AfterDawn: News

Update: Universal is staying with HD DVD

Despite a widely spread rumor fueled by a quote in Variety, Universal Studios has officially dismissed the rumor that it will be dropping HD DVD in favor of Blu-ray.

"Contrary to unsubstantiated rumors from unnamed sources, Universal's current plan is to continue to support the HD DVD format," said Ken Graffeo, executive vice president of HD strategic marketing for Universal Studios Home Entertainment and also co-president of the HD DVD Promotional Group.



Graffeo also made it clear that the response would have come earlier but but many members of the HD DVD Promotional Group were on flights home from CES when the rumor started to pick up steam.

Yesterday, Variety started the rumor by saying ""Universal's commitment to backing HD DVD exclusivity has ended." The dismissal of the rumor follows yesterday's news that Paramount is staying committed to HD DVD despite rampant rumors otherwise.

Source:
betanews

AfterDawn.com Hardware Section
Toshiba HD-A3	LG BH100	Toshiba HD-A2	Sony PlayStation 3 40GB	Samsung BD-UP5000
Click here to see all Blu-ray players! - Click here to see HD DVD players !

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 10 Jan 2008 18:00

• Previous article

• CES 2008: Content distributor to make Internet video available for mobile platforms

• Next article

• Matsushita to become Panasonic Corp.

• 24 comments

• Tecbot

  Isnt there deal done, did they go home with paychecks in there pocket or something?...dont think this will be the last we hear from this, good news for hd-dvd for now I guess.

  10.1.2008 18:09 #1

• stumpied

  How can this site post such BS within minutes of each other? One article saying they are leaving and then a couple minutes later saying they are staying?
  
  Lets stick with facts and get away from all the BS rumors and fanism.
  
  I think this just adds to the flame wars and should not surprise anyone in the least when it happens.
  
  Is there any REAL news?

  10.1.2008 18:23 #2

• tavek

  This is too similar to radio stations starting contraversy.
  Just minutes after PONDERING blue ray they deny it, make up your minds. And besides, WHAT movies ar Universal only? Off the top of my head maybe ET and t hat movie sucked then and it still does now.
  Which ever format Starwars comes out in im buying.

  10.1.2008 18:25 #3

• MrsSpooky

  Star Wars is FOX, so when it does come out on a high def DVD, it will be Blu Ray. :) :) :)

  10.1.2008 18:49 #4

• juankerr

  This isn't very reassuring from Ken Graffeo.
  
  As an HD DVD supporter you'd prefer something like "We're staying HD DVD EXCLUSIVE." That way you remove all doubt. Now he's left himself open to interpretation.
  
  ..."continue to support HD DVD." could also mean they're considering going neutral.

  10.1.2008 18:53 #5

• Dela

  Because we have multiple god damn writers covering the same events and getting the same feeds and releases.... only we're situated in different parts of the world. We write rumors if they come from credible sources like... Financial Times... Variety etc. The one wasting anyone's time here are the idiots who are moaning and bitching about nothing, if you dont like the rumor articles, then stop reading them, but if you did follow the industries ud realise that abotu 40% of what the likes of Associated Press and Reuters actually write are rumors, based usually on unnamed sources.
  
  So stop picking on this site and go complain to everyone else, ok? Mods, feel free to rip up anyone who doesn't have a valid news comment and is blatantly breaking the rules...
  
  BTW: I'm not directing this specifically at anyone, so nobody try playing the victim card please, this is just a response to the amazing amount of crap that's been thrown at us in the past week because we wrote the exact same things that everyone else is writing...

  10.1.2008 18:55 #6

• sciascia

  Hey, any news is good news to me. I'm just happy to read anything, rumor or not.
  
  I personally think this is just them trying to play crowd control. They probably won't make any real decisions until May. I mean they probably want to sell off the last of their HD-DVD's while they are still in a reasonable demand. I mean it would be dumb if they jumped ship now and had to eat all the money they put into HD-DVD. I am pretty sure they don't want to do this and by remaining in HD-DVD's corner it still gives the consumer hope that HD-DVD is a contender, and thus gives their products some potential value, but if they jump now everyone will know HD-DVD is pointless to put any money into.

  10.1.2008 19:46 #7

• sssharp

  Dela and others keep writing and feeding, this is the only site I go to and read about the news. About the topic I am a serious procrastinator. It took me years to switch from vhs to dvd. So it will take me longer to switch from dvd to blueray/hd, therefore making me not give a load of stuffing of who wins.

  10.1.2008 19:49 #8

• kar10

  This is a close call.
  
  I'm glad Universal did not give up. This means that there will still be HD DVD and Blue Rays :D for now at least.
  
  Do you think Universal and Paramount are waiting for a nice big paycheck to switch over?
  
  If I was Universal I would wait and get a big fat check to switch to Blue Ray, why switch for free!

  10.1.2008 20:27 #9

• lawndog

  Glad to see universal is hanging tough. It will make the prices more competable. I could care less for either format, frankly I believe dvds are fine until the newer stuff comes down in price.
  
  And to those jumpping ADs butt about there news. Pick a diffenerent site for your news. We that have been reading AD forums and news articles know what we're reading is up to the minete stuff and things can change within minetes. If you don't like it change it, make your own site, read a different site.
  To quote a couple DJs "Don't like the station change the channel."
  haters
  LD

  10.1.2008 21:04 #10

• camaro17

  Originally posted by sciascia: Hey, any news is good news to me. I'm just happy to read anything, rumor or not.
  
  I personally think this is just them trying to play crowd control. They probably won't make any real decisions until May. I mean they probably want to sell off the last of their HD-DVD's while they are still in a reasonable demand. I mean it would be dumb if they jumped ship now and had to eat all the money they put into HD-DVD. I am pretty sure they don't want to do this and by remaining in HD-DVD's corner it still gives the consumer hope that HD-DVD is a contender, and thus gives their products some potential value, but if they jump now everyone will know HD-DVD is pointless to put any money into.
  i agree with you 100%, especially about crowd control. and if the vice president of universal is also the co-president of the HD-DVD promotional group then i dot think they will switch if he has any say.

  10.1.2008 21:10 #11

• gleone

  Which movie studio will be forever known as "The Last to Go Blu"?
  
  Will Universal go Blu Before Paramount or Vise-versa?
  
  Which ever studio is left holding the smelly bag of crap known as HD-DVD, will be the laughing stock of the electronics industry FOREVER! A permanent, bad reputation that they will never be able to shake. Wikipedia, Ask.com and every other web site in the Universe will display either Paramount or Universal as the very last to switch. Who will the lucky winner of the "enormous Bad Press prize" be? Who will forever be known as a "LOSER!"? :eek:
  
  Think about it... let's say Paramount went blu today. From that moment on, all we would be hearing about is the lack of vision Universal Studios has. As the days pass, it would only get worse for the last HD-DVD supporter. I can't wait to see who the Unlucky one will be.
  
  Please Vote:
  
  Which studio will forever be known as "The Last To Switch"?
  
  (a) Paramount/Dreamworks
  
  or
  
  (b) Universal Studios
  
  
  (Post your Vote on this Thread)

  10.1.2008 22:42 #12

• stumpied

  Hey I like this site as much as the next guy, it's just that these types of articles always spawn a bunch of useless posts like the one above and get quickly off topic.
  
  Will they switch, probably at some time. Will they tell anyone, probably not until the very last possible second.

  11.1.2008 00:07 #13

• Gradical

  hahahah youŕe hilarious...not
  
  like if anyone cares about that, you dont remember anyone for staying with a format if they actually turn sides, only way your scenario maybe real would be if either would bankrupt from this decission wich is most unlikely to happen, also you are already stating the format war to be of such big importance when money wise this still isn't a vital move on movie studios, their big profit is still theaters and dvd's

  11.1.2008 00:14 #14

• windsong

  So if Spielberg has publicly stated he backs Blu-Ray, what does that mean for Jurassic Park?

  11.1.2008 03:20 #15

• ZippyDSM

  Its obvious they are considering BR who wouldn't however it would be in the best intrest of the industry's(production costs) and the consumers(prices) if BR lost.

  11.1.2008 07:18 #16

• SProdigy

  Originally posted by gleone: Which movie studio will be forever known as "The Last to Go Blu"?...The whole post is foolish. Who cares? The way this is coming about, EITHER of the formats that win are going to end up like LASERDISC. VOD is where it's at, and with HD content ramping up with the war between cable and satellite providers, it's going to matter more than $30+ blue laser discs. Nuff Said.

  11.1.2008 12:56 #17

• eatsushi

  Originally posted by SProdigy: VOD is where it's at, and with HD content ramping up with the war between cable and satellite providers, it's going to matter more than $30+ blue laser discs. Nuff Said.I'm like the majority of enthusiasts at avs. I prefer having the physical medium in my hand.
  
  http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=974544
  
  That being said I would also like a way to have the disc PLUS the ability to rip the disc to a home media server.
  
  VOD may be a future consideration when the infrastructure and bandwidth needed for 1080p and lossless audio become more reliable. Right now HD On Demand from Comcast (at least in my area) is still subject to dropouts and lost service especially during prime time hours. If I downloaded the number of gigabytes contained in the 18 high def discs I bought last month (due to the amazon BOGO's) I would definitely exceed the bandwidth limit of most ISP's.

  11.1.2008 13:31 #18

• hughjars

  So much for Universal & Paramount being about to drop HD DVD.
  
  Here in the UK our major satellite TV service supplier, Sky, offers 'Anytime TV'.
  
  The HDD of our DVR is partitioned and stores various HD movies and shows
  (IIRC there's been talk that system will eventually - over time - 'learn' your usual preferences).
  
  For HD they often premier movies using the Anytime system.
  
  No Internet, not bandwidth restrictions and no difficulties about it.
  The size of the HDD is the only real restriction (and it can be upgraded).
  
  It's all time limited so either the content expires or you watch the recorded stuff - or move it to keep in your own 'planner' for later viewing - and then the DVR records new stuff from the satellite feed (usually overnight).
  It's very easy & convenient.
  
  Consider this, the vast bulk of the HD TV market is in the 32" - 50" segment (many if not most have either not got the room or desire or the cash to devote their living rooms to be taken over by an out-sized HD TV).
  
  Many consumers already say that they don't think Blu-ray is worth the premium when compared to upscaled SD DVD on those 32" - 50" HD TVs and that they see little difference anyway.
  
  So you can be pretty sure they are not going to be seeing much difference (if any) when they compare their HD TV services which offer HD on their TV all the time compared to an expensive occasional Blu-ray disc on an expensive Blu-ray player
  (which isn't even available in the final spec yet).
  
  Especially now we are getting some of the truth about those BD profiles.
  
  Where we were once told over and over that any claims that profile 1.0 & profile 1.1 discs and players might have serious problems with profile 2.0 discs and players was just HD DVD 'FUD' we now have the BDA's own admission that it may well be the case.
  Worse they also now plainly have said that if so then it's tough luck, profile 1.0 & profile 1.1 standalone owners "knew what they were getting into".
  
  So, who'd buy anything that isn't a profile 2.0 player?
  
  (which also begs the question, where are the profile 2.0 discs and players?
  
  Are they likely to run to the same repeatedly delayed timetable as the profile 1.1 stuff?
  
  Will they be even more expensive?
  
  The only answer they can provide (which must go down a bundle with all the other manufacturers) is that the PS3 is probably (not certainly) the only safe bet.
  
  Like we all want a, limited spec, game console as our movie player; not!)

  11.1.2008 17:37 #19

• ZippyDSM

  hughjars
  Some might bash on the 360 for launching to soon and not waiting for the Hdef spec but BR doesn't have a clear path at spec either they seem to be upgrading it on the fly...it seems BR was launched to soon and all the spec revisions a sign of it....hell even the coding for it is iffy....
  
  In the end I don;t care who wins but it seems BR has issues to deal with to get the format up to Hdef spec and get all the other bugs out of it...even if BR won tomorrow these issues wont go away for a year or 2.

  11.1.2008 17:44 #20

• juankerr

  Originally posted by eatsushi: VOD may be a future consideration when the infrastructure and bandwidth needed for 1080p and lossless audio become more reliable. Right now HD On Demand from Comcast (at least in my area) is still subject to dropouts and lost service especially during prime time hours. If I downloaded the number of gigabytes contained in the 18 high def discs I bought last month (due to the amazon BOGO's) I would definitely exceed the bandwidth limit of most ISP's.I agree. I see VOD and downloads as a direct competitor to video rentals - Netflix and Blockbuster. For serious movie collecors a physical disc will still be the preferred format.

  11.1.2008 21:47 #21

• ljbanner

  how is that dismall news there is still over a million hd dvd owners out there,the best news all round is that every studio supports both then there would be no formatt war and nobody would lose out its that easy.

  12.1.2008 08:13 #22

• ljbanner

  also there are smaller studios still backing hd dvd and there are directors like steven spielberg who can choose for himself to go in 1 or both formatts,the cleaver ones are the ones who do both and its the fence sitters that will balls it up for everyone,go for both in mass market and they will have no choice but to produce in both then there is no format war.

  12.1.2008 08:17 #23

• borhan9

  I feel this is not the end of that really they will make a choice later in the future i am sure.

  22.1.2008 16:30 #24