Warner offers HD DVD trade up

[Michael Stailey]

Burbank, CA, 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.
 

[barnaclelapse]

Doesn't seem like a terrible idea.

[Dan Mancini]

Doesn't seem like a terrible idea.

Unless you're Vargas.

[Andrew Forbes]

Doesn't seem like a terrible idea.

Unless you're Vargas.

[J.M. Vargas]

From my cold dead hands you'll pry away my vast collection of Warner HD-DVD's.

Seriously though, for those that want a Blu-ray only collection and were 'burned' by HD-DVD this is the cheapest way yet to turn a red media collection into a blue one. Here's the 128 titles up for trade: http://red2blu.com/products.html (click 'Show All'). Only $4.95 plus S&H (I guess less than four bucks) means BD's for under $10, about the price Warner's catalogue BD's go on sale for three or four times a year. If I weren't attached to HD-DVD and had a handful of them that were bothering me when looking at my all-blue library this is a Godsend (and proof of why Warner is second only to Criterion as the coolest studio around, even if they killed HD-DVD by dumping it).

[cdouglas]

Thumbs up to Warner Bros. They really are a cool company. Criterion has a DVD-to-Blu trade-in program, but it's considerably more expensive than this ($20 per trade-in).

[J.M. Vargas]

I read the instructions and it's an even sweeter deal than it appears:

-you only mail-in the cover for the HD-DVD (box sets have to be folded and/or crushed when sent) with a paid postage sticker you print when you do the transaction online. You get to keep your HD-DVD discs (although naked in a clear red case) and get the BD counterparts from Warner;

-it's a flat shipping fee of $6.95 total for up to 25 discs (per household) but only 1 HD-DVD for the exact same BD title (takes 4-5 weeks for delivery though);

-most movies are $4.95, a few Box Sets are $9.95 or $14.95.

It's still unclear if Warner will send you a Blu-ray disc only or a new BD package (disc plus case). I'm of half-a-mind to do this with a few Warner HD-DVD's I own that have Spanish subtitles/soundtracks so that (a) I can pass the HD-DVD copies to mom in El Salvador (remember her?) while (b) keeping the same movies but on a different format. It's still five bucks per BD plus taxes but at least mom gets to have more high-def movies at a slightly lower cost for me to replace them.

[Steve T Power]

Red2Blu not available in Canada???

Now this really pisses me off to no end.

Looks like i'll be listing the HD-DVD add-on with 20+ discs on ebay afterall.

[J.M. Vargas]

It's still unclear if Warner will send you a Blu-ray disc only or a new BD package (disc plus case).

An AVS Forum poster called Warner's store and was told the BD's he'd get in exchange for his HD-DVD's would be the same as retail BD (disc, inserts and blue case): http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16319019#post16319019

Red2Blu not available in Canada???

Now this really pisses me off to no end.

You could always ask a friendly DVD Verdict member across the border if you can use his/her US address for the trade and then they'd ship the new BD's over to Canada (wink, wink).

[Steve T Power]

It's still unclear if Warner will send you a Blu-ray disc only or a new BD package (disc plus case).

An AVS Forum poster called Warner's store and was told the BD's he'd get in exchange for his HD-DVD's would be the same as retail BD (disc, inserts and blue case): http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16319019#post16319019

Red2Blu not available in Canada???

Now this really pisses me off to no end.

You could always ask a friendly DVD Verdict member across the border if you can use his/her US address for the trade and then they'd ship the new BD's over to Canada (wink, wink).

But... but... whom could i ask?

[Shmoooooo]

It's still unclear if Warner will send you a Blu-ray disc only or a new BD package (disc plus case).

An AVS Forum poster called Warner's store and was told the BD's he'd get in exchange for his HD-DVD's would be the same as retail BD (disc, inserts and blue case): http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16319019#post16319019

Red2Blu not available in Canada???

Now this really pisses me off to no end.

You could always ask a friendly DVD Verdict member across the border if you can use his/her US address for the trade and then they'd ship the new BD's over to Canada (wink, wink).

But... but... whom could i ask?

Why you could ask me of course ... won't get you anywhere, as I don't have an American address ... but you could ask.

[mkiker2089]

I'm not sure that this is a good deal though. You have the player right (or else you wouldn't have the movies.) Just hold on to them and watch them on the HD player. I don't want to trade in my laserdiscs plus 5 bucks for the DVDs and they are a heck of a lot worse that HD. The picture is just as good or better than the BR isn't it?

Besides, they may be worth something one day. You never can tell what people will collect.

[Shmoooooo]

I'm not sure that this is a good deal though. You have the player right (or else you wouldn't have the movies.) Just hold on to them and watch them on the HD player. I don't want to trade in my laserdiscs plus 5 bucks for the DVDs and they are a heck of a lot worse that HD. The picture is just as good or better than the BR isn't it?

Besides, they may be worth something one day. You never can tell what people will collect.

But where are you going to get another HD-DVD player when yours dies?? I'm sure Vargas has a couple dozen of them ... but do you?

[mkiker2089]

Where am I going to get another laserdisc player? By the time the thing dies you'd have probably double dipped anyway. Heck in a few years they may finally convince us to download them. If Sony has their way I'd be watching all the new releases on my Playstation.

Vargas has it right in my book. You bought them, and they aren't going to get any better so watch them until you have them memorized.

Then again I'm the guy who just got finished playing a round of Duck Hunt on the NES.