Re: Press Relase: Warner Bros. to release on Blu-ray only

Know what? I'll just repost my thoughts in each thread and see which sticks more:

First...good news is that maybe we'll get to a one format system. CES is ahead and who knows what will happen there. I really don't care, I DO have both regardless of who I support.

What I DO find sad is that Warner waited until after the holidays, after those people were beginning to start a library of HD-DVDs, AFTER people already plunked down money for their new players and their DVDs and THEN said "oops, sorry, we're done....but thanks for your cash!" Even $ony and M$ don't pull that much of a fast one.

That, and now you know we'll all get screwed on players and DVD prices. Bye Bye BOGO offers.

I dunno....Warner's tactic really makes me think if I even want to buy any more HD media. It was pretty scummy of them to pull this now and stick the new adoptors with junk. Universal and New Line and Paramount are still in the game for now.

Well, either Sony finally gets a win in forcing people into their media OR we reject it wholesale until the next round of home media. I want to think positive about this, but Sony has never instilled confidence in me.

Ok, no doubt this is bad news, but let's not sell our players yet.

The holiday numbers are in and it's obvious that this deal was brokered months before that, especially since it's obvious now that there was at least one Blu-ray insider posting on this forum with this knowledge. Companies do change their mind and Warner may rethink it's position before May based on the holiday numbers. Personally I'm going to wait until I see the titles actually dry up off the shelves before I switch formats.

Also I think we are going to see a lot of animosity and possibly lawsuits from retailers. Think of how many of those thousands upon thousands of customers are going to be showing up on the retailers door demanding a refund. Warner should have either done this before the holiday season or much, much later. This timing is only bad for the consumer and shows Warner is lying through their teeth when they said they were doing this in the consumer's best interest.

I really don't see what legal grounds people might have on this, but then I don't know law very well.

Oh well this really sucks.I felt like I got punched in the stomach when I read this.
I'll keep my XA2 and my 30+ HD-DVD'S. I'm not putting them in storage with my 300+ laser discs.
I hate to admit it but I felt SONY would'nt go down without a fight after Paramount/dreamworks. Did they offer something and Warner took the bait bait ? Probably not but damn this sucks.
I'm not buying any blu-rays for a while until Sony gets their act together and sends us vidiophiles and all around great player thats capable of playing without gliches. I can't believe I'm typing this but I love the picture of High defintion anything.
Samsung players ? I guess thats my best choice .
Any ideas my fellow HD-DVD supporters ???
Hey we still got great stuff from Paramount to count on and Dreamworks. ( Star Trek )
Please New Line stay mutaul.
I'm getting great satisfaction from my XA2 from my 1,600+ standard collection so Im not buying anything I already have. ( yeah right )
I'll buy new realeases only and I'll give Samung my money
I'm going to cry in my pillow now and I feel a big gas bubble in my chest and I will concede this looks bad for Toshiba and our beloved format.
4 months left Hmmmmmm what to buy ??? or not to buy that is the question.
Warner you have disappointed me and many others.....................shit this sucks.

[Post edited by mikek58 on Jan 4, 2008]

To the Blu-ray guys:

This is bad news for EVERYBODY. In the end whether HD DVD or Blu-ray wins isn't that big a deal. But this is a blow to HD ADOPTION period. Think of all the average consumers who are either one of the people who just bought a HD DVD player over Christmas or are going to be hearing horror stories about those who did. Whether or not the decision was correct, the timing was stupid on Warner's part.

This could spell the demise of both HD formats.

I hope you guys are happy.

Exactly chef. Lots of people don't make a lot of money and they jumped in during the holidays because they were getting a deal and all the reports were saying that HD DVD was growing faster than ever.

So now all these people are going to have an obsolete player if it creates a cascade effect and other studios follow. This certainly has left a foul taste in my mouth, but I'd bet the consumers that just purchased players on Thanksgiving and Christmas have it worse.

I think I'm going to boycott Warner. HD DVD, Blu-rays, reg DVD and in the theatres. Not because I support HD DVD but because I support HD in general and see this as a general blow.

And as to the legal ramifications. I guarantee there will be lots of big lawsuits. There have been over less. It's not the fact that they ditched one format and went for another, it's that they did it in a deceitful way and actively mis-lead the consumer.

Good luck Warner cause the writer's strike isn't your biggest problem anymore.

DVD Chef Keep us positive.

In the words of Marlon Brando " The Horror The Horror "

Paramount

That's true. I bet you that since it's only January 4, many consumers that purchased an HD DVD for Christmas that just caught wind of this shady announcement will return the players to the store. I know for a fact I would if I bought one recently.

Boycotting is a good idea. I already e-mailed WB and gave them a piece of my mind. I told them that if they were going to do something like this, they should have done so months ago. But doing it right after so many consumers purchased into the format is stabbing them in the back.

So I won't be going Blu, and if I do purchase any WB movies (although I'll try my hardest not to) I'll make sure that I buy them secondhand. That way at least the company won't be getting any direct support from me.

well, they ARE doing The Dark Knight, so I can't fully boycott Warners. I can pick where I spend my HD money, though