Software/technology giants Microsoft and Intel back Toshiba in HD-DVD/BluRay Format war
Just when things were looking their bleakest at the HD-DVD camp, comes this stunning reversal: According to the New York Times as well as various other sources, Microsoft, the company that everyone loves to hate, and Intel (even if Windows isn’t your OS, you still have Intel Inside), have announced their backing of the underdog next-gen format, evening up the odds if not tipping them slightly in the favor of Toshiba.
Intel and Microsoft believe weighing in on the HD DVD side will be enough to tip the balance. “We have a high expectation of having a single format, and that format is HD DVD,†said Intel spokesman Bill Kircos.
For those of you not familiar with the format war, here’s a brief summary:
There are two proposed next-gen DVD formats, BluRay, created by Sony and HD-DVD developed by Toshiba. Each has its specific strengths and weaknesses.
HD-DVD (that’s High Density, not Hi Definition, although Hi Def movies will fit on the HD-DVDs) are upgrades of existing DVD technology. Existing factories and presses can be retrofitted to manufacture the HD-DVDs quickly and cheaply. Toshiba also claims that its product will be available sooner, and HD-DVD players may go on sale as early as Christmas.
BluRay uses a new technology to fit a lot more data on a high density disc, allowing each one to hold even more information and features. It is the general consensus that the BluRay is a stronger product, but it is more expensive to manufacture. (Sony claims it can bring down the price significantly, but even so, it still won’t be as cheap as HD-DVD).
Support is split between the two formats. HD-DVD has the support of studios like NBC-Universal and Paramount. Sony’s BluRay has 20th Century Fox, and Sony Pictures. Until now, Sony has had more third party support as well, with companies like Dell and Apple on its side.
Now that Intel and Microsoft have declared their support for HD, however, the playing field has changed. Some analysts are calling it consumer electronics vs. home computing. And just as no one company has truly been able to merge the home PC with the entertainment system, try as they might, the entertainment industry has not been able to work out a compromise between the formats. One company, Samsung, has gone as far as announcing a DVD player that will, indeed, support both formats. Many others are not declaring an allegiance, either waiting for the dust to settle or preparing to support both formats if it comes to that.
What other surprises lay on the horizon?
Well, first, we’ll see for sure this Christmas if HD-DVD is able to take off. If it gains a solid enough foothold before BluRay players can be introduced this fight might just be over before it begins.
Then again, wait until Spring and we’ll see Sony release its Play Station 3. Is it possible that the introduction of the next-gen player will bolster BluRay sales just like the PS2 made DVD a part of everyday life for the younger crowd?
And lastly, there is Netflix. If the company were to weigh in on either side, projected sales will be altered significantly. Then again, the DVD rental company that’s putting Blockbuster out of business may be able to afford the scratch to support both formats.
More on this as it develops.