I just emailed Bill Hunt of thedigitalbits.com about WB's plans for future releases and how some think WB may release titles this year on HD-DVD before Blu-ray and he replied as of this morning WB still intends to release on both formats at the same time and will transition to TotalHD discs at some point in 2007. Here is a copy of the email he sent back to me:

Actually, I never said that WB was "waiting" to release any HD-DVD titles
until Blu-ray catches up. Simply that the plan was to try and release every title going forward at the same time on both formats. At some point in
2007 their releases are all going to be TotalHD anyway making this a moot
argument. That came directly from Warner, and as of this morning, it's
still their plan.

So it looks like Blu-ray will receive all new WB releases at the same time as HD-DVD.

~Josh

Did anybody expect anything else? Another laughably dubious rumor by HD DVD fanboys put to rest. (Honestly, why would anybody expect futureshop.ca to be credible considering the number of non-existent discs they show? How's that Conan the Barbarian HD DVD doing?)

I just emailed Bill Hunt of thedigitalbits.com about WB's plans for future releases and how some think WB may release titles this year on HD-DVD before Blu-ray and he replied as of this morning WB still intends to release on both formats at the same time and will transition to TotalHD discs at some point in 2007. Here is a copy of the email he sent back to me:

So it looks like Blu-ray will receive all new WB releases at the same time as HD-DVD.It looks like your sister's cousin's friend's neighbor's nephew's girlfriend's dad's email forgot to highlight the important part. ;)
"Simply that the plan was to try and release every title going forward at the same time on both formats."

They may already have some in the works that they supposedly won't be holding up waiting for the BD release. Not saying any in particular or that that is the case. All speculation.

That's funny, that is NOT the information I've heard. I have heard that all titles will be released on both, but that some titles will appear on HD DVD first until BD catches up on the interactivity features. Guess we'll have to play the wait and see thing.

Simply that the plan was to try and release every title going forward at the same time on both formats.

Something must be up because The Matrix is now showing up for pre-order at Best Buy's Canada's site for HD DVD.

And I would think that some of those Warner's HD DVD only releases ( Batman Begins for example) would at least be announced for Blu-Ray, but there is not even a rumor that is the case.

Too reasons, first the Java for BR is not even close to be ready or Microsoft is tossing some $$$ at Warner just like they are rumored to have done for Universal and Paramount ( Star Trek on HD DVD only for example).

Josh, this is not much of a confirmation. All Bill is doing is reiterating Warner's intent. Warner has stated themselves that release dates between the two format may still not be in sync in some cases. May or may not be the case with The Matrix.

This is all still just speculation on everyone's part here. We will know closer towards April 10th.

Too reasons, first the Java for BR is not even close to be ready or Microsoft is tossing some $$$ at Warner just like they are rumored to have done for Universal and Paramount ( Star Trek on HD DVD only for example).

I'm curious, and I don't mean to debunk your thought on this, but why is Microsoft always attached to controlling HD-DVD? That's like saying Apple is paying off the studios towards Blu-ray.

Microsoft is a backer of HD-DVD not the head of it, Toshiba is. If anyone should have a finger pointed at them for greasing studios, it should be Toshiba.

The only thing Microsoft did for HD-DVD was develop the VC-1 codec which is used on Blu-ray as well. If at all, Microsoft could be silently applauding Blu-ray, because either way the format war swings, with the VC-1 codec, Microsoft will make out just fine in the end.

I'm curious, and I don't mean to debunk your thought on this, but why is Microsoft always attached to controlling HD-DVD? That's like saying Apple is paying off the studios towards Blu-ray.

Microsoft is a backer of HD-DVD not the head of it, Toshiba is. If anyone should have a finger pointed at them for greasing studios, it should be Toshiba.

The only thing Microsoft did for HD-DVD was develop the VC-1 codec which is used on Blu-ray as well. If at all, Microsoft could be silently applauding Blu-ray, because either way the format war swings, with the VC-1 codec, Microsoft will make out just fine in the end.

Microsoft will not be "just fine" in the end if Blu-Ray wins this stupid format war, the only company that uses VC-1 is Warner, everyone else is using MPEG-2 and now MPEG-4 (AVC) which would benefit Apple.

Doesn't explain why titles like the Matrix and Harry Poter which are done for HD-DVD were not released this year. Hell the US release of Goblet of fire FBI warning and all were released in the UK.

Microsoft will not be "just fine" in the end if Blu-Ray wins this stupid format war, the only company that uses VC-1 is Warner, everyone else is using MPEG-2 and now MPEG-4 (AVC) which would benefit Apple.

Disney is dabbling with VC1 and has done 2 titles already.

Microsoft will not be "just fine" in the end if Blu-Ray wins this stupid format war, the only company that uses VC-1 is Warner, everyone else is using MPEG-2 and now MPEG-4 (AVC) which would benefit Apple.

Microsoft has bigger things going for it than HD DVD, like Windows Vista and XBox 360 for instance. ;)

And their XboxLive HD downloads...

Microsoft will not be "just fine" in the end if Blu-Ray wins this stupid format war, the only company that uses VC-1 is Warner, everyone else is using MPEG-2 and now MPEG-4 (AVC) which would benefit Apple.Universal uses VC-1 and Paramount has used it for the majority of their titles on HD DVD. I don't recall whether Lions Gate has used it or not though. If Blu-ray wins and Universal starts releasing on there, they could use VC-1 on Blu-ray like Warner does.

--Darin

And their XboxLive HD downloads...

...which includes many great BR only movies. Yeah, how lame :rolleyes:

TotalHD...wow...what a waste.

I just emailed Bill Hunt of thedigitalbits.com about WB's plans for future releases and how some think WB may release titles this year on HD-DVD before Blu-ray and he replied as of this morning WB still intends to release on both formats at the same time and will transition to TotalHD discs at some point in 2007. Here is a copy of the email he sent back to me:



So it looks like Blu-ray will receive all new WB releases at the same time as HD-DVD.

~Josh

If this is your idea of "confirmed" you obviously never took a journalism class.

...which includes many great BR only movies. Yeah, how lame :rolleyes:

TotalHD...wow...what a waste.

I wasn't referring to HD-DVD only downloads, hence the word HD used. It's their belief of the future of HD content delivery.

TotalHD...yes that is a waste.

Microsoft will not be "just fine" in the end if Blu-Ray wins this stupid format war, the only company that uses VC-1 is Warner, everyone else is using MPEG-2 and now MPEG-4 (AVC) which would benefit Apple.

Don't forget Blu-ray still has to license it in order to have the option to decode it in their players. Money still goes to Microsoft whether it is used or not.

Something must be up because The Matrix is now showing up for pre-order at Best Buy's Canada's site for HD DVD.

And I would think that some of those Warner's HD DVD only releases ( Batman Begins for example) would at least be announced for Blu-Ray, but there is not even a rumor that is the case.

Too reasons, first the Java for BR is not even close to be ready or Microsoft is tossing some $$$ at Warner just like they are rumored to have done for Universal and Paramount ( Star Trek on HD DVD only for example).

I am not surprised. Best Buy bought Futureshop years ago and kept the name.

It looks like your sister's cousin's friend's neighbor's nephew's girlfriend's dad's email forgot to highlight the important part. ;)
"Simply that the plan was to try and release every title going forward at the same time on both formats."

They may already have some in the works that they supposedly won't be holding up waiting for the BD release. Not saying any in particular or that that is the case. All speculation.

...and we are here to believe that Bill Hunt has all the conections. What is wrong with people sometimes. Why on earth they still believe in everything they read on the Internet. Who is Bill Hunt anyway.
The only thing I know about the guy is that he is a BR fanboy because he never got a free player from Toshiba...and that is on records.

Microsoft has bigger things going for it than HD DVD, like Windows Vista and XBox 360 for instance. ;)

The real format war, from MS's POV, isn't BD vs. HD-DVD...
It is PS3 vs. XBox.
That is where they have a vested interest. ;)
Anything that weakens Sony is good news for the XBox.

how much are these total hd disks gonna cost? its bad enough paying $24.99 for the blue rays by themselves. plus if it costs more that will piss a bunch of people off because they will be paying for a format that they will only be able to use one half of, because most people do not have the funding to buy both formats, me included (to busy blowing money on my 03 zx6r), so this could turn away sales. i know i would be hesitant to purchase if they are more than the regular blue ray, i already resist purchasing fox bd's because of their high cost.

thanks
anthony