Blu-Ray or HD-DVD?

[Buleste]

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[Sharingan]

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[v85rawdeal]

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[Submeg]

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[Sharingan]

Well, it looks like the Blu-ray/HD DVD war is now 'officially' coming to an end.

Warner Bros, the last 'neutral' film studio, has just announced that it will be dropping support for HD DVD and start publishing for Blu-ray exclusively. This will give BR an approximate 70% share of the high def movie market. This, coupled with both hardware and disc sales being dominated by Blu-ray worldwide over the past year, basically spells the end for the competing format.

Perhaps this is the move that was needed to finally push high definition video into the mainstream!

January 4, 2008 – Burbank, CA) – In response to consumer demand, Warner Bros. Entertainment will release its high-definition DVD titles exclusively in the Blu-ray disc format beginning later this year, it was announced today by Barry Meyer, Chairman & CEO, Warner Bros. and Kevin Tsujihara, President, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.

“Warner Bros.’ move to exclusively release in the Blu-ray disc format is a strategic decision focused on the long term and the most direct way to give consumers what they want,” said Meyer. “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 Home Video will continue to release its titles in standard DVD format and Blu-ray. After a short window following their standard DVD and Blu-ray releases, all new titles will continue to be released in HD DVD until the end of May 2008.
“Warner Bros. has produced in both high-definition formats in an effort to provide consumer choice, foster mainstream adoption and drive down hardware prices,” said Jeff Bewkes, President and Chief Executive Officer, Time Warner Inc., the parent company of Warner Bros. Entertainment. “Today’s decision by Warner Bros. to distribute in a single format comes at the right time and is the best decision both for consumers and Time Warner.”

“A two-format landscape has led to consumer confusion and indifference toward high definition, which has kept the technology from reaching mass adoption and becoming the important revenue stream that it can be for the industry,” said Tsujihara. “Consumers have clearly chosen Blu-ray, and we believe that recognizing this preference is the right step in making this great home entertainment experience accessible to the widest possible audience. Warner Bros. has worked very closely with the Toshiba Corporation in promoting high definition media and we have enormous respect for their efforts. We look forward to working with them on other projects in the future.”

[AlexJ]

I think the problem is, that they've taking so long, people's experiences of watching HD films are more likely to come from HD television channels rather than from the discs. With the major broadcasters in the UK all launching their HD channels in the next few months, the film studios needed to pick a format soon. WB look like they've made the choice for the industry.

[Sharingan]

I don't know ... people are by nature collectors. We like to own things like shiny disc cases and cover art. That's an aspect that HD television can't replace. Moreover, does the current cable infrastructure allow the ultra high bitrates required to play a 1080p movie flawlessly?

I just don't see television really competing with a disc format - after all, the DVD did just fine as well.

Other things that are to be taken into account:

- Movies appear sooner on disc after the theater run ends
- Discs can be replayed as many times as one wants
- Can one pause a movie on television?
- Extras

I'm assuming HD-capable recorders aren't widely available and affordable just yet.


On another note, New Line Cinema will be going Blu-exclusive as well. Unsurprising, since TimeWarner is their parent company.