter at all to Para*****.

So I went out and bought a few more BD's today. I spent more money on BD this week since the Para announcement than I did in the almost nine months I've had my PS3 prior to Monday. If someone in the BDA actually did this to awaken the sleeping PS3 fanbase, they did a great job (at least for me and some of my friends).

enjoy
gandalf

I know what you mean. Last Monday I had 10 Blu-rays, now I have 21. Now all I have to do is figure out how to eat this week.

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I’m invited over to a studio (not Sony) colleague’s home to partake of the grape and eat barbecue ribs and such this afternoon.
Believe me, he prefers to remain anonymous as he would never want someone like an unaccredited Micro$oft journalist hound him over the internet.

I’ll see if I can bring back any info I can share. I’ll tell you right now, don’t plan on much…………. because if we talk film, I expect him to mostly tease me as to what cut of Across the Universe the public will be seeing in the upcoming theatrical presentation to hit theaters in Sept.

In fact, don’t plan on anything, that way, nobody here will be disappointed if I return empty handed. But, I’ll see if I can bring back a doggie bag with even the tinniest of bones for some to chew on.

Later.

Throw me a freakin' bone people. It it too much to ask that the sharks we want to jump have freakin' laser beams attached to the their heads?



(See folks, it's easy!)

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by sodrock

Across the Universe is a Sony Production, is it not?

Revolution Studios. Columbia distribute the movie theatrically and on home video like other Revolution titles.

[JTK]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

It showed that Viacom were able to be bought by the highest bidder, and in truth the BDA should have been paying more attention to that.

Maybe I'm going to be way ignorant and naive here, but let me state this as bluntly as I can.

I look at who the stalwart BDA companies are, and frankly, I really have a hard time believing or accepting that all of those big boys combined couldn't get something together and outbid or do whatever it takes to NOT ALLOW this format war to be artifically extended past what we all figured was Christmas Blu wrap up time.

The game has always been Blu-Rays to win.

So win the thing already.

WB's behaviour can't really be compared with Paramount's, there are (were) other reasons that they leaned towards HD DVD that had very little to do with money. I think the biggest sign that WB are going to stop treating Blu-ray like the runt of the litter is Nickerson leaving.

I hope so.

That's just one person, though, which is why I just can't put too much weight into it one way or the other until I actually see results.

I think it isn't really fair to brand WB as shills just yet, I have yet to investigate what this new lady is all about and whether we are going to get a repeat performance or really start again with a whole new strategy.

We'll see.

If I all of a sudden stop seeing HD-DVD get movies like Batman MONTHS or even a full year before BD ever sees the hint of them...maybe then I'll start to believe something.

I really don't mean this to single any one person or entity out, but frankly, I'm just tired of excuses. I'm tired of seeing delays. I'm tired of seeing what I feel are needless allowance for this format war somehow being allowed to continue.

I don't want excuses. I want results.



Taken from main Insiders thread:

Originally Posted by drmpeg

For Penton-Man,

http://www.w6rz.net/timeforsomepepto.jpg

Ron

Wow, I will take that kind of pepto day and night, nonstop please.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by JTK

Maybe I'm going to be way ignorant and naive here, but let me state this as bluntly as I can.

I look at who the stalwart BDA companies are, and frankly, I really have a hard time believing or accepting that all of those big boys combined couldn't get something together and outbid or do whatever it takes to NOT ALLOW this format war to be artifically extended past what we all figured was Christmas Blu wrap up time.

The game has always been Blu-Rays to win.

So win the thing already.

I think this is Blu-ray's game to lose. Unfortunately the stalwart companies think about it in the way you do and were quite complacent about the whole thing. I think the Paramount decision will have shocked a few of them into action and woken up the sleeping giant.

That's just one person, though, which is why I just can't put too much weight into it one way or the other until I actually see results.



We'll see.

If I all of a sudden stop seeing HD-DVD get movies like Batman MONTHS or even a full year before BD ever sees the hint of them...maybe then I'll start to believe something.

I really don't mean this to single any one person or entity out, but frankly, I'm just tired of excuses. I'm tired of seeing delays. I'm tired of seeing what I feel are needless allowance for this format war somehow being allowed to continue.

I don't want excuses. I want results.

I think you and everybody involved wants to see results, believe me. This format war is in danger of tearing Hollywood in two at the moment. With DVD we had IBM to act as an arbitration body, but this time they sat the whole bloody thing out and let Microsoft play puppet-master.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by gandley

Evidently 1 big exclusive manufactuer for BD is going to switch to producing HD DVD players, and 1 or 2 others will switch to being neutral.

supposed to be annouced at cedia according to one HD-DVD insider at AVS.
Any truth in this? or just FUD tactics

I would go with FUD tactics.

Think about the big exclusive manufacturers of Blu-ray - Sony, Panasonic, Pioneer, and Phillips. All of these companies have a large IP stake in Blu-ray, why would any of them ever think about making a HD DVD player.

As for the neutral announcements, well they are probably thinking of the demo of the Samsung player and an update to the LG universal player line.

[GaS]

Originally Posted by gandley

Evidently 1 big exclusive manufactuer for BD is going to switch to producing HD DVD players, and 1 or 2 others will switch to being neutral.

supposed to be annouced at cedia according to one HD-DVD insider at AVS.
Any truth in this? or just FUD tactics

Who is the insider?

[JTK]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

I think this is Blu-ray's game to lose. Unfortunately the stalwart companies think about it in the way you do and were quite complacent about the whole thing. I think the Paramount decision will have shocked a few of them into action and woken up the sleeping giant.

It's about time.

Frankly, the bungled launch back in August and the nasty fallout from that should have been the wake up call.

IMO at least, clearly Blu-Ray was not ready to really launch until around the time the PS3 came out anyways.

Many of us had said all along that they should have just gone for a unified super launch centered around the PS3.

Think about what that would have done.

1.) Yes, HD-DVD would have had a handful of more months out there by themselves. Negligible difference overall since BD did some short term damage to itself with the bungled launch anways.

2.) November comes around and you have the PS3, that first Sony player, that first Panny player, hopefully an already corrected Samsung player, Casino Royale and whatever good movies had come out by that time and the extra QC time probably would have seen none of the disappointing discs come out.

^^ I think things would have been VERY different today and for the better had a scenario along those lines happend.

Now we see this thing with Paramount happen.

This format war should not have been ALLOWED to be artifically extended and I think you can put a pretty hefty figure on that way past $150 million.

This isn't the first time I feel like I've seen things where I come away with that sentiment. I'm just citing the two most prominent examples from the last year.


How much is it going to cost everyone if this format war really does go another couple of years?

I bet it costs more than a $150 million.

I think you and everybody involved wants to see results, believe me. This format war is in danger of tearing Hollywood in two at the moment.

It's their own fault. Common sense tells anyone: "If we get a new unified format that everyone can be confident in, we see more sales, we make more money." Then you look at the specs and sales figures since last November and it should be a no-brainer.

But obviously not. Clearly the studios are the LAST place any of us can expect any kind of rational decision making or any hopes of getting this mes over with anytime soon.

I think it's going to have to fall to other sectors to try and finish it.

With DVD we had IBM to act as an arbitration body, but this time they sat the whole bloody thing out and let Microsoft play puppet-master.

That brings another question I was going to ask:

Is there an arbitary body (FCC) or someone like that now, like IBM was back then?

Anything?


The amount of FUD leading up to this CEDIA from the HD-DVD side is already reaching unprecedented levels. Sadly, I guess we have to be on alert thanks to the Paramount news. I just can't find myself dismissing it all out of hand like I normally would.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by GaS

Who is the insider?

Tivo guy is my guess.