Did studios trade HD DVD backing for cash?

Disney's CEO thinks so, accusing Paramount and DreamWorks of accepting large incentives to back Toshiba's high-def format.

The story "Did studios trade HD DVD backing for cash?" published September 19, 2007 at 7:05 AM is no longer available on CNET News.

Content from Reuters expires after 30 days.

[EarthMatters]

Seems one sided

To be fair, could it not also be asked of Disney why they support only one format? What are they planning to do for those 200,000 Walmart HD DVD players that are coming?

[fred dunn]

Does it matter? I'm not a gambler, are you?

It's not the players that ultimately cost the consumer it is the library of titles you purchase after that dwarfs that cost.
So are you willing to have thousands of dolars tied up in content that is now unplayable?

It is a moot point. All are at fault and the consumer that buys into this mess is a fool.

[Heebee Jeebies]

Actually...

It is more like DVD verses Circuit Cities Divx format in 1998. It doesn't matter, only fools would buy either system.

If the electronic makers and Hollywood can't figure out which one is best why on Earth should the consumers even bother.

Robert

[mattumanu]

Exactly!!

Just give us one type of disc and stop playing games. Oh wait, maybe DVD had an monopoly and it needs to be broken up because it used it's position as an unfair advantage to squash all competitors!

In light of that, I want 1000 proprietary disc types to stimulate competition.

Sheesh... Seriously, why do we need more than one type? It just slows down adoption. I don't think people want to have such a disjointed library of discs on the shelf, or even two formats.

[fred dunn]

Agreed...

No one has anything to lose but the consumer at this point.

[hpew]

Give US the Choice

The studios should issue movies in BOTH formats

[fred dunn]

Why? So THEY can have a warehouse full...

of media that is no longer playable or desireable?

They are no fools. They are taking the money NOW while they can. What other reason is there? They know there is going to be a loser (or both will lose) otherwise you would see an HD equivalent for all of their current titles. The last time I checked the range of titles was pretty limited. The studios are taking this slowly and with good reason, they don't want to wind up with warehouses full of media they can't sell.

[fred dunn]

Who Cares? Neither are going to last anyway...

By choosing to "battle it out" they are forcing the consumer to make a choice that could in the long run lose them a lot of money.
So the HD-DVD players are less expensive that the Blu-Ray, so what?
My last DVD player cost $60 but I have probably $2000 worth of DVD's.
It's not the up-front cost that should concern consumers rather it is the collection of content you will purchase and in the future not be able to play.

This battle is really a no brainer. Neither one will "win". Why? Because while they are duking it out technology marches on and new higher capacity media and players will take their place.

Technology doesn't stand still to wait to see who wins rather a prudent company will take this opportunity of indecision to introduce it's "killer player and media"

Did the studios take the pay-offs, sure they did and why not? What do they have to lose?

Nobody except the consumer that buys into one or both of these technologies is the loser.