CES 2008 info

[Boz]

Some very interesting things.

CE Schedules:

1/6/08 8:00 LG Electronics

1/6/08 9:00 Pioneer Electronics

1/6/08 10:00 Toshiba (Invitation Only)

1/6/08 11:00 Panasonic

1/6/08 12:00 Sharp Electronics (Invitation Only)

1/6/08 13:00 Philips Consumer Electronics (Invitation Only)

1/6/08 14:00 Samsung Electronics

1/6/08 16:15 Sony Electronics

1/7/08 8:00 Audiovox Corporation (RCA)

1/7/08 12:00 Hitachi Ltd./Hitachi America

1/8/08 8:00 Kenwood Press Conference

As it seems Warner will not attend BDA conference.

Furthermore, it seems that Toshiba and Warner are having a party planned for 2 hours after the press conference at the Wynn hotel (Invitation Only). Don't shoot me, that's what I hear :)

General info:

http://cesbloggers.com/2008/01/02/ces-2008...ents-timetable/

Warner overall CES schedule for HD DVD Group:

http://myces.bdmetrics.com/PDT-255934/HD-D...Home-Video.aspx

Blu-Ray info:

http://myces.bdmetrics.com/CPC-3570656/Blu...Catagories.aspx

HD DVD Group info:

http://myces.bdmetrics.com/CPL-3570901/HD-...ct-Catalog.aspx

Sony CES 2008 web site (pretty nicely done - visuals wise and I like some stuff they'll be showing):

http://www.sony.com/ces/index.html

[Ayepecks]

Furthermore, it seems that Toshiba and Warner are having a party planned for 2 hours after the press conference at the Wynn hotel (Invitation Only). Don't shoot me, that's what I hear :)

While I'll be very happy if Warner goes HD DVD exclusive since I own an HD DVD player, I won't believe that until I hear it myself. I don't think it will happen at CES, if at all.

[DrCheese]

don't think it will happen at CES, if at all.

Indeed, I highly doubt it would happen at CES given that warner have released info on some BD films due for release in Feb.

[Tech Star]

Maybe Warner got paid by HD-DVD to go to their party instead of Blu-Rays? OR!! HD-DVD's party has strippers!

j/k :p

[Boz]

While I'll be very happy if Warner goes HD DVD exclusive since I own an HD DVD player, I won't believe that until I hear it myself. I don't think it will happen at CES, if at all.

Well Warner WILL NOT stay neutral for much longer. Here, just some of the very recent statements by Warner/New Line executives. You can draw your own conclusions:

From the latest Home Media Magazine article:

Steve Einhorn, New Line

"Dueling formats have restrained our ability to launch large-scale, industry wide marketing initiatives"

Ron Sanders, Warner

"Unfortunately, the dueling formats created an information log jam in what should have been our conversation with consumers."

Now, quite obviously they are saying that they can't progress anymore with being neutral. It costs money, limits full-scale releases in larger numbers. It seems they will be going exclusive soon.

Par that with Toshiba/Warner party and press conference this CES and it is a done deal ha ha ha .. I'm just kidding, they might not announce exclusivity on CES, but the announcement will come soon enough. In my personal opinion they will go with HD DVD, but even if they go Blu it will finally be a good thing as it will bring this war to an end.

[Sean B. Veteran]

Anyone planning on attending? Hope to see some new faces this year!

[Ayepecks]

Well Warner WILL NOT stay neutral for much longer. Here, just some of the very recent statements by Warner/New Line executives. You can draw your own conclusions:

From the latest Home Media Magazine article:

Steve Einhorn, New Line

"Dueling formats have restrained our ability to launch large-scale, industry wide marketing initiatives"

Ron Sanders, Warner

"Unfortunately, the dueling formats created an information log jam in what should have been our conversation with consumers."

Now, quite obviously they are saying that they can't progress anymore with being neutral. It costs money, limits full-scale releases in larger numbers. It seems they will be going exclusive soon.

Par that with Toshiba/Warner party and press conference this CES and it is a done deal ha ha ha .. I'm just kidding, they might not announce exclusivity on CES, but the announcement will come soon enough. In my personal opinion they will go with HD DVD, but even if they go Blu it will finally be a good thing as it will bring this war to an end.

I don't know... I wouldn't be surprised if Warner did stay neutral. Why shouldn't they? They're still making a good amount of money off of both sides. They really don't have any major advantage to immediately go to one side or another.

I just don't see it happening at CES, or maybe even until late this year at the earliest. It's not a big deal for Warner until the vast majority of consumers have high-def televisions, or at least a large enough portion to warrant being worried about it. Like I said, I very much hope they go HD DVD, but I don't see it happening yet... if at all. Either way, whenever they choose, the war will probably be over (and the prices will likely go down for the players, so it shouldn't be a big deal for most high-def player owners unless they have a vast library in the losing format).

[Boz]

I don't know... I wouldn't be surprised if Warner did stay neutral. Why shouldn't they? They're still making a good amount of money off of both sides. They really don't have any major advantage to immediately go to one side or another.

But they do. Even though it makes some sense to a normal consumer that offering more equals more money for the studio, it's not really like that.

It's the same deal as with Paramount. Paramount picked HD DVD because it allowed to stop thinking in 2 different directions and started full commitment to publishing everything in one format. This makes it easier for them as they only have 1 marketing budget then, 1 set of development team and encoding and eventually the numbers will pick up and provide them long term benefit.

Now they do take a gamble, but they have to draw a line somewhere. Same with Warner. They've tried staying neutral for so long, but it's becoming more and more obvious that HD DVD IS the mainstream format at the end of the day, cheaper hardware, more flexible to work with, more compatible and future proof, absolutely ready for mass production by using existing replication factories.. all of the things that consumers find comforting. Now I don't know what their decision will be, maybe they'll pick Blu-Ray who knows, but one thing is certain, with the costs they have publishing in both formats, they are NOT making a lot of money if any.

For them to concentrate on one format will take all the problems away. Even though they might not see the benefit right away, it will definitely show benefit in the long run or a year from now. This is the reason why they scrapped TotalHD as well. So we don't know what format they'll pick, though I do believe it will be HD DVD as there are so many things as of late that point to that, but it is certain that by end of Q1 Warner will be exclusive to one side.

[Tech Star]

Looks like Warner going to the HD-DVD party was just a goodbye party. Warner is now Blu-Ray exclusive.

https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?show...611316&st=0

[The Teej]

Looks like Warner going to the HD-DVD party was just a goodbye party. Warner is now Blu-Ray exclusive.

https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?show...611316&st=0

That ****ing sucks. I hope they know the mistake they've made.