Warner Brothers Online have announced a venture called WebDVD this week, which effectively combines the strengths of DVD with those of the Internet and is scheduled for release in the fall. The idea is rather simple, but might turn out to be highly effective to guarantee web surfers and DVD enthusiasts long lasting entertainment and a constant flow of information.
The way it works is that you receive a DVD disc that is encoded in different segments. Once you visit Warner’s website, you will have the chance to unlock a certain segment to view it. In the weeks following, Warner will allow you to unlock the complete disc segment by segment. Like a periodical print publication this approach will deliver information step by step while the combination with the Internet allows Warner to mix the pre-recorded information on the disc with brand new material that is downloaded from their website. The content of this online WebDVD shows is a mixture of Hollywood- themed content, community and commerce. In simple terms, the DVD supplies a high resolution TV show with TV commercials and the Internet is the back channel for chat, message boards and sales transactions. If you want to find out more about this project, click here, to take a look at Warner’s official press release. The project is still in an early phase, so don’t expect it to go live before fall this year.