HP gives Blu-ray Ultimatum

[racquetman]

Because we haven't beaten this topic enough yet, I thought I'd mention this little article this morning. Apparently Microsoft and Intel were on to something, because now HP is turning up the pressure on Blu-ray:

http://www.techtree.com/techtree/jsp/article.jsp?article_id=68743&cat_id=581

For all of you that thought Microsoft's reasons for backing HD-DVD were pure fluff, HP apparently disagrees with you.

 

[Takeereasy]

I don't care who wins, just bring on the new formats already! It's going to take years for the dust to settle and a winner to emerge, and when it does I'll gladly pay my $250 for a player. Till then these guys need to fight each other to win my affection.

 

[Audioholics]

If both formats come out as planned, the public will react poorly. Confusion will dominate and it will end up like DVD-Audio/SACD (ask your parents, cousins, neighbors what those are - they likely won't have a clue).

We really need one format and to be honest, everyone is getting a bit fed up even before it begins because we all know what's going to happen... everyone except Toshiba and Sony, that is.

 

[racquetman]

I don't care who wins either - just bring on the products already!! Let's see what these players can do.

HD-DVD had a demo at Bjorn's in San Antonio recently. Apparently it was a super secret demo because I didn't read anything about it until after it happened. That's not surprising. What was surprising is that my brother lives in San Antonio, talked to someone in Bjorn's, and he didn't even know what was going on. What the hell kind of marketing is this?!! You want the public to see what your product can do, but you do absolutely nothing to announce what is going on so that people can actually plan on going there to check it out. Apparently you had to stumble into the store on just the right day at just the right time to catch this demonstration. Stupid in my opinion.

 

[Duffinator]

I'm glad to see someone is looking out after us end users. The DRM issues are looking to be much tighter with BD compared to HD. Maybe if HP, Intel, and MS get together than can put pressure on Sony and Toshiba to compromise and unify the formats. But I'm sure if Sony has their way you would only get BD burners in Sony PC's. Sony needs to wake up and realize they haven't ruled the electronics world for almost two decades now. A unified format will bring Sony the needed profits now verses waiting and ultimately unifing at a later date. I was really looking forward to seeing some form of HD DVD this Christmas season but it looks like it's not going to happen. Clint is right, we need one format otherwise it's going to be a real mess.