Archived: Ask the Insiders: Judgment Day Edition

[Woody]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

The reds tried to get Lionsgate several months back.
The thing recently reported on some online forums regarding Fox wasn’t even “negotiations”….it was more like *limited discussions*.

I know you have previously "vouched" for Bill, would you say his latest "bits" are accurate with regards to the current situation?


I know you probably can't say much, but I find it interesting that you are around the boards and you have been fairly quiet on this front.


Thanks

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by phansson

As for Ken Graffeo........

He doesn't have the power to dictate what Uni will or will not do.
He can only support it and report it.

[CAB]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

He doesn't have the power to dictate what Uni will or will not do.
He can only support it and report it.

I work for a small company of 350,000. I know how that is.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Woody

I know you have previously "vouched" for Bill

Only since CES, prior to that I never had any direct communications with the man, even though he has a very good reputation in Hollywood circles.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Woody

I know you have previously "vouched" for Bill, would you say his latest "bits" are accurate with regards to the current situation?
Thanks

I don't know what the "current situation" is.
I came here looking for pics of mystik in my PM box (there were NONE ) and then I went right to page 154 and skimmed a couple posts.

What am I missing here?

[OokieSpookie]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I don't know what the "current situation" is.
I came here looking for pics of mystik in my PM box (there were NONE ) and then I went right to page 154 and skimmed a couple posts.

What am I missing here?

Two parts, mainly Bill Hunt's latest says that they locked Paramount and Universal up for a few months at least and last night Toshiba released a big press thing touting their strength ( lulz)

[CptGreedle]

After looking at the situation again, I have to agree with an earlier post made.
That this may be a way for Toshiba to "save face" by still having some control over what will happen to them. Instead of giving up and playing dead, they are going to continue to support their format so Sony can pay them and they can strike a deal which will end HD DVD. This seems like a good idea to me and the only way Toshiba can come out of this with any face (and any financial incentive).

Once more, Paramount and Universal are already likely to go Blu, and as long as they go Blu before summer I think we will be alright.

Penton, Max, or other insiders, can you comment on anything the BDA might do on the frontline (as in retail and the like) in response to the Toshiba move?

[Blu Titan]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I don't know what the "current situation" is.
I came here looking for pics of mystik in my PM box (there were NONE ) and then I went right to page 154 and skimmed a couple posts.

What am I missing here?

Penton-Man thanks for your info. B Hunt initially posted informing everyone to expect an anouncement from Uni and Paramount in a couple of days, then he posted to expect something by the end of the month, and now he reports that Toshiba has managed to convience both of the studios to take a couple of months to announce anything. If you take the last post and read it, the news are great for blu-ray. The problem is that he created an atmosphere of
of "conclusion" and that set up all of us for a disappointment.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I don't know what the "current situation" is.

O.K., I read what Bill wrote……or at least the post here……………
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...80&postcount=1

I think that’s accurate (at least for one studio) but, in the grand scheme of things it don’t mean diddly.
It’s sort of like in the movies when right after a person dies sometimes you see the corpse have those muscle twitches and such.

The person is still dead, even though the corpse is moving slightly.
Plus, I completely agree with one of our mods here…………….
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...8&postcount=11

Later.

[Spankey]

B Hunt initially posted informing everyone to expect an anouncement from Uni and Paramount in a couple of days, then he posted to expect something by the end of the month, and now he reports that Toshiba has managed to convience both of the studios to take a couple of months to announce anything.

Bill Hunt never said to expect anything. You guys really do need to read what is written and get past any personal optimism. This is what he said..

Announcements could happen tomorrow, they could happen next week, they could happen next month. We'd be surprised if it took longer than a month or two.

Nothing different than what he already posted. This may all be about Toshiba buying time to get rid of inventory. We'll see if Paramount and Universal release any further statements.

[Tulsa]

Universal and Paramount are apparently making one last cash grab at the expense of the unwitting consumer. Pretty pathetic but not shocking, considering.

and here I already bought my blu tux for the funeral...

[BTBuck1]

The truth of the matter is, HDDVD is done with.

If Toshiba was in this for the long haul I think they'd have some info on 4th gen players at CES, instead they said nothing.

Instead they are fire selling off their 3rd gen Unit's at half off....this is just the beginning folks. I actually feel bad for innocents who end up falling victim to these predatory type sales. When everyone but the uninformed consumer knows where the wind is blowing in all of this. This is the reason Toshiba is all of the sudden going to tout the upconversion ability of the HDDVD players, so their name isn't pure mud with these poor people in 2-3 months when all studio's have jumped shipped and HDDVD becomes one with the holy ghost...They'll be able to say, "Well it still does work with DVD's and boy doesn't it make them look pretty darn good?"

[Blu Titan]

Actually, this is the quote, talk about raising expectations.:

We remain convinced that both Paramount and Universal are moving towards announcing Blu-ray Disc support soon, and we have real reason for that belief, not the least of which is that our sources in this situation are second to none - a fact which should be readily obvious by now. Announcements could happen tomorrow, they could happen next week, they could happen next month. We'd be surprised if it took longer than a month or two. We're hearing that Universal may not announce until February at the earliest, as we're given to understand that their contract period with the HD-DVD camp expires at the end of January.

[BTBuck1]

Originally Posted by Tulsa

Universal and Paramount are apparently making one last cash grab at the expense of the unwitting consumer. Pretty pathetic but not shocking, considering.

and here I already bought my blu tux for the funeral...

I wouldn't call it that, I'd call it playing by the rules and honoring their prior commitments. Soon as those commitments are fulfilled they'll hop over to blu so fast it will make your head spin. This thing is over, the only one who doesn't know it is some unsuspecting soul with an HD-A3? in their shopping cart as we speak

[Spankey]

Originally Posted by BlueNeon

Actually, this is the quote, talk about raising expectations.:

We remain convinced that both Paramount and Universal are moving towards announcing Blu-ray Disc support soon, and we have real reason for that belief, not the least of which is that our sources in this situation are second to none - a fact which should be readily obvious by now. Announcements could happen tomorrow, they could happen next week, they could happen next month. We'd be surprised if it took longer than a month or two. We're hearing that Universal may not announce until February at the earliest, as we're given to understand that their contract period with the HD-DVD camp expires at the end of January.

That's exactly what I posted. The key word is COULD. Bill never said to expect an announcement. Paramount and Universal probably were/are moving towards Blu. If that wasn't the case, Toshiba wouldn't need to throw money at them. This time the rumor is not that they have delayed moving towards Blu-ray, just that announcements may have been delayed.

[JohnAlden]

Sony to give the last backhand to the HD-DVD Format?,http://www.thedigitalbits.com/#mytwocents

[ezcobar411]

If the BDA gave Toshiba money to just stop, I wouldn't be the least bit disappointed. In fact I would be happy to see that it is over.

[ay221]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

The person is still dead, even though the corpse is moving slightly.
Plus, I completely agree with one of our mods here…………….
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...8&postcount=11
Later.

Or like checkers, the other guy just has one piece left, you have 12 kings and your going for the last kill but he keeps moving his piece away from you and into a corner instead of just resigning the game.

[Rob Tomlin]

Originally Posted by JohnAlden

Sony to give the last backhand to the HD-DVD Format?,http://www.thedigitalbits.com/#mytwocents

Interesting theory. Makes as much sense as anything.

[JasonS]

Originally Posted by Rob Tomlin

Interesting theory. Makes as much sense as anything.

Or the BDA and Sony could go with option B and let their disc sales and player sales pound Toshiba into the ground and make them look like the idiots they are. Then retailers will just drop them and they don't have to write a massive check to Toshiba. Toshiba has completely ruined their brand image for me and all my relatives. NO ONE in my family will ever buy anything with Toshiba branded on it again.