Could Warner Bros. Abandon HD DVD in 2008?

[AVRevForum.com]

According to a report published today in HomeMediaMagazine.com today, Warner Home Video vice president of High-Definition Media, Dan Silverberg, suggested his studio, which currently supports both the HD DVD and Blu-ray formats would be reconsidering their strategies going forward as they relate to two HD disc formats.

Silverberg said, "One thing that may be changing is our strategy. When both formats launched and hardware prices were high, we made a decision to support both formats and let the consumer decide. But now that hardware pricing is affordable for both Blu-ray and HD DVD, it appears consumers no longer want to decide — so the notion of staying in two formats for the duration is something we are re-evaluating now that we are in the fourth quarter."

These comments were made at a Blu-ray promotional event for the enthusiast print and online media today in Hollywood, and are likely to kick up some hopes on the Blu-ray side that they could get another major studio as a sole content provider on their side going forward.

Even with the prices of players dropping and consumer adoption of HDTV at a breakneck pace – pundits are also suggesting that there will be no clear-cut winner or loser in the HD DVD versus Blu-ray format war. It has been suggested that both HD disc formats could thrive going forward just as Xbox, Playstation and Wii all enjoy popularity in the highly profitable video gaming market today. With Playstation 3 still a powerful platform for Blu-ray, HD DVD players breaking price barriers, and consumers still a little weary of the look of a new-school Beta versus VHS battle that both camps have created here, it seems predictable that for the near future Warner Brothers will remain a producer of both disc formats going forward. Time will tell.

Source: HomeMediaMagazine.com

By: Jerry Del Colliano

[TheMoose]

Well I hate this format war!
I hate that people will have bought hardware & software that will be made obsolete.

That said I have decided on my format, I have a Playstation 3 & over 60 Blu-Ray movies so I want HD-DVD to die a quick painless death so I can have any movie I want in Blu-Ray, unless HD-DVD decides to hold out to the bitter end, then I hope they bleed cash in a long & agonizing death for making the consumers go through this damn format war (that they could have stopped before it began) in the first place.

So if your listening WB, Go Blu!!
I'll be first in line to buy Batman returns & Grand Prix in Blu-Ray.

[kennyt]

Moose,

Give in to the pressure...

It seems some HD DVD players are selling for ~$100...

Even if it's close, if it does 1080p, buy one, your Denon has the inputs and you know you want it................

[DaViD Boulet]

for $99, it's tempting just to watch Transformers in HD while I wait for BD to come through...

Even with the prices of players dropping and consumer adoption of HDTV at a breakneck pace – pundits are also suggesting that there will be no clear-cut winner or loser in the HD DVD versus Blu-ray format war. It has been suggested that both HD disc formats could thrive going forward just as Xbox, Playstation and Wii all enjoy popularity in the highly profitable video gaming market today.

It's been suggested by many more than the war is stale-mating the success of both formats and that after beta/vhs consumers are more wary about picking "the wrong side" than ever before. Video game consoles are a different animal and have been all along (even since the Atari 2600). Your general movie watcher doesn't want to have to navigate issues of multiple players and formats when buying a movie as a birthday present or when looking for a disc to rent to take home for the evening. While enthusiasts have tolerated the dual-format issue in order to obtain pre-recorded HD software, it's unlikely to be something J6P would even consider coming near.

[Bob Walters]

Folks,
Unfortumnately, I agree COMPLETELY.....let the format war run its course WITHOUT me to support either!!!! But that $100.00 Walmart sale has me thinking "do I want to get this just to "taste" HD DVD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!

I just had another thought...............Sony won the 1st format war and their format WAS NOT the better of the two formats......just for that reason alone I WILL NOT "get into" Blu-ray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!

[ssali]

It would be great if the we could get WB on our side. I for one decided on Blu-ray, it is the better format with more capacity and better hardware. Toshiba DVD/HD-DVD players are crap. Why else would a high-end manufacturer like Pioneer Elite create an absolutely astonishing Blu-Ray Player.

I have about 20 Blu-ray discs only because I'm not replacing my existing DVD collection with over 1300 (legally purchased) movies.

I hope all the BS comes to an end soon, it better because consumer attitude towards rapidly changing technologies is nothing short of annoyed.