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[Xbox-Scene]

EU Commission  examines high-def DVD formats Posted by XanTium | July 4 10:03 EST | News Category: Xbox360

From digitalartsonline.co.uk: The European Union's antitrust regulator has asked Hollywood studios to turn over information about their negotiations with the developers of high-definition DVD formats, giving them until the end of this week to respond. The European Commission is concerned that exclusive deals struck by some studios with the backers of either the HD DVD or Blu-ray Disc formats may be a sign of anticompetitive activity in the industry. The Commission began looking for evidence of a possible infringement of E.U. antitrust regulations on its own initiative: there have been no complaints from companies in the industry, said Audrey Lemonnier, press officer for the cabinet of European Commissioner for Competition Neelie Kroes. The Commission wrote to a number of major studios in the first half of June, asking them for information about their dealings with the technology developers, Lemonnier said Tuesday. She would not say which studios received the letters, or how many were sent. The studios have until Friday to respond, she said. If the studios' answers give the Commission cause for doubt, it may launch a full investigation, she said. Full Story: digitalartsonline.co.uk

[bucko]

This may just be a savior to HD-DVD and Dual Format Players .

[Chigawaa]

Agreed.  From a consumer standpoint forcing the studios to publish their catalog's of movies in both formats would be most beneficial.  However, I feel that the likelihood of this occurring is fairly slim.  

I think that most consumers would agree that settling the HD DVD vs Blu Ray debate should have been ended prior to either format being distributed leaving consumers with only one choice (HD or standard DVD).  This didn't happen due to multiple reason (MONEY, EGOS, Bull Sh1t, etc.) so both formats continue to suffer and early consumer adopters or either format are left at risk of having a Beta Max player in a year.

And Hollywood wonders why the Matroska (MKV) and WMV HD formats are having so much success in the HTPC community. I am not saying that it is ok to DL pirated copies of movies in HD, I am saying that if the consumer was offered a single, clear choice all studios would sell more HD movies.

Just my opinion

Go EU!  

[SueMiBlitch]

this could be good...

props to the EU for standing up and doing something about it, although it would probably be only implemented in, well, the EU

[trey85stang]

the EU is a waste of space and air.

[Walshicus]

QUOTE(trey85stang @ Jul 5 2007, 12:29 AM)

the EU is a waste of space and air.

As an Englishman who is also a European Confederalist with some reason to claim a degree of expert knowledge on the quasi-state, I have to disagree. The EU has been awfully good at protecting the European consumer from abusive monopolies.

[g8crapachino]

QUOTE(Walshicus @ Jul 4 2007, 11:56 PM)

As an Englishman who is also a European Confederalist with some reason to claim a degree of expert knowledge on the quasi-state, I have to disagree. The EU has been awfully good at protecting the European consumer from abusive monopolies.

 I have yet to see the results of anything the EU has stuck it's nose in actually help a consumer.  The only one's being helped seem to be corporations and businesses.  The thypical argument that many companies seem to be using these days is "to protect or help the consumer" yet the consumers are not the ones really benefiting in most cases.

[jpolster2005]

I would say that since Hollywood is in the USA they are bound by US law and not EU law.  The EU has no say what american companies do because their headquarters are in the USA.  Just like if i post a website.  I have to abide by american law not another countries law.  Even if it is viewable by other countries.  same with hollywood. even tho they make DVDS for other countries they are stationed here in usa and thats the law they live by.