Warner Brothers goes Bluray exclusive

elicash73 · 04-01-2008, 8:52 PM

http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssC...44635420080104

domtheone · 04-01-2008, 8:53 PM

Fools.

AgentCool · 04-01-2008, 8:55 PM

Shocking - this sounds like the real deal as well. I have to say I'm disappointed as Warner have produced many excellent HD DVDs, a lot of which have yet to appear on Blu-ray.

Still, as long as they keep releasing their US BD titles without region coding I'm not too bothered.

Shaun666 · 04-01-2008, 8:57 PM

Wow ! Didn't expect that to happen so soon.

elicash73 · 04-01-2008, 8:57 PM

The most important thing is that the format war can now come to an end but I sympathise with HD-DVD supporters.

domtheone · 04-01-2008, 8:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaun666

Wow ! Didn't expect that to happen so soon.

And for them to pick the wrong side too

chelsea.tone · 04-01-2008, 8:58 PM

Yeh its on a well known site

Warner has announced that they will be switching to support Blu-ray exclusively. Warner has been supporting both formats since they were launched, but recent talk from top executives suggested that Warner couldn't continue down that road much longer, and that the all important holiday sales would help them make a decision. With Blu-ray winning every week in high definition sales this year, Warner has decided that The Future is Blu.

"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.

Its all over folks!

Tony

KevD · 04-01-2008, 9:00 PM

Rasczak · 04-01-2008, 9:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chelsea.tone

Its all over folks!

With Universal, Paramount and Dreamworks still HD DVD exclusive? I doubt it. A significant blow for HD DVD though - and for home cinema fans as we will now have PCM soundtracks versus TrueHD

HugoFJH · 04-01-2008, 9:03 PM

Great news

THE hd market can really grow, hardware will improve also, and hopefully pricing will shrink all due to more people joining (because of less confusion)

with warner supplying 20% of the US dvd's last year, surely its now only a question of time before hd-dvd disappears

also less likely that LOTR will be hd-dvd only whenever its released

elicash73 · 04-01-2008, 9:03 PM

I'm sure there are get-out clauses in the event that Toshiba themselves decide to call it a day.

jerryfb · 04-01-2008, 9:03 PM

I bet the "flame war" bulbs are flashing and the alarms are shrieking in the homes of AVforums Mods the world over.

Good news though.

There's a few films I can look forward to now

domtheone · 04-01-2008, 9:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rasczak

With Universal, Paramount and Dreamworks still HD DVD exclusive? I doubt it. A significant blow for HD DVD though - and for home cinema fans as we will now have PCM soundtracks versus TrueHD

Indeed. A huge blow but still not the end.

Maybe Disney or Fox will leave the dark side and join the Rebel forces at the upcoming CES

chelsea.tone · 04-01-2008, 9:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chelsea.tone

Its all over folks!

Not my words

copy n paste

Tony

jerryfb · 04-01-2008, 9:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by domtheone

Indeed. A huge blow but still not the end.

Maybe Disney or Fox will leave the dark side and join the Rebel forces at the upcoming CES

Anyone with Microsoft in their camp can hardly be considered "rebel" forces

can they?

domtheone · 04-01-2008, 9:10 PM

I wonder how long it'll be before the discussion turns to the numbers in Sony's cheque book

chelsea.tone · 04-01-2008, 9:10 PM

Micro$oft

Tony

domtheone · 04-01-2008, 9:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chelsea.tone

Micro$oft

To buy Fox and Disney

Note re above. Idle speculation not fact

chelsea.tone · 04-01-2008, 9:16 PM

Lol nothing would shock me any more

Tony

Kainz · 04-01-2008, 9:17 PM

I'll continue to stick to HD-DVD. Plenty of top dogs films out and still on the way. I prefer the classics and this format has loads.

jerryfb · 04-01-2008, 9:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kainz

I'll continue to stick to HD-DVD. Plenty of top dogs films out and still on the way. I prefer the classics and this format has loads.

That's all it will have by the sounds of it.

kourosh · 04-01-2008, 9:21 PM

well i wont be selling my HD-DVD players just yet

irascian · 04-01-2008, 9:23 PM

I'm really disappointed, although I guess the writing was on the wall with recent New Line titles being "Blu Ray only".

I've got way more HD-DVDs than Blu-Ray but this will cause me to change my buying policy eg a couple of titles I was going to buy on HD-DVD I'm now buying on British Blu-Ray.

I'm not convinced this will kill HD-DVD (it needs Paramount and Universal to go dual-format to do that), but alas, I do think long term the writing's on the wall as to which format is going to win.

micks_address · 04-01-2008, 9:25 PM

wow, i am happy with this news.. now i think there is a good chance that hd as a disc format has a future... i dont think hd dvd will see the distance now.. i mean warners is huge... i wonder how long before universal come around now.. and are the good folks at paramount feeling a little red faced?

i'm glad i stuck with my strategy of buying blue ray where titles were available on both formats.. and only hd dvd where they were excluse.. i think i will be parting with my hd dvd player.. soon just so as i can get some cash for it..

BlackCountryBob · 04-01-2008, 9:26 PM

http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsr...700383,00.html

Its official!

Rasczak · 04-01-2008, 9:30 PM

Well this has certainly been an interesting evening - I wonder what the HD DVD camp will do to counter? As with the Paramount announcement this has been carefully timed - whereas that release can a week before CEDIA, so to has this come a week before CES. Has the HD DVD Association got time to prepare a response? It'll be difficult for them and no mistake.

domtheone · 04-01-2008, 9:33 PM

I see they waited till they sold a shed load of Harry Potter Discs/Boxsets on HD DVD

Good on you Warners

timus · 04-01-2008, 9:36 PM

So are we looking at the Matrix on Blu-ray possibly then????

micks_address · 04-01-2008, 9:38 PM

i just cant believe it came so soon...

i suppose the one good thing for hd dvd is that warner released some great catalogue titles on both formats in the last few months... like the kubrick set, blade runner and harry potter sets....

crikey... still cant believe this... i cant see a positive argument for hd dvd surviving this news... it would have been damning for blue ray if warner had gone hd dvd exclusive..

but fox, sony, disney and warner.. plus others.. well the odds really are stacked against hd dvd...

i think HD DVDs epitaph will be... "killed by PS3"

domtheone · 04-01-2008, 9:45 PM

Be interesting to hear Toshiba's (and probably more so Microsoft) responce.

Guess we won't have to wait too long.