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DreamWorks not yet ready to support Blu-ray

By Nate Mook, BetaNews

February 27, 2008, 12:03 PM

While the high-definition format war may be over, those Blu-ray owners wanting to buy Shrek and Bee Movie are out of luck for the time being.

DreamWorks Animation said yesterday it still had an exclusive deal with Toshiba to distribute its movies on HD DVD, and until Toshiba gave it the go-ahead, it would not begin offering movies in Blu-ray. DreamWorks will be releasing Bee Movie in March on HD DVD.

Like many of the studios who picked a side during the bitter next-generation DVD format war that has dragged on for the past three years, DreamWorks and its distributor Paramount Studios received a rumored $150 million in financial incentives for their allegiance to HD DVD.

But that exclusivity deal was thrown into uncertainty after Warner Bros. announced just before CES 2008 that it would stop releasing movies on HD DVD in June, which led Toshiba to pull the plug on the format earlier this month. According to Canada's Globe and Mail, Warner Bros. was paid $400 million by Sony for its exclusive support.

For its part, Paramount announced its intention to begin releasing movies in Blu-ray, but did not offer any specific dates. Universal issued a similar statement following Toshiba's news. DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg told Reuters that the studio was "poised either way to jump into the marketplace when the conditions are right to do so."

The problem all of Hollywood now faces is deciding how much support to give Blu-ray, especially considering consumer adoption of both high-definition formats has been miniscule thus far. DreamWorks may miss the opportunity for a simultaneous release of Bee Movie on Blu-ray, but when 99 percent of sales will be on standard DVD anyway, any concern is likely minor.

DreamWorks' and Paramount's exclusivity with HD DVD was scheduled to last until February 2009, and violating that agreement -- even with Toshiba ending production of HD DVD players -- could affect any payment the studios were slated to receive.

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By Ryusennin

posted Feb 28, 2008 - 5:29 PM

DVD is da shiznat.

Score: 0

By Bladeforce

posted Feb 28, 2008 - 10:54 AM

WHO GIVES A FLYING **** WHETHER DREAMWORKS GOES BLUE. THE FORMAT IS SONY AND SONY HAVE ALREADY DRIVEN A NAIL BETWEEN THIS FORMAT WAR BY SAYING THIS THEY HAVE WON. IT'S SONY THAT IS IN DENAIL ABOUT THEIR AFTER SALES, DRM INFESTED, CONSUMER ARROGANT VIEWS. BOLLOCKS TO BLUE THE FUTURE IS WITHOUT SONY!!!

Score: 0

By cranbers

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 9:52 PM

That's amazing some are still staying with the ship. The entire tech community is calling hd dvd dead.

That is surprising though, I thought for sure B R didn't have a chance when you go to the store and see hd dvd players for 100-200 bucks with the b r player next to it for twice or even 3 times the price.

Score: 0

By Galway

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 6:40 PM

At this point, I cant see a benefit to go blu. If anyone wants the film, they will buy it on DVD. The vast majority of consumers will buy what their player supports, and if they have an upconverter will look even better.

At this point, to go to the expence of producing a third format with the most expensive costs does not show a return. They can still produce duel format disks and comply with toshiba commitments.

What will be interesting is the position in the charts, because if this does not hurt them others might decide to restrict their blu titles to only the only ones they think can earn the effort.

Interesting ...

Score: 0

By aredo

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 7:36 PM

Any SDTV content encoded in simulated 16:9 aspect ratio on DVDs and upconverted to HDTV will never ever look the same as native 1080p HDTV content.
Telling otherwise it's telling a lie, period.

Those not buying Blu-Ray players, and the PS3 is the best available one so far, won't just be able to enjoy movies in true HDTV format. It's as simple as that. And if you got any HDTV plasma or LCD display and you keep wasting money and time on low spatio/temporal resolution DVDs then you really don't have a clue of what you are doing.

Score: 0

By Galway

posted Feb 28, 2008 - 7:08 AM

You have been brainwashed if you are attempting to say that you need a blu-ray player if you have a HDTV.

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Feb 28, 2008 - 1:05 AM

Again, you attempt to disprove something that was never mentioned. No one ever said that up-converted DVD looks "the same as" true high-definition 1080p material.

However, up-converted DVD looks almost as good as 1080p material when utilizing a player with good video processing (such as Faroudja DCDi).

For most people, the differences are marginal... except for the difference in price, and people notice that immediately.

Score: 0

By dvferret

posted Feb 28, 2008 - 4:23 PM

So many people say they hardly notice a difference yet I see a huge difference.

Score: 0

By God Dammit

posted Feb 28, 2008 - 2:45 AM

The Faroudja DCDi video processor is one of the worst for upscaling video to 1080p. The cheap Mediatek video processor in my Oppo Digital DV-980H player does a much better job, but I still prefer the Silicon Optix Reon video processor in my Toshiba HD-XA2 HD-DVD player.

Score: 0

By wreckedchevy

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 8:36 PM

just watched 30 days of night on my a2 and it was freakin unbeleivable pq. so while it's not "true hd" it was more than good enough for me.

Score: 0

By plague201

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 5:44 PM

Wasn't this war over in January when Warner pocketed a substantial sum of money to go blu-ray? I don't think its worth the time to talk about a crappy movie not being released on blu-ray. I'm still waiting for GT5 before I buy a PS3

Score: 0

By dvferret

posted Feb 28, 2008 - 4:23 PM

GT5

Probably the only game i will ever buy for pos3

Score: 0

By il-loostya

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 10:18 PM

I got my PS3 a couple of weeks back... GT5 Prelude is good enough until the GT5 is out... Video steaming HD is also nice... though similar to the 360.

Score: 0

By BrokenHALO

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 8:17 PM

Yes it was over in January, but this website and most commenter's are in denial.

Score: 0

By dvferret

posted Feb 28, 2008 - 4:24 PM

Not another dave/steve/...

Score: 0

By SGD

posted Feb 28, 2008 - 9:22 AM

Hi Dave.

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Feb 28, 2008 - 12:57 AM

Something about you sounds familiar. :)

Score: 0

By Setian^Stalker

posted Feb 28, 2008 - 4:28 AM

Yep he created yet another account name :(

Score: 0

By Galway

posted Feb 28, 2008 - 7:11 AM

Should have made it BrokenPROFILE

Score: 0

By slinkys_delsol

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 3:33 PM

I see all the Studios on the Boat by XMAS 2008 no matter what.

Dreamworks may just be covering their own a$$ to a degree. What I am thinking is they intend to honor the agreement if not for Toshiba at least for their customer's (You know US) sake.

I am a PS3 owner and I am blown away by the picture quality of both the games and the few BR Movies I have bought, but the high cost of a simple BR player will drive it to die.

People's pockets are tight right now especially because of the cost of Oil. Everything is up in price and it all gets passed down to the consumer. Some people can't afford Milk right now and People are not going to pay $400 - $700 for a DVD Player that is just going to give them a few more pixels.

For the people who have $$$ they will not B*tch, but most of us are not in that class.

I could see if the players hovered in the $200 - $300 range overerall, but if you are going to spend $400, you might as well get a PS3 which will give you the BR Playback, be a game console, and Internet port and and overall media center.

Players going for $400, so you are telling me that your cost to make the player is in the $200 - $250 range??? I can understand the cost with the PS3 only from the point is does have a Processor in it which is the main cost of the item.

Granted, BR won the HD Format battle, but with Bandwidth going up @ a cheap rate (FIOS and Cable) VOD and HDVOD (Video on Demand and HD Video on Demand) will kill off the overall need to buy any DVD, Standard or HD.

Score: 0

By aredo

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 7:41 PM

Don't be silly. Video On Demand will never replace the discs. Holographic media will be used for UHDV H.265 encoded content by 2014-2015 and that will replace Blu-Ray, not the DRM infected money stealing things that low quality online distribution services will keep offering to customers.
There will never be enough bandwidth in customers houses to let them download high bitrate video content and anyway manufacturers won't use online services to sell the same digital copy that is sold on Blu-Ray discs and that won't be accepted by the majority of customers. No one wants to waste money to buy something that disappears due to DRM or gets locked to any specific player, it's delivered at a lower quality and so on.

Score: 0

By Setian^Stalker

posted Feb 28, 2008 - 4:31 AM

Dam, drm steals money these days? Technology is going so fast I cant keep up with it! ....
I suppose the DRM in hd-dvd/blu-ray is OK with you? Its just that evil money stealing stuff that comes with VOD?
You either love it or hate it.

Score: 0

By gregmlr

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 3:13 PM

I wonder why Sony hasn't paid DreamWorks off yet? I really don't know why these studios are in such a tizzy over these two formats. Especially since the BRD supports announce their products are available on the format in their commercials BEFORE they do DVD, when they may sell one BRD to every 30 DVDs.

Score: 0

By pridewalker

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 3:25 PM

"I wonder why Sony hasn't paid DreamWorks off yet?"

There's no real need to anymore, now that the format war is over.

Score: 0

By portvista

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 1:59 PM

Who cares? I don't own their stock!

Score: 0

By Paul Skinner

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 1:29 PM

"DreamWorks will be releasing Bee Movie in March on HD DVD"

Just don't release it at all.

We all know "Bee Movie" is long for "B Movie".

Score: 0

By treworld

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 2:53 PM

I agree with Paul. They're just wasting their money producing the HDDVDs.

Score: 0

By labomba

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 1:08 PM

TheLookAndSoundOfDead are idiots. It's just a matter of time and I guarantee it before summer hits that DreamWorks will be on the Blu pill. Who is in the right mind that their source being Toshiba already pulled out of the war and that should clearly indicates that there is no absolute future going and making HD DUD movies? Unbelievable. And what do you mean Par is not offering specific dates? Paramount have already release Blu Ray movies. Check the link below from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/s/...words=paramount+blu+ray

Score: 0

By kappen

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 3:34 PM

Those are from when Paramount was format neutral before they went exclusive. If you look most are unavailble or 3rd part sellers or just crappy movies.

Score: 0

By terminalx

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 1:36 PM

Take the blu pill? You sound like a raving moron. Had you bother to check your references, those movies were released prior to them going exclusive. Dreamworks is being smart in this as there is no proof blu-ray will catch on as the consumers DID NOT CHOOSE the format, they bought a ps3, doesn't mean they willingly wanted to use it as a blu-ray player.

Score: 0

By labomba

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 2:13 PM

You are an idiot. It is the consumers that has the majority of the impact on why BD came up as the winner. It's not just the player purchase factor but most definitely the BD media movies are the major factor on why BD movie sales is winning for over a year now since it came out. You been smoking that peyote waay too much bro. No they are not. They, being Par, stopped selling BD as soon as they switched to DUD last year. They just released these right after they made their announcement last week. These BD Par movies are the movies that were already made last year when they made a switch to HD DVD. For them to make a statement not to offer specific dates is BS. DreamWorks is not being smart on this one bro. I believe that Toshiba has their string still attached on their necks on this one. As I have said, DreamWorks will be turning Blu by summer. You just wait and see.

Score: 0

By preinterpost

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 4:39 PM

Kiddo - the few ppl caring or even owning hd players did not decide this war. Studios getting paid off and people bribed with hell knows how much turns the tide. Have you any sense how much $400 million is.

Score: 0

By terminalx

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 3:58 PM

Had PS3 not included a blu-ray player this war would have been won by hd-dvd as blu-ray stand alones were dismal in sales.

As has been stated why would someone that owns a ps3 buy a hd-dvd player and spend even more money?

Why does movies that are a year old have far more features then blu-ray yet you keep calling it a dud. They look EXACTLY the same, there is no difference, the main difference was hd-dvd was dual sided and had far more features as the players were built from it from the start. For blu-ray to have the same features that were standard from the start won't begin until oct 08.

Finally, the hd market is quite small and blu-ray could go the route of laser disc.

Score: 0

By labomba

posted Feb 29, 2008 - 7:39 AM

You better lay out that peyote, it's affecting you badly.

Score: 0

By dvferret

posted Feb 28, 2008 - 4:26 PM

Very true!

Score: 0

By pridewalker

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 3:22 PM

First, as others have pointed out repeatedly, consumers haven't choosen anything here.

According to the NPD data for 2007, blu-ray players (meaning players, not game consoles) and HD DVD players each had 49% of their market (the remaining 2% went to dual format machines).

Dreamworks is being extremely smart about this...more-so than any other studio. Given the miniscule nature of the market for hd media, there's no real need (at the moment) to rush blu releases to market. They can sit back and enjoy the profits of standard DVD, safely, without the added expenses of producing in a second (relatively unproven) format; only releasing in blu when they feel it may be profitable.

Score: 0

By Danno

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 5:43 PM

"They can sit back and enjoy the profits of standard DVD, safely, without the added expenses of producing in a second (relatively unproven) format; only releasing in blu when they feel it may be profitable. "

Agree!

Score: 0

By labomba

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 3:27 PM

IF that is the case, then what do you think is going to happen for movies that are made by both Par and DW? Will Par has that control on releasing it on BD or will any movie that DW made, regardless of what other studios it has on the mix, has to wait to the sidelines? It just does not make sense for them to wait it out now that the stupid war is over.

Score: 0

By pridewalker

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 3:42 PM

The release of joint projects will be determined by who has those rights in the contracts (if Paramount has the rights for the home market, they can release the film on blu). It's how some movies that were br exclusive in the US, were released on HD DVD overseas (and don't forget that the DW/HD DVD deal didn't include Spielberg's movies).

From a business standpoint, it does make sense to wait, before releasing on BR...and it all comes down to the size of the hd media market.

Considering that this market, overall, is less than 2% of the total home movie market, why spend the extra money to release to the niche? Standard DVD sales (although they dropped a bit last year) are still astronomically higher than the total hd market combined. It makes more sense to let that market mature, while making their profit on the proven tech.

Score: 0

By labomba

edited Feb 29, 2008 - 7:40 AM

HAH! I knew I was right all along. The news today that both Par and DW's last HD DUD movie release is on March 4 and will start producing BD by summer (or earlier).

Whatever the mother hen goes (Par), the chicks always follow (DW). ALWAYS.

I TOLD YOU SO!

Score: 0

By Danno

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 2:45 PM

So in short what your saying is that it was the consumers who CHOOSE the crappy unfinished format known as BLoray and it wasn't the half a billion dollar bribe by Sony that made them go blue. In effect the Warner defection to Bloray (I say defection because it was a primary member of the HDDVD group) that helped with the move to the crappy format..

Your diluted and perhaps you should keep your comments to truth instead of fiction.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 2:45 PM

It's not just the player purchase factor but most definitely the BD media movies are the major factor on why BD movie sales is winning for over a year now since it came out.

*yawn*

PS3 owners bought movies. That is *all* this proves.

In effect, the war was decided by consumer apathy, if you are going to lay it wholly on the consumer. They had a PS3, didn't want to shell out another $100 for a different format when they had a player that already supported one of them.

The only way it would have been consumer choice is if the PS3 had been a dual-format player.

Do you honestly think it's coincidence that the cheapest Blu-Ray stand alones are the same price (or damn near as) the PS3?

Score: 0

By Danno

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 2:47 PM

PC_Tool
I agree.

I would like to add that we shall see if the format players do drop in price or if they go up in price to help alievate some of the monies already lost due to bribes and "costs of production" of the crappy players themselves.

Score: 0

By Khayman11

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 3:27 PM

Ah yes, I'm glad HD-DVD did nothing of the sort. Because they are above such petty things as bribes. **cough** "DreamWorks and its distributor Paramount Studios received a rumored $150 million in financial incentives for their allegiance to HD DVD." **cough** Excuse me.

Score: 0

By pridewalker

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 3:43 PM

*cough*According to Canada's Globe and Mail, Warner Bros. was paid $400 million by Sony for its exclusive support.*cough*

Please. These type of deals are nothing more than 'business as usual'.

Score: 0

By Khayman11

posted Feb 28, 2008 - 9:28 AM

Your right, it is business as usual. Never claimed otherwise. Just pointing out that HD-DVD did the same thing. The difference (besides the amount obviously) Blue Ray won. Does that make it fair game to point out that they did it insinuating that it was just them?

Score: 0

By Danno

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 1:49 PM

Terminaix

I think your right as do many other consumers. So does MS as they have no intention on providing a bloray external player. Lets face it the rest of us smart consumers who didn't and will not choose Sony know that they would rather go for either an upconverting dvd player or wait for HD OD.

BTW you ever notice the only people who say "blue pill" are the people who spread the rhetoric that Sony keeps trying to push down peoples throats.

Score: 0

By pridewalker

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 2:55 PM

I posted this awhile ago, but it bears repeating:

Why do the smurfs insist on using Matrix references, when that movie has yet to be released on their beloved format?

Score: 0

By Danno

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 5:48 PM

I agree..

I remember seeing a bs picture of the box though. Conviently on a Bloray.com i think it was.. but then again they had the symbols of HDDVD studio support logos on their website at the time.

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Feb 28, 2008 - 12:51 AM

Along those same lines, I'm still wondering where the fabled Blu-ray version of Transformers is. Almost every new Paramount release on DVD that has a Transformers preview on it, the end of the trailer has Blu-ray and HD DVD logos, noting availability for both formats. Odd...

Score: 0

By pridewalker

posted Mar 1, 2008 - 12:16 AM

If I'm not mistaken, most of those trailers were cut and included prior to the hd dvd exclusive announcement.

I wouldn't be surprised if the delay in a blu release is due to Michael Bay's inability to shut the **** up about br though...

Score: 0

By labomba

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 2:15 PM

Spoken like a tru DUD fanboy.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 2:46 PM

Spoken like someone who's mom should have taken the pill.

Score: 0

By labomba

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 3:28 PM

Yes, the blu pill that is. :-)

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 4:33 PM

Yeah, apparently she wasn't intelligent enough to read the label?

That's for dysfunctional men, sparky.

Score: 0

By Danno

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 5:45 PM

bwahahahaha
Too funnny man! Get em POS3 fanbois

Score: 0

By labomba

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 4:51 PM

If it works for women, why not. :-)

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 5:07 PM

*laughs*

Indeed.

Score: 0

By Danno

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 1:32 PM

I notice theres no transformers... hahaha
Waiting on the Blo version of Matrix still?
hahaha.

TFF

Can't wait and see if HD OD pwns Bloray and then all those Sony Fanboi's will retreat to the POS3 and play their substandard games.. By then maybe all the bugs will be worked out.. (SARCASM)

Score: 0

By Adrian79

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 2:37 PM

ps3 games are great fun :-) u must not own one. i barely use my x360 anymore, only for gears of war lol

Score: 0

By Danno

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 2:48 PM

Yea ok.. good i guess my connection will be that much better then. Are you in the market to sell your 360?

Score: 0

By Khayman11

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 3:33 PM

Probably not. Though I bet they will sell the HD-DVD addon dirt cheap.

Score: 0

By SGD

edited Feb 27, 2008 - 1:30 PM

Thanks for the news that we already know captain obvious. That is about dreamworks sooner or later going to blu. Like I said it appears you are sore that they taking their time. I'm glad to hear you are bitter about the delay.

Score: 0

By wreckedchevy

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 1:25 PM

and we kindly thank you for taking time away from all those ps3 games to stop by here and give us that very mature comment...

Score: 0

By Danno

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 1:29 PM

"and we kindly thank you for taking time away from all those ps3 games to stop by here and give us that very mature comment... "

well said. hahaha
Thmbs up on this comment!

Score: 0

By Banquo

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 12:21 PM

Not sure why Toshiba would still be holding them to that when they themselves have announced they no longer support HD DVD.

Score: 0

By lvthunder

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 12:40 PM

I bet Dreamworks hasn't asked yet. I can imagine that it is going to take the HDDVD companies longer to get their stuff on Blu-Ray since the Blu-Ray studios already have their place in line.

Score: 0

By Niro

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 12:30 PM

Because they would want some of that $150 million back...

Score: 0

By Banquo

edited Feb 27, 2008 - 1:01 PM

They probably would, but Toshiba is the one that called off the game. It's not Dreamworks' fault.

Score: 0

By Aires

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 12:19 PM

I'd like to see someone lease HD-DVD technology from Toshiba - there are too many HD-DVD players and discs out there for this to go the way of Betamax.

Score: 0

By lvthunder

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 12:38 PM

The only thing I can think of would be a game console. If I made a gaming console I would want a format that makes it really hard for the pirates to copy the discs. HD-DVD would be perfect for that since there aren't too many burners out there.

Score: 0

By SGD

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 12:10 PM

If it pisses off the blu ray fan boys then good for dreamworks.

Score: 0

By DB22DODGE

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 9:25 PM

HDDVD are flying off the shelfs and Amazon can't keep up with the demand. Blu ray still struggles.Doesn't make to much sense to me this whole thing. I own a toshiba HDDVD player ,I watched the prices and got a 750 dollar item for 235. It plays perfectly...I am tickled to own it and it upconverts to 1080i on regular DVDs.I'm just sitting back laughing at this whole thing , while watching 5 year old DVDs that look fantastic.

Score: 0

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