Revvin 1 Posted January 5, 2008 With one Sony exec stating a few months ago that the HD format war was at stalement, he might want to re-evaluate that statement as Warner Bros have now decided the future is bright, the future is Blu! Warner Bros are Hollywoods biggest DVD seller and account for 18-20% of sales in the US according to Reuters. Warner Bros Chairman and Chief Executive Barry Meyer made the following statement: "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," In answer to Warner Bros dropping a format they and Microsoft supported Toshiba had this to say: 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. CNBC are already speculating there is now no way back for the HD DVD format with such a large Hollywood company has made a decisive move to one format. You have to wonder how long it will be before Universal Pictures and Paramount Pictures/Dreamworks join the format although at present they are exclusively HD DVD. On the computer front both Dell and Apple are now producing systems with built in Blu-Ray disc players and with Sony's PS3 also (rather obviously) supporting the Blu-Ray format its hard to see where HD DVD can go from here. Its been reported that at the CES show next week Bill Gates was to make a big XBOX 360 related announcement. Speculation was rife that the annoucement would be a new 360 SKU with built in wifi, a 320GB HDD, the IPTV service and perhaps importantly until this announcement from Warner Bros it was to include a built in HD DVD drive. Those rumours were circulating for a week and Microsoft chose to ignore them but after Warner Bros announcement I saw a quote from one site where an MS employee chanted the same mantra about offering the HD DVD as an accessory and that they had no plans to release a 360 with a built in HD DVD drive. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Fates 63 Posted January 5, 2008 Downloads will be the wave of the future.....no plastic required to litter the planet. Things will simply beam up via cell phones, digital OTA airwaves, etc...etc... I simply don't buy into a new DVD format when there will be another monster in 3 years. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Revvin 1 Posted January 5, 2008 (edited) Downloads will be the wave of the future.....no plastic required to litter the planet. Things will simply beam up via cell phones, digital OTA airwaves, etc...etc... I simply don't buy into a new DVD format when there will be another monster in 3 years. Downloads are still quite some time away especially as a lot of countries don't have adequate broadband infrastructure and lots of ISP's having download caps not to mention Hollywood not being able to pick a DVD format let alone a DRM should they go with download as a method of distribution. It will happen eventually but its a long long way down the road to becomming a global standard for distributing films etc. A format needs to be chosen soon, this may well give Blu-Ray enough momentum to establish itself as 'the' format. Microsoft have been criticised by some for now being fully behind the HD DVD format as Bill Gates vision for the future is downloads but considering MS's take on rights to software particularly their OS's it sends a shiver down my spine not to mention the ill conceived DRM Sony developed a few years ago. The RIAA are apparently pursuing one Kazzaa user in the States for distributing 50 tracks he owned, thats fair enough IMO but its worrying that they are also trying to make a case that its illegal to burn your own music CD's to your own PC. With attitudes like that I'll keep my disc's thanks all the same HD or not. Edited January 5, 2008 by Revvin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rambler 1-1 9 Posted January 5, 2008 what? another standard format? They just want us to go buy blu-rays and ps3s so they can make more money. and I just finished converting most of our old cassetes into dvds! bummer! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JediMaster 451 Posted January 7, 2008 The funny thing is Paramount was dual-format last year and then went HD DVD only, making Warner the only dual-format studio left. Now every studio is exclusive to one side. That's ok, my HD DVD player was only $200. I was planning on buying Warner's in BD anyway now since I have both players, so this really only hurts the HD DVD-only people. I'm not certain how many of them there are, but there are still a lot of movies on HD DVD, albeit not as many as on BD right now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jodandawg 18 Posted January 10, 2008 i guess people who cant afford blu ray players are SOL until the prices come down. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
column5 63 Posted January 11, 2008 i guess people who cant afford blu ray players are SOL until the prices come down. They'll come down. Best Buy had one for $299 at Christmas. Next Christmas a $199 player is guaranteed, maybe even $149. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sparkomatic 7 Posted January 11, 2008 too much like Beta Max for me right now, will let you guys sort through it...let me know who wins Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TX3RN0BILL 3 Posted January 11, 2008 Yeah, I ain't upgrading either from standard DVD until ONE format comes to rule them all... err... wait, that was something else... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
column5 63 Posted January 11, 2008 Its all but over...Universal and Paramount will surrender... http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080...y-imminent.html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sparkomatic 7 Posted January 11, 2008 Sony annoys me, like their "Universal Media" that only works on one thing...different ideas of "universal" I suppose Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Longestpants 1 Posted January 11, 2008 Sony annoys me, like their "Universal Media" that only works on one thing...different ideas of "universal" I suppose No joke, man. The only thing worse than proprietary formats, like those stupid GBA headphones, is... uh... burning to death? That sounds bad. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FalconC45 162 Posted January 11, 2008 They'll come down. Best Buy had one for $299 at Christmas. Next Christmas a $199 player is guaranteed, maybe even $149. I'm thinking of getting a player that plays both. LG and Panosonic has them. But first I'm saving for a 64Bit gaming system. Falcon Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sparkomatic 7 Posted January 11, 2008 like an iPod...man that thing is very single minded, at least now that it is so popular then there are a few more options Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
column5 63 Posted January 11, 2008 I'm thinking of getting a player that plays both. LG and Panosonic has them. But first I'm saving for a 64Bit gaming system. Falcon Been really pleased with the PS3 in the short time I've owned it. replaces my DVD player and D-Link media center (which was zapped months ago in a storn) and gives me Blu-Ray and game console capability I did not have previously. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
column5 63 Posted January 11, 2008 like an iPod...man that thing is very single minded, at least now that it is so popular then there are a few more options Yeah but the thing about the iPod...and I say this having owned many other MP3 players...is that it is just so easy to use. The interface and iTunes integration are perfect. And I don't buy anything from iTunes, I just use it to rip my CDs and load the iPod. It does what it does perfectly. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Revvin 1 Posted January 11, 2008 Yeah but the thing about the iPod...and I say this having owned many other MP3 players...is that it is just so easy to use. The interface and iTunes integration are perfect. And I don't buy anything from iTunes, I just use it to rip my CDs and load the iPod. It does what it does perfectly. Agreed, I used many cheaper alternatives for playing MP3's but finally gave in and bought an iPod and been really happy with it. Overall I'm very happy with my PS3, HD DVD will have to pull one hell of a rabbit out of the hat to turn the current tide. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sparkomatic 7 Posted January 12, 2008 (edited) I had a USB/MP3 player and really liked it...it was like a lead weight...impossible to break and it went with me on 2 Marathons, plus all of the training leading to them, plus a deployment to the desert. Bought an iPod while in the desert to bring back to my wife...it didnt survive one day (overheated...but it was 128 that day, plus I was sitting with full armor on in the back of a C-130, so the temp was way more than that) That touchy-feely-wheel on the iPod is not durable enough for me, but it works great for her. By the way, i am NOT calling you a girl... Edited January 12, 2008 by sparkomatic Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Revvin 1 Posted January 12, 2008 I think its safe to say none of the MP3 players or ipods are designed to work in that enviroment and thats a pretty extreme one. There are also models without the touch sensitive wheel anyway. I think you've completely missed the point over the UMD format. Sony didn't stop anyone from developing a UMD player, they designed the format for their PSP so are they some sort of bad guy because they created a new media? Are the other memory manufacturers bad for creating so many different types of memory card so we have to use different types for mobile phones, cameras etc? shame on Ford too for making proprietary cars, why shouldn't I be able to buy a Honda engine and plug it straight into the engine bay without modifying it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sparkomatic 7 Posted January 12, 2008 actually...thats not a bad idea...a Ford with a Honda engine... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FalconC45 162 Posted January 13, 2008 Been really pleased with the PS3 in the short time I've owned it. replaces my DVD player and D-Link media center (which was zapped months ago in a storn) and gives me Blu-Ray and game console capability I did not have previously. Best Buy has the LG player for 799. It was 999. Give it a year and the price will go down alot. Falcon Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JediMaster 451 Posted January 14, 2008 I got separate ones for less, I think you pay a premium just to get the dual format. Besides, there are people that claim it's not TRUE dual format, something about it only meeting the standards for one half, the other only "mostly" conforming, whatever that means. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
