Fox Turns Back On HD DVD

[Patrick]

In the ongoing battle between still-unreleased next-generation DVD formats, Fox Filmed Entertainment has already chosen sides. The studio says it sees Sony's Blu-ray as the clear winner due to PlayStation 3 support, and, unlike other studios, will not produce movies in HD DVD.

The public backing by Fox comes amid wavering support from the computer industry due to Blu-ray's restrictive copy-protection scheme. HP has retreated from Blu-ray's camp after Intel and Microsoft strongly pledged their support for HD DVD instead.

But Fox and other studios like the strict technology that will prevent consumers from utilizing future movies as freely as current DVDs. HD DVD employs more lax copy controls and ensures support for streaming movies to different locations throughout the home.

"We believe that Blu-ray not only has the superior technology and backing in terms of strength to market but also the superior content protection," Fox Filmed Entertainment co-chairman James Gianopulos told attendees Thursday at the Reuters Media and Advertising Summit in New York.

Bill Gates, however, recently labeled Blu-ray's content protection as anti-consumer. "The inconvenience is that the [movie] studios got too much protection at the expense consumers and it won't work well on PCs," Gates explained.

The rift in future DVD support could prove damaging to the technology before it even gets off the ground. Consumer electronics companies and computer manufacturers excluding Dell have staunchly backed Toshiba's HD DVD. Movie studios have pushed Blu-ray, although many have plans to ship films in both formats.

One key issue is the use of iHD, which would provide new interactive features to the next-gen DVDs. Blu-ray has rejected calls to utilize iHD, instead relying on a Java-based menu system.

But iHD is already slated to be part of both rival standard HD DVD and Windows Vista. And with sales of entertainment PCs beginning to surge, companies like HP don't want to miss the boat when it comes to a potentially valuable feature that will be natively supported by Windows.

"Based on that discussion and technical reviews, we decided iHD is a must, if you will, for the PC implementation of next-generation optical discs," said HP's director of strategic alliances Josh Peterson.

http://www.dvd-recordable.org/Article2316.phtml

[thunderhawk]

Bill Gates, however, recently labeled Blu-ray's content protection as anti-consumer. "The inconvenience is that the [movie] studios got too much protection at the expense consumers and it won't work well on PCs," Gates explained.

Yeah sure... As if Windows Vista won't support Blu-ray Disc, thats ridiculous.

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"Based on that discussion and technical reviews, we decided iHD is a must, if you will, for the PC implementation of next-generation optical discs," said HP's director of strategic alliances Josh Peterson.

I wonder why they don't utilise Java AND iHD? I don't see why they don't have support for it. Why they rejected it. Anyone?

[Shadowself]

Originally Posted by thunderhawk

Yeah sure... As if Windows Vista won't support Blu-ray Disc, thats ridiculous.

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I wonder why they don't utilise Java AND iHD? I don't see why they don't have support for it. Why they rejected it. Anyone?

They didn't outright reject it. Blu-ray said they are not delaying the initial introduction of BDs in order to include it. They are considering HP's request and have not rejected nor decided to go with it.

Will Microsoft allow royalty free use of iHD? I strongly doubt it.

Also the article is very wrong about the number of personal computer companies supporting BD. Dell is not the only supporter. The personal computer companies range from Apple to Dell. Even HP is listed as a supported although HP has been "sabre rattling" and threatening to pull support if iHD is not included. (I'm 100% sure Microsoft is doing some very, very strong arm twisting on HP to get them to take this position.)

[thunderhawk]

Argh... The press always twists reality.