Warner Bros to back Blu-ray DVD format exclusively

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

The consumer would lose more if this war continued to wage on.

Retail chains offering different advice, movies being split down the middle... ect.

Oh yeah you can say dual layer players would be the holy grail, but it would still be a bumpy ride.

The consumers have won in the sense we are one step closer to the end of the war, and the consumers have also lost if you don't back Blu Ray or "like" it.

You can't generalise the whole consumer base as "losing" today just because Blu Ray may now outright win.

As for speculation on prices, movie offers and hardware costs, don't over predict the future just yet - Boz you should know by now NOT to go guns blazing with opinions that could easily turn out wrong ;)

I still have reservations about the future, but im open to being optimistic as well - Some of you need a tad more optimism, even if it's just a pinch to carry you a little further into this year to see where things stand.

[+Mystic MVC]

So why post? lol...

Maybe to show that the average consumer still could care less about HD, as of now.

[PixilEyes]

So why post? lol...

Oh I dont know. Maybe since we are talking about the same revlant techonolgy. You know both kind of play movies and tv shows. Na thats wayyy off topic.

[JAbad28]

Maybe to show that the average consumer still could care less about HD, as of now.

I agree about the average consumer caring less. Most people didn't even know that some movies were exclusive to other when they bought an HD-DVD Player during black friday or christmas week. I for one didn't, I really wanted to buy BLACK HAWK DOWN for HD-DVD but than I realized it is only for Blu-Ray which sucked for me.

But the average consumer doesn't even think about it, they just go and buy.

[DrCheese]

This looks real and I guess makes sense given the W bomb..

http://wesleytech.com/ces-hd-dvd-event-can...nouncement/483/

At this point holding an event like that would be as pointless as rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic.

It'd be massively overshadowed by this and anything they have to show would probably be ignored.

[EnzoFX]

it surprises how anti Blu-Ray ppl are. I ignore anyone's posts when they compare it to "another sony proprietary format." HD-DVD is out to win too. I mean, who are you people kidding? Toshiba is some innocent sweet little company? Fools i say.

Blu-Ray does offer region coding and more drm, but these are F'n options to the studios, they CAN if they F'n wanted to, not make their movies region coded. I always say, the more options the better. Lastly, the Blu-Ray spec is continuing to be worked on, and in a way isn't finalized, which is why earlier movies (300) had more features on HD-DVD, But any Blu-Ray can have the same features. The only thing HD-DVD did right was its cheap players, which forced Blu-Ray players to come down in price, which are not that much more, $100 more right? AND w/1080p iirc. Movies are basically the same price, so why SO much complaining?

[MindTrickz]

Yes you are right, I saw the ratings too.. Blu-Ray is outselling HD-DVD's left and right chances are slim but I still have hope.

Hopefully other companies don't do the same and maybe a big company might go exclusive to HD-DVD, if so what will happen next? :wacko:

Listen mate, why don't you just return your unit and get your money back? .. Wait until the format-war is over and then buy the winning format, which will most likely be BD.

[JAbad28]

Listen mate, why don't you just return your unit and get your money back? .. Wait until the format-war is over and then buy the winning format, which will most likely be BD.

I can sell it more on eBay, including the 10 Free HD-DVD's I got ;).

But no, once the format war is over and BD wins that most likely prices will drop for HD-DVD and I can get movies for dirt cheap. :)

[ctebah]

well, we lost our soccer game today, my day at work was crap and i hurt my knee, so no snowboarding tomorrow, but coming home and finding out this, makes my day.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

This looks real and I guess makes sense given the W bomb..

http://wesleytech.com/ces-hd-dvd-event-can...nouncement/483/

At this point holding an event like that would be as pointless as rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic.

It'd be massively overshadowed by this and anything they have to show would probably be ignored.

Ouch!

Canceling their whole presentation?

Maybe the presentation was about the 360 Ultimate that MS are now all of a sudden coming out and denying :laugh:

Still a shame they won't show up at all... pretty much accepting defeat if they don't.

[+Mystic MVC]

well, we lost our soccer game today, my day at work was crap and i hurt my knee, so no snowboarding tomorrow, but coming home and finding out this, makes my day.

Just read your sig......laughing (ouch as well).

Audioboxer for the millionith time, when did you start believing the Ultimate SKU in the first place? There never was one...

https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?show...#entry589112233

[DrCheese]

I dunno...

They are kinda stuck between a rock and a hard place. Show up and everything they show is overshadowed by this. Pretty much every question would be about it and not the stuff they are trying to show. Don't show up and it looks like they are seriously worried or admitting defeat.

I do feel for them at the moment, I dunno why given that they like sony are just out to make money but still

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Just read your sig......laughing (ouch as well).

Audioboxer for the millionith time, when did you start believing the Ultimate SKU in the first place? There never was one...

https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?show...#entry589112233

Um there was 2 different sites pointing to it happening... I didn't "believe" but I didn't kill the rumour off either.

I thought it COULD happen. Difference between believing and thinking.

[Joel]

Geez, how quickly you guys forget about the 150 million that was thrown at Paramount and Dreamworks.

The crying game for HD-DVD fans has begun.

I actually said it was tasteless of both sides to do this, as it removed the consumer from the decision.

[+Mystic MVC]

Um there was 2 different sites pointing to it happening... I didn't "believe" but I didn't kill the rumour off either.

I thought it COULD happen. Difference between believing and thinking.

Those sites were also PREDICTING (see I can do it too :D), that it would happen, not that it was for sure...

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Those sites were also PREDICTING (see I can do it too :D), that it would happen, not that it was for sure...

Uhhh I know that. I didn't think it was for sure.

I was on the fence, undecided, considering the idea of it happening and the idea of it being hoo-hah!

:unsure:

[goji]

I actually said it was tasteless of both sides to do this, as it removed the consumer from the decision.

In all honesty, there was little for the consumer to decide. Any one can pump out the players, but ultimately the decision to provide content rested upon the studios, who overwhelmingly sided with Blu-Ray.

[DrCheese]

The email about the CES thing being canceled is pretty much confirmed now, engadget have also posted it.

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/01/04/hd-dv...of-warner-anno/

[Joel]

In all honesty, there was little for the consumer to decide. Any one can pump out the players, but ultimately the decision to provide content rested upon the studios, who overwhelmingly sided with Blu-Ray.

The point is, who can believe WHY any studio choose either format? Cash was involved, on both sides, and it stinks. Decide on the merits of the format and I'm OK with that. Decide based on who paid you more and the consumer had no say at all.

[Gizmo967]

Wow. This is bad news. If Blu-Ray wins, the consumer will be stuck with Sony's inconsistant, expensive, DRM infested, proprietary format. Woo hoo!

However, I still say that if Toshiba or another company release a $99 or less player for an extended period of time very soon, HD-DVD may still have a shot. No one outside of early adopters are going to buy a $400 player, especially with the sub-prime mess we are in. If Blu-Ray wins, it will probably remain a niche format if the prices don't come down quickly enough. The average consumer certainly won't buy a $400 player, or a piece-of-juck $300 player, or a game console to watch movies. They'll consider a $99 player, and the lower-middle class a $50 player. That's a far cry from today's Blu-Ray player prices.

You are talking about people who gave 500$ at least for their HDTV? Whoever owns HDTV already, probably has money for BR player. I'm not saying that it ain't expensive, but it's the beginning. If you look back at how much did first DVD players cost and how much they cost now.

As for BR winning the war, I'm glad. Not just because I own PS3 but because I want future format to be optimum one. BR is far greater than HD-DVD and for sure movies will use it's full potential in future.

[DrCheese]

Apparently there are rumours going around that Warner was working on a deal with the HD-DVD camp as well as late as last week, But they wouldn't go without another major studio coming with them. They wanted to end the format war, not prolong it which warner going HD-DVD only by itself would have done (50:50 studio split).

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread....42&page=110

http://formatwarcentral.com/index.php/2008...n-from-the-bda/

Its all very much "a friend of a friend" rumour tho.

[sn00pie]

I read that HD DVD cancelled its conference at CES? :|

[AlphaPrime]

the consumer had no say at all.

Well they basically did. Blu-ray leading 2:1 in America. 3:1+ everywhere else. Makes sense to go with the format that has the best chance of winning, and the consumers showed a preference to BR.

[Elliot B.]

I read that HD DVD cancelled its conference at CES? :|

They did indeed.

[Gizmo967]

Assessing a rumor that MS is to introduce the Xbox 360 Ultimate SKU complete with an integrated HD-DVD drive, GameSpot report back that it does indeed seem bogus especially considering Microft's deviation from the usual no comment response to one which firmly states they have no plans to do such a thing since the launch of the console. Although with WB's recent move to Blu-ray who knows what pressure this might apply for such an SKU to come into existence.

http://us.gamespot.com/news/show_blog_entr...pic_id=26140722

Another blow for HD-DVD.