TVPredicitions.com: Universal’s Ken Graffeo says the format war between Blu-ray and HD DVD is good for consumers.
Additionally, he says Universal will continue to support the HD DVD format exclusively, the only studio to do so.
Blu-ray and HD DVD are locked in an intense battle for the new high-def disc audience. Four of the eight major studios are backing Blu-ray exclusively while Universal is behind HD DVD. The others are releasing titles in both formats.
However, many industry officials, particularly retailers, are urging an end to the format war, saying it’s confusing consumers. Consequently, they say, high-def player and title sales are well below what they should be.
But Graffeo tells the Daily News that his studio still believes that HD DVD offers the “better set of mandatory specifications” because every HD DVD player has an Ethernet port and carries the software to support interactive features.
“In Blu-Ray, the interactive specs are still just an option. The only Blu-Ray player now sold with an Ethernet port is the PlayStation 3,” he said.