Warner scheduled to appear at HD DVD press conference at CES
By Darren Murph 
posted Dec 21st 2007 3:48PM
posted Dec 21st 2007 3:48PM
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
posted Dec 21st 2007 3:48PM
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This really means nothing. Paramount had blu-rays of Blades of Glory at stores before deciding to go HD-DVD only, I don't see how an invitation for an event a month away is any indication of anything substantial either way.
Hopefully this puts to rest any rumors. Then again logic and reason are generally highly debatable with certain groups.
Oh, boy. This has certain implications...
Now, now. We don't need any more broad brushes.
The problem is not with certain groups but rather with certain arrogant, holier-than-thou individuals who don't have the ability to rationalize the lack of importance (in a global scale) of the encoding of a 12cm piece of plastic.
Let the speculation begin!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Warner scheduled to be at this event means nothing at all except that they have not made a decision as of Thursday night when I spoke to top exec there.
They are doing what all studios and companies do at this point when they are unsure -- they agree to show up everywhere and book press conference rooms just in case a decision is made and an announcement will be made, but they can easily back out of any and all reservations and scheduled appearances should circumstances warrant.
At this point there is no decision and no press conference scheduled.
Scott Hettrick
Yep..I'm sure that you had to leave HIHD domain Scott to come here and reassure Blu-trolls that this is nothing to be worried about :) I'm sure that top executive would share this information with YOU, pretty devoted BDA employee, even if it was true. Come on, give me a break.
Hmm I dunno ... Blu-ray is doing great IMO ... if it continues much longer I can't really see any of the studios remaining loyal to HD DVD ... it just doesn't make financial sense to me :/
You're overlooking the fact that HDM sales at this point are nothing compared to DVDs overall and it wouldn't take much more than a light breeze to tip the scales from one direction to the other.
Whether or not Warner Bros. goes Blu-ray exclusive at CES '08 remains to be seen.
However, I would like to see it happen. It would certainly put an end to this war.
Have you all seen this article posted today on the HollywoodReporter.com? :
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/features/film/e3i3b664324ba4ea5c03e0924ea906b3ecd?imw=Y
It predicts Blu-ray will win or "Blow away" HD DVD in '08. That's a pretty strong statement eh?
Those few annoying people could have been the group I was referring to.
Just making sure. ;)
Oh, and nice Avatar choice, there!
Annoying because not in agreement with what you think Ryan? :)
The thing is, this means very little, either way that you can look at it.
It doesn't mean that WB will go Blu, but it doesn't mean that it'll go Red either.
The Blu Ray rumor has always been that, a "rumor". And even the insiders at blu-ray.com are always making sure to call for moderation and that nothing is played in advance.
As most rational people know, a huge strategic decision such as going exclusive will not be made known until the last moment. And until then everything will be business as usual (e.g. Paramount).
Basically, the people spreading this invitation around are doing nothing more than repeating what was already known (aka "Nothing to say until it's the moment to say it").
it does not make financial sense " are you kidding me!the drain of manufacturing costs will start to drag heavy supporting both formats.the only way to offset these costs is to the consumer.
high def dvd is on a knife edge with the public as it is.
extra cost will do nothing to help so dropping the extra cost of producing blu ray is really the only way forward.
its about money always has always will its that simple.
buy the way before you all jump up to bite my ass i have both formats yet the only people that shout how great blu ray is the ps3 fanboys
to me there is no difference apart from blu being tempremental
I think its safe to say it means Warner won't go blu-ray exclusive at CES. Any other inferences (like they will NEVER go exclusive or WILL go exclusive some other time) can't be made from this.
Since I went "purple" many months ago, I don't care what Warner Home Video does - just as long it attempts to lower the prices of its HDM products closer to that of standard-def DVDs.
Several times as I looked through the high def disc racks for new releases, I have watched people see the price of either format high def DVDs and pick the DVD instead, so I ask them if they have a player for the other (higher priced one) and they do have one (or two, even).
BTW, I ask them for more info regarding the type of player to substantiate it, too, since many are still confused if they have one or not:
"PS3" means they have a Blu-ray: "Toshiba" means HD DVD.
Warner should either find a way to reduce the cost of these discs closer to DVDs to increase unit volume or stick with one format, IMO, maybe that would reduce the disc prices and it would definitely end the confusion with Warner mixing up the BDs with HD DVDs as is happening lately.
isn't this a blog site? i mean, it would be one thing if it was sited from VideoBusiness. E-HD puts entirely too much trust in Blog sites and forums (seem to really love AVS)
Well one thing is for sure, this could mean more if Warner is not on the list to show up on BDA side. They might very well come out on HD DVD side and say "Well we are pleased to announced our full support for HD DVD format from now on". Indeed unlikely but if they cut their connection with BDA membership plus are not scheduled to show up on BDA side, it could very well happen.
I personally don't think they'll do it during CES.. they will either do it before or after.
Whether or not Warner Bros. goes Blu-ray exclusive at CES '08 remains to be seen.
However, I would like to see it happen. It would certainly put an end to this war.
Have you all seen this article posted today on the HollywoodReporter.com? :
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/features/film/e3i3b664324ba4ea5c03e0924ea906b3ecd?imw=Y
It predicts Blu-ray will win or "Blow away" HD DVD in '08. That's a pretty strong statement eh?
First of all there are several problems.. Hollywood Reporter is fueled by authors who are paid BDA shills. PR at it's finest. Second, i have hard time taking predictions from WHO? That article has no author not to mention that it quotes Sony's executive. I mean give me a break.
This PR crap is getting really tiring and pretty lame. Of course you can see that the site is being visited by Blu-bots nonstop as it's the major article on the web now and Blu-Ray.com hordes have already casted their votes in that small poll on the page hahahaha..
You have to understand, there is NO WAY Blu-Ray will go mainstream. I'm really getting tired of discussing economy and business with a bunch of internet brats who are glorifying and defending a format because their daddy or mommy bought them PS3.
Warner will inevitably go HD DVD and there will be close to 4 million HD DVD standalone players by end of 2008. This is the long of it and the short of it. PS3 is niche market, a gaming console that will take AT best 10-15% of HDTV capable market. The other 85%-90% of market will go standalone route and judging by features and pricing it will be HD DVD. Simple.
I read an article somewhere where it said that blu-ray is leading, but hd-dvd is going to win. I think any opposing side will say articles who speculate a winner are going to be fueled by that side. I've seen my fair share of lame HD-DVD FTW articles as well. My favorite one is how the Paramount shift failed to convert a lead for HD-DVD over blu.
blu FTW :)
How many times are you going to link an article that's all speculation? If people didn't click on it the first time, they won't click on it the second time you post it.
Interesting (if totally expected).
This reminds me of another question that was asked a little while back and which went unanswered.
Warner's membership of the BDA expired on 31st Oct if I recall.
Has it become public yet whether or not they actually renewed?
opposing views are wonderful otherwise everyone agreeing with each other gets boring fast. My comment is more towards fans boys that spread rumors or say dud is dead in every post they make.
Oh dear.
It's all gone quiet over there.
lol
LOL.. wait for the spin to come.. my guess:
"Warner will be at press conference to announce they won't be carrying HD DVD anymore and that they are sorry but are going with Blu-Ray, finishing their statement with FUTURE IS BLU!" .. hahaha...
You heard it here first folks. Warner jumps blu-cheese ship and is HD exclusive `08 and beyond.
Blue-cheese lol... I kinda like that. Good bye Blue-Cheese!
Looks like Warner will be leaning red...
http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6515097.html
DEC. 21 | Fourth-quarter HD DVD releases The Bourne Ultimatum and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix are outpacing similarly high-profile Blu-ray titles, according to Universal Studios Home Entertainment and other industry research sources.
In its first week on sale, starting Dec. 11, the Bourne single-disc HD DVD configuration sold 60,000 units, doubling the 30,000 units Spider-Man 3 sold during its street week in its similar individual Blu-ray SKU. Counting other configurations, including its BD trilogy, Spider-Man 3 reached higher six-day numbers, according to distributor Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
Universal could only provide data on the Bourne single SKU. But the studio expects the pattern to continue when sales information can be gathered in the next several days for its own HD DVD Bourne trilogy set.
Additionally, notes Universal research, Warner Home Video’s HD DVD release of Order of the Phoenix is edging out the titles’ BD version by a 55-to-45 ratio. Order of the Phoenix also streeted Dec. 11. That claim matches information gathered from Amazon.com sales rankings in recent weeks.
These HD DVD success stories do mark a reversal from the overall trend of BD titles topping its rival. Generally, BD sales trump HD DVD sales by a 2-to-1 ratio.
Ken Graffeo, Universal executive VP of marketing and co-president of the North American HD DVD Promotional Group, acknowledges the continued, on average, BD strength over HD DVD software. But he believes it is significant that HD DVD is catching BD in terms of fourth-quarter new releases, as he believes it is a more apple to apples comparison of consumer purchasing behavior.
These new box-office hits are not normally included in the primarily catalog ‘buy one, get one free’ deals. Popular with BD studios, these BOGO deals are enticing because consumers get two titles for 50% off the original price. But there is a question of how long studios can continue to support these promotions as they bring in considerably less money than regualarly-priced titles would.
“I think the fourth quarter is going to be interesting,” said Graffeo. “If you break out the hits, I think we will be even. But the aggressive discounting, with catalog [of buy one, get one free offers], can inflate the numbers.”
Graffeo believes that HD DVD is on an upswing with recent releases because of the surge in people buying HD DVD hardware, which also has been steadily discounted. Toshiba sold 90,000 players in a two-day period in November, thanks to Wal-Mart and Best Buy pricing HD DVD players below $100 for the first time.
“This is a real testament to the momentum we are gaining with the set-top players,” said Graffeo. “We are beginning to realize the attach rate with movie sales.”
Great link.. Thanks.. this is what we have been saying all along.. and I don't think it will be different with Blade Runner.. Warner is definitely getting a clear answer that they were right backing HD DVD more.. now as standalone HD DVD players are picking up everywhere the numbers will be shifting more and more.. As I said before, once HD DVD takes the lead it will be unstoppable and the difference will continue growing unlike PS3 where their lead is actually shrinking and they still sold more and more PS3 units.. things are very obvious..
Reading that article and if Blade Runner whoops Blu-Ray ass again, I would say that Warner will be without a doubt going HD DVD in January.. I think they had enough of this Blu-Ray propaganda and gamer rethoric...
I think we had enough of cult-like web sites like Blu-Ray.com and HollywoodInHiDef.com where their only task is to spread misleading information, justify selling of unfinished products and standard onto an unsuspecting consumers. Thank GOD we have HD DVD and thank God Toshiba stood their ground, because it seems that we will be finally getting one clearly consumer oriented format in 2008.
Warner and HD DVD. ;)
"Additionally, notes Universal research, Warner Home Video’s HD DVD release of Order of the Phoenix is edging out the titles’ BD version by a 55-to-45 ratio. Order of the Phoenix also streeted Dec. 11. That claim matches information gathered from Amazon.com sales rankings in recent weeks."
Why again is an exclusive studio exec being quoted on Warner's numbers? Although, Ken Graffeo is the Co-Pres of the HD-DVD promotion group so he probably a higher likelyhood of getting true info out of WB regarding sales numbers then some unknown schmo at Lionsgate. Also, it's pretty clear that Universal will never produce Blu-Ray media unless there is no one manufacturing HD-DVD players anymore.
I'd like to see the numbers from Nielsen to back this up. If this is indeed true, and factor all of the Blu-Ray fud ups WB has been having, I could see Warner going to HD-DVD exclusive in the very near future. The first true head-to-head blockbuster title on both formats since the black friday sales, and HD-DVD sneaks out a win. Hopefully, the lack of BD+ to provide an un-hackable copy protection, and the huge base of hd-dvd players, will convince FOX and the mouse studio to come on over to the DVD forum's side and produce dvd-hd-dvd combo disks so we can all just buy one copy for the HT, minivan, and kids mouse ear player. Make no mistake, Fox and Disney went Blu-Ray because of the stronger DRM, the same reason why they rode DIVX all the way to the grave.
Just imagine how large my grin is right now.
I see the PS3/Blu-ray contingent are noteable by their absense.
LMAO
Is this exactly what some of us have been saying was coming & due for some time now?
I think you'll find it is.
Precisely.
.....and the Blu-ray zealots named us 'fanboys' for merely telling the truth about the HD DVD strategy.
LMAO
They are too busy discussing more lies and rumors to cook up and spread around the internets and sites such as this one. :P
There isn't going to be a "winner" in this race, because it ISN"T A RACE....it is about total SALES and as long as both formats sell enough to make it worth while, eventually EVERYONE will make discs on both Formats(Sony holding out the longest of course) What Studio in their RIGHT MIND is going to say F those 1 million plus HD-DVD owners(who by the way were 100% purchased for movie watching, unlike PS3 Blu-Ray owners) Don't be stupid sheep, this "War" is the best thing a SMART consumer could ever want, it is driving down the cost of BOTH formats players/Discs.I am an HD-DVD supporter, because I think it offers the most bang for the buck and is most consumer friendly(do you know most Blu standalones are ALREADY obsolete junk?.BUT that is NOT to say I HATE Blu-Ray, it is a shame that you "Blu-Boys" can't get some movies on your format of choice, I really wish you could and I'd like to see YOUR exclusives on my format.Than we can be ALL HAPPY...Right?...Right?