AfterDawn: News

Warner's "Total HD" most likely canned for good

According to Home Media Magazine, Warner Home Video President Ron Sanders has made a statement that his company's ambitious Total HD project would most likely be scrapped for good. He did not however, completely shut the door on the idea.

Total HD was supposed to be premiered at CES 2007 but production delays and executive decisions on the format have so far killed the project. In June, the company said that consumers should expect to see Total HD in "early 2008" getting many to assume that it would be premiered at CES 2008.



The new comments seem to throw that out the window however. "Total HD only makes sense for studios supporting both formats, and since Paramount went the other way and retail didn't push the issue, one studio isn't enough for us to pull the trigger," said Sanders to the magazine, so for now, "it’s on hold.”

Source:
BetaNews

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 21 Nov 2007 16:58

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• 26 comments

• vinny13

  Is this another format or something?

  21.11.2007 20:58 #1

• DVDBack23

  http://www.afterdawn.com/glossary/terms/total_hd.cfm

  21.11.2007 23:28 #2

• ripxrush

  was a great idea but i am sure they would have been another $20 so $50 or so say, for a movie?!?! i dont seen me payign that! i dont buy movies nemore we have boughten tons but never watch a 2nd time so we just netflix cause i knwo we r only gonn watch most 1x neways! if it is that good then i buy, TIVO & Netfix (type of services) have totaly changes the video industry just as ipod & such mp3 players have changed the music industry & i am talkign legit stuff too!
  
  When cars went faster the industry had too keep up with safety & materials & laws why cant the muAV industry get it?! neways sry bout tha tittle rant!

  22.11.2007 03:54 #3

• spydah

  Its a good idea if you only add $5 extra over the original price. Anything above that is not going to sell that well at all.

  22.11.2007 10:37 #4

• ali2007

  No it is not another format, it has capability of storing both bluray and hd dvd format into the same disk

  22.11.2007 11:11 #5

• tester22

  I don't know how many people that visit this site speak English as a first language, in this case 'ripxrush' but, with the exception of those that do not.................LEARN TO WRITE! Bunch of illiterates........especially those like 'ripxrush'. Can barely read or understand.

  22.11.2007 12:34 #6

• sk8flawzz

  if you've got nothing positive to add to the discussion, then stay out of it n00b. just because they may be typing like they're writing out a text does not mean they are illiterate..maybe they're just in a hurry, for all you know they're an English major! but anyway, Total HD would seem like a good idea if the format war did end in a stalemate, but i honestly think that Warner is going to see what happens this holiday. So the best thing people from both camps can do is go out and buy up a player and a few movies.

  22.11.2007 14:50 #7

• MightyOne

  Originally posted by sk8flawzz: So the best thing people from both camps can do is go out and buy up a player and a few movies.Thats retarded in my opinion. Why should we buy a player and movies because corporations are in a war over format. We would only be supporting and buying a DEAD FORMAT. Nobody wants to be the one who bought the loser. You would only be helping the LOSER to sell off some LOSER equipment and movies.
  
  The most logical advice to me would be wait....wait....wait. Even if its years....wait until its decided. Only WE, the consumer can teach these dummy's a lesson. If u have LOTS of $$$ and don't care if u purchase something that could go obsolete...then i would agree with you, but realistically....i think most consumers need to spend their money wisely. Buying one now is a gamble. Just because one is better than the other....doesn't mean it will win.
  
  ...Warner's idea would have at least left your discs playable no matter which won. Not a total burn...but like spydah said....the price couldn't be too much more or it wouldn't sell anywayz.

  22.11.2007 15:12 #8

• sk8flawzz

  i meant those of us who want this to end already..
  i know most consumers wont go out tomorrow and buy into one, unless prices are ridiculously cheap, but in that case, where will warner be more inclined to go for?
  last nite i stopped by circuit city, BD players were still at 500-ish, while the HD-A3 was down to 199. (180-ish on Amazon)

  22.11.2007 15:50 #9

• DVDBack23

  Originally posted by tester22: I don't know how many people that visit this site speak English as a first language, in this case 'ripxrush' but, with the exception of those that do not.................LEARN TO WRITE! Bunch of illiterates........especially those like 'ripxrush'. Can barely read or understand.At least use proper grammar when trying to insult others on their grammar...enjoy your ban.

  22.11.2007 16:43 #10

• hughjars

  Don't be surprised to find them announcing that they're going exclusive at CES 2008.
  
  Unfortunately for the Sony fanclub it'll be HD DVD exclusive
  (something I think even Stringer was on the verge of admitting until he started backtracking on his 'stalemate' comments)

  22.11.2007 20:35 #11

• error5

  Originally posted by hughjars: Don't be surprised to find them announcing that they're going exclusive at CES 2007.
  CES 2007 was held from January 8th to the 11th, 2007.
  
  CES 2008 is scheduled for January 7th to the 10th next year.

  22.11.2007 21:01 #12

• sk8flawzz

  im sure he meant 2008, but yea im looking forward to that

  22.11.2007 23:43 #13

• hughjars

  Originally posted by sk8flawzz: im sure he meant 2008 - I did indeed.
  
  I've corrected it now.
  
  Sorry it was late.....er.....I'll get me coat. ;)

  23.11.2007 12:24 #14

• ZippyDSM

  theres no real call for it,its acute disc format to run both but frankly it wastes disc space.
  
  What we need are cheap dual players!

  23.11.2007 16:24 #15

• forkndave

  I agree with tester 22. I suppose I'll be banned now too. Tester 22 got banned for speaking the truth.

  23.11.2007 17:14 #16

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by forkndave: I agree with tester 22. I suppose I'll be banned now too. Tester 22 got banned for speaking the truth.And some of us are disabled and can not write well.
  
  so try and only poke fun at thos who can only talk leet or net speak :P

  23.11.2007 17:17 #17

• DVDBack23

  Originally posted by forkndave: I agree with tester 22. I suppose I'll be banned now too. Tester 22 got banned for speaking the truth.You would be correct. You're smart enough to understand your comment has no bearing on this article, and was just plain annoying. Enjoy your ban as well.
  

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  23.11.2007 20:12 #18

• BoSoxs07

  Originally posted by DVDBack23: Originally posted by forkndave: I agree with tester 22. I suppose I'll be banned now too. Tester 22 got banned for speaking the truth.You would be correct. You're smart enough to understand your comment has no bearing on this article, and was just plain annoying. Enjoy your ban as well.I'm thankfully for people like DVDBack23 because he is the most fair person you can deal with.If he Ban you you did some thing wrong.

  23.11.2007 20:40 #19

• hughjars

  Originally posted by ZippyDSM: What we need are cheap dual players! - That's a very short-term view zippy.
  
  If dual format players were to become the common norm (some use the analogy of -R & +R DVD) then no-one would have any need to use the format that imposes the greatest costs in production (ie Blu-ray).
  
  Paramount were not lying when they said that Blu-ray's extra production costs offset the (current) slightly better sales numbers
  (Blu-ray have 2 reliable plants able to churn out their, supposedly, 50gb DL discs and even their 25gb single layer discs - which they use the majority of the time - need new production facilities; this compares to well over 100 regular DVD replication facilities that can switch over to HD DVD production with little difficulty or expense).
  
  It should be obvious that if everyone (effectively) has an HD DVD player (in their dual format player) then 'the industry' will have no reason not to go for the least expensive (and therefore the most profitable, to them) option.
  
  Dual format is as big a threat to Blu-ray as anything.
  
  Blu-ray know it & that's why they hate the idea of dual format.

  24.11.2007 09:21 #20

• ZippyDSM

  Quote:Originally posted by ZippyDSM: What we need are cheap dual players! - That's a very short-term view zippy.
  
  If dual format players were to become the common norm (some use the analogy of -R & +R DVD) then no-one would have any need to use the format that imposes the greatest costs in production (ie Blu-ray).
  
  Paramount were not lying when they said that Blu-ray's extra production costs offset the (current) slightly better sales numbers
  (Blu-ray have 2 reliable plants able to churn out their, supposedly, 50gb DL discs and even their 25gb single layer discs - which they use the majority of the time - need new production facilities; this compares to well over 100 regular DVD replication facilities that can switch over to HD DVD production with little difficulty or expense).
  
  It should be obvious that if everyone (effectively) has an HD DVD player (in their dual format player) then 'the industry' will have no reason not to go for the least expensive (and therefore the most profitable, to them) option.
  
  Dual format is as big a threat to Blu-ray as anything.
  
  Blu-ray know it & that's why they hate the idea of dual format.
  Actually if you treat HDVD/BR as R- R+ only with the space/price concerns you can have HDVD and BR for anything under 30GB and the3 layer HDVD (ifstable) and BR 50GB disc as a larger size and BR clearly has an advantage at size in a few years if stability can be dealt with, havign both is not a bad thing.

  24.11.2007 14:11 #21

• hughjars

  I think you are glossing over the cost differentials in production zippy, they are not the same and they are too important to just dismiss.
  
  I also think you are assuming larger Blu-ray sizes are coming.
  I think not, they are extremely difficult, require new hardware and most of all they are completely unnecessary for the movie or TV industry.
  
  I'd lay large amounts of money on 51gb on HD DVD and 50gb Blu-ray being 'it' for a long time to come now.
  
  It's worth considering too that the next disc based storage may never happen at all.
  
  It could be that these are the last optical discs we have and that holographic storage never happens in the mass-market.
  
  But mostly, and in the more short or immediate term, I think you are glossing over the savings (and therefore profitability) 'the industry' would generate in a dual format world by simply 'going' with the cheapest to produce format, which is HD DVD by some margin.
  
  .....and IIRC Blu-ray has already cost it's backers a huge fortune and is still being subsidised
  (a situation not helped by it's latest strategy of doing things like 'buy-one-get-one-free' - HD DVD nmeanwhile costs so much less that freebie discs cost much less and be be afforded more easily).

  24.11.2007 15:22 #22

• tester22

  Seriously people, shorthand or texting is different than writing like an illiterate. Mine was shorthanded and perfect grammar was not my intention. It is now though. When it takes effort to read your comments then it's just a shame, not to mention a pain in the arse. Don't complain, just make yourself look a LITTLE intelligent when writing. I've never seen it so bad than with those who comment here. Most probably just don't like putting the pieces of a puzzle together when trying to interpret the thoughts of another.

  1.12.2007 12:03 #23

• forkndave

  I honestly did not think I would be banned without warning for agreeing with some one. To me, typing with shortcuts is rude and I place it right up there with typing in all capitals. As far as being handicapped ScubaPete was about as handicapped as you can get and his posts were always legible. I can not abide political correctness. I calls ‘em like I sees ‘em.
  
  I have been a member of AD for about 4 ½ years and until the forums were taken over by game consoles and children I enjoyed my visits here. I have not been a big poster here; this will be my 513th and probably last post. Obviously my posts have no validity and are not wanted.

  1.12.2007 16:45 #24

• borhan9

  See i am a supporter of this format however i guess that the only reason that this would not work would be due to the cost of manafacturing the product in mass.

  19.12.2007 19:28 #25

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by borhan9: See i am a supporter of this format however i guess that the only reason that this would not work would be due to the cost of manafacturing the product in mass.
  Ya love the dual format stuff but for not dual players are costly and dual format discs are pointless because of cost and space.
  
  I personally would love if BR discs could do a DL DVD layer but like with most tech BWC is not part of its premium features :P
  
  hughjars
  And you glaze over BRs potential to easily, in the time frame it took DVD to get to dual layer to the public, BR could go to 100 or 200 GB discs that would only be 50% more the starting cost, hell if tins go well in the lab it could take half that time.
  
  And HDVD could well make a breakthru and have a 80+ GB layer disc, don't so easily discount the feature, just the current differences in space that amount to a hill of beans, both formats ahve room to grow IF they become the replacement for DVD.

  20.12.2007 00:51 #26