Warner to join Paramount in going HD DVD only?

[diogen]

BluRay should just fold ...

If this happens before Paramount's 18 months "lockup" ends, it will be mostly because
of BD's blind hatred towards everything-HD so colorfully presented on forums like blu-ray.com

Diogen.

 

[r.jones1116]

If this happens before Paramount's 18 months "lockup" ends, it will be mostly because
of BD's blind hatred towards everything-HD so colorfully presented on forums like blu-ray.com

Diogen.

According to Paramount's CTO, the decision to go HD-DVD exclusive is indefinite, not 18 months.

PC World - Paramount's CTO on Why His Studio Is Dumping Blu-ray

 

[harshness]

And considering BD loyalty resembles Apple's in the computer world, I don't think any of the two formats are going anywhere any time soon.

And where in Sam Hill is Apple in all of this?

 

[diogen]

According to Paramount's CTO, the decision to go HD-DVD exclusive is indefinite, not 18 months.

The quote is actually very vague: "At this moment in time, it's an indefinite commitment."
I'd think it is something like this: We will bankrupt you if you bail out of this commitment within 18 months. Later - we'll talk about it.

And where in Sam Hill is Apple in all of this?

Apple, like an old wise magician, will appear on the scene just before the fog clears and try to do what it does best - make the most money of this whole mess...

Diogen.

 

[John Kotches]

And where in Sam Hill is Apple in all of this?

Making iPods and iPhones.

 

[CochiseGuy]

Warner VP Nickerson steps down!

From Highdefdigest -

Warner's High-Def Disc Guru Exits Post
Fri Aug 24, 2007 at 03:59 AM ET

In the week's latest high-def stunner, Warner Home Video's next-gen guru Steve Nickerson has announced he will step down.

A senior vp at Warner, Nickerson was arguably the most visible executive in the high-def disc space, and a passionate cheerleader for the studio's dual-format stance.

Coming only days after Paramount (the only other dual-format supporting studio) announced that it would back HD DVD exclusively, news of Nickerson's exit is already raising a few eyebrows, with speculation swirling that perhaps Warner is also considering changing its format-neutral stance.

For the record, an article in Friday's Hollywood Reporter states that Nickerson is leaving the company to pursue other opportunities that will be announced shortly.

"While it's hard to leave a company like Warner Bros., I have appreciated the opportunities that I have been given here and, especially, the chance to work with so many great people," said Nickerson.

OK, normally I would file this under "Gee, maybe he's was sleeping with the CFO's wife & got caught, but for Nickerson - who was the main force behind TrueHD BD/HD DVD combo disk - to step the same week Paramount went exclusive, something is under foot at Warner.

 

[MW390]

From Highdefdigest -



OK, normally I would file this under "Gee, maybe he's was sleeping with the CFO's wife & got caught, but for Nickerson - who was the main force behind TrueHD BD/HD DVD combo disk - to step the same week Paramount went exclusive, something is under foot at Warner.

I agree....timing is awfully suspicious

 

[navychop]

Oh, the pot, she be stirred a wee bit more.

 

[berck]

It does seem strange Cochise.

 

[CochiseGuy]

It does seem strange Cochise.

Nope, turns out we (me ) read too much into this because of Monday's events. According to Video Business he's leaving at the end of September for a job that was too good to pass up, and Warner says his leaving "doesn’t suggest an upcoming shift in the studio’s high-def operations."

Warner Home Video’s high-definition czar Steve Nickerson will exit the company at the end of September to pursue other opportunities, said Mark Horak, the studio’s executive VP/general manager of worldwide operations and new packaged media.

Nickerson did not specify his next endeavor but expressed gratitude for his time at WHV.

“While it is always hard to leave a company like Warner Bros., this rare opportunity was unexpected, but it is exactly the sort of job that I have long wanted to do, so I did not feel I could let it pass,” said Nickerson. “I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with and learn from the many creative and smart people there.”

Nickerson, who joined the studio in 2000 as senior VP of market management and managing director/general manager for Australia and New Zealand operations, will be replaced by Dorinda Marticorena. urrently VP of kids and sports marketing, Marticorena has been promoted to the senior VP of high-def post and will move into her role upon Nickerson’s departure.

 

[navychop]

Oh, I wouldn't be too sure you read too much into it. It still seems suspicious to me. But we'll know soon enough. Maybe CEDIA.

 

[harshness]

Apple, like an old wise magician, will appear on the scene just before the fog clears and try to do what it does best - make the most money of this whole mess...

Not exactly the kind of support from a named partner that the BD camp was hoping for to be sure.

 

[delanewf]

Boy, this whole thing is just getting messy. Paramount goes exclusive and Nickerson, pro HD-DVD guy at neutral Warner, suddenly wants to pursue other interests. I believe Nickerson prefers neutrality because he sees the ability right now to make money from both sides even though he personally prefers HD-DVD(for what reason, I can't fathom).

Let me know what you think of these two scenarios or throw in your own if you have one: #1. Nickerson changes heart about neutrality and wants Warner to go exclusive HD-DVD and take money from whomever to do it and Warner says "Forget it, we're staying neutral. Go find another job". Not likely but still a possibility. #2. Warner is thinking about going exclusive (not sure which way) and Nickerson, who prefers HD-DVD but is a stronger proponent of neutrality says "I won't have any part of it. Goodbye". More likely than #1. But which way would Warner go if they went exclusive? I think Warner preferred HD-DVD in the past thanks to Nickerson. So if we see a blu-ray edition of Matrix and Batman Begins coming soon, I think we can guess which way they are going. On the other hand, if we don't that may tell us something also. Then again they may stay neutral because all of this means nothing.

All of this is just confusing an already confusing situation, from the standpoint of the average consumer. Neither format will be adopted any time soon with a mess like this.

 

[diogen]

Not exactly the kind of support from a named partner that the BD camp was hoping for to be sure.

I suspect Apple could be the only company that wasn't "incentivized" to join BDA.
They are a member of DVD Forum. Considering how secretive BDA is wrt BD specs, Apple joined BDA to stay in the loop and be informed. Very pragmatic, I think.

Some other non-obvious "achievements":

- they voted for HDi in BDA (it lost to BD-J anyway);
- they had the very first hidef disk authoring tool and it was for HD-DVD;
- they were the first to implement H.264 in a mainstream product (QT7) although in a propriatory container (mov);
- they share MS' vision that a PC is going to dominate the living room (although they disagree on which OS will run on that PC ).

Diogen.

 

[navychop]

All of this is just confusing an already confusing situation, from the standpoint of the average consumer. Neither format will be adopted any time soon with a mess like this.

Yep. It delays a BD win, or ensures both survive, or perhaps both rot. I sure hope it's not the latter. Of course, if Disney went neutral or switched sides, maybe HD DVD would pull that rabbit out of the hat after all, and trump Blu-ray. I'd be sad to see the technologically superior format lose, but I'd sure be grinning over the baloney company taking it on the chin. Rootkits for everyone!

 

[r.jones1116]

Yep. It delays a BD win, or ensures both survive, or perhaps both rot. I sure hope it's not the latter. Of course, if Disney went neutral or switched sides, maybe HD DVD would pull that rabbit out of the hat after all, and trump Blu-ray. I'd be sad to see the technologically superior format lose, but I'd sure be grinning over the baloney company taking it on the chin. Rootkits for everyone!

As far as movies are concerned, pease state the facts that make BD superior to HD-DVD.

 

[navychop]

You are the one confining it to "movies." My comment was on technical merits- higher capacity, both actual and potential; and higher transfer rate, for example. You may think these unimportant, and you are welcome to you opinion. But I think they are important, both for movies and data storage.

 

[CochiseGuy]

You are the one confining it to "movies." My comment was on technical merits- higher capacity, both actual and potential; and higher transfer rate, for example. You may think these unimportant, and you are welcome to you opinion. But I think they are important, both for movies and data storage.

Even if BD fails as the next gen format for home video, it will be around for a long time - the PS3 assures that. And it can & will be used for computing / data backup. Although the dual layer 50GB is apparently very difficult and expensive to produce. Only two facilities in the world have been able to produce them in significant quantities - Sony, and independent replicator Cinram (Warner is their largest customer).

Take a look at independent disc maker Pacificdisc's BD pricing:

Bulk Blu-ray Pricing

Quantity........Single Layer.........Dual Layer
1000*.............$2.95.....................N/A
2,500*............$2.05.....................N/A
5,000*............$1.95.....................N/A
10,000............$1.75.....................N/A
25,000............$1.59.....................N/A
100,000..........$1.45......................N/A

Notice all the "Not Available" for the Dual Layer? The Sales Rep posted the link in the AVS Insider's Forum, and was asked about that. He said no one but the major studios can get the DL, and when asked about availability Sony told them "not for the foreseeable future".

Something funny is going on with the 50GB DL BD boasted so much about. They launch BD movies in June of last year, but the first 50GB DL release wasn't until September or October.

But don't worry. Triple Layer 51GB HD DVD discs are expected to have the specs finalized soon.

 

[John Kotches]

Cochise:

For computers is Blu-ray really a viable option? It will have to come way down in price and way up in speed to compete with disk --> disk as a viable backup alternative.

Hard drives are getting too spacious and too fast for them to be backed up with anything but either another disk (PCs / consumers) or high end tape drives.

It might be suitable for local archiving but that's about it IMO.

Cheers,

 

[CochiseGuy]

Cochise:

For computers is Blu-ray really a viable option? It will have to come way down in price and way up in speed to compete with disk --> disk as a viable backup alternative.

Hard drives are getting too spacious and too fast for them to be backed up with anything but either another disk (PCs / consumers) or high end tape drives.

It might be suitable for local archiving but that's about it IMO.

Cheers,

Personally, I would never bother using a BD or HD DVD for backup. Even at home with 2 desktops & 1 laptop I just backup to one of the other desktop's 300+GB SATA drives. And those USB drives are looking real attractive. I was just trying to reassure those worried about losing that Blu-ray's "superior capacity".