Paramount's HD DVD Decision Is Anti-Consumer

[HDTV1080P]

Not sure if this has already been posted. Interesting article to read.
http://www.tvpredictions.com/smith082607.htm

quote
"Two years ago, Paramount announced that they would support both HD DVD and Blu-ray in the HDTV disc format war. Blu-ray has been selling two-to-one over HD DVD this year, and this includes Paramount titles. The last Paramount title shipped on both formats, Disturbia, had a 68:32 split in favor of Blu-ray in the most recent Videoscan survey."

[Spankey]

Great article. I agree with just about every word.

[clownface]

That was the best article about paramounts senseless move since it happened. Blu ray outselling HD DVD 68:32 and still being dropped is outrageous!!! I will support Paramount in HD or SD anymore.

[dialog_gvf]

This is a seminal article folks. Very well thought out and presented.

Dropping HD DVD with its 32 percent support would have been a violation of this bond of trust with the customer; dropping Blu-ray with its 68 percent support is a travesty and a precedent-setter for anti-consumer behavior.

Exactly. And why I feel concerned about the idea of paying Warner to drop HD DVD support. It would be totally unfair to HD DVD owners. They aren't the enemy to be punished, but brothers to be enticed over.

I'm NOT saying studios should go neutral. I think neutrality is stupid. But, once you made that contract with the customer, you should honour it.

Consumers, regardless of their interest in the HDTV format war, should take note: Paramount has just lowered the bar for acceptable behavior to customers.

BRAVO!

[E-Dogg]

Great article! Very interesting read and I agree completely!

[Proteus]

This article should be made available to ALL major media outlets, including the AP, so people can fully understand what has happened here and what the long term affects of such a brazen action can easily become.

[ClaytonMG]

Wether you support Blu-Ray or HD-DVD, this article applies to both. I think everyone should read it, including the HD-DVD fanboys. It doesn't really pick a side, it just basically says what Paramount did was wrong. And it is. Awesome article.

[doctorD]

Very telling article! I am hopeful that Warner will remain at least neutral for the very fact that their titles have sold at a 2:1 ratio in favor of Blu ray. They really have no reason to take the money. I hope they have more wisdom then Paramount and see that this would alienate the consumers. I really hope they (Paramount) is feeling very convicted (I know, I know #150 big ones, but I still can hope they are realizing what the've done) at this time.

I still think that the HD DVD group is hoping that that there will be mass defection of Blu ray supporters to up their numbers. That is why I will be standing pat Blu! Don't forget to buy Blu tomorrow!

[Proteus]

The HDDVD Promo group is hoping that they can entice other manufacturers besides Toshiba to start making HDDVD hardware. Right now HDDVD represents the 'no choice' option for consumers since only Toshiba makes the damn things and they aren't exactly known for 'high quality consumer electronics'. They are more the middle of the road brand.

[Teazle]

Excellent article. And what an opening paragraph.

[WhoDat]

Will DIRECTV pay Time Warner for an exclusive right to distribute HBO, meaning that customers who bought cable with the expectation of getting HBO are disenfranchised? Will all baseball games only be available on Comcast cable? Will Showtime only be on Echostar?

Will consumers have to have a cable box and two satellite receivers as well as two HDTV disC players in order to access all major content? And will studios shuffle the deck every once in a while as they make new exclusive agreements, forcing consumers to scrap perfectly good equipment and libraries because someone else has bid more?

If this happens, I'm going back to fishing and enjoying the great out doors....

Good article for both Blu and HD....

[MatrixS2000]

Originally Posted by doctorD

I still think that the HD DVD group is hoping that that there will be mass defection of Blu ray supporters to up their numbers. That is why I will be standing pat Blu! Don't forget to buy Blu tomorrow!

I agree - 100%. I posted this in another thread just after the Paramount news:

The Paramount announcement only "hurts" if we let it.

Their whole plan is to attract BR supporters over to the inferior HD DVD side by forcing us to get HD DVD players to watch Paramount movies....

I have no plans of changing my sig....

[MatrixS2000]

Oh and the article was dead on target imo.

[KenThompson]

Has anybody posted this article on any of the other forums because it is dead on. Paramount has hurt the entire hd industry. They should be ashamed, customers were led to believe they were neutral and they said we'll let the consumer decide which format wins. Yeah, right. We all lose as we have 2 formats and major confusion . Only microsoft wins in this one.

[Terjyn]

Paramount has hurt more than just the HD market. As stated in the article, if every company sinks to Paramount's level, there will be utter chaos for consumers.

I do think it's possible to turn exclusive...just not like Paramount did.

Announce exclusivity, but do not stop releasing already released material and keep any titles you already have announced.

I'm honestly baffled by why Paramount didn't do this.