These debate is over. WB's move to make movies exclusive to blu-ray is the end.

Warner's Move Beginning of End for HD DVD
Comments: 2
How devastatiing to HD DVD is Warner's decision to stop supporting the format within 145 days?
Completely.
It's really only a matter of time now. The momentum hastening the demise of HD DVD began with Warner's announcement on Friday and is gaining steam as you read this.
Just think about it: What consumer is going to sink any or any more money in to HD DVD, knowing that there are only two studios supporting HD DVD and only one major CE company? What retailer is going to make additional space for the format?
That kind of thinking will feed on itself like wildfire.
I would be surprised if there weren't already meetings Friday among execs in the offices of Universal and Toshiba to figure out a graceful exit strategy. Paramount/DreamWorks leaders are probably praying that they can exercise an early exit clause in their agreement as soon as possible so they can get back on the Blu bandwagon.
You don't have to be a math wizard to calculate how Warner's decision spells the end of the road for HD DVD.
Warner has had by far the largest HD DVD market share of any of the three major studios. That will evaporate by the end of May and will begin to dry up much sooner than that with Warner's transitional plan to delay the release of HD DVD versions of each Blu-ray title by up to a month during that time.
Again, who would be foolish enough to buy in to any HD DVD product now?
Blu-ray has already been clobbering HD DVD by a 2:1 ratio in software sales all year long (sometimes as much as 3:1). Soon there will be no Warner HD DVD product at all. All Warner product on Blu-ray. Those numbers will easily swing to 75-25 or 80-20 in favor of Blu-ray in very short order.
Once again, we're talking the same kind of consumer as the laserdisc die-hards as the only realistic audience for HD DVD. Not exactly the Wal-Mart, Target, or Best Buy customers.
I may be missing something, but I can't see even a glimmer of hope for the severely listing HD DVD boat.
The only question now is how long Universal and Toshiba will hold on before abandoning ship.
One possible indication: Just 48 hours before it was to begin, the North American HD DVD Promotions Group (heretofore referred to in this blog as the HD DVD Propaganda Group, but there is no fun in kicking them when they are down) just canceled their much-ballyhooed CES media event scheduled for Sunday night at The Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas. Here is what may eventually be considered the first official flag of surrender by the HD DVD camp:

[B]Subject: CANCELLATION NOTICE: CES press conf for NA HD DVD Promo Group

Notice of CES Press Conference Cancellation by North American HD DVD Promotion Group

Based on the timing of the Warner Home Video announcement today, we have decided to postpone our CES 2008 press conference scheduled for Sunday, January 6th at 8:30 p.m. in the Wynn Hotel. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

We are currently discussing the potential impact of this announcement with the other HD DVD partner companies and evaluating next steps. We believe the consumer continues to benefit from HD DVD's commitment to quality and affordability

 

I do hope to see the hottest HD-DVD's available in BR (please, please, please!) but I don't think it'll be soon. I think studios have too much corporate pride to roll over instantly but we'll see.

 

My next player is a combi-player so who cares.

 

Everyone go out and buy a ps3 and bunch of BR movies, so we can end this thing already. People that have HD-DVD stuff, just cut your losses. We will all be better off with only one format in the market.

 

i agree. 3:10 to Yuma will be the next phase of my attack.

 

Yeah, it's over. As a fanboy (yeah, I admit it) of HD DVD... it's now very clear that the format war has been decided with the Warner news.

No way HD DVD can bounce back from this blow. Oh well, I'll buy a PS3 for the living room and move the HD DVD player into the bedroom.

I'm just hoping HD DVDs will end up in the bargain bin at Wal Mart soon

 

i need to get a ps3.

 

And apparently Paramount has an opt out clause in there contract meaning they can leave Toshiba and still keep the $100 Million LoL.

Toshiba must have been desperate to sign that exclusivity deal and leave the option open for that.

 

PS3 is they way to go. Fastest loading player out there. Plus has the lan port so you can update the firmware which updates occur often .

Other players you have to download the firmware on your computer,
then burn it to a disk,

then put in your stand alone blu ray player,

then hope it doesn't think it's a burned movie
then if you avoid that hassle it's updated LoL.


I'll pick up a stand alone player later in the year now that they will be releasing blu ray players with the lan port.

 

PS3 is the greatest, everytime there is a firmware update, it notifies me and tells me to update via my wireless connection to the Internet. Very cool and seamless. The fact it plays games and is a media storage device is just icing on the cake. Playing games is great too. I always download the free latest trial version of a new game to play before going to the store to buy. I would invest in a cooling device (intercooler) for the PS3, and make sure it gets lots of ventilation since it is used so often.

Tan