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View Full Version : High Definition DVD Wars possibly already won, the winner........Time Warner??


Trainsaw
01/04/07, 03:36 PM
The New York Times

January 4, 2007
Time Warner to Announce Dual - Format DVDs Next Week
By REUTERS

Filed at 1:13 p.m. ET

NEW YORK ( Reuters) - Time Warner Inc. (TWX.N) will unveil a new high-definition DVD next week that could end the battle between two next-generation videodisc technologies.

Warner Bros., a movie studio division of the world's largest media company, plans to present the new disc, Total HD, at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Total HD movies will carry movies that can be played on high-definition DVD players that use technology backed by Sony Corp.'s (6758.T) Blu-ray format, as well as players using Toshiba Corp.-backed (6502.T) HD-DVD format.

The competing formats have been blamed for hindering sales of high-definition movies and players, with consumers recalling the bruising war between Sony Corp.'s (6758.T)(SNE.N) Betamax videotape and JVC's VHS version. JVC is owned by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd.Blu-ray and HD-DVD offer crisper pictures and better audio.

The DVD format battle has split the film industry, although some studios, including Warner Bros., currently offer movies on both.

Others, such as NBC Universal's Universal Studios only sell high definition movies on HD-DVD. NBC Universal is a unit of General Electric Co.


http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/technology/tech-timewarner-dvd.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin


Also I believe at CES LG is going to introduce the first "Total HD" player

From TG Daily:

CES 2007: LG to unveil combo Blu-ray - HD DVD player

by Mark Raby

January 4, 2007 10:32

Pre CES 2007 coverage - San Diego (CA) - Bringing out what many tepid consumers have been looking for in the next-generation DVD war, LG Electronics has announced that it is working on a device that will play both Blu-ray and HD DVD discs.

The model will be on display at LG's booth during CES 2007, which begins next Monday. The player will be released in the US in "early 2007", says LG.


The Sony-led Blu-ray technology and Toshiba-fronted HD DVD are competing for next generation dominance, so until now there has been little acceptance among manufacturers or content providers to support both, with several big-name companies holding a personal stake in one of the formats.

A firm release date and price for the combo unit is expected to be announced during next week's CES.

FstFtsVsFences
01/04/07, 03:44 PM
What's your take on all this? I'm scared of investing in any of it because with it split like this, I worry that we'll see another Laserdisc, or minidisc thing happen.

Trainsaw
01/04/07, 03:56 PM
Well, Sony is gonna be committed to Blu-Ray, mostly because they're using it in PS3 so it'll be around at least on that. Reports are early that Blu-Ray is gonna take the war just because most of the stuido's are committed towards this, but with the Total HD system, both of the HD formats could stick around for awhile. I haven't really invested in anything yet, other than a ps3 (because I wanted one), but at least this will get people buying High Definition DVD's since they'll be able to sleep a little bit better at night knowing in 2 years the money they spent won't be wasted.

So overall I basically think that this will help out High Definition DVD all around (HD-DVD and Blu-Ray) but I don't see one manufacturer winning any time soon.

seconds
01/04/07, 04:07 PM
I wouldn't mind this. Then Sony can't go out of business if Blue-Ray was the reason, but I doubt it would be. Just one of the factors that could help lead to a closing. But Sony is Sony. They can save themselves.

aminorthreat55
01/04/07, 05:00 PM
What's your take on all this? I'm scared of investing in any of it because with it split like this, I worry that we'll see another Laserdisc, or minidisc thing happen.
Same here. Not that I have an HD player yet, but that's also one of the reasons why I don't.

Trainsaw
01/04/07, 05:02 PM
Same here. Not that I have an HD player yet, but that's also one of the reasons why I don't.

Well, I think High Definition DVD is gonna be the next thing, its just the question of HD-DVD or Blu-Ray. (not so much of the Laserdisc vs VHS, but more like Betamax vs VHS) though w/ Total HD, i see this is more of a winner for the consumer rather than for the manufacturers so that the consumer can pick which dvd's he wants w/o fearing that it will be obsolete w/in a couple of years

aminorthreat55
01/04/07, 05:07 PM
Well, I think High Definition DVD is gonna be the next thing, its just the question of HD-DVD or Blu-Ray. (not so much of the Laserdisc vs VHS, but more like Betamax vs VHS) though w/ Total HD, i see this is more of a winner for the consumer rather than for the manufacturers so that the consumer can pick which dvd's he wants w/o fearing that it will be obsolete w/in a couple of years
Yeah, I'm still going to ride it out as long as I can. My tv/dvd/vhs stuff is all under three years old and I'll wait probably five years before I upgrade to newer stuff, so I don't really need to worry about it right now. So I'll get to see what happens before I invest any money in it.

Trainsaw
01/04/07, 06:05 PM
Yeah, I'm still going to ride it out as long as I can. My tv/dvd/vhs stuff is all under three years old and I'll wait probably five years before I upgrade to newer stuff, so I don't really need to worry about it right now. So I'll get to see what happens before I invest any money in it.

that's probably the best thing to do, i got a blu-ray dvd player in a PS3 but i don't have any plans at all on buying blu-ray dvd's