I think they gotta release the Indy Jones trilogy when they release Indy 4 on HD-DVD/BR because I would think that is peak time to release the old trilogy.

Seems feasible as I imagine a new DVD box set would be coming out as well including the new film.

Here's some interesting quotes regarding Warner Brothers from David Vaughn in the AVS insiders thread. He is the DVD Editor of "Home Theater Spot" and has access to studio sources.

"I fully expect that Warner will make an announcement at CES this year. As to which way they will go, no one knows with the exception to the guy who will make the call with WHV. I'm sure he is looking at this whole situation from every angle and holds all the cards in the format war. IMO, the side Warner chooses will end up "winning"."

and

"I have heard rumblings from more than one source that this decision is coming to a head. The thing is, it isn't going to be decided by the individual studios (Warner, HBO or New Line), it will be decided at the corporate level (Time Warner). On the studio side it is Kevin Tsujihara, but who knows at the corporate level?"

Well if it's decided on the corporate level, might they lean towards HD DVD due to patent holdings on the DVD side of things?

If it's decided on the corporate level, I'm calling it as Blu-ray. The sales on their own dual format discs skew to Blu-ray, and I think that's all they will care about.

Personally, I think if WB goes Blu, then HD DVD will slowly fade out.

They skew because of the PS3 affect...how long will/can it last? I still think SA sales will be the deciding factor, as thats the best way to see the penetration rate. As it stands, even current Blu-ray stand alone players sold won't be able to play certain 1.1/2.0 features that Warner is sure to want to incorporate like they already have on the HD DVD side.

Its gonna be tough call either way, but I doubt Warner will be choosing a side at CES. No reason for them since they are getting 100% of sales.

Several more years?

Let's face it, the PS3 will be the default BD player for many years, perhaps for the format's entire life cycle.

And with all the rumblings we've been hearing, I really wouldn't be surprised if we did hear something from them at CES.

I'm just about ready for this format war to be done with. With all the rumors going about, I'm starting to feel a little uneasy making purchases now.

The PS3 Effect? You don't seem to credit that anyone out there bought a PS3 as a standalone. For a long time, wasn't the PS3 considered the cheapest and best Blu-ray player? The one most protected against profile updates - that would get great firmware updates? Plus after you add in the bonus of playing games (that's how I look at mine), I think you have to count a certain % of PS3 sales as "standalones". I wouldn't advise anyone to buy a Blu-ray standalone yet (or at least up until the last month or so).

I don't get how you can discount that some ps3s were primarily bought as movie players.

I have to definitely agree with this. That was the only reason I bought my PS3. I play PS games very much, but my primary motivation was strictly to play Blu Ray's. Even if you think conversatively, I would guess maybe 20-25% of those who bought PS3's did it primarily for playing BD's. Based on that, that would mean about 400K-500K of the PS's sold are for movies and not games. I find it really hard to believe 2 million PS3's were all for games. We all know there isn't an impressive selection of games to choose from right now. Maybe in the next year or two, but not since it first came out a year ago.

Same here. WB rumors have been flying around like crazy lately. I may freeze my purchases until after CES '08. IF they went Blu, it would make the war go away much quicker. I think Universal would then announce neutrality and probably support HD DVD the rest of the year, especially day & date titles. Paramount may benefit the most. They get a nice incentive for dropping BD and then turn right around and start releasing again on both formats, and also slow HD DVD releases to maybe only day & date titles.

I'm ready for it to be over with. I think 1.5 years is enough of this nonsense. Prices on hardware have dropped because of both formats. Now that has happened, get rid of one, ramp up production of BD, and then adopt as many dvd owners as possible.

Yep, I just picked up the 80GB PS3 as my third BD player. My reason for purchasing that instead of Panny BD30 breaks down to 70% BD playback, 20% media center, 10% gaming (which includes PS2 games). This will replace the Sammy BD-1000 in my bedroom system, which will move to my living room setup. My Panny BD10 is firmly entrenched in my main home theater setup.

Speaking for myself, I wanted a Blu-Ray player last November. The PS3 was barely out of the gate at the time, and was still hard to get. So I went with the BDP-S1, which I still use to this day. Note: I did not want the Samsung player.

My point is, I could have easily been a PS3 owner last year, and I would have bought it specifically to view Blu-Ray. Yet, it appears I would not have been counted as a standalone owner.

I do own a PS3 now, but I actually use for it games. I will start using it for Blu-Ray if they add DTS-HD decoding/bitstreaming to it before they add it to the BDP-S1, if at all.

The pending Warner decision actually made me buy more. I'm mostly renting, but right now I thought I'd do my part to try and help push Warner to Blu-ray. Best case scenario = format war over (either way it's my main goal). Worst case = Warner goes red. Then my PS3 will still play my blu titles and I keep the A3 (instead of gifting it as an upconverter).

Cannot agree with you anymore. Warner, do the right thing and end this. Last thing we all want is for HDM to go the wayside and deal with downloads instead.

Honestly, no matter what happens I'll still hold on to my A3 even if Blu wins. I feel the upconversion is MUCH better on it than my PS3, but my PS3 is still an excellent Blu player.

Now, as soon as I get my new receiver, bring on the DTS MA to the PS3!

What makes you think that the absense of HD DVD would suddenly make more catalog titles appear? This makes no sense to me at all. Neither format has a great diversity of catalog titles yet. "The masses" are interested in new releases, less so than catalog titles. Get "general population" involved and all you'd see are new releases.

Are you suggesting that a year and a half into its life that DVD had as diverse and well marketed a presence as either Hi-dfef format does now? One format will become a footnote, probably HD DVD. But just like divx caused DVD to take notice and be aggressive, HD DVD has done the same for BD.

Finally, I have ALWAYS thought Sony was anti-consumer. I thought that during the PS1-2 years that they had come a long way, but they have reverted back to form, IMO.

Also, remember your comments. If Warner decides to go HD DVD exclusive, you all forfeit the right to bitch about it.

I hate that trying to be unbiased comes off as beating the drum for Toshiba, but I guess it is what it is.

If it happens that Warner goes Blu, I will buy an XA2 and keep it boxed for a while. If Blu goes away then same story - but I refuse to buy a PS3 unless it's like 199.

I have close to a 100 HD DVDs that I won't ever replace on Blu Ray. Maybe a likely scenario would be all Blu Ray players having the ability to play HD DVDs but no HD DVDs being produced. Or vice versa except SONY/Columbia continuing with Blu Ray discs.

HDM needs better market penetration for it to become financially viable to release many of the catalog titles. I believe an end to the format war is necessary for HDM to make any sort of serious challenge to rivaling DVD. I understand some may disagree.

I'll feel sorry for HD DVD player owners if Warner goes blue. If they go red, I'm not sure that ends the war. Either way I'll have some resentment for Warner abandoning customers (like Paramount did). My preference is for Paramount and Universal to go blue. I'd pick that every time over Warner going exclusive.

We are also all posting in the HD Forum. We are not that 2.5 Million people that bought PS3s over the last year. If Software sales hold true, not that many people are using there PS3 for Blu-ray players, and if they are, it may only be temporary until the PS3 gets more games or these insane can't-pass-up BOGO deals ends. I agree, the PS3 is by far the best Blu-ray player around, period, and has been since November of last year. However, thats also when stand alone prices were $800, and they are just now starting to drop below PS3 prices. The PS3 is whats really carrying Blu-ray and its really unknown how long its going to last.

In my opinion, Warner going Blu just because of the PS3 including Blu-ray is just a bad way to go. They are putting the entire HD formats life on a video game system that is in dead last place and may go on to be the next "Gamecube" for Sony. While it may end this war "quick", how much longer will Blu-ray go on from there? How will Sony handle the format all by themselves? Will frmware updates just stop for all 1.0 players so that you have to buy new players to even watch movies (see Live Free, POTC:AWE)? Too many "what ifs" that I don't want to see happen.

Again, you are a Pro Blu supporter. I really at all these posts. If Warner goes Blu, then HDM is saved! If Warner goes Red, its doomed!. Both formats will co-exist for a long time, regardless what side Warner picks. If I were you, Id be more worried about Disney. Boggles me why they would vote (twice) for the approval of the TL51 HD DVD disc if they are so firmly planted in the Blu camp.

I disagree. If Warner goes Blu, it's only a matter of time before hd-dvd goes the wayside.

It's not "just because of the PS3 including Blu-ray". It's the sales lead, the varied player manufacturers lined up (who'll compete amongst themselves to drive prices down for standaolones), scratch protection, etc. Absolute statements like "just because" are difficult to back up. I'll grant that there are some valid concerns about Sony, but would point out the same could be said about Toshiba/Microsoft.