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Harry Potter on HD DVD is currently only available in Europe  (Source: Amazon.co.uk)
HD DVD holds 74 percent market share in Europe, according to group

Although Blu-ray Disc may be leading the high-def race in North America, HD DVD appears to be ahead in Europe – at least according to information released by the European HD DVD Promotional Group, as reported by Reuters.

The Group claims that the HD DVD format holds a 74 percent market share in Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland, citing figures supposedly from market research group GfK. However, GfK said it has not published research commissioned from the trade group.

The majority market share held by HD DVD is only according to standalone player sales, which do not account for PlayStation 3 consoles or HD DVD add-on drives for the Xbox 360.

Despite the perception of a fierce battle between Blu-ray and HD DVD, even combined disc sales of both formats are insignificant compared to the total number of DVDs sold.

“You can't get to mass-market consumption until you get to mass-market pricing,” Steve Nickerson, a Warner Bros spokesman for the HD DVD group, told Reuters. “It took nearly four years for that price point to be achieved in DVD ... anything inside three years would be significantly improved compared to the DVD.”

Nickerson adds, “If we take a pragmatic approach, and understand we're still only selling to innovators, we are ahead of the DVD curve.”

Earlier this month, the European Commission, which watches over antitrust matters, became interested in why certain studios exclusively support one high-def format over another. The Commission reportedly sent letters out to all studios that exclusively support one side or the other asking for an explanation.

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Hmmmmmmmmmm
By Master Kenobi (blog) on 7/17/2007 9:36:32 AM , Rating: 2
Looks like HD DVD being backed by the Harry Potter series will be a nice deal. Now if Star Wars would back HD DVD, we would see the scales tip in favor of the red.




RE: Hmmmmmmmmmm
By nemrod on 7/17/07, Rating: 0
RE: Hmmmmmmmmmm
By luigionlsd on 7/17/2007 9:46:29 AM , Rating: 1
Harry Potter is "backed by HD DVD" the same way The Matrix is. It's just a timed exclusive, if you can even call it that (it was planned to be released on both platforms at the start). Harry Potter was finished for HD DVD and released before BD simply beacuse the interactive platform (iHD) is much further along than the BD-Java platform for interactive features. What's interesting is that the import of Harry Potter 4 on HD DVD still has the FBI warnings before the feature....... interesting. Gotta love Warner's "neutrality" we're seeing in a lot of the new releases (DD 5.1 on BD, TrueHD on HD DVD for The Departed).


RE: Hmmmmmmmmmm
By porkpie on 7/17/07, Rating: 0
RE: Hmmmmmmmmmm
By Vertigo101 on 7/17/2007 10:35:47 AM , Rating: 2
Because the FBI warning is for the American markets; Europe really doesn't need to see FBI warnings on movies.


RE: Hmmmmmmmmmm
By porkpie on 7/17/2007 10:47:19 AM , Rating: 3
I've seen plenty of Interpol warnings on US discs.

HD-DVD is region free. The whole concept of "European" and "US" specific releases that existed with DVDs is pretty much out the window.


RE: Hmmmmmmmmmm
By Pjotr on 7/18/2007 5:08:41 AM , Rating: 2
If they are so region-free and lack the concept of geography, howcome it is only sold in Europe and not in USA?


RE: Hmmmmmmmmmm
By omnicronx on 7/18/2007 3:36:05 PM , Rating: 2
Because the movie studios decided to do so? They can still be played on any player anywhere in the world making them region free.

In the past movie studios had to essentially create a european version and a north american version or whatever other area because of NTSC VS PAL and even SECAM. They probably figured hey why not, we are already making different versions we might aswell copy protect them to the area in which they are bought so they could not be sold elsewhere even though, in most cases would not work on your tv anyways.
But now with the age of digital lcd and plasma televisions, The battle of the analogue TV format is over movie studios are free to only make 1 version of the disc, different languages aside. So instead of copy protecting them, which was a dumb idea to begin with, they decided just not to sell them out of area which is probably much more effective and doesnt piss the consumer off as much.
i remember my dad went to europe and came back with 20 PAL DVDS and i laughed at him.. no longer is it a problem.


RE: Hmmmmmmmmmm
By FITCamaro on 7/17/2007 9:50:34 AM , Rating: 1
Well for the original Star Wars trilogy, could they even do an HD release since it wasn't filmed in high def? I mean a lot of the first movie was filmed with a camera not much better than some camcorders these days.

That being said, if Star Wars comes out on a high def format, I'd have to get it. Even if it meant getting a PS3 for Blu-ray. I'm a huge Star Wars fan (no conventions though. those are for people with truly no lives) and love the new ones as well. Episode 1 was a little slow but it was story set up time and the first movie of a trilogy is always the slowest.

I'm still hoping for Episodes 7 - 9 to come out. With all the books out there, they could easily do it. Base it on the X-wing series or the Thrawn trilogy. The Thrawn trilogy would kind of require a leap in time but its still doable. They would have to find new people to play Han and Leia though since they're big characters in it. The X-wing series though really wouldn't require any of the original cast. Most didn't pay attention to Wedge and hardly anyone knows which person was Tycho Celchu in Episode 6.


RE: Hmmmmmmmmmm
By therealnickdanger on 7/17/2007 10:43:31 AM , Rating: 2
The original film stock used for IV-VI is vastly superior to even today's best consumer camcorder, I'd wager. In case you don't already own a next-gen DVD player, many of the HD conversions of old films are SPECTACULAR. Don't worry about it. With any luck, by the time Star Wars hits BD, combo players will be less than the PS3... probably not too likely though.


RE: Hmmmmmmmmmm
By jabber on 7/18/2007 6:18:24 AM , Rating: 2
The original trilogy was shot on 35mm film stock. Unfortunately the first film at least, was shot on the film stock that degraded colourwise but thats been corrected.

The cameras used for the first film also dated back from the 1950's as they worked well for the SFX shots.

As far as I know when the DVD restoration/transfers were done for the DVD release a couple of years ago, they were done in HD. In fact if you do a search you can find a few articles on it. They used a huge Power Mac sever farm for the work.

A lot of folks seem to think that if it wasnt shot in 'HD' then it will never be HD. Pretty much anything shot on 16mm and above film stock is HD already. In fact its better then anything branded 'HD' at the moment. You've been watching HD stuff since you were born!

I am really looking forward to seeing all the old classics in HD. Ben Hurr, 2001, Lawrence of Arabia, The Wild Bunch etc. etc. Forget the current modern remake rubbish, give us the classics!


RE: Hmmmmmmmmmm
By GlassHouse69 on 7/18/2007 2:14:49 PM , Rating: 2
yes, real life photos far exceed hd... this shouldnt be a shocker though... seems like some people have gotten caught up in the HD hype.

The problem with todays hd movies is that the digitalization process compresses and kills much of the image. its in focus and smooth frames. but it sux


RE: Hmmmmmmmmmm
By timmiser on 7/17/2007 12:30:35 PM , Rating: 2
Film is much better quality than digital hi-def. Even 35mm which might be what the early Star Wars was filmed in would be better however contrary to what many people may think, the original Star Wars had a fairly large budget and high expectations from the film studio and I believe was filmed in 70mm.


RE: Hmmmmmmmmmm
By theapparition on 7/17/2007 12:33:25 PM , Rating: 2
Even old film is vastly superior to HD resolutions. Even old 16mm film has higher resolution than 1080p, and I believe Starwars was filmed with 35mm panavision cameras.


RE: Hmmmmmmmmmm
By probedb on 7/17/2007 9:56:49 AM , Rating: 2
Just reading thedigitalbits and apparently they won't release Star Wars on any HD format until there is a clear winner.


RE: Hmmmmmmmmmm
By Lakku on 7/17/2007 11:49:38 AM , Rating: 2
Incorrect. If Star Wars is ever released, it will be on Blu Ray disc. Why? 20th century fox, while not really controlling Star Wars, is exclusive to BD and is the publisher of the Star Wars films, even though they don't own all the rights. If it comes out, it will be on Blu Ray, not HD-DVD.


RE: Hmmmmmmmmmm
By Xavian on 7/17/2007 12:11:06 PM , Rating: 2
Lucasarts holds the rights to all the movies, if they want to switch Publishers because 20th century fox is too stubborn, then they will.

After-all, Fox only has rights to publish the DVD versions and the films themselves (e.g in Cinema's/Theaters), they have no rights when it comes to publishing the Star Wars films on HD-DVD and Blu-Ray.


RE: Hmmmmmmmmmm
By Chillin1248 (blog) on 7/17/2007 8:25:42 PM , Rating: 2
If I remember correctly Lucasarts currently holds all copyrights/trademarks to the "Star Wars" name, excluding the space defense program of course.

I remember a interview with George Lucas in which he said that he bought the rights to the "Star Wars" name early in the films career when 20th Century Fox didn't expect it to become the blockbuster it did. I remember Lucas calling it a "steal".

-------
Chillin


RE: Hmmmmmmmmmm
By porkpie on 7/17/2007 12:11:41 PM , Rating: 2
20th Century Fox made a decision long before a single disc was ever sold. But they didn't sign a contract to stick with that decision...and no company is stupid enough to ignore a huge segment of the total market.

There's just too many people with players of EITHER format for a studio to flat-out ignore them...and more HD-DVD (and BD) players are being sold every day. The market for both is increasing. No one's going to ignore that.


RE: Hmmmmmmmmmm
By theapparition on 7/17/2007 12:24:55 PM , Rating: 2
Well, to get technical about it, the OP is somewhat correct. Fox & Lucas won't release until there is a clear winner (so it has been stated by numerous magazines/interviews). Fox backs Blu-ray, but if Blu-ray doesn't "win", do you think they will suddenly stop releasing movies, rather than go HD-DVD?

All in all, the point is moot. Both standards will combine with hybrid players. The HD "cold war" will result in a truce, and StarWars will be released in HD (most likely BR-disk format). Shortly after the release and controversy, Lucas will release the unedited original versions. I'll buy both like the loser I am.