Paramount Cancels HD DVD Slate

 

Video Business is reporting that Paramount Home Entertainment has canceled all their future HD DVD titles following next week's releases of Into the Wild and Things We Lost in the Fire.

Titles that had previously been announced but are now confirmed as canceled include Sweeny Todd, There Will Be Blood, Bee Movie, The Jack Ryan Collection, and The Kite Runner.

The studio has not yet announced release dates for their return to the Blu-ray disc format... though an announcement containing the initial titles and dates is expected soon.  Rumors suggest that announcement may be coming on March 4, though that date isn't yet confirmed.

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BBSpot: Top 11 Ways Sony Plans to Celebrate Their blu-ray Victory

 

Althogh BBSpot has been pro-HD DVD (like most of the Microsoft-sponsored online media) they have posted a humorous Top 11 list, of how Sony intends to celebrate its Blu-ray victory.  They take a lot of potshots at Sony in the process, but since we've won the format war, it's okay to laugh at the losers, now, I suppose:

11.  Add rootkit code to all Blu-Ray DVDs.

10.  Send solid gold fruit basket to Time Warner.

9.  Change name of Blu-Ray to something more meaningful. Like HD-DVD.

8.  Get unused "Victory for Betamax" banners out of storage. Edit them for the party.

7.  Call guys at Toshiba, and play Beck's "Loser" over the phone.

6.  Watch Rising Sun on their HD-DVD player.

5.  Release next generation of Higher-Definition video.

4.  Get T-shirts printed up that say, "The HD stands for Hopeless Despair" and send them to engineers at Toshiba.

3.  Raise price on Playstation 3 by $100.

2.  Release Gigli on Blu-Ray.

1.  Savor the brief moment of victory, while preparing for the next embarrassing defeat.

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Opinion: Why Blu-ray Will Succeed

 

With the recent death of the competing HD DVD format, many brand loyalists (read: paid shills) have taken to proclaiming that digital downloads are the future, or that DVD will continue on forever as the media format of choice.  Granted, these same people predicted that HD DVD would win the format war, so their crystal balls are obviously in need of serious repair, but since the claims are being made, it's worth taking the time to refute the nonsense.

First of all, DVD sales are falling.  Already.  That's the primary reason a new format is deemed necessary by the studios.  DVD is 480p at its best.  There's no getting around it -- DVD is standard-def in a soon to be high-def world.  Consumers can already watch the news (CNN) in HD... why the hell would ANYONE want to watch Hollywood films in a lower quality than the nightly news?

While HDTV still has a long way to go before completely replacing SD sets, the upcoming U.S. "analog sunset" will help a great deal... as will the fact that major retailers, such as Bet Buy, have stopped carrying SD sets in larger display sizes.  HDTV is here now, and as consumers replace their existing sets, its popularity will continue to grow exponentially.

In the retail market, even upconverting DVD players have reached a point where the profits to both retailers and manufacturers are almost nonexistant.  There is essentially no motivation for salespeople or retailers to try to push upconverting DVD players on new HDTV purchasers.  Blu-ray players, on the other hand, still produce a significant profit for both stores and manufacturers.  Given that Blu-ray is TRULY HD, and not just upscaled SD... there is significant benefit to the consumer as well.  With the format war out of the way, stores are going to be pushing like-branded Blu-ray players to those customers shopping for HDTVs in a big way.  And consumers... seeing the huge picture quality advantages will take advantage of the "combo offers" made by retailers and will be buying into Blu-ray at the same time as they get their new HDTV.

The "keeping up with the Jones'" factor cannot be ignored either.  Prior to HD DVDs downfall, many consumers didn't want to risk being left with a soon-to-be-deceased format.  With that settled, and Blu-ray as the sole mainstream HD format going forward, it is now the "must have" product for technophiles and others who want to be ahead of the curve.  Soon, the trend will move to the average consumer, much as DVD did in the late 90s.  Soon enough, most consumers will know SOMEONE with a Blu-ray player that won't shut up about how much better it is than DVD, and will decide that they, too, need it.

As for "digitial downloads," the latest brainstorm from previous HD DVD supporters, I'll admit... it IS coming.  Is it a threat to Blu-ray?  No.  Digital downloads will make a dent in the rental market... that much is certain.  How much of a dent it makes has yet to be determined, and depends upon a number of factors such as cost, quality, and availability of high speed internet access for the consumer.  The digital download services currently available lack the quality and title availability of Blu-ray discs.  Worse, they cost more to rent than Blu-ray discs. There really is no upside, except, perhaps in convenience.  The quality will go up some, prices may come down a bit, but the overall strategy of digital downloads (and cable/satellite VOD as well) is to offer as much product as possible... not to provide the best viewing experience possible.  As such, the amount of content available will likely increase, but the quality of the actual product is unlikely to take a major turn for the better... especially compared to the quality of Blu-ray disc.

As for digital download services that provide an ownership model similar to that offered by Blu-ray disc or DVD, no successful service yet exists.  One or more are likely coming... but again, the quality of the transfer is sure to pale in comparison to Blu-ray, and any "bonus content" is sure to be left behind in an effort to minimize the bandwidth required to download the purchase.  For those who supported HD DVD due to its having less DRM than Blu-ray, be prepared for the apocalypse, as digital downloads will be chalk full of DRM, and will prevent you from doing things you CAN do with Blu-ray disc... such as loaning discs to friends or selling titles you no longer want. 

The other MAJOR problem for digital download services is that no retailer will be pushing for the technology.  Best Buy, Circuit City, Wal-Mart, etc. all have a major interest in preventing digital downloads from becoming a viable alternative to in-store sales of media.  Media... Bluray or DVD... provides profit to retailers and gets consumers into the store at which point they may be able to be sold on other products with an even higher profit potential.  Digital downloads and VOD services keep customers in their homes, and currently don't provide any revenue to major retailers, so their interests are completely at odds with potential providers.  To those who don't think the Best Buy's of this world have any influence over consumer trends... there is no hope for you.  To the realists in the audience, however... just know that what stores push is what sells.  I don't want to imply that consumers are sheep... but... it's pretty simple really.

In short, Blu-ray is THE future HD format, and there's not a whole lot the haters can do about it.  All the phophesizing and FUD in the world can't change the facts in the stores.  Those with an irrational hatred of certain companies will certainly hate the reality of the situation, but that alone won't change it.  The future is here.  And... "The future is Blu."

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SCEA Prepares New 80GB PS3 Model

 

With the recent discontinuation of the 80GB PS3 Bundle featuring the hit game Motorstorm, many were left wondering what Sony's plans were as no new higher-end PS3 SKU was announced at that time that retained any backward compatibility with PS2 games.

At their Destination PlayStation event today, Sony revealed their plans for a revamped bundle set to hit store shelves later this spring.

The new bundle, which will retail for $499, includes:

• 80GB PS3 (with the same backwards compatibility with PS2 games the previous 80GB model had)
• DualShock 3 controller
• Metal Gear Solid 4 game

Obviously, the new bundle won't launch until Metal Gear Solid 4 does, but it should make for a great value for the many gamers who were waiting for AAA game titles such as MGS4 before spending the money on a PS3 system.

The new DualShock 3 controller that is included with the new system bundle will also be available separately starting April 15 at an MSRP of $54.99.  The DualShock 3, as its name implies, brings back the vibration feature made popular in earlier PlayStation consoles.

The reason for discontinuing the existing 80GB model so long before the launch of the new bundle wasn't revealed, but it seems likely that the new model will use the 65nm Cell processor currently found in the 40GB PS3 model.  The 65nm Cell processor uses considerably less power and runs cooler than the 90nm Cell processor found in earlier PS3 models.  If fabrication of the 90nm Cell processors has ceased, then it makes sense that the system using it would need to be discontinued -- or at least refitted with the newer processor.

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80th Annual Academy Awards Recap

 

The 80th Annual Academy Awards were held this past Sunday at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, CA.  The show ran smoothly despite despite having a much shorter preparation time than usual due to the Hollywood writer's strike. 

The Winners of the night were:

Best Picture: No Country for Old Men

Best Director: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood

Best Actress: Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose

Best Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men

Best Supporting Actress: Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton

Best Animated Feature: Ratatouille

Best Documentary Feature: Taxi to the Dark Side

Best Documentary Short Subject: Freeheld

Best Original Screenplay: Diablo Cody, Juno

Best Adapted Screenplay: No Country for Old Men

Best Cinematography in Film: There Will Be Blood

Best Original Score: Atonement

Best Original Song: “Falling Slowly“, Once

Best Foreign Language Film: The Counterfeiters

Best Film Editing: The Bourne Ultimatum

Best Song: “Falling Slowly“, Once

Best Sound Mixing: The Bourne Ultimatum

Best Sound Editing: The Bourne Ultimatum

Best Animated Short Film: Peter and the Wolf

Best Live Action Short Film: Le Mozart de Pickpockets

Best Art Direction: Sweeney Todd: The Barber of Fleet Street

Best Visual Effects: The Golden Compass

Achievement in Makeup: La Vie en Rose

Best Costume Design: Elizabeth: The Age

Sadly, due in part to the lack of any major blockbusters being nominated for major awards, this year's Oscars were the least viewed telecast since Nielson started recording the numbers.  But the big winners are fantastic films, even if their success at the box office hasn't been earth-shattering.

No Country for Old Men, the big winner of the evening, is a brilliant work by the Coen Brothers, telling the story of a drug-deal gone bad -- and the effects on various people involved in its aftermath.  It's a brutal film with some amazing performances... but the viewer needs to be prepared for the story to be told in a rather nontraditional way.  Exposition and explanation are largely absent... and that works to the film's benefit, though some viewers will find it difficult for that reason.

There Will Be Blood, written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, was the other true masterpiece released this year.  Like No Country for Old Men, its a dark tale, but absolutely brilliant in its execution.  The story revolves around Daniel Plainview, as portrayed by Daniel Day-Lewis in one of the all-time great film performances.  Plainview is a self-described "oil man" back in the early 20th century who makes a fortune swindling a town out of the land rights to their oil rich property.  The story follows his business success and personal failures, which eventually drive him into a despair and madness that feels so true that it will chill you.

Juno, in stark contrast to the above films, is a charming comedy about teen pregnancy -- not exactly typical Oscar fare.  The script, though, by first-time screenwriter (and former stripper... er, "exotic dancer") Diablo Cody is extremely intelligent, with dialog far smarter than anything ever said in real life.  Despite the "smarter-than-you" dialog, there's a fundamental humanity in the film that pulls you in as a viewer, and really makes you like the characters in this film despite all of their (MANY) faults.

Michael Clayton is a very solid legal thriller that in a year with less truly amazing films likely would have done far better at the Oscars.  As it is, it largely took a back seat to the above films.  It's very much worth checking out, though, for the great performances and well-crafted script. 

One other film that is very much worth checking out is In the Valley of Elah, a story about a father searching for his missing son, who had recently returned from serving in Iraq.  Tommy Lee Jones puts in a fantastically restrained performance, and the film does a great job of exploring the culture of the military and the effect of war on soldiers, without being overly judgmental or political in dealing with the current war itself.

All of the above films except for There Will Be Blood have been released or officially announced for release on Blu-ray disc in the U.S.  There Will Be Blood, which is a Paramount release, has a trailer up on the Hollywoodinhighdef website stating that it is coming to Blu-ray... though no official announcement has been made.

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Paramount/Dreamworks Announce Blu-ray Support!

 

Within two days of Toshiba's announcement that they would be discontinuing production and sales of the HD DVD format, the last of the HD DVD-supporting studios have now announced Blu-ray Disc plans going forward.

Universal, long Toshiba's chief ally, made their announcement of support for Blu-ray yesterday, and now today Paramount has sent a notice to The Hollywood Reporter that they, too, will be supporting the Blu-ray Disc standard:

"We are pleased that the industry is moving to a single high-definition format, as we believe it is in the best interest of the consumer," the statement reads. "As we look to (begin) releasing our titles on Blu-ray, we will monitor consumer adoption and determine our release plans accordingly."

No specific release plans dates were announced, but it is expected that the titles Paramount had previously released on Blu-ray Disc (and then pulled when the studio made a deal for HD DVD exclusivity) would be re-released to the retail market first, followed by announcements on new titles.

This means that all six of the major Hollywood studios officially support the Blu-ray Disc format, unifying Hollywood behind the next-gen optical format.  This should end the customer confusion that was associated with the "format war" and allow consumers to buy into the format with confidence that the format has the full support of Hollywood.

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Engadget's "10 Things to Do with Your Now Defunct HD DVD Player"

 

Hopefully, my readers don't have a now defunct HD DVD player, so hopefully you all will take this better than the commenters on Engadget did, but just for fun, here's their list:

1. Mail it to the office of Howard Stringer in protest of Blu-ray's victory.
2. Plug it into your clothes dryer's 240-volt outlet. Woops, honey! My bad, guess we have to buy a Blu-ray player now.
3. Finally, replace your Betamax player.
4. Buy the Blu-ray player of your choice, put it in the box, attempt to return it as "defective."
5. Channel it through Whoopi Goldberg and make some pottery with it.
6. Put a Blu-ray disc in the tray and then call up Toshiba when it doesn't work. Repeatedly.
7. Put it in a time capsule, just to confuse future generations.
8. Buy a few dozen of 'em and build a little hut for your Blu-ray player.
9. Lock it alone in a room with a few lethal weapons... let it die honorably.
10. Use it to upscale DVDs, which is all you ever used it for anyways.

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Universal Announces Blu-ray Support!

 

Things are obviously going to be happening quite quickly now that Toshiba has officially pulled the plug on the HD DVD format.  Home Media Magazine has spoken with Universal Studios Home Entertainment President Craig Kornblau, who officially announced the studios' Blu-ray plans:

"While Universal values the close partnership we have shared with Toshiba, it is time to turn our focus to releasing new and catalog titles on Blu-ray.  The path for widespread adoption of the next-generation platform has finally become clear. Universal will continue its aggressive efforts to broaden awareness for hi-def’s unparalleled offerings in interactivity and connectivity, at an increasingly affordable price. The emergence of a single, high-definition format is cause for consumers, as well as the entire entertainment industry, to celebrate."

Hopefully a press release will follow soon with some title announcements including dates.  And expect a similar announcement from Paramount/Dreamworks shortly.

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Official Press Release: Toshiba Exiting HD DVD Business

 

Well, it's official now.  Toshiba is exiting the HD DVD business and will stop selling product in retail by the end of March.  This includes all HD DVD players, recorders, and PC drives.  No mention was made if they will make a Blu-ray Disc player in the near future or if they intend to stick with DVD for the time being.

Their official press release is shown in full below:

Toshiba Announces Discontinuation of HD DVD Businesses -- Company Remains Focused on Championing Consumer Access to High Definition Content

TOKYO--Toshiba Corporation today announced that it has undertaken a thorough review of its overall strategy for HD DVD and has decided it will no longer develop, manufacture and market HD DVD players and recorders. This decision has been made following recent major changes in the market. Toshiba will continue, however, to provide full product support and after-sales service for all owners of Toshiba HD DVD products.

HD DVD was developed to offer consumers access at an affordable price to high-quality, high definition content and prepare them for the digital convergence of tomorrow where the fusion of consumer electronics and IT will continue to progress.

"We carefully assessed the long-term impact of continuing the so-called 'next-generation format war' and concluded that a swift decision will best help the market develop," said Atsutoshi Nishida, President and CEO of Toshiba Corporation. "While we are disappointed for the company and more importantly, for the consumer, the real mass market opportunity for high definition content remains untapped and Toshiba is both able and determined to use our talent, technology and intellectual property to make digital convergence a reality."

Toshiba will continue to lead innovation, in a wide range of technologies that will drive mass market access to high definition content. These include high capacity NAND flash memory, small form factor hard disk drives, next generation CPUs, visual processing, and wireless and encryption technologies. The company expects to make forthcoming announcements around strategic progress in these convergence technologies.

Toshiba will begin to reduce shipments of HD DVD players and recorders to retail channels, aiming for cessation of these businesses by the end of March 2008. Toshiba also plans to end volume production of HD DVD disk drives for such applications as PCs and games in the same timeframe, yet will continue to make efforts to meet customer requirements. The company will continue to assess the position of notebook PCs with integrated HD DVD drives within the overall PC business relative to future market demand.

This decision will not impact on Toshiba's commitment to standard DVD, and the company will continue to market conventional DVD players and recorders. Toshiba intends to continue to contribute to the development of the DVD industry, as a member of the DVD Forum, an international organization with some 200 member companies, committed to the discussion and defining of optimum optical disc formats for the consumer and the related industries.

Toshiba also intends to maintain collaborative relations with the companies who joined with Toshiba in working to build up the HD DVD market, including Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, and DreamWorks Animation and major Japanese and European content providers on the entertainment side, as well as leaders in the IT industry, including Microsoft, Intel, and HP. Toshiba will study possible collaboration with these companies for future business opportunities, utilizing the many assets generated through the development of HD DVD.

All that's left is to see announcements from Universal and Paramount/Dreamworks, which could come as early as later today.

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Blu-ray Deals of the Week (2/17-2/23)

 

Despite the claims on the internet that Blu-ray sales would come to an end with the death of HD DVD, retailers are continuing to offer some fantastic deals on both discs and players.  In-store deals are generally good Sunday - Saturday unless otherwise noted.

Amazon.com:

• Buy 2 Get 1 Free on select Sony, Warner, and New Line titles
• Panasonic DMP-BD30K Final Standard Profile (BonusView capable) Blu-ray Disc player on sale for $429.99
• Samsung BD-P1400 Blu-ray disc player on sale for $356.99
• Sharp Aquos BD-HP20U Blu-ray disc player on sale for $316.15
• Sony BDP-S300 Blu-ray Disc player on sale for $349.77

JR.com:

• Select Sony Blu-ray titles on sale for $11.99 and $15.99 -- sale ends 2/17

BestBuy.com:

• Select Sony Blu-ray titles on same for 30% off -- sale ends 2/18 (online only)

Target:

• Free $40 Target giftcard with purchase of a PS3

Best Buy:

• $10 off select Blu-ray titles (sale prices are $14.99 - $24.99)

Circuit City:

• $24.99 sale on select Blu-ray titles

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