Warner Brothers Decides to Dump HD DVD

[TropixxxStudios]

Interesting to see who is chosing what sides.


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From the January 4, 2008 New York Times
Did Warner Brothers Just Kill HD DVD?
By Saul Hansell

In addition to Apple, Warner Brothers is now going to throw its weight behind the Blu-ray format for high-definition disks. Warner has been the only major studio to publish its movies in both Blu-ray and HD DVD formats. Today, the studio announced that from now on, it would only issue movies in Blu-ray.

Until now, the war between the formats has seemed like a standoff. Of the big studios, Disney, Fox and Sony have backed Blu-ray. NBC Universal and Viacom back HD DVD.

Richard Greenfield, the media analyst with Pali Research, wrote that this marks the end of the format wars: “We expect HD DVD to ‘die’ a quick death.” He noted that NBC Universal has not committed to backing HD DVD exclusively. Viacom’s studios — Paramount and Dreamworks — have an exclusive deal with the backers of HD DVD, but Mr. Greenfield wonders if there is an escape clause.

Mr. Greenfield further wonders if consumers, on hearing this news, will return their Christmas HD DVD players and exchange them for Blu-ray devices. I’m not so sure that many people pay that close attention to Hollywood. But I certainly wouldn’t spend money on an HD DVD player until this all sorts out.

[Cash]

It looks like a major blow for HD-DVD ... Too bad, since I guess with combo players such as the ones of LG and Samsung, the war would be solved.

[TropixxxStudios]

Combo players are nice, but I do wish they would settle on a format. Reminds me of the VHS v. Beta days. I still have my beta tape collection. :uhoh:

[SPACE GLIDER]

I still have my beta tape collection. :uhoh:

I remember when all the smart people knew Beta would be the winner. The picture was clear, the sound was better. I still wonder why Beta didn't come out on top in all that. Was it the fact that so few movies could be rented in that format?

[BuzzWestChris]

I own both, and honestly I cannot tell the difference. But HDDVD does load ALOT faster. But video quality is the exact same at 1080p I cannot see the difference. Personally I would prefer HD-DVD to win, cuz Sony has that whole Shitty "I am Sony" attitude.

Just my 2cents (actually a $499 PS3 and a $199.00 Xbox360 HD-DVD player) LOL

But the HD-DVD player does upsample regular DVD much better.

[basschick]

doesn't blu-ray require a hugely expensive encoder in order to make the DVDs?

[marcjacob]

I happen to know very little about this but Im guessing its a bit like VHS and Betamax when video came out? Is it possible that actually both will survive and studios will eventually release on both formats?

[SPACE GLIDER]

Is there anything actually "blue" about blu-ray