Microsoft said nothing about HD DVD

Way to speak up, Bill! You're like the "Mommie Dearest" of backers.

News just talking about the increase in PS3 sales...I know it's definitely got to be the main reason behind this whole thing. I do enjoy my PS3.

MS was only a backer... They have even said they may release a Blu-Ray add-on at some point. That statement there makes it hard to believe they are as involved as everyone makes them seem.

I wonder if bluray would adopt Microsofts HDi technology. I wonder if that's even possible. I wouldn't put it past Bill Gates to see if the BDA would incorporate HDi into bluray. I don't think it's such a bad idea but only if current bluray players can be updated to use it.

Hey Falcon,

I was just talking about you yesterday. Don't worry it was nothing bad, just about that I thought that you stayed away because of all of the negative things that's been happing since the Warner thing. But it's nice to see that you're back.

Interview with Bill Gates (part regarding HDM):

"Warner Brothers said last week it was backing Blu-ray exclusively. Will Microsoft remain committed to the HD DVD format even if it appears that the media companies are backing Blu-ray?

BG: Certainly we supported both Blu-ray and HD DVD as Windows peripherals. The last announcement was Paramount opting for HD DVD and now this one is going the other way. I still think a format battle is going on there. Our contribution is the HDi Interactive format piece has been really well received. We hope to see that used broadly. I think the real competitor in the long run is digital (video) download. Just like in music, it is going to be the biggest of the three.

You kind of sound agnostic about the formats.

BG: No, not really. We have definitely worked with HD DVD in a very strong fashion. Our codecs and HDi are available on the other format and we are a leader in digital download so we have some involvement in all three approaches. In the long run, people don’t want physical media. You don’t say to yourself, what’s the format battle after CD. If someone tried to introduce a new music format, you’d laugh and say ‘well isn’t that my phone, my iPod and my Zune?’ And you’d be right."

I dont see why he would say something. i dont see why he cares so much. all he cared im sure was about hdi. I dont see why microsoft toshiba or anyone in hddvd side of things, would say something at this point, if it wasent something strong.

it would just make them look more like they got surprized with their pants down, than it already seems.

What would they have to say? I think Microsoft is trying to focus. That's the keyword there, focus. They need to focus on THEIR stuff. The HD DVD Promotion group is the one that needs to talk about HD DVD.

Thanks Tony, glad to see you're still posting here too It's refreshing to talk with people in a civilized manner, even if you don't always agree. I see we have some new antagonizers on here since some others got banned but hopefully things will get back to normal here

As for Microsoft not saying much with regards to HD DVD that can be taken in a few ways. It seems obvious their interests lay in digital downloads but I have to disagree with their claims that "In the long run, people don’t want physical media." That's BS in my opinion. While its nice to be able to download a movie I still like having a hard copy of my movie in case I want to watch it at a friends or on another tv in my house etc.

[Post edited by Falcon01 on Jan 7, 2008]

"I wonder if bluray would adopt Microsofts HDi technology. I wonder if that's even possible. I wouldn't put it past Bill Gates to see if the BDA would incorporate HDi into bluray. I don't think it's such a bad idea but only if current bluray players can be updated to use it."

The BDA chose not to use HDi. That is why there is a format war right now. If I remember correctly it was HP, Toshiba and obviously microsoft that objected to using the Java platform that bluray uses.

I have a Toshiba Hd a35 and a Ps3. The ONLY thing that significantly irks me, making me favor HD-DVD over BR is the godamn Java coded interface. It is such a goddamn pain in the ass. If Sony really wants to win this, all they have to do is agree to integrate HDi and give people a trade in on there HD-DVDs and it would be over period.

That being said, i think people are putting WAY too much stock in downloadble HD quality movies. If I lose a .99 song on Itunes and have to rebuy it or something, that's one thing. A $15.00 movie? That's something else. Also, how exactly would that work. How exactly does that movie get to my HDTV? And is it 1080p? Is it a compressed signal? Are there extras? It doesn't sound like all of this is being worked out.

Quote:
all they have to do is agree to integrate HDi

The only way they could integrate HDi and Blu-ray would be to create an implementation of HDi in BD-Java. Remember, an important Blu-ray advantage offered to third party manufacturers was choice in hardward, operating system, etc. - something that Microsoft isn't famous for backing since they make Windows. So I doubt writing an HDi implementation in BD-J would be something that Microsoft would allow. I wouldn't offer any advantages anyway, except another (interpreted) layer to place even more demands on processor performance.

I've only downloaded three free songs I won from McDonald's Monopoly, and I have no clue where they are now. I would never invest in downloaded media...there's no accountability in it and you have no idea where it's been or what's imbedded in it - not that things couldn't be embedded on a disc, but at least you'd still have the disc to prove it afterward. And if I'm so picky about my music, I assure you the last thing I'll ever do is buy a download of a hi-def movie...unless it's like twenty-five cents or something. If I'll even pay two dollars then I'd rather have the real deal.