What does CES hold in-store for the HD DVD vs Blu-ray war?

[ryoohki]

Meh,those events are always overhyped to death, don't be disappointed if we get a couple of PR crap about some selling number on both side, that the war is over, on both sides, and they will unveil their title for the year..

[richard lichtenfelt]

Dual format is unlikely to continue for long as retail will force a winner if the studios don't.

[Blue]

I don't think there will be that much at the CES as directly concerning the War, except some amazing titles announced. Expect lots of new Blu players, receivers and TV's with all bells and whistles.

Although anything is possible IF Warner makes an exclusivity announcement at the show the deal will have been finalised a day or two before the announcement - as much longer and the leaks will start.

Due to the massive CE support expect a Blu to dominate the CES except for a few companies.

Expect to see Blu slowly increase it's domination over the next few months until it can't be ignored anymore, I don't think this will be a knockout blow at the CES (however one can dream).

[Zazou]

From Engadget

Not that we'd put it past Microsoft or anything, but we can already smell a rumor brewing where there is probably none regarding the long-speculated and continuously denied plans to integrate an HD DVD drive into the Xbox 360. Granted, Bill's got to have something to talk about on stage at CES next week, but we we're not putting much stock in the pure speculation of a fresh Seattle Times piece, which, without sources, simply holds that "Microsoft could also make a splash by announcing plans to give the Xbox 360 an internal HD-DVD drive". Yep, they could do that which has been speculated endlessly since the HD DVD drive itself was announced in 2006 -- or not. Guess we'll find out for sure next week. Just don't get your hopes up.

Seems to me to be highly unlikely considering what I've been reading here about Microsoft beginning to seemingly distance themselves from the growing HD-DVD debacle.

Update - quite a few additional comments re: this in the off-topic area.

[BadAss]

Isn't it a bit late in the day for a built in HD-DVD drive? I mean surely MS are working on the next X-Box console by now?

[Bolaar]

Honestly I just see the announcement of some new titles...hopefully some big ones.

I am sure HD DVD will be touting their 51 gig disk...
Blu should tout their 100 gig to shut that right down.

Outside that...

No Warner exclusive.
No dual player under 500.
Blu hopefully with a cheaper player...

But overall...will be pretty quite I suspect.

[Deane Johnson]

I have to agree that there will not be a WB announcement at CES. However, in Sin City the cocktails flow freely and conversation gets loose. Perhaps some unofficial word may leak out as to what WB may be planning.

[Innerloop]

Originally Posted by BadAss

Isn't it a bit late in the day for a built in HD-DVD drive? I mean surely MS are working on the next X-Box console by now?

I think what they MAY do is announce that they are licensing the XBOX chipset to Toshiba or someone to make an integrated home threater device of some sort. This is not really worth much more than PR value. Sony actually made multiple similar devices based on PS2 technology in Japan, but pretty much no one noticed. No one is going to really run out and buy a more expensive XBOX just because its in a Toshiba HT-sized box and has an HD-DVD drive.

That's my guess. These HT-variant game machines never have amounted to more than a sliver of a fraction of the sales of the consoles they are based on. Not sure why they keep pursuing it.

[Innerloop]

Here's a prediction not related to Warner:

I think the BD group will at CES announce one of two things:

a) If they can legitimately do so, they will announce that STANDALONE player sales of BD hardware have eclipsed HD-DVD standalone sales (since inception). Or:

b) They will announced that BD standalone sales have outpaced HD-DVD standalone sales since the $299 price drops on Sony and Samsung models (and Sharp?)

Obviously whether they can do "a" depends on the latest data, it will probaby come right down to the wire. "b" is obviously a fallback but I'm pretty sure they already have the data to back that up and a press release written up and ready to roll.

This will eliminate one of the last lingering bits of bragging-rights HD-DVD has in the war, so it will get a lot of mainstream press PR play either way; "Blu-ray takes the lead in player sales", etc.

Let's hope they can do option "A"!

[JasonS]

Originally Posted by ryoohki

Meh,those events are always overhyped to death, don't be disappointed if we get a couple of PR crap about some selling number on both side, that the war is over, on both sides, and they will unveil their title for the year..

+1. CES is a big joke. Each side will announce new players, new releases and will beat their chests and brag about numbers. End of show. I personally only care if WB announces Batman and Matrix for Blu-ray. That's all I have my hopes up for.