Warner to finally go Blu-ray-only at CES?

Another day, another format war rumor. Business Week has a lengthy writeup on the possibility of lone dual-format holdout Warner Brothers switching to Blu-ray exclusively, and how it could affect the outcome of the long-running feud between high-definition disc formats HD DVD and Blu-ray. The rumor gets its seed from vice-chairman of Lionsgate Michael Burns, who claims that Warner will be turning blue soon. With Warner on their side, the Blu-ray studios would hold a 70% market share for the DVD market. Of course, if Warner shifts red, then the studio market will again be split into two equal halves, and consumers are left to wait and see if one format can outsell, outspend, or outlast the other until only one format remains. The stakes are so high that top execs from both camps are banging down Warner's door with personal meetings -- and possibly even truckloads of cash -- to get Warner to turn to their side. One thing you can be sure of is that Warner is going to be keeping an extra close eye on the dual-format release of Harry Potter next week for guidance.

[Thanks, Michael P.]

[Kumar @ Dec 7th 2007 12:32PM]

So, if they go 'red', then what percentage of the remaining 'blue' half would be sony owned/controlled?

[TrentD @ Dec 7th 2007 1:25PM]

I personally think that if Warner goes exclusive to either side, all the momentum will fly that way - they just have way too much good content to ignore.

Warner to Blu-ray would kill HD DVD. Warner to HD DVD would nearly cripple Blu-ray.

[ark_v2 @ Dec 7th 2007 2:26PM]

@TrentD

You're completely right. If they go red it'll only lengthen this nonsense.

[3rdsun @ Dec 7th 2007 4:59PM]

Blue pill or red pill?

[James Cameron @ Dec 8th 2007 12:48PM]

Stop bitching. Wait until the price drop and buy a combo player. I have a combo Blu-ray and HD drive and both formats are just the same quality.

The only thing right now I don't like is that HOW LONG will the Blu-ray and HD discs going to be around. Right now I have wasted $1000 dollars on DVDs over the years and I don't really plan to do that with Blu-ray or HD if they are going to be around for only 4yrs.

[c.Lake @ Dec 9th 2007 3:39AM]

Buying a Comb Player is stupid. This whole thing is Laser disc vs. Beta Max, which is NOW turned into a freaking pissing contest. I'm expected to drop wads of cash on something that may not be around in 5 years -- no thanks, I'm not biting.

[Rob @ Dec 7th 2007 12:34PM]

Come on WB, come to poppa. Besides that "B" in WB is for "Blu-Ray." We all knew that. Sorry, I had to make some silly and probably unfunny joke. I hope WB goes Blu so that we can have more fun.

Let the format war attacks and nonsense commence. This should be fun.

[Billy Fiul @ Dec 7th 2007 5:21PM]

Thinking of a switch to Blu-ray, are we? Well, I might just have to pay a little visit to Mr. Warner CEO. Once you're into this family, there's no getting out.

[Rob @ Dec 7th 2007 5:47PM]

Oh, there's no switching going on here at all. I'm Blu-Ray all the way. I'd love for WB to go Blu so we can get this silly format war over with. I have a few BD titles in my library, with one "Cinderella Man" on HD-DVD I bought for $3.00. However, if WB goes HD-DVD I'd have to rush and jump on one of those crazy sales going on at Amazon all the time. Come on WB let's go "Blu, Blu, Blu, Blu, Blu ......."

If they make an announcement on CES 2008 about going format exclusive, the world will go nuts. If they go Red, the scale is balanced with the same number of studios and the war will continue. If they go Blu, then HD-DVD will be in a tight spot and Universal may have to make a serious decision of going either neutral or Blu-Ray exclusive. Hard to say/guess.

[thewaytogo @ Dec 7th 2007 12:40PM]

Blu-ray should win the format war, because HD DVD has the 1080i players for $100, and that is a rip of, since thats not true HD. Blue ray players are all 1080p so people are getting riped of.

[Jason @ Dec 7th 2007 12:41PM]

Good thing you're not selling it.

[tcc3 @ Dec 7th 2007 12:51PM]

And the HD generation doesn't start until Sony says it does. Why woulds I pay extra for 1080p when the vast majority of tvs wont do better than 1080i?

I dont see how a very good sale on a close out model what will suit the needs of most HD fans is a "ripoff."

I personally don't care who wins, I just want a winner dammit. I want my HD movies but I'm not risking picking the losing side.

[Mike @ Dec 7th 2007 1:05PM]

1.) 1080i HD-DVD for $100, 1080p HD-DVD for $250 - $500 OR Blu-Ray for $800+++. HD-DVD Wins
2.) HD-DVD and Regular DVD's can share the same disc on different sides, Blu, no such luck. HD-DVD wins
3.) HD-DVD is region free and lacks the ass-raping DRM. Blu-Ray is DRM'd so far up the ass its coming out its mouth. HD-DVD wins.
4.) Sony is evil. Everyone against Sony (including M$) is less evil. HD-DVD wins.


Gee, HD-DVD has 4, Blu-Ray has 0. HD-DVD Wins.

[TrentD @ Dec 7th 2007 1:24PM]

This is foolish.

Most TVs won't even accept a 1080p signal - why should they buy a 1080p player?

Also, your claim that "1080i isn't even real HD" is just so moronic that I can't believe I even addressed it.

[Alan Strangis @ Dec 7th 2007 1:25PM]

Hmmm... I'm pretty sure Toshiba came out with a firmware update that added 1080p/24hz support to their players, including the HD-A2 (the $100 player).

here's the link...
http://www.tacp.com/tacpassets-images/notices/hddvd2firmware.asp

If I were in the States, I'd be behind HD-DVD 100% at this point.

[andy @ Dec 7th 2007 1:28PM]

720p/1080i is HD, regardless of what Sony's marketing dept. would have you believe.

[sycks @ Dec 7th 2007 3:36PM]

Sorry Alan it did not add 1080p/24 to the A2 as the HD-A2 doesn't not have the chipset to output 1080p.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=12197669&postcount=1

Read the bottom:

Anti-FUD Fanboy since December 2006!

[Stephen Lang @ Dec 7th 2007 4:34PM]

For 24p content (all movies basically), 1080i or 1080p makes no difference-

http://hometheatermag.com/gearworks/1106gear/

[Che @ Dec 7th 2007 5:46PM]

At the risk of repeating myself, both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray have movies encoded at 1080p with 24 frames per second. To display this on a 60 frames per second TV, it has to be enhanced. In both formats the process is 1080p/24->1080i/60->1080p/60. If you have a 1080p panel, it cannot display 1080i/60, so it upgrades any 1080i signal to 1080p. So, the only difference between a player with 1080p output and 1080i output is where the last step of the conversion takes place, in the player or in the TV. In either case, you are watching 1080p/24 content upgraded to 1080p/60. The convestsion from 1080i/60 to 1080p/60 is simple enough that your TV would have a hard time screwing it up. If you have an analog 1080p CRT or a 120Hz 1080p LCD, you might see a difference. Otherwise, it makes absolutely no difference whether your player outputs in 1080p or 1080i and you should not consider this as a buying factor.

[NovaLand @ Dec 8th 2007 5:21AM]

The difference between 1080i and 1080p much not be so much in your world. It "only" specify the source of the signal. What is more interesting is the destination. Most 1080i-TV's doesn't have a 1920x1080 panel, but something much smaller and downscales all material and u wont even notice a difference between 720p and 1080p. Most 1080p full-HD-tv's i've seen have 1920x1080 panels which does do 1080p more justice.

[Jeebus @ Dec 8th 2007 2:31PM]

"1080i HD-DVD for $100"

Where? That was a Black Friday deal, good luck finding anything for $100

"Blu-Ray for $800+++"

Try the newest Samsung Blu-ray for $299:
http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/item/features/487442830?v_c=CJ&AID=10273773&PID=361116&SID=FW645roi

[glocks out @ Dec 12th 2007 1:28PM]

Mike, are you serious? Blu-ray players are MSRP $400 not $800, and the Samsung one is now MSRP $299 and selling for $269, which is $70 more than the cheapest HD DVD player. HD DVD is region free, but it also has AACS DRM, the same DRM Blu-ray has. Sony is only as evil as Toshiba, Microsoft, Intel, Dell, etc.

[Payam @ Dec 7th 2007 12:41PM]

Yes, please just end it so we can focus on the next media format was, digital downloads versus no one. . . .

[TrentD @ Dec 7th 2007 2:08PM]

Nobody wants digital downloads :)

[Matt B @ Dec 7th 2007 3:29PM]

Microsoft does.

[Kalen @ Dec 7th 2007 12:43PM]

I hope to god that they go 'blu'. Then all we would need is for the exclusivity deal to run out with Paramount so I can get Star Trek on Blu-ray.

[NinjaChurch @ Dec 7th 2007 12:59PM]

Amen to that. Star Trek on Blu-ray ftw!

[teej @ Dec 7th 2007 1:50PM]

i'm an hd-dvd fanboy, but you can have your Star Trek. wanna trade Star Wars for Star Trek?

[mattbrown @ Dec 7th 2007 12:43PM]

I think dual-format players are ultimately going to win out. Those players will ultimately become affordable one day, and when they do, red and blue isn't going to matter.

[Rob @ Dec 7th 2007 12:58PM]

Sure, but having to create two different versions of the same product is expensive and counterproductive for the studios. I don't think studios want to have to deal with that for very long. They want to deal with one version and that's all. I don't think they want to worry with "I want to put this feature here, but wait, that won't work with HD-DVD, or Blu-Ray doesn't support that." Studios want to put out a single version of a product that would work on one format (whichever happens to win.)

Also, consumers are confused enough with the digital transition of 2009 thinking they have to buy hd-tv. Now, they have to choose between what format to pick and whether they'd be choosing the wrong format. Also, it'd be expensive for retailers because they'd have some customers who'd pay for the wrong format and having to return it for the proper one. And, having to ... It's just nonsense.

[Peter @ Dec 7th 2007 12:48PM]

Option #1 is to go Blu-Ray
Option #2 is to go HD-DVD

As an owner of an HD-DVD player, I would like them to go with Option #3: don't go exclusive.

[HEY!!!! @ Dec 7th 2007 12:49PM]

mark my words if warner happens to go HD-DVD exculsive you will have to buy a dual format player.

[h0mi @ Dec 7th 2007 12:56PM]

What makes this latest rumor any more credible than the dozens and dozens of other rumors that preceded it?

[Pavilian @ Dec 7th 2007 12:57PM]

Go Blu-ray god damit!!

[Jason @ Dec 7th 2007 1:15PM]

here's how to win the war:

Offer a disc exchange program. For every retail DVD you hand them, they hand you the HD-DVD/BR version.

Would probably come with a 25 or 50 DVD limit, but I'd upgrade to whatever standard offers me an easy way to do so.

[blade417 @ Dec 7th 2007 1:21PM]

I'm happy as long as they continue to produce the regular ass dvd.

I don't really need the blu-ray or the HD (although they are pretty....very pretty). The world won't come to an end as long as they continue with the regular one.

[Billy Fiul @ Dec 7th 2007 5:26PM]

An ass man, are we? You know, those asses look a whole lot clearer in high def.

[MS @ Dec 7th 2007 1:24PM]

It's just pathetic...

Consumers don't care about standards, they care about media. They just want to buy a disc, take it home and watch it. I just don't see how excluding people that have bought a particular type of player can make any business sense to studios - it's not like they're selling players.

Just can't see the point of this...

[MattyG @ Dec 7th 2007 1:25PM]

go bluray, we don't want to be M$ b*tches anymore

[wickedpheonix @ Dec 7th 2007 5:35PM]

go HD-DVD, we don't want to be Sony b****es anymore.

[MattyG @ Dec 7th 2007 5:40PM]

i'd rather be sony's than M$

[SteveMB @ Dec 7th 2007 6:38PM]

How about nobody's bitch?

[superklye @ Dec 12th 2007 3:11AM]

omgz!!11 l00k I pu7t a $ in $ony!!!11 TAH7'S TEH FUNNI!!

Idiot.

[Silverfrog @ Dec 14th 2007 11:00AM]

Re: Wicked

"We don't want to be Sony ****** anymore."

Blu-Ray isn't just Sony. Do your homework.

[Andrew @ Dec 7th 2007 1:26PM]

The clear winner here is digital downloads. I said it a year ago and will stand by that claim.

[Tom @ Dec 7th 2007 2:43PM]

No no no, digital downloads are not a feasible solution as of this moment.

How many 50GB movies can you currently keep locally?

How long does it take for you to download 30-50GB?

I thought so, until the backbone exists to deliver that kind of data and store it cheaply, physical media is here to stay.

Eventually, yes, digital downloads of 1080p video and uncompressed audio will be possible but that is at least ten years off so if you're waiting for that, better pull up a chair.

[Dane Omazic @ Dec 7th 2007 1:27PM]

You know what wins

all this HD, Blu Ray ....

One that has the biggest selection of movies and one that has the most affordable movies and players.

Think about it guys

70% of people buying TV end up getting the 720p - 1080i tvs, not to say they are not good for the $$ they spend but they are better once ( if u have $2k + to spend on a tv, u got $300 + to spend on a HD or Blu Ray Player)

u can get a upconverting DVD play for $60 and it will upconvert to 1080i ... good enough for most people, and 60% of people wont be able to notice a big difference on there 720p-1080i tv from upconverted DVD (witch they already have) from spending $40 for a HD or Blu Ray DVD that will only give them 1080i since there tv don't give out better resolution

in conclusion, format war will be won, when 70% of tv sales end up being true HD 1080p because without that an AVERAGE consumer can't tell 2 much difference between HD movie or Regular movie upscaled other then a big HOLE in is pocket

[Jensen @ Dec 7th 2007 1:33PM]

Upscaled SD content looks horrible compared to any decent HD content on these two "new" formats unless you have a very, very bad display unit.

[Dane Omazic @ Dec 7th 2007 1:42PM]

you and me know that
an average consumer doesn't also, someone in there mid 40s is not gonna care, as long as it plays there dvd for them that is all that they care and there HD box (1080i) plays on there tv and it is better then there tube tv they are happy

i agree with you .. HD content is so much better ... i have both blu ray and hd dvd players and they both show amazing quality, and i can't pick one since u can't get all the movies in one format so i chose to go with both

witch ever one wins, i think it be the one that is most affordable one in long run not short one. Honestly so many people are uneducated about HD that they couldn't tell why why HD is better then SD other then it has good picture, its on a bigger TV

[Jeff @ Dec 7th 2007 1:27PM]

A couple days ago the BDA released figures showing 2.7 million Blu-Ray players in homes, including 700,000 standalone players (vs. 750,000 HD-DVD players, and that includes the Xbox 360 attachment). That's a lot more standalone players than I think a lot of people expected given the price difference, and a *big* overall advantage when you factor in the PS3. And software sales seem to be bearing that out - it's almost a 3:1 advantage for Blu-Ray in software right now.

Google "blu-ray 2.7 million" if you want a source for this info (some articles spin it positively in favor of blu-ray, others negatively, though the negative ones are really grasping).

So I don't disbelieve this rumor. It's going to be every studio eventually. This format "war" has never really even been a contest, and the Universal HD-DVD exclusivity hasn't seemed to put a damper on anything in the blu-ray camp. People are buying more blu-ray discs than ever, and they're not buying any more hd-dvd's than they were. The studios are definitely paying attention.