Warner Brothers scraps TotalHD plans/aim to make life easier for retailers

[BoneWSO]

Speaking exclusively with High-Def Digest, Warner Home Entertainment says its previously announced HD DVD/Blu-ray hybrid disc won't be hitting stores anytime soon.

As we've previously reported, the studio made a splash when it unveiled Total HD earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show, proposing it to the industry and consumers alike as a solution to the ongoing format war. Containing a Blu-ray layer on one side of the disc and an HD DVD layer on the other, the studio said the hybrid disc would retail for little more than a single-format title, and that it planned to have its first releases in stores by the second half of the year.

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Roughly six months later, Warner announced it was pushing back its launch plans for Total HD until early 2008, but said it remained committed to the concept, promising ten to twenty launch titles upon the format's eventual release.

Though the studio had since remained mum on the status of its plans for the hybrid format, a Warner exec has now confirmed to High-Def Digest that all current plans for Total HD have been shelved in response to a perceived shift in retailer needs following Paramount's move to HD DVD exclusivity.

"The short answer is, for the moment, it [Total HD] is on hold," explained Jim Noonan, SVP of Strategic Promotion and Communication for Warner Home Entertainment Group. "We're the only studio producing content in both formats. If we were to put out Total HD with just our titles, it wouldn't really provide the solution to our retail partners that it was intended to provide. If anything, at this point, it would further complicate their life, because there would be another product looking for shelf space. Our job is not to further complicate the lives of our retailers."

As for the possibility that Total HD might still see the light of day should other studios go format-neutral, Noonan certainly didn't rule it out.

"Total HD was something that we offered up to the industry as a solution that would address buyer hesitancy, and the concern a consumer might have about the possible obsolesce of the hardware they were buying. We have no proprietary interest in Total HD. There is no patent we're involved in, and there is no monetary reward for us if another studio decides to put out titles on Total HD. It was offered purely as an industry solution -- and it is still a good and viable solution that has no expiration date."


Hopefully they just can it completely and move blu exclusive.

[WickyWoo]

It will never hit. It was Nickerson's baby.

It never made sense on economic levels either. The yields were obscenely low

[Spankey]

I didn't know how to take this article at first. Mentioning Paramount and HD-DVD affecting consumer need first came across as a negative for Blu-ray. Then I got it. Warner is the only studio who would now need Total-HD. Looks like they lost some cash on their end when Paramount took the bait. Would be nice if Warner sticks it to Paramount and goes Blu Exclusive.

[Magic]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

It will never hit. It was Nickerson's baby.

It never made sense on economic levels either. The yields were obscenely low

That's great to hear. The thought of Total-HD makes me sick to my stomach.

[Luis_A51]

Originally Posted by Magic

That's great to hear. The thought of Total-HD makes me sick to my stomach.

+1

[w_tanoto]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

It will never hit. It was Nickerson's baby.

It never made sense on economic levels either. The yields were obscenely low

total hd does not make sense. if I were to choose separate BD or total hd, I'll go with BD as it is cheaper.

[WickyWoo]

Oh it made great sense from their angle. One product to press, one product to warehouse, one product to distribute, one product to shelf

That is, if you're assuming a very long war

[Sonny]

I'm glad there not pushing this anymore.

[jedisinclair]

Originally Posted by Spankey

I didn't know how to take this article at first. Mentioning Paramount and HD-DVD affecting consumer need first came across as a negative for Blu-ray. Then I got it. Warner is the only studio who would now need Total-HD. Looks like they lost some cash on their end when Paramount took the bait. Would be nice if Warner sticks it to Paramount and goes Blu Exclusive.

(Fingers Crossed) Hey Warner! Spankey has a GREAT idea! Show Paramount who's boss... Go Blu exclusive!

[marzetta7]

Originally Posted by Spankey

I didn't know how to take this article at first. Mentioning Paramount and HD-DVD affecting consumer need first came across as a negative for Blu-ray. Then I got it. Warner is the only studio who would now need Total-HD. Looks like they lost some cash on their end when Paramount took the bait. Would be nice if Warner sticks it to Paramount and goes Blu Exclusive.

I thought the same thing...but left it not knowing what to think about the statement...thanks for clearing that up in my dome dude.

[beatboy77]

WB VP of Strategic Promotion, Jim Noonan today has made the statement that WB has shelved the TotalHD concept as it was feared it would create additional confusion for their (WB) retail partners.

So I ask this. Why would WB even remotely consider going HD-DVD exclusive if a main goal of theirs is not to create more confusion regarding this format war for their retail partners?

I think we know that if WB were to go HD-DVD exclusive, we would truly have a "stalemate" as it would be WB, Paramount and Universal vs. Sony, Disney and Fox/MGM.

I feel this move by WB to abandon the TotalHD technology shows another step by them heading in Blu-ray's direction.

Here the article:

Speaking exclusively with High-Def Digest, Warner Home Entertainment says its previously announced HD DVD/Blu-ray hybrid disc won't be hitting stores anytime soon.

As we've previously reported, the studio made a splash when it unveiled Total HD earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show, proposing it to the industry and consumers alike as a solution to the ongoing format war. Containing a Blu-ray layer on one side of the disc and an HD DVD layer on the other, the studio said the hybrid disc would retail for little more than a single-format title, and that it planned to have its first releases in stores by the second half of the year.

Roughly six months later, Warner announced it was pushing back its launch plans for Total HD until early 2008, but said it remained committed to the concept, promising ten to twenty launch titles upon the format's eventual release.

Though the studio had since remained mum on the status of its plans for the hybrid format, a Warner exec has now confirmed to High-Def Digest that all current plans for Total HD have been shelved in response to a perceived shift in retailer needs following Paramount's move to HD DVD exclusivity.

"The short answer is, for the moment, it [Total HD] is on hold," explained Jim Noonan, SVP of Strategic Promotion and Communication for Warner Home Entertainment Group. "We're the only studio producing content in both formats. If we were to put out Total HD with just our titles, it wouldn't really provide the solution to our retail partners that it was intended to provide. If anything, at this point, it would further complicate their life, because there would be another product looking for shelf space. Our job is not to further complicate the lives of our retailers."

As for the possibility that Total HD might still see the light of day should other studios go format-neutral, Noonan certainly didn't rule it out.

"Total HD was something that we offered up to the industry as a solution that would address buyer hesitancy, and the concern a consumer might have about the possible obsolesce of the hardware they were buying. We have no proprietary interest in Total HD. There is no patent we're involved in, and there is no monetary reward for us if another studio decides to put out titles on Total HD. It was offered purely as an industry solution -- and it is still a good and viable solution that has no expiration date."

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/news...isc_Plans/1147

~Josh

[monkyman]

Good news that they are going to scrap total HD. Now when the time comes, lets hope they back the right side.

[Razzy]

Josh, I hope you're right.

[JJ]

There would be a limited market for these as it is anyway - how many people are purple out of the total HD demographic I dont know, but Im betting its small. As far as future proofing goes, if we were concerned about that, we wouldnt be early adopters anyway.

Im thirsty.

[blu-rayfan101]

HD-DVD is losing hope everyday because now they lost TotalHD, losing sales, and didn't awhile back Warner said that they are getting ride of the combo HD-DVD disc.

[Nicadian]

Sounds like they are taking the necessary steps to choose a side. I don't they will support both throughout 2008. Hopefully they choose the Light side (blu), instead of the dark side(hd dvd).

[Nstars07]

That's great news!

Hopefully this will be the first step to finally putting an effort toward going with one format...

BLU!!!

[JohnAlden]

Thanks Beatboy, you are Awsome. " Just another Day in Blu-ray Heaven".

[unreal1080p]

"Aim To Make Life Easier For Retailers" --> oh they're gonna make life easier for retailers allright... when they go Blu Exclusive in the first half of 2008

Domino effect will follow with Universal going neutral for the second half of 2008 before going full Blu at the January 2009 CES along with Para***** and Bribeworks.

[Esox50]

Originally Posted by beatboy77

So I ask this. Why would WB even remotely consider going HD-DVD exclusive if a main goal of theirs is not to create more confusion regarding this format war for their retail partners?

I think we know that if WB were to go HD-DVD exclusive, we would truly have a "stalemate" as it would be WB, Paramount and Universal vs. Sony, Disney and Fox/MGM.

I feel this move by WB to abandon the TotalHD technology shows another step by them heading in Blu-ray's direction.

Amen, brother!!!

Mr. Noonan can claim WB will be neutral, after Dan Silverberg's comments were misinterpreted at the Blu-Ray event. WB can tell The Digital Bits they will be neutral. But the fact of the matter is that Ron Sanders, President of WHV, said at CEDIA that they may not be neutral much longer and would be watching 4Q closely.

This fact of the matter is that their actions and comments lately sing quite a different tune than "neutral".

I personally believe WB has already made a decision, they're just waiting out the 4Q to get further confirmation that their decision is the right one...