PerryD

My wife is as disinterested in home theater technology as any Joe 6P, but even she asks if there are any deleted scenes after the movie is over.

MrDs10e

Namja, I don't think the PS3/Blu-ray analogy holds water. The PS3 is a game system, and people buy it primarily to play games. So people not being aware of something that is in no way integral to the primary function of the device is not analogous to being a DVD owner and not being aware of special features. I mean, even the dimmest bulb, assuming they didn't read the back of the DVD case, is going to, after popping in their third or fourth DVD say, "hmm, what is this 'special features' button on the menu of every disc? Let me select it and see what's there".

I'd say the percentage of people who own at least 5 DVDs that are unaware of what special features are, is probably like 5% AT MOST. Now how many don't care? A much larger number obviously, but how large, who knows.

RockStrongo

I agree, but at least they were trying. I give them credit for that.

namja

Fine. I'll retract the 60% figure on DVD extras. That was a bad guess. And people were taking that way too literally and missing the point. The point was that J6P are a lot less educated than we think.

You and I are not the norm. Our friends (for those of us who have friends) are not the norm either. Think about your mom or your uncle or your grandpa. They are the J6P that we keep talking about.

cardaway

I don't know, but they already exist. Did you not know that?

Personally if it has to be two discs because the multiple docs and features are in high def, I'm not going to complain.

bretski

Gotta agree with namja on this. My parents are a perfect example. They actually *do* own a DVD player, but when I visited them recently, it wasn't even connected to the TV. Both of my parents are very intelligent people. They just really don't care about movies on DVD, much less worrying about HDM. It's much easier for them to watch a movie on HBO, etc.

cardaway

I totally agree. What I hear is "I don't watch them", not "what feaures?" Which in a way is sad, but also really annoying since I blame that mentality as the reason stuidios can get way with a 1 disc version for $X and a SE for $X + $10 (or more of course).

My favorite has to be the few people I've talked to that said they watched and really enjoyed features on TV that were actually on DVD's they own. They just never bothered to check the DVD to see what was there. Happens a lot on those 2D WB releases that include the TV specials about the movies.

bunkaroo

While I usually don't watch extras, after we finished watching Harry Potter OotP on BD, I clicked on the Trailing Tonks featurette. Now there's 20 minutes of my life I'll never get back.

I pretty much limit my extra watching now to feature-length documentaries on my favorite films.

jiggawhat

I actually agree with the 60% figure. I think the majority could give a shit about extras, that's why so many people rent. They just watch the movie and they're done with it.

Quake1028

I wonder if Bill Hunt has any clue what a complete and total douchebag he has turned into?

beene1000

Don't know if anyone else has saw or posted this yet, but Variety updated their article from this morning and are now reporting that Universal will end its HD-DVD exclusive contract on May 31. They did not announce Blu Ray support yet, but of course, it's only a matter of time.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...ryid=2112&cs=1

theflyingdutch

You are totally and completely wrong.

Patman

You misread the article, the May 31 date is ascribed to WARNERs drop-dead date for supporting HD DVD.

beene1000

Sorry for that. Guess I was thrown off by the link to the article from the original Gamespot article.

"Variety reports that Universal Studios has ended its HD DVD exclusivity deal, though it will continue to only support the format until its current arrangement with Toshiba ends May 31. The report did not indicate whether Universal will exclusively support Sony's Blu-ray format after that date. Speaking to GameSpot, a Universal Studios representative confirmed that, for the time being, the studio will continue to support HD DVD, though they would not say whether Blu-ray support is also on the agenda."

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6184567...stnews;title;4

g

http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/12473.cfm
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

darkside

Really? There are 3 million PS3s in the US and a big selling BD title sells a couple of hundred thousand. Sounds to me like the majority of owners are using it for games.

DVD Polizei

I agree. If I was Warner, I'd be calling the FBI and monitoring packages coming back via returns or especially non-return RMA numbered boxes/packages. Unfortunately, I'm serious.

--

Paramount and Universal could come out looking like heroes. Here's how.

They announce they are sticking with HD DVD, or at worse, going/staying neutral. They announce they are still supporting the HD DVD consumer. However, we know over time, HD DVD sales are going to look like a Bell Curve, with HD DVD being on the far-right (pending any totally wacked-out shit like Disney reversing its tune because Bill Gates offers them a ton of money).

So, Paramount and Universal can certainly support HD DVD consumers and "lessen" the pain by the end of the year by going neutral--but still selling Blu-ray. Then, simply announce at the end of the year they stuck with the HD DVD consumer and didn't bail out like WB did, but it was just getting too obvious, HD DVD was not selling, and Blu-ray has to be the new HD format.

Paraphrasing and it could be worded much more softer, but you get the drift.

Also, Universal and Paramount could offer a grace period for exchanging HD DVD titles for the same Blu-ray titles. This grace period would probably help the Blu-ray camp even more, and lessen the news announcement by the end of the year, they are going Blu-ray completely.

Since we have combo players coming along, Universal and Paramount should take advantage of this as well, and give the HD DVD consumer what he wants. HD DVDs, but for a limited time.

So, Toshiba has to get in on this action as well, and MS. We can't have these major companies sitting on the sidelines while movie studios determine all the rules.

theflyingdutch

One title sells a couple of hundred thousand. And what of all the other BD discs out there that play on that PS3? You completely ignore the fact that other discs sell and play on those very PS3s. Every person I have asked about PS3 have bought it to play Bluray movies. The comment put out that suggests that PS3 is just a game machine is bogus and yet more HD-DVD crapola.

cardaway

"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."

Current plan. Way to cover that ass Ken.

Patman

The attach rate of BD sales to PS3 sales isn't all that impressive, but if you think the PS3 is primarily a BD player, Sony is grateful.

theflyingdutch

Attach rates are BS. Attach rates are simply another effort by HD-DVD to make BD sound like the losing format. You use it when it suits your purpose and somehow forget it when it doesn't. Sorry, that game is over.

cardaway

I was thinking the "big selling" numbers were actually even lower.

But I do beleive that will change quickly now that the owners can have a little more confidence in buying BD movies. I received one out of the blue and my first thought was using it as a game only machine until the future got more clear. It just turned out that the wait was only a couple weeks.

jiggawhat

Why do attach rates even matter? We want the format that sells the most so that it's adopted widely. In that sense, attach rates don't matter. I don't understand why people keep harping on it.

Trevor

I think this has been mentioned before, but I'm afraid that the following may be true.

These other studios are publicly saying that they are not abandoning HD-DVD, for three reasons.

One, to get all the stores (and themselves) thru March when the 90 day return window for Christmas season shopping purchases is over. Two, to clear out existing inventory (we'll see lots of B1G1 offers). And three, to release, give much fanfare to, and sell the HD titles that they've already started work on.

But in the background, they are all cutting their losses and planning to totally drop HD-DVD soon. They will continue work on titles already in production, but will spend nothing on new title development. All the retailers only want one format, they'll get their wish very soon.

Patman

Posted by MrDs10e

"The PS3 is a game system, and people buy it primarily to play games. "

theflyingdutch countered with:

"You are totally and completely wrong."

The contention can then be read as:

"The PS3 is a blu-ray player, and people buy it primarily to play blu-ray discs."