AfterDawn: News

Warner denies its going HD exclusive

Warner has denied the ongoing rumors that it will follow in Paramount's footsteps and drop dual support for HD discs and pick either Blu-ray or HD DVD.

The rumors began early last week when Paramount dropped dual-format releases and became exclusive to HD DVD and Warner VP Steve Nickerson, the industry's largest supporter for dual-format support, stepped down from his position at the company.



Warner Home Video spokesman Jim Noonan says however that the departure of Nickerson should not be taken as an indication of the studio's future plans. "This is not about a change in strategy," Noonan said. "This is completely [Nickerson's] call, and he will be missed. He is smart and a workhorse."

A future decision of exclusivity for Warner could be one of the final straws in pushing the format war one way or the other.

Source:
HD Digest

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 28 Aug 2007 14:38

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• 8 comments

• Unfocused

  This could be the final nail in the coffin. It will be interesting to see if they hold steady on their position.

  28.8.2007 15:25 #1

• vtowner

  I agree with their decision. I would wait to see which company would pay me the most money, then i would side with their format.

  28.8.2007 15:50 #2

• Pop_Smith

  Well I wouldn't consider Warner's move the "Final" nail in one formats coffin, I would consider it an uplifting for the picked format.
  
  It could possibly be a nail, but not the final one, in the non-picked format's coffin but its by no means "the" nail. As shown in the Netflix article HD DVD and Blu Ray still only take up one percent of all rentals. Not only that but everyone has to remember that both formats just started outselling VHS not even a month ago.
  
  Peace

  28.8.2007 15:52 #3

• xtago

  IF they do they';d have to pick Blu-Ray if they want a market to sell to.

  28.8.2007 23:55 #4

• hughjars

  Originally posted by xtago: IF they do they';d have to pick Blu-Ray if they want a market to sell to. - ....and just what kind of "market" would that be, huh?
  
  The one where the retail movie disc attachment rate is so tiny it doesn't even correlate to a 1:1 disc ownership amongst PS3 owners?
  
  The one where the "market" is so out of balance that Blu-ray is PS3?
  
  Or maybe the one where the additional sales (that the initial - and wholly expected - brief spurt of PS3 sales) generated are heavily offset by the very high production costs involved?
  
  The truth is that this is just about time.
  HD DVD is just getting on with selling more players as their prices fall far below anything the Blu-ray competition can match and those buyers are buying more movies.
  
  You can quibble about 720p/1080i output all you like but that is what - by far - the majority of HD TV owners have - and those with a genuine native resolution of 1920x1080 won't see a difference, their displays will display progressively anyways.
  
  You (well, anyone really interested in this) might be interested in knowing that that particular SoC included in this Venturer player should be equipped and able to output via analogue outputs.....assuming of course that many people have the kit to properly exploit that.
  Frankly the quibbling over audio reminds me of people having heated arguments about how many angels can dance in a pin-head.
  It's always nice to have a high standard but for most the argument is completely meaningless once you go beyond Dolby pro-logic or (if you're lucky) Dolby Digital ac3.
  
  Viacom/Paramount know this, hence their dumping Blu-ray (and you can bet Warners experience is identical so I'd take their comments with a pinch/sack of salt).
  
  .....or failing that you can go back to believing ludicrous & idiotic nonsense put out by the Blu-ray fanclub that would have the more shallow-'thinking' believe that a Hollywood giant like Viacom/Paramount could (or would) be 'bought off' and away from the (as you would have it) 'better, more profitable and the format with the best future' for a mere $150 million.

  29.8.2007 03:06 #5

• NexGen76

  Quote:Originally posted by xtago: IF they do they';d have to pick Blu-Ray if they want a market to sell to. - ....and just what kind of "market" would that be, huh?
  
  The one where the retail movie disc attachment rate is so tiny it doesn't even correlate to a 1:1 disc ownership amongst PS3 owners?
  
  The one where the "market" is so out of balance that Blu-ray is PS3?
  
  Or maybe the one where the additional sales (that the initial - and wholly expected - brief spurt of PS3 sales) generated are heavily offset by the very high production costs involved?
  
  The truth is that this is just about time.
  HD DVD is just getting on with selling more players as their prices fall far below anything the Blu-ray competition can match and those buyers are buying more movies.
  
  You can quibble about 720p/1080i output all you like but that is what - by far - the majority of HD TV owners have - and those with a genuine native resolution of 1920x1080 won't see a difference, their displays will display progressively anyways.
  
  You (well, anyone really interested in this) might be interested in knowing that that particular SoC included in this Venturer player should be equipped and able to output via analogue outputs.....assuming of course that many people have the kit to properly exploit that.
  Frankly the quibbling over audio reminds me of people having heated arguments about how many angels can dance in a pin-head.
  It's always nice to have a high standard but for most the argument is completely meaningless once you go beyond Dolby pro-logic or (if you're lucky) Dolby Digital ac3.
  
  Viacom/Paramount know this, hence their dumping Blu-ray (and you can bet Warners experience is identical so I'd take their comments with a pinch/sack of salt).
  
  .....or failing that you can go back to believing ludicrous & idiotic nonsense put out by the Blu-ray fanclub that would have the more shallow-'thinking' believe that a Hollywood giant like Viacom/Paramount could (or would) be 'bought off' and away from the (as you would have it) 'better, more profitable and the format with the best future' for a mere $150 million.There is a rumor floating around the net that the Exclusive Paramount have with HD-DVD is only 18 months but who knows if thats true or not.But i have seen it on a lot of sites.
  
  However, according to the New York Times, the studios are receiving $150 million in incentives to stay exclusive for the next 18 months, or through Christmas 2008. The Times couldn't reveal where the incentive was coming from, though, only clarifying that Microsoft claims to have not been involved in such a deal.
  
  http://www.cinematical.com/2007/08/22/hd...attle-rages-on/
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Warner is going to stay neutral because they have been very vocal about studio's becoming neutral & the main backer of a combo format player.I would be shocked if they choose either format Unless someone paid them to do so then you can't blame them for doing that.

  29.8.2007 12:16 #6

• hughjars

  Originally posted by nextgen76: There is a rumor floating around the net that the Exclusive Paramount have with HD-DVD is only 18 months but who knows if thats true or not.But i have seen it on a lot of sites. - Well seeing as Viacom/Paramount themselves have been quoted as saying the deal is "indefinite" I'd write this off as yet more laughable spin from the Blu-ray gang who are clearly desperate to paint these events any way they can so as not to look as awful for them as they are.
  
  This ranks with the Blu-ray fanboys pretending that they knew Viacom/Paramount could be bought off for a piffling (to them, only Hollywood giants) $150 million.
  
  Originally posted by nextgen76: Warner is going to stay neutral because they have been very vocal about studio's becoming neutral & the main backer of a combo format player. - You wish, obviously. Like you know. You don't so stop pretending you do.
  
  Do you honestly imagine Paramount's comments about the high costs of Blu-ray production (now that Sony has lifted the subsidy they were paying on it......does that count as a 'bribe' I wonder, LMAO) do not also apply to everyone else involved in making Blu-ray movie discs?
  
  Originally posted by nextgen76: I would be shocked if they choose either format - I'd say prepared to be shocked then.....just as the Blu-ray fanclub have been so shocked at Viacom/Paramount dumping Blu-ray.
  
  Originally posted by nextgen76: Unless someone paid them to do so then you can't blame them for doing that. - I'd love to see some proof for that allegation, just once would be nice.
  
  (and a report of "rumours" or a report based on "unnamed sources" proves nothing whatsoever........particularly when we already know that ludicrous Blu-ray fanboy windbag shill Bill Hunt and his pal are the 2 sources quoted at length in papers so far.)

  29.8.2007 17:34 #7

• borhan9

  The format war is just an waiting game.

  2.9.2007 14:18 #8