Warner jump on Blu-ray

[croc hunter2]

http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald...0510070201.html


Warner Bros. indicates it will use both Blu-ray and HD-DVD formats

10/07/2005

　The Asahi Shimbun

Hollywood dealt another blow to Toshiba Corp. and NEC Corp. in the DVD format war.

Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., which had been supporting the HD-DVD format promoted by Toshiba and NEC, will also likely release its movies in the Blu-ray format led by Sony Corp. and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., company sources told The Asahi Shimbun.

Another Hollywood giant, Paramount Pictures Corp., made a similar decision earlier this month.

The two movie companies' decisions could give the Blu-ray camp an almost certain grip on most Hollywood studios.

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp., The Walt Disney Co., Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. and other U.S. studios already support the Blu-ray format. It is unclear if they also plan to release their movies in the HD-DVD format.

Universal Studios Inc. still officially backs HD-DVD, but industry experts speculate the company will probably follow the moves of Paramount and Warner Brothers and also release its movies for Blu-ray formatted DVD players.A senior Toshiba official downplayed the latest moves in Hollywood.

"Warner Brothers and Paramount Pictures will still release their software in the HD-DVD format," the official said.

The HD-DVD camp is certainly not out of the race. It gained momentum late last month when it received strong support from two information technology giants, Microsoft Corp. and Intel Corp.

However, Toshiba still decided to postpone full-scale sales of its HD-DVD players until next spring.(IHT/Asahi: October 7,2005)

 

[Titanio]

I put this in the other thread, it doesn't sound quite official yet. It's still "company sources say"..

 

[London Geezer]

Posted already. Twice.

 

[NavNucST3]

Posted already. Twice.

[rant] You would think some would notice a thread that is on the FIRST page AND at the TOP of the page.I mean damn you don't even have to search for it, I guess the title Will Warner support Blu-ray? isn't clear enough of a thread. [/rant]

 

[Guden Oden]

In what way is this HDDVD vs. BR console related?

Last I checked, no console is going to get HDDVD support, nor are there any immediate plans for such a move by anyone.

These kind of topics belong in the general forum.

 

[seismologist]

now we know we'll be able to watch Warner Bros movies on the PS3

 

[Junkstyle]

Is Blu-ray going to require DVD players be connected to the internet?

 

[mckmas8808]

Is Blu-ray going to require DVD players be connected to the internet?

The last thing I read the answer is no.

 

[AlphaWolf]

The last thing I read the answer is no.

That would make the renewability feature of BD+ rather difficult.

 

[pakpassion]

what will have a bigger impact:

Studio movies on BluRay or Windows Vista and Intel ViiV on HD-DVD

 

[mckmas8808]

what will have a bigger impact:

Studio movies on BluRay or Windows Vista and Intel ViiV on HD-DVD

Studio movies on BLuray. Why even ask?

That would make the renewability feature of BD+ rather difficult.

I didn't think the Blu-ray player HAD to be hooked up to the internet. I mean what if someone couldn't afford the internet, does that mean no movies? Think.

 

[Bobbler]

I think I can answer that with another question, pakpassion.

What the hell is ViiV?

Does it make movies that I want to watch out of thin air?

Vista doesn't matter either... it'll be supporting Blu-ray as well as HD-DVD natively, no doubt (VC-1 is in BR also -- MS has a vested interest in BR as much as it does HD-DVD really -- they just are trying to dirty the image of BR so it isn't as much of a selling point for PS3).

 

[BlueTsunami]

what will have a bigger impact:

Studio movies on BluRay or Windows Vista and Intel ViiV on HD-DVD

Also, you have to take into account the adoption rate of Vista. A large chunk of XP users won't just go out and buy Vista which will probably be $150+ when its released. Also, Blu-Ray itself isn't anywhere near the timeline of Vista (as far as realse dates). So they shouldn't have any effect on each other.

 

[RollingBalls]

This is an interesting read from businessweek.

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/oct2005/tc2005106_9074_tc024.htm

 

[AlphaWolf]

I didn't think the Blu-ray player HAD to be hooked up to the internet. I mean what if someone couldn't afford the internet, does that mean no movies? Think.

Yes I am sure the primary target for blu-ray is people that can't afford the internet.
/end sarcasm

How do you renew BD+ if not the internet?

 

[DemoCoder]

Internet access is not neccessary to lockout your player for hacking. The HDCP standard specifies a blacklist update capability. You can have your DVD player reprogrammed just by playing a disk. Or, your HDCP capable TV can have its blacklist updated by OTA digital broadcasts, in which case, it won't work with your hacked DVD player anymore.

 

[mckmas8808]

Yes I am sure the primary target for blu-ray is people that can't afford the internet.
/end sarcasm

How do you renew BD+ if not the internet?

You are serious? What if broadband isn't in the person's area? So is that person not suppose to get HD movies? Think first, post second. And you people joke on GAF.

 

[mckmas8808]

Didn't know Fox felt the same way I did too.

Fox execs say their decision became a no-brainer, because of the extra protection and because as many as 30 million PlayStations might be sold in the next three years. "They have a Trojan Horse that will play a critical role in igniting the market for this product, and when they do, we intend to be in that market with them," says Michael Dunn, president of Fox Home Entertainment.

WOW!! Two presidents that agree with what I said 6 months ago. Now that over rides anything that anybody can say from the AVS forums. Alpha you can't think two presidents of billion dollars companies are wrong do you?

 

[JF_Aidan_Pryde]

This is the end. Blu-Ray has basically won. There won't be a format war.

 

[Carl B]

I agree, the format war looks like a win for Sony - and not in the expected pre-war compromise. Toshiba looks set to out and out lose.

It's hard to emphasize enough how positive I feel a definitive and early victory would be for Sony in this instance. Just beyond the obvious benefits of a win itself (of which there are several), it would allow the division to go from tying up efforts in simply winning the format war to a more coordinated effort to push it in conjunction with Hollywood and the CE industry. And of course, it would free up some much needed 'high level' attention at Sony to focus on things like music players and TV's.