Browse by topic

News

Warner set to drop HD DVD?

9 December 2007 18:46 by Andre "DVDBack23" Yoskowitz | 150 comments

According to an article published in Business Week, the magazine believes Warner Bros will be dropping support for HD DVD and going with Blu-ray, possibly as soon as CES 2008 next month.

The article brought together rumors from the internet as well as internal sources and suggested that both Toshiba and Sony are trying hard to woo Warner from its current dual format stance.

"The rumour is that Warner is coming aboard soon," Michael Burns, vice-chairman of studio Lionsgate (LGF) told the magazine. "That will make it awfully tough for HD DVD to stay in this game."

If Warner were to back Blu-ray solely, then the Blu-ray camp would control about 70% of the market.

The article goes on to warn, "On the other hand, if Toshiba were to win Warner's hand, the two forces would divide the market between them. That could create mass consumer confusion and potentially strangle a new technology that the studios hope will give a lift to flagging DVD sales."

Source:
Pocketlint

Permalink to this article | Topic: HD DVD

Home video forecast remains partly cloudy for the next year (16 December 2007)

Update: Latest "Pirates" film helps Blu-ray to 3:1 disc sales victory for week (14 December 2007)

Latest "Pirates" set to break Blu-ray sales records (13 December 2007)

Samsung Blu-ray player drops in price again (10 December 2007)

Samsung ships BD-UP5000 dual format player (7 December 2007)

Michael Bay talks out about HD DVD and Microsoft (5 December 2007)

Despite Blu-ray's sales lead analysts predict a stalemate (4 December 2007)

Studios call web enabled HD DVD features a hit (4 December 2007)

Blu-ray player sales hit 2.7 million on Black Friday (3 December 2007)

Blu-ray takes early Christmas sales lead (1 December 2007)

« Previous news article
The Pirate Bay no longer running on Hypercube

Next news article »
iPhone gets new firmware, 1.1.3

Post your comment

Discuss this article!	There are more user comments available, read them here
NexGen76 (Member) 13 December 2007 17:24
*Originally posted by hughjars:* The 'momentum' is with HD DVD, the Nielson numbers are starting to close and they are the ones breaking into the mainstream, not Blu-ray. Dude cmon you clearly can't read charts or you just refuse that HD-DVD isn't doing anything right now to break into Blu-Ray share of the HD market.With Black Friday behind us Blu-Ray still crushed HD-DVD but if you called closing in(BD58% HD42%) on one week out of the whole year so be it. f.y.i Report: 'Pirates' Blu-ray Sales Top 160k Units First week sales for the Blu-ray edition of 'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End' are shaping up to be a record-breaker for the Blu-ray format. That's according to an article at Video Business, which quotes unnamed sources as saying that the trilogy-capper moved an estimated 160,000 Blu-ray units its first week out. ADVERTISEMENT Although Disney has yet to confirm the numbers, such strong BD sales for the title would handily beat the format's previous first-week sales champ -- Sony's 'Spider-Man 3,' which reportedly sold 130,00 copies in its first six days. Coming in second on Blu-ray for the week (according to Nielsen VideoScan First Alert DVD sales chart) was Sony's release of 'Superbad,' while the top-selling HD DVD of the week was the ever popular 'Planet Earth' box set. http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/D...160k_Units/1260 Even more reason to see that Warner exclsive deal coming next month.So much for attachment rates BS. Spiderman 3 & POTC 3 both out sold Transformers the first week. [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 13 December 2007 17:57
hughjars (Inactive) 13 December 2007 20:54
Pirates had peak week sales of 160k. LMAO. You really can't get your head around it can you? That's not even a high def record (despite the movie being perfectly aimed at that so-called 'PS3 demographic'). ....and your typical juvenile drivel about "crushing"? As laughably & ludicrously over-dramatic as always. Try reading this again (take your time over the long words or ask an adult for help if you're still incapable of grasping the meaning) - *Quote:* 4 million Blu-Ray discs have been sold in 2007 compared to 2.7 million on HD-DVD. - That's from the BDA & it's only 2 : 1.35, by the way. *Quote:* the announcement from the Blu-Ray Disc Association (the BDA), that 4 million Blu-Ray discs have been sold in 2007 compared to 2.7 million on HD-DVD. This Blu-Ray release was released in response to one from the HD-DVD camp concerning the uptick in sales of HD-DVD players and that there have been 750,000 HD-DVD players sold in the US to date, including the X-Box 360 add on..... .....it means that all of the BD discs sold in 2007 don�t even total the sales figures for one major DVD http://www.tvpredictions.com/2007/12/blu...es-pitiful.html - Despite 10 million+ Blu-ray players v 1 million HD DVD. So your (and the rest of the Blu-ray fanclubs) attempts to create mountains out of the present molehill are just symptoms of your own inability to grasp what has real substance and meaning and what does not. All of which is nicely summed up by the sort of invented BS which this thread was all about. A rumour which has been flatly denied by the very people the rumour is supposed to be about. Not the usual evasive non-denial but a flat and categorical denial. Warner are not ditching HD DVD. No matter how many times you wish it so. I'd be more concerned about what's really going to be happening next month and in the coming months of 2008. I can tell you for a fact that those backing HD DVD will be the ones smiling the biggest smiles. [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 13 December 2007 20:56
vinny13 (Inactive) 13 December 2007 21:23
*Originally posted by hughjars:* I'd be more concerned about what's really going to be happening next month and in the coming months of 2008. I can tell you for a fact that those backing HD DVD will be the ones smiling the biggest smiles. Why would they have "big smiles" if Blu-Ray is doing better? It doesn't matter what the precise difference is, because you've even proven that they are doing better. If you say that there are 10 million Blu-Ray players, then 4 million or so are stand-alones and the rest are PS3s, and out of those PS3s I'd say that no more then 1/3 of them have 3< movies, or at least more movies then games. That basically means 5-6 million stand-alones. That doesn't mean that they aren't selling as much as they could, but they're doing the job. I don't know... Just my 2 cents. [ + quote]
error5 (Senior Member) 13 December 2007 22:09
Just to end the chapter on the Led Zeppelin affair: I did get my BluRay copy of LZ: Song Remains the Same from DVD Empire today. According to highdefdigest.com: *Quote:* This story just keeps getting stranger and stranger. Though the official word Warner was that this release has been postponed (and indeed it has been pulled down by several major retailers, including Amazon and DVD Empire), other retailers report receiving stock from their distributors and some lucky consumers have already got their hands on the discs. We've contacted Warner for clarification and will update this post with more details as they come in. For those who need proof: http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg161/error5_2007/DSC01951.jpg http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg161/error5_2007/DSC01952.jpg It may be difficult read but note "Not authorized for sale or rental outside the USA or Canada" in this picture: http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg161/error5_2007/DSC01953.jpg [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 13 December 2007 22:22
ZippyDSM (AfterDawn Addict) 13 December 2007 22:39
*Originally posted by error5:* Just to end the chapter on the Led Zeppelin affair: I did get my BluRay copy of LZ: Song Remains the Same from DVD Empire today. According to highdefdigest.com: *Quote:* This story just keeps getting stranger and stranger. Though the official word Warner was that this release has been postponed (and indeed it has been pulled down by several major retailers, including Amazon and DVD Empire), other retailers report receiving stock from their distributors and some lucky consumers have already got their hands on the discs. We've contacted Warner for clarification and will update this post with more details as they come in. For those who need proof: http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg161/error5_2007/DSC01951.jpg http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg161/error5_2007/DSC01952.jpg It may be difficult read but note "Not authorized for sale or rental outside the USA or Canada" in this picture: http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg161...953.jpg Meh can't blame the format on studio regional back biting, price and quality is what most are after and HDVD for now still has both. At the end of the day it wont matter which wins both are studio driven both have region protection or getting it, both have flawed DRM,both offer mroe or less enough space, its time to halve prices and end the war.. For all the console/game fanboys out their. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles...Console-Rundown Oh god I can't stop laughing!!! [ + quote]
juankerr (Member) 13 December 2007 22:41
*Originally posted by error5:* I did get my BluRay copy of LZ: Song Remains the Same from DVD Empire today. Amazing. You're one of the lucky few error5. I'd hang on to that disc. Depending on what happens it could end up a collector's item. [ + quote]
Sudds (AfterDawn Addict) 14 December 2007 1:45
http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/12099.cfm [ + quote]
dblbogey7 (Senior Member) 14 December 2007 8:03
*Originally posted by juankerr:* Amazing. You're one of the lucky few error5. I'd hang on to that disc. Depending on what happens it could end up a collector's item. LOL! Collector's item is right. Good job gettting that one error5. I tried DVD Empire Wednesday the 12th but no luck. [ + quote]
hughjars (Inactive) 14 December 2007 11:14
*Originally posted by vinny13:* Why would they have "big smiles" - We'll come back to this when the news breaks, I'm sure. I'll be beaming, of that I am 100% sure too. :P *Originally posted by vinny13:* if Blu-Ray is doing better? - No-one really cares (besides the desperate Blu-ray side) about those supposedly 'better' numbers right now. They are nothing like 'better' enough. That is the bit people are focusing on. *Originally posted by vinny13:* It doesn't matter what the precise difference is - Yeah, well, you & the rest of the gang can continue to comfort yourselves with that if you like. The fact is you are wrong, it matters very much as we will all be seeing very shortly. *Originally posted by vinny13:* That basically means 5-6 million stand-alones. - ROFLMAO. Sure there are (according to you). Even the BDA doesn't have the brass-neck to try and make that kind of claim. There's a month to go. We'll talk about all of this then. We'll see who was right and who was wrong soon enough. .....and after Jan you'll have the whole of 2008 to watch the unfolding developments. Personally I'm grinning my a$$ off already. *Originally posted by ZippyDSM:* both have region protection or getting it - No. That's not true Zippy. Only Blu-ray uses regional coding for high def and standard def. It's true that both have SD DVD regional coding but few care about that (and that's down to the DVD Forum which controls SD DVD matters, to be fair it's nothing to do with either high def format - although some kind of hack is long overdue seeing as they are hardly much of a problem in the SD DVD these days). HD DVD could use a system of regional coding but have not given any indication of wanting to implement it (and with over 430 HD DVD movies out now why would they bother?). *Originally posted by ZippyDSM:* both have flawed DRM - The HD DVD DRM (AACS) has been cracked. BD+ has not. *Originally posted by ZippyDSM:* both offer mroe or less enough space - I agree. Each offer more than what is genuinely 'needed' now (as the current majority of Blu-ray movies on their 25gb single layer discs proves). In fact Blu-ray claims to offer 50gb but actually can't economically go beyond 47gb. HD DVD now offers 51gb. *Originally posted by ZippyDSM:* its time to halve prices and end the war.. - That's coming very soon Zippy. The $100 HD DVD player (as a regular price) is just a few months away. Disc prices are also on the way down. Prepare for CES. It's going to be a good one for HD DVD. ;) [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 14 December 2007 11:17
eatsushi (Senior Member) 14 December 2007 14:16
error5: Someone from Canada is selling their BluRay copy of LZ: Song Remains the Same on eBay for $60. http://cgi.ebay.com/Led-Zeppelin-Song-Re...1QQcmdZViewItem [ + quote]
vinny13 (Inactive) 14 December 2007 16:02
*Originally posted by hughjars:* *Originally posted by vinny13:* That basically means 5-6 million stand-alones. - ROFLMAO. Sure there are (according to you). Even the BDA doesn't have the brass-neck to try and make that kind of claim. There's a month to go. We'll talk about all of this then. We'll see who was right and who was wrong soon enough. .....and after Jan you'll have the whole of 2008 to watch the unfolding developments. Personally I'm grinning my a$$ off already. *Quote:* Despite 10 million+ Blu-ray players v 1 million HD DVD. Yep... Totally my words... [ + quote]
hughjars (Inactive) 15 December 2007 10:47
You know the really funny thing - and the part that illustrates the staggering hypocrisy of the Blu-ray/PS3 fanclub best of all - in all of this is this - if HD DVD was selling as poorly and trailing as badly as PS3 is in it's game console market, then by the kind of 'logic' that the Blu-ray/PS3 supporters all use to slam HD DVD, PS3 ought to be "dead", "dying" or should just call it a day. Not that any of them have the wit to see it. [ + quote]
Sudds (AfterDawn Addict) 15 December 2007 13:45
Fanboys... Your all fanboys of a different format, who gives a sh*t. I own a PS3, therefore i,ll be buying BD, i also own an XBOX360 but i wont be shelling out money for its HDDVD add on any time soon. If hardy comes to hardy... i can enjoy both worlds. Dont sit there and spew out crap like BD or PS3 fanboys or vice versa, take alook in the mirror, chill out, and go to the pub. 3.03 OE-C 3.40 OE-A Gameboots Recovery 1.50 Remote Play for 3.71 M33-3 VIA6421 SATA Drivers [ + quote]
ZoSoIV (AfterDawn Addict) 15 December 2007 14:13
*Quote:* chill out, and go to the pub. *but i don't drink lol* [ + quote]
Sudds (AfterDawn Addict) 15 December 2007 15:52
Have a smoothie! lol ;P 3.03 OE-C 3.40 OE-A Gameboots Recovery 1.50 Remote Play for 3.71 M33-3 VIA6421 SATA Drivers [ + quote]
vinny13 (Inactive) 15 December 2007 17:20
*Originally posted by Sudds:* Fanboys... Your all fanboys of a different format, who gives a sh*t. I own a PS3, therefore i,ll be buying BD, i also own an XBOX360 but i wont be shelling out money for its HDDVD add on any time soon. If hardy comes to hardy... i can enjoy both worlds. Dont sit there and spew out crap like BD or PS3 fanboys or vice versa, take alook in the mirror, chill out, and go to the pub. I'm only 14! [ + quote]
gleone (Newbie) 15 December 2007 20:03
The fomat war is officially Over. We'd like to thank everyone for coming. You can throw your HDDVD's in the bin by the door. Drive safely, and have a nice day. Nielsen/VideoScan Weekly Sales Numbers -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nielsen/VideoScan Numbers ending December 9th http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ques...1607/index.php WE: BD-76% HDD-24% YTD: BD-65% HDD-35% SI: BD-62% HDD-38% [ + quote]
sciascia (Junior Member) 15 December 2007 21:35
*Originally posted by hughjars:* if HD DVD was selling as poorly and trailing as badly as PS3 is in it's game console market, then by the kind of 'logic' that the Blu-ray/PS3 supporters all use to slam HD DVD, PS3 ought to be "dead", "dying" or should just call it a day. Not that any of them have the wit to see it. Have the wit to see an apple to oranges comparison? One that is an 'if' scenario? Come on. [ + quote]
ChromeMud (Junior Member) 16 December 2007 8:21
The industry is to blame for this dumb war so they should fix this fu##ed up mess.All movies to be released on both formats to let the consumer buy the movies they want.No exclusives, and no more pissing off the public with lies! [ + quote]
hughjars (Inactive) 16 December 2007 10:58
Ooops, my bad, theyre not claiming 10 million PS3s it's 11 million now. http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/12179.cfm So that's 11 million PS3s a few stand-alones and a relative few PC burners v approx 1 million HD DVD players (inc XBox 360 HD DVD add-on) has worked out to a 'lead' in 2007, according to the BDA, of 4 million Blu-ray discs sold to 2.7 million HD DVD - 11 millionplayers + v 1 million players = a movie disc sales ratio of a mere 2 : 1.35 in 2007 . and the Blu-ray fanclub can't see why that is a problem for Blu-ray and the root reason why so many people are now not betting on Blu-ray in this (except for themselves). Even those that previous said they expected a Blu-ray win are now backing away from that view, claiming a stalemate (for now) http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/12085.cfm , I can only wonder how much further they will retreat from their original view after CES 2008 & the first 6mths of 2008. [ + quote]
gleone (Newbie) 16 December 2007 11:54
*Originally posted by hughjars:* Ooops, my bad, theyre not claiming 10 million PS3s it's 11 million now. So that's 11 million PS3s a few stand-alones and a relative few PC burners v approx 1 million HD DVD players (inc XBox 360 HD DVD add-on) has worked out to a 'lead' in 2007, according to the BDA, of 4 million Blu-ray discs sold to 2.7 million HD DVD - 11 millionplayers + v 1 million players = a movie disc sales ratio of a mere 2 : 1.35 in 2007 . and the Blu-ray fanclub can't see why that is a problem for Blu-ray and the root reason why so many people are now not betting on Blu-ray in this (except for themselves). Hughjar, is this more HDDVD propaganda that you're writing? 12 million BD players is a WORLD WIDE number. Yet you're only quoting a 2:1 ratio which is N.America only. (It's not even 2:1. it's 3:1) The numbers for HDDVD are completely different in all other countries, other than the USA. In Europe & Australia it's over 9:1 Japan BD 94% - HDD 6% Australia BD 98% - HDD 2% UK BD 89% - HDD 11% Germany BD 92% - HDD 8% USA BD 76% - HDD 24% [ + quote]
vinny13 (Inactive) 16 December 2007 12:29
*Originally posted by hughjars:* Ooops, my bad, theyre not claiming 10 million PS3s it's 11 million now. http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/12179.cfm So that's 11 million PS3s a few stand-alones and a relative few PC burners v approx 1 million HD DVD players (inc XBox 360 HD DVD add-on) has worked out to a 'lead' in 2007, according to the BDA, of 4 million Blu-ray discs sold to 2.7 million HD DVD - 11 millionplayers + v 1 million players = a movie disc sales ratio of a mere 2 : 1.35 in 2007 . and the Blu-ray fanclub can't see why that is a problem for Blu-ray and the root reason why so many people are now not betting on Blu-ray in this (except for themselves). Even those that previous said they expected a Blu-ray win are now backing away from that view, claiming a stalemate (for now) http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/12085.cfm , I can only wonder how much further they will retreat from their original view after CES 2008 & the first 6mths of 2008. Try 5-6 million PS3s. Why don't you actually read that article before you post links and make comments. [ + quote]
ZippyDSM (AfterDawn Addict) 16 December 2007 14:10
*Quote:* *Originally posted by hughjars:* Ooops, my bad, theyre not claiming 10 million PS3s it's 11 million now. http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/12179.cfm So that's 11 million PS3s a few stand-alones and a relative few PC burners v approx 1 million HD DVD players (inc XBox 360 HD DVD add-on) has worked out to a 'lead' in 2007, according to the BDA, of 4 million Blu-ray discs sold to 2.7 million HD DVD - 11 millionplayers + v 1 million players = a movie disc sales ratio of a mere 2 : 1.35 in 2007 . and the Blu-ray fanclub can't see why that is a problem for Blu-ray and the root reason why so many people are now not betting on Blu-ray in this (except for themselves). Even those that previous said they expected a Blu-ray win are now backing away from that view, claiming a stalemate (for now) http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/12085.cfm , I can only wonder how much further they will retreat from their original view after CES 2008 & the first 6mths of 2008. Try 5-6 million PS3s. Why don't you actually read that article before you post links and make comments. Not quite 2ish M units were sold this holiday season(since oct I believe) so far thats part of the 2+ M BR is touting in its current total unit sales, BR is touting that each PS3 sold is equal to a standalone player begin sold and that is simply not the case when only half or less are treated as a stand alone player. The reason why its imporant to know the dffrance is because of movie sales. [ + quote]
Sudds (AfterDawn Addict) 16 December 2007 16:03
*Quote:* You've obviously missed out on what the head Blu-ray BS'er Stringer had to say. Stringer acknowledged it was still unclear which next-generation video disc format will emerge the winner, although he said Blu-ray disc, the standard that Sony backs, appeared to be ahead of the competing HD DVD format, backed by Toshiba Corp. and others. "We have momentum," he said. "But that's all we have at the moment." http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gQlP3...aW2U4gD8TF9G100 .....and what momentum would that be, exactly? Sony being No.1 selling game console in Japan, for 1 month? Wow, talk about laughably reducing your sights. The 'momentum' is with HD DVD, the Nielson numbers are starting to close and they are the ones breaking into the mainstream, not Blu-ray. Blu-ray just relies on ill-founded (and now catagorically denied) rumour, BS and a game console (and I guess a dead Samsung model too now). LMAO WHO GIVES A FUCK! GET A LIFE, ya sad people. Theres more important things in this world to fuckin worry about, than some stupid "ooo HD-DVD is better" or vice versa. [ + quote]
vinny13 (Inactive) 16 December 2007 17:17
*Quote:* WHO GIVES A FUCK! GET A LIFE, ya sad people. Theres more important things in this world to fuckin worry about, than some stupid "ooo HD-DVD is better" or vice versa. Um... Well, someone had to say it sooner or later... [ + quote]
borhan9 (AfterDawn Addict) 23 December 2007 19:35
*Quote:* If Warner were to back Blu-ray solely, then the Blu-ray camp would control about 70% of the market. Looks like we found out who the big fish is and if Warner chooses i think then we would have a winner in the format war. [ + quote]