Financial Times : "Wal-Mart puts Blu-ray on brink of victory"

[Dr Mike]

Blu-ray’s victory in the home video format war appeared complete after Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, said on Friday that it would commit itself exclusively to the Sony product and no longer stock Toshiba’s rival HD-DVD.

Wal-Mart, which has long reigned as the biggest seller of DVDs, said its decision to carry only Blu-ray discs and players was a response to customer preference. It follows similar moves by other large retailers, including Target, Best Buy, Netflix and Blockbuster.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/91d357e6-dc1...ml&_i_referer=

[Grisle]

We've been on the brink for a while now, but this is the closest we've ever been.

[w_tanoto]

is this the one who lied to us about para/uni switch?

[Grisle]

There wasn't a lie was there? Didn't they just say there was an escape clause...I forget exactly how it wsa worded, but yes it was FT.

[JAGUAR1977]

Originally Posted by w_tanoto

is this the one who lied to us about para/uni switch?

They stated they had out clauses and were in the process of planning a switch.

Considering the lack of HD-DVD announcements, and seemingly on the brink of both switching exclusively to Blu-ray a month after the report, I'd say they were bang on.

[Fozziwig]

Originally Posted by w_tanoto

is this the one who lied to us about para/uni switch?

Variety and the FT both reported that Universal and P/DW would be dropping HD DVD support (the timing wasn't specified). Neither publication lied. The FT implied something would happen very soon:

Paramount is poised to drop its support of HD DVD after Warner Brothers’ recent backing of Sony’s Blu-ray technology, in a move that will sound the death knell of HD DVD and bring the home entertainment format war to a definitive end.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/dc409afa-b...nclick_check=1

Nothing dishonest there. Variety reported the same thing independantly.

The two remaining studios backing HD DVD could switch sides soon, ending the high-def format war instantly. Daily Variety has confirmed that Universal's commitment to backing HD DVD exclusively has ended. And Paramount has an escape clause in its HD DVD contract allowing it to release pics on Blu-ray after Warner Bros.' decision to back that format exclusively.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...goryid=20&cs=1

If there are liars in the format war then they are mostly employed by Universal and Paramount.

[w_tanoto]

Originally Posted by Fozziwig

Variety and the FT both reported that Universal and P/DW would be dropping HD DVD support (the timing wasn't specified). Neither publication lied. The FT implied something would happen very soon:


http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/dc409afa-b...nclick_check=1

Nothing dishonest there. Variety reported the same thing independantly.


http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...goryid=20&cs=1

If there are liars in the format war then they are mostly employed by Universal and Paramount.

lol. you're right. para/uni loved liars

[GregBlu5]

At the gym yesterday afternoon, I saw the group of financial panelists on this Economics channel discussing the War. The headline was: "Blu-ray Breakout Week". They even interviewed a Sony CEO. Unfortunately, the sound was off and I don't have a radio device to listen to the broadcast while working out. But what I saw looked very promising. Sony stock has been up. So, when even the financial types are claiming there's a big BD victory with no end in sight, I believe HD DVD is dead and buried. Someone just needs to read the eulogy.

[NutsAboutPS3]

Originally Posted by Grisle

We've been on the brink for a while now, but this is the closest we've ever been.

That's a bit like saying that someone who has been pushed off the top of a tall building was only on the brink of dying as they fell past the top 10 floors, and now they are just 10 floors away from the ground they are the closest to death they have ever been. It's true, but the end of the format war has been inevitable since the Warner move, that is the point analagous to the person being pushed off the tall building and commencing their downwards plunge to certain death.

[sj001]

Originally Posted by JAGUAR1977

They stated they had out clauses and were in the process of planning a switch.

Considering the lack of HD-DVD announcements, and seemingly on the brink of both switching exclusively to Blu-ray a month after the report, I'd say they were bang on.

Right, they never gave any dates, pretty everything the FT said was on the money.

[quaylie]

Ken Graffeo=The Biggest Loser.

[cartman781]

Originally Posted by quaylie

Ken Graffeo=The Biggest Loser.

Totally agree.

[cajun1975]

Originally Posted by cartman781

Totally agree.

I 2nd that!

[JohnAlden]

[Smackos]

Well either way I'm glad that they're at least reporting the issue. BBC news online have'nt yet even posted that Wal-Mart have dropped HD-DVD and they only posted about Best Buy and Netflix on Tuesday.

[natedog543]

Originally Posted by NutsAboutPS3

That's a bit like saying that someone who has been pushed off the top of a tall building was only on the brink of dying as they fell past the top 10 floors, and now they are just 10 floors away from the ground they are the closest to death they have ever been. It's true, but the end of the format war has been inevitable since the Warner move, that is the point analagous to the person being pushed off the tall building and commencing their downwards plunge to certain death.

lmao that was awesome... yeah walmart knew they were loosing business. in my city walmart doesn't even sale Blu players. nuthin but Toshiba its to bad, i would have bot more Blu from them if they had