Warner Home Video Prez: “We think this is a do-or-die time for Blu-ray”

HD Goofnut

Considering HD DVD was far more consumer friendly, I definitely agree with you. So I say, they've dug their selves into a big hole and they should have to dig out of it on their own.

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brianh

Sony bailout! Who's first?

If WB went to Sony saying "give us another check, or we bail!" Sony would say , "BS" Sony wouldn't believe it.
For the reasons I stated.

I'm sure that quote made hearts beat faster and some sweat break out at Sony hq, tho.

As much as I prefer'd hd dvd, I really don't want blu-ray to die. Cuz optical HD is the BEST hd around.
I was just watching the 3rd season of Lost on blu and holy COW it was an incredible transfer.
I doubt current downloads or netflix's "watch it now" could match that quality.

I have a feeling that WB's projections for winter sales are going to be "met or exceeded" with a wink and a nod.

There will be a big press release stating how incredible TDK sales were and blu will have avoided the guillotine another time.

bruceames

do-or-die Definition
do·-or-die (do̵̅o̅′ər dī′)

adjective

showing or involving a desperate effort or need to succeed

bruceames

Oh, I see. So NOT making follow-up posts in a thread you created is trollish behavior? That's a reach.

The only truth is the present. The future is open to speculation unless you have a crystal ball. Being a former HD DVD supporter does not cause permanent blindness.



When did I say I believed him? I only know what he said, and it was "do or die". Sounds desperate to me, but it's 'probably' posturing. Of course everything negative said about Blu-ray is lies though, right?

I was never involved in the SRT thread. Do you have me confused with sombody else?

This isn't a rumor, it's an ultimatum.

DonnyDC

*sigh
Another thing to note.. the definition you gave doesnt at all initiate an ultimatum since its not phrased as a question.

brianh

I can't remember the exact words, but WB essentially said a few weeks before CES that they were not going to remain neutral.

Publically, they said it.

DonnyDC

From what I read they were suppose to switch in November, I remember cause fanboys from both sides were claiming an imminent announcement to go blu/red. Obviously they didnt which leads me to believe that they were just about to go blu and Toshiba managed to stall them till after the holidays.

bruceames

You're right, it's not really an ultimatum in the strictest sense of the word...

bruceames

There was no indication from what I've read that WB would have gone exclusive one way or the other before the holidays. They wanted to use the holidays as a test and they were probably undecided up until the last week or so before they made up their mind. Going Blu-ray exclusive in November just a few months after Paramount went HD DVD exlusive (in August) would not have made sense and it was too soon to judge the effect of Paramount's decision. It was by no means a slam dunk for Blu-ray (getting about 60% of disc sales on average), and furthermore HD DVD gained ground from the 2nd sales quarter through the holidays, percentage-wise.

brianh

Well I was talking to a Sony insider way back then (it seems to borrow a line from a movie - like a thousand centuries ago) and there was A LOT of drama going on behind the scenes.

One thing I've learned tho from being on the internet is that 99.99% of people who predict things don't know anything.

From what I know, it was truly a last minute decision to go blu.

Anyway, all of that is water under the bridge. WB is blu and they're almost certainly going to stay that way for a while.

99% chance this was a head fake to get Sony's attention.
If WB did drop blu-ray support, they would set the record for the 2 biggest DUMBEST decisions in the shortest time period ever.

bruceames

Yeah, no way WB would drop Blu-ray, but it sure does sound like they're disappointed in sales.

brianh

How could they not be?
WB was sold a line of goods from Sony to bite. They bit. They bought it.

But the fish fought hard. Assuming what he told me is right.

See, blu-ray is half way home now. The hardware prices are going down -at least for now. They could go back up, who knows.
But the golden goose is software prices. They (all of them) have to get the prices DOWN soon. Soon being within a year or so.
Yearly windows seem to be what they use.

Don't forget, these companies stack the data in their favor to begin with.
So, they "win" unless things go really bad.

Well things could go bad for BD. And I think WB is yelling at various players to do something now.
WB thought - well more HOPED - that all of this would be solved by now.

Someone got played. And it wasn't Sony.

kamspy

Wow.

It's really deja vu from this very day........ last year.

brianh

I was thinking the same thing. But we know how this turns out, I suppose.

What will Christmas 2009 look like? "Will they go back to being neut- oh wait!"

D-X

I hope WB drops Bluray and the format dies. I need some $4 BD lovin!!