Warner delay "Total HD" discs until 2008

Warner has announced that its Total HD hybrid disc, announced at CES 2007 and set for release this month, has now been delayed until 2008.

The hybrid disc, which contains both HD DVD and Blu-ray on one side of the disc, was touted as one solution to ending the format war, though it's more expensive and complicated to produce than single format Blu-ray or HD DVD discs.

Vice President of Warner's marketing department, Steve Nickerson, made no suggestion that there were any problems with production or replication of the discs, but merely that the timing wasn't right to launch it.

"There is no expiration date on the viability of this concept, so we're not in a rush to do it," Nickerson said. "We'll do it when it makes sense and when it's right."

We can only speculate as to the real reasons behind this delay. Warner currently supports both major HD disc formats, and has said they'll continue to do so. They have also played to each format's strengths, where justified, by releasing different versions of the same film.

Nickerson said that the studio would launch Total HD with between ten and twenty titles, though I wonder if that's going to be far too little, too late. Both high definition disc formats will have hundreds of titles available by early 2008, regardless of whether Blu-ray maintains its lead and continues to find favour with retailers. Add to that the likelihood of more hybrid players, and surely it doesn't make economic sense to push ahead with hybrid discs?

A lot can change in six months. I'm not convinced Warner's delay a good move. Are they just pushing back the inevitable date of discontinuing these discs?

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