Blue-Ray or HD DVD

[bagelsncheesey]

Read an article in one of the media magazines a week ago that said that the VP of media (or something similar) at Warner Bros has resigned from the company, he was one of the people in charge of what movies were ported to HD-DVD and Blue Ray. One of the comments was in regards to him being the largest proponent of HD-DVD at Warners and now that he has left, there will be a Blue-Ray push.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/home_entertainment/video/e3ic5e5748d210215482fe5e2abfedf8b53


Evan

Good article, thanks man. It'd be nice if Warner also distributed to Blu-ray now, there are a few movies I can think of that i'd like to see come to Blu.

 

[El Roranous]

I will be watching my first blu ray movie on Friday on my lovely brand new PS3 so I must say....I really don't care who wins now because I am covered. I kind of think it's cool to have two different formats since it spices things up a bit. I love to watch these battles.

 

[darthviper107]

Good article, thanks man. It'd be nice if Warner also distributed to Blu-ray now, there are a few movies I can think of that i'd like to see come to Blu.

I think they're doing a little bit of both. I know The Matrix collection will be coming to Blu-Ray sometime, and then later this year the Harry Potter collection is coming to both formats.

 

[El Roranous]

Blu Ray just has more movies available so therefore I had to bite the bullet and finally get a player. I wouldn't have though if HD DVD was getting more support and better movies. Pirates....hello!!!

 

[tomandshell]

Live Free or Die Hard will be available in an Unrated edition on standard DVD. The Blu-ray version will only feature the PG-13 theatrical cut.

 

[hairlesswookiee]

Blu Ray just has more movies available so therefore I had to bite the bullet and finally get a player. I wouldn't have though if HD DVD was getting more support and better movies. Pirates....hello!!!

TRANSFORMERS > Pirates. 'nuff said.

 

[tomandshell]

Read an article in one of the media magazines a week ago that said that the VP of media (or something similar) at Warner Bros has resigned from the company, he was one of the people in charge of what movies were ported to HD-DVD and Blue Ray. One of the comments was in regards to him being the largest proponent of HD-DVD at Warners and now that he has left, there will be a Blue-Ray push.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/home_entertainment/video/e3ic5e5748d210215482fe5e2abfedf8b53


Evan

Warner has already responded to that:

Warner Denies Rumors of Shift in High-Def Strategy

Though it's not likely to quell ongoing speculation, Warner today is denying reports that the studio will follow in Paramount's footsteps and drop its dual-support of both HD DVD and Blu-ray.

The rumors began earlier this week, after fellow dual-format supporter Paramount announced it would exclusively release its movies on HD DVD, but reached a fever pitch late Thursday, when Warner VP Steve Nickerson -- the studio's high-def point person, and the industry's cheerleader for dual-format support -- announced he would leave Warner.

Now, in a new article posted by Video Business, Warner Home Video spokesman Jim Noonan says that Nickerson's departure should not be taken to suggest an upcoming shift in the studio’s high-def operations.

"This is not about a change in strategy," Noonan said. "This is completely [Nickerson's] call, and he will be missed. He is smart and a workhorse."

Meanwhile, Warner has announced that Dorinda Marticorena will take on Nickerson's previous role as senior VP of high-def. Currently VP of kids and sports marketing at Warner Home Video, the studio says Marticorena will contine Nickerson's efforts to promote the mainstream adoption of both high-def formats.

They will continue to support both formats. I believe that when the tech specs are finally universalized for Blu-ray players across the board, we will begin to see BR releases of Warner titles like the Matrix set with the interactive features that weren't possible on BR at the time.

 

[RoboDad]

People understand that if you want Halo 3 you are going to need a 360, but if you want a Final Fantasy game you will need a PlayStation (or a Nintendo for Zelda and Metroid). Nobody expects an end to the video game console format war any time soon and customers have learned to deal with console exclusive titles in a major money making industry. In the same way, I think that people can be made to understand that if they want to watch Transformers or The Bourne Ultimatum or Shrek 3 then they will need an HD DVD player, and if they want to watch Spider-Man 3 or Pirates 3 or Ratatouille then they will need a Blu-Ray player. I would like it if one console would play every video game on the market, but I have accepted the fact that it will never happen. I can accept the same thing in the home video world.

I think I have to disagree, at least somewhat. You can accept that possibility, and I can, but I don't think the average consumer can, or ever will. Especially if it is presented to them in that way.

Video games have come to be accepted as format exclusive mostly because those exclusive games never exist outside of that one venue. Movies, on the other hand, have multiple venues, offering consumers many different opportunities to see them, and home video formats are only one piece of the puzzle.

Imagine for example, applying the format war to cable versus satellite dish. How accepting would consumers be if Dish Network had exclusive broadcast rights to some PPV movies, while Comcast had the rights to others. Would people happily (or even grudgingly) sign up for both services, just to ensure that they could see all of the movies they want? I really don't think so. Most would either pick a side, or pick neither side.

If movies only had one venue, namely high-def disc, then I might see your point as being more valid. But as it is, I think most people will simply take no side in the war, leaving both formats to languish on the fringe. After all, as much as they might want to see movies in high-def, they can still see them on DVD, or even broadcast HDTV.

The one thing I think could make the two format scenario plausible is wide availability of dual format players from all (or at least the major) manufacturers. That would send a signal to consumers that neither format could "leave them stranded" as so many now think.

 

[hairlesswookiee]

here's a word to the wise.... if you work for a HUGE magazine such as TIME it certainly pays to do your homework before trying to take cheap shots at a video game you've never played before. from gamepro magazine:
"Rather than discuss Halo 3 with accuracy, author Lev Grossman mostly marginalizes video games and the gamers that they play them.
"[Bungie] doesn't need to legitimize Halo by associating it with other, more respectable media," he writes. "They sell enough units and make enough money. They're happy in their invisible geek ghetto. But... It may be time for the Master Chief to come in from the cold and join the party, with the popular kids."
Dan Zuccarelli, in turn, takes Grossman to task on what he feels to be poorly researched piece that calls Halo 2 a 360 exclusive and uses an inaccurate image of the upcoming Halo 3 special edition Xbox 360.

Translation: Don't read TIME for your gamer, even Halo fix.

 

[El Roranous]

TRANSFORMERS > Pirates. 'nuff said.

Pirates> Wussy transforming robots with identity complexes....always true

 

[hairlesswookiee]

i'll take a robot over a guy who wears makeup any day of the week.

 

[tomandshell]

I think I have to disagree, at least somewhat. You can accept that possibility, and I can, but I don't think the average consumer can, or ever will. Especially if it is presented to them in that way.

Video games have come to be accepted as format exclusive mostly because those exclusive games never exist outside of that one venue. Movies, on the other hand, have multiple venues, offering consumers many different opportunities to see them, and home video formats are only one piece of the puzzle.

Imagine for example, applying the format war to cable versus satellite dish. How accepting would consumers be if Dish Network had exclusive broadcast rights to some PPV movies, while Comcast had the rights to others. Would people happily (or even grudgingly) sign up for both services, just to ensure that they could see all of the movies they want? I really don't think so. Most would either pick a side, or pick neither side.

If movies only had one venue, namely high-def disc, then I might see your point as being more valid. But as it is, I think most people will simply take no side in the war, leaving both formats to languish on the fringe. After all, as much as they might want to see movies in high-def, they can still see them on DVD, or even broadcast HDTV.

The one thing I think could make the two format scenario plausible is wide availability of dual format players from all (or at least the major) manufacturers. That would send a signal to consumers that neither format could "leave them stranded" as so many now think.

I agree with you--especially if we are talking about the general public. People will just ignore it, and as the survey in that online magazine indicated, 48% of the people just don't care about high def. The general public wouldn't accept dual formats, but I think that the target audience for high def home theater is a little more aware of the situation and can handle multiple formats like we have with the video game industry. I think that the people who don't care will continue to ignore it, and the people who are interested in high end home theater can adjust to life with the two formats. It will remain a niche market in which the average buyer knows that you can't have Halo on the PS3, The Sopranos on Cinemax, or Shrek on Blu-ray. Meanwhile, you can download movies in high def, watch them in high def through DirecTV and record them on your HD DVR, etc. If prerecorded high def discs were the only way to access the content then there would be more of a demand for a unified format. The fact that movies are available many different ways means that people aren't forced to make a choice right now. I can download Disney movies right now in high def on my 360, that's just one example. The variety of options is working against those who want a unified high def format.

 

[hairlesswookiee]

i LOVE competition. keeps prices low and innovation high. can you imagine a world without xbox live??? PS3 the only system?? we'd fill our gaming time with lackluster games and boring online capabilities.

 

[El Roranous]

i'll take a robot over a guy who wears makeup any day of the week.

I'll step back now....people seem to take their giant talking robots seriously around here.

 

[tomandshell]

i LOVE competition. keeps prices low and innovation high. can you imagine a world without xbox live??? PS3 the only system?? we'd fill our gaming time with lackluster games and boring online capabilities.

If Sony had a monopoly, then we would all be paying $45-50 MSRP for all new releases. The amount they are asking for upcoming titles like Close Encounters and Spider-Man 3 is crazy.

Warner only wants $40 for the upcoming five disc Blade Runner set, and I think that's a little more reasonable.

I'll step back now....people seem to take their giant talking robots seriously around here.

 

[hairlesswookiee]

I'll step back now....people seem to take their giant talking robots seriously around here.

all fun and games. i'll admit spiderman and pirates will be my first blu ray purchases once i get a PS3 at the end of the month.

 

[Reinhardt]

Live Free or Die Hard will be available in an Unrated edition on standard DVD. The Blu-ray version will only feature the PG-13 theatrical cut.

that is just retarded.

 

[RoboDad]

I agree with you--especially if we are talking about the general public. People will just ignore it, and as the survey in that online magazine indicated, 48% of the people just don't care about high def. The general public wouldn't accept dual formats, but I think that the target audience for high def home theater is a little more aware of the situation and can handle multiple formats like we have with the video game industry. I think that the people who don't care will continue to ignore it, and the people who are interested in high end home theater can adjust to life with the two formats. It will remain a niche market in which the average buyer knows that you can't have Halo on the PS3, The Sopranos on Cinemax, or Shrek on Blu-ray. Meanwhile, you can download movies in high def, watch them in high def through DirecTV and record them on your HD DVR, etc. If prerecorded high def discs were the only way to access the content then there would be more of a demand for a unified format. The fact that movies are available many different ways means that people aren't forced to make a choice right now. I can download Disney movies right now in high def on my 360, that's just one example. The variety of options is working against those who want a unified high def format.

I know what you are saying, and for myself, I am in complete agreement. But I still don't think even the target audience is as accepting of multiple formats as we are. Perusing the "discussions" over at avsforum.com, I see an overwhelming majority of posters who are firmly in one camp or the other, with no support or even tolerance of the other. And these are the people who should be the target audience, at least for now.

Also, while I think winning over the home theater enthusiast segment of the market would be a big win for now, I don't think any of the studios or hardware manufacturers will be happy with that level of market penetration long term. Their goal has to be the replacement of DVD, or else they will be bleeding red ink (from their HD divisions) for a long time to come.

 

[tomandshell]

that is just retarded.

I agree. It's just laziness not offering both on the BR via seamless branching.

 

[El Roranous]

all fun and games. i'll admit spiderman and pirates will be my first blu ray purchases once i get a PS3 at the end of the month.