AfterDawn: News

Universal VP adds fuel to HD format war

Ken Graffeo, an executive VP for Universal Studios has recently made comments responding to the recent reports that Sony had purchased end caps for Blu-ray at Target stores but then called it "exclusive."

Graffeo said that "standalone HD DVD players are still much more affordable than Blu-ray players," and that more importantly, HD DVD provided a better experience for buyers and even went on to welcomed consumers to do a direct comparison for the movie 300 which is available in both formats.



Although the format war is still completely a toss-up, the Blu-ray camp would have you believe that they are running away with a victory. That is not the case now, nor will it be for awhile despite certain retailers moving to Blu-ray "exclusivity".

If Graffeo's comments do nothing else, it will at least add fuel to the format war fire that is still burning and end any speculation that Universal is moving towards Blu-ray anytime soon.

Source:
Yahoo!

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 31 Jul 2007 16:19

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• 29 comments

• Riotard

  Who cares anymore, Distribution through the internet will win this war! with faster connection eevry day, its only a matter of time!

  31.7.2007 16:57 #1

• DXR88

  Riotard, Wow thats got to be the most OFF topic thing i ever heard.
  
  Anyway i doubt anybody cares anymore just huury up an finnish this D4ME thing called a formatt war and stop fueling it plz.

  31.7.2007 19:07 #2

• DXR88

  Thou im sure Sony will want more control over what goes on the media If any rembers poor old beta max ver VHS you will rember that Sony didnt want porn distrubited across beta max tape. but my real concern lies with Blu Ray. What are the thinking Three layer of crippling copyright protection. and all around catigory is When and if The media is made for general purpase format burning at home.
  Whats going to be the rate price of blank media.

  31.7.2007 19:18 #3

• jinggoy

  Originally posted by Riotard: Who cares anymore, Distribution through the internet will win this war! with faster connection eevry day, its only a matter of time!I dont want my movies to end up more than 1 gig of HDD space.

  31.7.2007 20:14 #4

• xtago

  ha ha, HD DVD only exists in the USA.
  
  Blu-Ray is the only format you can get in other countries.
  
  There is no format war, it never got started pretty much.

  1.8.2007 01:24 #5

• hughjars

  Originally posted by xtago: ha ha, HD DVD only exists in the USA.
  
  Blu-Ray is the only format you can get in other countries.
  
  There is no format war, it never got started pretty much. - What an ignorant load.
  
  HD DVD is available (and the only stand-alone) being bought in Europe & the UK.
  
  Without PS3 Blu-ray is dead and died long ago.
  
  PS3 cannot 'win' this format war (tho obviously it gave Blu-ray an initial boost).

  1.8.2007 03:40 #6

• nobrainer

  blu-ray = drm lock down from the media mafia which is why most of the members back blu-ray and why rupert murdoch's fox and co wouldn't release any movies in hi-def until BD+ was finalised.
  
  now that bd+ is their & sending your details back to the mafia via the "none intrusive" usage and, "security" updates giving movie and whoever else your film usage, ip address and unique serial number of your machine just waiting for you to get hold of a multi region hack so they can remote disable you player permanently.
  
  yes i think i'll rush out now and purchase a blu-ray drive (sarcasm for the neocons)

  1.8.2007 07:48 #7

• Skinnykid

  Originally posted by nobrainer: blu-ray = drm lock down from the media mafia which is why most of the members back blu-ray and why rupert murdoch's fox and co wouldn't release any movies in hi-def until BD+ was finalised.
  
  now that bd+ is their & sending your details back to the mafia via the "none intrusive" usage and, "security" updates giving movie and whoever else your film usage, ip address and unique serial number of your machine just waiting for you to get hold of a multi region hack so they can remote disable you player permanently.
  
  yes i think i'll rush out now and purchase a blu-ray drive (sarcasm for the neocons)Do you realize how dumb you actually sound??
  Blu Ray has taken this one, and I own both so don't drop that Fanboy crap.

  1.8.2007 08:43 #8

• nobrainer

  Quote:Originally posted by Skinnykid : blu-ray = drm lock down from the media mafia which is why most of the members back blu-ray and why rupert murdoch's fox and co wouldn't release any movies in hi-def until BD+ was finalised.
  
  now that bd+ is their & sending your details back to the mafia via the "none intrusive" usage and, "security" updates giving movie and whoever else your film usage, ip address and unique serial number of your machine just waiting for you to get hold of a multi region hack so they can remote disable you player permanently.
  
  yes i think i'll rush out now and purchase a blu-ray drive (sarcasm for the neocons)Do you realize how dumb you actually sound??
  Blu Ray has taken this one, and I own both so don't drop that Fanboy crap.dumb, omg do you know anything about the copy protection that is BD+?
  
  i advise you to read up on it, and the usage of the java drm with the likes of expiring discs, presumably for rentals, usage reporting, encryption updates that are mandatory or you will be blocked from future media releases, and the ability for studios to remote disable players if they have either had their hexadecimal coding hacked or are running a hack such as a multi region code.

  1.8.2007 10:58 #9

• Skinnykid

  quote]dumb, omg do you know anything about the copy protection that is BD+?
  
  i advise you to read up on it, and the usage of the java drm with the likes of expiring discs, presumably for rentals, usage reporting, encryption updates that are mandatory or you will be blocked from future media releases, and the ability for studios to remote disable players if they have either had their hexadecimal coding hacked or are running a hack such as a multi region code.At no point did I dispute your common everyday information that you provided about BD+, not like you have uncovered the holy grail of secrets here.
  Get off your cheeks, make some money and spend it, don't worry about always having a hack.
  
  Support your format.

  1.8.2007 11:52 #10

• ZippyDSM

  Quote:Quote:Originally posted by Skinnykid : blu-ray = drm lock down from the media mafia which is why most of the members back blu-ray and why rupert murdoch's fox and co wouldn't release any movies in hi-def until BD+ was finalised.
  
  now that bd+ is their & sending your details back to the mafia via the "none intrusive" usage and, "security" updates giving movie and whoever else your film usage, ip address and unique serial number of your machine just waiting for you to get hold of a multi region hack so they can remote disable you player permanently.
  
  yes i think i'll rush out now and purchase a blu-ray drive (sarcasm for the neocons)Do you realize how dumb you actually sound??
  Blu Ray has taken this one, and I own both so don't drop that Fanboy crap.dumb, omg do you know anything about the copy protection that is BD+?
  
  i advise you to read up on it, and the usage of the java drm with the likes of expiring discs, presumably for rentals, usage reporting, encryption updates that are mandatory or you will be blocked from future media releases, and the ability for studios to remote disable players if they have either had their hexadecimal coding hacked or are running a hack such as a multi region code.I cant wait till hackers from around the world break their system then start sending in good keys to block down all media this live protection system is very anti consumer and very bad for business.

  1.8.2007 13:54 #11

• DXR88

  Yes it is. ZippyDSM, but Thats sony and this time it looks like MPAA is getting pulled in By sony becuase of it.

  1.8.2007 18:18 #12

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by DXR88: Yes it is. ZippyDSM, but Thats sony and this time it looks like MPAA is getting pulled in By sony becuase of it.its just fcked up I respect BR as much as HDVD,they each have their own merits but BR is killing itself with BD+.
  
  Once they get it rolling its over the key system will be flooded so fast ...its not goign to be pretty....

  1.8.2007 18:29 #13

• nobrainer

  Originally posted by DXR88: Yes it is. ZippyDSM, but Thats sony and this time it looks like MPAA is getting pulled in By sony becuase of it.sony are one of the mpaa and riaa members that are at the for front of pushing drm down everyone's throats and have more lobbyists than actual congress members.
  
  DRM Ass Holes screwing the public over are:
  
  MPAA:
  
  Sony Pictures, Buena Vista (The Walt Disney Company), Paramount Pictures (Viacom -- which bought DreamWorks in February 2006), 20th Century Fox (Rupert Murdoch), Universal Studios , and Warner Bros. (Time Warner)
  
  AACS LA:
  
  Sony, Disney, Intel, Microsoft, Matsushita (Panasonic), Warner Brothers, IBM and Toshiba.
  
  RIAA:
  
  Sony BMG Music Entertainment, EMI, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group.
  
  Blu-ray Disc Association:
  
  Sony, Matsushita, Pioneer, Philips, Thomson, LG Electronics, Hitachi, Sharp and Samsung.

  2.8.2007 05:21 #14

• xtago

  Quote:
  I cant wait till hackers from around the world break their system then start sending in good keys to block down all media this live protection system is very anti consumer and very bad for business.I can't believe you just posted that Blu-Ray has been hacked since late last year.
  
  But at 50gig for an un-compressed disk and 12 to 20gig for a compressed disk there's not much point in downloading them.
  
  Ripped Blu-Ray movies (just the movie, no extras) are still 8gig compressed.
  
  Blu_Ray pretty much only has the regions as the main protection, PS3 doesn't bother with Blu-Ray regions at all so you can play Blu-Rays from anywhere.
  
  there's only 3 regions anyway.

  2.8.2007 05:29 #15

• nobrainer

  Quote:Quote:
  I cant wait till hackers from around the world break their system then start sending in good keys to block down all media this live protection system is very anti consumer and very bad for business.I can't believe you just posted that Blu-Ray has been hacked since late last year.
  
  But at 50gig for an un-compressed disk and 12 to 20gig for a compressed disk there's not much point in downloading them.
  
  Ripped Blu-Ray movies (just the movie, no extras) are still 8gig compressed.
  
  Blu_Ray pretty much only has the regions as the main protection, PS3 doesn't bother with Blu-Ray regions at all so you can play Blu-Rays from anywhere.
  
  there's only 3 regions anyway.only aacs has been hacked BD+ which is a blu-ray only drm, is something completely new and very worrying!

  2.8.2007 05:51 #16

• xtago

  Quote:Quote:Quote:
  I cant wait till hackers from around the world break their system then start sending in good keys to block down all media this live protection system is very anti consumer and very bad for business.I can't believe you just posted that Blu-Ray has been hacked since late last year.
  
  But at 50gig for an un-compressed disk and 12 to 20gig for a compressed disk there's not much point in downloading them.
  
  Ripped Blu-Ray movies (just the movie, no extras) are still 8gig compressed.
  
  Blu_Ray pretty much only has the regions as the main protection, PS3 doesn't bother with Blu-Ray regions at all so you can play Blu-Rays from anywhere.
  
  there's only 3 regions anyway.only aacs has been hacked BD+ which is a blu-ray only drm, is something completely new and very worrying!I'm not talking about aacs I'm talking about Blu-Ray disks that are protected they have already been cracked ages ago there's heaps of keys out for different movies, you need 2 one for the player side and one for the disk.
  
  to play anything off protected Blu-Ray disks not all are protected though and the PS3 doesn't care about the protection at all how do you think most people are coping Blu-Ray movies off the disks.
  
  though as I said before 1 disk ISO is 50gigs.

  2.8.2007 05:55 #17

• DXR88

  What i meant nobrainer, was sony as a joint to mpaa is going to pull the entirity of the mpaa down, BD+ is a major issue for everyone consumer like. Oh only the first part of BD+ DRM was hacked and it was pretty mush the same as AACS.

  2.8.2007 06:56 #18

• NexGen76

  Originally posted by nobrainer: blu-ray = drm lock down from the media mafia which is why most of the members back blu-ray and why rupert murdoch's fox and co wouldn't release any movies in hi-def until BD+ was finalised.
  
  now that bd+ is their & sending your details back to the mafia via the "none intrusive" usage and, "security" updates giving movie and whoever else your film usage, ip address and unique serial number of your machine just waiting for you to get hold of a multi region hack so they can remote disable you player permanently.
  
  yes i think i'll rush out now and purchase a blu-ray drive (sarcasm for the neocons)
  If your not doing anything illegal why are you so worried...

  2.8.2007 08:42 #19

• Mr-Movies

  Where do the brain dead come from, this forum is normally more intellectual then this thread shows, it must be the MP3 downloaders chiming in. :D
  
  
  QUOTE:
  by NexGen76
  "If your not doing anything illegal why are you so worried... "
  
  Because backing up your investment shouldn't be illegal but these days it is.
  
  
  QUOTE:
  by DXR88
  "sony as a joint to mpaa is going to pull the entirity of the mpaa down"
  
  I doubt it most things are DRM'd unfortunately but we get around it thankfully. Downloaded music is DRM'd and plenty of people still download it. This gives the MFG a warm fuzzy which opens up their market in a sense it's a win-win.

  2.8.2007 09:04 #20

• ZippyDSM

  NexGen76
  Quote:If your not doing anything illegal why are you so worried...
  thats a ignorant thing to say BD+ is not the kind of anti consumer tripe consumers should be putting money into.

  2.8.2007 10:04 #21

• nobrainer

  Quote:ZIppyDSM
  Quote:If your not doing anything illegal why are you so worried...
  thats a ignorant thing to say BD+ is not the kind of anti consumer tripe consumers should be putting money into.NexGen76 = sony pr fud
  
  he sounds like a tobacco lobby ZIppy, next hell be saying "don't listen to what everyone is saying try it for yourself."
  
  you know that drm is totally safe just like xcp that left ppls pc's open to hackers, and the usage reports only transmit the film titles, honestly! if it wasn't bad enough that the government were spying on everyone now the movie studios are at.
  
  i'm interested to see the eula for bd+ that probable states all the same info as the xcp one that avoided telling ppl of the drm rootkit that was just installed secretly.

  2.8.2007 12:17 #22

• ZippyDSM

  Quote:Quote:ZIppyDSM
  Quote:If your not doing anything illegal why are you so worried...
  thats a ignorant thing to say BD+ is not the kind of anti consumer tripe consumers should be putting money into.NexGen76 = sony pr fud
  
  he sounds like a tobacco lobby ZIppy, next hell be saying "don't listen to what everyone is saying try it for yourself."
  
  you know that drm is totally safe just like xcp that left ppls pc's open to hackers, and the usage reports only transmit the film titles, honestly! if it wasn't bad enough that the government were spying on everyone now the movie studios are at.
  
  i'm interested to see the eula for bd+ that probable states all the same info as the xcp one that avoided telling ppl of the drm rootkit that was just installed secretly.I do not mind the basic DRM in fact I expect them to make it annoying to copy stuff however this and other DRM schemes goes beyond simple annoyance....

  2.8.2007 13:19 #23

• borhan9

  Truth be told if Microsoft is backing HD DVD then for sure HD DVD will eventually take out the war because mostly more than 90% of computers are running Microsoft Products hence they may runaway with it.
  
  We will just have to wait and see.

  2.8.2007 15:59 #24

• Dega704

  I'm certainly not in favor of BD+, but as far as that or any other form of DRM goes it's our own dang fault. It used to be if we wanted movies we went out and bought them. Now people are downloading them for free and copying borrowed and/or rented movies left and right. What happened to good consumer relations? We took them and pissed them away. They make movies to make money. Sorry but thats how it works. I'm not siding with the greedy companies here but us consumers aren't innocent victims either. We try to get something for nothing and then pitch a crying fit when they stop us.
  
  And FYI I'm not targeting everyone here. If you buy your movies instead of downloading or copying them then bravo. Crank all you want but just remember why the DRM lockdown started. Because the movie pirates spoiled it for the rest of us.

  4.8.2007 10:34 #25

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by Dega704: I'm certainly not in favor of BD+, but as far as that or any other form of DRM goes it's our own dang fault. It used to be if we wanted movies we went out and bought them. Now people are downloading them for free and copying borrowed and/or rented movies left and right. What happened to good consumer relations? We took them and pissed them away. They make movies to make money. Sorry but thats how it works. I'm not siding with the greedy companies here but us consumers aren't innocent victims either. We try to get something for nothing and then pitch a crying fit when they stop us.
  
  And FYI I'm not targeting everyone here. If you buy your movies instead of downloading or copying them then bravo. Crank all you want but just remember why the DRM lockdown started. Because the movie pirates spoiled it for the rest of us.
  It use to be the American people were making more moeny than they are it use to be videos and music didn't cost as they do now due to inflation and pucking the the rear to china to them them fincaily rape us in corporate style by fing proxy.
  
  I am sorry but I have had it with the media mafia and the games they play with consumer's and the laws the buy from governments, so if you want to blame the consumer and say its thier fault thats fine but just remember the way some laws are written the gun is being held by the corporations and all teh sheeple can do is grasse the hills hoping not be sent to slaughter house!

  4.8.2007 14:58 #26

• DXR88

  thats right zippy we cant stop em from DRMing, but we can send BD+ packing

  4.8.2007 18:01 #27

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by DXR88: thats right zippy we cant stop em from DRMing, but we can send BD+ packing
  I tell you the goverment is goign to hell in a hand basest,have you seen the reports of ICE going after people with a mod chip or 2?
  http://gamepolitics.com/2007/08/04/fear-...mod-chip-sting/
  http://gamepolitics.com/2007/08/04/idaho...mod-chip-sweep/
  http://gamepolitics.com/2007/08/04/ohio-...raid-aftermath/
  
  forget the immigration issue for get real crimes ZOMG the coperations need their hired block boots to raid the populace and put them in line....its freaking sad...

  4.8.2007 18:14 #28

• DXR88

  the population uses a Stop us if you can tactic. soon everybody will be in jail for it. but the'll run out of resources to even try and stop us.

  4.8.2007 18:22 #29