Big Announcements CES 2007 | Digital Bits: Disney, Fox have no plan to support HD-DVD

[hyperdine]

Sounds like they're going to throw down the gauntlet at CES 2007. Some choice quotes from thedigitalbits.com today...

"Okay... now for a bit of high-def news. I said on Friday that you can expect some major title announcements at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January. Well, I wasn't kidding and we've got a bit of follow-up for you.

I've just spoken today with Eric Maehara, VP of Communications for Buena Vista Home Entertainment. He informed me that the studio is planning to announce a MAJOR Blu-ray Disc release line-up for the first half of 2007 at CES. In addition, he reiterated to me in no uncertain terms that BVHE has no plans to support HD-DVD, despite persistent online rumors to the contrary.

I've also spoken this afternoon with Steve Feldstein, Senior VP of Corporate and Marketing Communications for 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. He likewise confirmed that Fox has no plans to support HD-DVD, and that the studio will also be announcing additional Blu-ray Disc titles at CES."

Click here for the full read http://www.thedigitalbits.com/#mytwocents

[Petra]

http://thedigitalbits.com/#mytwocents

Okay... now for a bit of high-def news. I said on Friday that you can expect some major title announcements at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January. Well, I wasn't kidding and we've got a bit of follow-up for you.

I've just spoken today with Eric Maehara, VP of Communications for Buena Vista Home Entertainment. He informed me that the studio is planning to announce a MAJOR Blu-ray Disc release line-up for the first half of 2007 at CES. In addition, he reiterated to me in no uncertain terms that BVHE has no plans to support HD-DVD, despite persistent online rumors to the contrary.

I've also spoken this afternoon with Steve Feldstein, Senior VP of Corporate and Marketing Communications for 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. He likewise confirmed that Fox has no plans to support HD-DVD, and that the studio will also be announcing additional Blu-ray Disc titles at CES.

[hyperdine]

Too funny. I just posted that here https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=4025

Maybe the mods can just consolidate the threads?

[Deane Johnson]

This is not being met with much enthusiasm from the HD-DVD fans over at AVS. This one sentence from one of the posts sums it up:

"This is most disappointing news except for the part about Paramount readying some new major titles."

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=766946

You can just feel the gloom and doom as you scan through the posts.

[hyperdine]

Originally Posted by Deane Johnson

This is not being met with much enthusiasm from the HD-DVD fans over at AVS. This one sentence from one of the posts sums it up:

"This is most disappointing news except for the part about Paramount readying some new major titles."

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=766946

You can just feel the gloom and doom as you scan through the posts.

Wow. I'm actually surprised that they're admitting that it's bad news. Good for them!

[Petra]

the more, the merrier

[PeterTHX]

Are you kidding?

This is GREAT news for HD DVD!

[phloyd]

Perhaps they are seeing therapists

Oddly I saw all the BD demos at Best Buy where I was there looking for the A2 to check it out.

Oddly there were no A2s there for demo or sale. So... zero HD DVD players. This is December... and no players to be even seen let alone had.

On the other hand there was a Sony (nice demo!), a Samsung (reduced price), and in Magnolia section a Panasonic and Pioneer. Signs of choice.

If you are looking in B&M stores, BD is everywhere, HD DVD is hard to find at best (hardware at least).

I will be at CES and look forward to the BDA booth for fresh news. We are getting to the point where they will be holding back news for CES...

[zzap64]

In Australia where I live you cannot even buy any HD DVD hardware or movies. None, jip, nada. Yet we have the Samsung and Panasonic Blu-ray players available, Pioneer and Sony Bly-ray drives and the movies are for sale. The Playstation 3 is going to be released in March 07. It is all Blu down here. I think this information from Digital Bits about CES 2007 shows that the Blu-ray momentum is going to be very strong.

[Zvi]

Originally Posted by phloyd

Oddly I saw all the BD demos at Best Buy where I was there looking for the A2 to check it out.

Oddly there were no A2s there for demo or sale. So... zero HD DVD players. This is December... and no players to be even seen let alone had.

Oh come on Don't know that there are no HD DVD players in stores because they sell like hotcakes? The only reason BD players are in stores because they don't sell Ask on on any HD DVD forum, they'll quickly enlighten U.

Originally Posted by phloyd

On the other hand there was a Sony (nice demo!), a Samsung (reduced price), and in Magnolia section a Panasonic and Pioneer. Signs of choice.

And even @ 1000$ XA2 is a better value, according to the same sources

[Josh]

Cars? Narnia? Nemo?

Throw me a freakin' bone here!

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by joshd2012

Cars? Narnia? Nemo?

Throw me a freakin' bone here!

I would go with PotC Curse of the Black Pearl announced for March, and number 2 announced for May so they can hype up the third one when it is released in theatres. Personally I would like to see Toy Story 1+2 and Monsters Inc. from Pixar, and from Disney I would want Jungle Book.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Zvi

Oh come on Don't know that there are no HD DVD players in stores because they sell like hotcakes? The only reason BD players are in stores because they don't sell Ask on on any HD DVD forum, they'll quickly enlighten U.


And even @ 1000$ XA2 is a better value, according to the same sources

Are these not the very same sources that claimed Disney was going to go neutral at CES .

[phloyd]

Get me Pixar and plenty of it!

Get me Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bills) and Rodriguez (Sin City).

Get me The Crow and Dark City.

Sure Pirates too if you insist

[phloyd]

Originally Posted by Zvi

Don't know that there are no HD DVD players in stores because they sell like hotcakes?

I guess they sold the demo units they were so popular

[Petra]

Originally Posted by joshd2012

Cars? Narnia? Nemo?

Throw me a freakin' bone here!

here

[BTBuck1]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

Are these not the very same sources that claimed Disney was going to go neutral at CES .

They also act like Harry Potter and Matrix are HDDVD Exclusives..

That Fox somehow won't release Star Wars on BD because they assume Lucas prefers HDDVD..

And that LOTR won't come to HDDVD because Jackson is in bed with Universal and designing a Halo type game.

All of this sounds very reminisent of:

BD50 is science fiction
mpeg2+uncompressed lpcm 5.1+bd25+Special features=Bad PQ
Samsung wont play BD50, nor will any current player.

The Fud goes on and on...

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Brian@BBY

They also act like Harry Potter and Matrix are HDDVD Exclusives..

That Fox somehow won't release Star Wars on BD because they assume Lucas prefers HDDVD..

And that LOTR won't come to HDDVD because Jackson is in bed with Universal and designing a Halo type game.

All of this sounds very reminisent of:

BD50 is science fiction
mpeg2+uncompressed lpcm 5.1+bd25+Special features=Bad PQ
Samsung wont play BD50, nor will any current player.

The Fud goes on and on...

I am so happy that AVS is a niche site, if it were mainstream a lot of people would believe their lies.

If they believe that Jackson has any say on what format LOTR is released on they are misguided indeed!

Lucas prefers HD DVD lol! The official SW site had BD adverts on it, and something like that would have to be passed by Lucas as it would give away which HD fomrat he was more inclined to support.

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

Lucas prefers HD DVD lol! The official SW site had BD adverts on it, and something like that would have to be passed by Lucas as it would give away which HD fomrat he was more inclined to support.

NBA07, from SCEA San Diego (i.e. exclusive), is a THX Certified Game.

Lucas clearly despises Sony and BD.

Gary

[ProvenFlipper]

It has already started...

I don't know what HD-DVD could do to save itself at this point. BD is everywhere. They are going to have to have some serious announcements at CES and they are going to have to be Hardware related, and sorry players from Denon that cost thousands of dollars aren't going to save the format, plus that would destroy the argument of the HD-DVD camp.

Universal exclusivity is all they have going for them at this point. Warner had already said they are going to catch up and everything is going to be day and date from early 2007 and on. Paramount had been doing day and date for awhile now and will continue to do so. As far as titles go, BD is just going to keep pulling away. Universal could release their entire back catalog and it wouldn't mean crap if there's no players to watch them on.

As many members have already been witness to, a person can go in to a MHT Best Buy and see four BD players and zero HD-DVD players. Go to Tweeter and what do you see? Four BD players and an unattainable HD-DVD player.

The situation is looking bleak for HD-DVD. Hopefully we'll see some quality BD equipment announced at CES. I'm talking about 2nd gen players that decode all codecs, have BD-Live and output 1080p24. Maybe this will be enough to sway some of the HD-DVD diehards over to the side where the grass is actually greener.