Universal Studios goes beyond HD-DVD

Today, Universal Studios Home Entertainment raised the bar on HD DVD's unique web-enabled experiences by unveiling an Internet infrastructure that allows it to take advantage of the guaranteed Internet connection in every HD DVD player and deliver compelling, title specific features. Heroes: Season 1 on HD DVD was the first title to take advantage of web-enabled capabilities, but with the forthcoming availability of Evan Almighty on HD DVD, Universal is setting the stage for new home entertainment experiences with web-enabled features such as the Download Center, U-Shop, and much more. Taking advantage of the infinite possibilities of web-enabled experiences, Universal is utilizing HD DVD to explore the promise of digitally distributed scenarios and infusing movie content with e-commerce and social media capabilities.

[sak500]

So the HD DVD was dead??

[marinelife9]

I just want to watch the movie and then go do something else. I don't even watch the extra content that's on DVD's now. Let alone do I buy the T-shirt.

[nasim]

It is all over for HD DVD

panasonic,mitsubishi and almost all other jap maufacturers have already dropped support for HD DVD

BD outsells HD DVD 9:1 in JAPAN and 4:1 in EU

2:1 in NA

BTW big BD guns like SPIDEY 1,2,3 and PIRATES 3 are due this FALL

along with mega-hit BD exclusive movies.

is there any doubt that HD DVD wont be dead/is not dead

[cuco33]

According to the BDA, Sony and all Sony fanboys, HD DVD has died 5 times by now. :rollseyes:

Let's see about them Panasonic branded BD players... They aren't moving them and are now packing 2-4 movies in the box (for a total of 7-9 free BD movies, not a bad deal) with every Pani BD player. They preached HD DVD would die soon enough by Jan 1. Pani needs to stick to TVs. They are getting desperate to move their players.
Samsung cancelled their latest due-to-be released BD stand alone. They also are making a dual format player (mind you Sami is on the BDA board :rollseyes:). Likewise LG is doing the same with dual format players. side note: both sami and lg BD players are having issues not playing some BD movies and BD1.1 hasn't even been released! Is this what trolls mean by 'superior format'?

Again with nasim's stupid made up numbers. It's 1.5:1 in NA and that's with studios making less profit on BD than HD DVD. 9:1 in JAP, a market that HD DVD isn't fully focusing on and makes up a little over 5% of overall worldwide HDM sales. EU you can thank the PS3 for that advantage, sucks that it's diminishing too don't it ;) but like I've said in the past what do you care what format is doing in JAP or EU if those disks can't play on NA BD players (dependent on studio's desire to have region coding)? At least for the HD DVD fans we CAN buy HD DVDs from JAP or EU regions and play them in our NA players without any issue. side note: a region can do whatever they want, you should ONLY concentrate on the region you are in because that is all that matters for BD, sadly for you blu boys that doesn't correlate with the HD DVD boys as mentioned, we CAN play outside disks in our players. again, where's the superior format?

nasim, you seriously have to stop copying and pasting your FUD. you can be excited about POTC or Spiderman in BD all you want. Just stop acting like a tool doing so. Embrace both formats... Both are coming out with blockbuster hits. BD is in shambles right now with how they are doing things. Many CE companies and studios are NOT happy with BD so expect things to change after XMAS07 if BD doesn't show a massive improvement in sales (and not a spike or two the weeks a hit is released)

To be on topic: not everyone enjoys the interactive features but want to know something? BOTH FORMATS ARE GOING FOR THIS!!!! So for all the bluboys saying this is useless (mainly because it's on HD DVD now, you know... finalized spec and all) is doing so as a fanboy since BDA is expected to do the same when BD2.0 aka BD-Live comes out which... won't be for a long long time (BD1.1's deadline has been delayed already to 10/31/07). I'm personally not one to go through all my HDM's features but for those movies I absolutely love I will. This is what HDM is about, interactive features built into high definition entertainment.

[Bloodmask]

It seems that HD-DVD is the way to go for truly unique interactive online features. And with internet connection available on every HD-DVD players all consumers with internet access can enjoy these enhancements.

[Lumbo]

obviously you confuse having an ethernet port with having Internet access.

close to no one hooks up their DVD players to the internet with a freaking lan cable straight through the living room.

[Bloodmask]

I know you are just a PS3 fanboy who tries to insult everyones intelligence. Yes I do know the "difference" bw an ethernet port. The connection for the Cat5 cable. And an internet connection. Which could even be dial up and not even use Ethernet cable.

And how do you know how many people use cable or wireless connection for their DVD player. Or how many will access the net at all. Have you conducted a worlwide survey??

[WilliamRLBaker]

do you actually think bloodmask, that the common user even knows an hd dvd player has ethernet? oh the movie buffs and the tech heads do but the common user does not.

I dont believe there is single DVD player that has one, and HD DVD players have them now, so no common user even knows it exists, If blu ray had it no one would know either so its not about bluray vs hddvd, its just a simple fact and logic that a common user isn't gonna know about or use an advanced option like net connectivity.

[harpua]

yawn

[weekapaugh]

I'll take a dead media format grasping at straws for $300 Alex.

[Keyser]

This is not necessary or something I ever wanted to do before, during, or after I watch a movie.

This = who cares.

[wangdiddy82]

who the hell cares about going online while you watch a freaking movie???? Thats what your computer is for.. I really dont even care about the extra's..

All i care about is

1st thing = good movie
2nd thing = clear a$$ picture
3rd thing = great sound

[Rooftrellen]

I actually agree than when I watch a movie, all I care about is the movie.

But ever since the birth of DVD, there has been all those little bonus features that I have to pick to play the movie out of them to watch the movie.

Extra features really mean something to a lot of people, even if they don't to us.

[blusoops]

If i'm gonna watch a movie...I'm going to sit there and WATCH it...not play games and interact w/the web! Plus not everyone is connected to the web as hard as that is to believe. Most people just want a good movie VIEWING experience!

[drewdrakes]

I buy a console for games, not movies. It seems a lot of things are being pushed. I also dont use consoles for web browsing. Stop including useless features!

[damnwrx]

Boring.

[demolitionX]

u think people will run a >10-30 foot wire to connect their player to the internet to watch interactive material...LOL!! give me a break! if all players integrate wireless access, it could make sense.
Blu-ray are more relaistic, u have 50GB u put whatever u want on it. don't ask me to connect to the internet watching some extra crap. I only care about the movie anyways.

[Plasmana]

I have an ethernet port in my living room! My HD-DVD player and my XBOX 360 share time using it (I plan to add a cheap 4 port switch for full-time hookups for both soon). A buddy of mine at work is buying a new house (in the Dallas area) which comes with home-theater cabling built in; including an Ethernet port!

The times they are a changing!

[jlytle1234]

Its not that bluray cant have an internet connection. Its that its not standard. But that only take a memo to change the bluray standard. And not having an internet connection isnt detrimental to the standards of watching a movie. Its not like they didnt put a hard drive in one of their next gen skus. Talk about detrimental.

[Kholinar]

...and that would be a good idea.

The updates and extra downloadable features are a great idea. People will love it. For example, you buy Spiderman 3 and your BD player starts it up one night and receives a message that the new Spiderman 4 trailer is available. So it asks you, "Would you like to watch the new S4 trailer?" Instant advertisement to your target audience. Photos from the set could also be included and news. Great idea.

But that's not why the movie companies will love it. They'll love it because incentive to hook-up your HD player will allow them to change firmware, change encryption codes, lock out pirated discs, shut off the players of content offenders. All the encryption that these two formats offer will be hacked... repeatedly. So online media is a bone to get you online. If this doesn't work, then they'll demand it. They'll ask you to start activating movies like windows.

They'll push it as far as they can. Ultimate dream? Pay-per-view on every disc. Sony's just stated this again on their music. http://arstechnica.com/news...
Don't think the movie arm is any different.

[Capt CHAOS]

I just agreed with every post... Hmm..

[wangdiddy82]

i love the fact my ps3 has a blu ray player. I use my ps3 for a lot of things.. Its just good to have those in the system becasue its hooked up to my big a$$ hdtv. Those extra features you can actually enjoy and use... But having internet for a movie is pointless if you ask me..

[joevfx]

blu ray didnt concentrate so much on internet interactivity yet. cause its just a gimmick and poitnless extra and Sony knows that. they are doin the right thing by concentrating on their movie library for blu ray and great picture and sound. then later they will add the pointless gimmicky stuff.

[Lumbo]

Only a fraction of the market buys HD Players, regardless if BluRay or HDDVD. From that fraction only about half buy standalone players for HD-DVD. From that half only a tiny tiny fraction hooks up the DVD player in the living room to the ethernet cable that is needed for these extra crumbs.

What was so great about these "features" for a disinterested handful of geeks again?

I hardly ever look at the DVD extras, and so do most other people.

And i won't get exited for Universals attempt to sell me more pointless merchandising crap and nickel and dime me to death.

[Bloodmask]

Lumbo,

Your right. I guess since "you" don't look at extra features almost everyone must not also. (insert sarcasm)

And once again how do you know how many people will access the net with their HD-DVD players. I would bet a lot of people access the internet from their living rooms if they have a console there most likely?? Whether it be a hardwire or wireless connection. I

I would likw to see the survey data you have collected to make such claims.

[WilliamRLBaker]

lumbo is right bloodmask, I dont get dvds for the crappy sounding, crappy video quality extras which usually suck in the first place.

You mean I get to pay for extras that suck? a interview that gives me inane facts about the movie and its production?
Most users buy it to watch the movie not listen to creator commentary.

[XxZxX]

this is a classical sign of trying to do too much. Let's face it. So your HD-DVD player can go online and download trailer and upload message, great but that's nothing special, easily can be done in computer and I think people are more comfortable with it. Just another useless hype feature.

[Kholinar]

Sure, it can be done on a computer.

The thing is, that makes the customer come to you... it's better to go to them. I'm not sure they are more comfortable downloading a trailer they don't know about either. This is information constantly available that the customer is very likely be interested in. They don't have to sign up or search. It's available the moment they insert the dvd they paid for.

So I agree with you that it's already available. I don't agree that it's easier on a computer for the majority of users.

It's certainly easier for the content provider to market.

[SlippyMadFrog]

The only people truly worried about the HD-DVD vs blu-Ray war are PS3 owners. If I owned a PS3, I would also be on here claiming HD-DVD is dead and spewing all sorts of hate. Choosing an Xbox360 means you don't have to buy into this none-sense format war. If blu-ray does win, I'll just get a Blu-ray player, if HD-DVD wins, PS3 owners are
f*(ked

[MrTangent]

@SlippyMadFrog: How, pray tell, are PS3 owners "f*(ked" if Blu-Ray fails?

Just because the movie format might not work is irrelevant to the success of the gaming system as a whole because the games will still be made regardless. Besides, I believe that this is the last optical media format that will be released (with the next MAYBE holographic) before we go entirely to digital downloads, rendering the Blu-Ray/HD-DVD format war obsolete.

Until then, the overwhelming support from movie industries on Blu-Ray's side is going to ensure its long-term victory. And I say this as an owner of all three consoles, so I don't have a vested interest in either except that I believe Blu-Ray is superior due to its having more studio support and much larger capacity.

[Cryos]

way to spout ps3 hate when this is about movie formats. believe it or not, there are more ppl interested in this format war than you think. and PLEASE don't think that your precious 360 doesn't have a stake in it. otherwise they would allow you to buy an add-on blu-ray as well as the HD-DVD.

Also, you're terribly mistaken if you believe that ps3 owners are screwed if their format fails. Sony will use it's proprietary format in games whether or not Blu-ray wins for movies.

[Kururo]

actually, if blu-ray wins its the 360 folks that will be angry because they will have a useless hd-dvd drive. games will not be in hd-dvd format.

if hd-dvd wins, developers will still create games on blu-ray disk.

[cuco33]

If BD fails for movies, the PS3 will still crank out BD games.

Perfect example is PSP and UMD. UMD for movies failed miserably (as expected) but the PSP still works no problems since all games are in UMD. I would be upset though if I got a PS3 for BD (yes there are nongamers who buy the PS3 as it is THE best BD player out there thanks to the upgradeability all other BD players don't have, i.e. BD = UMD2.0 made specifically for Sony ;) )

[WilliamRLBaker]

Without blu ray success outside of the ps3, blu ray production prices will not fall as fast or at all like they would if it was a widely used format.

Sony will have to brunt all the cost of production of blu ray discs, implimentation...ect

So hes right if blu ray fails outside of being used to make ps3 games then sony is screwed...Enough to fail and go into bankruptcy? nah but screwed none the less.

And I highly doubt any time soon digital distribution will be the main medium, Because most american broadband owners dont get over 1-3megs down which is vastly too slow to benefit high digital distribution needs, America is 10 years behind in terms of broadband and net connectivity then most other countries, In sweden I can get an t3 line for about 10 dollars a month, DSL speeds and Cable speeds are VASTLY faster in japan for the same price we pay here.

[SlippyMadFrog]

The PS3 being a blu-ray player is one of its highly praised features. Thats the reason A LOT of people have bought the PS3 because if you look at the games attach rate, its rather low. If Blu-Ray fails, the biggest feature of the PS3 will be rendered useless because no movies will come out on a dead format.

@MrTangent
"Just because the movie format might not work is irrelevant to the success of the gaming system"
Well as I said above, the ability to play BR movies are one of the biggest selling points of the PS3, if that falls away, it will be very relevent to the sucess or demise of the PS3

@Kururo:
"actually, if blu-ray wins its the 360 folks that will be angry because they will have a useless hd-dvd drive. games will not be in hd-dvd format."
The 360 folks won't have a useless HD-DVD drive, only SOME of them that CHOSE to buy into this format war will.

I apologize for my swearing in my first post but if the Blu-Ray fails, the PS3 will be in trouble, no matter how you look at it.

*Edit
@Cryos
"way to spout ps3 hate when this is about movie formats"
You don't see a connection between movie formats and the PS3?

[Tyrael]

ive said it before and ill say it again, instead of spending millions creating blu-ray, sony should have just included an hd-dvd player in the ps3 - format war would be inexistent and xbox 360 would have a serious run for its money

[Ri0tSquad]

Lol @ the ppl saying HD dvd is going to win. Ps3 owners win either way if you haven't figured it out. UMD is supposedly dead but games still use it.....do you xbots understand now? Blu ray could lose but the ps3 will still use blu ray for games. So we really have nothing to lose.

[Rooftrellen]

If only all PS3 owners thought they won either way. It's really crazy how so many of them defend bluray so quickly. If its the format you like, ok, but at least do some research first. I rarely see an argument for bluray that's not Sony propaganda.

We need more people that can seperate the console and format wars. Bluray is NOT PS3 and HD DVD is NOT the 360.

I see back and forth so often, "HD DVD is dead and so is the 360" and then "bluray will lose and the PS3 will follow."

No matter which format wins, if you have the console of your choice, you win. No matter which console wins, it will not effect the outcome of the format war. They're seperate topics, and its possible that HD DVD loses and the 360 wins, or that bluray loses and the 360 wins.

Now if only more people could see that...

[Shaka2K6]

Oh i thought you said Universal Studios goes Blu-ray exclusive.
which is bound to happend with time.

so where all the 180 tittles universal promised at the beggening of the year eh?

even universal can see its pointless to release movies on a dead format like h-dvd.