Netflix Goes Blu-ray Exclusive!

[VictimOfScience]

The popular online video rental service Netflix has announced that they have decided to support Blu-ray exclusively for high definition movie rentals. Pointing to the Warner Brothers exclusivity announcement as the main reason for the shift, Netflix will no longer purchase movies in the rival HD DVD format, and once the life cycle for those discs has ended, they will no longer stock the format for rent.

Ted Sarandos, chief content officer for Netflix commented, "The prolonged period of competition between two formats has prevented clear communication to the consumer regarding the richness of the high-def experience versus standard definition. We are now at the point where the industry can pursue the migration to a single format, bring clarity to the consumer and accelerate the adoption of high-def. Going forward, we expect that all of the studios will publish in the Blu-ray format and that the price points of high-def DVD players will come down significantly."

While only a small percentage of Netflix users rent high definition movies, the majority of those who do take advantage of the services are renting Blu-ray. They expect that the shift to a single format will ultimately allow Netflix to provide a better service to those high definition customers.

Source.

Wow. This should help end this 'format war' business sooner as opposed to later.

 

[Warbie]

It's become an avalanche ever since Warnwer jumped. Once again the public have proved that they have no taste!

 

[smwScott]

Once again, excellent news. I finally started buying Blu-Rays when Warner switched and I've been more and more confident in the decision since.

I love people like the above, who feel superior by choosing the losing format and claim that the "masses" have no taste. Or maybe you were just joking. Regardless, these two formats are virtually identical, with Blu-Ray actually having somewhat superior specs. Once the next level of players roll out it'll have all the cool features HD-DVDs have and more.

I understand people are pissed that they wasted their money, and I fully understand that. I'd be pissed too if HD-DVD had won, a significant part of the reason I waited for a PS3 is to have a HD movie player, and that would've been wasted if Blu-Ray lost. But I don't think I'd have quite the same emotional involvement in it that lots of internet people seem to have. That's the risk you take when you buy into a competing format early on.

 

[Sheepo]

Thank god, I thought you could only rent blu ray movies for a second.