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Toshiba: HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray War not over yet

By Steve Pounds | Wednesday, January 30, 2008, 12:26 PM

Now that we’re all trying to pay for the holiday gift giving we did, you might not be in the market for an DVD player that fits the high-definition format.

Many consumers were on the sidelines anyway because of the “HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray” war between Toshiba and Sony.

At the Consumer Electronics Show this month, Warner Brothers threw its support behind Blu-ray. Rumors abound on the Internet that Paramount will follow and that Best Buy has plans to phase out HD-DVD players.

Meanwhile, Toshiba has slashed prices but at least during mid-January, it didn’t help the slide in sales, according to Digitalbits.com.

So is it worth taking a chance and catching a good deal on a Toshiba player or wait a few months longer to see if Blu-ray actually is the winner?

Permalink | Comments (13) |

Comments

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By bit2bit

January 30, 2008 3:04 PM | Link to this

What’s a muscle from Sony that twist poeple arm and mind. WB jump ship (may be some $$ deal on the back) does not mean HD-DVD die. It’s dead through the mind of Sony camp and they advertise this to sweep the consumer mind also. What a brutal tactic to control the market and make consummer pay higher price on a technology that is the same picture quality as HD-DVD.

On the Internet front, HD-DVD format will not go away. SONY! Do not continue to mislead poeple by saying HD-DVD is dead.

Let go and buy HD-DVD player (you will get 5-7 HD movies disc) and can be used as very good upconversion your old DVD disks. As consummer,

LET MAKE THE POINT TO THE BIG MONEY SONY

By bit2bit

January 30, 2008 3:06 PM | Link to this

What’s a muscle from Sony that twist poeple arm and mind. WB jump ship (may be some $$ deal on the back) does not mean HD-DVD die. It’s dead through the mind of Sony camp and they advertise this to sweep the consumer mind also. What a brutal tactic to control the market and make consummer pay higher price on a technology that is the same picture quality as HD-DVD.

On the Internet front, HD-DVD format will not go away. SONY! Do not continue to mislead poeple by saying HD-DVD is dead.

Let go and buy HD-DVD player (you will get 5-7 HD movies disc) and can be used as very good upconversion your old DVD disks. As consummer,

LET MAKE THE POINT TO THE BIG MONEY SONY

By jim

January 30, 2008 4:11 PM | Link to this

HD-DVD THE LOOK AND SOUND OF PERFECT!!!

blu-ray the look and feel of good enough!!!

By HD-DUD

January 30, 2008 4:20 PM | Link to this

You have got to be kidding, Fanboy. Just because you have a hard-on for Sony doesn’t mean Blu-ray is bad. It’s all about space bubba, (not the kind between your ears) and a Blu-ray disc has more. It’s as simple as that. When you want to back up files on a disc, you’ll be able to burn it on a double; (50GB) layered Blu-ray, YAAAYYYY!!!!!

Come on and click those heels Dorothy, because if you’re betting on HD-DUD you are OVER THE RAINBOW!

By David

January 30, 2008 4:55 PM | Link to this

Sorry guys, but the last time I checked, even the hd dvd fanboys gave up ship here at circuit city. And I quote from another salesman here at circuit: “I don’t even bring up hd dvd anymore, like when I say when you hook up your blu-ray dvd player…” And to label sony as the total owner of blu-ray is pish-posh. The words blu-ray and sony don’t always have to be placed in the same… aw never mind.

By Howard The Social Liberal

January 30, 2008 4:55 PM | Link to this

It’s not just the storage space, it’s also the amount of data Blu-ray can transfer to the TV vs. HD DVD in a given period of time.

Is the Blu-Ray spec final? No. But DVD players improved over time as well (standard to progressive scan, etc.)

By Trenkers

January 31, 2008 1:13 PM | Link to this

Antigua to Save HD DVD? Yes, Yes they could As we fall into the final hours of the WTO decision on the Antigua vs USA case, there has not been a lot of talk about it. We see now Antigua is looking to move forward, as they were granted 21 Million USD in sanctions per year to sell US copyrighted materials.

See full article at Antigua to Save HD DVD

By Jibby

January 31, 2008 2:26 PM | Link to this

At $130 in most store, the Toshiba A-3 is priced right (I bought my first DVD at that price in 1998). Plus, the nice 7 free HD-DVD’s I got with the deal ($25*7=$175) means: I actually got paid $35 to buy the box. I can’t beat that, even if the box becomes obsolete by mid year.

BTW, I don’t like see SONY treat us poor guys like garbage by FORCING the market to go their Facist way (http://gizmodo.com/346783/the-truth-about-the-format-war-and-hd-dvds-demise). I wouldn’t be surprised that the U.S. Senate treats SONY’s $400 million investment into Warner Brothers as good old fashioned PAYOLA. Is that a breach of ANTI-TRUST laws?

By Michael

February 1, 2008 7:00 AM | Link to this

I spent the last few weeks speaking with salsepeople at both Circuit City and Best Buy about HD-DVD. The price and free discs appeared to be so inviting. Not one single (As in NADA, ZERO, ZILCH) salesperson recommended it. They were definitely pushing Blu-Ray. Let’s face it, where storage media and burning discs on the home PC front is concerned, that war will work itself out. Home theater is another story and a matter of mathematics. HD-DVD can slash prices until they are blue in the face but it doesn’t change the fact that 70% of the studios are now solely backing Blu-Ray (And that number is NOT going to get smaller any time soon). Give Universal and Paramount another frew months and they will be singing a different song. People buy home theater HD players for the number of titles available (NOT the prices)!! HD-DVD is a sinking ship. Anyone who would consider purchasing an HD-DVD player right now (even after the Super Bowl ad) should save their money and go select a rock from their backyard. A rock would make for a much cheaper paper weight.

By Michael

February 1, 2008 7:01 AM | Link to this

I spent the last few weeks speaking with salsepeople at both Circuit City and Best Buy about HD-DVD. The price and free discs appeared to be so inviting. Not one single (As in NADA, ZERO, ZILCH) salesperson recommended it. They were definitely pushing Blu-Ray. Let’s face it, where storage media and burning discs on the home PC front is concerned, that war will work itself out. Home theater is another story and a matter of mathematics. HD-DVD can slash prices until they are blue in the face but it doesn’t change the fact that 70% of the studios are now solely backing Blu-Ray (And that number is NOT going to get smaller any time soon). Give Universal and Paramount another few months (if not less) and they WILL be singing a different song. People buy home theater HD players for the number of titles available (NOT the prices)!! HD-DVD is a sinking ship. Anyone who would consider purchasing an HD-DVD player right now (even after the Super Bowl ad) should save their money and go select a rock from their backyard. A rock would make for a much cheaper paper weight.

By dale

February 1, 2008 7:06 AM | Link to this

if you think that bit-rates and storage space is the whole answer, then why is HD-DVD doing better with the movies they put out because from what i see blu-ray is lacking. lacking in good content, features, and functionality. their strong suit seems to be marketing-they could sell snow to eskimos. however if they think that consumers are willing to pay double for the same thing then blu-ray may well die on the vine.

By Dew

February 1, 2008 7:43 AM | Link to this

HD-DVD = The Look and Sound of Loser

By DrewG5

February 2, 2008 6:07 PM | Link to this

Yes Sony wins because we all want to spend twice as much on a product that is only slightly better. Only reason I care now is cuz I got a HDDVD player for the price of a good upconvert player.