Disney Votes for 51GB HD DVD Media Approval.
Blu-Ray Backer Approves New HD DVD Standard

by Anton Shilov

Walt Disney Home Entertainment, a major Hollywood studio and one of the strongest backers of Blu-ray disc format, voted for approval of a preliminary specification of 51GB triple-layer HD DVD media, just like all the backers of HD DVD and unlike some other backers of Blu-ray Association within the DVD Forum, who typically abstain in HD DVD-related votes.


At the Steering Committee meeting in September Walt Disney Home Entertainment voted for triple layer twin-format HD DVD as well as triple layer HD DVD 51GB revision 1.9 preliminary media standards, according to the notes from the event available at the DVD Forum. During the meeting, twelve steering members of the DVD Forum out of twenty approved the former and eleven members approved the latter.

In both cases Walt Disney voted for the new HD DVD standards, whereas Samsung Electronics, which supports both Blu-ray and HD DVD with its Blu-ray disc (BD) and unified Blu-ray/HD DVD players, decided to abstain in voting for the 51GB HD DVD, just like some other members of the Blu-ray Association, who always withdraw from HD DVD votes, namely Hitachi, JVC, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Sharp and Sony.

Just last week the DVD Forum approved revision 2.0 of triple-layer HD DVD 51GB media, but the detailed results of the vote were not available at press time.

The fact that Walt Disney Home Entertainment, which official stance has always been strong Blu-ray support, may be an indicator that even members of the Blu-ray Association are potentially interested in the forthcoming versions of the HD DVD standard, which has been competing against BD for nearly two years in a war that is unlikely to end soon and which is even called a "stalemate" by Sony's chief executive.

Blu-ray and HD DVD formats compete for replacing the DVD standard. HD DVD discs can store up to 15GB on a single layer and up to 30GB on two layers. Its competitor, Blu-ray, can store up to 25GB per single layer and up to 50GB on two layers, but Blu-ray discs are more expensive to produce. The HD DVD is pushed aggressively by Toshiba, NEC, Intel and Microsoft, as well as being standardized at the DVD Forum, which represents over 230 consumer electronics, information technology, and content companies worldwide. Blu-ray is backed by Sony and Panasonic, which are among the world's largest makers of electronics. Among Hollywood studios HD DVD is supported by New Line Cinema, Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. Studios, whereas New Line Cinema, Sony Pictures, Walt Disney, Warner Bros. and Twentieth Century Fox endorse Blu-ray.<<<

Don't be surprised (or bitter in your case Mark Topple) if we see these titles, along with others, out on HD DVD sometime next year. The cracks are showing in your foundation Blu Ray. Hehehehe.

List of future Disney HD DVD releases:

The Rock
Con-Air
Game Plan
Crimson Tide
Gone Baby Gone
Becoming Jane
Nixon: The Election Year Edition
Dan in Real Life
No Country for Old Men
The Rookie
Enchanted
Finding Nemo
Hidalgo
Coyote Ugly
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
Diving Bell and Butterfly
National Treasure 2
Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
National Treasure: Special Edition
Shall We Dance
The Recruit
Unbreakable
Gangs of New York
City of Men
Mimic
Alamo
O Brother Where Art Thou
13th Warrior
Dead Poet's Society
Cool Runnings
Count of Monte Cristo
Open Range
Cold Mountain
Miracle
Good Will Hunting

Or it could also be that there are close to 1 million units sitting in peoples homes right now

 

If Fox throws in their support for the 51GB disc also then Blu-Ray is in deep trouble

I wonder if this 51 GB disc going to playable on current HD DVD hardware without a problem?

I'd giggle a little inside if Blu-Ray ended up failing, as Macrovision just acquired BD+ for 45 million.

 

me too.

 

oh that sucks.

Blu-Ray has the higher installation base due to the PS3, but according to a recent survey ... only 40% of PS3 owners even know it's there. Blu-Ray had it. They had the edge going into 2007 ... but blu it.

HD-DVD is clearly winning the public's approval.
1. They know what it is. "HD" + "DVD" ... they know what it means from the brand name.
2. 90,000 units were injected into the public @ $100. You now have 90,000 people roaming the streets looking for HD movies. Word of mouth is a powerful thing too.


is Blu-Ray done? No way. The PS3 is only picking up steam. Although only 40% of the base knows wtf their machine is capable of ... the PS3 sales far surpasses 90,000 on a weekly basis.

Is HD-DVD going to win? No way. That $100 promotional move on 11/2 saved the format. That sale generated so much buzz that the public is aware of the evolution of dvds.

This Disney move is a step towards what we all thought ... dual formats co-existence and dual format players. Remember the DVD-R vs DVD+R wars of 2004? What happened? Nothing.



Previously, I mentioned steps to success for high def movies.
1. drop the price of the player to $100 - done
2. drop the price of the movies to $20 - (?)
3. make PC drives (recorders) available for $200

 

side note - Netflix ships HD-DVD and BluRay for the same price

 

Looks like I made the right choice.

 

i want HD movie capability but until one is the clear winner or there is a relatively inexpensive dual format player i can hold off

 

Apparently there is over 750k HD-DVD players in peoples homes.

 

holy shit. thats a lot!@

 

according to this ...


40% of 5,400,000 is still 2,160,000 people aware of the Blu-Ray playback. Of the 40% ... how many actually purchased a Blu-Ray disc? No clue. :dunno:

Personally, I have 1. It's not because I'm not into the next gen disc format ... there's nothing on the format which I really had to have. Seems like the "must see" movies (for my taste that is) are on HD-DVD (Shrek 3, Transformers).