Warner goes Blu-ray exclusive

[BR7]

It's official: Warner has announced it will drop its support of the HD DVD format, and will begin releasing its next-gen titles on Blu-ray exclusively.
The complete press release from Warner follows below. Watch for more developments in this breaking story soon.

Link to story

[admin]

Official Warner press release:

http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,1700383,00.html

It's sad day for HD DVD supporters, and perhaps a victory for DRM and region control. But, and this is depending on what the HD DVD exclusive studios will do, this might help end the HD format confusion.

We'll have to see how the HD DVD camp reacts.

[ed klein]

Warner Swayed By $500 Million From The BDA
Filed Under Format War, HD DVD, Blu-ray, Studios |


According to a trusted source that was close to the negotiations, Warner and FOX were working on a deal to go Exclusive to HD DVD as recent as last week. Our source tells us that Warner was only willing to go to HD DVD if FOX would go with them. Their thinking was if they just went to HD DVD by themselves, it would not end the format war. Early this week FOX was paid an undisclosed amount to remain exclusive to Blu-ray. With the FOX deal falling through, Warner had no choice but to accept the BDA’s $500 Million offer to go Blu-ray exclusive. We do wonder if FOX was just playing the HD DVD side, while having no intentions of ever switching.

[admin]

It's hard to say whether there's any truth to this, just like whether the Paramount $150m and even 18 months commitment is true (Paramount seems to suggest there is no money, and there is no time limit to their exclusivity).

I find it hard to believe that Fox, a studio that is in love with region control (all their titles are region locked, even old re-releases) and DRM (BD+ was added at their insistence), would go HD DVD considering HD DVD favours neither of these. However, if Warner was to have gone HD DVD and Fox knew this, then Fox going HD DVD (with some monetary incentives) might have made sense. I find it more likely that Disney would go HD DVD than Fox, but if the HD DVD people can dig deep enough for money to buy both Fox and Disney, then Warner will come along without any effort. Not likely though.

[BR7]

I have been arguing in other forums that if HD DVD won the battle they wouldn't stay region free.Do you think they would have stayed RF and if so why?

[admin]

The main reason that HD DVD will stay region free is because the hardware specifications can no longer be updated to support region coding. There was talk in 2006 of adding region coding to HD DVD, but it never materialised, so it's very unlikely, if not impossible, for HD DVD to get region coding.

I guess if region checking can be implemented in software (which would be quite easy to hack), they can add it in a firmware update, but existing movies will all have been region-free, and if you don't upgrade your firmware, you might stay region-free as well.

I think the opportunity for adding region coding to HD DVD has well and truly passed. If it was going to happen (ie. as a way to lure Fox and co. onboard), it would have happened already.

[Brian Fisher]

IT looks like Paramount may be following suite. I just read this in the Financial Times.
link

I would be happy to see this war come to an end.

[BR7]

Yea, I just seen that article as well and was going to post it but I see you beat me to it.FT is extremely reliable and I think this may be confirmed very soon by Paramount

[admin]

Paramount/DreamWorks: "Still Supporting HD DVD"

[admin]

An interesting perspective from one of Australia's largest electronic retailers on the Warner decision:

Local retailers stand by HD-DVD

[BR7]

From what I have been reading some of the major stores around here have gone Blu-ray exclusive.I have also read reports to where some stores are selling HD DVD players as upconverters

[admin]

Some of the stores here are clueless, saying things like the PS3 is dead because the PS4 will be released in a few months time

[BR7]

LOL Can't argue with that.I don't know about every where else, but around here Best Buy wins first prize at misinforming people

Well... we've had SOME confirmation this morning of the details of the Financial Times story from last night. While the studio isn't yet commenting, reliable industry sources are telling us that Paramount is indeed preparing to end their HD-DVD support and announce a return to the Blu-ray fold. Details are currently being finalized, and an announcement is expected as soon as they're complete. Paramount's first new Blu-rays will almost certainly include many of those titles that were cancelled last year, but that were already packaged and ready for shipping, so you could see them in stores very quickly once the studio announces.

Meanwhile, sources are telling us that Universal has also been talking with the BDA, and is looking to follow Paramount and Warner's lead as soon as possible.

Link to story

[BR7]

Digital Playground now exclusive

Digital Playground has moved from neutral to Blu in the format war. Given recent events, it's not a surprising turn

Link to story

[blutach]

Is this a reversal for Paramount/Dreamworks? If so, it would spell the end of the format war with SONY a clear winner, right?

Regards