PS3 General discussion thread

[PirateThom]

FT.com / Mergermarket - Paramount in HD DVD blow

As posted in general discussion:

"Paramount is poised to drop its support of HD DVD after Warner Brothers’ recent backing of Sony’s Blu-ray technology, in a move that will sound the death knell of HD DVD and bring the home entertainment format war to a definitive end.

Paramount and DreamWorks Animation, which makes the Shrek films, came out in support of HD DVD last summer, joining General Electric’s Universal Studios as the main backers of the Toshiba format.

However, Paramount, which is owned by Viacom, is understood to have a clause in its contract with the HD DVD camp that would allow it to switch sides in the event of Warner Bros backing Blu-ray, according to people familiar with the situation.

Paramount is set to have a bumper 2008 with several likely blockbusters, including the latest instalment in the Indiana Jones franchise.

Paramount joining the Blu-ray camp would leave HD DVD likely to suffer the same fate as Sony’s now obsolete Betamax video technology, which lost out to VHS in a similar format war in the 1980s.

Warners decision last week to throw its weight behind Blu-ray saw it join Walt Disney, 20th Century Fox and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as backers of the Sony format.

The Warners move gives Blu-ray about 70 per cent of Hollywood’s output, although the format’s grip on film content will increase further when Paramount comes aboard.

It is unclear whether DreamWorks Animation has the same get-out clause in its contract with the HD DVD camp.

However, Paramount and DreamWorks have a close relationship, with Paramount distributing DreamWorks Animation films. The two companies also signed their HD DVD contracts at the same time. Meanwhile, Universal has declined to comment on its next-generation DVD plans since the Warners move.

Sir Howard Stringer, chief executive of Sony, on Monday held out an olive branch, saying the company would be “open to dialogue” with the HD DVD camp to “grow the market”. The move came as new figures showed that Blu-ray had opened up a decisive lead over the rival home entertainment format.

Sir Howard said: “We are not going to push people around. We’ll talk to anyone ... we have a lot of work to do to grow the market. We’ll be systematic and open to dialogue at all times.”

He added that Sony still had “a lot of work” to do to get Blu-ray “widely accepted” among American consumers.

“With Warner’s support you saw billboards going up in different places and you saw television commercials getting more and more sophisticated and that’s what we’ll continue doing,” said Sir Howard."

[boffo]

Hurry up Universal. I want some Blu-Ray Army of Darkness.

[cyclone87]

Poor vinnie97, I feel your pain.

[boffo]

PS3 owners demand porn, Digital Playground steps up to the plate - Engadget HD

Digital Playground has apparently decided to go Blu-Ray exclusive. Now the format war is definately over.

[boffo]

Punch Jump :// NEWS - CES 2008: 87% of owners watch Blu-ray movies on PS3 - PS3

Latest Sony claim now has 87% of PS3 owners watching Blu-Ray movies.

[rounds1]

Originally Posted by boffo

Punch Jump :// NEWS - CES 2008: 87% of owners watch Blu-ray movies on PS3 - PS3

Latest Sony claim now has 87% of PS3 owners watching Blu-Ray movies.

"An internal survey conducted by Sony."

That says about everything you need to know on those figures. They probably asked 100 people - all of which work for Sony.

[boffo]

Originally Posted by rounds1

"An internal survey conducted by Sony."

That says about everything you need to know on those figures. They probably asked 100 people - all of which work for Sony.

That's how smart people survey.

[Fyrus]

Originally Posted by boffo

Hurry up Universal. I want some Blu-Ray Army of Darkness.

I saw the first in the series last night. Perhaps the funniest movie I've ever seen. Can't wait for the second and the third.

[boffo]

Originally Posted by Fyrus

I saw the first in the series last night. Perhaps the funniest movie I've ever seen. Can't wait for the second and the third.

You thought the first Evil Dead was funny? That's the only one where they make an actual attempt at making a horror movie. 2 and AoD focus way more on the comedy part of comedy horror.

[rounds1]

Originally Posted by boffo

You thought the first Evil Dead was funny? That's the only one where they make an actual attempt at making a horror movie. 2 and AoD focus way more on the comedy part of comedy horror.

That's what I was thinking, too....maybe there were 1 or 2 humorous scenes, but overall the movie was meant to scare.

You obviously couldn't go without laughing about the hand, but some of that movie -- at least what I can remember of it -- were pretty nasty.