Warner and Blu ray?

Warner going Blu Ray moves exclusivity for Blu ay from 49% to about 70% and really barring change spells the end for HD-DVD in the long run ( say...when Paramounts 18 month deal is over).

It in no way ensures market adoption of Hi Def DVDs however. The quickest way for the market to adopt hi def DVDs would have been for all studios to produce in both formats.

Hey all- just back from CES and spent quite a bit of time with HD-DVD and Blu ray, including studios, COmoputer manufactures, media writers etc.

Certainly picked up quite a bit of info. Anyway, just a couple of things for now; the Warner deal doesnt start until end of May/June as an FYI.

AS far as backward compatibility of Blu Ray players as well as future proofing..well..hmm. Blu ray devices are 1.0, 1.1, and, in the future 2.0, known as Blu Ray Live as the eponym.

Only 2.0 players with ethernet connectivity and picture in a picture capability will be able to do in the future what HD-DVD players can do now. The only current or currently planned Blu Ray Player, including the SAmsung BD-5500 ( not yet released) that will be upgradable to the full 2.0 spec, is the PS3.

All Players however, will be able to actually play the blu ray movies in the future and transmit the audio tracks, even if they cant do any of the interactive or live features.

The report the previous poster is referring to has been retracted due to flawed data, quite an embarrassment for the organization that employs the person responsible.

That data doesn't include online sales ( like Amazon) as well as Walmart, which doesn't report this type of data at all.

AS an FYI, Blu Ray should basically ALWAYS outsell HD-DVD, by about 70:30 based on US studio splits as it stands. The question is; does that mean dual players? A true victory for Blu ray? A delayed result so that it becomes all about downloadable movie titles ( Hi Def) in 3-4 years so that no one "wins'?

These are some of the real questions.