What about Warner? Part the Second

[OokieSpookie]

Originally Posted by psx3man

warner has two big films coming out left harry potter and blade runner i bet there seeing how they sell and go from there but thats obvious how they will sell

Agreed.
The funny thing is that to anyone with a shred of common sense there is not even a question as to which format they will sell more on, just a curiosity as to how much more.

[blu2]

They'll stay neutral.

[Whytewash]

Their titles are VERY slim after Q4... Its has got to be a sign that they are going to be watching the numbers VERY closely this holiday to decide their fate in '08. It will be blu! SUPPORT WARNER!

[sj001]

I keep really hoping they will jump to Blu at the beginning of Q1, really hoping. But my gut tells me they will stay neutral until Q2.

[darkprime]

Here's what doesn't make sense:

Assume Warner goes HD-DUD Exclusive. That results in a stalemate and dual-format players become the norm and take off.

Down the road, when blu ray discs cost exactly the same as hd-dud discs and the studios want to pack in more and better content and have region encoding, why would they use the hd-dud disc over a blu-ray disc? It would only make sense then if all studios started to use blu-ray discs to get those features/capabilities. This is of course because since everyone would have dual format players, they could use blu-ray discs and everyone could play them. Therefore, if blu-ray discs would become the disc of choice down the road for dual-format players, why even bother going down a path with hd-dud??? Can't Paramount, Universal, Weinstein, and Warner understand this?

[gandley]

im more interested in universal, from a "what will they do" point of view.

Ken kept saying "wait until Q4, wait until Q4", well Ken you still got whooped.
He claimed he was under pressure then, i wonder how its heating up for him now. the Q4 wonder FAILED, blu marches on and is growing. HD DVD is running out of time fast.

[theknub]

Originally Posted by Kris Deering

I'm wondering what quarter of software sales is more important, 4th or 1st? Reason being is if a lot of players are given as gifts then you'll see real attach rates rise in 1st quarter more than 4th. But you it's hard to say, I know they said they are evaluating the 4th quarter.

what does attach rates have to do with it? in honesty, it's all about volume sales. sell enough discs, and they will come.

[BadAss]

Originally Posted by darkprime

Here's what doesn't make sense:

Assume Warner goes HD-DUD Exclusive. That results in a stalemate and dual-format players become the norm and take off.

Down the road, when blu ray discs cost exactly the same as hd-dud discs and the studios want to pack in more and better content and have region encoding, why would they use the hd-dud disc over a blu-ray disc? It would only make sense then if all studios started to use blu-ray discs to get those features/capabilities. This is of course because since everyone would have dual format players, they could use blu-ray discs and everyone could play them. Therefore, if blu-ray discs would become the disc of choice down the road for dual-format players, why even bother going down a path with hd-dud??? Can't Paramount, Universal, Weinstein, and Warner understand this?

Thats exactly what I've argued on another forum but the HD-DUDers seemed happy with the look and sound of good enough. It's a crazy logic and I'll never understand why people fight for HD-DVD at all.

From the beginning of 2008 Blu-ray takes all. All the CE companies bar one, all the Studios bar 2 and all the capacity, bandwidth, interactivity and HD audio tracks. HD-DVD will be left with cheaper players and DD+ which will amount to a near 3:1 deficit in disc sales.

How long into 2008 will it be before Blu-ray has more PiP titles than HD-DVD?

[blu2]

Originally Posted by Whytewash

Their titles are VERY slim after Q4... Its has got to be a sign that they are going to be watching the numbers VERY closely this holiday to decide their fate in '08. It will be blu! SUPPORT WARNER!

They have a few announced (5 or 6?) but it's relatively slim for other studios as well (compared with the fall).

The novemeber/december "blockbusters", whatever they turn out to be, will be the next big wave to get excited about.

[blu2]

Originally Posted by darkprime

Here's what doesn't make sense:

Assume Warner goes HD-DUD Exclusive. That results in a stalemate and dual-format players become the norm and take off.

Down the road, when blu ray discs cost exactly the same as hd-dud discs and the studios want to pack in more and better content and have region encoding, why would they use the hd-dud disc over a blu-ray disc? It would only make sense then if all studios started to use blu-ray discs to get those features/capabilities. This is of course because since everyone would have dual format players, they could use blu-ray discs and everyone could play them. Therefore, if blu-ray discs would become the disc of choice down the road for dual-format players, why even bother going down a path with hd-dud??? Can't Paramount, Universal, Weinstein, and Warner understand this?

TL51 could become a reality.

[richteer]

Originally Posted by blu2

TL51 could become a reality.

Yah, and pigs might fly...

[treyw00]

Originally Posted by blu2

TL51 could become a reality.

that would be worse then all the studios trying to double dip on re-releasing movies with a few extra features. If they do tl-51 NEARLY everyone that has bought into it will have to but another HD player. So in essence...i hope it does become a reality

[stockstar1138]

Originally Posted by treyw00

that would be worse then all the studios trying to double dip on re-releasing movies with a few extra features. If they do tl-51 NEARLY everyone that has bought into it will have to but another HD player. So in essence...i hope it does become a reality

it hasn't confirmed if it will or will not work on current players, but given the fact that toshiba hasn't exclaimed they have it working, means that they havn't gotten it to work yet.

[treyw00]

i thought i remember reading one of their reps had confirmed that a firmware update will not work. They initially thought they could "refocus" the laser and make it more intense, but about a month later they came out and said no....matter of fact, it was in the digital bits if im not mistaken

[zipbags]

Originally Posted by gandley

im more interested in universal, from a "what will they do" point of view.

Ken kept saying "wait until Q4, wait until Q4", well Ken you still got whooped.
He claimed he was under pressure then, i wonder how its heating up for him now. the Q4 wonder FAILED, blu marches on and is growing. HD DVD is running out of time fast.

I am new here. Who is Ken and what did he predict?

[Joe Cain]

Originally Posted by zipbags

I am new here. Who is Ken and what did he predict?

Executive vice-president of marketing for Universal Home Video.

Q: I imagine the pressure on you is pretty intense when you talk with your studio peers. Having two rival formats keeps most consumers on the sidelines waiting for a winner. How do you respond to that?

A: I'd argue that this format war is actually beneficial to the consumer. A little over a year ago, the least expensive HD-DVD player was $799. Now, with Toshiba's current rebate promotion (good through June 16), you can get an HD-DVD player for as little as $299.

On the Blu-Ray side, the players started at $1,000 to $1,800 at the end of [2006] and this summer will be down to $599 with new models from Sony and Panasonic. It's the format war that's driving pricing down at such a dramatic, accelerated rate.

Q: Why did Universal opt for HD-DVD?

A: Several years ago, we looked at the technology and decided that this format would offer the better set of mandatory specifications.

From day one, every HD-DVD player made has to have an Ethernet port for online connectivity. And every player had software to support unique, interactive viewing experiences either programmed onto a disc or available online. We're exploiting this on many Universal releases.

In Blu-Ray, the interactive specs are still just an option. The only Blu-Ray player now sold with an Ethernet port is the PlayStation 3.

A lot of their players can't even support the interactive BD-Java software that's running the two new (Blu-Ray-exclusive) "Pirates of the Caribbean" titles.

[Editor's note: The balking Samsung, Philips and Sony players will eventually show the "Pirates" discs but only after a firmware upgrade.]

In fact, the Ethernet and Java specs for Blu-Ray won't be fully firmed up until Oct. 31.

That's why Warner Bros. is putting out a more sophisticated, online-connected version of "Blood Diamond" on HD-DVD, and also why they've put out "Batman Begins" and the new "Matrix" box sets first on HD-DVD.

Q: How about the manufacturing costs?

A: Also very important - and lower for HD-DVD discs and players.

When you can get below $300 for hardware, you open up the mass market. Now people are willing to jump in and buy a player.

Even if the other format were to eventually win, there's no risk. Because that HD-DVD player you buy will still play your regular DVDs and, by upconverting, will actually make the discs look better.

I can't imagine Blu-Ray getting even close to a $300 player this year. I expect their lead dog, PlayStation 3 [now $599], to drop $100, but that's it.

Q: Sales figures for Blu-Ray movie discs are significantly higher this year than for HD-DVD. How do you counter the argument that the tide has turned in Blu-Ray's favor?

A: We didn't have many hot releases in the first quarter, or many releases at all. They had some real biggies, like "Casino Royale." The fourth quarter will be telling. Our releases will be stronger, and we're looking for a big attach rate [that's disc sales per player] when people jump for an inexpensive HD-DVD machine to show off their new high-def TV set.

To that end, we're doing a lot to educate the retailers and the consumers. You know, there are now HD sets in probably 25 million households. But more than half of those owners still believe, incorrectly, that anything they plug in - including basic cable and standard-definition DVD - is going to be in "high definition" on those sets. We've got to show them what they're missing.

--from a Philadelphia Daily News interview dated May 30 of this year.

Have fun finding the faulty predictions.

[Marcusarilius]

Originally Posted by Joe Cain

Executive vice-president of marketing for Universal Home Video.


--from a Philadelphia Daily News interview dated May 30 of this year.

Have fun finding the faulty predictions.

Wow! Faulty predictions and/or just spewing BS to justify their situation. Just think. All they have to do is go BD exclusive to solve everything. Thats it. Nothing more to even think about. Unless Universal wants to get in the game of on line mutiple household movie veiwing with text messages back and forth and the pause button going off every time someone has to take a poddy break. Then yes Universal. Stay where you're at. You won't be in good company, but at least you were able to choose your company as the HD Titanic sinks.

[gearyt]

Originally Posted by Whytewash

Their titles are VERY slim after Q4... Its has got to be a sign that they are going to be watching the numbers VERY closely this holiday to decide their fate in '08. It will be blu! SUPPORT WARNER!

It's soooo hard to support when they don't ship !!

[mfinochio]

Originally Posted by gearyt

It's soooo hard to support when they don't ship !!

Agreed, they have one more week to ship my Return to House on Haunted Hill and Ocean's set of I am going elsewhere. Apart from their retail website, I think they go Blu by 2Q 2008, if I am wrong, just wait longer.
Michael

[sphdle1]

Originally Posted by Amel

I just want them to give me a better picture quality

I dont care if they are neutral...

Lets see how they do on the HP titles. That should tell the tale.