James Delahunty
6 Apr 2007 16:03
Back when VHS and BetaMax were slugging it out to become 'the' standard in home entertainment, VHS got a huge boost (often cited as the biggest boost) to its cause with the backing of the porn industry. Nowadays, HD DVD and Blu-ray are in their own format war and experts agree that once again, the porn industry will have a huge effect on the success of either format.
"If the porn industry wanted to break the logjam of HD-DVD and Blu-ray, it could," James McQuivey a principal analyst at technology research firm Forrester, said. "If they said 'We are going to go with HD-DVD' you would see a few million homes immediately go out and buy HD-DVD players. They have that power." He also credited the adult industry will paving the way for newer technologies such as video streaming over the Internet.
Porn companies have had a problem with Blu-ray after its backer Sony Corp. moved to block the production of porn in the format. Blu-ray ignoring the adult industry is heavily influenced by The Walt Disney Co., according to Steven Hirsch, founder of Vivid Entertainment Group. Vivid did find a replicator willing to produce Blu-ray porn however, and it is believed the company will release "Debbie Does Dallas ... Again," on the format in April.
"We have been able to find a replication facility to do our title but it wasn't easy and it has deterred us for the most part from releasing titles on Blu-ray," Hirsch said. "That can be potentially problematic for Blu-ray." Other adult entertainment companies feel pushed towards the HD DVD format. The founder of adult studio Digital Playground, known as Joone, says that the Blu-ray backers are making a big mistake by not embracing the industry.
"The reason they should want to work with us is that they are in a war with HD-DVD and in a war you would want as many people in your corner," said Joone. "In general we need to have one format because it cuts down the confusion in the marketplace for the consumer. HD-DVD has helped us tremendously to get titles out."
Source:
Reuters