Paramount may BluRayp HD-DVD

{edit - This has since been marked as very much unconfirmed, thanks MrSadistic for the Next Gen linkage Next Gen say Nuh-uh, they're staying with HD-DVD - Sorry all!}

Now, one of the things that I had to do for my degree was a detailed study of some facet of new tech. At the time, DVD was just about to emerge as a format and I was fascinated by the prospect of optical storage that could hold so much more than a regular CD. I mean, seriously, it was a WOW moment for me back then when I was checking out all the work that had to go into standardising a format for the DVD players, etc. Massive companies were joining with Philips in an attempt to make sure that consumers and developers weren't going to get messed around. So, even though I didn't want to get sucked into this debate, the subject matter still fascinates me.

BluRay is the better format. I don't care one way or the other that Sony have used this as the backbone of their system. If MS had gone with it and Sony had gone with HD-DVD I'd still think it was better. It's more innovative, it stores more and it's got a less confusing frickin' name! It's got drawbacks still, at the moment, with the need for the expensive diodes, etc, but it's still the one that should win this race, and this turnabout from Paramount might be the big turning point.

Basically, if you can't be arsed reading the Financial Times, Paramount had a clause in it's exclusivity contract that allows them to slink their way across no-mans land to the Blu side IF Warner Brothers go there first.

Hmmmm...

Well, I think I can see their feet shuffling in that direction now.

What'll be really funny is if Dreamworks don't have the same clause! Or even if it does, poor Universal! All alone in the dark!