Microsoft: We Didn't Pay Paramount for HD DVD Options

[Xbox-Scene]

Microsoft: We Didn't Pay Paramount for HD DVD Posted by XanTium | August 29 12:07 EST | News Category: Xbox360

From the press release: [QUOTE] Kevin Collins, who runs Microsoft's HD DVD unit, is denying that his company paid Paramount to exclusively back HD DVD in the high-def format war against Blu-ray. The New York Times last week quoted an industry official as saying the studios received $150 million combined to back HD DVD, although the newspaper did not say who paid the studios. But in a post at the Home Theater Forum message board, Collins said he was interrupting his vacation to "go on the record stating that Microsoft did not provide any financial incentives to Paramount/Dreamworks' recent decision to support HD DVD." Referring to articles saying Microsoft had paid the studios, Collins continued: "This type of 'reporting' amazes me and I challenge anyone to provide proof around these statements. They are unfounded and inaccurate." However, Collins appeared to indirectly confirm that Toshiba paid the studios. Collins also seems to dismiss rumors that Microsoft is offering financial incentives to Warner Bros. to back HD DVD exclusively. The studio now releases titles in both formats. [/QUOTE] Full press release here

[gli7ch]

MS won't give any money to people giving them money

Why should they give money to people that sell products to greater sell MS's add-on HD-DVD Player?

[ConteZero76]

Nonsense... no one would pay directly, it's just plain wrong.
The HD-DVD consortium (or whatever they like to be called) is a separate management unit with his own funds and directions.
Executives are taken from supporters (so there will be some Microsoft rep, some Toshiba rep and so on) aswell as their funds (supporter's roles includes funding the consortium too) but they are "moderately free" to act on their own will.
I could call that as an half truth (or an half lie) since surely there's no Microsoft -> Viacom transfer but surely at least a part of the money given to Viacom can be traced back to Microsoft... and you can bet that Microsoft knew about the whole operation and had some weight in allowing or denying it.

This post has been edited by ConteZero76: Aug 29 2007, 05:24 PM

[anonim1979]

No money transfer needed.
That was 150$M in "promotional expenses" or something like this.

Microsoft could "give" free software, servers for internet content on HDDVDs, (java ?), "free" studios from fee for codecs VC-1.
Or something like this.

Also Paramount might not like that suporting Blu-ray = supporting Sony = Sony studios , MGM etc.

So they could go - lets take money from HDDVD group , we will also hurt our opposition.

[ConteZero76]

No money transfer needed.
That was 150$M in "promotional expenses" or something like this.

Microsoft could "give" free software, servers for internet content on HDDVDs, (java ?), "free" studios from fee for codecs VC-1.
Or something like this.

Also Paramount might not like that suporting Blu-ray = supporting Sony = Sony studios , MGM etc.

So they could go - lets take money from HDDVD group , we will also hurt our opposition.

VC-1 codec was free for everyone, they submitted VC-1 to BDA too (as a matter of fact VC-1 is a mandatory BD codec too).
And about the rest... Paramount (or better, the whole Viacom) have no problem supporting another Sony format known as DVD, as they had no problems with BD until some day ago.
It's just something that doesn't count, Disney too could consider Sony as an opponent, but it's just another league and no one minds who's going to collect the fees as long as they are granted an opportunity to gain money from the switch.

Anyway man, who you think paid those 150 Mil. $ ?

This post has been edited by ConteZero76: Aug 29 2007, 06:33 PM

[Deihmos]

I am not getting any of it so don't care who gave who what.

[TRYMYZ]

...Paramount (or better, the whole Viacom) have no problem supporting another Sony format known as DVD, as they had no problems with BD until some day ago.

I don't believe Sony created the DVD format they only contributed to it.

Wikipedia - DVD

This post has been edited by TRYMYZ: Aug 29 2007, 06:37 PM

[Landlocked]

Alliances and deals have been going on in business since day one. This one just happens to get press.

Nothing to see here. Move along.

[ConteZero76]

I don't believe Sony created the DVD format they only contributed to it.

Wikipedia - DVD

Yeah, and they are taking fees from every DVD that come out.
Dunno why Viacom & al. aren't going back to VHS...
...alliances between industries often happens when it's all for their own greed, HD formats means money, when one of them win (and, you know, if HD paid to survive it's not really going that good) prices will fall, sales will skyrocket and the winner allies will get some advantage.
That's the thing everyone is going after, not just making bad jokes to someone that could have the key to the next generation standard.

From a business standpoint HD-DVD is already dying just because AACS was cracked so HD-DVD's are dumpable while no one cracked BD+.

This post has been edited by ConteZero76: Aug 29 2007, 06:56 PM

[anonim1979]

AACS is used on Bluray too.
BD+ is only an additional security - unused for now IIRC.
All Bluray movies also got dumped, the AACS keys for Bluray are known the same situation as HDDVD.
At least for now.

If some titles with BD+ comes out they will get dumped too - it's only a matter of time.

[Reaper527]

AACS is used on Bluray too.
BD+ is only an additional security - unused for now IIRC.
All Bluray movies also got dumped, the AACS keys for Bluray are known the same situation as HDDVD.
At least for now.

If some titles with BD+ comes out they will get dumped too - it's only a matter of time.

just wanted to confirm that one as accurate incase anyone was wondering.

[ConteZero76]

just wanted to confirm that one as accurate incase anyone was wondering.

Confirm what ?
Yes, there are no BD+ films out there, just because BD+ was finalized later.
You can confirm that BD with AACS and no BD+ are dumpable too, but nobody knows if BD+ films are going to be dumped.
Right now that really matter because BD could offer some "security" while HD is "wide open".
If BD+ "just works" for at least one year it could be the trojan horse to BD victory.

And BD+ isn't lame as AACS, is more like an embedded java code, they can change and adapt it from time to time...

This post has been edited by ConteZero76: Aug 30 2007, 10:34 AM

[Reaper527]

And BD+ isn't lame as AACS, is more like an embedded java code, they can change and adapt it from time to time...

thats what they said about AACS. BD+ will be cracked, trust me.

[ConteZero76]

thats what they said about AACS. BD+ will be cracked, trust me.

That's what they said about MAME and XBMC on XBox360, I just don't trust you.
You've no proof that BD+ will be cracked, and you know it.

This post has been edited by ConteZero76: Aug 30 2007, 11:09 PM

[ConteZero76]

From an industry standpoint HD-DVD is already cracked and only few countermeasures could limit "damage", on the other hand BD+ is safe (at least for now).
If BDA start packaging BD+ and it take a year or two to crack it (and IF it could be cracked) the industry is facing a year or two where every HD-DVD content will be mercilessy dumped and shared...
One or two years in wich BD contents will be "safe".
It will be a huge BDA boost.

This post has been edited by ConteZero76: Aug 30 2007, 11:44 PM