Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by BobH on April 11, 2000 at 10:24:54:

In Reply to: Phantom Menace on DVD? posted by Todd R on April 08, 2000 at 19:33:24:

Some official and some not:
1. Georgie believes that he, and only he, can do justice to the DVD mastering. In support of that, there is plenty of evidence that he is megalomaniacal at the Skywalker Ranch. Possible - not likely.
2. Georgie is waiting for the blue laser technology to come to the market. Nah, the only advantage is time of play, and lost market share right now with a red laser version would be stupid. Increased resolution would not be useful to the marketplace without players and monitors capable of showing it. That condition is a long ways off.
3. Georgie is greedy. Nah, he could make more money releasing DVD version 1 (basic movie) now; version 2 (2 disc set with goodies) a year from now; version 3 (blue laser version of higher resolution and lots of goodies) another year or so from now. We'd buy 'em all.
4. Some other reason he just isn't telling us. I don't buy the usual greed motive because they would make more money selling a DVD to the same person buying a VHS tape. Greed should be the motive, but I think we are missing the angle. Hmmm.
5. Copy-protection paranoia. Nah, see greed motive above. The pirate DVD market is way too small to balance the fact that people are willing to buy DVDs at current prices.

We haven't heard the real motive. May never. Same for Spielberg's stuff.