Time Warner To End "HD DVD" Vs. "Blu-ray Disc" Battle With TOTAL HD

[Jerry Jones]

Time Warner's new "TOTAL HD" disc may end the format war between "Blu-ray Disc" and "HD DVD."

http://tinyurl.com/yhlnk2

NEW YORK, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Time Warner Inc. (TWX.N: Quote, Profile , Research) will unveil a new high-definition DVD next week that could end the battle between two next-generation videodisc technologies. Warner Bros., a movie studio division of the world's largest media company, plans to present the new disc, Total HD, at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Total HD movies will carry movies that can be played on high-definition DVD players that use technology backed by Sony Corp.'s (6758.T: Quote, NEWS , Research) Blu-ray format, as well as players using Toshiba Corp.-backed (6502.T: Quote, NEWS , Research) HD-DVD format. The competing formats have been blamed for hindering sales of high-definition movies and players, with consumers recalling the bruising war between Sony Corp.'s (6758.T: Quote, NEWS , Research)(SNE.N: Quote, Profile , Research) Betamax videotape and JVC's VHS version. JVC is owned by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (6752.T: Quote, NEWS , Research)

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Jerry Jones]

More here from the New York Times:

http://tinyurl.com/ybn773

By RICHARD SIKLOS
Published: January 4, 2007

Consumers wary of buying new high-definition DVD players because of a technology war reminiscent of the days of Betamax versus VHS will soon have a new kind of DVD that might make the decision less daunting.

Warner Brothers, which helped popularize the DVD more than a decade ago, plans to announce next week a single videodisc that can play films and television programs in both Blu-ray and HD-DVD, the rival DVD technologies.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Jerry Jones]

More here from EETimes:

http://tinyurl.com/yhp3mg

Warner Bros. says it plans next week to unveil at the Consumer Electronics Show a DVD disc that plays competing formats for high-definition content, potentially making the buying of HD movies less daunting for consumers.

Nevertheless, major Hollywood studios that have sided with either HD DVD or Blu-ray are unlikely to support the dual-format disk, at least in the short term, so the technology is not expected to have an immediate impact, one expert says.

Warner on Friday confirmed that Barry Meyer, chairman and chief executive of Warner Bros. Entertainment, would unveil the disc on Tuesday at the Las Vegas, Nev., trade show. Called Total Hi-Def, the disc would make it possible to play a movie in either a HD DVD player or a Blu-ray player.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net