Archived: Ask the Insiders: Judgment Day Edition

[CptGreedle]

Originally Posted by Petra

Can BDA at the end of the war punish Toshiba? i.e make the royalty fee more expensive for them

now that is just bad business. Sure ppl here might want some kind of revenge or vengeance against this prolonged dragged-out war spearheaded by Toshiba, but that will do nothing constructive at all. Don't forget Sony and Toshiba do work together to make products, such as new TVs. Toshiba eve has the use of the new cell processor that is in the PS3 for use in a new HDTV.

And I for one trust our insiders to now point the finger at KG. He may not be able to do what he wants if he is pressured. Either way, the blame lies solely with Toshiba, for offering another deal to the studios, not the studios for taking it. Toshiba is the one who is responsible for this. But I would still like to see retailers pressuring Universal and Paramount to support Blu-ray, aggressively.

[Seretur]

Guys, let's try and keep those heads level, please.

So Toshiba is selling off their existing stock. So they're advertising it in hopes to lure people to buy their existing stock. So they've managed to hold off the two remaining studios from announcing Blu-ray support for as long as the existing stock is there to be sold.

So WHAT.

Blu-ray has won the format war. No, we didn't get everything right away, the dominoes haven't all fallen neatly in one fell swoop. No, we'll still have to wait a whopping two or three months for the rest of Hollywood to announce Blu-ray support. How is this in any way, shape or form a reason for so much bile being spewed today? Really, it seems like so many of you -- smart, intelligent people whose opinions I truly respect -- have worked each other into a frenzy, and things seem to be getting out of hand.

Please, relax. This is the insiders' thread. Do the insiders seem worried? Should you really be worried? So a few people will fork out a couple of hundred bucks for really expensive upscaling players. They'll still end up buying a Blu-ray machine by the end of the year. And Toshiba will end up making Blu-ray players once they liquidate stock.

Really, I see no reason to get so worked up about any of this. Peace.

[JAGUAR1977]

Originally Posted by JasonS

+1 to that. I was going to go see Cloverfield this weekend until I heard about this news. Now I'm not spending a penny on any of these companies products. They can kiss my ass.

I wouldn't care if HD-DVD had another 2-3 years left in it, but they'll be finished by the summer.

What they are doing now is sticking two fingers upto Blu-ray owners, hoping to capatalise on ignorant consumers, then come crawling back ready to suck the cash ou of us in Q3/Q4.

Well they're not getting any of my cash until I've supported the current Blu-ray companies.

[Woody]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

I wouldn't be so quick to point the finger at Kenny G...

You wouldnt think he would be directly resposible for the decision?

I find it hard to believe that this decision would come from say, a board of directors, and NOT have his blessing.

[lol dobbs]

i find it incredible that retailers are taking part in this. dont they realise the more this carries on consumers will turn to DD downloads. if that happens these same retailers will not earn a dime from it.

[Esox50]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

I wouldn't be so quick to point the finger at Kenny G...

Yep, after all, who else is going to belt out all of those 'romantic melodies'?!?!?!!

[Slec]

Originally Posted by Woody

You wouldnt think he would be directly resposible for the decision?

I find it hard to believe that this decision would come from say, a board of directors, and NOT have his blessing.

But didn't TOSHIBA do this, not the HDDVD PG? It might be different if HDDVD PG was putting out the statement... maybe I'm just misreading things

[mystiksuicide]

Originally Posted by CptGreedle

I can not believe they are really stooping this low.
They are now trying to say "who cares what happens in 5 months! Right now we still have WB" and "we are cheaper and can upsample DVDs!" (just like Blu-ray players)

they are really desperate. Why are they even trying!? It is just going to further confuse people and when your format DIES in 5 months, they will be very upset with you and you will loose customers as well as HD DVD.

When will Paramount or Universal go Blu already?!?

I am no expert mind you but do you get a feeling we are looking at one last fire sale before they call it quits?

[JohnAlden]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

I wouldn't be so quick to point the finger at Kenny G...

like Kenny G who is an flute mussican

[JAGUAR1977]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

I wouldn't be so quick to point the finger at Kenny G...

In that case he can come out and prove he's not the ******* every word he's uttered suggests.

In the meantime someone else can leak the details of Universal and Paramounts Blu-ray plans, unless that is they are content to stand by while less well informed consumers waste their hard earned cash?

[DaViD Boulet]

question:

isn't a fire-sale one where you can't return the merchandise?

Are any retailers stating that these sales are clearance? Or maybe Toshiba's angle is to delay the "end" for 2 months so all those 30-day return policies will have expired by the time Paramount and Universal go blu?

[WickyWoo]

isn't a fire-sale one where you can't return the merchandise?

Yes, but since the prices are easily at liquidation levels, it's appropriate to call it one

[lunion]

All i want to know is will Dumb and Dumber be released on Blu-ray or HD-DVD?

[edgebsl]

Originally Posted by JAGUAR1977

In that case he can come out and prove he's not the ******* every word he's uttered suggests.

In the meantime someone else can leak the details of Universal and Paramounts Blu-ray plans, unless that is they are content to stand by while less well informed consumers waste their hard earned cash?

Has Ken ever said anything that wasnt in the context of official press releases? Has he ever gone on forums and bashed blu?

What makes him so bad?

He's had a job to do and if that job now includes pushing uni towards blu ray then I say he is indeed our friend. That means he's going to give us Indy,Jurassic Park and all the goodies uni has to offer on blu. And if we're really nice we might get blu specific encodes!

We just may have to be patient while the dust settles.

Some people take this too personal. This should be about a love for film, not a mob family rivalry.

[Woody]

Originally Posted by Slec

But didn't TOSHIBA do this, not the HDDVD PG? It might be different if HDDVD PG was putting out the statement... maybe I'm just misreading things

Toshiba couldnt announce that Uni isn't making any BR announcements unless Uni said it was ok.

[BigB88]

Originally Posted by lunion

All i want to know is will Dumb and Dumber be released on Blu-ray or HD-DVD?

Its New Line so... blu ray only. If your talking about the actual movie, now if you talking about "the other" Dumb & Dumber (Universal & Paramount) who knows what they will be releasing and when!

[CptGreedle]

Originally Posted by Woody

Toshiba couldnt announce that Uni isn't making any BR announcements unless Uni said it was ok.

I don't think anyone "announced it".
It was just leaked. They have just been quiet about the whole thing except for the whole Marketing price cut thing.

[patrick99]

Originally Posted by Seretur

Guys, let's try and keep those heads level, please.

So Toshiba is selling off their existing stock. So they're advertising it in hopes to lure people to buy their existing stock. So they've managed to hold off the two remaining studios from announcing Blu-ray support for as long as the existing stock is there to be sold.

So WHAT.

Blu-ray has won the format war. No, we didn't get everything right away, the dominoes haven't all fallen neatly in one fell swoop. No, we'll still have to wait a whopping two or three months for the rest of Hollywood to announce Blu-ray support. How is this in any way, shape or form a reason for so much bile being spewed today? Really, it seems like so many of you -- smart, intelligent people whose opinions I truly respect -- have worked each other into a frenzy, and things seem to be getting out of hand.

Please, relax. This is the insiders' thread. Do the insiders seem worried? Should you really be worried? So a few people will fork out a couple of hundred bucks for really expensive upscaling players. They'll still end up buying a Blu-ray machine by the end of the year. And Toshiba will end up making Blu-ray players once they liquidate stock.

Really, I see no reason to get so worked up about any of this. Peace.

It's not worry that is being expressed here. None of us doubts the wholly inevitable outcome. What is being expressed is irritation that the inevitable end is being absurdly delayed by fooling and cheating consumers that know far less about the inevitable outcome than we here do.

[Woody]

Originally Posted by JohnAlden

like Kenny G who is an flute mussican

I believe he plays the alto sax FWIW.

I could be wrong though.

[Slec]

Are the holiday "relaxed" return policies having an effect on this? i.e. show some support for the format, fire-sale some players, then announce HDM neutrality?

From a business perspective, you don't want to piss off the guy who actually sells your products to your customers (retailers) by flooding them with worthless returns. Without them, there would be fewer ways to the end consumer.

Either way, the Insiders have proven their worth. I'll just sit back and stay relaxed about all this...