HD DVD group cancels CES press conference in wake of Warner announcement: daaamn
By Ryan Block 
posted January 4th 2008 10:14PM
posted January 4th 2008 10:14PM
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.
Update 2: Doing a little victory dance of its own, Blu-ray is touting its CES presence as "Best Booth of All Time". No, not at all puerile. Nyah.
--snip (cancellation email)--
Notice of CES Press Conference Cancellation by North American HD DVD Promotion Group
Based on the timing of the Warner Home Video announcement today, we have decided to postpone our CES 2008 press conference scheduled for Sunday, January 6th at 8:30 p.m. in the Wynn Hotel. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
We are currently discussing the potential impact of this announcement with the other HD DVD partner companies and evaluating next steps. We believe the consumer continues to benefit from HD DVD's commitment to quality and affordability – a bar that is critical for the mainstream success of any format.
We'll continue to keep you updated on new developments around HD DVD.
--end-
--snip (the release of disappointment, PR cousin to the walk of shame)--
Toshiba's Comment on Announcement from Warner Bros. Entertainment of Its Exclusive Support for Blu-ray Disc Format
TOKYO, Jan. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Toshiba is quite surprised by Warner
Bros.' decision to abandon HD DVD in favor of Blu-ray, despite the fact
that there are various contracts in place between our companies concerning
the support of HD DVD. As central members of the DVD Forum, we have long
maintained a close partnership with Warner Bros. We worked closely together
to help standardize the first-generation DVD format as well as to define
and shape HD DVD as its next-generation successor.
We were particularly disappointed that this decision was made in spite
of the significant momentum HD DVD has gained in the US market as well as
other regions in 2007. HD DVD players and PCs have outsold Blu-ray in the
US market in 2007.
We will assess the potential impact of this announcement with the other
HD DVD partner companies and evaluate potential next steps. We remain firm
in our belief that HD DVD is the format best suited to the wants and needs
of the consumer.
--end--
I still remember the VHS/Betamax/V2000 war... I can only speak for europe here. Most movies were printed on Betamax in the beginning while V2000 (from Philips and Grundig) was the superior product (better quality AND you had a double-sided/double-length tape; 4 hours on each side). The 'pause'-image was also super-stable which sucked with Betamax and VHS. But it wasn't untill most porn-publishers started to use VHS because of the costs (cheap!) that all movie-studio's started to tip over to the VHS-side... ofcourse nobody will say it was the HUGE quantities of porn that made them tip over to the dark side.... It's nice to see movie-studio's choose a format here... but unless the porn-publishers choose to sit this one out I think it will be the porn-sector that will decide eventually what format will be the winner.
Porn, nowadays, is synonymous with downloading.
Screw this. I'm going back to vinyl LPs and VHS tapes :)
Not that it matters to me, but, I am sure everyone went Blu-Ray because it sounded cooler.
As a recent purchaser of one of those $99.99 HD-DVDs from Wally mart I am somewhat disappointed in the WB decision, but not devastated. I'll just buy the cheaper HD-DVD movies ($10-15 old classic movies, used ect.) and wait it out, eventually I'll get a Blue-Ray player when prices drop below $199.99, there's always room in my entertainment center for one more piece of gear. I still have my Laserdisk player from one of the previous format wars, after all what's one more.
Yep, I know this was going to end like this. Now, to boycott and destroy everything Viacom Paramount/CBS and Micro$oft related and their insignificant (not to mention) inferior and weak format.
Now we all need to close the doors for HD-DVD at the retail level.
Whew! I'm glad I've held out so far, and even at this point I"m not 100% convinced, only because Sony is great at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. We shall see!
"HD DVD players and PCs have outsold Blu-ray in the US market in 2007"
The whole doesn't revolve around USA. There's still Europe, Middle East, Asia, etc.. I don't know anything abt the takeup rate for Blu-ray or HD-DVD in those regions, but I think what's not said in the statement is more important.
I think the time is right to get a PS3 :)
I'm glad I went with the BD. About half year ago, 8 of my co-workers in my team brought the PS3 and told me that high def is the way to go. After I saw the price of a single BR movie on sale at Fry's (9.99-14.99) I was sold. I got the PS3 a week after with rebates, 5 free movies and what not... Now I have over 40 BD movies, HD projector, and a PS3, for the sole purpose of enjoying HD content, I'm not a big fan of console gaming. And ever since I invited over bunch of people watching "Planet Earth" on 120" screen, two of my friends decided to go with the PS3... What I'm trying to say is that, even HD DVD players cost a lot less, their total up-keep is higher...the actual movies selection aren't as good, and they are pricy! (over 24.99 to 35 dollars per movie) When I can get Blu-ray movies from 9.99 to 14.99 on sale. I'm just glad Blu-ray won. I don't care what other people are saying, but this is coming from my own point of view, so now I'm a no longer a SD virgin, I will continue to spread the blue goodness. And soon we'll be able to find HD DVDs in the "everything must go" bin for a price lower than 9.99... maybe then the folks who brought those 199 HD DVD players can afford the actual content!
Yes, HD DVD has been dealt a severe blow. Warner's timing was planned and intended to injure. I've never seen a company (Toshiba) so caught with their pants down, and I do PR for a living. This was as huge as M&M's refusing to be the candy in E.T. or Coke changing their formula. Paramount has a contract with HD with an opt-out clause they can exercise in 30 days. Analysts agree (Wallstreet and the like - not emotional consumers without all the facts) that HD may never recover from this. If Paramount drops HD in 30 days, Blu Ray will have won. I've held out so far because I didn't want to be in a VHS/Beta dilemna - at this point, I'll buy Blu with confidence.
I don't care who's the winner, as long as someone is winning. So we don't get confused when we get to buy the device. Imagine having to regret your decision just because a particular film come out in the other format. Now that sucks