Audio Video News

Hopes for a disc that would play in either HD DVD or Blu-ray players died a few weeks ago when Warner suspended plans to market what it had called a Total HD disc.

Total HD was originally to have made its debut late this year. Warner then postponed it to 2008 and finally discontinued the project.

Explaned an executive to High-Def Digest: "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."

He added: "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 obsolescence of the hardware they were buying. We have no proprietary interest in Total HD.... It was offered purely as an industry solution--and it is still a good and viable solution that has no expiration date."

All of which begs another question. If Warner no longer plans to support both formats in a hybrid disc, how long will it go on supporting both formats in dual releases for each title? Speculation is rampant that Warner will go exclusively Blu. If that happens, the end of the format war might then be in sight.