Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

IT’S A ‘BLU’ APRIL!
WARNER HOME VIDEO OFFERS BLU-RAY LOYALTY AND
HD-DVD TRADE UP PROGRAM

Burbank, Calif., April 22, 2009 – Warner Home Video (WHV) has announced the launch of two new programs, “Warnerblu Buy 5 Get 1 Free,” the Studio’s first-ever Blu-ray Disc™ customer loyalty program, and an HD-DVD trade up program, “Red2Blu,” which offers HD-DVD owners the opportunity to upgrade their Warner Home Video releases on HD-DVD for a Blu-ray Disc of the same movie.

For those who have chosen to watch movies at home the best way possible, with the picture and sound that you can only get on Blu-ray Disc, the new “Warnerblu Buy 5 Get 1 Free” program offers consumers one free Blu-ray movie for every five participating titles purchased through April 6, 2010 (shipping and handling not included). “Warnerblu Buy 5 Get 1 Free” is open to residents in the United States and Canada.

To join “Warnerblu Buy 5 Get 1 Free,” consumers register at Warnerblu.com/rewards. After joining, members earn one credit for each subsequent WHV Blu-ray title they purchase. Once their Blu-ray title is registered, their Warnerblu account is credited,and when they reach five Blu-ray titles, they will be able to select a free WHV Blu-ray Disc (plus shipping and handling).

The first participating Blu-ray release is Yes Man,released on April 7. For details and restrictions and a list of upcoming participating WHV titles, visit WarnerBlu.com/rewards.

In addition to “Warnerblu Buy 5 Get 1 Free,” WHV has announced a new program, “Red2Blu,”for those who want to upgrade titles they currently own on HD-DVD to Blu-ray. By visiting Red2Blu.com, consumers can trade up virtually any of their WHV HD-DVD titles (up to 25) for the same title on Blu-ray for a small fee plus shipping and handling. For details and restrictions, visit Red2Blu.com. “Red2Blu” is available to residents of the United States only.

Also, to promote the launch of “Warnerblu Buy 5 Get 1 Free,” WHV is launching the “Blu-ray Today” sweepstakes, featuring a grand prize of $5,000. Once they enter the sweepstakes, customers can return to the web site every day for additional entries (one per day). The “Blu-ray Today” sweepstakes runs now through April 6, 2010 on WarnerBlu.com.

To register for “Warnerblu Buy 5 Get 1 Free,” to take advantage of “Red2Blu,” and for more information on the sweepstakes, visit Warnerblu.com/rewards or Red2Blu.com.

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

This is fantastic news. I have at least 25 Warner HD-DVD titles I would
love to upgrade to Blu-ray.

Very cool for Warner to make this kind of trade-up program available.

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

Eh, I figure that by the time my HD-DVD player craps out on me (if it ever does; that HD-A1 is built like a tank), then there will be re-releases. In the mean time, I'll save the money that would go to "a small fee and shipping plus handling".

Any folks who never had HD-DVD but want to get some cheap movies by combining this with iNetVideo, though, should go nuts.

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

Very good of Warner to make this trade-up program available. Just checked the site - cost is $4.95 per disc, plus $6.95 S&H per order. So you want to do all your trade-ups at once to minimize S&H.

You send in your HD-DVD cover art to redeem the discs. That means you have to dispose of the HD-DVD discs & cases (or keep them as a backup, I guess).

Dunno if I will trade up all my Warner HD-DVDs, but I might at least get rid of those annoying combos.

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

Craig,

Just to clarify...

You can exchange up to 25 HD-DVD for BD discs.

Cost of each exchange is $4.95 per disc. If you do 25 at once you
only need to pay $6.95 S&H for the entire order?

Also, I take it you only need to remove and send the cover art from
each disc. Nothing else.

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

I wonder if I trade in my Superman Returns HD DVD, will they send me the TrueHD Blu-ray or the DD one.

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

$14.95 to upgrade Blade Runner. No thanks. I can almost buy the Blu myself for that price.

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

I wonder if you will actually receive the "Ultimate Collector's Edition" in return if you "upgrade" 'Casablanca.'

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

"Upgrade" may not be the best chosen terminology.


Cees

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

That's the impression I got.
Agreed, not a great deal because the BD set is so cheap. But they do have some good deals on other sets. $14.95 to upgrade the Harry Potter set (5 discs) is not bad at all.
Was wondering the same thing myself.

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

I may not do it for 25 titles, but will for some. 25 x 4.95 is $123.75, but it is 25 discs. I agree the Blade Runner deal is not good. Also, The Searchers can be had from Amazon for $11.95. Still, I am impressed with Warner for offering this program.

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

As am I.

When you click on the Casablanca HD-DVD image on the website, it flips around and becomes a Blu-ray case. Same cover art as the HD-DVD release.

Does this mean that the stripped-down version is just around the corner? Or that HD-DVD upgraders/updaters are about to get an exclusive?

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

Sold!

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

Seems like a great move by Warner, and I appreciate it. May not swap all of my HD-DVDs, but a dozen or so for sure.

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

So I take it that only the Ultimate Matrix Collection can be upgraded, and not "The Complete Matrix Trilogy?" If so, that's a bit of a bummer, but somewhat understandable I guess.

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

Interesting but I'll give it a pass (even though I live in Canada, I work in the US and I could probably use my office address). I have two HD DVD players and I doubt they will both go "belly up" in the near future. Moreover, I have some HD DVDs that are not out in BD yet (notably Forbidden Planet, Mutiny on the Bounty and Grand Prix) and I don't expect a near future release, either. Oh, and I like the combo discs--they've come in handy already and I would have liked it if all HD DVD releases had been combos. Besides, I haven't even unwrapped the latest batch of HD DVDs I just bought (at 2.99-4.99 per disc).

Perhaps a silly question, but do I get to keep the discs if they only want the cover art?

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

Add $4.95 and the price of the BD is just about right.


Cees

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

All three of those titles are expected to be released this year.

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

I had not heard any news like that and I remain sceptical (though I hope they do get released as each looks fantastic in hi-def).
Except that my most recent HD DVD purchases were made ONLY because of their low cost--I would not have purchased them at twice or more of their prices. All but one were blind buys that would cost me more to rent and the non-blind buy replaced a scratched SD copy that no longer plays. It was the only one I might have purchased for more money for the BD, but the HD DVD will do fine.

I understand the attraction of this offer for many people. However, I am quite satisfied with the PQ of my HD DVD players and their respective displays, I have two players that have not had any issues (and should not have any firmware issues, at any rate, since no more new discs are being made), I actually like the combo discs (I can take those on the road with me so I don't need to get an SD version too), I'm not in the camp of "I have to have lossless audio with my movies" (don't want to argue about it, just stating my position) AND I have enough WB BD titles that to "upgrade" them all to BD would be expensive--I'd rather spend that money on titles I don't already have.

Of course, I still have (and use) a MiniDisc home deck and portable player, still use my 19 year old CD player in the living room system (my first player--a Kenwood from 1986--is still in service at my friend's house), so I expect my HD DVD players to work for quite some time. If and when something actually "better" (qualitatively, I consider HD DVD and BD equivalent) comes along, then I might "upgrade" again. But I'm in no rush.

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

WHAT?

So I can send I'm that slip on the back of my ultimate matrix set
And recieve the blu version for about $21?

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

"Trade Up"?

"for those who want to upgrade titles"?

Who's writing WB's press releases nowadays? Bill Hunt?

Seriously, the only thing I might consider "exchanging" (a better, less antagonistic term, I think) is the Harry Potter set. Since red2blu is blocked at work, can someone tell how they are handling exchanging the Harry Potter suitcase set of five films? There are no covers to return (unless you count the wrap-around piece on the suitcase itself).

BTW, I was also a fan of the Combo disk format. I find it funny that some BD releases are now coming with a DVD copy (although it is on a second disk). I wonder if the same people that complained about Combo disks are complaining about having to pay even a little more for the dual-format BDs.

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

You really can't compare them, given that most of the films coming out with Digital Copies are the mass market disks that are retail discounted and the combo flippers cost on average above $10 more than other similar catalog titles.

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

I just emailed them to ask that very question.

At the very least, one should be able to upgrade the copy of The Matrix included in the Trilogy box, since it's identical to the single disc.

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

Actually, I was talking about how things like the Pinocchio and Sleeping Beauty BDs have an extra disk with the DVD version, not Digital Copies (don't get me started on Digital Copies).

However, as I recall, the Combo flippers were only $5 more list. And I paid a lot less than that for them even when HD-DVD was still going strong.

But, this is kind of beside the point. What I really want to know is if I can convert my HP set to BD.

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

I understand that, and in fact I recently made some similar purchases for the same reason. (I own two HD DVD players as well.)

When I made that quoted remark, I was actually hinting at a different, slightly less honourable technique.


Cees

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

Well, I just started the swap procedure. I'm exchanging 11 movies. We'll see how long it takes until I actually have the movies in hand.

I will say that it is fantastic that WB is doing this. Thank you Warner Brothers!

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

I cannot wait to hear their response.

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

Yes!
For the HP set, you send in the cardboard folder for the 1st disc only - just the holder, not the disc. I assume you will get back the 5 discs in the same cardboard folders. I doubt they'd resend the entire suitcase (but who knows, it may be cheaper for them just to ship the suitcase out of existing stock). Either way, it's a pretty good trade-in deal for $15.

For the other sets, it's a similar procedure. Send in the paper stuck on the back for the Ultimate Matrix. Send in the paper slipcover (flattened) for the Oceans 11-12-13 set.

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

Intriguing program that I will consider. It will be interesting to see ho it works out and I too am wondering about Casablanca.

Re: Announcement: Warner Home Video Blu-Ray Loyalty and HD-DVD Trade Up Program

Yup. And that's a REAL upgrade because the BD set has the hi-def Animatrix.