E Unit

God I hope that never happens.

Mr. Cinema

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End sold 160,000 Blu-ray copies. The dvd sold 8 million. But still, it's good we have another big seller in HD.

http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6512540.html

RichC2

Now imagine if it was a good movie.

Mr. Cinema

I thought it was pretty good. I liked it more than part 2. Could've been trimmed by about 30 minutes. But the first 1 is still far better than the sequels.

Goldblum

What?

E Unit

I was reponding to PopcornTreeCt's post#99 where he says he says every studio should go neutral.

PopcornTreeCt

Why not?

applesandrice

If they all went neutral they could take a lesson from Warner Bros. and release each format with different special features, so dual-format fans are forced (ha) to buy both versions. Call it "instant double-dipping".

Do you hear me Fox??

tonymontana313

I thought it was a good movie as well. IMO, it was a better third than Shrek and Spidey.

E Unit

It's never worked before. It makes no sense on both sides, for the consumer and the business, to carry out this kind of media barrage, through sales and PR campaigns where both sides constantly spoon-feeding us data that never truthful. I personally think if there were only one format - BD or HD DVD, then the news would simply be about what the studios have to offer, not everyone bitching about numbers, attach rates, and all that stuff that was never talked about during the DVD era. I know it makes for interesting debate, but for me it's just personal, I'm tired of the spin. Yet I keep reading all about it.....

DVD Josh

That's actually a pretty decent point. Or it will encourage the format to develop competing features of interactivity.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, both formats are very strong but one should prevail. I don't care which.

bunkaroo

Just wanted to post that Fry's had Terminator 3 on Blu-Ray out early.

I checked the back art, and sure enough, there is no TrueHD.

RockStrongo

Of course I dont speak for all dual-supporters, but I would never buy both just for special features. Thats ridiculous.

applesandrice

I think it'd be pretty ridiculous, too. Hence, the "ha".

Ridiculous as it may be, however, I don't think it'd be entirely unlikely. Studios have clearly demonstrated their desire to keep selling us the same movie over and over again. And consumers (like myself) have historically demonstrated that they have more dollars than sense (get it? "cents"? ha, again!).

RockStrongo

Im sure we will see the studios "double-dipping" with the big titles.

Im not really opposed to it though (when they improve the quality and add special features that may not have been available at the initial release).

I can handle those. I just sell/trade in my old copy and buy the new one.

I never have 2 copies of the same movie though (even those that are criterions).

Its a business and they are trying to make a profit. I understand that.

In this case though, I do not think the general public cares (or will care) about either of these formats enough to replace their catalogs.

Hell, Ive been renting movies lately and if the high-def version is rented out, I just get the SD version. It really hasnt bothered me.

applesandrice

I'm right there with you. Typically whenever I "upgrade" a disc, I'll pass the old version along to my dad. I've still wound up keeping a few where not all of the features carried over, or whatever.

I don't know, though -- watching SD when you could wait a day or so and watch in HD? That's twisted.

RockStrongo

Unfortunately, the BBV rental policy (in store), where you can keep movies a week or more, makes it difficult to rent a Bluray disc since they usually only get 1 copy or maybe a few at the most.

As far as online (hd and bd), most of the ones that I want to watch are "long wait". So, I turn to SD. Sucks, but the players upconvert nicely, so its no big deal (especially new day/date movies where the SD transfer is good).

Those movies that I care most about, I purchase anyways.

Steve

question: why don't the studios release the high def version FIRST, and then wait, oh say 3 months and then release SD. That would get a lot of people talking about high def (blu-ray? what's that? what's happening to SD? is it that much better? how much does it cost? etc.).

It might also anger a few people, but if it truly IS the next generation, then at some point the studios need to treat it as such..

I remember the day when I saw advertising that went "xxx now on DVD!.. (pause) and also available on VHS". It really sent a powerful message. at least in my opinion.

and please ensure that ALL supplements from any SD version is included in the high def one, shall we?

MBoyd

Well some DVDs come out almost immediately to 6 weeks after a theatrical run now. Studios rely on that revenue (which is falling if we are to believe all the reports) and wouldn't want to wait another 3 months to release something. Can you see Disney being happy with selling only 200,000 copies of Blu Ray pirates and waiting another 3 months to sell 8 million? That would be February and I personally thought people were pretty much over Pirates now. Nobody is buying anything in February except us hard core DVD addicts.

Now I will float another idea out there . . . how about a bare bones HDM two weeks after a theatrical release with standard DVD and special feature HDM coming on the usual schedule?

Jim

Also, it would require two marketing budgets since they'd have to advertise at different times.

tonymontana313

Rdjam over at AVS is sending out a newsletter from his mess of a website stating that a major BD studio is going neutral in the next few days.

The kicker is the studio is New Line with their release of Pan's Labyrinth who's been neutral from the get go. What a whack job this guy is!

Goldblum

Plus all the problems MBoyd mentioned.

MBoyd

That's rich.

Hammer99

LOL @ Rdjam, what a goof!

Mr. Cinema

Maybe he doesn't see light at the end of the tunnel anymore.