February 14th, 2008
Toshiba to Drop HD-DVD: Sources
By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
Since Warner Bros. dropped HD-DVD just prior to CES, bad news has continued to flow for the HD-DVD group. Prices drops were said by Gartner to simply “prolong the agony,” Netflix dropped HD-DVD, and Best Buy said they would begin recommending Blu-ray over HD-DVD. Now “reliable” sources say that in the coming weeks Toshiba - the developer of HD-DVD - will abandon the format.
Such an move would end with the format imploding, as Paramount and Universal would be forced to drop the format and move to the Blu-ray format, while Microsoft would have to move to their backup plan of adding an external Blu-ray drive to the Xbox 360.
Such a move also makes a lot of sense. Despite everything Toshiba and the HD-DVD group have done, including a Super Bowl ad, nothing has stemmed the bleeding. Toshiba continues to remain defiant on the outside, but hints at things to come, telling The Hollywood Reporter that:
“Given the market developments in the past month, Toshiba will continue to study the market impact and the value proposition for consumers, particularly in light of our recent price reductions on all HD DVD players.”
We Say: Sounds ominous, doesn’t it? But I agree with Gartner. All these steps just prolong the inevitable. It’s time for Toshiba to cut its losses and give in.
Hopefully none of you readers are HD-DVD owners. If so, it’s time to look for something you need to weigh down with a large paperweight.
Brad Brode says:
So what if Toshiba drops HD-DVD? That means I have to throw away my HD-DVD player and 20 HD-DVD movies? I don’t think so. I still own a Laserdisc player and movies as well and don’t plan on getting rid of those either.
That’s like saying the big 3 are going to stop making cars, and then I have to get rid of my Dodge Viper to get a Toyota Corrolla. Whatever.
February 15th, 2008 at 9:22 am
Michael Santo says:
No, you’re right about that, but HD-DVD going forward will not have any new releases, etc. Of course, you are going to keep what you currently have.
February 15th, 2008 at 10:24 am
Chesco Romero says:
¿HD DVD pierde la guerra?…
Leo en realtechnews.com y, asímismo, en engadget.com que la tecnología HD-DVD puede tener los días contados y el mercado se está decidiendo por el Blu-ray como formato estandar sucesor del viejo DVD.
Desde que Warner Bros se decantó por el format…
February 16th, 2008 at 6:45 am
» ¿HD DVD pierde la guerra? Chesco Romero: Comunicaciones y Redes. Experiencias y opinión. says:
[…] Leo en realtechnews.com y, asímismo, en engadget.com que la tecnología HD-DVD puede tener los días contados y el mercado se está decidiendo por el Blu-ray como formato estandar sucesor del viejo DVD. […]
February 17th, 2008 at 9:51 am