Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

http://i44.tinypic.com/2j2hiti.png
(Stolen from Grubert in the HD Forum)

For $4.95 per title + $6.95 S/H you can exchange up to 25 HD DVDs for "new industry-leading Blu-ray Discs." And you don't even need to send the discs or cases - only the sleeves! Plus you get a $15 off coupon for a purchase of $50 or more at wbshop.

You can access it here. The full rules are here.

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

That's interesting. Depending on shipping costs, I may bite on a few titles.

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

Do they accept cut/hole/tear cover art?

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

Go to the link in the OP that has the rules:

10. The HD DVD artwork packaging sleeve of the Participating Title must be:
a. the original artwork packaging sleeve - copies are not valid.
b. the entire sleeve – ripped, cut up or partial sleeves are not valid.
c. in good condition.

So, no.

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

Shipping is a flat $6.95 no matter how many titles you exchange, and they provide a pre-paid label.

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

So if my Batman Begins HD DVD has a wrinkle in its cover does that mean I can't do an upgrade? Heh. I might have to try this out. Including with Batman Begins.

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

FYI, Up to 25 titles per household.

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

VERY interesting... I think I may have to do this. But I will scan each and every cover art I send them, in case I'm so inclined as to print a new one, and sell it (or sell the BD I receive)

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

this is a pretty good deal.because even if you sell your hd dvd for 5-10 bucks you still have to find a bd to replace it.plus you get to keep the discs.i dont know if i can afford to do all my wb hd's but i'm in for 4-5.i 'm going to trade in my best of action box i just send them the box art and get to keep the complete hd with the artwork,awesome

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

so the REAL question is:
what deals can you piece together picking up a cheap HD disc somewhere and upgrading it?

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

The real question is, which titles are considered real upgrades i.e. better audio/video/extras? Just because it's BD doesn't make it an upgrade. Not for me anyway. Yeah, I'm too lazy to look them up...

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

if you can find box sets somewhere it would be a deal.box sets you only have to send the outer cardboard cover.mine has four movies in it.9.95 to upgrade to blu's and i can trade or sell the hd dvd's since they have the artwork intact.

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

be nice if universal did this,i'd love to upgrade my bournes.

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

well, for people who don't have HD capability. They could buy an HD disc for a few bucks, pay 5 more to upgrade it, and end up with a bluray disc cheaper than having bought it directly.

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

None of them. In fact, it's more the other way around -- several HD-DVDs have Dolby TrueHD (like SUPERMAN RETURNS and TRAINING DAY) as opposed to the BD's vanilla Dolby Digital. And several other HD-DVDs with DD+ tracks are at a higher bit rate than the BD 5.1 tracks. I don't think there's one instance of the BD being a real a/v "upgrade" on these Warner titles -- this is more to replace your HD-DVD library altogether. If you plan on keeping an HD-DVD player there's no point in exchanging your discs.

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

interesting thought.

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

No T3?

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

The Perfect Storm is the only BD that has a dramatic new Picture Quality.

Also, Superman Returns now has a TrueHD track offered on the Blu-ray.

using my "anti-blu" speech in reverse
 

Not completely true. See the HD forum for more discussion on this.

Also, remember that you are not exchanging discs, you get to keep your HDs.

You are paying ~$5 per title to "upgrade" to a format more likely to be playable in the future.

5 years from now, your HD players could have failed, and replacements will be harder to find/repair. And either way, you can't share them with others or play them in many places. And in 5 years blu-ray players may be common, making it easier to view the films on the go, and lend them out.

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

There are definitely worthy Blu-ray upgrades like Harry Potter (extras in HD, additional documentary), and I Am Legend (more extras), off the top of my head.

Re: using my "anti-blu" speech in reverse
 

That's not a compelling reason for me to trade in now. In 5 years, I expect to find BDs in Walmarts $5 bin. :D

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

Universal hasn't even released half of the titles on Blu-ray yet that they released on HD DVD, so it'd be a short list and not very beneficial to most people at this time....

Re: using my "anti-blu" speech in reverse
 

Good point!

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

This is not true for Warner titles, only Paramount....
Warner used 640k DD tracks on both Blu-ray and HD DVD, however due to the way the HD DVD spec worked, this was DD+ there while still classified as "Dolby Digital" on the Blu-ray....the tracks themselves were identical, just implemented differently due to how each format handles things....

The Animatrix is in HD on the Blu-ray set, while it was only in SD on the HD DVD set....I'd say that is a significant upgrade (not to mention the other three movies are no longer problematic combo discs in the Blu set)....

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

Some of the Blus may also appear later as double-dips later. 300, Blood Diamond, the later Harry Potters all had PIP and other interactive features not on the Blu-Ray version since BD-Live was not available yet. (One of the HPs had a watch with a friend that was introduced on Blu with Sleeping Beauty). They delayed Batman long enough that BD-Live was ready when the Blu was released.
So my guess is a lot of these will prob get re-releases in Blu with BD-Live.

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

I believe that they have already announced plans for a 300 Blu-ray double dip.

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

Well, The Matrix Box Set is on the list, and that is most certainly an upgrade in the sense that you get The Animatrix in Hi-def in Blu-ray. Plus, the discs aren't dual sided like the HD versions.

In fact, if you wanted to dump combos, this might be a good way to do it.

I don't see Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory or Forbidden Planet on the list. I probably will upgrade my Matrix Trilogy, and TMNT, and Batman Begins. Maybe My Oceans box, and maybe Blade Runner.

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

Probably because they are not yet out on Blu-ray....Warner has not yet released every title onto Blu that they did on HD DVD (Dukes Of Hazzard is another example)....

Re: using my "anti-blu" speech in reverse
 

And 20 years later I can still buy Beta, CED, LaserDisc players on eBay - even brand new! And in 5 years the BD replacement (if the format is still viable) will be $5 or so as well ;)

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

I think I'm screwed on the Matrix Trilogy, since I have the Complete Trilogy, and not the Ultimate Trilogy. However, it looks like I can swap out just The Matrix and get the 10th Anniversary Digibook. So that's still a good deal... Anyone know if the individual HD-DVD cases inside the Complete Trilogy have the same UPC's as if bought individually?

And why do the Lethal Weapon movies say "Director's Cut"? To my knowledge, neither HD-DVD nor Blu-Ray released the Directors Cut of either film...

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

I don't think they were ever released individually.

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

How long does it take for the email with the shipping label to arrive after I place an order?

nevermind, it went to my spam folder.

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

OK, good. They have a trade-in listed only for The Matrix, so I assumed it was available by itself. Strange how they won't let me trade in the other two titles though...

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

I have a question. from the entire list of available movies to be swapped, which ones offer significant changes worthwhile enough to switch?

Perhaps my question can't be answered objectively, but if anyone has an opinion to offer...I can't think of enough titles to warrant the shipping fee plus the $5 for a movie I already have.

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

hd dvd is great but i worry also about my player crapping out.the only other player i'll get is an OPPO bd player late this year or next.i also hate those hd/dvd combos definetly getting rid of those.

Re: using my "anti-blu" speech in reverse
 

True, but I think that we have to agree that, most likely, a Blu-ray disc has better potential utility than a HD disc.

Is it worth $5 to "upgrade"? Not to me I've decided. My HDs play fine, and by the time I may "need" a blu version of one of the titles (to be portable or whatever), it will likely be available for $6 or less.

But this upgrade plan makes good sense to people who either don't have a HD player anymore, or don't want to keep one in their limited home theater space. Or most likely people who want to buy discount HDs just to get cheap Blus.

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

For certain titles it might be worth it to buy a cheap HD-DVD and pay the upgrade fee. Only if it's really cheap, though, since it's $5 + shipping + whatever you payed for the HD-DVD.

I may try and pick up Casablanca to exchange for the Blu-Ray. I wonder if it's just the movie, or if it's the box set? I'd imagine just the movie, which is fine by me.

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

Yeah, I am passing on this for now. I might bite on a few before the promotion ends -- then again, I might not.

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

Im doing this for the Harry Potter collection great deal to upgrade for the blu box set

Re: Warner's "Red2Blu" Plan - $4.95 to switch HD DVD to Blu-ray
 

Here's my list:

300
Batman Begins
Constantine
The Departed
Harry Potter 1-5
I Am Legend
The Shining
Troy (regular cut)
V for Vendetta

I'm on the fence.... It would take me $70 to upgrade all of these. I've got a HD-A3 and a Xbox 360 HD-DVD player, so I'm not really concerned about not having a working player. Being able to play the movies in 1080p via BluRay & PS3 is a consideration, but my Optoma projector in my media room downconverts everything to 720p anyway.

I'm definitely thinking about trading in the HP's so that I can have the entie series in Blu-Ray & Troy to upgrade to the Directors Cut, but the rest, I'm not sure its worth it. Are any of these movies a noticeable upgrade / downgrade by moving to Blu-Ray?