Warner have announced that it plans to begin shipping hybrid DVD / HD-DVD titles in May. The discs will feature standard 480p DVD content that will work on any DVD player on one side, and 1080p HD-DVD content on the other side.
The first hybrid release from Warner will be the widely derided "Rumor Has It" with Jennifer Anniston and Kevin Kostner. The disc will ship on May 9, the same day as the standard release, with a suggested retail price of $39.99 (£23), roughly a $10 mark-up over the stand alone HD-DVD version.
The hybrid DVD / HD-DVD concept is a good one, as it will allow consumers to avoid purchasing two versions of the same movie while they get ready to make the full switch to HD-DVD (or Blu-ray, which is obviously a whole different story).
On the other hand, considering the box office flop that was "Rumor Has It," it's not unlikely that we'll be able to find both the DVD and HD-DVD version in the bargain bin for far less than $40 combined within a few weeks. We'll be hoping that Warner's next hybrid releases will be somewhat more compelling.
Story source:
ign.com.
Comments