Toshiba announces HD DVD surrender: War is finally over!

[admin]

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.

Discuss "Toshiba announces HD DVD surrender: War is finally over!" here. Read the article.

 

[Panjsheri]

Yesssss

Finally now I cant regret buying my $1500 Blu Ray player

 

[Dezoris]

Like most people it's nice to see it done.

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.

 

[Biggiesized]

I agree.

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.

 

[aarond]

maybe by christmas we can get a sub $400 player thats half as good as the ps3!

 

[stratman]

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.

 

[Biggiesized]

Do you think Toshiba will produce Blu-ray/HD DVD combo players for a while as a means of supporting its customer base?

 

[stratman]

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."

 

[jinjuku]

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.

 

[Buckeye_Nut]

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.

 

[Buckeye_Nut]

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.

LOL..... ya gotta love how the failure of HD-DuD discussion devolves into GWB derangement syndrome statements from HD-dud-fanboys.

 

[stratman]

LOL..... ya gotta love how the failure of HD-DuD discussion devolves into GWB derangement syndrome statements from HD-dud-fanboys.

Well you know it's Bush's fault that HD DVD lost. We have to elect Bilary to bring it back to life.

 

[jinjuku]

LOL..... ya gotta love how the failure of HD-DuD discussion devolves into GWB derangement syndrome statements from HD-dud-fanboys.

I am not a fan of HD-DVD as so much as I have a long memory when it comes to Sony/Format Standards and their desire and will to lock it down.

I don't know what I detest more:

DRM that calls me a crook, Sony and their iron fisted approach, the dumbass that a bunch of dumbass americans voted into office twice and still don't get how f'd up he made it. Take your pick.

I find it interesting that you would pick apart this part of my comment, and yet have nothing to say about the rootkit fiasco...

 

[stratman]

I am not a fan of HD-DVD as so much as I have a long memory when it comes to Sony/Format Standards and their desire and will to lock it down.

I don't know what I detest more:

DRM that calls me a crook, Sony and their iron fisted approach, the dumbass that a bunch of dumbass americans voted into office twice and still don't get how f'd up he made it. Take your pick.

I find it interesting that you would pick apart this part of my comment, and yet have nothing to say about the rootkit fiasco...

Well I guess we have all types of dumbasses don't we? The dumbasses that voted Clinton into power twice, who made a mockery of the office and those that you pointed out, given my choice I'd rather have the dumbass from Texas than the dumbass from Arkansas, so I guess this makes us dumbasses, don't it?

 

[stratman]

You also forget that Sony isn't the only party in Blu-ray, Panasonic, as far as I know, has never been into any of Sony's tricks, so if you've got a problem with Sony, buy Panny.

 

[Buckeye_Nut]

You also forget that Sony isn't the only party in Blu-ray, Panasonic, as far as I know, has never been into any of Sony's tricks, so if you've got a problem with Sony, buy Panny.

LOL...yea, no kidding.


HD-Duds always harp endlessly/needlessly about.......... "I don't want a sony".

If they dislike sony so much, they could always buy a player from one of the many other manufacturers other than sony who are now building them. Samsung, Sharp, LG, Pioneer, Panasonic, etc, etc, etc..... to name a few and the list of manufacturers will now grow exponentially larger now that the war is over.

 

[jinjuku]

LOL...yea, no kidding.


HD-Duds always harp endlessly/needlessly about.......... "I don't want a sony".

If they dislike sony so much, they could always buy a player from one of the many other manufacturers other than sony who are now building them. Samsung, Sharp, LG, Pioneer, Panasonic, etc, etc, etc..... to name a few and the list of manufacturers will now grow exponentially larger now that the war is over.

It's not the hardware, its the Sony Corporate culture and the way they handle their standards. Betamax anyone? Try and think of how it would have been if Sony won that lawsuit... Again, those that fail to remember history are doomed to repeat it.

 

[stratman]

For Pete's sake, forget about Sony, just buy Panny or someone else. I don't have Sony products, not because their corporate practices are questionable, but because I don't really care for their hardware. To be frank, the gear from Sony (miniDisc, video cams) that I've owned over the years has never given me any issues. Panny also has been stellar and better yet they give you value for your hard earned dollars, something that Sony doesn't.

 

[Wayde Robson]

I don't know about HD-dud or any of this so called fanboyism.

How did that ever enter the picture?

I am not a fan of either. I find the HD DVD technology more user friendly. I am also leery of Sony being a studio and hardware manufacturer - it just gives DRM prominence in thier design, which it has - problems with BD+ are today's RootKit fiasco.

Does that make me a fanboy? I don't know. But I own a Blu-ray player - it took me about four BD players to find one that worked right. If I'm an HD fanboy I'm a traitor.

I own Panasonics BD30 btw. It's a good player, relaible and streams hi-res codecs.

I just don't see how you can be a fan of a format?

It's not like being a fan of a sports team, a movie or even audio gear which can get very provincial.

It's like being a fan of a type of fuel, unleaded or diesel - fanboy!

I guess people will get territorial about anything.

 

[stratman]

I sat on the fence while the fiasco raged, I'll wait till summer's end to see where prices are headed, if by Black Friday Blu-ray hasn't got their act together, they're going to be in a world of hurt.