I got some info from Warner today about their new Total HD format…

Warner Home Video (WHV) has announced the revolutionary “Total Hi-Def disc (THD),”which plays the HD DVD format on one side and the Blu-ray Disc format on the other. Warner Bros. created the disc and is announcing it in collaboration with manufacturers and replicators to allow a consumer with either format player to buy a single disc. Each side is a fully featured high definition home entertainment experience.

Total Hi-Def Benefits:
Warner Bros. has announced the Total Hi-Def (THD) disc to provide consumers with format flexibility and to eliminate confusion. The THD disc provides consumers with another choice, enables creators and artists to have the greatest possible distribution of their work, and helps retailers better serve the needs of the marketplace.

Total Hi-Def Disc Support:
Our partners within Time Warner -New Line Home Entertainment and HBO -are supporters of the Total Hi-Def (THD). In addition:

“We know our customers want high-definition content for their HDTVs. We also know a format war keeps people on the sidelines.With this new dual-format disc (THD), Warner Home Video is offering a viable solution to this dispute.This is the kind of customer-focused approach that Best Buy looks to bring to our customers.”
–Gary Arnold, SVP Entertainment, Best Buy Co., Inc.

“We believe that Total HD provides a creative solution to ease consumer and retailer concerns in deciding on the prevailing format. Consumers will be able to build a Total HD library enjoying all of the benefits of HD technology without fear that their investment will become obsolete.The Total HD solution will allow retailers to invest more inventory to a broader selection of titles and free up shelf space since the titles on this format are combined on one disk.This will allow consumer benefits that will drive the HD business.We encourage a one
format platform and Total HD appears to be the best solution forconsumers and retailers in the near term.”
–Mark Higgins, Vice PresidentMerchandising, Trans World Entertainment

Total Hi-Def Technology:
The THD disc has the ability to contain both single layer and dual layers for both formats enabling either 15 GB or 30 GB on the HD DVD side and 25 GB or 50 GB on the Blu-ray side. The physical structure of the disc is 1.2 mm the same as DVDs, HD DVD and Blu-ray discs. They are two .6 mm discs bonded together.

What is this disc and how does it work?
The Total Hi-Def (THD) disc combines HD DVD on one side and Blu-ray on the other—it’s that simple. Warner Bros. created the disc in collaboration with manufacturers and replicators to allow a consumer with either format player to buy a single disc and playit on the appropriate side. Each side is a fully featured high definition home entertainment experience.

When will it be available in the market?
We expect titles to be available in the second half of 2007.

Has the Total HD technology been approved by the DVD Forum or the Blu-ray Disc Association?
Approval is not necessary because each side of the disc is manufactured according to the respective specs of each association.

What is the capacity of the HD DVD side and the BD side?
The THD disc has the ability to contain both single layer and dual layers for both formats enabling either 15 GB or 30 GB on the HD DVD side and 25 GB or 50 GB on the Blu-ray side.

Is either side backwards compatible?
Like current HD DVD and Blu-ray discs, they are not compatible with standard DVD players.

What do the other studios think about this disc?
Our partners within Time Warner (New Line Entertainment and HBO)are supporters of the Total Hi-Def (THD) disc. We have not discussed the THD with the single-format studios, but once they realize supporting both high definition formats maximizes potential revenue, minimizes consumer confusion, reduces retail merchandizing challenges and speeds adoption of high definition media by consumers, the THD disc seems like it would be a natural next step. We welcome other studios support and participation in THD.

What will be the consumer price point?
Final suggested retail prices for the Total Hi-Def disc have not been determined. We will set them closer to product introduction and once additional consumer research has been completed.

Have you announced any titles on this disc?
No, but we will make that information available in a timeframe consistent with our standard trade announcements for home entertainment titles.