Toshiba quits HD DVD business

Tribune-Star ^ | Feb. 19,2008 | By Yuri Kageyama

[Military family member]

TOKYO — Toshiba's decision to no longer develop, make or market high-definition HD DVD players and recorders will mean consumers can start feeling more confident about buying the victorious rival technology — a Blu-ray disc player.

Analysts say competition is expected to heat up among the manufacturers of Blu-ray players and recorders, which include Japanese makers Sony Corp., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. and Sharp Corp. as well as Samsung Electronics Co. of South Korea.

In making the announcement, Toshiba Corp. President Atsutoshi Nishida said he wanted to avoid confusion among consumers.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

That, and it was the choice of the porn industry.

On the other hand, that didn't help HD-DVD.

[Prokopton]

Thanks for p***ing on my Cheerios. Just when I thought I had this all figured out.

The speed at which technology is changing, there is no figuring things out. The PS3 will more than likely do everything you want it to do and it is a good Blu Ray player. However, new versions of the PS3 will be out probably in a couple weeks. Production has already ended on the old 80GB version with stores like BB only selling there remaining inventory.

Isn't technology fun?

[MeanWestTexan]

I just got a PS3 (and 80), Wii, and a HDTV widescreen and surround sounds for my present to myself for my birth day.

Mounted them to the center of the wall what used to be a spare room upstairs. No furniture, just a big ugly green rug.

My wife comes upstairs and laughs at my daughters and me, blasting away.

Vicious competition and good family fun.

[TNoldman]

Can I play Blu-ray on my HD-DVD player. ... with a software update?

HD-DVD’s and Directv HD programming look great on my 120 inch Screen from my Front Projection 1080 Projector.

[mmichaels1970]

Isn't technology fun?

lol...it's my job and I STILL can't keep up. Thanks for the low down on the PS3. I'm considering getting one with the good ole economic stimulus check. Sounds like the PS3 will be upgraded a bit by then.

[listenhillary]

“Can I play Blu-ray on my HD-DVD player. ... with a software update?”

Nope

[Prokopton]

Can I play Blu-ray on my HD-DVD player. ... with a software update?

No.

[Prokopton]

The critical factor was that VHS could put an entire movie on a single tape.

But to do so they had to slow the speed down, seriously degrading PQ.

[listenhillary]

Any benefit to waiting for the next generation PS3?

Just buy a 40gb PS3 if I’m not into gaming and hook up an external HD to it for digital movies? I would basically only be upconverting standard DVD and eventually playing Blu ray DVDs.

Interactve DVD experience, PIP don’t interest me.

[Locomotive Breath]

Absolutely. But most people can't tell the difference in PQ, but they can tell the difference when they have to get up in the middle of the movie to swap tapes. And that they have to store both tapes together to keep the movie in one place. And when they can't set their VCR to record the entire game and miss the final five minutes. And so forth.

[Prokopton]

Any benefit to waiting for the next generation PS3?

From what I understand, the new version will have different controllers, with feedback, and a larger hard disk. There might be other changes but I don't know for sure.

[Prokopton]

Just buy a 40gb PS3

BTW, the 40 GB PS3 is not backward compatible and will not play PS2 games.

[listenhillary]

I’m not a gamer.

Not enough hours of life to fritter them away playing a game.

[Paleo Conservative]

I'm still a bit surprised that HD DVD is just going away. I would have expected players that played both formats would have become common first and then have the one format die out.

Actually there are some dual format players, but they are Blu-ray drives that can also read HDDVD disks. It's physically impossible to read a Blu-ray disk with the red lasers used by HDDVD drives. It wouldn't surprise me if some Blu-ray drive manufacturers include read only compatibilty with HDDVD in future products the way CD-ROM, and DVD-RAM, and DVD±R are already.

Here's a link to a previous post I made on the subject.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1971098/posts?page=2#2

[Prokopton]

It's physically impossible to read a Blu-ray disk with the red lasers used by HDDVD drives.

HD DVD's are read by a blue laser, just like Blu Ray.

[Prokopton]

I’m not a gamer.

Not enough hours of life to fritter them away playing a game.

Me neither, that's why I'm waiting for the new Blu Ray players that will be out in about a month.

[HamiltonJay]

Toshiba Corp. President Atsutoshi Nishida said he wanted to avoid confusion among consumers.

After making sure to keep them confused for 2 years with a technology that was DOA from day one..... How do these idiots get away with saying sunch nonsense with a straight face?

[Publius6961]

I'm curious now.
Do Blu-Ray players also play existing DVDs?

Or do new purchasers plan to replace all of those dozens (hundreds) of potential coasters?

[Paleo Conservative]

Do Blu-Ray players also play existing DVDs?

Yes. I have two Blu-ray drives. One came with a laptop ordered at the end of December and the other is an external Blu-ray writer. Both drives read and write CD's and DVD's of various flavors in addition to reading Blu-ray.