IS HD DVD dead?
p2pnet news | Product News:- Has the bell tolled for HD?
With news of a dastardly (and, we’re sure, completely coincidental) hack on the Blu-ray Disc site, sending people to arch-rival HD DVD’s page, in the background, Warner Bros’ move to back Blu-ray exclusively clearly caught both Toshiba and the North American HD DVD Promotion Group totally off-balance.
“Toshiba is quite surprised by Warner Bros.’ decision to abandon HD DVD in favor of Blu-ray, despite the fact that there are various contracts in place between our companies concerning the support of HD DVD,” says Toshiba in a masterly understatement, going on:
As central members of the DVD Forum, we have long maintained a close partnership with Warner Bros. We worked closely together to help standardize the first-generation DVD format as well as to define and shape HD DVD as its next-generation successor.
We were particularly disappointed that this decision was made in spite of the significant momentum HD DVD has gained in the US market as well as other regions in 2007. HD DVD players and PCs have outsold Blu-ray in the US market in 2007.
We will assess the potential impact of this announcement with the other HD DVD partner companies and evaluate potential next steps. We remain firm in our belief that HD DVD is the format best suited to the wants and needs of the consumer.
Then, “Based on the timing of the Warner Home Video announcement today, we have decided to postpone our CES 2008 press conference scheduled for Sunday, January 6th at 8:30 p.m. in the Wynn Hotel,” says a North American HD DVD Promotion Group statement, quoted on wesleytech.com.
“We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
“We are currently discussing the potential impact of this announcement with the other HD DVD partner companies and evaluating next steps. We believe the consumer continues to benefit from HD DVD’s commitment to quality and affordability – a bar that is critical for the mainstream success of any format.
“We’ll continue to keep you updated on new developments around HD DVD.”
Says PC World of the Boxing Day Blu-ray hack, “This is the latest manifestation of the fervor and vitriol I’ve seen over the past months among the fanboys and home theater enthusiast-types who post on the many audio-visual boards.
“While sharing information online is a great resource for active and passive participants alike, I can’t help but wonder how this will play out as the format war progresses and, presumably, one side becomes the dominant force. Things have gotten unnecessarily nasty before; is more of that in store before this war is done?”
All was well today, however,
Stay tuned.
(Thanks, catflap)
Also see:
Toshiba- Toshiba’s Comment on Announcement from Warner Bros. Entertainment of Its Exclusive Support for Blu-ray Disc Format, January 4, 2008
wesleytech.com – CES HD DVD Event canceled due to Warner announcement, January 4, 2008
PC World – Blu-ray Site Hacked By Enthusiast, December 26, 2007
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January 5th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
I beleive that HD DVD and Blue ray are both dead just like Audio DVD and SACD. And it is dead because of DRM and this despite of the cracks.
January 5th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
I think the real problem between the 2 competing formats is film companies favoring one over the other. Any die-hard film buff would have to purchase 2 players (or the new one that supports both, which costs close to a thousand bucks) in order to watch all available movies. With a universal format like DVD and VHS, this is never an issue. It wasn’t even an issue during the VHS/Betamax war. People could choose one format or the other, and watch any movie that was available at the time, with no strings attached (until Betamax died out).
January 5th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
I welcome the downfall of HD-DVD. Maybe MS will break it’s ties with the MPAA and it will lead to a less bloated and DRM crippled version of Windows. I won’t take Windows Vista that MS is offering me for free.
January 6th, 2008 at 2:21 am
new line are also moving to blu-ray. http://www.dvdtown.com/news/new-line-drops-hd-dvd-as-well/5066/%5DDVDtown.com
so lord of the rings on blu-ray
January 6th, 2008 at 8:26 am
If Blu-Ray wins then DRM and region coding will continue. HD-DVD had broken DRM and no region coding which made it much more user friendly.
Plus the fact Blu-Ray is brought to you by Sony; they of the CD rootkit
January 6th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
“If Blu-Ray wins then DRM and region coding will continue.”
Blue-Ray has been cracked too.
January 6th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/06/live-coverage-from-the-philips-press-event/
shops also going blu-ray exclusive.
blu- ray has optional region coding and optional DRM. (all majors use DRM but not region coding!)
ACCS is broken BD+ is not(yet)
January 6th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
I have no interest in Sony products, nuf said.
January 7th, 2008 at 10:24 am
wah wah wah you guys are little whiny bitches complaining about your DRM. get over it. the only reason DRM would hurt you is if you wanted to illegally share it.
EE Says:
January 5th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
I welcome the downfall of HD-DVD. Maybe MS will break it’s ties with the MPAA and it will lead to a less bloated and DRM crippled version of Windows. I won’t take Windows Vista that MS is offering me for free.
this guy is either a liar or a fag cause he knows he uses windows in one place or another. complain about MS all you want, but they make the software that the world uses. live with it or hop on the “debug linux and throw away any thoughts of playing the latest games/using the latest software” bandwagon.
and this fag:
Here we go again Says:
January 6th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
I have no interest in Sony products, nuf said.
orly? so you have no sony products at all? after the rootkit deal you threw away everything sony and banned them from your life? what an asshat. forego all the fun of psp/playstation series as well as all of the artists that comprise sony bmg. yeah that sounds fun…. i bet you have sony bmg’s artists on your hard drive. guys like this are liars as well as tools. and if you really did abandon everything and are living in the mountains somewhere without all your “DRM filled” technology then grats to you. you are not just a loser, but a very bored loser.
you can whine and complain about DRM and sony being the devil, but face it. you cannot live without them, nor can you do anything about them.
January 7th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
packin’ a vienna,
It has nothing to do with the rootkit deal …
When you own a Sony CD Megachanger with text display but can’t find any commercial CD’s with text data (it makes you think)
When you own an SACD player but can’t find any SACD discs (it makes you think)
What makes you so sure Blu Ray (completely controlled by Sony) will still be around let’s say in 5 to 10 years ?
January 7th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
This is reminescent of the VHS vs Beta wars,but in this case I think that Microsoft & Sony should the pandering of these competing to technologied to film studios and let the comsumer decide what format to use intead forcing it upon the market.
January 7th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
i’m waiting for the HD DVD fire sale. $5 HDDVD’s and $20 HD DVD players in the bargain basement bin. That combined with a $25 HDDVD burner, and I’ll be set. Any movies on blu ray exclusive I’ll just rent. 3 layer hddvd blanks have more than enough capacity for blu ray disc. And with HD dvd support gone with the death of the format, so will be the DRM updates that you’re forced to download. Win win situation for the consumer if you ask me.
January 7th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
orly? so you have no sony products at all?
No longer buy any RIAA/MPAA member products or download at all!
Whatever RIAA/MPAA product members I unfortunatly bough in the past I keep it and share it online.
And the new RIAA member products I don’ buy it I download it for free and I SHARE IT!
Does it nother an RIAA drone like you pay by the RIAA to rant on forum about the evile pirates? I am sur it does! And this is why I am doing it!
Catch me if you can parasite! H
ahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
January 7th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Correction:
“Does it nother” read “Does it bother”
January 8th, 2008 at 12:45 am
@packin’ a vienna
I never claimed that I never use windows, I said I will never install Vista on my PC, and BTW I do use Red Hat Linux for some things. Additionally, Vista’s DRM hurts those who legally purchase their movies, not those whom download it. Vista downgrades commercial HD content to make it harder to rip. If someone has already ripped a HD version for download, they will be able to watch it normally. This means you can get a higher quality product for free from the internet than will be sold in stores. The **AAs used MS’s HD-DVD aspirations to force most innovative and consumer friendly features out of Vista while adding this additional bloat that use my computers resources without adding value. I genuinely don’t see any advantage in Vista over XP. I didn’t install windows ME and I won’t install Vista.
On a personal note, the eloquence of your argument makes me hopeful. The best counterargument you could make was to use pejoratives to impugn my character. I assume you are a shill trying to convince young readers to buy the corporate line without thinking about it for themselves. If this is the case, shame on you. However, it is entirely possible that you really are just an immature kid.
February 6th, 2008 at 12:15 am
Forget all dat DRMs and Vista BULLCRAP!!! All I want to know is which is the better option, Hi-Def or Blu-Ray? Im not a fan of Sony to be honest. But I do want the Bang for my Buck. Own a 360, don like the PS3. Give me some advice on why I should choose either or. Also, could the HD DVD really survive the battle, cuz Toshiba along with a few others are really going out on a limb to keep the HD DVD era alive. I personally would like to see Blu-Ray croak over and DIE!!! Can’t respect NOR SUPPORT!, a company that would go to those limits just make a few bucks. If it aint Philips, Samsung, or ANYTHING Besides SONY, my stacks stay off deck!!!
-DaBoss!