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A New Line Home Entertainment spokesman confirms reports that the mini-major is following distributor Warner Home Video’s lead in abandoning HD DVD and releasing all future next-generation titles only in the Blu-ray Disc format.If the rumors are true and Paramount does decide to go Blu-ray, I think we can safely say that the format war is over. Without the support of Hollywood, HD DVD has about as much of a chance as HD VMD in becoming the dominant high-def format. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
And HBO Video president Henry McGee says HBO, too, is “following the same policy as Warner Home Video.”
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New Medium Enterprises(NME) (OTC Bulletin Board: NMEN) today at International CES 2008 announcedHD VMD players are shipping into the U.S. market. HD VMD is deliveringmaximum-HD 1080p high-quality players to consumers for a groundbreakingMSRP of $199 via PCRush.com and NMEStore.com. All orders for HD VMD playersin January will come with two complementary titles, "Mother Ghost" starringJames Franco and cult hit "Cutting Room."While an affordable alternative to Blu-ray and HD DVD, HD VMD is coming late to the party. The format has very little support from Hollywood and only a few retailers have agreed to carry HD VMD titles and players. Needless to say, it would take a miracle for HD VMD to top Blu-ray to become the dominant high-def format. If you'd like to read more, NME's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
Shipping since December, HD VMD discs and players stand torevolutionize the high-definition disc market, providing consumers with thebest possible HD experience. HD VMD's ground-breaking innovation is itspatented multi-layer disc, which allows for the utilization of proven redlaser technology to provide high definition, versus blue laser technologythat competitors are forced to use due to disc space limitations. With onlyone laser (red), HD VMD players can upconvert existing DVD collections forbetter viewing quality, as well as play true high definition content.
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Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures denied a newspaper report that the studio is poised to follow Time Warner Inc. in abandoning Toshiba Corp.'s HD DVD technology.There always seems to be some truth to these rumors. While Paramount may be continuing to support HD DVD, it would not surprise me if they were at least considering Blu-ray. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
``Paramount's current plan is to continue to support the HD DVD format,'' Brenda Ciccone, a spokeswoman for Paramount, said in an e-mail today.
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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.With Blu-ray having a strong showing at CES, it would not surprise me if Paramount switched sides and dropped HD DVD. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
Paramount and DreamWorks Animation, which makes the Shrek films, came out in support of HD DVD last summer, joining General Electric’s Universal Studios as the main backers of the Toshiba format.
However, Paramount, which is owned by Viacom, is understood to have a clause in its contract with the HD DVD camp that would allow it to switch sides in the event of Warner Bros backing Blu-ray, according to people familiar with the situation.
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The BD-UP5500 will be available in the second-half of 2008 and is expected to retail for about $599. If you'd like to read more, Samsung's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
Samsung Electronics, a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, introduces a new Duo HD disc player offering the ideal solution for those consumers new to the world of HD home entertainment. In addition to the Blu-ray and HD DVD playback capability found in the CES 2008 Innovation Award Honoree BD-UP5000, the next-generation BD-UP5500 is a fully functioning Blu-ray Bonus View player packaged in a slim and sleek cabinet design. Opening access to both HD formats for a wider consumer audience with this new Duo HD player, Samsung continues its commitment to developing products that make life simpler through its breadth of innovative technologies. Both the Samsung BD-UP5000 and BD-UP5500 Duo HD Players will be on display at booth #11033 during the International Consumer Electronics Show, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, January 7 through 10.
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If you'd like to read more, Funai's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
Funai Corporation, Inc., the North American sales and marketing subsidiary of Funai Electric Co., Ltd., today announced the introduction of its first Blu-ray Disc player (NB500 series) for the North American market.
The Company will begin production in the first quarter of 2008, and plans to begin selling the player at retail stores in North America during the second quarter. The retail price is projected to be under $300.
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Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal U.S. subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (NYSE:MC), today introduced the DMP-BD50, Panasonic’s latest Blu-ray disc player - the ultimate playback source for high definition 1080p content. Blu-ray media offers a wide range of functions that foster the transition to HD - including 1080p image quality, lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio and versatile Picture-in-Picture applications. The BD50 adds the new BD-Live function, which uses the internet to further enhance the consumer’s entertainment experience and employs VIERA Link, a technology that allows the consumer to operate VIERA Link equipped home theater components with a single remote.No word yet on pricing or availability. As we find out more, we'll let you know. In the mean time, Panasonic's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
BD-Live opens up a myriad of interactive possibilities for the consumer. In the future BD-Live will allow users to connect the DMP-BD50 to the internet to download such data as images and subtitles, and to join in multi-player interactive games that are linked to bonus movie content contained on Blu-ray discs.
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In response to consumer demand, Warner Bros. Entertainment will release its high-definition DVD titles exclusively in the Blu-ray disc format beginning later this year, it was announced today by Barry Meyer, Chairman & CEO, Warner Bros. and Kevin Tsujihara, President, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.There is some good news for HD DVD fans. Warner Bros plans to continue to release new titles on HD DVD until the end of May 2008. Full details can be found here. Add a comment
“Warner Bros.’ move to exclusively release in the Blu-ray disc format is a strategic decision focused on the long term and the most direct way to give consumers what they want,” said Meyer. “The window of opportunity for high-definition DVD could be missed if format confusion continues to linger. We believe that exclusively distributing in Blu-ray will further the potential for mass market success and ultimately benefit retailers, producers, and most importantly, consumers.”
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Toshiba is quite surprised by WarnerBros.' decision to abandon HD DVD in favor of Blu-ray, despite the factthat there are various contracts in place between our companies concerningthe support of HD DVD. As central members of the DVD Forum, we have longmaintained a close partnership with Warner Bros. We worked closely togetherto help standardize the first-generation DVD format as well as to defineand shape HD DVD as its next-generation successor.If you'd like to read more, Toshiba's entire statement can be found here. Add a comment
We were particularly disappointed that this decision was made in spiteof the significant momentum HD DVD has gained in the US market as well asother regions in 2007. HD DVD players and PCs have outsold Blu-ray in theUS market in 2007.
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Time Warner's Warner Bros studio plans to announce it will release next generation DVDs on Sony Corp's Blu-ray format exclusively, two sources familiar with the plans said on Friday, dealing a big blow to Toshiba Corp'sHD DVD format.If this is true, its safe to say that the format war will eventually end in Blu-ray's favor. Blu-ray titles already dominate the sales charts and with Warner behind the format, there's no way that HD DVD is going to recover. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
Warner Bros, Hollywood's biggest seller of DVDs representing about 18 to 20 percent of sales in the United States, had been one of the few studios that backed both formats.
