Ouch! Warners to Go Exclusively Blu-ray (Report)
Fri Jan 4, 2008 3:44PM EST
See Comments (36)
Looks like the Blu-ray camp has struck back at HD DVD, which scored a coup in August when it convinced Paramount and DreamWorks to go HD DVD-only.
Industry sources are telling Bloomberg News and Reuters that movie studio Warner Brothers, the last of the big studios to support both Blu-ray and HD DVD, will indeed go Blu-ray exclusive. If the story is true, Blu-ray—which already has the exclusive support of such movie studios as Disney, Fox, Sony, and MGM—will have regained its edge in the ongoing format war.
As I've posted about before, both the HD DVD camps and Blu-ray were reportedly courting the previously format-neutral Warner Brothers, hoping to woo the studio to one side or the other. With Warner's apparent defection to Blu-ray, the HD DVD camp will be left with movies from Universal, Paramount, and DreamWorks (good if you love Jason Bourne and Shrek, not so good if you're a fan of "Pirates of the Caribbean," James Bond, or Batman).
So does this mean the end for HD DVD? Well, not yet, but the news bodes ill for the long term. As I've written previously, HD DVD has the backing of Toshiba and Universal, not to mention that tech behemoth known as Microsoft. Also, HD DVD stand-alone players still have the edge in terms of pricing (although Blu-ray players just started to fall below the $300 mark). That said, Blu-ray will have a serious edge in terms of studio support, and the HD DVD camp's exclusive with Paramount and DreamWorks ends in 2009. In other words, if you're thinking of snapping up an HD DVD player...think carefully. You might have precious few movies to choose from.
Update: Reuters and Bloomberg News are now confirming the story.
Another update: Warner Brothers just released an official statement, which notes that it will continue to release HD DVD titles until May 2008.
And finally: Chris Null spoke with Warner Brothers execs, who sidestep the question of whether they took cash for their jump to Blu-ray.
Related:
Warner Bros. to Sell High-Definition DVDs in Blu-Ray [Bloomberg News]
Warner Bros to back Blu-ray exclusively – sources [Reuters]
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27 Posted by aff_one on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:46PM EDT Report Abuse
As an owner of an Xbox360 w/an HD DVD drive (Happy Kwanaza to me! LOL), I am a bit upset w/this news. However, I KNEW it was coming. I just figured that digital distribution, which truly is the REAL future of consumer HD cinema, would have taken both HD DVD and Blu-Ray out of the picture. I still think such is the case, but I guess Blu-Ray will kill HD DVD 1st, then get whacked by the internet channels that will provide HD movies online. By the way, the difference in visual fidelity between HD DVD and Blu-Ray is negligible, @ best. Only people who are looking for things to nitpick can see any discernable difference in picture quality. I have 2 HDTVs, both the same brand and size, in 2 different rooms in my house, and have played '300' on both, one on my HD DVD-enabled 360, one on my cousin's 80GB PS3. News flash for fanboys/girls---it looks just about the same. Granted, Blu-Ray holds more per disc, and uses a blue laser to read the discs, but that's about it. It's up to the programmers as to how they use the space. A larger storage space doesn't automatically, inherently equate w/better visuals. @ least not w/o some developer/programmer/movie studio tweaking. To the posters that claim that the Blu-Ray picture is waaaaaaaaaaaaay cleaner/clearer than HD DVD, I say get your lips off Sony's a$$, please.
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28 Posted by ehusky2 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:52PM EDT Report Abuse
dsb1763 is absolutely correct. The porn industry is what swayed the VHS/Beta war. I'm not choosing Blu-Ray or HD-DVD until that is decided.
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29 Posted by hy67691 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:21PM EDT Report Abuse
This is deja vu to the beta/vhs debate that Sony had with JVC over 20yrs ago. Sony tried to argue that Beta gave a microscopically better picture over vhs but then capacity was its limitation. Granted blu-ray doesn't have that limitation this time but Sony has indicated that your new player will have to connect to their network. Do you really want to give control of your device over to Sony to determine what you can and cannot play on a new $500 player. Also one thing not to forget, as was the factor in the original format wars, is to look to the "adult" industry this was one of the big killers to beta because the titles weren't available in that format - and look at which format the industry has been leaning towards today - NOT blu-ray but HD-DVD according to their trade press.
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30 Posted by balboafan1 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:01PM EDT Report Abuse
For all of you out there who are ----- ing and moaning about the cost for a complete HD setup, and then saying that you can hardly tell the difference...SHUT UP!!! You're all tools! That's right, morons! There is an obvious difference in quality, and those of us who can actually see that are the ones who rationalize paying for the difference. If you can't tell the difference in quality then just shut up. Stick with your standard DVDs and leave the rest of the world alone. No one wants to hear from your moronic self anyway. And why would you even give a crap about HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray, all of your movies will still be on standard DVDs. So you have nothing to get in a tizzy about. For those of you who can see a distinct difference in quality between HD DVD and Blu-ray...you guys can shut the heck up too. There is no difference in quality at this current time. Blu-ray does have more room to expand in the future with there technology. But as of right now, you can't possibily tell a diffence unless you're freakin Yoda and you're using "the force".
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31 Posted by rattleandhum_2001 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:29PM EDT Report Abuse
It's not over...yet? Look at this: HD VMD Players to be launched globally. The first affordable 'True High Definition' playback in the world. http://www.nmeinc.com/index.aspx Blue Ray players $300.00 plus, HD-Players $200.00 plus, and HD VMD Players range $100 to $200 dollars. I have heard that some studio's are looking at this format mainly due to the low costs of manufacturing movies? We all know it's about making money. Who will really win?
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32 Posted by sculchy on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:10PM EDT Report Abuse
I can't understand why someone would buy either format. The dollar talks, and if people would just hold on to their money a universal format could be agreed upon between all the greedy parties involved. I know this will never happen, so thanks to all the sheep out for fueling another format war!
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33 Posted by hughes4123 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:21PM EDT Report Abuse
I can't understand why people are so upset! Microsoft and Sony are companies, they are in it to make money for themselves, NOT YOU! So far it sounds like the people that can't afford the HD systems are the ones doing the gripping. I went with the 80g PS3, HD LCD, HDMI, and digital optic for my system. Compared to others there IS a difference. True not that big of one, why go with the lower quality? I also know that this is all money blown out the window because that's just how the tech world is. Here today better tomorrow. And for the standard DVD's, YES the PS3 will play regular standard DVD's! I've played both! Oh, and even it sony paid them off so what, Microsoft paid the others.....
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34 Posted by d.welchdesigns on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:33PM EDT Report Abuse
my god, the industry is working in the opposite way it should be going!! In the current world they need to realize their target audience is going to me the young people!! Forcing people to buy higher priced and restrictive versions of their content is only going to PROMOTE more pirating!!! I can't wait until Dreamworks or Paramount decides to "premier" a movie at the theaters AND online with embedded content similar to NetFlix! I would gladly pay a couple of bucks to watch a new movie at the theater and watch it from home! Yes, people may copy it but THEY ALREADY DO!!! This way they could regain a little foothold and make an enormous amount of money of the same time! BEFORE the pirates start distributing! Most people are already fed-up with the high cost of going to the theater to watch or even buying new released DVD / HDDVD / BLU-ray movies!! WAKE UP INDUSTRY!!! Times have changed, and the younger generation (14 - 21 yo) is your future market, don't screw with them or you all may be in a world of hurt very, very soon!
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35 Posted by ekenobi@verizon.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:52PM EDT Report Abuse
I am in favor of HD DVD just becuase they were cheaper from the get go. But I am just waiting until there is a winner. I have seen both and they both look like they have the same quality to me. And I will never turn to download a movie from internet. I like my library of dvds on my shelf. I like having the cases. Internet is not stable and neither are computers. I rather have a tangible thing in my hand. JUST END THE WAR SO I CAN ENJOY HD!!!!
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36 Posted by jdelafranier on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:31PM EDT Report Abuse
// Just want to throw this out ,, Seeings how we are in a green theme, What about the millions of dvd players destined to be thrown into the land fills around the world in favour of the blue ray ... So much for the so called green enviromental fad. thats permiating our world ,, Waste of resourses .. Metals , circuits and other bad for the evirometal chemicals present in thses devices ,, along with the waste, of oils used in the dvd disks ............ some thing to think about in our " Progress
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26 Posted by aff_one on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:46PM EDT Report Abuse
As an owner of an Xbox360 w/an HD DVD drive (Happy Kwanaza to me! LOL), I am a bit upset w/this news. However, I KNEW it was coming. I just figured that digital distribution, which truly is the REAL future of consumer HD cinema, would have taken both HD DVD and Blu-Ray out of the picture. I still think such is the case, but I guess Blu-Ray will kill HD DVD 1st, then get whacked by the internet channels that will provide HD movies online. By the way, the difference in visual fidelity between HD DVD and Blu-Ray is negligible, @ best. Only people who are looking for things to nitpick can see any discernable difference in picture quality. I have 2 HDTVs, both the same brand and size, in 2 different rooms in my house, and have played '300' on both, one on my HD DVD-enabled 360, one on my cousin's 80GB PS3. News flash for fanboys/girls---it looks just about the same. Granted, Blu-Ray holds more per disc, and uses a blue laser to read the discs, but that's about it. It's up to the programmers as to how they use the space. A larger storage space doesn't automatically, inherently equate w/better visuals. @ least not w/o some developer/programmer/movie studio tweaking. To the posters that claim that the Blu-Ray picture is waaaaaaaaaaaaay cleaner/clearer than HD DVD, I say get your lips off Sony's a$$, please.