Warner goes Blu-ray exclusively
 

The big buzz today in New York is the news that Warner Bros. Entertainment has decided to stop making HD DVD discs and will become a Blu-ray-only studio at the end of May. Needless to say, this is a major blow to the HD DVD camp, which earlier this year struck a deal with Paramount to go HD DVD exclusive. You could say this is a tit-for-tat move by Sony and the Blu-ray camp, but it's actually more of a clubbing because Warner has a much bigger library of movies than Paramount.

While rumors of Warner potentially dumping HD DVD have been circulating for the past few months, the timing of the announcement right before the start of the Consumer Electronics Show seems designed to inflict maximum damage to Toshiba's planned HD DVD push at the show. With lower prices on its standalone players and the Paramount deal, Toshiba and HD DVD backers such as Microsoft appeared to be gaining some momentum in the format war. But now the company is faced with a PR nightmare. (An HD DVD event is scheduled for Sunday in Las Vegas; it should be interesting). No one knows at this point what it took for Warner to say sayonara to HD DVD, but you can bet it involved a truckload of something.

Does this spell the end for HD DVD? If I had to give a yes or no answer, I'd have to say yeah, it's probably curtains. The fact is, with the lack of studio support, it's very hard to recommend to readers to buy an HD DVD player, even if it is half the price of a Blu-ray machine. All that said, things have looked bleak for Toshiba and HD DVD before and they've managed to scrap their way back into contention, so you never know. Feel free to weigh in after you read the full press release from Warner, which I've posted below via The Digital Bits:

WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT TO RELEASE ITS HIGH-DEFINITION DVD TITLES EXCLUSIVELY IN THE BLU-RAY DISC FORMAT BEGINNING LATER THIS YEAR

Decision made in response to strong consumer preference for format

(January 4, 2008 - Burbank, CA) - In response to consumer demand, Warner Bros. Entertainment will release its high-definition DVD titles exclusively in the Blu-ray disc format beginning later this year, it was announced today by Barry Meyer, Chairman & CEO, Warner Bros. and Kevin Tsujihara, President, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.

"Warner Bros.' move to exclusively release in the Blu-ray disc format is a strategic decision focused on the long term and the most direct way to give consumers what they want," said Meyer. "The window of opportunity for high-definition DVD could be missed if format confusion continues to linger. We believe that exclusively distributing in Blu-ray will further the potential for mass market success and ultimately benefit retailers, producers, and most importantly, consumers."

Warner Home Video will continue to release its titles in standard DVD format and Blu-ray. After a short window following their standard DVD and Blu-ray releases, all new titles will continue to be released in HD DVD until the end of May 2008.

"Warner Bros. has produced in both high-definition formats in an effort to provide consumer choice, foster mainstream adoption and drive down hardware prices," said Jeff Bewkes, President and Chief Executive Officer, Time Warner Inc., the parent company of Warner Bros. Entertainment. "Today's decision by Warner Bros. to distribute in a single format comes at the right time and is the best decision both for consumers and Time Warner."

"A two-format landscape has led to consumer confusion and indifference toward high definition, which has kept the technology from reaching mass adoption and becoming the important revenue stream that it can be for the industry," said Tsujihara. "Consumers have clearly chosen Blu-ray, and we believe that recognizing this preference is the right step in making this great home entertainment experience accessible to the widest possible audience. Warner Bros. has worked very closely with the Toshiba Corporation in promoting high definition media and we have enormous respect for their efforts. We look forward to working with the

I find myself able to finally use the word "flip-flopper". I wonder who will change to what next.

[88][88][88][88][88][88][88]

This really doesn't matter. Neither of these formats is really gonna come close to original DVD anyway, as far as adoption from consumers go.

It doesnt matter to me. Whatever Star Wars is released on is what I will get!!!!!

Man, I don't see Bill Gates giving up on this one! I wonder if Microsoft will pull something out of their hat to get the general public to choose HD. The cost of Blue Ray DVD player has to come way down before I see a final shift to Blue-Ray. Plus Sony business acumen has never been that reliable!

Yeah, but Microsoft just said that HD-DVD means nothing to them and has nothing to do with XBox 360 success. They have backed off HD pretty much already. Even though I don't care about these 2 formats, It is nice to finally be down to 1. BTW, has anyone here been using HDMI connections and got burned on the DRM built into them?

well i love blu-ray and HD-DVD too but i prefer blu-ray.

What will be the effect on us as traders? Will it effect our recording and burning habits? What about discs?

I've heard Blu Ray media will eventually be around 40gb. Imagine having that much room. I'll make the switch when the time and price is right. It will be a slow process like the VHS to DVD conversion. But it will all so cool to burn HD shows onto Blu Ray. I'm almost to the point that I won't watch anymore shows unless it's broadcast in HD.

ttyl

The effect on traders will be close to nil. The tools are expensive and complex. Thousands of dollars. You'll have to learn Java if you want to make a fancy menu. It won't be as easy as DVD-Video format was. I don't foresee trading moving to BD, because most everything we'll be trading will be SD anyway, or broadcast HD at best (which quite honestly looks better as 720x480 16:9, due to the way compression is).

im like that too now about only watching shows broadcasted in hd. i make a few exceptions for a few shows on USA Network and Spike TV

i think people will be trading dual layer before they go to BD. most of us are still using the standard dvd size 4.7 for trading/making sets

It'll be a while before the Blu Ray jump. I'll wait until the cost is better and the programs are easier. Like all media, it will get better, cheaper and easier to use.

i remember when dvd and cd blanks used to cost an arm and a leg.

See this is why I don't think HD is not dead. Toshiba is already dropping the price, if Sony doesn't match them I think Sony will do what they always do!SCREW THEMSELVES!

Home Media Magazine, the weekly industry magazine which alerts retailers and those inside the home media industry to news and releases, has posted a statement to the HD DVD Promotional Group: "Knock it off". Stating consumer confusion as the reason for lack of consumer adoption of high definition home media, magazine contributor Thomas K. Arnold has asked that HD DVD step down instead of delaying the inevitable Blu-ray victory.

With Warner Home Video dumping HD DVD, the format has the support of just two of the six major studios. It cannot win. At best, it can be a spoiler, but I'm hoping Toshiba, Universal and Paramount will take the high road and, for the good of the entire industry, bow out. Universal and Paramount, in particular, need to jump on the Blu-ray Disc bandwagon so we can go into the new year with a unified front and a unified mission: To educate consumers about the advantages of high-definition media and convince them the time to transition from standard DVD to Blu-ray is the day they bring that HDTV into their home.

Studio support


Blu-ray support HD-DVD support

Warner Bros.
Disney (Buena Vista)
Fox
Sony Pictures
Lionsgate
MGM


HD-DVD support

Paramount
Universal Studios

I don't see it happening, the write-off for Toshiba would be huge! Toshiba's management are the type to make lemonaide out of a box load of lemons. I'm telling you, Sony's management are the biggest idiots to walk the planet. They are going to rest on their laurels and try and shove it down the consumers throat and then wonder why they lost the boat!

Give it 90 days!

well i dont want them to stop making hddvd cause i spent 1000 on my toshiba player which is the best one. the HD-XA2 when it came out. so i dont want it to sit there collecting dust.

Watch this youtube video

The Downfall of HD-DVD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=friS4OOcdgQ

That's funny. [88][88]

Kim Komando Is now saying Blu-ray as the HD player of choice. She said especially because of the Warner decision, Blu is the way to go.

It appears that Warner helped change her recommendation where she was basically neutral before recommending a dual format player. last month she pushed hd dvd and xbox 360 and tried to mention sony and Blu-Ray as little as possible.
How quickly they can turn!

Seems like Warner Picking Blu is making a lot of people change their mind on choosing HD-DVD as the HD Format dvd player.


If you wondering who she is
http://www.komando.com/about/

Enjoy HD-DVD For Now

Thanks for that link. I caught her show on the radio in Arkansas a while back, then forgot her name. She's got some good computer tips. Glad I can find it again.

Thanks for the link. :)

Did you know Kim Komando is almost as blind as a bat?? I love her show though when I can catch it.

Guys,I'm telling Toshiba isn't dead till they say it is. They have one of the most tenacious management groups in the electronics industry. I bet they pull out some new technology out of R & D to top Blue-Ray.

lastnight a commercial during American Idol with a Dreamworks executive spouting the True High Definition with HD DVD. It was a commercial for Shrek and other HD DVD's. Utilizing the animated donkey from the movie.

I'm hoping HD-DVD isn't dead yet, hell, I just bought my HD-DVD player too. :( Though with all but 2 studios supporting blu-ray exclusively, it does seem that HD-DVDs' death is inevitable...dangit!!!

i think you and marcus would like this article
http://www.tomshardware.com/2008/01/...to_hd_dvd_yet/

Cool article.

lol more good news for those in denial.

read what david vaughn has to say on here

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...99842&page=151
scroll down to reply 4522 and start from there

I still fail to under the "exclusive" thing. Why is that needed?

Wow, this topic took about a week or more until it took off. (lol)

The latest Home Media Magazine has been released with the latest Nielson VideoScan data, and for the week ending January 20th, Blu-ray disc sales accounted for 83% of the high definition market. During this time, there were no Buy-One-Get-One-Free sales, showing the complete dominance that Blu-ray holds in the high definition market even without purchasing incentives.

While some analysts concluded that Blu-ray's hold on the high definition market was only a temporary spike due to the Warner announcement, it appears that the trend will continue as more and more consumers discover the benefits of Blu-ray

Oh well. Looks like I'll be buying a Blu Ray player when they go down in price. [88][88]

Yep, it looks like the FAT Lady is singing or may be I should say TAPS is playing for HD DVD and Toshiba! dang, Walmart!

You know the thing that could kill Sony is the ability to download HD movies from the net. I've been very impressed with some of the shows that I've downloaded (HD) and converted to DVD.

now i have to figure out how to get as much money as possible for my hd player

Keep it for 20 years and then you could sell it as a collectable!

I wonder how much old beta machines go for nowadays lol.

there is always a bunch on ebay. not sure how much they go for. probably depends on if it works and the model.

My friend bought 2 beta machines for $10.00 each at the swap meet last year. They worked excellent.

All the anime companies are also going Blu Ray.

lol so basically my hd player wont be worth beans

Thanks for the links

Mine either. [88][88]

Yep, HD is Dead. Shot in the head.

do you think all the titles that were only on HD will get to blu? like should i keep buying hd dvds or just wait for the blu release?

such as pitch black, mummy, etc

Tough choice. They might be worth something in the long run.
Everybody will be looking for a movie that was only released on HD.

Then again they may not.

This is really more entertainment news than video tech.

Well I guess Star Wars will be on blu-ray!