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Sweden's SF and Scanbox go Blu-ray exclusive
Granted, HD DVD didn't exactly have a foothold on the Swedish market to begin with, but the red camp is still losing two firms that it certainly wouldn't mind having around. Reportedly, both SF and Scanbox have decided to follow in Warner's footsteps and distribute their high-definition films on Blu-ray alone. As for the near future, there doesn't seem to be a concrete date for when SF will roll out its films in Blu, but purportedly, Scanbox will get things going as early as April.[Via Blu-ray, thanks Kiwi616]
Poll: Be honest with yourself, are you still happy with DVD?
According to a recent NPD Group study, apparently seven out of ten HDTV owners don't see the need to go Blu-ray or HD DVD, because, well, DVD suits their needs well enough. We've yet to dig up the original report, but the point still begs the question -- and be honest with yourself now, this is an anonymous poll, after all -- are you still happy enough with the humble DVD?[Thanks, Sean] %Poll-9183%
Universal's "Charlie Wilson" goes to the front line of the format war
Good news has been hard to come by for HD DVD lately, but Universal is putting up a beacon... somewhere on the horizon. The studio has announced that "Charlie Wilson's War" will appear sometime in April in both combo HD DVD / DVD and DVD-only formats. Other than that 2-month out promise, no word on what exclusive features will be coming to the HD DVD version, though. We wonder if more "war" is what this format needs right now. Still, the release of a combo disc fits with a strategy positioning HD DVD as the format for those who still want or need to have DVD discs, and it's a definite sign that Universal hasn't thrown in the towel. All in all, an interesting play -- not as interesting as if Universal sent out the combo disc format only (no DVD release), or even shipped the combo disc in advance of the DVD release; but interesting still. We only wish we didn't have to wait until April to see the outcome.
Onkyo giving pause to continued HD DVD support?
Sure, we're filing this squarely in the rumor folder for now, but we still felt it prudent to bring to light a number of interesting comments made recently by an Onkyo representative. Reportedly, said rep was quoted by Home Cinema Choice as saying that "given the current, multiple uncertainties surrounding the Blu-ray versus HD DVD issue, Onkyo has decided against bringing any further DV-HD805s to the UK." Additionally, he / she continued on by saying that "if a category becomes commoditized -- as this sector shows signs of becoming -- there's less reason to commit huge resources to it when they may be better employed elsewhere." Granted, we've no idea if a decision made on the other side of the pond will have anything to do with the US, but regardless, another HD DVD supporter falling by the wayside isn't good for the red camp no matter how you slice it.[Via TiVo Lovers]
Universal Pictures Australasia releasing 20 HD DVD titles in 2008
In a move not totally shocking considering Ken Graffeo's sentiments shared just days ago, Universal Pictures Australasia has come forward and announced that it will continue backing HD DVD by promising some 20 titles on the format in 2008. According to the release, consumers in Australia and New Zealand can look forward to picking up Atonement, The Kingdom, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, American Gangster and Charlie Wilson's War on HD DVD later this year. Unfortunately, none of the other flicks making up the previously mentioned "20" were detailed, so it looks as if we'll be waiting in tense anticipation for release dates and titles for the majority of the bunch.[Via iTWire, thanks Anthony B.]
No, Circuit City's not shoving HD DVD out the door
While news was running rampant last week about Circuit City's inexplicable price cuts on some of the more popular HD DVD players, we had a hunch it wasn't exactly a sign of disownment. Sure enough, it's now being reported that a Circuit City representative has informed Punch Jump that the clearance prices were "inadvertent." To be fair, we're a bit hesitant to believe that's entirely factual, either, but nevertheless, the same rep also mentioned that HD DVD sales have been "strong" and that the big box retailer would remain "platform agnostic" for the time being.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
HD DVD and Blu-ray releases on February 5th, 2008
When you look at the lineup this week, don't be too quick to passover these titles. While nothing in the lineup really jumps out at us, we were very surprised to see how highly rated some of 'em were on IMDB, including the biggest title of the week, The Assassination of Jesse James, with a crazy score of 8.0. If none of the new releases are up your alley, then there is sure to be a catalog title for you, seriously, who doesn't like Wall Street? The red fans will have to be content with Elizabeth: The Golden Age this week, but it should hold them over as two big titles are coming down the pipe later this month. After looking at the lineup for both camps this week, we have no doubt that the VideoScan results will be a landslide again, but it will be very interesting to see how red does when American Gangster and Beowulf hit the shelves in a few weeks. HD DVD 384 vs Blu-ray 437*Blu-ray Deadliest Catch: Season 3 (Discovery Channel) Across the Universe (Sony) The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (Warner) The Brave One (Warner) Breaker Morant (Image) Celine Dion: A New Day... Live in Las Vegas (Sony BMG) Crimson Tide (Buena Vista) The Jane Austen Book Club (Sony) Me, Myself & Irene (Fox) Wall Street (Fox) HD DVD Deadliest Catch: Season 3 (Discovery Channel) Elizabeth: The Golden Age (Universal) Naked Beneath the Water (Phoenix Group) * Blu-ray total does not reflect 32 Paramount titles that were previously available.
HD movie downloads to trump Blu-ray / HD DVD? Not so fast.
We'll be the first to say we truly hope that HD downloads -- be it on one's computer or main HDTV -- take off, but we're not so certain the technology is poised to overtake either Blu-ray or HD DVD anytime soon. A opinionated piece over at Economist takes a look at the current state of the format war, and interestingly enough, even goes so far as to call both HD discs "interim solutions, if even that." Apparently, it expects both formats to soon be "eclipsed" by some alternative, most likely the instantly gratifying downloadable movie offered up by various carriers in the form of HD VOD. Of course, we also expect this outlet to gain traction once broadband speeds ratchet up across the nation, but our main beef with the article comes with the proclamation that "[HD DVD and Blu-ray] are marginally better than upscaled DVDs." We've expressed our true feelings about upconverting DVD players before, and quite frankly, unless one hooks up their high-definition movie player with composite cables, we simply can't see anyone not being able to tell the difference. [Image courtesy of GenerationMP3, thanks Paul F. and Daniel D.]
Nielsen VideoScan High-Def market share for week ending January 27th, 2008
While HD DVD continues to edge back a few percent at a time -- 15 percent, then 17 and now 18 -- with almost a month to go until the red camp has a title worth mentioning, we expect Blu-ray to continue to kill HD DVD in the Nielsen VideoScan charts, courtesy of Home Media Magazine. Also for the third week in a row, HD DVD fails to get a title on the top 10, but this week only two Blu titles that are also available on HD DVD, made the list. The two Blu-ray new releases top the charts this week, while former number two 3:10 to Yuma holds on to third, which still sold half as many copies as the leader Saw IV. Meanwhile, the latest Pirates movie drops to four, after being in the top three, for seven weeks in a row -- that's some legs. Looking toward to next week, we expect another week of Blu-ray outselling HD DVD by over 4:1 and will be interested in seeing how well Warner's The Invasion does, despite its poor reviews.
Surround Records decides to go dual-format
While it seems that most of the industry is going Blu-ray exclusive or simply staying put, indie distributor Surround Records has decided to go format agnostic. Previously, the firm was dishing out multichannel audio releases on DVD-Audio discs and HD DVD, but now HighDefDigest is reporting that it will soon start supporting Blu-ray. Unfortunately, there's no details on how when exactly the outfit will start churning out releases on BD nor any word on what titles will be available on both formats, but this choice certainly throws an unexpected (though likely insignificant) splash of purple into the mix, now doesn't it?[Thanks, Kiwi616]
Sonic's Scenarist now Blu-ray, digital distribution format only
Sonic Solutions has announced it will no longer sell the HD DVD version of its Scenarist professional authoring software, focusing instead on Blu-ray and digital distribution. Sonic -- provider of consumer authoring software under the Roxio brand (still w/ that sweet HD DVD flavor, at least for now) -- plans to expand its features to ease creation of BD Live features, and package high definition video for delivery on any of the many platforms popping up. It's not all bad for red fans, Sonic promises to continue customer support and product updates "where appropriate" for its HD DVD package, and a special promotion for users to switch to Blu-ray, although the terms aren't mentioned.[Thanks, Kiwi616]
Viewed in perspective, HDM growth outpacing DVD
There are always at least three sides to format war discussions: red, blue and neither. In the "neither" camp, it's often cited that the total numbers in HDM are so small compared to, say, DVD that HDM just doesn't matter. But DVD has a ten-year head start on HDM, so it's not really a fair comparison. When viewing growth since inception, aggressive promotions in Q4 2007 actually put HDM's growth ahead of DVD's. We already got a hint of this at the BDA press conference, where a graph showed that HDM is in a similar growth trend to DVD and VHS, but it bears repeating -- in the big picture, HDM is doing just fine. But whatever your "side" in the war, you have to admit that HDM growth has been built upon two formats. So the question becomes what happens to growth if one format disappears versus both sides continuing on? We think mainstream adoption will require one format to emerge and the increased volume will outweigh any negative backlash from adopters of the losing format; what about you?
German retailer discounting Sony BDP-S300 for HD DVD player trade-in
We're not exactly sure what German retailer Saturn plans to do with any HD DVD players that are surrendered as folks waltz in to take advantage of its latest offer, but we suppose the refurbished section could receive a boost in inventory if nothing else. Judging by a recent flier from the store, it's offering consumers a €150 ($221) discount on Sony's BDP-S300 -- which is overpriced at €499 ($734) -- if they trade their HD DVD player in at the time of purchase. Also of note, we can't seem to find if there's any fine print about what HD DVD players are acceptable, but it is certain that this deal is only available overseas at the moment. Not a bad idea to get customers to jump ship, though.[Via Blu-ray, thanks Bhargav N.]
Woolworths demoting HD DVD players to online sales only
According to new reports, Woolworths is following the wave and will be banishing HD DVD players from its stores starting in March. Reportedly, the move was substantiated by the fact that Blu-ray Discs outsold HD DVD titles "ten-to-one" in Woolies stores over the Christmas holidays, and in just a few weeks, consumers scouting a new HD DVD player from this particular retailer will have to place their order online. Interestingly, we're not told whether or not the firm plans on phasing out actual HD DVD movies as well, but we suppose we don't have long before finding out.[Via GamesIndustry, image courtesy of Stives-Town]
HD DVD and Blu-ray releases on January 29th, 2008
And so it begins this week, as Warner's first title to be affected by the three week delay for HD DVD is released for Blu-ray. Meanwhile HD DVD fans will have to wait until February 19th to check it out. But that isn't the only thing that is in three weeks, as the first decent title for the red camp also comes out that day in the way of American Gangster. But the bad news for red doesn't end there this week because there are only three titles and we can't say we've ever heard of any of them. Of course this isn't that surprising considering HD DVD's ace in the hole Universal and Paramount are on the bench for the third week in a row. At the same time Blu-ray's lineup isn't anything to call home about either, but at least it includes a day and date in Invasion and Daddy Day Camp -- yeah, we're not excited either. Probably the most interesting title this week is the cult comedy classic Mony Python's Life of Brian, which includes both a TrueHD and LPCM sound track, that the reviewers say doesn't really sound any better -- but at least the video quality delivers. Looking ahead to next week, there isn't much to get excited about either, but at least Universal has a title for red. HD DVD 381 vs Blu-ray 427*Blu-ray Daddy Day Camp (Sony) Damages: The Complete First Season (Sony) Dispatch: Zimbabwe - Live at Madison Square Garden (Warner Music Group) The Invasion (Warner) Justin Timberlake: Live at Madison Square Garden (Sony BMG) King of California (First Look) Monty Python's Life of Brian (Sony) HD DVD Dispatch: Zimbabwe - Live at Madison Square Garden (Warner Music Group) King of California (First Look) Strauss: Die Fledermaus (Opus Arte) * Blu-ray total does not reflect 32 Paramount titles that were previously available.
HD DVD ad to air during Super Bowl XLII, BDA sez it's futile
While we wouldn't say this is anywhere near a last ditch effort, Toshiba's VP of marketing for the Digital A / V Group has affirmed that it will air a 30-second spot during Super Bowl XLII extolling the HD-A3, HD-A30 and HD-A35 players. The plug is said to be a part of its revised strategy to "reinvigorate HD DVD," and oddly enough, it won't be running its ad up against that other format. Apparently, the BDA decided not to buy discounted airtime for a commercial after realizing that it couldn't complete a "Super Bowl-caliber ad" in time, but it seems as if the Blu camp isn't worried about a thing. Andy Parsons, SVP of industrial solutions business research group for Pioneer and BDA loudmouth, noted that he "admired [Toshiba's] chutzpah," but continued by saying that "running a Super Bowl ad is not likely to convince consumers that HD DVD will win the format war." Go on Andy, tell us how you really feel.
Gartner: Blu-ray to win in 2008, HD DVD price cuts are "useless resistance"
Gartner, the fat lady of research firms, is singing HD DVD's swan song this morning. Hiroyuki Shimizu, Principal Research Analyst in Japan, says in Gartner's Semiconductor DQ Monday Report that, "Gartner believes that Toshiba's price-cutting may prolong HD DVD's life a little, but the limited line-up of film titles will inflict fatal damage on the format." He goes on to call the recent price cuts "useless resistance" in avoiding the inevitable. What's that, you coyly ask? According to Shimizu, "Gartner expects that, by the end of 2008, Blu-ray will be the winning format in the consumer market, and the war will be over." With 5 of the 7 major studios now backing Blu-ray exclusively, Gartner's certainty on the subject doesn't appear to be much of a stretch.
Nielsen VideoScan High-Def market share for week ending January 20th, 2008
While one week is not a trend, two weeks in the row could be the start of one. And according to this week's Nielsen VideoScan numbers courtesy of Home Media Magazine, Blu-ray has once again defeated HD DVD handily with a 83/17 split (4.9:1). The other thing to happen two weeks in a row that could also become a trend is that -- despite the fact that four of the top ten titles are also available on Blu-ray -- not one HD DVD made the list. You might be quick to say this is Warner's doing, but we can't forget that it has been a month since HD DVD released a decent title. So this situation is as much Universal and Paramount's fault as anyone else. Of course the real bad news here for the red camp is there aren't any hot titles to speak of until American Gangster hits the street in about a month. And to top this off -- looking at the entire release schedule for the red camp -- there are only ten HD DVD exclusive titles. If HD DVD is really trying to win this thing, they need to push Universal and Paramount to release the hottest catalog titles in their vaults, otherwise we don't see how this thing can be turned around.
Amazon's Blu-ray Paramount listings posted erroneously
As has become quite the norm for Amazon, it seems that the trio of flicks it proudly listed as Blu-ray titles just two days back were in fact listed erroneously. A new report over at Heise -- and a quick click back over to the exact same Amazon links -- shows that the films are indeed HD DVDs. So yeah, we wouldn't take any of Amazon's listings from here on out as a sign of the format war getting even crazier, but who knows, try clicking back tomorrow and see if they're scheduled to debut on HD VMD.[Via FormatWarCentral, thanks Blake]
Grant's Appliances reportedly ditching HD DVD
We wouldn't call this one definite just yet, but according to "sources" cited by TGDaily, a Chicagoland retailer is shedding its purple skin in favor of Blu. Reportedly, it has "stopped ordering new HD DVD supply" entirely, and while it's said that existing inventory has been depleted, we reckon you may be able to score a real deal should you find a locale with one last HD-A3 just begging for an owner. 'Course, whether or not you should plunk down any coin whatsoever on HD DVD -- considering the state of things and all -- is another matter entirely.[Thanks, Dave]
