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[lex_luther23]

Next-Gen Trouble: Universal Drops Blu-ray
by GamePro Staff | 09/19/2006 | 11:22:01 AM PST subscribe to this feed  | email news editor | print | digg this! Universal Studios has decided not to support Sony's next-gen Blu-ray Disc format, according to a new article.
 
Sony's Blu-ray launch lineup takes a hit as Universal drops support
According to a PC Magazine article, a Blu-Ray Disc Association representative confirmed that the studio "has decided not to release titles in [the Blu-ray Disc format]," which is backed by games and electronics maker Sony Corp.

The clarification came after a PC Magazine reporter contacted the association seeking evidence of Universal Studios' support of the Blu-ray film format; the company's films had been depicted in an earlier promotional flier trumpeting the advantages of Blu-ray.

"Unfortunately, in the graphics accompanying that [promotional material], a few titles from Universal Studios were depicted," the Blu-ray Disc Association representative clarified to PC Magazine. The Blu-ray representative also promises to send word when "and if" Universal decides to lend support to Blu-ray.

The news doesn't necessarily come as a surprise, though it is a significant blow to Sony's nascent format. Last week, the president of Universal Studios Home Entertainment was quoted as saying "HD DVD has maintained its first-to-market advantage and delivered on the promises of providing the best high definition image and sound quality at the best value," pointing at blogs, reviews, and the experiences of early adopters.


QUOTE FROM GAMEPRO.COM

[Deftech]

Gentlemen, Universal didn't switch. They are/were already strong supporters of HD-DVD. The article itself is a pretty lame attempt at saying Blu Ray is dead just because a company that might have supported it(along with hd-dvd) is holding off for the time being.

[incognegro]

Beat me too it Def

[Deftech]

QUOTE(incognegro @ Sep 19 2006, 04:05 PM)

Beat me too it Def

 

Good to know that if I did'nt post it, you would have. I'm sure Twisted would have caught it too.

[redwolf]

QUOTE(Deftech @ Sep 19 2006, 09:17 PM)

Good to know that if I did'nt post it, you would have. I'm sure Twisted would have caught it too.

good to see we have sooo many Otakus in this forum  

[Deftech]

QUOTE(redwolf @ Sep 19 2006, 04:36 PM)

good to see we have sooo many Otakus in this forum  

I had to look that term up(not knowing what it meant exactly), and from what I can tell it means "anime obsessor" or "nerd" or "someone who builds gundam models"

I despise anime and gundam is ghey, and if knowing home theatre(my 2nd favorite hobby after hunting/shooting[gaming is 3rd so don't ask]) info makes me a nerd, so be it  

  anyone?

[incognegro]

I personally like anime...not english ones though... I just find the stories more interesting than regular TV. I also hate reality TV so that also could be why I can't stand TV. I dont watch movies unless my GF wants to cause they are so predictable. Im not a fanatic though, I dont read manga and all that shit.

[twistedsymphony]

Indeed this is more of a verbal smiting by Universal as opposed to any kind of real blow. Considering Universal hasn't supported blu-ray since the beginning it was more like them saying "nope we still don't support you... oh yeah and up your nose with a rubber hose"

What interests me most about it is the reason cited:

QUOTE

HD DVD has maintained its first-to-market advantage and delivered on the promises of providing the best high definition image and sound quality at the best value," pointing at blogs, reviews, and the experiences of early adopters.

ahh the power of the intarweb...

As for anime, I'm a fan, I wasn't always. I actually used to hate and would frequently make fun of my friends who did watch, but I came around    Gundam is still garbage through, I'd rather pull my fingernails out and eat them then watch that crap... that and DBZ  

I'm not a big collector, nor do I ever read manga or listen to j-pop. But I do like the TV series and some of the movies. They just have much much better writers over there. Where they can draw or 3D model anything they can imagine it puts a whole lot more emphasis on the storyline as opposed to special effects. Any sort of sci-fi or action series in the US has bad acting and worse writing because they drop all their cash into special effects and action actors are better at shooting then acting.  At least that's my impression. The fact that most Anime shows are more like 26 episode mini series also helps make the stories better to. Rather then having 10s of half hour or hour long episodes of "problem introduction" - "conflict" - "resolution" they can actually end episodes without resolving anything. Or carry along a sub plot that lasts the whole series. IMO it's this same thinking that make shows like 24 so popular.

Anyway I'm a big fan of Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell, Initial D, LAIN, and I just finished Samurai Champloo, I'll be starting Ghost in the Shell 2nd gig soon  

[Reaper527]

QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ Sep 20 2006, 10:29 AM)

Anyway I'm a big fan of Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell, Initial D, LAIN, and I just finished Samurai Champloo, I'll be starting Ghost in the Shell 2nd gig soon  

check out vampire hunter d and vampire hunter D: bloodlust (movies), and hellsing (13 episode series, absolutely amazing)

blu-ray definately has some hard times ahead of it. sony better hope that the ps3 sells well or they could be in for some tough times.

[twistedsymphony]

QUOTE(Reaper527 @ Sep 20 2006, 12:41 PM)

check out vampire hunter d and vampire hunter D: bloodlust (movies), and hellsing (13 episode series, absolutely amazing)

blu-ray definately has some hard times ahead of it. sony better hope that the ps3 sells well or they could be in for some tough times.

Actuall I do own both of the Vampire Hunder D movies  
you can see my complete DVD collection here: http://web-nine.com/.../dvds/index.php

I'd been eyeing Hellsing for a while... I found a complete boxset for $40 (I am so rediculously addicted to box sets) and I'd heard good things so I was thinking about picking it up after I watch GITS2G

Once nice thing about stuff like Anime and other TV shows is I don't have to sweat buying it now... because the source material is SD or ED... There are a few movies that were shot in HD and despite the fact that I love those films and would love having them in my collection I'm patiently waiting for the dust to clear on the next gen disc formats so I can buy them in an appropriate form... most of these old 35MM films don't really get that much of a boost in HD and the fact that they weren't ment to show that much detail you start to see all the films flaws when reproduced at such details. But Anime I can buy on DVD and know it's probably the last time I'll have to buy that disc. (though... I am planning on re-buying Cowboy Bebop for the 5.1 mix. I'm just waiting to see if they release... a box   )

[incognegro]

yea gundam sux.....Im  into samurai shamploo, elfen lied (absolutely amazing anime!), One piece (Very under estimated, just stay away from the cartoon network version), Ghost in the Shell, Initial D, Prince of tennis, Beck, Gungrave....etc.

Anime is the reason why Xbmc will never leave my room

[kidkinetix]

This thread took an interesting turn.  I like bleach, but that's about all I've ever gotten into.

By the time the Ps3 does launch I'm sure we'll see a lot more of this Mud Slinging between Studios.  Except from Warner Brothers of course who just patented a 3-way hybrid disc for all the formats (if they can get it to work right   )

[Kira Yamoto]

QUOTE(Exist2Resist @ Sep 22 2006, 01:40 AM)

Also HD DVD has better compression for both sound and video, hece the HD DVD players dont require as much processing power, intern being able to be sold at a lower price, and the compression for both the audio and video comes at better quality than anything Blue Ray has to offer.

This is now false.  Studios such as Warner are now using the same codec as they do for HD-DVD titles.  Also some companies are starting to utilize H.264 and producing titles that match HD-DVD quality.  The only difference now, is that BD players cost 500 more, and that BD has more space available than HD-DVD.  The gap between the price will change when PS3 comes out, and Fox/MGM are planning to release their BD50 titles later this year.  Fox is said to be using H.264 on their future releases.

[twistedsymphony]

QUOTE(Kira Yamoto @ Sep 21 2006, 11:11 PM)

This is now false.  Studios such as Warner are now using the same codec as they do for HD-DVD titles.  Also some companies are starting to utilize H.264 and producing titles that match HD-DVD quality.  The only difference now, is that BD players cost 500 more, and that BD has more space available than HD-DVD.  The gap between the price will change when PS3 comes out, and Fox/MGM are planning to release their BD50 titles later this year.  Fox is said to be using H.264 on their future releases.

BRD do not have more space then HD-DVD

currently availble  HD-DVDs are dual layer and currently availble BRDs are single layer, meaning:
BRD: 25GB
HD-DVD: 30GB

next year or late this year Sony plans to roll out dual layer BDRs but Toshiba alos plans to roll out triple layer HD-DVDs meaning:
BRD: 50GB
HD-DVD: 45GB

The whole space argument is no longer on the table because the systems are evenly matched now and will be evenly match in their next iterations.

[colt45joe]

argh, i want to watch hi-def anime!