HD Disc Format War Not Over By a Long Shot

[kennyt]

Originally Posted by Vinyl Rules!

Electrons don't cost anything to mail.

Not true, bandwidth, which transfers all those bit, does cost, and this is why Apple charges more for their HD downloads, it uses more bandwidth.

[bootman]

Now Walmart?

http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9873029-7.html

[glocksout]

Is this that long-shot?

http://wesleytech.com/wal-mart-choses-blu-ray/551/

[merv46]

Originally Posted by TheMoose

Well hd-dvd took a downturn in this weeks numbers 81% Blu to 19% hd-dvd.
Even with the continuing BOGO sale at Amazon.

Also The Hollywood reporter is saying

Toshiba to drop HD DVD, sources say

Toshiba is widely expected to pull the plug on its HD DVD format sometime in the coming weeks, reliable industry sources say, after a rash of retail defections that followed Warner Home Video's announcement in early January that it would support only the rival Blu-ray Disc format after May.
Officially, no decision has been made, insists Jodi Sally, vp of marketing for Toshiba America Consumer Products. "Based on its technological advancements, we continue to believe HD DVD is the best format for consumers, given the value and consistent quality inherent in our player offerings," she said.

But she hinted that something's in the air. "Given the market developments in the past month," she said, "Toshiba will continue to study the market impact and the value proposition for consumers, particularly in light of our recent price reductions on all HD DVD players."


Toshiba had been pitching its discounted HD DVD players toward the standard DVD crowd as well as high-def enthusiasts, noting in its ad message that the new players would make DVDs look a lot better as well. And as a last-ditch effort, the company ran an ad during the Super Bowl -- a 30-second spot that reportedly cost $2.7 million.

But in the end, sources say, the substantial loss Toshiba is incurring with each HD DVD player sold -- a figure sources say could be as high as several hundred dollars -- coupled with a series of high-profile retail defections has driven the company to at last concede defeat.

It does seem the end could be near

Reuters & the Washington post have picked up this story too as have Gizmodo & Engadget.

This news is getting more and more real as the news travels through the internet and radio waves, if true it is sad for those of us that have hd dvd or both formats but in the long run it will be better for all if Tosh packs it in and then start producing bd machines. I for one would purchase one, they have made for the most part good hd dvd and upscaling dvd players.
I do think this is the end!

[TheMoose]

As Jim Morrison would say,
This is the end, beautiful friend.
This is the end, my only friend,
The end, of our elaborate plans,
The end, of everything that stands,
The end, no safety or surprise,
The end.
I'll never look into your eyes again

Or as Dandy Don Meridith would say,
Turn out the lights! The Party's over!

[AudAdv]

Well with Wal-Mart pulling out like a teenager on Prom Night, how long will it be until we see Transformers and The Matrix on Blu-Ray?

YEAH, I SAID IT, IT'S OVER!