Warner Home Video, as widely rumored, has thrown its support solely behind the Blu-ray high definition format. The confirmation came this afternoon.
The leader in DVD sales will produce HD DVDs until the end of May, releasing them after the DVD and Blu-ray versions.
"The window of opportunity for high-definition DVD could be missed if format confusion continues to linger," Warner Bros. chief Barry Meyer said in the canned statement.
Paramount reportedly was handsomely rewarded for its recent decision to go HD DVD-only. No doubt a similar financial arrangement with Sony will be presumed for Warner's move. But Meyer is a true industry leader and no doubt he has thought long and hard about the implications of this stupid format war -- and the recent sales figures showing Blu-ray outsells HD DVD 2-1.
If you believe that early adopters are smarter than the average bear, then it follows that they are fans of Warner's high-quality output. Warner has been called "the new Criterion" for its outstanding catalog titles, done with care and intelligence. (For example, the recent Stanley Kubrick rereleases, which came in both high-def formats.) The access to Warner product is a major consideration for serious home video fans about to go high-def.
At the least, Warner's move is a tipping point. Does this signal the end of the format war? No, Paramount and Universal remain HD DVD-only. If either of these major players caves, then the market truly will have spoken. (DreamWorks Animation also is HD DVD exclusive). It's hard to imagine A/V salesmen steering customers into HD DVD after today.
My experience is that Blu-ray discs continue to have technical issues with existing players. If a manufacturer (and the owner) do not keep up with "firmware updates," Blu-ray discs are subject to freezing, skipping or simply not playing. The HD DVD camp promoted itself as the "market ready" choice because its discs play reliably in existing players (player updates are needed there as well). This compatibility problem with Blu-ray machines remains a threat to high-definition's future. One that must be solved.
In the long run, Warner's move could be good news for all of us. HD DVD has served me well, but today it's hard to argue with the following:
"A two-format landscape has led to consumer confusion and indifference toward high definition, which has kept the technology from reaching mass adoption and becoming the important revenue stream that it can be for the industry," said Kevin Tsujihara, president of Warner's video group. "Consumers have clearly chosen Blu-ray."
The assumption has been that high-def would replace DVDs in time, but the technology always had the potential of going the way of, say, SACDs -- a luxury product that ultimately isn't worth the hassle or money.
Read the Warner Home Video Blu-ray press release.
Comments