Time for more speculation on payoffs

[mike123abc]

Ok, if Toshiba is really ending HD-DVD:

1. Did Toshiba get a pay off or were they told by Universal/Paramount that they would not be releasing more HD-DVD forcing Toshiba's hand. Toshiba gets nothing but a write off on HD-DVD costs

2. Did either Universal or Paramount get a payoff from BD to come to BD. I bet they would have both loved to get $$ for switching or was it too little, too late? Or, did Universal get one and Paramount was stuck?

3. Did Paramount decide to excercise the so called out because of Warner and force Universal and Toshiba to give up without payment?

4. Maybe they all got paid off.

5. Or maybe they all just decided to give up and not get any payoffs. I doubt this since they all 3 were probably trying to negotiate something.

Essentially the speculation is if they worked together as a block to get the most from BD, or did they each work independently to try to get the best deal for themselves even if they stabbed the others in the back.

 

[meStevo]

I don't see why a payoff would have been needed. Not worth the effort arguing over something that will never be confirmed one way or the other.

 

[Peter Parker]

I wonder why posts speculalting on payoffs by one side or the other are not classifiedas "attacks". We can gusee about this all day bit that is all that any of it is.

 

[meStevo]

If there were sources or articles speculating this crap then I understand, otherwise it's just stirring the pot.

 

[mike123abc]

Payoffs have been discussed quite a bit, I do not view it as an attack. Just a way of doing business, companies trade favors all the time. If nothing leaks out about payoffs we may never know. We can see what people think will happen and what is announce. I personally think all 3 companies got payed off some. Not a lot, but help with replication for the two studios, and help with transition for Toshiba.

 

[jayn_j]

I don't see payoffs. When a ship is taking on water as fast as this one, why waste money on another torpedo?

Not sure why folks are getting upset about someone asking the question though. There has been an awful lot of payoff speculation from both sides.

 

[GeorgeLV]

Toshiba got nothing (yet).

Their main financial incentive is to stop the operating losses in the HD DVD business. (Surprise, surprise, $99 players with 7 free movies works out to be quite a bit below cost.)

Now, somewhere down the line Toshiba might dip their toes in the Blu-ray IP pool by blessing Blu-ray & DVD combo format discs or something of that sort.

 

[jayn_j]

Now, somewhere down the line Toshiba might dip their toes in the Blu-ray IP pool by blessing Blu-ray & DVD combo format discs or something of that sort.

No chance. Dual format is to entice buyers who aren't sure which format will win and want to hedge their bets. Since there is now a clear winner, why would anyone want to incorporate a loser technology, raise the player price, and become noncompetititve in the market?

 

[Peter Parker]

He said BD and DVD not BD and HD DVD.

 

[jayn_j]

He said BD and DVD not BD and HD DVD.

Oops.

 

[John Kotches]

I think it was clear the end was nigh when WB announced that they were dropping the "Total HD disc". Tis would have been an HD-DVD30 + a BD-50 on one piece of media.

 

[vurbano]

I think it was clear the end was nigh when WB announced that they were dropping the "Total HD disc". Tis would have been an HD-DVD30 + a BD-50 on one piece of media.

I disagree. That was an asinine idea under any senario and indicated nothing other than someone came to their senses

 

[ONUOsFan]

That was an asinine idea under any senario and indicated nothing other than someone came to their senses

Agreed. It wasn't clear that the "end was nigh" until Warner dropped HD-DVD altogether.

 

[John Kotches]

I disagree. That was an asinine idea under any senario and indicated nothing other than someone came to their senses

Why? You get the entire HD market with one disc. If it's cheaper than manufacturing 2 discs then it could be money in the pocket.

 

[ONUOsFan]

Why? You get the entire HD market with one disc. If it's cheaper than manufacturing 2 discs then it could be money in the pocket.

Even if it was cheaper to make, it certainly wouldn't be cheaper for anyone to buy. Why would someone with a Blu-Ray player pay $10 more so that his disc would play on someone else's HD-DVD player?