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Fox has no plans to release movies on HD DVD format

Written by James Delahunty @ 04 Dec 2005 4:56 User comments (21)

Fox has no plans to release movies on HD DVD format

Fox Filmed Entertainment has already chosen its side in the ongoing battle between the yet unreleased next generation DVD formats, Blu-Ray Disc and HD-DVD. Fox has said that it wont release movies in both formats like some other studios have decided to. The company see PlayStation 3 support as enough to indicate Blu-ray as the clear winner already. Also, like other studios backing the Sony developed format, Fox is very interested in the copy protection technology that it provides.
"We believe that Blu-ray not only has the superior technology and backing in terms of strength to market but also the superior content protection," Fox Filmed Entertainment co-chairman James Gianopulos said. Blu-ray Disc allows movies studios to decide on Mandatory Managed Copy on a per title basis, which may be bad for consumers as it might leave them with no way to backup the movies they buy on Blu-ray Discs.



HP had demanded that Blu-ray adopt Mandatory Managed Copy completely, as well as iHD, which would provide new interface features for the format. The Blu-ray group however declined to use iHD, and are backing a Java-based menu system instead. iHD is slated to be part of Microsoft's newest operating system, Windows Vista, and it is already supported by HD DVD.

It seems now that the movie studios are going for Blu-ray Disc for its strong copy protection whereas many tech companies are leaning towards HD DVD because of the consumer friend features it supports. Bill Gates recently called Blu-ray's copy protection, anti-consumer. "The inconvenience is that the studios got too much protection at the expense of consumers and it won't work well on PCs," Gates explained.

Source:
Betanews

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21 user comments

14.12.2005 17:11

Quote:
Bill Gates recently called Blu-ray's copy protection, anti-consumer.
lol, thats funny.

24.12.2005 17:18
Reasons?
Inactive

Hypocrisy is always worth a chuckle. Especially because HD-DVD and Blu-ray have almost entirely unified DRM standards. It's becoming very apparent this war is over, I am ready to adopt Blu-ray, HD-DVD has clearly lost. I think consumers are sick of the format war, and many companies see this, like fox, and are choosing. Righ tnow Blu-ray has serious suppor tover HD-DVD. I'm buying BD for sure, because that will be the lasting standard and I'm very tired of regular TV on a HDTV.

34.12.2005 18:24

It's EVD all the way for me!!! Can't beat the $1.00 per blank price....wait, it's not available where I'm from, I guess I lose.... I think the higher data storage will mainly be used for advertising and for BS special features. Does Sony pay me to advertise XXX:State of the Union on my TV and DVD Player???? You know there will be tons of extras and like 17 different high bitrate audio tracks so there is a good chance BR will not use the full video bitrate. I really don't care who wins. I will stay away from it at least untill it gets dirt cheap. Also, I do not own a Qualia TV, and I doubt too many out there own one or similar, so there will be little if any gain in picture quality.

44.12.2005 18:26

Don't be too sure to support any format just yet. Decide on which you would go for when they are both on the market. When it comes down to it, as a consumer, if my experience is hindered by one format, I will move to the other. And as for all type of copy protection, there is always a way to get around them (there are ways to get movies when while they are still in theatres!). All DRM can be by passed(My 12 year old brother bypass mp3s encoded with drm) If there is a will there is a way, even if it means putting tape on the bottom of your cd's!

54.12.2005 19:47

im intrested..

64.12.2005 19:55
OzMick
Inactive

Sony fanboys amuse me

74.12.2005 20:19

Quote:
The company see PlayStation 3 support as enough to indicate Blu-ray as the clear winner already.
That's a pretty big assumption by Fox there. Hope it turns out right for them, or both companies are busted.

84.12.2005 21:04

I will gladly stay away from this CRAP until the standard is chosen by the market and until the price goes down. I believe after its release consumers will see what DRM is for real this time around. Also, apparently my "HDTV" will not be compatible with this since it only has analog inputs (component) and the studios are really dictating the companies not to ever make any line in between connections (cables to TVs and devices) that is not protected, and if not protected, not digital. The component video input was never made to support copy protection. Bullshit to them. But I'm not the only one. There are so many out there that have the capability to watch HD (component only) but in the future they won't be able to. It's really bullshit for the consumers. Even if real HDTV doesn't come until 2010 (and I bought my TV in 2002), it's still complete crap. "YOU NEED A TV WITH HDMI THAT SUPPORTS HDCP" which is bullshit. I can't wait till the studios and store associates tell consumers this. They are going to be so pissed. When I found out about this new HDMI port I know I was pissed. It seems like the PS3 might not even have component output, which is crap for my HDTV. My HDTV is useless now, and there are thousands more like me in the same situation. Now it's just a 480P (DVD player) and unprotected HDTV 1080i (no doubt in my mind protection is coming) TV. Completely useless, and all because the big greedy people on the MPAA think everyone is a criminal.

94.12.2005 22:58

Look even fox is a sonyfan. LOL

105.12.2005 00:17

-but are they more of a Sony fan than you~? ~ I will go for blu-ray initially, but I'm really feeling the maxell 300gb disc! ~ we'll see

115.12.2005 00:29

whoooaaa now. It sounds like you may be a maxwell fan. Exactly what game or movie do you think would actually even need the 300 gigs storage space at this present time. It is way too early for the maxwell disc right now when you are talking about movies and games. It will come in hand for backing up huge hardrive for companies that have lots of data that needs storage and etc. But the demand is not there right now for the maxwell disc as of yet. The blue ray and HDVD have not even been used to capacity yet so i think you are looking way too far ahead.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 05 Dec 2005 @ 3:43

125.12.2005 05:15
Reasons?
Inactive

The reader/writers for 3D data storage discs, the ones Maxwell uses, are $15,000. This technology was introduced in 1963 and was a high end scientific experiment back then. It is now being used in commercial applications, or rather, being tested. We won't see this technology on our doorstep until Blu-ray is balding. And hell, by that time, who knows what'll change.

135.12.2005 05:21

Quote:
i think you are looking way too far ahead.
~ hence the reason I say ~
Quote:
~ I will go for blu-ray initially,
A maxell fanboy ~ ? ~ lol at you ~

145.12.2005 07:51

Perhaps a bit OT... $ony announced a few days ago it would be sticking with the MPEG2 format for it's Blu-Ray movie releases. http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/7067.cfm What this says to me is that for the current 1080i (highest rez) Hi-Def standard, NIETHER Blu-Ray or HD-DVD formats are actually necessary for typical movie releases. If already developed higher efficency compression codecs were employed DVD9 discs would have plenty of room for 3 to 4 hours of Hi-Def content. New DVD players capable of decoding the new format(s) would be required, but that's it... The larger capacity discs would come in handy for large releases like full seasons of TV shows, but as far as movie releases are concerned, these new formats are sounding more and more like useless DRM crippled rip-offs that are being brought to market for the sole purpose of shaking down consumers for more loot.

155.12.2005 07:54

Haha, I still say we keep DVDs. Yeah sure video games adopting to blu-ray may well be, but that should be kept for the future. Equip them with the readers, and when the world is ready, release games/movies on blu-ray format. The rest of the world have only just gotten used to DVDs. Should we really release another format this early? Hmm... laserdiscs...VHS... >:Þ -Mike

165.12.2005 08:06

I forgot to say, that the only reasonnew formats are being brought out, is because the protection on DVDs were cracked. How long was it after the "Marcovision RipGuard" was inbedded into DVDs that it was cracked? My point is, sure it can hold more data, but part of the reason is because of the protection. Heheh, how long do you think it will be before someone gets 'round it. -Mike

175.12.2005 08:07
Reasons?
Inactive

Even the AVC encoding won't make HD video small enough for DVD9. They want to implement 24mbps bitrates in 1080p resolution. Current DVD video has a bitrate around 7mbps from what I've seen on the last movie I watched. If HD video is goign to take up 3x a smuch space, the 25GB single layer blu-ray will barely suffice for a movie. What is above is pretty high end, but that's the point of High Definition video. A tip- don't buy 720p, they are pushing it even though 1080p is rapidly going to be the ocntent on BD-R movies. Buy 1080p now.

185.12.2005 09:15

I'm starting to loose interest in this already. I'm starting to think that BluRay should just play things and not be able to be ripped, but they should allow it just once or twice for the buying consumer and only allow that person to use it. This crap has gotten way out of hand, just get it over with and let the consumers decide.

195.12.2005 17:42

My point lethal b was the exact same point that reasons made below my post. What does maxwell have to do with any of this. Reasons? Wrote pretty much the same as i did so what does feeling it have to do with anything as of today. Maxwell will come into play one day but you are way too far ahead of yourself. That is years down the road. We are discussing HD DVD and Blue ray.

209.12.2005 07:52
byteback
Inactive

Do we realy need another format at all? lets fase it dvd is much bigger than cd, but most PC software is still sole on CD, DVD Audio hasent replased CD's and I find films on a DVD perfictly good so why would I want a new format that could have no end of problems thanks to DRM!

219.12.2005 08:35
Reasons?
Inactive

They really don't care what you want, they care about what the majority of income wants, and America is supporting HD like no other.

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