<![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray - Gizmodo Comments]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray - Gizmodo Comments]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Give it a rest. Don Lindich was pro HD DVD for a long time. He claimed HD DVD won when the players sold for $99 a single day at WalMart.

He is just backtracking trying to make it look like it was the evil BDA that screwed over HD DVD.

Fact is there are a lot of happy BD owners out there. HD DVD could not compete with the PS3 BD factor.

FOX going HD DVD? Riiiiiight. They are one of the most pirate fearful studios out there. So they were going to drop BD and its extra copy protection measures for HD DVD. I don't think so. This was the same studio that stopped production for six months on BD when AACS was cracked.

The better format won. Let it go. Lindich is a hack tech writer at best.

CraigBD

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Thanks for the info.

I am still supporting HD-DVD. I can live without Warner, but not Transformers, Bourne, etc...

jmm36

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Has anyone actually done their own research? Blue Ray far surpasses HD as a format. HD with 36 Mbit/s and BD with 54 Mbit/s, not to mention that their is now a 200GB BD format announced. Can you imagine the possibilities, no wonder the rest of the world has tossed HD aside. And for everyone out there belly aching about the price. HD disc can be pressed on the same machines as DVD so it keeps the cost down, unfortunately its just another case of lets see how much money we can squeeze out of the american consumer before we have to update to the next evolution in media format. So thank you Sony for seeing an opportunity to end all this nonsense and lets start upgrading the factories and drive down the cost of BD. I do like one thing about HD though, they have an actual set of standards that their studios have to fallow, which is something that BD currently lacks but is easily fixed.

wavespark

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> < Attempts to care, licks shiny PS3, fondles Blu-Ray Discs....

m0nonoke

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Okay, so there has been rumors for quite some time that Warner was going to switch to Blu-ray, that and its parent company is a strong supporter of Blu-ray looking at the time prior to Warner Bros. going exclusive...So this story is BS. There wasn't any stories going around saying that Fox was about to defect to HD-DVD.

The fact is even if Warner Bros. and Fox defected to HD-DVD camp, Sony wouldn't have gave in. It has nearly its entire gaming industry running on Blu-ray and the format wars would have lasted for another 2-3 years.

There are some critical flaws for both formats. Initially if the HD-DVD camp made it a requirement for a double sided combo disc in the first place then that would have been a bonus for future and current HD-DVD owners, who likely would have only one HD-DVD player and multiple DVD players.

The great thing about Blu-ray is the great potential it has for the future with a 200 GB theoretical limit, but looking at today's current needs will that capacity ever be needed.

Then there's the other rumor with the Xbox360 receiving a built in HD-DVD drive which would have been well received, but never implemented and probably never will because M$ will always try to nickel and dime the consumer...etc etc

In conclusion, Toshiba and M$ made some flaws in their design that didn't satisfy the consumers. Therefore, the future is blu.

jcslickt

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> I don't agree with the idea that in 2 years everyone will be streaming HD movies. It may be a fairly profitable business by then, but physical media will still be around for a bit longer. Adoption of newer technology by the masses is still slower than you'd think nevermind that the cable and phone companies can't/won't get higher bandwidth service out to alot of areas. In addition, there will still be alot of people that will want a physical "thing" for their money.

Call Sony or Toshiba clueless, I believe they (correctly) see money.

bobee

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Do you guys realize that Sony just added another nail to its coffin w/ this "win" . They have paid out 500 million just to have the right to these studios' films.

PS3 are still not profitable.

Do you know how long it will take before Sony makes back that 500 million from sales of BluRay disks and players?

It will probably take 3-4 years...and guess what? by then, HD downloads will be the norm...whether it's from Apple, Netflix, or the cable providers.

The winners of these deals are the studios. They just got a lot of money for doing absolutely nothing.

MacWorld just announced streaming AppleTV rentals. In 2 years, everyone will be streaming HD movies..to rent and to buy.

Sony is clueless.

firemillen2

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> I thought the format war was not being able to find widescreen DVD's at Blockbuster...

FLskydiver

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Yeah, I',m not sure if I buy the fact that such an entrenched studio like Fox would leave the BDA... They have showed nothing but full fledged support from the get go.

Also, why does everyone feel the need to sony bash? You don't like Sony? Buy a Samsung or a Panasonic... Or if you like HD DVD, buy a Toshiba or a... Toshiba? Hmmm, not a lot of selection there...

CeberusRMG

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> One of the reasons I think this is true is because Warner is still supporting HD-DVD until May 2008. When Paramount went HD-DVD exclusive, they stopped all Blu-Ray releases (3 weeks before Transformers). If Warner was still on the fence up until CES, wanting to stay with HD-DVD, they were still producing titles and now just have a whole load of manufactured HD-DVD's sitting. They have no choice but to continue to release them through middle of this year, but make the announcement right before CES. In my opinion a move Sony wanted Warner to do to try and hurt HD-DVD and the big showcase of CES.

Madoca

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> actually macs suck, they just come in pretty cases. they are an inferior product that has a kool-aid following. linux is more secure and faster. and windows (until vista) was the business product to beat. macs are really just a way of enriching steve jobs, who i don't like. now dell (and some other companies) are also making pretty nice looking computers, and linux is making ready-to-eat software, so hopefully steve jobs and his followers will disband.

pajamas

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> that's a dirty trick. 400 million is not much compared to what warner might have made over the long run by selling cheaper hd dvds. i feel sorry for toshiba. sony couldn't face the possibility of another beta fiasco. i didn't think of sony as a sleazy company before. or even warner. as far as i'm concerned that's a black mark in my little book for sony, and especially for warner.

pajamas

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> "What baffles me is the fact that an inferior ~and~ more expensive product is winning at all"

Hmm, let me see if I can think of any examples of this ever happening before... Beta vs. VHS, Mac vs PC (although in both these cases, the price is lower but quality definitely inferior)

cdnguardian

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @Noobs-R-Us:
Warner said they would go exclusive HD DVD if the HD DVD people got one more studio, fox agreed, but then backed out at the last minute. We find out later, it was because Fox and Warner were paid off.

Now you going to be screwed cause Sony's Blu-Ray is region locked and they will throw all this DRM all over it. The original Sony DVD Players did not even play burned DVD home videos, it wasn't until other companies made region free and multo format dvd players that Sony followed along. They have a history of screwing their customers, they might make nice electronics, but they are no good when it comes to content.

xamarshahx

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Having once worked there, Time Warner puts severe pressure on each division for each quarter's earnings, so no huge surprise that Warner saw a fast buck that makes their Q1 numbers easy; they'll worry about Q2 when the time comes. It's a very near-sighted culture that's killed a few brands along the way.

Some Guy

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> I like that there is 56 stores and its 1 per state.

peterpants

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> I wonder if Fox is pissed they "only" got $150 million while Warner got $400 million?

Jordan Lund

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> In the end, the consumer gets it "in the end".

The better format was NOT decided by the consumers' dollar. It was decided by mafia-like payoffs.

Who pays for those payoffs? The consumer pays for it through Sony's monopoly.

The whole thing stinks.

CaliforniaKid

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Ah, so you've done reporting but didn't tell us until someone else printed it and now you tell us you knew the whole time. Riiiigght....

ari14850

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @pinkfloyd1972:
Well 56 stores accounts for a little more than 1 per state. And I am sure NYC has more than 1 itself. And I wont argue that the prices are no different than BB or CC since its a corporate store. And because they are a corporate store I'm sure they can sometimes be a little cheaper. My point when I said they where overpriced was that Sony is overpriced. When you compare Sony to other manufacturers in the same price range, the quality of Sony equipment is abysmal at best. Sony uses its old name to appeal to younger kids that don't know Sony any more than a name. And its a name that any audiophile will tell you has gone down the drain.

TheBigBentley

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Please just because you prefer BluRay doesn't mean you fudge the facts. Sony owns the rights to BluRay and licenses it to their collaborators. It is much like Toshiba owns the current DVD format, with a bunch of collaborators. That is the reason they were able to keep the name "DVD" and sony cannot. The issue is with the licensing. Sony jacks up licensing prices once they have some kind of monopoly on a technology format. That is why most of their products have failed...superior or not. That is what happened to Minidisc, and the infamous Sony Memory Stick. By the time they decided to cut memory stick licensing fees, other standards like SD had taken off.

dontello

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> I really hope blue-ray doesnt win. I rather not have to pay over $250 for a DVD player and $30+ for each stupid DVD. Sony always has high prices and cares very little for the consumers. Look at the poor early adopters of blue-ray that don't get any firmware upgrades.

I wont even mention the horrible marketing they pulled with PSP and PS3. I use to be one of the biggest Sony fans :(

Krutch

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @TheBigBentley: I won't argue where a local store is to you, but there is one near me. Last count on their website, they have 56 stores including outlets. Their prices are no different than at BB or CC. And depending on what you are buying, they are sometimes cheaper.

pinkfloyd1972

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @pinkfloyd1972:
Local Sony store!?!? I have to drive 45 minutes to a "local Sony Store" I don't know where you live but the past 2 states Ive lived in did not have a "local Sony Store" So yeah if they make 6-10 million a year per store its because they don't have very many of them. Well that and most of the crap they sell is overpriced to begin with.

TheBigBentley

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> It's all really short money compared to being the royalty receivers instead of the payers AND losing all their investment into developing it in the first place. This is a giant risk of billions of dollars to both sides, so it's no surprise they will just buy their way into the winners circle. If they chanced it and lost, they are out probably billions in R&D. Putting 500 mil to close the deal and make the other guy the Betamax is a better investment than anything else they could do. I think also since Sony made the betamax and lost, they know what's at stake a lot better than anyone else.
It's pretty logical to see them as the winners from the start, since they've done this game, lost it, and know what happens when you don't win. Of course it's 20-20 hindsight, but we should have known from the start that Sony wasn't going to lose this format war again after seeing what it meant the first time around with VHS vs. Beta.

Hello_Newman

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> ...this is from the god damn Pittsburgh Post Gazette. I don't get why this doesn't have the tag of "rumor". When this is released from a more reputable source than whoever the hell Don Lindich is I will believe it.

Le0nidas

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @TheBigBentley: You're right... Sony has gone to the toilet with their quality. I owned two Sony laptops and both were crap (the second replaced the first with the no lemon rule at Best Buy). After the second went to its early death, I used the no lemon credit to buy a Mac.

wildness

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> If Blu Ray is the winner, let's hurt them in the wallet... don't buy a Blu Ray player until they drop the price to $99, then don't buy any disks... with something like Netflix at hand, why own something when you don't have to.

I sold off most of my DVDs a while ago when the getting was good and don't regret it at all. If I want to watch a movie, I just movie it to the top of the queue. Patience is a virtue and money in my bank is always better than money in Sony's bank.

wildness

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @TheBigBentley: And that's why your local neighborhood SonyStyle store tends to do about 6 to 10 million annually. Yep...no one likes Sony anymore.

pinkfloyd1972

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @newgalactic: ok...so you actually *SAW* the *check* in question. I'm sorry.
I didn't know you were on the inside.

@JOSEJUAN05: Last time I checked, Sony only helped develop the format. That doesn't mean they "have a pretty tight hold over it." Blu-Ray is a consortium with over 170 members. Just like DVD has. And I never said CD was a Sony format. Minidisc was a Sony format, and other than musicians who needed a digital recording device, it was a failure in the U.S. for MP3 playback. I hate proprietary items and that's why I didn't buy alot of Sony's products in the past. I'm not a violent person, but when people talk shit and they don't know their ass from a hole in the wall, they need a virtual slap upside the melon. With a wet fish.


pinkfloyd1972

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Note to Toshiba: make HD-DVD open source, DRM free, and throw in a nice set of Linux friendly drivers, and you will sell more HD-DVD burners and players than you can possibly imagine.

UncleRalphie

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> I questions weather Toshiba really even cares. I mean Its not like everyone loves Sony anymore. Sony has been in a near death situation for years now. The only thing they even make money off of is their Playstation Brand. Their audio equipment is still crap. Even their ES brand doesn't hold up very these days. Besides that Toshiba has dropped the ball time and time again when it comes to acquiring studios.

TheBigBentley

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Why do people love to doubt official word but if it's from some random inside source that says something about a big payoff you instantly lap it up with almost no doubt.

Jitty

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> My appreciation for Fox just dropped from 2% to 0.5%.

Rhainor

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @Galley: Yeah same here. Wait till Officer Butt-Baby comes.

defn

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @robinandtami: How many idiotic losers/rich folks actually bought a first gen Blu-Ray/HD-DVD player (minus the great PS3 of course)?

That's just asking for it.

If one were the latter that much then one probably would have a dual format player already. And purchasing new players would just be like throwing a penny into a wishing well.

If one were the former, then serves him/her.

HD-DVD superior? What a pathetic ruse.

defn

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @robinandtami:
I would call the manufacturer of my particular machine and ask them to mail me the update disc that most BRD-player manufacturers have promised to offer when the profile revision happens. Its not that complicated.

VishusBurn

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> I gotta call "shenanigans" on this entire story.

Galley

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @dobyblue: wow, fanboyism at its finest

i still find it histerical that sony unveiled it's Digital distribution (with DivX) plans so soon after this format war blow. It really emphesises their comitment to the format and their long term plans.

stick that in your pipe and smoke it "Mr. Bay".

VenoMuS

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> I think there is some truth to this just think WB and Sony are in the same movie market you dont side with your competition unless you get paid off, I think this was done just to shake up things with HD-DVD for the CES if you factor out the PS3 games that come on BR they are loosing, and yes look it up. But also if this keeps up I think both with loose, digital downloads are taking off, just sign into xbox live marketplace and all new movies are there in HD to download netflix is tring to revive the Apple TV idea. Microsoft has been said to back HD-DVD if they really wanted to, this war would have never started, as they say money talks, and you know the rest.

milesmcever

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @dobyblue: ...I think we will consider this format war "won" once this "$50 billion/year" industry has moved over to BD. As for now, while HD-DVD and BD aren't even a fraction of that, it's still pretty "open".

newgalactic

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Sony don't have a tight hold of it at all, and Gizmodo's sources are the same unsubstantiated crap we see on the AVS Forum.
Nothing to see here at all.
Sore losers starting rumours.
a) Fox were never looking at HD DVD at all
b) A $50 billion/year industry is more important to Warner than any payoff

Sorry sore losers. The better format won.





dobyblue

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @robinandtami: EVERY blu-ray player will play EVERY Blu-ray movie. It is only certain special features that will not play (they simply are not shown on the menu if they can't be used).

Padriac

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @pinkfloyd1972:
Methinks you react a bit too violently. While Blu-Ray may not be Sony-exclusive, they have a pretty tight hold over it, so calling it a Sony format may not be so far from the truth.


josejuan05

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @pinkfloyd1972: ...but the checks given to WB and Fox have "Sony" written across the top?

...if you can say that CD was a Sony format, how can you say that BD is not a Sony format? Simply put, BD is MOSTLY a Sony format. They are the ones calling most of the shots and that's bad enough for me.

newgalactic

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @badweasel: ok, it seems you a complete dolt. Step away from the keyboard and stop talking. BLU-RAY IS NOT A SONY FORMAT!!!!!

pinkfloyd1972

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @robinandtami: Actaully, DVD is that way now. Some new DVDs have "layer-hopping" and other attempts at copy-protection that make the disc unplayable on older DVD players. There's nothing to do about it but to buy a different DVD player.

The difference is that a new DVD player costs <$50.

Reiji

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @u_nick:

Yeah, but what if you bought a DVD player when they first came out that wouldn't play a standard DVD 2 years later. That's where Blu-Ray is. First gen Blu-ray players won't play many of the current releases, and first gen players are not easily updatable. Average tv dude's mind is BLOWN at the thought of having to burn a CD just to play a DVD.

robinandtami

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Who cares. It's only a matter of time until Netflix or Apple starts streaming HD videos online.

ripfire

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Sony pulled a Microsoft!

Mike918

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @ecypher: Blu-ray is upgradeable as well according to your definition. It might not be via ethernet (except for the PS3) but you can still burn firmware updates to CD and perform it that way. There are some features like PIP that require new hardwear but the fundamental ability to play a movie is certainly updateable.

primetime4

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> I know this is a ridiculous statement considering the facts...

The consumer's $$ still speak louder than any press conf. Couldn't the consumer just buy the better product and force the studios to follow?

Now we're stuck with a feakin sony format. We can't burn BD discs at home (of say our home movies - wink wink) and play them on a BD player. It's like UMD with studio buy in. Taking the power away from the user and the small content provider an placing it in the hands of the studios.

badweasel

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> PS3 has upgradable BluRay profiles.

thechansen

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> i just can't buy Fox switching given their infatuation with BD+. They stopped releasing on blu ray when aacs was cracked and didn't start again until bd+ was available.

why would they switch to a format that doesn't offer bd+ or anything like it?

i have no idea about the rest of it, i just highly doubt fox ever really considered going hd dvd exclusive.

elvisizer

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @u_nick: Actually, HD-DVD players are upgradeable as per their spec, and Blu-Ray is not. If you bought an early model, you do not have the complete spec and cannot upgrade, except by buying a new player. HD-DVD have ethernet port built in for the express purpose of upgrading firmware.

I think the fact that HD-DVD is "Cheaper" is fueled by the fact that the yield from producing the actual discs is higher by percentage for HD-DVD than for BRD.

It's sad the Format Wars continue to rage.

Sony, like MS, is a BAD steward for any "industry standard" format(s). They will DEFINITELY abuse it, and release higher priced - stupidly spec'd products that have consumer-unfriendly features galore. I think only of how they've tried to force various other formats down people's throats for the past 15 years or so. ATRAC to MP3 conversion on all their "mp3" players for a DECADE comes to mind.

ecypher

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> I don't think Warner needed any convincing to decide that they should go blu-ray. Even without bribes from the blu-ray group, they had three options:

1: Do nothing, keep producing disks in both formats and the format war goes on another year at least. Sales of all disks stagnates.
2: Go HD-DVD only and split the blu-ray/HD-DVD studio count exactly in half, the format war goes on another year at least. Sales of all disks stagnates.
3: Go blu-ray only. The balance of content goes dramatically lopsided towards blu-ray, the other studios are forced to switch, and the format war (effectively) ends the moment you make your announcement.

Now, consider that you have already been selling twice as many blu-ray disks as HD-DVD disks, and tell me which option you'd choose?

It's over. Blu-ray won. Nobody cares why.

AndyDuncan

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> I call bullshit only because I've found newspaper reporters/journalists/columnists to be the most uneducated about the two formats. They say the most ridiculous things about both formats and rarely know what they are talking about. That's almost like taking a lawyers word for who's going to win the format war. There are just some mediums you don't trust.

CruJones

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Why are people still arguing over this, really? Isn't the war over? Can't we argue over something else that's more productive? Such as, when do you think MSFT will beg Sony for Blu-ray for their 360?

Noobs-R-Us

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Heck! I'll go BR too if Sony gave me $400 bucks, and I don't even own a HDTV!

I'm not in this industry and I'm not a HD snob. I just want this settled ASAP so I can start shopping for my new home theater.

TrafficGeek

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Ooo. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette? I'm calling bullshit on his "reported" dollar amounts.

AndyDuncan

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Silly. The real format war is not between HD-DVD and Blu-Ray, but between HD, regular DVD, and pending HD digital downloads.

Prices will drop on HD (HD-DVD & BD) players and disks to compete with pressure from older DVD and newer downloads.

The article is too myopic.

Rener

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> I still preferred HD-DVDs to Blu-Ray due to their extras and dual disc features. This wasn't much a war decided by the consumer as much as content. Who wouldn't admit that HD-DVDs are missing alot of great titles.

I honestly don't care though, I would rather have one format. Hopefully Sony won't jack up the prices of players and keep the price of the titles artificially high.

ajax622

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Oh, and the whole "Blu-ray is incomplete" argument is ridiculous as well. If things never got upgraded, or were 'complete' like HDDDVD people seem to want, we'd all still be running Windows 3.1, or Apple IIgs's. Our iPos would have black and white text interfaces. The original gameboy would still be popular and the Gameboy Advance would have never existed! Cell phones would dial a number on a small LED screen.

u_nick

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @gamershq:
"So in other words, this is why Blu-ray is $24.99 - $34.99. They keep paying off the studios with very large amounts of money. They will have to make the money back somehow!!"

Great post you got there. Except that HD-DVD and Blu-Ray discs cost the same but Blu-Ray actually has more sales going on. HD-DVD players ARE cheaper though - If you don't mind not having 1080p. :(

el bryanto

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @ab3: That's because most Americans are sheep, they will parrot anything that others say without first thinking about it. It's too difficult to think! It's sad, really....

Noobs-R-Us

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @ViewtifulJason: I know you're just trying to start something, but the only reason HD-DVD is cheaper at this point is because stores are clearing them out.

Reiji

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> I'll never understand why people seem to think HDDVD is cheaper. Players yes, but the movies are consitently the exact same price or 5 dollars more, in EVERY store around me.

And Blu-ray is inferior? Why then, when Paramount was format neutral, did they release higher quality audio encodes on all the Blu-ray versions? Heck, take a look at the reviews for Transformers. Any reviewer out there gave the audio 5 stars, yet said it could have been better, if it used the audio solutions Paramount used to put on their Blu-ray discs.

I really just dont get where people come from on this...

u_nick

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @newgalactic:
"@matizzy: Wow, so you have a better understanding of what's going on then both Don Lindich of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the editors of Gizmodo. You should open up a blog or something, because it sounds like your a very well informed individual."

The funny thing is, according to REAL insiders in AVS forum, what matizzy said was true. But then again, maybe Don Lindich (who doesn't have anything to do with companies that support either format btw, AND is an HD-DVD fanboy) knows more than the "undisputed" AVS insiders.

el bryanto

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Yeah, sorry that BD is going to win, I think HD DVD is superior also. It has more features, is cheaper all-around, blu-ray keeps adding standards, etc...

bitgod

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @gamershq: Blu-rays from Netflix cost the same as DVDs :)

berribrand

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @ViewtifulJason: @ackthbbft: Why does everyone always think that HD-DVD costs less? It may cost slightly less to produce but as a consumer we still pay the same price for a movie whether it be Blu-ray or HD-DVD and in terms of cost per gigabyte, Blu-ray dominates.

ab3

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> This store is BullShit with a capital BS.

LittleBigPlaneteer

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> And finally, per complaints of those against cruddy blue filter over WB logo, someone makes a Spartan variant. If you ask me, you should've taken the green monochrome Warner Bros. symbol shown in the intro of the Matrix and make it blue. Sickness.

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> I could care less who wins. The Internet won the formatwar for me. I can get 1080p/24 awesomeness for nothing on the 'tubes. That is why God created FiOS, to delvier the 1080p/24 awesomeness and to punish the evil format war fighting infidels.

ianken

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Predictable.
I mean, format wars has always been about that.

HD-DVD also did similar moves. Blu-ray started by pushing blu-ray player with PS3. HD-DVD payed big bucks for some studios. Why wouldn't Blu-ray do the same thing?

Eventually, the one that'll win is the one with more cash to spend on this.

But like I said before, if HD-DVD ends up with no studios, but still releases a cheap ass recorder plus media, I'm still buying it.

I couldn't care less for movies in HDef.

Bokusatsu_Tenshi

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @ViewtifulJason: Betamax v. VHS.

Look it up.

ideaman2020

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> HDDVD would have had a big chance if MS would have added HDDVD to its Xbox 360. Without it (and with the addition of a BlueRay disk to the PS3...) sorry, but the damn format was doomed. Toshiba might be in the last throws now, but I can't see how they will be able to come back from this hit.

froggy

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @ViewtifulJason: VHS

smitty1123

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Oh! I see! Thanks guys for explaining it to me.

Matt Buchanan try this:

Warner actually wanted to switch to HD DVD. However, it was contingent on Toshiba brining another studio to HD DVD before Warner made the commitment. Alas, Fox signaled a willingness to also switch; however, they changed their minds at the last possible moment thus ending Warner's bid to become HD DVD exclusive.

Noobs-R-Us

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @ViewtifulJason:
failing to see something explains a lot when you refer to the BR format as inferior. I bet good ol' toshiba is losing money because of the constant price drops to salvage whats left. Even though there was the claim that it was cheaper to produce when the consumer didnt see that until recently. On top of the fact that their regular DVD players were trash that didnt give me or anyone whos owned one high hopes for their HD dvd players.

flamingsocks

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Fox was contemplating moving because of the lack of BR replicating facilities. That's why there is a lack of Fox movies. They probably got fed up with the empty promises. BR was having BOGO sales every week to keep those numbers skewed. On avg, 150,000 copies of BR and HD DVD are sold compared to 20 million by DVD. 2:1 is nothing in sales when compared to the 20 million. Supposedly there are 5 million PS3 out there, that tells you how little people are using their BR player when 100,000 movies a week are sold to BR.

smiledrs

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> I'm glad Blu-ray is "winning" because I have a PS3. However, I'm sad that HD-DVD is "losing" because I think it is the superior format. HD-DVD is superior in cost and features. The only thing Blu-Ray has going for it is theoretical capacity.

ackthbbft

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @cheesemon:
because toshiba doesnt have as much money backing them as sony does?

flamingsocks

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Insiders thread on AVS Form mentions that 1) Fox never considered leaving for HD-DVD, and 2) there was no pay-off for Warner.

How does it make any sense that either Fox or Warner make a move to HD-DVD given the market conditions? With Blu-Ray having a solid 2:1 sales ratio for practically all of 2007 in the US, and a even more dominating 75% and 90% in Europe and Japan respectively, why would Fox move to HD-DVD? I guess they would consider moving to HD-DVD if a particularly large reward was dangled in their face, because the sales numbers certainly doesn't explain the logic behind such a move.

Given that, these rumors and assertions are counter to what is logical. If HD-DVD had been on top of Blu-Ray, then I'd buy it, but not when Blu-Ray is consistently in a dominating position over HD-DVD in all major markets by a large margin.

MaxRC

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> This is exactly what I was expecting to hear when I first read the Warner Bros deal. It's all about the back office deals that wins, not technology, not consumers, not the better company.

inajeep

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> What baffles me is the fact that an inferior ~and~ more expensive product is winning at all.

ViewtifulJason

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @newgalactic: its called looking at statistics, hd-dvd was out sold 2:1 in the US, while in most other countries it was practically dead. it just wouldnt make sence switching to something that was being outsold

matizzy

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @pushmonk: I meant that surely they would hav gone to Blu-Ray without the pay off if the war was huting their DVD sales

Ajay

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> So in other words, this is why Blu-ray is $24.99 - $34.99. They keep paying off the studios with very large amounts of money. They will have to make the money back somehow!!

gamershq

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> "Warner actually wanted to go HD DVD. They gave Toshiba the chance to bring a studio into the HD DVD camp before it defected, and Fox had told the HD DVD camp it was going to switch, which would've turned Warner exclusively HD DVD. At the last possible minute, it nixed the deal."

Jesus....someone needs to take Grammar 101 again.

Passions

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @Ajay:
"With no studio joining them on the HD DVD side, Warner's hand was forced and it went with Blu-ray, receiving a reported $500 million for doing so."

Surely if the format war was hurting them and they wanted to end it quickly they would have gone straight to Blu-Ray after Fox was "paid off"

Umm... did you even read the article? That's EXACTLY what they did.

pushmonk

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Cause Toshiba wants to let the consumer decided which is the better format, and not try to buy it like Sony. Did you read the article Matizzy? Fox was tired of the lack of production support with BR. Hence the limited releases from Fox. Money talks and Sony is trying to talk for us.

smiledrs

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Boy I'm sure glad I got my HD-DVD for my Xbox a month ago. I thought I was on the losing end of the deal..... hey.... wait a minute.

TableZero

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Would it be as easy as Toshiba giving Warner say, $600 million to change their minds? And maybe $200 million to Fox and a few other companies? I mean, I'm reading that Toshiba made $63 billion last year (Sony made $76 billion) and combined with a bit of help from Microsoft, this would be chump change to them. Microsoft was able to top Sony in console sales by investing tons more money, why not Toshiba?

cheesemon

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Sounds pretty shady. Id be suprised if this little Quid Pro Quo could end up in litigation, now class lets all say it together, 'Anti-tust'.

MONSTERGOC

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @matizzy: Wow, so you have a better understanding of what's going on then both Don Lindich of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the editors of Gizmodo. You should open up a blog or something, because it sounds like your a very well informed individual.

newgalactic

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> "With no studio joining them on the HD DVD side, Warner's hand was forced and it went with Blu-ray, receiving a reported $500 million for doing so."

Surely if the format war was hurting them and they wanted to end it quickly they would have gone straight to Blu-Ray after Fox was "paid off"

I for one do not believe this story.

Ajay

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> bull freaking shit, there were no payouts made to anyone, fox never wanted to go hd-dvd they were loyal to blu-ray. what would be the point of switching to hd-dvd since bd discs out sold hd-dvd discs 2:1 in america. in other contries especially autrailia, hd-dvd was practically dead

matizzy

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> I just want to know if Gizmodo will even be allowed BACK at CES next year...

Fflewduur

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> I find the lack of hi-def format chicks in a catfight disturbing. Cruddy Blue WB logo. DO NOT WANT

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Why does everyone get mad at MS or Sony for offering the money? Ultimately, it's Paramount, Fox and Warner's decision to take it or not.

smitty1123

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Naa if Warner had gone HD DVD along with Fox it'd still have eben a while before the war was over but at least it would have been a fight :S

DJTripleRRR

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @Dreamwriter: He still wont understand. You are gonna have to use pictures.

_woozzy_

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> /sarcasm

newgalactic

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> So that's a $150 Million payout to Fox and a $400 to $500 Million payout to Warner courtesy of Sony. Any everyone was so upset when HD-DVD made a similar move months ago.

...Glad the consumer decided on who won this format war by selecting the better product.

newgalactic

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Evil Sony...shame on you for using the HD camps' tactics. When all else fells...give em money. I love BR.

_woozzy_

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @Noobs-R-Us:
yea seariously, i must be retarded or something because i dont understand anything in those paragraphs.


clipseGTS

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @NOOBS-R-US@Noobs-R-Us:
Try this:
"Warner actually wanted to go HD DVD and gave Toshiba the chance to bring another studio into the HD DVD campso that they wouldn't defect. Fox had told the HD DVD camp it was going to switch to HD DVD, which would've turned Warner exclusively HD DVD as well. At the last possible minute, Fox nixed the deal."

Tonicboy

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> As far as I'm concerned...
...the Pirate Bay has won my "format war".

...or at least upscaling DVD if I decide to not break the law.

newgalactic

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @Noobs-R-Us:
Basically, Warner said to HD-DVD, "If anyone else goes HD-DVD, we'll follow", because Warner just wants the format war to end. Turns out FOX was about to make the jump to HD-DVD, so Warner would follow wherever FOX went, but Blu-Ray paid FOX to stay.


Dreamwriter

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> money talks

bobide

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> @ NOOBS-R-US:

Well said. I have no idea what that paragraph means. Rephrase please!

nellakwah21

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> That certainly is a spicy meatball and puts this whole ordeal in a different light.

Mobius

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Format Wars...

Parker. A

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> Wow... no wonder the folks at Toshiba looked like they got hit by a train at CES... they had almost won the format war!

Erwos

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> "Why make billions, when we can make........millions?"

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray]]> "Warner actually wanted to go HD DVD. They gave Toshiba the chance to bring a studio into the HD DVD camp before it defected, and Fox had told the HD DVD camp it was going to switch, which would've turned Warner exclusively HD DVD. At the last possible minute, it nixed the deal."

Can you rephrase? I didn't understand a word that was coming out of your mouth!

Noobs-R-Us

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