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Warner Shelves "Total HD" Hybrid Disc Plans

Wed Nov 14, 2007 at 01:47 PM ET
Tags: Industry Trends, Total HD, Warner (all tags)

Speaking exclusively with High-Def Digest, Warner Home Entertainment says its previously announced HD DVD/Blu-ray hybrid disc won't be hitting stores anytime soon.

As we've previously reported, the studio made a splash when it unveiled Total HD earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show, proposing it to the industry and consumers alike as a solution to the ongoing format war. Containing a Blu-ray layer on one side of the disc and an HD DVD layer on the other, the studio said the hybrid disc would retail for little more than a single-format title, and that it planned to have its first releases in stores by the second half of the year.

Roughly six months later, Warner announced it was pushing back its launch plans for Total HD until early 2008, but said it remained committed to the concept, promising ten to twenty launch titles upon the format's eventual release.

Though the studio had since remained mum on the status of its plans for the hybrid format, a Warner exec has now confirmed to High-Def Digest that all current plans for Total HD have been shelved in response to a perceived shift in retailer needs following Paramount's move to HD DVD exclusivity.

"The short answer is, for the moment, it [Total HD] is on hold," explained Jim Noonan, SVP of Strategic Promotion and Communication for Warner Home Entertainment Group. "We're the only studio producing content in both formats. If we were to put out Total HD with just our titles, it wouldn't really provide the solution to our retail partners that it was intended to provide. If anything, at this point, it would further complicate their life, because there would be another product looking for shelf space. Our job is not to further complicate the lives of our retailers."

As for the possibility that Total HD might still see the light of day should other studios go format-neutral, Noonan certainly didn't rule it out.

"Total HD was something that we offered up to the industry as a solution that would address buyer hesitancy, and the concern a consumer might have about the possible obsolesce of the hardware they were buying. We have no proprietary interest in Total HD. There is no patent we're involved in, and there is no monetary reward for us if another studio decides to put out titles on Total HD. It was offered purely as an industry solution -- and it is still a good and viable solution that has no expiration date."

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Earlier on High-Def Digest:
Warner Delays Launch of Total HD Until 2008 (Jun 28, 2007)
First Total HD Combo Discs Could Be Ready by Early Summer (Mar 15, 2007)
CES: Warner Intros Total HD; First Titles Due Second Half 2007 (Jan 09, 2007)

Warner: HD DVD/Blu-ray Hybrid Disc "On Hold For Now"

Thu Sep 13, 2007 at 04:01 PM ET
Tags: Total HD, Warner, Industry Trends (all tags)

Last we heard, Warner's "Total HD" hybrid disc was due in early 2008, but now the studio says it's on hold, with no release date currently in sight.

The studio shook things up at CES this past January when it announced that it would introduce a new HD DVD/Blu-ray hybrid disc by mid 2007. A single disc capable of being played on both Blu-ray and HD DVD players seemed to offer a compelling (if inefficient) short term solution for the format war, and appeared to be the anchor of Warner's dual-format stance throughout much of the year.

Alas, it looks like Total HD is not to be -- at least not in the foreseeable future. After previously delaying its initial mid-2007 launch date until early 2008, now the studio says that the hybrid format is "on hold for now."

In comments first published by TWICE Magazine, Warner Home Video president Ron Sanders explained, "we’re concerned that as the only one publishing on it, it would be hard to make it go." He went on to say the company was still talking to retailers about rolling out the hybrid format sometime in the future.

As for the rumors that Warner is weighing lucrative offers to go format-exclusive, Sanders acknowledged discussions with both camps, but seemed to indicate that the studio would support both high-def formats through the holiday shopping season.

"We’re talking to both sides and it’s crazy right now," said Sanders. "We remain committed to both for the time being. We’ll see how the fourth quarter plays out. The consumer is still kind of divided, and we still believe that we should offer the content in both formats. Now, we will watch the marketplace very closely, and see how it plays out, but for now we are supporting both."

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
Warner Remains Loyal To Dual HD Formats [TWICE]
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
Warner Delays Launch of Total HD Until 2008 (Jun 28, 2007)
Warner Intros Total HD; First Titles Due Second Half 2007 (Jan 09, 2007)

Warner Delays Launch of Total HD Until 2008

Thu Jun 28, 2007 at 01:55 AM ET
Tags: Total HD, Industry Forecasts, High-Def Disc Packaging, Warner (all tags)

In a surprise announcement, Warner said Wednesday that it is pushing back the planned fall launch of its first Total HD dual Blu-ray/HD DVD combo releases until early 2008.

The hybrid format, which Warner first announced earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show, was originally planned to hit stores in time for the fourth-quarter holiday shopping season. As recently as this past March, all production and replication hurdles appeared to have been cleared for launch.

The sudden and unexpected news of the delay for Total HD came yesterday during the Entertainment Supply Chain Academy in Los Angeles, where confirmed the studio confirmed it would be delaying the debut of the hybrid Blu-ray/HD DVD format until early 2008.

"There is no expiration date on the viability of this concept, so we're not in a rush to do it," explained Warner VP Steve Nickerson..

Nickerson also stated that the studio intends to launch Total HD with between ten and twenty titles, allowing retailers to display them together in one section so they don't get lost amid the growing number of home video formats currently hogging store shelves.

Warner was also quick to point out that it is not planning to abandon either Blu-ray or HD DVD releases in the interim. Despite limited shelf space at retail, the studio believes there is a market for both high-def platforms, one that they will continue to satisfy with dual-format releases.

"Our research shows that there is demand for each of those products [Blu-ray and HD DVD]," said studio VP of sales planning and operations Dan Miron. "We are trying to evaluate [how to best treat] each one of these releases."

The timing of Warner's announcement, as well as the studio's apparent lack of urgency in bringing Total HD to market, may strike some as curious. With Blu-ray continuing to outpace HD DVD in overall disc sales since the start of the year, some industry observers have speculated that if such sales trends continue, the format war could be all but over by the end of fourth quarter 2007 -- long before Total HD has a chance to gain a foothold in the marketplace.

We'll certainly keep you posted on any further developments in this ongoing saga. Stay tuned!

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
Warner’s Total HD Delayed Until 2008 [Video Business]
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
CES: Warner Intros Total HD; First Titles Due Second Half 2007 (Jan 09, 2007)
First Total HD Combo Discs Could Be Ready by Early Summer (Mar 15, 2007)
Blu-ray Disc Sales Surpass One Million Milestone (Apr 23, 2007)

First Total HD Combo Discs Could Be Ready by Early Summer

Thu Mar 15, 2007 at 04:05 PM ET
Tags: Total HD, Industry Trends, Warner (all tags)

Warner continued to promote its Total HD Blu-ray/HD DVD combo format at this week's IRMA Forum, indicating that initial limited-capacity discs could be ready for market as early as this June.

Unveiled back in January at CES, Warner's Total HD format is the studio's proposed solution to the ongoing next-gen format war, offering a Blu-ray version on one side of the disc, and an HD DVD versionnon the other. The studio has said that the combo discs would be compatible with all Blu-ray and HD DVD players, and would retail for little more than current single-format releases.

At IRMA, representatives from Cinram, one of the manufacturers co-developing Total HD with Warner, outlined capacities and proposed ready-to-market dates for the highly-anticipated combo format.

The reps said that discs with a 15GB HD DVD on one side and a 25GB Blu-ray on the other will be ready to ship by June. They said that that initial release would be followed by a higher-capacity HD DVD 30GB/Blu-ray 25GB in August.

The group offered no timetable for a full-capacity HD DVD 30GB/Blu-ray 50GB version. This could prove to be a short-term liability for Blu-ray and/or Warner, limiting all Total HD-supporting distributors to 25GB Blu-ray releases only.

At press time, Warner has not yet announced titles or street dates for its first Total HD releases, which were previously expected to hit stores in early fall.

No other studios (besides Warner and its subsidiaries) have yet announced plans to support Total HD.

The 37th Annual International Recording Media Association (IRMA) Forum was held yesterday in Los Angeles, California.

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
HD Discs to Grow Packaged Media Market, IRMA Speakers Say [Home Media Retailing]
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
CES: Warner Intros Total HD; First Titles Due Second Half 2007 (Jan 09, 2007)

CES: First Look at Warner Total Hi Def Packaging, Plus 'Lord of the Rings' in 2007?

Wed Jan 10, 2007 at 03:36 PM ET
Tags: Total HD, High-Def Disc Packaging, Warner, CES (all tags)

High-Def has not quite yet gone purple: Warner showed off the packaging concept for its Total Hi Def hybrid Blu-ray/HD DVD disc, which looks to be the equivalent of a next-gen 50/50 Bar.

During a press conference held late yesterday, Warner tantalized the CES masses with the first official details of its can't-we-all-just-get-along dual format high-def disc, and demonstrated a working Total Hi Def disc prototype of 'Superman Returns.'

The fine folks over at Engadget HD snapped a picture, as seen here, of disc's preliminary box design, which again appeases both sides with a very rainbow-friendly, dual red/blue box design. Though we're not quite sure about that bland "T HD" logo thing, it's hard to imagine loyalists on either side complaining about the studio's separate-but-equal approach to the packaging.

In addition, we've compiled a few additional nuggets that were revealed at the conference by Warner reps, but not outlined in the studio's concurrent press release:

• The 'Superman Returns' demo played without a hitch on both the Blu-ray and HD DVD sides of the disc
• Manufacturing costs for a Total Hi Def disc will not be "materially more expensive" than standard DVD
• Currently, only Warner and subsidiaries New Line and HBO are onboard
• Other content providers who support Total Hi Def will not have to pay any additional licensing fees to Warner Home Video
• Warner will move to supporting Total Hi Def discs exclusively by the end of the year
• Finally, the studio reps answered the inevitable "When is 'Lord of the Rings' coming out in high-def?" question with the answer, "They (New Line) are working on it now and are determining a release date." In other words, be patient, hobbits!

Note that all of the above statements were made by Warner execs during the press conference, and have yet to be confirmed in any other manner. We'll certainly be looking forward to seeing how this all plays out as Warner begins releasing its first Total Hi Def discs in the second half of 2007.

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
Warner Officially Announces Total Hi Def Hybrid Disc [Engadget HD]
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
Warner Intros Total HD; First Titles Due Second Half 2007 (Jan 09, 2007)
Warner to Unveil First Blu-ray/HD DVD Hybrid Discs at CES (Jan 04, 2007)

CES: Warner Intros Total HD; First Titles Due Second Half 2007

Tue Jan 09, 2007 at 09:58 PM ET
Tags: Disc Announcements, Warner, Total HD, CES (all tags)

In an early evening press conference from CES, Warner Home Video today previewed its groundbreaking Total HD Blu-ray/HD DVD combo disc, and promised to deliver its first dual-format releases in the second half of 2007.

The hybrid format, which Warner is officially dubbing a "Total Hi Def" disc, was pioneered with the aim of bridging the two competing formats. The studio said that while Warner has found that both Blu-ray and HD DVD are pleasing early adopters with top-notch picture and sound, the format war continues to create apprehension in mainstream consumers.

"The Total Hi Def disc is about giving consumers complete choice, providing creators and artists the greatest possible distribution of their work, and helping retailers thrive in the marketplace," said Kevin Tsujihara, President of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, in a statement via press release. "By eliminating potential apprehension over formats, we believe this new disc could help consumers fully embrace the greatest home entertainment experience available."

Tech specs for the hybrid disc are strong, and should ease fears that Warner's combo strategy might sacrifice storage space or quality. The physical structure of the disc is 1.2 mm, the same as standard-def DVDs, HD DVD and Blu-ray discs. The Total Hi Def disc also has the ability to contain both single layer and dual layers for both formats enabling either 15 GB or 30 GB on the HD DVD side, and 25 GB or 50 GB on the Blu-ray side.

Though Warner made no formal announcement of titles or street dates, they did pledge that their first Total Hi Def releases will be available in the second half of 2007. Titles will also be announced "in a time frame consistent with the company’s standard trade announcements for home entertainment titles," according to the release.

Warner's pricing strategy for Total Hi Def was also unavailable at presstime.

This is certainly a major development in the format war, and the second half of 2007 should bring yet another new chapter in the next-gen saga. We can't wait -- and as always, stay tuned for the latest as this story continues to develop...

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
Warner Announces Creation of Total Hi Def Disc [Press Release]
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
Warner to Unveil First Blu-ray/HD DVD Hybrid Discs at CES (Jan 04, 2007)

Warner to Unveil First Blu-ray/HD DVD Hybrid Discs at CES

Thu Jan 04, 2007 at 03:55 AM ET
Tags: Industry Forecasts, Total HD (all tags)

In a surprise leak of what could well turn out to be the biggest high-def news to come out of this year's CES, The New York Times is reporting that Warner Home Video is set to bring the first Blu-ray/HD DVD hybrid discs to market in 2007.

According to the story, the studio is hoping to both calm consumers' fears over the competing next-gen formats as well as spur high-def hardware sales by creating a Blu-ray/HD DVD hybrid, which the studio is dubbing a "Total HD" disc.

In an exclusive pre-CES interview with the Times, Barry M. Meyer, the chairman and chief executive of Warner Brothers, claims the studio created the idea of Total HD as it became apparent that while neither the Blu-ray or HD DVD formats would be going away anytime soon, continued consumer reluctance to invest in rival technologies could stall the widespread adoption of high-definition.

“The next best thing is to recognize that there will be two formats, and to make that not a negative for the consumer," said Meyer. "We [Warner] felt that the most significant constituency for us to satisfy was the consumer first, and the retailer second. The retailer wants to sell hardware and doesn't want to be forced into stocking two formats for everything. This is ideal for them."

If Warner is able to sucessfully produce and distribute a dual-format hybrid disc, it would certainly add an unexpected -- and potentially tremendous -- new wrinkle to the high-def format war. A reasonably priced one-disc-fits-all scenario would seem to please everyone, from early adopters to hardware manufacturers to retailers (who no would no longer have to stock both Blu-ray and HD DVD versions of the same title), regardless of which format they support.

A formal announcement from Warner officially unveiling Total HD is now expected sometime during or right after CES. We'll certainly keep you posted as this exciting story continues to develop. Stay tuned!

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
New Disc May Sway Format Wars [New York Times]

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