Angry the Clown Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 *ADMIN NOTE* This is a continuation of previous discussion threads. You can view the previous 20 (!) threads right here: HD-DVD and Blu Ray Discussion Part I HD-DVD and Blu Ray Discussion Part II HD-DVD and Blu Ray Discussion Part III HD-DVD and Blu Ray Discussion Part IV HD-DVD and Blu Ray Discussion Part V HD-DVD and Blu Ray Discussion Part VI HD-DVD and Blu Ray Discussion Part VII HDDVD and Blu-Ray Discussion Part VIII HDDVD and Blu-Ray Discussion Part IX HDDVD and Blu-Ray Discussion Part X HDDVD and Blu-Ray Discussion Part XI HDDVD and Blu-Ray Discussion Part XII HDDVD and Blu-Ray Discussion Part XIII HDDVD and Blu-Ray Discussion Part XIV HDDVD and Blu-Ray Discussion Part XV HDDVD and Blu-Ray Discussion Part XVI HDDVD and Blu-Ray Discussion Part XVII HDDVD and Blu-Ray Discussion Part XVIII HDDVD and Blu-Ray Discussion Part XIX HDDVD and Blu-Ray Discussion Part XX HDDVD and Blu-Ray Discussion Part XXI HDDVD and Blu-Ray Discussion Part XXII Official press release from Warner: Warner Bros. Entertainment to Release its High-Definition DVD Titles Exclusively in the Blu-Ray Disc Format Beginning Later This YearJanuary 04, 2008 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 them on other projects in the future." Contact Info: Jim Noonan Warner Bros. Home Ent. Group (818) 977-5489 Susan Fleishman Warner Bros. Entertainment (818) 954-1919 Scott Rowe Warner Bros. Entertainment (818) 954-5806 http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,1700383,00.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan_E Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 "Game over, man! Game over!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenMonkey Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 Thank god I don't have to listen to people speculate any more. My preference is still HD-DVD for its region-free / optional AACS / no BD+ nature, so that's what I'll continue to buy. Not like the players are going to implode or anything. I still expect to see some good dual-format players to come out. Funny, because my favorite studios seem to be Warner, Universal and Paramount. Looks like that 2 disc BD (OK, 4 discs if you count my wife's discs) collection is going to get a boost this year. I'm hoping to see some people dumping stuff on ebay. I could use an XA2 or some cheap HD-DVDs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exile Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 Warner said it would continue releasing in the HD DVD format until the end of May, although those releases would follow the standard DVD and Blu-ray releases. This makes no sense. I still expect to see some good dual-format players to come out. What for? There's now no incentive to make those players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boogieman Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 And to think I almost bought the HD DVD versrion of Pan's labyrinth and Blade Runner at Best Buy's sale. Well I really did like the IME and Web stuff that HD DVD did, so if Blu-ray can hurry that up, I won't complain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BdoUK Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 Thank you thank you! Now we can get this silly format war behind us. Now the questions are "How will Paramount wiggle out of their HD-DVD deal" and "Will Universal at least go dual-format". Surely these things will happen quickly as this is the biggest domino to drop in the format war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry the Clown Posted January 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 This makes no sense. It may be contractual, or just to honour titles announced so far. I'd imagine HD DVD releases between now and May will be in relatively low quantities however. I would think that something like 'I am Legend' will end up being the first BD only title from Warner... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan_E Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 I say Universal should tell Spielberg to get bent and release Jaws as one last good sale for the format! (hey, a guy can dream) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry the Clown Posted January 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 Now the questions are "How will Paramount wiggle out of their HD-DVD deal" and "Will Universal at least go dual-format". Surely these things will happen quickly as this is the biggest domino to drop in the format war. I think the HD DVD PR Group's conference at CES is going to be fascinating because I just don't know what they'll have to talk about. Will they keep a stiff upper lip, or just admit to the good their format’s presence has had on the market and admit that the consumer has made the choice and it’s not HD DVD? I think Universal will be publishing on Blu-ray within six months, and Paramount will be back by Christmas at the latest (they will most definitely have get out clauses in their contract). Much of what they do really does depend on the tone of the HD DVD group's CES conference. The retail market will probably make the next move, before the remaining studios do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exile Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 Well I really did like the IME and Web stuff that HD DVD did, so if Blu-ray can hurry that up, I won't complain. After sampling what PiP looks like on BR last night, it's very nice. I didn't care for the web stuff myself. It only opened up more issues like the persistent memory issues people were having. One bigger thing that came out of this: NO MORE COMBOS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Tyner Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 My first reaction to the news was thinking back to when my cousins bought an Atari Jaguar at close-out for $19.99...just 'cause I've been itching to replace my first-gen HD DVD player, and in a few months, I'll be able to do it for next-to-nothing. By the time it's all said and done, I'll probably have 200 HD DVD sets, so I'm going to want to hold onto a player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan_E Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 After sampling what PiP looks like on BR last night, it's very nice. Was that the "fake" PiP or one of the new titles? RE3 might be my first purchase to test it, but Milla's RE1 ramblings has me reconsidering even trying it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelley Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 What a way to end the week. Thank god this war is over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan_E Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 Thank god this war is over. "Nothing is over until we say it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romier S Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 Was that the "fake" PiP or one of the new titles? Just wait till next week. 3:10 to Yuma and Sunshine both hit with 1.1 compatible features. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan_E Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 Bummer. Can't watch 3:10 to Yuma for a good long time because I'm outlining a western and can't let myself watch any until I'm done. Sunshine, it is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelley Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 Kinda sad to see HD DVD go away. I need to get Sunshine, friend of mine said it was an awesome movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boogieman Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 Well, hopefully this isn't the end of the great sales that have been going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenMonkey Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 What for? There's now no incentive to make those players. This is why.. My first reaction to the news was thinking back to when my cousins bought an Atari Jaguar at close-out for $19.99...just 'cause I've been itching to replace my first-gen HD DVD player' date=' and in a few months, I'll be able to do it for next-to-nothing. By the time it's all said and done, I'll probably have 200 HD DVD sets, so I'm going to want to hold onto a player.[/quote'] There's early adopters and other HD-DVD owners that probably don't want to rebuy them all. There's going to be a good market for a dual-format player for HD-DVD folks to migrate to BD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exile Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 Just wait till next week. 3:10 to Yuma and Sunshine both hit with 1.1 compatible features. I don't have to I've seen real PiP. It's quite nice. Sunshine and 3:10 have it and it's quite good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry the Clown Posted January 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 There's early adopters and other HD-DVD owners that probably don't want to rebuy them all. There's going to be a good market for a dual-format player for HD-DVD folks to migrate to BD. I agree. It's not going to be a huge market, but it will be one that certain CEs provide for. Those with large HD collections are going to be those with a clear interest in HD media and this will be the best way for them to continue to invest... I'm expecting some new dual format players at CES next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exile Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 And of course Bill Hunt told us so: http://www.digitalbits.com/#mytwocents There's early adopters and other HD-DVD owners that probably don't want to rebuy them all. Toshiba might but I don't expect the others to do it. They simply now do not have any incentive to do so. HD is effecitively dead. HD owners shouldn't feel bad for their choice. They should man up and accept their choice and deal with it like a rational human being. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romier S Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 I don't have to I wasn't talking to you. Hence why I quoted Jordan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnemaEms Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 You keep dreaming about those dual-format players. It isn't going to happen. Why the fuck would manufactures want to spend the extra money to do it? -Dean- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry the Clown Posted January 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 Toshiba might but I don't expect the others to do it. They simply now do not have any incentive to do so. HD is effecitively dead. I think Samsung and LG might continue to do so, and could see Denon also moving to dual format players toward the end of 2008. Toshiba yes, eventually, though if it's as soon as this year I'd be surprised. I'm not sure dominos will fall quite THAT quickly. I do wonder whether there will ever be enough competing dual-format players on the market to really kick off a decent price war on such players however. I'd heard rumour of a sub $500 combo player at CES but we'll see if that surfaces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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