Warner Bros to back Blu-ray DVD format exclusively

[Cormier6083]

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

From Engadget:

We just got an email which stated that the HD DVD group is canceling its CES press conference; tail severely between legs over today's explosive news that Warner -- the last "undecided" studio -- was going to the other side and doing Blu-ray discs exclusively. We're not sure if that's because the HD DVD group was in 11th hour negotiations with Warner or what, but the mood at that camp has to be beyond somber right now, so it's pretty hard to thump the tub when you've just been dealt a hard losing hand. Notice posted after the break.

Update: Toshiba, masters of the HD DVD format, just issued a press release expressing their "particular disappointment" with Warner, also implying that the move to go Blu-ray exclusive is actually in breach of contract. The particularly depressing release is also posted after the break.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hd-dvd-...of-warner-anno/

[Digitalx]

Good to see them crumbling finally.

At the end of the day, DRM all this BD+ stuff it's not really that bad. It'll be broken eventually but it's also a case of companies will most probably not drop their DRM guard on anything to do with movies/videos within the life span of blu-ray.

As for region coding the way it's ended up as a little issue with DVD it'll probably stay that way for blu-ray but it doesn't effect ps3 games so that's good.

as for microsofts stance i'll say there's no xbox 360 with built in HDDVD drive coming that's about as truthful as MGS4 rumors. on the decline they'll just move to position heavily on their digital distribution.

[sundayx Veteran]

Waves after another.

[Joel]

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.

OK, for the 4th time; it's not a consumer choice if studios were paid to support only 1 format and you just happened to like movies made by that studio so you bought them in that format. If all studios had released all movies in both formats, you'd have a better representation of what the demand really was, not what it was artificially created to be.

[+Mystic MVC]

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

Another blow for HD-DVD.

The last line of that quote is just off. Why would the failing HD DVD pressure MS into pushing a new SKU that would do even more poorly?

[ctebah]

OK, for the 4th time; it's not a consumer choice if studios were paid to support only 1 format and you just happened to like movies made by that studio so you bought them in that format. If all studios had released all movies in both formats, you'd have a better representation of what the demand really was, not what it was artificially created to be.

well there's an article on highdefdigest that says warner took no payoff to go blu. can you provide proof for otherwise?

[Gizmo967]

I love some of Universal movies and I couldn't get them on BR because HD-DVD paied them to go exclusive. Michael Bay of Transformers was furious because it couldn't be released on BR and have all of the things he wanted it to have. BR lost some sales because of Universal, not other way around.

[AlphaPrime]

OK, for the 4th time; it's not a consumer choice if studios were paid to support only 1 format and you just happened to like movies made by that studio so you bought them in that format. If all studios had released all movies in both formats, you'd have a better representation of what the demand really was, not what it was artificially created to be.

Before this announcement, studio support was like 50/50. You wanted everyone to go format neutral and then wait a year to see who was winning then? Most people don't want to buy into a format war and this stalemate would have gone no where. If you look exclusively at the titles which were on both formats, Blu-ray was still outselling the HD-DVD counterparts. There's the demand, right there. Like Warner mentioned: "The window of opportunity for high-definition DVD could be missed if format confusion continues to linger." Also:

"We?re seeing research now that shows that consumers are starting to delay purchases because of the format war, not just on high-def but standard-def purchases as well. That?s very alarming."

[[bear]]

well there's an article on highdefdigest that says warner took no payoff to go blu. can you provide proof for otherwise?

yeah ive read that no money changed hands.

[TruckWEB]

Well, now the next logical step would be Paramount giving back the $150M check they got from Toshiba/Microsoft and go to Blu-Ray. The contract said they would be exclusive for 18 months, if they don't break that contract, it could be the longest 18 months for them...

Why the hell would they want to be outsiders? With 70% of the studios going Blu, Universal/Paramount/Dreamworks seems pretty small....

I'm just waiting for Universal to go exclusive on Blu-Ray.... That would leave HD-DVD with only 2 studio....!!!! What a joke it would be...

[batbeef]

Freakin finally.

[Joel]

well there's an article on highdefdigest that says warner took no payoff to go blu. can you provide proof for otherwise?

No, I can't. I also can't prove they didn't. And why would they tell us anyway? And for argument's sake, let's say they didn't; Paramount WAS paid to support HD-DVD exclusively, which is my entire point. Once you have the 2 sides outbidding each other with the studios, the consumer was forced along a 1 of 4 paths;

• Buy only HD-DVD titles that you like from those studios, while continuing to buy SD for the others
  
• Buy only BD titles that you like from those studios, while continuing to buy SD for the others
  
• Buy both HD formats (expensive)
  
• Buy none
  

I don't care if 1 format legitimately wins based on demand. It's just a tainted victory if the format wins because it bought more votes than the other guy.

[[bear]]

No, I can't. I also can't prove they didn't. And why would they tell us anyway? And for argument's sake, let's say they didn't; Paramount WAS paid to support HD-DVD exclusively, which is my entire point. Once you have the 2 sides outbidding each other with the studios, the consumer was forced along a 1 of 4 paths;

• Buy only HD-DVD titles that you like from those studios, while continuing to buy SD for the others
  
• Buy only BD titles that you like from those studios, while continuing to buy SD for the others
  
• Buy both HD formats (expensive)
  
• Buy none
  

I don't care if 1 format legitimately wins based on demand. It's just a tainted victory if the format wins because it bought more votes than the other guy.

BOO HOO. there is an hd-dvd logo in your sig. Is that why you are upset? Give me a break.

The real thing that hurts consumers is a format war that drags on for years and years. Better to get this over with now. The only one paying for help was HD-DVD. As of this time it is known that Warner took no payout. You can't just play favorites and assume Warner took money.

In the end I am happy. I have a PS3 and an XBOX 360 so now I can focus all my hi-def purchases. I had only picked up a select few until now to avoid having to re-buy.

Like I said. This helps consumers. I'm not going to wait forever for this war.

[ctebah]

so with the hd-dvd group canceling their CES appearance, can we presume that hd-dvd is dead?

[kak]

so with the hd-dvd group canceling their CES appearance, can we presume that hd-dvd is dead?

Doesn't sound like they're throwing their chips in yet, but they're on the verge.

[[bear]]

HD-DVD wont die yet. It all really depends on what Universal and Paramount do now.

[AlphaPrime]

If both sides are 'tainted' it really wouldn't matter who won would it? We'd either have a 'tainted' format win or a continual useless stalemate. Either way, it's certainly better to win 'tainted' with demand, then 'tainted' without it.

[thollian]

isn't there already talk that Universal is going Blu-ray at CES or sometime in March/April of this year....

plus New Line has now gone Blu-ray as well....

[Joel]

BOO HOO. there is an hd-dvd logo in your sig. Is that why you are upset? Give me a break.

There's an HD-DVD logo in my sig because a little more than a week ago I bought a really inexpensive player on sale for Boxing Day and it came with some movies. If I had a BD player, you'd see the logo there also. Are you finished acting like a 5-year-old yet? I also have a DVD logo there, which is BDs next big hurdle; is it offensive in the land of Blu?

I didn't say I was upset, I said... oh hell, I've said 4 times already. Read it, comprehend it, ask for help interpreting if you need it, but don't post about it until you've really, really, REALLY paid attention to the point.

[kak]

isn't there already talk that Universal is going Blu-ray at CES or sometime in March/April of this year....

plus New Line has now gone Blu-ray as well....

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/news/show/...nouncement/1328

"They'll be making whatever decision they're going to make," said Tsujihara. "I assume they'll let people know very quickly, but they are not covered by this initial announcement."

Pending further announcement, New Line Cinema can still release in HD-DVD. But its a safe bet to say they'll follow suit.

[soniqstylz]

Hooray. With two of the major studios now Blu-ray only, this HD format war will finally soon come to an end.

2? Try 5. (Fox, Sony, Disney, Warner, Lionsgate).

That doesn't count MGM, which is co-owned by Sony and Fox.

[goji]

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.

Shall we backup a quite few years down memory road?

Remember way back when Hollywood and the A/V industry was discussing how piracy was ruining the entire industry (as if us, the consumers cared), and they agreed something had to be done. At the same time the blue laser tech was being pioneered which had the ability to press more data on to a single disc than a red laser despite the fact that Japanese university professors were able to expand the ability of data red lasers could encode. It became clear that the newer format wasn't so much about space and signal bandwidth as it was about security.

Piracy however remained a big problem. With the current method of component + optical cables as the defacto standard in HT's worldwide, there was no way to lock down the HD content. The studios at the time insisted that newer methods of copyright protection had to be implace as DVD Joh was running circles around them. As a result stronger pathway in guaranteeing the integrity of the new DRM algorithms was necessary and a new cable tech was born. HDMI had the promise of being the only conduit that a person would be allowed to view full 1080p content and HD audio streams. If a person watched an HD disc over component and optical connections in their HT the players would automatically downscale the content to standard DVD audio and video resolutions in the hopes of thwarting people from uploading movies and enjoying them in HD. Hollywood definitely wanted a bigger say in how you as the consumer used its content.

As I recall, people in many HT enthusiasts circles cried bloody murder at the prospect of upgrading all of their components. In addition to a brand new player and TV, imagine dropping thousands on a great pre/pro/receiver of the day only to be forced to upgrade to newer products that had HDMI built in only to watch these HD streams when originally everyone had imagined they were set with the "elite" equipment of the day which by today's standards is still rock solid. As we all know the worst case scenario didn't pan out with flagging of HD content being held back until a later date, or until Sony decides to implement it with Blu Ray (profile v2 anybody?). This can still happen, though highly unlikely until mass wide adoption has taken place.

In the end was there cash involved? Most certainly, however do not forget that much of what was supposed to occur was from a security perspective in thwarting people from sharing HD movies. With all of this having played out years ago, where would you draw the line where consumers would have had a choice in this entire debacle?

[Joel]

If both sides are 'tainted' it really wouldn't matter who won would it? We'd either have a 'tainted' format win or a continual useless stalemate. Either way, it's certainly better to win 'tainted' with demand, then 'tainted' without it.

So if some people bought a Big Mac because they wanted it and others had a gun held to their head*, you'd find that a fair deal?

* this is metaphor comparing movie studio's exclusivities, forcing the customer to buy their product in only 1 format, while said format was a purchase made by the format's other supporters, leaving the consumer 1 choice; buy it on our format or don't get it at all

[NateB1]

The more I think about this, the more this stinks. How many Blu-Ray supporters here can afford Blu-Ray players/discs? I would assume quite a lot. Right now, I am working full-time and going to college, while trying to remain debt-free. I barely was able to afford the 360 add-on so I could play HD content on my 24-inch monitor that doubles as my TV.

If Blu-Ray wins, I'll have to wait until the Profile 2.0 players drop in the sub-$100 range - I only want to buy a player once, and with money as tight as it is, I simply cannot afford to buy a PS3. What does that mean? I'll have to wait 4-5 years before the players drop into my price range. That stinks. Big time. While you enjoy playing movies in high-def, Blu-Ray supporters, think of people like me who will have to miss out for years while Sony and its ilk solidify their spec and release affordable players for the rest of us.

Oh and regarding the poster who claimed that BD was affordable because people are buying expensive HDTVs? My dad is thinking about buying an HDTV when they switch over to digital channels in 2009 - my family has always been tight on money, and if they do get an HDTV, that is the only thing they will get. If there is a player in the $50-$70 price range, they might consider it. If Blu-Ray wins, they will have to wait.

What makes this worse is that the HD-DVD player price and the movies' price were coming down into the average consumer's price range. W&B, instead of shortening the war, prolonged it IMO. If they had gone HD-DVD, everything would have been perfect - the players in the sub $100 level this year, the cheap movies, and the outselling of Blu-Ray movies. For years now, if Blu-Ray wins, the HD playback market will remain a niche market.

[soniqstylz]

I wonder what Universal, Paramount, Dreamworks, and Weinstein will do. I hope that this format war will finally end. Also, when is Batman Begins and the Matrix Trilogy coming out on blu-ray? Hopefully soon.

Weinstein hasn't put out an HD-DVD since around July or so. And, technically, with the release of "Hard Boiled" on the PS3 version of Stranglehold, they've put out a Blu-ray movie ;)