Toshiba announces HD DVD surrender: War is finally over!
The high definition disc format war that has raged for the last two years ended in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. Toshiba announced it would stop development, manufacturing and marketing HD DVD players and recorders. The company says however, it will continue to fully support and service all existing HD DVD players.
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Finally now I cant regret buying my $1500 Blu Ray player
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Sharp AQUOS LC-52D92U
Onkyo TX-NR905B
Sinclair Audio Sculptura Series Speakers
(3 SC4's for the (F,R,L) and 2 SC2"s for the rears)
Velodyne 15' DLS-5000R Subwoofer
Panamax 5500-EX Surge Protector
Sony BDP S2000ES Blu-Ray Player
Rogers HDPVR
Monster Universal Remote(MCC AVL300-S CAN)
XBOX 360
We are a long ways off from down loadable HD content being high quality and main stream, so hopefully BluRay will fill the gap for the next 5-7 years.
I know Audioholics was not pro any format so it's not really a big deal here.
Being in IT I can say I have never supported any Microsoft hardware venture or attempt at breaking into consumer electronics or home theater industry just seeing how their past attempts at trying to popularize hardware went.
Microsoft is like the guy who sets out to do one thing, then goes into 101 directions and does not finish what he set out to.
Staying non-partisan is one of the reasons I continue to visit this site for news on the HDM wars. I can't stand EngadgetHD anymore. It's sickening just reading some of the garbage posts over there.
And, yes, Microsoft was never fully committed in seeing HD DVD all the way through. But who didn't really know that already? I refused to invest in HDM until the dust settled.
Actually, the only thing I did buy that was HDM-related was the Joe Kane Digital Video Essentials HD DVD/DVD combo disc since it was only a few dollars more when I purchased it. I figured it was a no brainer.
Remember at the end of the day Microsoft is in it for themselves, right now everyone is in sour grapes mode and they'll denounce Blu-ray till they're blue in the face (sorry no pun, well maybe.) Toshiba will have to produce a BD player to recoup funds lost, just like Sony had to produce VHS VCRs after Betamax lost, no company likes to lose a share of the market and the board of directors and investors won't let it happen, Toshiba will eventually produce a BD player, Microsoft might push for downloads, but in the end if the market holds up Blu-ray, even mighty Microsoft is going to have to bite the bullet and release a BD for X-Box, or lose shares to PS3, I doubt Mr. Gates will allow that.
Do you think Toshiba will produce Blu-ray/HD DVD combo players for a while as a means of supporting its customer base?
In the press conference, it was said that Toshiba will NOT produce any type of HD DVD device. They really can't, they sunk hundreds of millions into a hole, their stock opened higher the following day (6%), what does that tell you? Investors and board members were getting nervous about the costs associated with HD DVD and wanted Toshiba to call it quits. Toshiba will produce a player (BD) in the near future, but for now they have to consolidate their loses and concentrate on other ventures. As an entity HD DVD is done.
In fact the head of Toshiba when asked about any possible future legal suits against Toshiba said (paraphrased) "that's the nature of the market, we're hardware producers and you run the risk when you early adopt, as for legal recourse, we shouldn't have any problems."
All I can say is if you don't remember history, it is doomed to repeat its' self.
I shiver at the thought of Sony finally getting one of it's formats as a major standard.
If you thought the root kit fiasco on their music CD's was bad, you ain't seen nothing yet.
Just like Bush, a whole bunch of people are going to get exactly what they asked for.
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Do you think Toshiba will produce Blu-ray/HD DVD combo players for a while as a means of supporting its customer base?
Notta chance....
They'll continue to offer support/firmware updates for current products that are already out there....but don't expect anything new from them until the day comes when the first Toshiba BD player hits the streets.
Toshiba is in state of BD player launch denial now.....but guaranteed: they will eventually make a BD player once they recover from a bad case of stomach pains caused by swallowing a very large bitter pill.
Dual format players will quickly go the way of the dodo.
Toshiba announces HD DVD surrender: War is finally over!
Yesssss
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