Blu-ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line

X

Apart from thin TV screens and new look design the next biggest event at the 2008 CES Show in Las Vegas was the decision by Warner Bros to back Blu-ray. Now the backers of the Blu-ray high definition DVD system are predicting victory in the format wars with HD DVD. The two rival camps have divided consumers since the two incompatible systems were launched.

But Blu-ray supporters are touting the decision by Warner Bros to shift allegiance as a tipping point. Andy Parsons, of the Blu-ray Disc Association, said: “It’s much clearer to consumers now which of the formats is going to prevail.”

Speaking at the Consumer Electronics Show, in Las Vegas, he added: “We still have a little bit more work to do before we can say the format war is over.” Howard Stringer, chief executive of Sony, the creators of Blu-ray, was also unwilling to declare outright victory. “I never put up banners that say ‘Mission Accomplished’,” he said.

In North America, films on Blu-ray disc are outselling those on HD DVD by more than two to one.

 


The formats have also divided Hollywood film studios HD DVD, which is backed by Microsoft and Toshiba, now has support from only Universal and Paramount among the big film studios. No-one from the HD DVD promotion group was available for comment after the organisation cancelled all press interviews at the show.

 

“Nobody likes a format war – it’s not fun, it’s very time consuming and it confuses consumers,” said Mr Parsons. The battle between HD DVD and Blu-ray has echoes of the rivalry between Betamax and VHS in the 1980s.

The cheaper format, VHS, prevailed while 20 years on it seems as though Blu-ray, the more expensive system, is winning the race.

David Bishop, president of Sony Pictures Entertainment, said the Warners’ decision was “a great message for consumers”.

Mr Bishop said the Blu-ray camp would welcome any move by Universal and Paramount to shift formats.

“We’d love to have them over and hopefully they will in the short term so we can act as a single industry.”

 

Sony has been talking to retailers about the possibility of helping HD DVD owners who now wanted to move to Blu-ray.

“We haven’t had any meaningful dialogue as yet. But it is something we have considered.”

Kevin Tsujihara, president of Warner Bros Home Entertainment Group, said the decision to back Blu-ray exclusively had been driven by consumers.

He said sales of the studio’s movies on Blu-ray were outselling the same title on HD DVD by three to one.

He said that a disc unveiled by Warner last year at CES which could hold both formats had been dropped because none of the other studios would support it.

“As a result retailers would not stock it,” he said.

728x90 Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
Skullcandy 728x90 1 Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
Px7 S3 728x90 1 Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
728x90 Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
Marshall 728x90 1 Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
ELX DIG Crosscat Promo 728x90 Mar25 Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
Flick of a switch 728x90 1 Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
728 x 90 Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
728X90 1 Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
BEL2535 BPB024 4SQ Banners 728x90 Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
JBL TourPro3 728x90 Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
Arlo EOFY25 728x90 Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
Westan 728x90px Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
MaxRanger4K Leaderboard 728x90 Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
GOTHAM 728px x 90px Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
HAIER Series 600 FLW HPD Pairs 728x90 1 Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
728x90 Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
Uniden Channelnews SoloX July 2024 728x90 1 Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
AU X8 Banner 728x90 Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
BlueAnt 4SQM PumpAirUltra 728x90px Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
ChannelNews AZ100 728x90 Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
Hisense KV BannerAd 728 90 Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
241211 SAV Ruark CNewsJan Leader Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
FA 979 HN MDF SG14 14gen 728x90 1 Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line
hitachi banner 728x90 Blu ray Pounds The Last Mile To The Finish Line


YOU MAY ALSO LIKE