Warner Bros To Announce “Total HD” Disc

[HardOCP News]

More encouraging news on the next-gen DVD format war front. Warner Bros. plans to formally announce a dual format disc called “Total HD” at CES this year. Not only do consumers have that HD-combo drive to look forward too, now they have this as well. Things are definitely starting to look up in the HD format wars.

Executives at Time Warner and its Hollywood subsidiary hope to spur sales of new DVD players and movies by gaining the support of retailers and cajoling rival studios into making their film and television libraries available in both formats on a single disc.

 

[Mabrito]

So like a double sided disk? One side HD DVD and the other side Blu-ray? I seen HD DVD and DVD like this where one side is DVD and the other is HD DVD.

I dont understand how this will gain the support of the studios though. From what I read each studio pledged either to HD DVD or Blu ray. I mean if they wanted to they could release there movies and tv shows on both formats but that would cost more money. So is this going to gain support of studios of using both formats from a economical standpoint? Since it probably cost less if its a single disk but one side can do HD DVD and the other Blu-ray or however there doing this disk?

 

[Ockie]

This is a good concept IMO. However, I do think that there should be more weight and concentration placed on the multi format players as some studios are going to be brand loyal or have contracts in place for a specific meduim.

 

[Silentbob343]

So like a double sided disk? One side HD DVD and the other side Blu-ray? I seen HD DVD and DVD like this where one side is DVD and the other is HD DVD.

I dont understand how this will gain the support of the studios though. From what I read each studio pledged either to HD DVD or Blu ray. I mean if they wanted to they could release there movies and tv shows on both formats but that would cost more money. So is this going to gain support of studios of using both formats from a economical standpoint? Since it probably cost less if its a single disk but one side can do HD DVD and the other Blu-ray or however there doing this disk?

WB already supports both formats, look at Superman Returns on both HD DVD and Blu Ray. Some say they are more in favor of HD DVD, i.e. Superman had an uncompressed audio track on the HD DVD, but not on the BR version. Anyway, my point is there are studios supporting both formats.

 

[NeoGohan]

This is great. I hope this means that rental stores like blockbuster will start renting out hd dvds and blu-ray, cuz i picked up a hd dvd drive for my 360 but can't find any places that rent hd dvds out without looking online.

 

[AARGH!]

This is great. I hope this means that rental stores like blockbuster will start renting out hd dvds and blu-ray, cuz i picked up a hd dvd drive for my 360 but can't find any places that rent hd dvds out without looking online.

Blockbuster here are renting both formats already. Picked up Swordfish and Italian Job in HD-DVD. Give it time, or talk to the Mgr., might help speed it up if they see a demand for it.

 

[KaosDG]

Ok, so that means that a studio will have to have their distribution put out in both formats (that many already do).

That's fine... but if this much effort is being put into creating dual-format players, discs, and propaganda against either format, why can't they just sit down and standardize one got-damn format already?

 

[kuyaglen]

So how much is the Special Re-release Hi-def Hyper Fighting Edition of the Star Wars Saga going to cost me?

 

[wiseoracle]

So how much is the Special Re-release Hi-def Hyper Fighting Edition of the Star Wars Saga going to cost me?

First they will sell the Special Edition, then 3 months later re-release the originals that were copies off of laser discs on HD.

Lucas has to double dip some how to fund his projects.

 

[Draax]

Doesn't the release of HD-DVD + Blu-Ray in one DVD players, combined with HD-DVD + Blu-Ray media on one disc, kinda eliminate the entire format war ?

There isn't going to be much of a format war, if players can read both formats, and movies can have both formats on one disc.

 

[Mabrito]

Doesn't the release of HD-DVD + Blu-Ray in one DVD players, combined with HD-DVD + Blu-Ray media on one disc, kinda eliminate the entire format war ?

There isn't going to be much of a format war, if players can read both formats, and movies can have both formats on one disc.

Thats the point. The format war was just a term the media and people who report this stuff on news sites gave it. I think the studios who release the movies and the manufactors of the players are realizing there going to be no true winner and it just needs to be combined.

IMO there is no need for both a HD DVD player and a Blu ray player. Im not saying the technology isnt great, it hurts us though in the end. Some studios are releasing it on both formats and some arnt. With this disk every studio can release there movie on one disk that be capable for both HD DVD and Blu ray and not have to worry maybe a sale of one movie isnt so great because that customer doesnt have that player(this is of course for the studios who only release it on one format).

We also have to buy both players to play are movies for the movies that are released only for one format. Manufactors who pledged there support to one side are also realizing that its going no where. If they can do hybrid players they can easily up there sales as the customers are going to know it play every movie they buy for now on until some "Super HD DVD" format is develop probably in 5 years or so.