Report: Universal to Sell Blu-ray, Too
LAS VEGAS -- What a difference a week makes.
Seven days ago, CES still loomed ahead, and rival formats Blu-ray and HD DVD were still locked in a heated and contentious battle for dominance.
Then Warner Bros. jumped the HD DVD ship.
Now comes word that Universal Studios--the HD DVD format's most staunch ally among the Hollywood studios--will be ending its exclusivity arrangement with HD DVD. The report first appeared in Variety.
If true, then future looks beyond grim for the HD DVD format. Sales figures already appear to show that Blu-ray is ahead. Universal's defection would leave only Paramount left in the HD DVD camp, and Paramount reportedly has an escape clause in its contract that it can invoke under the current circumstances.
Ironically, amidst tales of a payoff, Paramount switched from being format neutral back in August to being HD DVD-exclusive.
For more CES news, go to PCW's CES Info Center.
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Can't wait for Paramount to invoke the clause and release Transformers on Blu-Ray ! ;-)
Can't wait for Paramount to invoke the clause and release Transformers on Blu-Ray ! ;-)
Why would the studios adopt a format if it is more expensive to make, have to pay higher royalty fees and the players are more expensive for the consumer? Someone is paying someone off. Blu Ray is not better than HD-DVD and I will continue to purchase HD DVD or simply wait for a format that supersedes Blu Ray.
it will get cheaper man
i dont want hd dvd to win if they can only fit a movie on there and not have room for some extra features.
image lord of the rings trilogy, lol, 20 disc set on hd dvd, j/k
Who cares if Universal sells HD-DVD! No on will buy it anyway.
"It's Over Johnny!"
Jediman98, one very simple reason why the studios will. MONEY! When a given format is outselling the other by a near 2-1 margin (in disc sales) then the studios pay attention.
Toshiba makes a big seal over how many HD-DVD players have been sold compared to Blu-Ray but neglect to mention how many PS3's have been sold (that also happen to be Blu-Ray DVD players).
The only thing that kepth HD-DVD alive in the studios minds at all was that one stat they could keep throwing out, "We have more stand alone players being bought". So what? If customers won't buy the discs to go with it then it really doesn't matter to the studios and we're finally starting to see that.
I think the decision was made for two reasons.
First of all, Blu Ray has a pit width of 0.13 um vs. 0.20 um for HD DVD and a distance between tracks of 0.32 um vs. 0.40 it also has a much thinner lacquer layer, 0.1 mm vs. 0.6 mm. OK, what does all that geek-speak mean? Because the ‘bits” are smaller, Blu Ray can record a lot more data on a DVD than HD DVD can. Blu-Ray can get 25 GB of data on a single layer DVD and 54 GB on a dual layer DVD. HD DVD can only get 15 GB on a single layer and 30 GB on a dual layer.
A lot of this has to do with the ultra thin lacquer layer that allows the read head to be closer to the recording surface. Wow, more data for us! But the extra data comes with a cost, and an advantage to the DVD makers. The thinner lacquer layer means the DVD can be damaged more easily – we will have to replace more damaged Blu Ray DVD’s than HD DVD’s.
Bottom line, they can give us a better product that we will have to re-purchase more often!
I think the decision was made for two reasons.
First of all, Blu Ray has a pit width of 0.13 um vs. 0.20 um for HD DVD and a distance between tracks of 0.32 um vs. 0.40 it also has a much thinner lacquer layer, 0.1 mm vs. 0.6 mm. OK, what does all that geek-speak mean? Because the ‘bits” are smaller, Blu Ray can record a lot more data on a DVD than HD DVD can. Blu-Ray can get 25 GB of data on a single layer DVD and 54 GB on a dual layer DVD. HD DVD can only get 15 GB on a single layer and 30 GB on a dual layer.
A lot of this has to do with the ultra thin lacquer layer that allows the read head to be closer to the recording surface. Wow, more data for us! But the extra data comes with a cost, and an advantage to the DVD makers. The thinner lacquer layer means the DVD can be damaged more easily – we will have to replace more damaged Blu Ray DVD’s than HD DVD’s.
Bottom line, they can give us a better product that we will have to re-purchase more often!
BitBanger said:
A lot of this has to do with the ultra thin lacquer layer that allows the read head to be closer to the recording surface. Wow, more data for us! But the extra data comes with a cost, and an advantage to the DVD makers. The thinner lacquer layer means the DVD can be damaged more easily – we will have to replace more damaged Blu Ray DVD’s than HD DVD’s.
Bottom line, they can give us a better product that we will have to re-purchase more often!
BitBanger do more research! Blu-Ray disks were in cartridges before TDK developed the hard coating for the disks. The coating is thinner, yes, but the coating is also far harder than that of DVDs and HD-DVDs. Blu-Ray disks are very hard to scratch, and are a better product even physically than HD-DVDs.