Format War - Blu-Ray Disc vs. HD-DVD (Blu-Ray is the Victor!)

[W1nTry]

HD-DVD confirmed dead

Hip hip, Blu-ray!

By Nick Booth: Monday, 18 February 2008, 10:19 AM

FOLLOWING REPORTS that it is set to dump HD DVD, Toshiba has pretty much confirmed its tactical retreat from the HD-DVD battleground.

The Blu-ray camp, led by Sony, may finally get this market their own way.

Company sources at Toshiba said it is mulling three main options.

Option One: Stop selling recorders and specialise in players. Option two: withdraw from the Japanese and US markets and march on Europe, where sales are stronger. Option Three: retreat completely from the next-generation DVD business. Expect a final decision before March.

It won’t be easy for Toshiba to pull out. US movie studios like Paramount Pictures, not to mention Microsoft, are loyal to the HD-DVD format. So they’ll have to be consulted. Toshiba executives can expect some stormy, table thumping meetings in the next couple of weeks. (Note to Toshiba execs: might be a good idea to do those meetings by video conferencing if you can get away with it)

In all likelihood, Toshiba will continue to sell HD-DVD machines on a limited basis for now. Their public failure to create a global standard, when knowledge gets out, will excacerbate the sales crisis, which will force them to pull the plug eventually.

The pull-out follows a decision by some major US. film studios – like Warner Brothers - and retail giants like Walmart to get behind the rival Blu-ray standard. Toshiba tried slashing prices of HD-DVD players as recently as January, but sales didn’t pick up. In March they’re expected to post losses on this format running into billions of yen.

Shame really. I think if MS didn't act so high and mighty and put the HD-DVD drive in the Xbox it would have won... but I am inclined to see the view of Peter Jackson whom was quoted as saying the ONLY reason MS went ahead and backed HD-DVD was because it wanted to create imbalance in the HD wars thus promoting their online services (movie rentals, music, video via Xbox Live direct to drive). The install base of the Xbox 360 is currently larger and it would have won over more ppl. But seems MS plan didn't go as well as it would have wished and now BR will become the HD standard. I know the music and movie industry love BR cause its DRM infected to the hilt, but that aside I do consider it the superior standard from a size perspective. The only thing we can hope for is the HD-DVD become a optical storage for the PC standard cause let's face it DVD's ain't cutting it no more and BR burners and media are prohibitively EXPENSIVE. If they stick it on every PC they can find, I am sure they'll find a way to make money yet.

[Exar_Kun]

If MS had put HD-DVD in the 360 off the bat the 360 would have fallen flat on its face, for the exact same reasons the PS3 did, high cost. Even worse actually since Sony I think has a larger base of brand loyal fans than XBox did.

Sony ate the lackluster numbers in order to spike Bluray player installed base. Even with Blu taking the win, falling prices of standalone players might actually mean Sony won't catch the momentum the PS2 had with it's DVD player. Sacrificed winning the console battle to win the format war it seems to me.

[W1nTry]

I doubt the 360 would have fallen flat on it's face, that aside however it's obviosu Sony had the format war in mind :p I do consider the PS3 a Blue-Ray player that can play GAMES, whereas I consider the 360 a Console that can play HD discs.

[Crixx_Creww]

this does not bode well for downloads

[Spazosaurus]

this does not bode well for downloads

How so?

[W1nTry]

this does not bode well for downloads

How so?

Well unlike before where you could 'aquire' a 4GB file as a movie ISO... with BR... now you'll have.... brace urself 50GB ISOs... that and the DRM infection tends to make it harder to copy to begin with

[TriniXaeno]

just when blink was making those 700mb xvid files bearable.

mcmcmc

[TheApprentice]

just when blink was making those 700mb xvid files bearable.

mcmcmc

qft


lol
Well I mean, when you compare HD content to those small downloads....
It worth the longer wait....


>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Microsoft Not Worried About HD DVD

"We do not believe the recent reports about HD DVD will have any material impact on the Xbox 360 platform or our position in the marketplace. As we've long stated, we believe it is games that sell consoles and Xbox 360 continues to have the largest next-gen games library with the most exclusives and best selling games in the industry. We will wait until we hear from Toshiba before announcing any specific plans around the Xbox 360 HD DVD player. HD DVD is one of the several ways we offer a high definition experience to consumers and we will continue to give consumers the choice to enjoy digital distribution of high definition movies and TV shows directly to their living room along with playback of the DVD movies they already own."

[Spazosaurus]

I don't know about y'll but I cant remember when last I download an actual dvd. dvd rip ftw @ 700mb almost the same quality and sometimes even subtitles.

[AvatarTT]

Subtitles can easily be acquired for almost any movie, and be burned along with the rip. In fact, the subtitles are made for the rips themselves 

[Crixx_Creww]

thats precisely wat we mean captain...

a BR rip will be gigs large and not mb large... not gonna be cool

[W1nTry]

Yup (in one of those rare moments) I agree with crix, the POINT of HD formats is to have HIGHER QUALITY than DVD. If you RIP it you INSTANTLY LOSE quality which was the WHOLE POINT of the FORMAT... so RIPPING an BR disc is like taking a Saleem Mustang and ripping out the engine, the interior, the paint the tires, the rims, the whole damn car and replacing it with Nissan march parts... if yuh gonna rip a HD format disc might as well just stick to the DVD IF it comes out. Now the good thing is that DVDs will be around for QUITE SOME TIME. However the bad is that when it becomes the defacto standard, if they don't make BR burners affordable you'll only have BR rips which would if even lose the quality and point, would take ALOT LONGER to process. Either way its a loss. That and the fact that as I mentioned BR is harder to crack (though I believe  it has already but say what, it won't be for the Office application run of the mill user and thats my point).

[TheApprentice]

PRESS RELEASE

Toshiba Announces Discontinuation of HD DVD Businesses

19 February, 2008

Company Remains Focused on Championing Consumer Access to High Definition Content

TOKYO--Toshiba Corporation today announced that it has undertaken a thorough review of its overall strategy for HD DVD and has decided it will no longer develop, manufacture and market HD DVD players and recorders. This decision has been made following recent major changes in the market. Toshiba will continue, however, to provide full product support and after-sales service for all owners of Toshiba HD DVD products.

HD DVD was developed to offer consumers access at an affordable price to high-quality, high definition content and prepare them for the digital convergence of tomorrow where the fusion of consumer electronics and IT will continue to progress.

"We carefully assessed the long-term impact of continuing the so-called 'next-generation format war' and concluded that a swift decision will best help the market develop," said Atsutoshi Nishida, President and CEO of Toshiba Corporation. "While we are disappointed for the company and more importantly, for the consumer, the real mass market opportunity for high definition content remains untapped and Toshiba is both able and determined to use our talent, technology and intellectual property to make digital convergence a reality."

Toshiba will continue to lead innovation, in a wide range of technologies that will drive mass market access to high definition content. These include high capacity NAND flash memory, small form factor hard disk drives, next generation CPUs, visual processing, and wireless and encryption technologies. The company expects to make forthcoming announcements around strategic progress in these convergence technologies.

Toshiba will begin to reduce shipments of HD DVD players and recorders to retail channels, aiming for cessation of these businesses by the end of March 2008. Toshiba also plans to end volume production of HD DVD disk drives for such applications as PCs and games in the same timeframe, yet will continue to make efforts to meet customer requirements. The company will continue to assess the position of notebook PCs with integrated HD DVD drives within the overall PC business relative to future market demand.

This decision will not impact on Toshiba's commitment to standard DVD, and the company will continue to market conventional DVD players and recorders. Toshiba intends to continue to contribute to the development of the DVD industry, as a member of the DVD Forum, an international organization with some 200 member companies, committed to the discussion and defining of optimum optical disc formats for the consumer and the related industries.

Toshiba also intends to maintain collaborative relations with the companies who joined with Toshiba in working to build up the HD DVD market, including Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, and DreamWorks Animation and major Japanese and European content providers on the entertainment side, as well as leaders in the IT industry, including Microsoft, Intel, and HP. Toshiba will study possible collaboration with these companies for future business opportunities, utilizing the many assets generated through the development of HD DVD.

[TheApprentice]

In a statement sent exclusively to The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount Home Entertainment has revealed that they will return to releasing their films on Blu-ray. Initially supporting both high definition formats, Paramount became HD DVD exclusive in a controversial move by the studio in Fall of last year. With Universal Studios announcing their support of Blu-ray earlier this week, Paramount completes the last piece of the puzzle as the sixth and final major studio to support the Blu-ray format.

The statement read, "We are pleased that the industry is moving to a single high-definition format, as we believe it is in the best interest of the consumer. As we look to (begin) releasing our titles on Blu-ray, we will monitor consumer adoption and determine our release plans accordingly."

While no specific titles or dates have been announced at this time, it is expected that Paramount will first release their stock of Blu-ray titles produced but never released due to their exclusivity deal with HD DVD. This could include titles that were recalled soon after the deal was announced, such as 'Blades of Glory' or other Paramount titles which has already been prepared for Blu-ray release.

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=1010

The World has gone Blu 

[TheApprentice]

UK online retailers Play.com and Dixons.co.uk have both reported large spikes in Blu-ray player interest from their customers since Toshiba officially announced they would no longer be supporting the HD DVD format, effectively declaring Blu-ray the winner of the high definition format war. Dixons is reporting that searches for Blu-ray player are up 150%, while Play.com is reporting that Player sales the day of the announcement were up 700%.

deVere Forster, managing director at Dixons, commented, "This is good news for consumers as the availability of a single format will allow consumers to purchase the high definition Blu-ray format DVD player with every confidence and enjoy all the benefits that this fantastic format has to offer".

Stuart Rowe, Chief Operating Officer at Play.com remarked, "People have been waiting a long time to move into the Hi-Def era and now they have the confidence that this is going to be the format."

Consumers have been reluctant to purchase high definition movies during the format war for fear they would end up investing in a failed format. Now that a winner has been declared the winner, consumers are flocking to purchase movies and players on Blu-ray.

As much as the format war has been credited for lowering player prices and offering exclusive sales, it also had its part in keeping consumers away. With a winner declared, consumer adoption can adjust to the level it should have been at all along.

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=1023