Warner Bros go Blu-ray exclusive !

Needles

Needles

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So warner have finally confirmed the rumor,



http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssC...32340820080104





Quote:

Warner Bros to back Blu-ray DVD format exclusively
Fri Jan 4, 2008 3:45pm EST

NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Time Warner Inc's (TWX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) Warner Bros studio on Friday said it would exclusively release high-definition DVDs in Sony Corp's (6758.T: Quote, Profile, Research) Blu-ray format, dealing a big blow to Toshiba Corp's (6502.T: Quote, Profile, Research) rival HD DVD technology.

Warner Bros, Hollywood's biggest seller of DVDs, representing about 18 to 20 percent of sales in the United States, was one of the few studios that backed both formats.

All sides of the format war had agreed it was confusing to consumers and a stumbling block for a potential multibillion-dollar industry.

Total DVD unit sales fell 4.5 percent in 2007, the first major year-over-year decline since the disc format debuted in 1997, according to Adams Media Research. Sales fell 4.8 percent to $15.7 billion.

"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 Bros Chairman and Chief Executive Barry Meyer said in a statement.

News Corp's (NWSa.N: Quote, Profile, Research) 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Co (DIS.N: Quote, Profile, Research), and Lionsgate (LGF.N: Quote, Profile, Research) are among studios backing the Blu-ray format. Viacom Inc's (VIAb.N: Quote, Profile, Research) Paramount studios and General Electric's (GE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) NBC Universal release movies in HD DVD format.

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.

(Reporting by Kenneth Li in New York and Bob Tourtellotte and Peter Henderson in Los Angeles; Editing by Brian Moss)


Does this represent a boost for the ps3?, definitely seems to be the start of blu-ray being a positive for sony rather than the hinderance it has been.
 
Yeah interesting to see what happens with HDDVD when Universal exclusivity deal ends in a years time, will the rest follow or stay loyal to HD DVD? Kinda messes up Microsofts plan for a HDDVD 360 IMO
 
Well with Sony Pictures only on Blu-ray, along side warner and Disney ( and I am not sure about Fox but I think they are Blu-ray exclusive ) HD-DVD is going to lose out on a hell of a lot of movies from their library, and when the exclusive deals with paramount and universal end, I think they are going to follow suit and stick with blu-ray only.
 
Andybtsn said:
They'll just make a blu-ray add on I suppose.
Click to expand...

That will put some dent in MS ego if they did that, a licensing deal for a Blu-ray add on from your biggest rival to make a drive to stick on your home console, when your competitor sells a rival product with one built in.

Not gonna happen.
 
msmalls74 said:
Yeah interesting to see what happens with HDDVD when Universal exclusivity deal ends in a years time, will the rest follow or stay loyal to HD DVD? Kinda messes up Microsofts plan for a HDDVD 360 IMO
Click to expand...

Alternatively it means that MS just change a single part of the spec for future 360 revisions.
MS made a fairly smart move in not making a next gen drive a core part of their spec, they can support either or both formats if need be.

Personally I just want one format or the other to get a clean win in the disk format war - I had hoped for a quick clean win by now, but it's been dragging on.
 
msmalls74 said:
Yeah interesting to see what happens with HDDVD when Universal exclusivity deal ends in a years time, will the rest follow or stay loyal to HD DVD? Kinda messes up Microsofts plan for a HDDVD 360 IMO
Click to expand...

How so? They always said they'll release a blue ray player if HDDVD dies off :)
 
Where did people get the idea that MS backed HDDVD from? They'll do whatever it takes to make the most money like all companies will. Don't they own the rights to the VC-1 codec which would mean they make money on every HDDVD or blue ray disc sold.
 
Because they have stated in public their support for HDDVD, and also where do you think some of the money for the paramount money hat came from?

Also they made a HDDVD drive for the 360.

I call that backing the format.
 
Kreeeee said:
Where did people get the idea that MS backed HDDVD from? They'll do whatever it takes to make the most money like all companies will. Don't they own the rights to the VC-1 codec which would mean they make money on every HDDVD or blue ray disc sold.
Click to expand...

It may have a something to do with the fact that Microsoft sit on the HD-DVD Promotion Group as a member.
http://www.hddvdprg.com/eng/about/member.html

Anyway Warner now fully on board with Blu-Ray (it would seem), I guess that nullifies the Universal paramount move from last year.

Scales now well and truely tilting in Blu-Rays favour imo.


rp2000

Edit: may have spoken too soon, I had not read the article before posting as it was from reuters (so just assumed it was true), but now the link does not work.
Edit2: How are people reading the OP link? The correct link should be http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSN0432340820080104
 
Last edited:
Kreeeee said:
How so? They always said they'll release a blue ray player if HDDVD dies off :)
Click to expand...

I ment if they develop a HD DVD super 360 and by the time its out the HD DVD format is on its last legs its a bit closing the stable door after the horse has bolted type thing. Think most of us know the Microsoft is much more interested in downloadable movies and IPTV, rather than which hidef format to support.
 
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