ANALYSIS: Hollywood studios fire heavy salvo in DVD format war
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True, Monday&#39;s thunderbolt from Tinseltown may not be enough to settle the DVD format war. But in a synchronized cluster bomb of press releases, the powerful content producers have sent a clear message to
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Warner Bros., the only major movie studio to release titles on both of the rival high-definition video disc formats, has decided to drop HD DVD and exclusively back Blu-ray Disc, it said Friday.The move could prove decisive in determining which of the two formats becomes the de facto DVD replacement for high-definition content. Currently, both formats are battling to secure a lead, but neither has managed to obtain a meaningful market share due to consumer indifference as a consequence of the battle. As a result, the market for high-definition movies has seen its growth stunted, and companies like Warner have lost potential sales.Warner said the decision was made in part as a response to this situation.&quot;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,&quot; said Kevin Tsujihara, president of Warner&#39;s home entertainment group in a statement.The move comes on the eve of the Consumer Electronics Show, which kicks off on Monday in Las Vegas, and is sure to light a fire under the HD DVD camp, which is chiefly backed by Toshiba and also includes Paramount, Universal, HBO Video, Microsoft, and Intel. The HD DVD Promotion Group has a previously scheduled news conference on Sunday, and the rival Blu-ray Disc group is scheduled to speak the following day.Companies from both sides of the format battle are expected to show their latest players and talk up their own formats during CES.Last year&#39;s CES saw the unveiling by Warner of a hybrid disc called Total HD. The disc attempted to break the format deadlock by offering one side compatible with HD DVD and the other side compatible with Blu-ray Disc. However, the disc never made it to market, and Warner gave up on the hybrid format later in 2007.
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THE fight over what&#39;s going to replace your DVDs has heated up as three major movie studios announce support for one of two competing next-generation formats.
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Electronic Arts, Vivendi Universal Games choose a side in the battle of next-gen DVD formats.
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LOS ANGELES  - DVD sales to consumers are down nearly 8%, as of the first quarter. And no wonder: After years of trying to space out big new releases throughout the year, studios again appear to be focusing on the fourth quarter and cutting back on the rest of the year.
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A patent application has been filed for  a disc that would play two competing high-definition DVD  formats which, if successful, could help appease a battle that  has divided Hollywood and confounded consumers.
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Blu-ray takes the lead in the battle of the high-definition DVD formats after Warner backs it.
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The battle between two hyped formats for  high-definition DVD will confuse shoppers and turn many of them  off the whole technology, a London-based research firm  predicted on Friday.
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We test this next-generation DVD technology, and get mixed results.
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The vendor may still be mulling, but word on Main Street is that the DVD format wars are over.
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Players and discs using a new high-def format will appear soon--but will consumers make room for yet another combatant in the HD format wars?
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A patent application has been filed for   a disc that would play two competing high-definition DVD   formats which, if successful, could help appease a battle that   has divided Hollywood and confounded consumers.
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Consumers looking to upgrade their home theaters can now choose between two types of high-definition DVD players &#151; the confusing result of a long-running format war involving Hollywood studios and technology companies.
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Four Hollywood studios this week embraced a new high-definition DVD format from electronics giant Toshiba - raising many questions for video lovers who have driven sales of pre-recorded DVDs to new heights.
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Three large Hollywood studios are throwing their weight behind one of two competing formats for the next generation of DVDs, citing in part the need to stem piracy.
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Blu-ray appears to have won the high-def DVD format war, as Paramount announced on Monday that it would dump HD-DVD in favor of Sony's Blu-ray format. Last week, Warner Bros. also threw its weight behind Blu-ray.
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The DVD renting pioneer obliterates quarterly targets.