Damed

You can't prove a negative.

Show me proof that they DO want it to happen.

tbickle

So you mean Microsoft wouldn't want their rival Sony to succeed? Wowzers. I can assure you Microsoft would be all smiles if HD-DVD won this war...which would pretty much render the PS3 half a paperweight. This is simple stuff people, it's called business, and this borderline cult mentality that's derived from thedigitalbits has got to stop - the ideas thrown around are getting more and more insane. It's painfully obvious that most people that are taking up these views have absolutely no insight into the actual industry. I suggest everyone go back and read Alan Bell's interview about the decision to back HD-DVD. These are very real and valid points. These decisions are not made on a whim and are certainly not made to upset. These guys are making six and seven figures for a reason and it's their job to know more than almost anyone else. "Incentives" and "Money" will always be factors but you don't think every major studio out there would be able to get these deals with both the backers of HD-DVD and Sony? Since Bill Hunt's utterly superfluous "stance" against HD-DVD a while back, anything he says should be considered moot - it should be clear that he now has a considerable ego riding on how this "war" turns out...

theflyingdutch

You can certainly use common sense and logic to prove who clearly wins when HD-DVD and Bluray are out of the picture.

Damed

Microsoft have a vested interest in seeing the PS3 fail.

theflyingdutch

Microsoft has a vested interest to see both fail in the end. Can you spell antitrust? I can.

The Bus

The menu for Pearl Harbor on DVD... The menu... cost $100,000.

(According to an insider here many years ago).

Damed

...and SONY have a vested interest in seeing HD-DVD/Microsoft/Toshiba fail..

THIS IS A BUSINESS. EVERY PARTY IS ONLY INTERESTED IN THEIR OWN BOTTOM LINE. FACT.

theflyingdutch

When you collude to see a product fail by paying off one side in order to see the overall technology fail so that the consumer comes running after your technology that's called antitrust, not just doing business. Please, give me someone here who knows commerce.

Josh Z

This is different from what Sony has done, how?

I don't think you have any real understanding of the words you're throwing around. It's time for you to stop posting and cool off for a few days. I would suggest that a suspension is in order.

Damed

1) There is no proof Microsoft "paid off" anyone here. In fact, they specifically and outright deny it.

EVEN IF THEY DID

2) How is it different from the BDA "paying off" studios to be exclusive or neutral? They want the other format to fail so the consumer comes running after their technology only.

IT'S THE SAME DAMN THING.

ChrisHicks

is anyone else starting to think that the line being drawn in the sand between the formats is basically adults vs. children? on one side you have a group who just buys movies to enjoy with no issues while on the other side you have a group who does nothing but whine about every damn little thing like a kid who doesn't get that new toy?

maybe one of these should be included on each HD disc package:

GMan2819

Not.

While it is true that MS believes the future is VOD, the industry in general believes it to be true as well. The infrastructure for VOD is not ready and will not be ready on a wide scale for a long time. MS did not side with HD DVD just so neither side could win. Think about that. That is just plain ridiculous. Why would a company invest money in something where there is no return? Companies exist to make as much profit as possible. MS chose to go with HD DVD for several important reasons which should be apparent to you by now - BD specs were not finalized, BD made certain features optional and not mandatory (which hurts the developers and in turn, the consumers), and BD costs more to produce. You need to research the issues more because you are obviously misinformed.

theflyingdutch

Excuse me? And you're a moderator? I haven't done anything to deserve a suspension.

As for Sony, they have direct interest in one of the formats.

theflyingdutch

Microsoft has also been taken to court and lost $100s of millions for monopoly practices (albeit not in this arena), but that doesn't stop them from doing them. There's millions and probably billions more at stake here in the end. Microsoft wants everyone to come to them in the end. Monopolies at their worst.

pro-bassoonist

Quite the contrary!

I've actually restrained myself from posting in this thread for the last 48 hours precisely due to the fact that there is very little known about this deal. I've also spoken to two people (and you will have to simply accept the fact that I won't post here and refute what has been said just for the sake of it),
one of which happens to be associated with Paramount's production team.

So...

Here's what I have to say to you: the deal was so far up the ladder that even those who were directly under the few who signed it were unaware of it.
Which leads me to believe that a) either someone is flat out lying about the thorough analysis and research this decision was based upon or b) there is a lot more to this deal we don't know about. Whoever did the research and whoever must have gathered all the data for the substantial period of time the article implies must have been an insider between insiders.

On Sony's side there is absolutely no doubt who "sponsored" the deal. The difference is that this endorsement was timed well-ahead of a PS3 announcement and a new application which was to transform the machine in more than just a game-console with a BR drive. This is as much as I could tell you from my personal correspondence.

Pro-B

Vipper II

Business at its nature.

And again:

Microsoft has an HD DVD add-on for its game console. To me, that indicates it, too, has a stake in HD DVD. If the primary purpose was to obliterate the HD formats, why spend the money to support one of said formats in the first place?

The Bus

Exec: "Hey, can you send over the latest figures to me from our catalog and HDM sales?"
VP: "Sure, it'll take a few hours for my team to assemble it."
Exec: "Thanks"

I don't know about your job, but if you need to give data to a superior, I don't often ask what it's for unless it helps me prepare and present it better in some manner.

GMan2819

What is this collusion that you speak of? There is no proof whatsoever that MS made any payments. MS has publicly denied making any such payoffs. FYI, the leak about the supposed payoff may have come from a Sony PR firm so until you know the whole story, you are just jumping to conclusions.

raven56706

who cares.... MS and Sony are businesses out to make money... they are almost like the freaking mafia....so who cares... if your on the payroll, then care.. if not who gives a flying (bleep)

The Bus

So you've got a problem with a company that continually refuses to use open/accepted formats and standards, instead using internally developed formats that they include on all their products but almost no one adopts?

So do I. Only thing is, I'm not talking about Microsoft.

pro-bassoonist

What you seem to imply in your post I think that I actually agree with. Which is why I disagree with what Mr.Bell's is citing as the reason for their decision. The sales data was not in favor for such a move! Clearly there is more here that hasn't been revealed.

Regardless...I am not going to post any further in this thread until I actually have more info to share.

Pro-B

Rusty James

At the end of the day, what difference does any of this make?

No matter how the deal was struck or who struck it, the fact remains: You can't buy Paramount movies on Blu-ray. Period.

The Third Jake

It's not just sales data; there's also development costs to consider, which neither you nor I have any idea of.

Plus, of course, a healthy dose of forward-thinking, which any decision of this magnitude should include.

raven56706

fanboyisms and conspiracy peeps are crazy... does it matter if it was funded by microsoft....

pro-bassoonist

You should clearly read more and know more if you wish to argue about matters you do not grasp well. A quick pointer: the deal does not address ALL of Paramount's catalog as one of my fellow reviewers wrote above. And a large number of Paramount's titles are in fact distributed by other majors in Europe.



Pro-B